Now, mini-banks to provide crop loans

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Cooperative Minister Parsadilal Meena has announced simplification of the crop loan disbursement system while authorising cooperative mini-banks to provide these loans to farmers at the village level. Earlier, the farmers had to approach the Central Cooperative Bank’s branches for getting the loans.

Mr. Meena said here that the facility would be available at the mini-banks functioning in 3,341 village cooperative societies in the first phase. The crop loans are being disbursed through over 5,000 village cooperative societies across the State.

The Minister said the State Government had set the target for providing benefit of the cooperative crop loan disbursement system to 8 lakh farmers this year. Crop loans worth Rs.3,300 crore were disbursed in the State during the previous year, he added.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/11/stories/2010051155830300.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Australian grant to help eliminate child labour

JAIPUR, India: The Australian Government has announced an Rs.6 lakh grant to the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) to help eliminate child labour. Australian High Commissioner to India Peter Varghese announced the grant on Saturday during a visit to the Bal Ashram, run by BBA in Viratnagar in Alwar district of Rajasthan. Australia’s cricketing legend Adam Gilchrist accompanied him on the visit.

Gilchrist, the captain of the Deccan Chargers IPL team, also launched a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, backed by an Australian company.

The grant, falling under the Human Rights Small Grants Scheme award of the Australian Government, is managed by the Australian Agency for International Development in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. BBA (Save Childhood Movement) has been awarded the grant against stiff competition from over 200 applicants from India. The AUD 149,000 (Rs.6 lakhs approximately) award would be disbursed over two years, a release from the Australian High Commission said.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Varghese applauded the work of the BBA. “The Bachpan Bachao Andolan movement is doing critical work in preventing children from working when they should be at school. I am impressed with the results they have produced in preventing child labour and trafficking. I have been particularly impressed by the long-term approach of BBA in gradually changing the culture and value systems of the communities to ensure that child rights are respected.”

Australian support for the project will raise the awareness of human rights in communities and assist them to improve local governance systems through the creation of 20 “Bal Mitra Grams” or child-friendly villages, in Rajasthan. The scheme has already established more than 250 BMGs in North India. In a BMG, all child labourers are withdrawn from work and enrolled in school. Cchildren also form a “Bal Panchayat” (an elected children’s village council), which is given recognition by the local gram panchayat ensuring that the two councils work together on issues related to children.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/18/stories/2010041857010900.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Rooftop water harvesting in Rajasthan

JAIPUR, India: The Rajasthan Government has made the construction of rooftop water harvesting structures mandatory in buildings erected on plots measuring 300 square metres or more in the urban areas of the State. The water connections to such buildings will be released only after the construction of these structures. State Principal Urban Development and Housing Secretary G. S. Sandhu issued orders in this regard here over the week-end and instructed the Divisional Commissioners, Collectors of all districts and officers of the urban local bodies to ensure their compliance.

Mr. Sandhu said special executing agencies would be appointed for the benefit of citizens at large through municipal bodies. These agencies will render technical assistance for construction and installation of water harvesting structures.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/18/stories/2010041859610500.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

New measures for better water management in Jaipur region

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‘Works relating to installation of equipments should be completed on schedule’

Officers, engineers instructed to regularly visit areas facing scarcity of drinking water

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‘Works relating to installation of equipments should be completed on schedule’

Officers, engineers instructed to regularly visit areas facing scarcity of drinking water

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JAIPUR, India: Rajasthan Water Resources Minister Mahipal Maderna on Monday issued instructions for management of water resources in the Jaipur region with a “wider vision” and better efficiency to ensure a regular and systematic supply of drinking water to the consumers.

Addressing a review meeting on drinking water arrangements in the Jaipur region at Jal Bhavan here, Mr. Maderna said the works relating to single-phase bore-wells, hand-pumps and installation of other equipment sanctioned under the contingency plan should be completed on schedule.

Mr. Maderna asked the officers and engineers of the department to regularly visit the areas facing scarcity of drinking water and launch a campaign against illegal connections to ensure the supply of water till the tail-end of pipelines.

‘Challenging season’

According to an official release here, the Minister said this year’s summer would be a “challenging season” on the drinking water front and called upon the department’s personnel to work with sensitivity and dedication to utilise the resources provided to them to the optimum level.

Mr. Maderna also pointed out that the suggestions provided by MLAs cutting across party lines during the State Assembly’s Budget session, which ended here this past week, should be implemented to yield quick and effective results at the grassroots.

Full capacity

State Principal Water Resources Secretary Ram Lubhaya said the works taken up under the contingency plan would significantly improve the drinking water supply. He said the engineers would ensure that all schemes in their respective areas are functioning to their full capacity.

Mr. Lubhaya said the availability of water in dams and ponds across the State was negligible this year because of low rainfall, while the groundwater level was constantly declining. This serious situation called for action by the Water Resources Department with better coordination and dedication, he added.

The districts for which the progress of work was reviewed at the meeting are Jaipur, Alwar, Dausa, Sikar and Jhunjhunu.

Among others, Public Health Engineering Secretary Yaduvendra Mathur and Chief Engineer, Water Resources, M. K. M. Joshi attended the meeting.

: Rajasthan Water Resources Minister Mahipal Maderna on Monday issued instructions for management of water resources in the Jaipur region with a “wider vision” and better efficiency to ensure a regular and systematic supply of drinking water to the consumers.

Addressing a review meeting on drinking water arrangements in the Jaipur region at Jal Bhavan here, Mr. Maderna said the works relating to single-phase bore-wells, hand-pumps and installation of other equipment sanctioned under the contingency plan should be completed on schedule.

Mr. Maderna asked the officers and engineers of the department to regularly visit the areas facing scarcity of drinking water and launch a campaign against illegal connections to ensure the supply of water till the tail-end of pipelines.

‘Challenging season’

According to an official release here, the Minister said this year’s summer would be a “challenging season” on the drinking water front and called upon the department’s personnel to work with sensitivity and dedication to utilise the resources provided to them to the optimum level.

Mr. Maderna also pointed out that the suggestions provided by MLAs cutting across party lines during the State Assembly’s Budget session, which ended here this past week, should be implemented to yield quick and effective results at the grassroots.

Full capacity

State Principal Water Resources Secretary Ram Lubhaya said the works taken up under the contingency plan would significantly improve the drinking water supply. He said the engineers would ensure that all schemes in their respective areas are functioning to their full capacity.

Mr. Lubhaya said the availability of water in dams and ponds across the State was negligible this year because of low rainfall, while the groundwater level was constantly declining. This serious situation called for action by the Water Resources Department with better coordination and dedication, he added.

The districts for which the progress of work was reviewed at the meeting are Jaipur, Alwar, Dausa, Sikar and Jhunjhunu.

Among others, Public Health Engineering Secretary Yaduvendra Mathur and Chief Engineer, Water Resources, M. K. M. Joshi attended the meeting.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/06/stories/2010040659350300.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

National LPG scheme inaugurated

“Govt. committed to providing clean fuel to rural households”

JAIPUR, India: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora inaugurated the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen LPG Vitarak Yojana as a national scheme for providing liquefied petroleum gas to the rural households at Lachhmangarh in Sikar district of Rajasthan on Sunday. Six dealers were selected for rural locations in the State through draw of lots.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Deora said the Union Government was committed to providing convenient and hygienic cooking fuel to the rural households on a priority. “This scheme will greatly improve the cooking conditions in the kitchens of rural women,” he added.

The public sector oil marketing companies have invited applications for LPG distributorship at over 1,200 rural locations in eight States where LPG coverage is lower than the national average. Mr. Deora said while the selection process for these places would be completed by April-end, 800 more locations would shortly be advertised as part of second phase of the scheme.

Locations for supply

In addition to selection of dealers for Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur and Churu districts in the State, draw of lots were also held for 44 locations in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Union Rural Development Minister C. P. Joshi, Minister of State for Road Transport Mahadeo Singh Khandela, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Indian Oil Corporation Chairman B. M. Bansal and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Managing Director R. S. Sharma attended the function.

Mr. Deora said a high-level committee appointed to look into the issue of establishing an oil refinery in Rajasthan was likely to submit its report within the next fortnight: “The final decision in this regard will be taken after the study of the committee’s recommendations.”

The Union Minister called upon the oil company officers to ensure that the subsidies on natural gas and petroleum products reach the target groups. He said the State Governments should also evolve a mechanism for monitoring the distribution of kerosene to ensure its adequate supply to the poor families.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/15/stories/2010031561390700.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu