29.09.21

Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep SinghPuri at an event here said oil and gas projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been approved for the northeastern region (NER), which are expected to be completed by 2025. He also announced that one of the oldest operating refineries in the world, the Digboi refinery inAssam, would be expanded.

by

The NER is of strategic importance to India. In line with its intent of rapidly transforming the region, the Union government has undertaken many key initiatives to augment infrastructure and pace up economic development.

There is a huge hydrocarbon potential waiting to be tapped. Of the estimated 7,600MMTOEin the NE, only 2,000 MMTOE has been discovered so far. With concerted efforts by industry and governments, oil production is expected to increase by 67% from 4.11 MMT in 2020-21 to 6.85 MMT in the next four years. Gas production is expected to be more than double from 5.05 BCM in 2020-21 to 10.87 BCM in the next four years,

Assam to give protected-class tag to Ahoms in tribal blocks, belts

by

Ahoms, who ruled most of theBrahmaputra valleyin present-dayAssamfor about 600 years till the coming of the British in 1826, will be accorded protected-class status in tribal blocks and belts of the state.

This was announced by chief ministerHimanta Biswa Sarmaduring a meeting with several leading organizations of the Tai-Ahom community.

The All Assam Tribal Sangha, the apex body of the tribal organizations of the state, have been critical about enlisting six more communities in the ST category which it feels will severely hamper the political interests of the existing tribal communities. The Centre introduced the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha on January 9 the same year with the aim of granting ST status to six communities in Assam, which are currently enjoying OBC status. The names of six communities Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran and Tea Tribes featured in the Bill for granting ST status.

With poor recovery of loans, nonperforming assets (NPAs) in Odisha is rising alarmingly, for which bankers are concerned. Now, the NPA stands at more than Rs 13,645 crore, which is constantly on the increase.

by

While the NPA as on March 31, 2021 was Rs 11,339.37 crore, it has risen to Rs 13,645.17 crore, which is 7.20per cent of the total credit facility extended to people. This is at much higher side and alarming, said a senior member of the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC).

While the banks have provided total advance of Rs 1,89,404.28 crore, the NPA is Rs 13,645.17 crore. Each quarter, there is rise in NPA; and due to absence of stimulant recovery measures, the hike has been accelerated.The Pradhan Mantri Employment Guarantee Programme (PMEGP) has turned out to be having the highest NPA of 21.17per cent. The agriculture term loan sector has also become a concern for bankers as the NPA level is as high as 11.10per cent.

The State Government is harping on more and more advances to be extended to the Self-Help Groups (SHGs), but cases of NPA are coming to the fore. By 31 August 2021, credit of Rs 1,321 crore has been extended to SHGs and more than 8per cent of it has turned out to be NPA.

The NPA issue was raised in a recently-held SLBC) meeting, in which major bankers sought the State administrations cooperation to arrest the NPA rise.

The SLBC advised the banks to stimulate the recovery measures to curtail the growing NPAs and the State Government was requested to extend support in this regard. While the district administrations support was also sought in this regard, it was felt that proper monitoring and handholding support is also required to restrict fresh slippages.

The banks were advised to increase advance portfolio by extending more priority sector credit in the State. In the programmes like PMEGP, MULM, NRLM and SHG, the NPA is high and on rise owing to non-repayment of loans, mounting overdue.

While NPA is on rise, banks require support from District Magistrates for attachment of property and quick enforcement of the SARFAESI Act, it was felt.

More than 630 applications for such attachments are pending with several district administrations across State, it was pointed out.

After finding himself in the midst of a controversy through the past week over his skipping the GST Council meeting held at Lucknow on September 17, Tamil Nadu finance ministerPalanivel Thiaga Rajanseems to have bounced back in style this Sunday, with the GST Council nominating him in the Group of Ministers (GoM) formed to usher in GST System Reforms.

by

The eight-member GoM for GST System Reforms will have Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar as the convenor. Besides Thiaga Rajan, the other members include Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala as well as finance ministers from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam among others.

To boost exports, cardamom farmers take organic route in Idukki

by

With increasing pesticide content affectingcardamomexports, theSpices Boardhas launched an initiative to promote organic methods in cardamom farming in Idukki. According to Spices Board officials, foreign countries, especially Saudi Arabia, are the major buyers of cardamom and since 2018 they have decided not to buy the cardamom from India due to pesticide content.

During the 2017-18 period, India exported 5,650 tonnes of cardamom. But since 2018, the export has got largely reduced. In the last financial year, India exported only 1,850 tonnes of cardamom and in the current FY it has been decided to export 6,500 tonnes. But the export till date stands at just 18 tonnes. We have checked six pesticides for a sample and found the content of two pesticides in the spice. Detection of pesticide residue above the maximum residue level affects the export and market of cardamom, said Spices Board assistant director VVijeeshna.

The Spices Board in association withKerala Agricultural University(KAU) will provide assistance to promote organic farming of cardamom in the district. Presently 15 farmers have shown willingness to turn to organic farming on a trial basis. The trial will be conducted on 165 hectares of land. If it is fetching the desired results, we can change to organic farming in the future.

Cardamom market was badly hit due to the pandemic with prices dipping from Rs7,000 per kg in August, 2019 to Rs 1,000-1,200 in September, 2021 in the local market. The average price recorded at an auction held at the Spices Park in Bodinayakanur on Tuesday was Rs1,062/kg.

Karnataka to ink 3 MoUs with Infosys to achieve NEP objectives

by

In order to give priority to skill development among the students as per the National Education Policy (NEP-2020), the Department of Higher Education in Karnataka will soon ink three MoUs with IT major Infosys.

Narayan said, “These MoUs will be related to utilising the ‘Infosys Springboard’, which comprises over 3,000 courses of skill development for college students, ‘Campus Connect’ for digital learning of college faculty and professional guidance for students and donation of 15,000 debonded computers to colleges from Infosys.”

Infosys Springboard is an integrated digital literacy platform comprising effective digital learning solutions, technology-based life skill courses, gamification, live classes, industry certification, makers lab, carrer guidance etc.

Introduction of gesture computing and biometrics for smart classrooms, utilising virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for training, linking learning data with performance outcome, utilising gamification and design principles to create healthy competition among students, utilising automation and robotic tools to create content will be part of the MoUs, he said.

Thetigercorridor fromMaharashtratoTelanganas Kawaltiger reservehas lately become a haven for tigers. The tiger population in the corridor leading toKawaltiger reserve, especially Adilabad, Nirmal and Asifabads Chennur, Sirpur and Kagaznagarforestdivisions, have seen an increase in tiger population in recent years.

by

However, with multiple impediments such as widening and upgrading of roads, national highways and railway lines that cut through the tiger corridor and encroachments of forest land, experts say that tigers entering Telangana in search of sufficient prey and territory are now constantly under threat due to the boost in developmental activities.

Wildlife conservationists also said that development activities such as recent decisions by the Telangana State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) clearing several proposals for BT roads within the protected areas and areas falling within the tiger reserve can be a huge hindrance for tiger movement.

APs north America spl rep gets 1-yr extension

by

The state government has extended the term ofRathnakar Pandugayalaasspecial representative of APfor North America, by another year.

Rathnakar has been mobilising, financial, technical and human resources from North America for economic, social, cultural and tourism development of Andhra Pradesh since 2019 with the rank of cabinet minister.

Taking the services of Rathnakar into consideration, the chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had decided to give him extension till October, 2022.

Rathnakar is from Kadapa and resident of Marlborough, Connecticut in USA. He had been serving as director of several IT services firms and is founder of Kadapa Innovations LLC. He played a crucial role in making Jagan Mohan Reddys US visit a success in 2019.

Each dept should adopt one village to fulfil Swayampurna Goa mission: CM Pramod Sawant

by

Chief minister Pramod Sawant has directed government departments to adopt a village each in pursuance of theSwayampurnaGoamission, and said that each departments head should visit their village at least once a week.

Sawant met the empowered working group that was formed for the Swayampurna Goa mission, and reviewed the achievements of individual stakeholders.
The chief minister said that the department, once it adopts the village, must implement government schemes in that village. He said that officials should go to the people and not the other way round.

Under Swayampurna Goa, panchayats and municipalities are supposed to get funds under the 15th Finance Commission and under the funds allocated for the 60th celebration of Goas Liberation. The state, through the scheme, wanted to ensure 100% coverage of water and electricity connections to the people.

The government has roped in the agriculture department to increase vegetable and agricultural production so that the state does not have to depend on other states for food.

The Nashik Zilla Parishad has decided to link the schools in the rural areas with the local health centres to fulfil the criteria for starting physical classes for students of classes V to VII.The state government has announced starting of physical classes for students of classes V to VII in the rural areas and classes VIII to XII in urban areas. In the rural areas, physical classes for students of VIII to XII have already started to function.

by

The health monitoring is limited to any child feeling uneasy in the school. In such a case, the help of local Asha workers will also be taken. The standard operating procedure (SOP) for the schools will be announced once the decision on the same is taken, the officer said.
In the case of starting the schools in the urban areas, the health authorities said the health staff of the primary health centres can be attached to some of the schools but not all.