25.05.25

New agriculture policy to resolve problems of farmers, says Dhaliwal

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Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the new agricultural policy to be released on June 30 this year will help solve many problems of farmers. He said the new policy was being prepared with the suggestions from farmers, agricultural experts, farm leaders, people and representatives of different sections.

Presiding over a nearly four-hour-long meeting regarding demands of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) at Punjab Bhavan, Dhaliwal said the new policy was being prepared with the aim of boosting the agrarian economy. He said the government was exploring opportunities to export vegetables and other crops to neighbouring countries.

Himachal Transport Dept targets Rs 850 cr revenue: Deputy CM

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Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the Transport Department had set a target to collect a revenue of around Rs 850 crore this year.

The revenue would increase mainly by collecting the taxes pending from different vehicles and through the tax to be imposed on private luxury buses plying illegally in the state.

There are several vehicles with pending taxes. This has resulted in penalties and huge interest liabilities. We are giving them time up to June 30 to clear the actual amount with 10 per cent (fine).

Char Dham ‘QR refund policy’: Only 12% of bottles returned

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The Digital Refund System (DRS) scheme, which enables consumers to claim a Rs 10 refund by scanning a QR code on the wrapper of plastic bottles in order to help minimise plastic waste, has got a tepid response in the hill towns ofUttarakhandwhere it was introduced last month with the onset of theChar Dham yatra

The scheme was started in Kedarnath and Chopta (base for Tungnath temple trek) last year and expanded to Yaumunotri and Gangotri this year. Around 4 lakh QR codes were distributed under the scheme this year. Of these, an estimated 25% (around 1 lakh) bottles with the codes were sold. Around 47,000 (less than half of the bottles sold so far and around 12% of those given to shopkeepers) have been returned. Officials are hopeful that the scheme will gather steam as the Char Dham yatra progresses (the yatra has recently completed a month and has around five more months to go). According to pilgrims and officials, the major drawback of the scheme is the dependence on Internet connection, which is erratic in these high-altitude hill towns. Lack of information, with shopkeepers not conveying the workings of the scheme to pilgrims, is also a problem. In some cases, shopkeepers keep the wrappers, claim the profit and the plastic bottles get dumped down the hillsides as usual.

Centre lauds UPs performance in Jal Jeevan Mission

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The Central government has commended the Uttar Pradesh government for its performance in the national survey of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide clean drinking water to rural households.

The state has topped the list in several categories, including best performing and fastest moving districts.

The Government of India has congratulated UP Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra through a letter for topping in the Best Performing and Fastest Moving categories of the districts for consecutive months in the National Survey of Jal Jeevan. Many districts of UP have made it to the top in the list of aspirants, performers and achievers of both these categories,

According to the minister, the Central letter says districts of UP have made their own identity in the national survey and even in aspirational districts, the manner in which tap water is being delivered to rural families is also unprecedented.

The government has also taken steps to provide 25-50 per cent of the households with water connections. In May, UP got the second position among the states in the category where maximum numbers of tap connections were given to rural households.

The Yogi Adityanath-led government aims to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modis ambitious plan of providing every rural household with a tap connection under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

States dues at Centres new receipt portal causes power shortage

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Due to the new receipt portal of the Central Government, a serious power crisis has gripped Jharkhand. In this scorching summer, the demand for electricity in the State has reached a record level of 2900 MW. But only 2200 MW power is being supplied. Still, a shortage of 500 to 700 MW of electricity is being registered in the State.

In such a situation, the power crisis has deepened. Even after booking, electricity is not being received from the Indian Energy Exchange. JBVNL has stopped getting additional power from the Indian Energy Exchange for not paying the outstanding amount of Rs 47 crore for the power being bought through auction. In such a situation, there is a shortage of 500 to 700 MW of power in the State. Due to which load shedding is happening. Due to load shedding, power cuts are being done in the State including the State Capital.

JBVNL owes Rs 47 crores to the Indian Energy Exchange. Rs 20 crores have been paid so far. The remaining amount of Rs 27 crores will be paid on Tuesday. Only after this, electricity will be available from the central sector as per the demand.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar flags off 36 Prachar Raths to educate farmers about Kharif crops

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Bihar CMNitish Kumar launched Kharif Mahaabhiyan-2023 by flagging off altogether36 Prachar Raths(chariots), which will visit different districts to provide information about the state governments various schemes for Kharif season to the farmers.

The Prachar (propagation) Raths, fitted with modern equipment, were flagged off from a special podium set up outside the chief minister residence at 1, Anney Marg, in Patna.

Besides these, the chariots would also educate the farmers and rural Population about the harms caused by burning of crop residues in the farm lands, the benefits of and Climate resilient crops as well as the state governments scheme Har Khet Tak Sinchai ka Pani (Irrigation water up to each farm land).

Sian Jatan scheme gets natl acclamation

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‘Sian Jatan Clinic’, which operates in Ayush institutions across Chhattisgarh every Thursday, has received national recognition.

The conclave showcased excellent and innovative activities being conducted nationwide under the National Ayush Mission.

The Centre included the Sian Jatan Clinic as a special activity in this conclave.

During the National Ayush Mission Conclave, Dayanand provided information about the objectives, functioning and beneficiaries of the Sian Jatan Clinic.

He highlighted that special outpatient and Panchakarma Services for the elderly are conducted every Thursday in all 1,174 government Ayush institutions in the state.

Since its inception in May last year, these clinics have offered healthcare facilities to over four lakh senior citizens.

The Sian Jatan Clinic received praise as an exemplary initiative from senior officials of the Union Government and officials from other states at the conclave.

GIS based property tax system keeps tabs on evasion

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Geographic Information System (GIS) based property tax system is fast catching up with of India, helping in generating high revenues and keep a tab on tax thefts, said, RaviRanjan Guru, deputy director General, All India Institute of Local Self- Government (AIILSG).
AIILSG is consulting the government of India and urban local bodies on adopting practices for good local Governance and technology adoption.

GIS based Property system is being adopted in the country very fast across urban bodies and this is helping governments to earn high revenues. GIS based systems are used in making the master plans of cities. So technology is being adapted by civic bodies but the pace and awareness needs to be more.

AIILSG in collaboration with theMadhya Pradeshgovernment is training officials and elected public representatives on urban governance. In India, AIILSG is working with 150 urban local bodies directly and indirectly.

Crocodile population across wetlands of Charotar region triples in a decade

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Wetlands inCharotar regionof Central Gujarat are Home to over 300 crocodiles. The latestcrocodilecount carried out by Vallabh Vidyanagar-based Voluntary Nature Conservancy (VNC) has revealed that wetlands in the lush green twin districts ofAnandand Kheda has as many as 303 crocodiles.

This is the highest number of crocodiles among all the counts carried out in these rural heartland so far. The previous count carried out in winter has recorded presence of 248 crocodiles in Charotar wetlands.
VNC (formerly known as the Vidyanagar Nature Club) carries out crocodile counts twice a year during winters and summers to know about the reptile Population in the wetlands.

Army conducts Sudarshan Shakti exercise along western border

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TheSapta Shakti Commandof theIndian Armyconducted exercise Sudarshan Shakti 2023 along the western borders inRajasthanandPunjabfrom May 22 to 25.

The exercise was designed to validate operational plans in a Network-centric Environment with Elements of combat power, combat support and logistic support.
Integrated use of force multipliers like special forces and deployment of Niche technologies covering drones, loiter ammunition as well as key aspects of electronic warfare, made it a unique event.