09.12.21

29,803 pigs have died in Mizoram due to African Swine Fever: Minister

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Mizoram Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Minister Dr K Beichhua said 29,803 pigs have died in the state due to the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) since March this year. Addressing a meeting of the Mizo National Front here on Friday, the minister said that at least 10,380 pigs suspected to be infected with ASF have been culled so far. “As many as 29,803 pigs have been confirmed dead due to ASF in 8 months since March 21 and 533 others died due to suspected ASF,” he said.

At least 272 villages across all 11 districts of the state are currently affected by the ASF outbreak, he said. The minister said the government is making massive efforts to contain the outbreak.

APART launches a competitive fund for innovative financing to boost Agribusiness Sector

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To support and strengthen the financing ecosystem/mechanisms in the agricultural domain of the State APART has established the first of its kind initiative, the Assam AgriFin “Xamahar”. Xamahar is a competitive funding mechanism for supporting innovative approaches to deliver financial Services, at a scale in the agribusiness sector in the state of Assam. This fund has been conceptualised by the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART), a -financed project of the Assam Government under ARIAS Society.

Through this initiative, the project intends to partner with select 8 to 12 sub-projects from the financial services sector directly benefiting 125,000 beneficiaries of which 30% will be Women.

Odisha plans to rope in panchayat members to track foreign returnees

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The state Health authorities said they would take the help of panchayat members to track and trace foreign returnees in view of the new Covid variant,Omicron, being detected in the country.

The move is in the wake of many returnees not willing to undergo surveillance despite repeated calls being made to their mobile phones. The panchayat members will be involved in identifying such people because other than the anganwadi andAshaworkers, they have the advantage of knowing about the movement of people coming to the villages.

CM inaugurates Rs 241cr drinking water project

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Chief minister M K Stalin inaugurated a combined drinking water scheme for the people of the district and neighbouring Tirupur on Wednesday. Implemented at a cost of Rs 241 crore, the water for the project would be drawn from the Bhavani river.

While Stalin inaugurated the scheme through videoconferencing from Chennai, a small event was organized at the district collector office on the day in the presence of information and publicity minister M P Saminathan.

The minister said the project would meet the drinking water requirements of Annur and Mupperipalayam town panchayats and Sulur Airforce station in the district, and Avinashi town panchayat and 155 rural settlements in Palladam panchayat union in Tirupur district.

Kerala govt completes drone survey in Cheruvally Estate

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The government has completed the drone survey in Cheruvally Estate, identified as the proposed site for the upcomingSabarimalaairport project.
The survey by the consultant Louis Berger Consulting Private Limited, covered 1,450 hectares, including the proposed location for the project.

The techno economic feasibility and Social Impact Assessment reports for the project initiated in 2017 were conducted by the same consultant have been submitted to the Centre. The government has also appointed KSIDC as the nodal agency for implementing the project.
After the reports were submitted by the state to the ministry of civil aviation, it had raised certain queries regarding the project. Quoting the observations of the director general of civil aviation, the ministry of civil aviation had sought certain clarifications from the government while considering the application for project clearance. The government has submitted clarifications to the Centre and the nod is expected soon.

It has also been estimated that 130 structures and five common property Resources (approximately) will be impacted, including a church, a temple, a mosque and a hospital. The airport which is estimated to have 800 passengers during peak hour by 2029-30 and 1,850 passengers during peak hour by 2049-50 is expected to break even only in 60 years, said the consultant. This raises several questions on the economic viability of the project.

Karnatakas tech arm scales up, is part of 30 projects across 18 departments

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Founded as a not-for-profit Society in 2019, as an alternative to the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the Centre for Smart Governance (CSG) has made major headway into providing tech solutions to theKarnatakagovernment.

Once heavily dependent upon NIC, the technology firm which is run by the ministry of information technology, Karnataka found that the central agency was unable to scale up their manpower and provide quick solutions for the state administration.

So much so, that CSG has provided solutions to even Ponzi scheme repayments to investors, including the I-Monetary Advisory (IMA) and the Guru Raghavendra Co-operative Bank scam.
With a startup capital of Rs 10 crore, raised from various foundations and grants given by the government of India for specific projects, the company has been registered as a not-for-profit entity.

In fact, the Karnataka government has given the company a free reign to even approach other governments in adjoining states for their requirements and increase its own revenue generation.

Telangana close to meeting 4 crore vax milestone

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The state is close to administering four croredosesof the Covid-19vaccineover the next 24 hours with 3,99,21,813 doses given till Wednesday. had administered one crore doses within 165 days after the state-wide vaccination drive began on January 16 this year.

Since then, the state has seen an increase in vaccine stock availability and greater efforts by authorities to administer doses to the eligible Population. As a result, the state reached the milestone of two crore doses within 78 days of reaching the one-crore-mark. The next one crore doses were administered within 27 days as Telangana reached the three-crore-mark on October 23.
However, after reaching the three-crore-mark, the pace of vaccine administration has slowed down slightly. Some experts believe that the pace has slackened as many have become relaxed over the urgency to get vaccinated following the end of the second wave. As a result, the gap between reaching three crore doses and four crore days will be around 45 days.

Andhra Pradesh govt to waive Rs 10,000 crore worth housing loans through OTS

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Chief ministerYS Jagan Mohan Reddyhas said that the government was planning to waive Rs 10,000 crore worthhousing loansof the poor through the One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme.
He further said that the government would provide free registration of the houses transferring all rights to the beneficiaries.

The chief minister made this announcement with the officials during his review meeting on housing programme at his Tadepalli camp office on Wednesday. He wanted the officials to create awareness on the benefits of the OTS scheme for house loans among people. He further said that OTS scheme is totally voluntary and houses will be registered with clear title.

Jagan said a few vested interests were spreading false information on OTS scheme. He said the previous government did not consider proposals to waive interest of housing loans. He said over 43,000 people have paid interest along with the principal amount during the previous government. Though houses were given to them over the years by the successive governments, they have only B form pattas, which deprive them of even availing loans for their domestic needs.

Use traditional knowledge, tech to become atmanirbhar: Shripad

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Farmers must blend their traditional knowledge with newer technologies to achieve the dream of atmanirbhar or self-reliant Goa, said Union minister of state for tourism and , shipping and waterwaysShripadNaik, while speaking at the WorldSoilDay event held at Old Goa.
The Old Goa-based ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI), Old Goa and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), North Goa celebrated the event recently wherein the theme for the year 2021 is haltsoilsalinisation, boost Soil productivity.

Emphasising on the theme and the coastal Saline Soils (locally called khazan), he suggested use technological interventions and suitable policies for its sustainable utilisation. Further, he stressed on judicious use of fertilisers based on soil testing and promotion of Organic Farming in the state.

Cabinet sets up new skill training board with courses as per NEP

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The Maharashtra state cabinet approved the setting up of Maharashtra State Skill, Vocational Education and Training Board by merging the Maharashtra State Skill development Board and Maharashtra State Vocational Training Council. The setting up of the new training board will make it possible to start skill education courses along with school education as per the provisions of the National Education Policy.