Collector distributes farm inputs to Retired Defence personnel

Collector distributes farm inputs
The Hindu VELLORE, June 14, 2011
Welfare assistance worth Rs.3,27,750 distributed at public grievances day meet

S. Nagarajan, Vellore Collector, distributing a power sprayer to a farmer at the Collectorate in Vellore on Monday.— Photo: D.Gopalakrishnan
Distribution of agricultural inputs worth Rs.30,000 to 16 farmers and sports incentives worth Rs.69,500 to 13 best sportspersons in schools and colleges were among the welfare aids worth Rs.3,27,750 distributed by S. Nagarajan, Collector of Vellore to 45 beneficiaries at the weekly public grievances day meeting at the Collectorate here on Monday.

Quality agricultural inputs including power sprayers, certified seeds and bio-fertilizers are being distributed to farmers in all the 20 blocks in Vellore district at a subsidised cost from May 30 to June 15 to enable them to take up cultivation during the current kharif season. Agricultural extension staff members are visiting one village in each of the 20 blocks in the district every day, and distributing inputs directly to the farmers. The Agriculture Department aims to cover 300 villages during the kharif campaign lasting 15 days. At the public grievances redressal day meeting held on Monday, the Collector distributed agricultural inputs on behalf of the Agriculture Department to farmers in Vellore, Kaniyambadi, Katpadi, Anaicut and Sholinghur blocks.

On behalf of the Sports Development Authority of India, the Collector distributed cheques of Rs.5000 each to 10 school students and Rs.6500 each to three college students. Other aids distributed by the Collector include marriage assistance of Rs.8000 each to three persons on behalf of the Department of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare, cheques for Rs.1.35 lakh by way of marriage assistance to six inter-caste couple, sewing machines worth Rs.3000 each to two persons and Rs.50,000 by way of accident relief to one person on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare, and wheel-chairs worth Rs.3250 each to three persons and a tricycle worth Rs.3500 to one person on behalf of the Department of Differently-Abled.

The Collector received 723 petitions from the public on the occasion. The petitions were forwarded to the departments concerned. After proper scrutiny, aids would be given to the eligible petitioners.

Ettiyappan, Special Deputy Collector (Social Security Scheme), Santha, District Supply Officer, Gomathi, District Social Welfare Officer, K. Madhimaran, District Sports Officer, Manivannan, Assistant Director of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare and K. Thamizhchelvan, Joint Director of Agriculture-in-charge, participated.
Collector distributes farm inputs

Modi magic that makes Gujarat tick

The recently concluded fifth Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit, the man, described as a "visionary" has roped in investments worth Rs 21 lakh crore, from 7,936 MoUs inked across diverse sectors in the two days. Dedicating the summit to the youth and women, he promised to create over 52 lakh livelihoods and job opportunities with the money. Behind his hardcore Hindutva image is a businessman with hardselling abilities.
India Inc leaders can't stop praising the man for his efforts to make Gujarat a civic and industrial example to follow.
"Gujarat is shining like a lamp of gold and the credit goes to the visionary, effective and passionate leadership provided by Narendra Modi. We have a leader here with vision and determination to translate this vision into reality," Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said.
Tata Group chief Ratan Tata said: "The leadership of Narendra Modi has proved that Gujarat is not only seeing industrial growth but is also witnessing rural development."
Anil Ambani exhorted other states to take a cue from Modi for development. "Gujarat is a role model for other states to learn from ... Narendra bhai has single handedly transformed the state into a power state," he said. Gujarat today is the power capital and power hub of the country and stands out in a sharp contrast to other states in the country, Ambani added.
Several others who have set up shop in recent times in the state vouch for the "corruption-free" and speedy processes. Little wonder, since Mr Modi believes in "minimum government and maximum governance."
Modi’s Gujarat – The dream destination
Comment: Gujarat is a Citizen Safe destination- free of corruption the state is taking gaint strides in all round progress- piped cooking gas to all rural homes and 24 hour electricity to all homes- extraordinary statistics.

Pawar and Patel pitching for peak profile portfolios after present 'Killing' performance

Harish Gupta / DNA Wednesday, July 7, 2010 1:19 IST Email
New Delhi: After Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, it is the turn of minister for civil aviation Praful Patel to request change.

Before flying off to Johannesburg, South Africa, Patel is learnt to have conveyed to the prime minister (PM) that he be shifted to some other ministry. Though no reasons are known for Patel’s desire to be relieved of the civil aviation portfolio, he is said to have conveyed to Manmohan Singh that it has been over six years that he has been in the ministry and he feels it is time to move on.

“Please do not ask me what transpired between me and the PM. Let me come back on July 10,” Patel told DNA.

Patel is the second Union minister — that too belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — to express desire for a change in profile. Patel had met the PM thrice, the last time being the inauguration of the new airport in New Delhi.

It is learnt that Pawar had raised the matter of Patel’s desire to be shifted to another ministry when he (Pawar) called on the PM at his residence on Monday morning. Apparently, when Pawar requested the PM to lighten his workload, he politely demanded that Patel be upgraded to full cabinet minister considering his seniority. “If Pawar sheds the crucial department of food and consumer affairs, he wants a cabinet rank post in return for his party. There is no free lunch,” said a senior Congress leader.

Pawar’s decision to go public soon after meeting the PM took the Congress by surprise. The party may have been eager to tame Pawar by blaming him for high food prices, but it is also fully aware that starting the process of reshuffling the cabinet before Parliament’s monsoon session will cause more pain.

If the nine-member NCP in the Lok Sabha gets two cabinet posts in the new scheme of things, why shall the 20-member DMK bandwagon compromise with three cabinet berths (A Raja, Dayanidhi Maran and M K Alagiri)? A couple of senior Congress leaders may have been indicating an impending reshuffle and gunning for the portfolios of telecom minister A Raja and environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh (the opposition has been baying for Raja’s blood over the 2G spectrum scam).

Also, minister of new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah probably desires to be shifted to tourism or some other ministry.
But the Congress high command and the PM are disinclined to undertake such an exercise as there are no “compelling reasons” to reshuffle the council of ministers. The Congress has 27 Cabinet posts out of 33, leaving only six for its allies; it has most of the plum portfolios as well.

However, the Congress is fully aware that the Monsoon session will be stormy, with the NDA and the Left joining hands on fuel price and the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill. So why buckle under them and sacrifice Raja, for which the DMK supremo is not ready?

The final call will be taken at the Congress core committee meeting on Friday at the PM’s residence.
After Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel seeks profile change

Bureaucrats are land grabbers: Sample Chandigarh

VIP land grabbers Chandigarh has been choked
The Tribune Monday, July 5, 2010, Chandigarh, India
WHEN Le Corbusier planned Chandigarh, he had ordained that no other city should come up anywhere in its vicinity. He would have never imagined that Panchkula and Mohali would be developed within metres of the dream city. As if that was not bad enough, much of the open space in its periphery has been grabbed by land sharks. Agricultural land has already been converted into lavish farmhouses and illegal colonies. Those who are supposed to stop such illegal activity have turned a blind eye because the land grabbers stand far higher than them in the hierarchy. Whether it is Punjab politicians, including Cabinet ministers and MLAs, or IAS and PCS officers, almost everybody who is somebody indulged in the land loot.
Thanks to the media focus, this systematic robbery is being looked into by the judiciary. Many uncomfortable truths are tumbling out. Some 145 IAS officers and 180 PCS officers are among those who grabbed land on the periphery. An ordinary person doing so is bad enough. When those who form the steel frame of the administration do so, the crime is far more serious. What makes it even worse is the fact that many of them have not even been able to explain where they got the money to make these acquisitions. One hopes that the inquiry by Punjab DGP (Railways) Chander Shekhar will reach its logical conclusion.
Besides the VIP land grabbers, the periphery was also ruined by nearly 350 illegal colonisers from 1984 to 2010. They floated societies at Zirakpur, Kansal, Karoran, Mohali, Dera Bassi, Lalru, Dhakoli, Bishanpura, Baltana, Himmatgarh and Sohana, etc, as if they had no fear of the law. Apparently, they were certain that the police would not “interfere”. Such lawlessness could not take place without the tacit approval of higher-ups. Only if all wrongdoers are deprived of their illegal properties and are also fined heavily would the future land grabbers think twice before emulating them.
VIP land grabbers Chandigarh has been choked

MPs versus Poverty in India

The Salary, Allowances and Pension of members of parliament
Monthly Salary: Rs 16,000
Expense for Constitution per month: Rs 10,000
Office Expenditure: Rs 14,000
Travelling Expense per month: Rs 48,000 (Rs 8 per Km)
Daily DA TA during Parliament: Rs 1000 per day
Free 1 class AC train fare unlimited All India
Business Class flights 40 trips with wife and PA
Rent Free hostel at Delhi
Free electricity 50,000 units
Local Free upto 1,70,000 telephone calls
Total cost per year:Rs 33,00,000
Total cost for 534 MPs for a five year term: 10,00,00,00,000 nearly 1000 crore Approx Rupees Rs 10 billion which is almost $2,00,000000 ($ 200 million)
AMENITIES FOR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
The Salary, Allowances and Pension of members of parliament act, 1954
The ridiculous salary for elected representatives in India

Poverty in India
Poverty in India is reducing but it is still a major issue. Rural Indians depend on unpredictable agriculture incomes, while urban Indians rely on jobs that are, at best, scarce.

Since its independence, the issue of poverty within India has remained a prevalent concern. According to the common definition of poverty, when a person finds it difficult to meet the minimum requirement of acceptable living standards, he or she is considered poor.

Millions of people in India are unable to meet these basic standards, and according to government estimates, in 2007 there were nearly 220.1 million people living below the poverty line.

Nearly 21.1% of the entire rural population and 15% of the urban population of India exists in this difficult physical and financial predicament. The following chart presents the poverty situation:

Since 1970, the Indian government has implemented a number of programs designed to eradicate poverty, and has had some success with these programs. The government has sought to increase the GDP through different processes, including changes in industrial policies. There is also a Public Distribution System, which has been somewhat effective so far. Other programs include the Integrated Rural Development Programme, Jawahar Rozgar Yojana, the Training Rural Youth for Self Employment (TRYSEM) and to the credit of the government, other on-going initiatives.
Poverty in India
Poverty in India: Economy watch