New Delhi, The Government of India and the World Bank on Friday signed an IDA credit of USUSD 130 million to finance the Government of India's (GOI) efforts to empower rural communities in the growth-deficient North East (NE) region to improve their livelihood opportunities. The North East Rural Livelihoods Project (NERLP) will enhance the livelihoods of the rural poor, especially women, unemployed youth and the severely disadvantaged in eight districts of the four participating states- Aizawl and Lunglei in Mizoram; Peren and Tuensang in Nagaland; South, West and 15 Panchayat wards of East District in Sikkim; and West and North Districts in Tripura. Despite its rich natural resources and relatively good human development indicators, the North East (NE) region lags behind the rest of India in important parameters of growth. Almost 35 percent of its predominantly rural population lives below the poverty line; agricultural productivity is low; and high school drop-out rates and lack of skills have led to high unemployment among the youth. This low-growth scenario is exacerbated by problems of geographical inaccessibility, protracted insurgency in some areas, and recurring ...
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The gross collection under various small savings schemes of Post Office Savings Scheme during 2009-10 and 2010-11 were Rs. 2,50,931 crore and Rs. 2,74,720 crore (provisional) respectively. The gross collection has registered an increase of 8.78%, as compared to the previous year’s collections. Central and State Government take various measures from time to time to promote and popularise small savings schemes through print and electronic media as well as holding seminars, meetings and providing training to various agencies involved in mobilizing deposits under various small savings schemes. This statement was given by Shri Sachin Pilot, the Minister of State Communication and Information Technology in response to a question in Lok Sabha today. ...
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The government needs to do much more to boost growth, business tycoons, top bankers and ministry officials said at the India Economic Summit held in Mumbai on Sunday. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani called upon the governments to move faster to ensure economic development. “The central government and the state government need to align and move a lot faster. In today’s world of aspiration, people want everything to happen now.” Speaking at the 27th edition of the India Chapter of the World Economic Forum, Ambani also stressed on the need for better governance. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan seemed to concur, but cited the difficulties. “The big challenge before the political system in India is managing the diversities in the country. It is very difficult to satisfy fast movers’ needs,” he said. Top industrialist Rahul Bajaj minced no words while opposing any bailout attempt by the government for the debt-ridden Kingfisher Airlines. “Those who die, must die,” he said. “I don’t see any logic of bailing out any private sector company, either for the sake of its employees or customers.” Drawing attention to high inflation and high ...
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Patiala, The UPA government is concerned about the financial health of Punjab and it has taken note of it, Union minister Preneet Kaur said here today. "I can only say yes the Centre has taken the note of it," she said when asked to comment on the financial condition of the state. Asked about any bailout package from the Centre, the minister of State for External Affairs Preneet said "I am not competent to comment on it." "The Centre, however, has taken note of it that West Bengal, Kerala and Punjab are badly affected due to financial mess." The minister alleged the SAD-BJP government was responsible for the current fiscal health of the state which, she said, was deteriorating day by ...
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Jalandhar, February 2 (Doaba News Service)- Ignoring the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Rural Development, the Punjab Government has failed to appoint ombudsman under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) even after five months. The Union Government had asked the Punjab Government to appoint ombudsman for the redressal of grievances of the job card holders, engaged in different projects under the NREGA, in the state. In an order dated September 7, 2009, Amita Sharma, Joint Secretary (NREGA), had directed different states and Union Territories to appoint ombudsmen so that the grievances be redressed in a time-bound manner. The Union Government has also directed the states to set up offices of the ombudsmen within three months from the date of issuance of the order. The government has also said that expenditure incurred for this purpose would be met out of the provision for the administrative expenditure under the scheme. The union government had decided to appoint the ombudsmen after massive grievances arose with regard to the implementation of the scheme across the country. Talking to The Tribune, DR Karnus Raju, NREGA Commissioner, Punjab, claimed that ...
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Jalandhar, January 26 (Doaba News Service)- The Punjab Non-Gazetted/Gazetted Employees Organisation has found flaws and anomalies in the decision of the state government on granting extension of services to those retiring in 2010. Organisation president Uma Kant Tewari said the decision was not employee-friendly as those seeking promotion in 2010 will retire without rising up to the due post. “Such a decision has led to groupism within employees. The decision of not granting extension to those retiring in 2011 or later is not wise. This will also put an additional pressure on the government, as it will be forced to pay pension liability to a large number of employees in 2011,” he pointed out. Members of the organisation have demanded that the retirement age of all state government employees be raised to 60 from 58. ...
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Amritsar, January 24 (DMS)- Expressing concern over the increase in the number of attacks on Indian students in Australia, veteran Congress leader and MP Partap Singh Bajwa has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to send an all-party parliamentary delegation to Australia to study the deteriorating situation there. Bajwa has also asked the Australian Government to take the necessary steps to check the “unbridled violence” against Indian students who had opted to go to that country after spending billions of dollars and had given a big boost to the economy of Australia with their efforts and money. “The PM should give personal attention to the issue. A large number of Indian students have gone to Australia after spending huge amounts and with very high hopes and ambitions. But their dreams have gone sour with increasing attacks against them. The Australian Government should also realise its duty to ensure the safety and security of Indians and to protect them against violence which has become a blot on an otherwise safe, secure and developed country,” said ...
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Ludhiana, January 22 (Doaba News Service)- The ministers of the UPA government at the Centre are behaving as conduits of hoarders and black marketeers by making statements about the imminent price rise of several commodities. This was stated by Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Minister for Information and Public Relations, who was in the city today. Without naming Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Sekhwan said it was sad that the minister was making announcements that the prices of commodities would increase within a day or so. “Whom is he trying to benefit? Everybody knows such statements prompt the hoarders to collect stocks of the commodity. What else is he doing if he is not helping the hoarders, who would later indulge in black marketing of the good by creating an artificial shortage? Is it fair for a minister of his stature to make such announcements?” asked Sekhwan, while hitting at the UPA government. Holding the Union Government responsible for the price rise, the minister said whenever the Congress was in power, people suffered due to inflation. But this time it was the worst case scenario when many were deprived of even two square ...
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Chandigarh, January 16 (Doaba News Service)- Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to tinker with the existing administrative structure in the Union Territory of Chandigarh in connection with the Governor of Punjab being the Administrator and continue with the present system till Chandigarh is formally transferred to Punjab. In a letter to the PM, Badal informed him about the move to change the administrative structure of Chandigarh by incorporating new recruitment rules for medical posts in place of the Chandigarh Administration Medical Posts (Group-A) Recruitment Rules 1983. He pointed out that as per rules now being proposed for filling medical posts in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, 50 per cent posts of medical officer are to be filled by direct recruitment, 50 per cent of posts of senior medical officer by promotion, 10 per cent by direct recruitment and posts of Medical Superintendent and Principal Medical Officer are proposed to be filled by promotion. He impressed upon the PM to instruct the Union Home Ministry and the Chandigarh Administration not to take any steps to amend the existing rules and medical posts in the UT and ...
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Jalandhar, January 15 (DNS)- The decision of the Congress-led UPA government to allow duty-free import of white sugar till December-end finally brought the sugar price down by Rs 5 a kg in the city. It has been hovering around Rs 50 for the past many days. Retailers in the city today sold sugar at Rs 45 per kg, much to the respite of the common man. Local traders maintained that the sugar price was expected to decline further in the coming days. “At present, we are bringing sugar from Khattoli in Uttar Pradesh. And looking at measures taken by the Centre, the price may decline even more,” said a retailer. ...
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Takhtupura (Moga), January 15 (Doaba News Service)- The President of the SAD and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has demanded from the Union Government to set up a fast- track court for carrying out trials against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and other culprits involved in the 1984 riots. He was addressing a public gathering on the eve of the Maghi mela here, yesterday afternoon. He said the trial of the culprits involved in the anti-Sikh riots should be completed within six months. He also criticised the incidents of burning of a gurdwara in Melbourne and other incidents of attacks on Punjabi youths in Australia and said that he would be writing a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting him to express strong resentment with the Australian Government over its failure to check violence against Indians. Sukhbir also lashed out at the Congress over its alleged interference in the religious affairs of the community. He said Paramjit Singh Sarna, President of the Delhi Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, was an agent of the Congress and he was being pushed into the state to interfere indirectly in the coming SGPC elections. The local MP, Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, CPS ...
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Moga, January 14 (DNS)- Much to the inconvenience of the farming community, the SAD-BJP government is considering a shutdown of 21 rural branches of the Moga Central Cooperative Bank due to staff shortage and merging these with other branches in the district. However, the board of directors of the bank had rejected the move of the government yesterday and called an emergency meeting of the board later this week to discuss the issue. As per the details, Bhupinder Singh, district manager of the bank, has recently written a letter to the registrar of the Cooperative Societies giving details of the 21 branches that could be shutdown and merged with other branches. These branches exist in Daroli Bhai, Gholia Kalan, Buter, Saidoke, Balkhandi, Talwandi Mallian, Nathuwala (West), Bhalur, Sukhanand, Thathi Bhai, Tharaj, New Grain Market Moga, Gholia Khurd, Manuke, Samadh Bhai, Patto Hira Singh, Sekha Kalan, Daudhar, Bajeke, Kishanpura Kalan and Lohara villages. Ravi Pandit, under whose chairmanship the meeting of the board of directors was held, and Pawan Thapar, a board member, contended that the bank expanded its branches over the years to help the farming community and cooperative ...
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Jalandhar, December 18 (DNS)- What makes the state government upbeat is the agriculture sector that is continuously doing well in spite of circumstances such as a drought-like situation in the recent past. In fact, it is because of the revenue generated from the agriculture sector that the wheel of development continues to move though at very slow pace in the state. Thanks to the bumper paddy crop and earlier good wheat crop, the state government had earned a revenue of about Rs 3,000 crore in April 1 to November 30 this year. Besides, Rs 900 crore has gone into the pockets of arhtiyas (commission agents) during the past eight months. The Punjab Mandi Board has earned a market fee of Rs 600 crore from the sale of foodgrains and other agriculture produce in grain markets during the past eight months. Equal amount of Rs 600 crore has gone to the Rural Development Fund and Rs 1,200 crore to the state government’s treasury as VAT. Apart from it, Rs 600 crore has gone to the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board. “Last year the revenue generated during the corresponding period from the market fee was Rs 533 crore and this year Rs 600 crore, an increase of 12.64 per cent ”, ...
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