23-24.12.22

‘Mizoram has huge potential for adventure & eco-tourism’

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Mizoramis a beautiful state with a huge potential for adventure and eco-tourism, saidUnionminister for tourism GKishan Reddy. He was speaking at the inauguration of the 10th International Tourism Mart (ITM) for the northeast at R Dengthuama Hall in Aizawl.

Reddy and CM Zoramthanga jointly laid the foundation for four projects, namely the Aizawl Convention Centre at Chite,PRASHAD, two bamboo link roads under PM DevINE – Tuirial Airfield to North Chaltlang and Lengpui to Saiphal. The Union minister also released a coffee table book on Mizoram tourism on the occasion. Reddy said the ITM aims to facilitate interaction between government agencies and stakeholders.
He drew the attention to the assumption of G20 presidency by India, saying it would be a big boost in opening the scope of investment in hospitality as well as adventure, cruise and wellness tourism.

Excise dept gets Digital India Gold Award

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President Droupadi Murmu conferred the prestigious Digital India Gold Award to the Excise department for digital initiatives for ease of doing business through e-Abkari. Principal secretary of Panchayati Raj department Sushil Kumar Lohani, excise commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh and senior technical director of NIC, Bhubaneswar Nihar Ranjan Biswal received the prestigious award.

In tune with the 5T initiatives, the Excise department has switched over to the digital workplace e-Abkari with the technical support of NIC since 2019-20. It has developed and implemented more than 30 online modules like e-Lottery, instant issue and renewal of excise licenses, brand label registrations with 100 per cent online payment and mobile app development for tracking of raid spots and excise shops. The department has collected Rs 6197.54 crore including VAT till December against the last fiscals collection of Rs 5023.92 crore.

Kochi sees rise in number of foreign tourists

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December 2022 turned out to be a happy month for hotels and resorts in Kochi as they saw an increase in number of foreign tourists, a first since the outbreak of Covid-19. Tourists from France, UK, Germany and US are now visiting the city.

The central government on Monday made it mandatory even for passengers, who take transit flights to India from high-risk countries, to have a RT-PCR negative certificate, but hoteliers here are confident that it is unlikely to have an adverse impact on the local tourism industry immediately.

According to hoteliers, bookings by foreigners has risen 20-30% since Covid. Foreigners prefer to visit Kerala during October-March while domestic tourists visit all round the year. Before Covid, of the total number of tourists coming to the state, 10% constituted foreign and 90% domestic. Now it is 6% foreign and 94% domestic tourists. The number of foreign tourists increased only in December last year.

Karnataka govt mulls industry tag for jaggery units to ensure quality

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Growing demand for jaggery and jaggery-based products, thanks to rising awareness about healthy lifestyles, and widespread adulteration of the item have prompted the commerce and industries department to contemplate regulating the sector and set standards.

A state-level coordination committee will meet this week to decide on conferring the ‘industry’ tag on the sector.

Given jaggery has a higher nutritional value than sugar, its consumption will only increase with the rising focus on sustainable lifestyle. While India is the biggest exporter of jaggery, Karnataka being the third biggest sugarcane growing state should have cashed in on the advantages that jaggery production offers. However, lack of the authorities focus has cost Karnataka dear as can be seen by the fall in jaggery production in Mandya. An industry tag will certainly go a long way in not only reviving the sector but also generating jobs. It will bring the units under regulatory control so that quality can be ensured and adulteration checked.

Telangana attracted investments worth Rs 3.3 lakh crore since 2014: KT Rama Rao

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In the eight and a half years since it was formed in 2014, Indias youngest state of Telangana has bagged investments worth Rs 3.3 lakh crore (approx. $40 billion) through TSiPASS as well as in the IT&ITeS sector, Telangana industries minister KT Rama Rao said.

These new investments have led to the creation of over 22.5 lakh new jobs since 2014, KTR said while expressing happiness that this employment generation feat had helped Hyderabad overtake other cities that were in leading position in terms of providing job opportunities.

Elaborating on the reasons for investments, the Telangana IT & industries minister said the Telangana government had identified 14 priority sectors with one dedicated director being appointed for each of these priority sectors.

Centre extends interest-free loan to AP tobacco growers

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Centre has accorded approval to extend a special interest-free crop loan of 28.11 crore at the rate of 10,000 to each grower member of Tobacco Boards Growers Welfare Scheme in the southern region of AP.

The loan will be extended from the Tobacco Growers Welfare Fund and will benefit 28,112 grower members.

The Tobacco Board has requested special chief secretary (agriculture), commissioner of agriculture and district collectors of Prakasam, Palnadu, Bapatla and Nellore to enumerate the crop damage and provide relief through the State Disaster Relief Fund.

Goa government to amend land revenue code for stone crushing units

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The state government has decided to amend the GoaLand Revenue Code, 1968, to do away with the need for permission from the revenue department for activities undertaken in pursuance of the permission or licence granted under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957.

This would be applicable for activities involving basalt orstone crushing unitsas they are essential for various developmental works, and will be applicable to those that have been operating legally as of December 31, 2007.

The land used by these units will be deemed to have been lawfully used notwithstanding anything contained in the revenue act or any other law in force or in any contract, any judgement, decree, or order of any court of law or any instrument having the force of law.

Budget for Kolhapur to Vaibhavwadi rail to be 4Kcr

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Former project director of Konkan railways and chief engineer Deepak Diwate presented the proposed plan for the 107-km long Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi rail route in the open forum discussion organised by the Association of Architect and Engineers,Kolhapur.

As per the survey of the Karad-Chiplun and Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi routes, it is reported that the Karad-Chiplun route is not feasible, but Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi is feasible. The Maharashtra government should take an active part in this extension line of the Konkan railway, it was said.

This project was approved almost ten years ago, but no work has been done on it yet. If the railway line is made, this 107-km railway line will pass throughVaibhavwadi Umbarde, Upale,Gagan Bawdaetc.

Innovative measures taken to keep animals and birds warm in Haryana zoos

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The Wildlife wing of Haryana Forest department has taken extra measures for animals and birds to make them feel at ease during the ongoing winter season. With winter hitting in full force, the management of zoos are using scientific techniques to keep enclosures of birds and animals warm. The instructions have been given to use a combination of facilities, technical staff and supplements for this, said the department of forests (wildlife) officials.

In case of birds, all the cages have been covered with fibre cloths, jute mat and polythene sheets tightly to save them from wind chill and winter rain. Paddy straw and wheat husk bedding have been provided to all the birds for warm nesting. For herbivore animals, temporary shelters and huts made from kanna (secrem-munja), wooden logs and bamboo are created with the help of binding wire and ropes. These facilities are water-proof.

Reptile houses have been equipped with oil fin heaters, which are very good for reptiles as they do not affect the natural humidity of enclosures. Reptile cells have been provided with wheat husk, dry leaf foliage and heavy blankets. Reptile basking lamps (UV LAMPS) have been fitted in the reptile section. Aquarium water heaters with water circulation systems are also being provided to turtles and tortoises.