18.05.23

Punjab and Haryana lagging in implementation of rural schemes

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PunjabandHaryanaare lagging in constructing roads, houses and providing sustainable livelihood to people living in rural areas. Both the states missed the targets set under the flagship schemes of the central government by big margins, according to the progress report on the 20-point programme compiled by theUnion ministry of statisticsfor the first three quarters of 2022-23.

In both states, over 60% of the Population resides in rural areas. Despite that, the two states are underperforming in the implementation of thePradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(Grameen) aimed at providing pucca houses with supply of water, electricity and toilet facility for all homeless people living in kutcha or dilapidated houses.

Haryana has achieved only 19% of the target, constructing 882 houses against a target of 4,734 set for the period between April 2022 and December 2022, while Punjab could only achieve 22% of the target.

The state built 1,840 houses during the period against the target of 8,481. The neighbouring Himachal Pradesh fared better as it achieved 72% of the target set for the corresponding period by constructing 2,126 houses against a target of 2,973.

Punjab and Haryana have also been found wanting as far as implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana a scheme to provide all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages is concerned. The two states could not even meet half of the targets set under the scheme. While Haryana achieved a target of 45%, constructing 297 km of roads against the target of 657 km, Punjab achieved 47% of the target by constructing 353 km of roads against a target of 750 km.

Both the states also floundered in the execution of the (NRLM), which aims at creating institutional platforms for the rural poor, enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial Services.

Anurag: Centre of excellence in Hamirpur to promote sports

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Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting,said that a centre of excellence would be set up in Hamirpur to hone young sporting talents and promote Sports.

Thakur was speaking at the Hamir Sangam organised by the Hamirpur Welfare Association at Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) here. The centre of excellence, which will spot young talent and prepare Olympiad-level sportspersons, will be established in Hamirpur in the next two years, he said.

Uttarakhand’s liquor revenue increases over 22 times in 22 years, reveals RTI

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TheUttarakhandtax department has collected a staggering Rs 2,648.1 crores in sales tax/VAT on liquor in 22 years starting from the fiscal year 2001-02 to 2022-23, as per recent data obtained by Right To Information (RTI) activist Nadeem Uddin, a resident of Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district. This tax revenue was generated solely from the sale of liquor in the state.

The data reveals a continuous increase in tax revenue collected on liquor in the state. The information was provided by the public information officer Deepak Brijwal, who is posted as the deputy commissioner at state tax headquarters in Dehradun, in response to a request made by Nadeem for information on the amount of tax revenue collected on liquor across the state. The data indicates that the tax revenue from liquor sales in the state has consistently been on an upward trend, with fiscal year 2022-23 recording the highest revenue collection to date.

RRR centres to collect waste materials in cities

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The Uttar Pradesh government will set up RRR centres in 11 municipal corporations. The RRR Reduce, Reuse and Recycle centres are part of the Meri Life, Mera Swachh Shahar’ campaign.

In these facilities, being hailed as Na Throw-Na Throw (a pun on Natu Natu song),waste materials such as clothes, books, toys, electrical and electronic equipment and machinery, among others, will be collected from the homes of people and distributed to people in need.

The municipal corporations where these RRR centres would come up include Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi, Meerut, Agra, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Aligarh, Bareilly, Moradabad and Saharanpur.

According to Urban Development Minister AK Sharma, a Na Throw-Na Throw chariot will be run in all the selected 11 municipal corporations.

Besides, the RRR centres will be developed as banks for clothes, books, utensils, and toys. The municipal corporations will operate them through various voluntary organisations, self-help groups and other organisations.

‘Languages spoken by tribes need to be documented’

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Linguist Anvita Abbi, stressed the need for documentation of languages spoken by minority communities to preserve these languages for future generations.
She was speaking the inauguration of training workshop on documentation of languages facing extinction organised by the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) at its campus. She said, “Efforts like proper research, survey, data collection, field work, analysis, archiving and documentation are must for conservation of languages that are facing danger.”

Language is an effective Communication, there were instances of thousands of these tribes who saved their lives when they were fishing when a Tsunami struck the seashores of Andaman Nicobar Islands a few years ago. Likewise, there are several endangered languages like Halbi in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh,Sadari Jharkhand, north-eastern states languages like Chokri, Kheza, Sangatan and Teniyada

CM Nitish Kumar flags off 576 new vehicles for police stations in Bihar

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Chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar flagged off 576 new vehicles for different Police stations and outposts in order to strengthen policing in the state.
A Home department official said the purchased 613 new vehicles in order to strengthen policing. Of the 613 vehicles, 576 have been supplied to the police department.

He said the state’s all 1,131 police stations and outposts currently have 2,010 government-owned vehicles, while 506 vehicles have been provided to police stations on rental basis. Thus, the state’s police stations and outposts currently have 2,516 vehicles. With addition of 528, the total number of vehicles available to all the 1,131 police stations and outposts will increase to 3,044.

Earlier, in FY 2018-19, the Bihar government had purchased 811 new vehicles for police. Again, in FY 2021-22, the state government purchased 400 new vehicles for the police department’s Emergency Response Support System.

As part of its drive to empower Women in the state police force, the Nitish Kumar-led government appointed altogether 54 ‘woman driver constables’ in the last six to seven years.

Cgarh Olympic Games from Hareli

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Chhattisgarh’s Olympic Games will start from the Hareli Festival in the current year, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced on Wednesday.

He was speaking at a public interaction at Bhatgaon in Dhamtari assembly constituency, an official Communication said.

He also inaugurated and performed Bhumi Pujan of 154 development works worth Rs 137 crores.

Baghel said the Mahatma Gandhi University will open in Patan on May 21, the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The instalments for the Nyay schemes will also be released to the beneficiaries.

AMPRI should become the engine of innovation of the state: Guv

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Governor Mangubhai Patel has said that the “One week-one laboratory” programme is a worthwhile initiative to build a self-reliant India. The programme will inspire the future generation to contribute in the efforts of nation building.

He said that CSIR-Ampri should become the engine of innovation in the state by developing meaningful and equal PARTNERSHIP between research, academia and .

Governor Patel was addressing the educationists, researchers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, start-ups, school and college students and the general public at the launch of “One Week-One Laboratory” at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (CSIR AMPRI) auditorium today. Film focusing on the activities of AMPRI was screened and One Week One Lab booklet was released. The document for technology transfer was also exchanged by the institute with the enterprise.

Governor Mangubhai Patel has said that today only that nation and Society will be ahead in the world, which will be ahead than others in technical knowledge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made multi-pronged efforts to make the thinking of our citizens and the Atmosphere of the society scientific. Taking forward Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan-Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan has created a strong Environment for science and research in the country. He has done revolutionary work of promoting holistic, research, discussion and analysis based Education system through new education policy.

In the new education policy, applied science subjects like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics have been linked to other branches of knowledge. In the National Education Policy, work is being done to promote the childrens inclination towards scientific education from childhood by making science enjoyable, interesting and full of information through interactive laboratories. He said that the coming forward of institutions like CSIR and scientists in developing scientific outlook and rational thinking is a commendable initiative.

Governor Patel said that the Amrit Utsav of Independence is a pledge to acquaint the youths with the glory of the nation’s past and prepare the future generation committed to building the future of the nation on the completion of 100 years of independence. In this context, CSIR Ampri should record the journey of the past years and develop a vision for the year 2047.

GNFC reports 48% decline in Q4 profits

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Fertilizer and chemicals major,Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd(GNFC) posted a 48% decline in fourth quarter profits, the company said in its stock exchange filing on Thursday. The consolidated net profit fell to Rs 336 crore during the quarter as compared to Rs 643 crore in the year-ago period. GNFCs profits declined as a consequence of weaker demand in theagriculture sector.

The board has recommended a dividend of Rs 30 per share of Rs 10 each fully paid up (300%) for FY23. The companys share price fell 8.05% to Rs 601.95 a piece at close onBSE.

Rahat camps benefit 1Cr families, 5Cr cards given

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Over 1.07 crore families inRajasthanbenefitted from the Mehangai Rahat Camps till May 18. As many as 4.89 crore CM guarantee cards have been distributed to people through these camps, according to the rahat camp portal.

Both the Chiranjeevi Swasthya BimaYojanaandChiranjeevi DurghatnaBima Yojana, saw the highest number of beneficiaries with over 85 lakh registrations each. The Mehangai Rahat Camps were kicked-off in the state on April 24.

The free ration scheme,Annapurnafood packet yojana, saw 70.68 lakh registrations, followed by more than 64.38 lakh registrations under the CM free electricity scheme.

So far, under the Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Bima Yojana, 58.59 lakh registrations have been done, 40.69 lakh registrations have been done under the Mukhyamantri Gramin Rojgar Guarantee Yojana, 37.55 lakh registrations under the Indira Gandhi Gas CylinderSubsidy Yojana