Thanks: The Hindu
Zero Budget Farming soon in Erode
ERODE: The district is all set for the next level in agriculture by going for Zero Budget Farming, or ZBF. The move is to provide farmers a viable alternative farming practice to boost yields and incomes. It involves cultivation without external inputs. No fertilizer or pesticide, not even organic inputs, will be used.
“The practice involves using inputs available only in and around the farm, balancing the soil’s air-moisture ratio, mulching, and so on. It is a manner of organic farming,” says R. Selvam, secretary, Organic Farmers Association of Erode.
He says ZBF involves raising simultaneously different crops at a place, helping the farmer increase revenue. “Banana, drumstick, thoor dal, paddy, marigold and a few vegetables can be grown at the same time in a plot, and there are successful models that demonstrate the practice,” he says.
There are over 30,000 hectares under ZBF in Maharashtra and Karnataka, thanks largely to Subhash Palekar, who conceived it 15 years ago and propagated it.
According Mr. Selvam, Erode is going for it “to help farmers, who, after having burnt their fingers with chemical farming, are contemplating quitting the profession for want of sufficient returns.”
With support from the district administration and Myrada Krishi Vigyan Kendra, 54 farmers visited ZBF farms in Karnataka recently. Mr. Selvam, who was part of the team, says farmers are convinced that Subhash Palekar’s technique would help them increase yield with zero external input.
Following positive feedback from farmers, the district administration is to help them adopt the technique. Said Collector T. Udhayachandran: “We will soon hold a four-day residential training programme on ZBF for 1,000 farmers, 600 of who will be from the district.” Based on feedback from the trained farmers, the district administration will plan the next stage, he added.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
4ember 2007
Thanks: The Hindu
Investment in infrastructure to be hiked to 9 p.c. of GDP
NEW DELHI: The Centre proposes to raise the quantum of investment in the infrastructure sector to nine per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) within five years so as to achieve a high 9-10 per cent economic growth projected for the XI Plan (2007-12).
At a session on the prospects of achieving the projected growth rate titled ‘10 per cent growth: The infrastructure picture’ at the India Economic Summit here on Tuesday, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said: “The Cabinet has recently approved the draft of the XI Plan which envisages an increase in infrastructure investment from five per cent of GDP to nine per cent.”
As per the Plan draft, the Government is envisaging an average GDP growth rate of nine per cent during the first four years of the Plan period and an increase to 10 per cent by the terminal year of the five-year Plan.
To achieve the projected level of funding in infrastructure, Dr Ahluwalia said the country would require an investment of $500 billion in the sector during the Plan period. Of this, the major chunk of $350 billion would be ploughed in as per the business-as-usual forecast, he said. In effect, the balance funding of $150 billion would be required to be arranged from various other sources, including the global financial market.
Dr. Ahluwalia felt that such a level of financing would not be a problem as “specific policies are in place for achieving a jump in investment”. In an optimistic note, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Managing Director-General Rajat Nag felt that it would be possible for India to exceed the Planning Commission’s target and raise the level of investment in infrastructure to 10.5-12.5 per cent of the GDP in the years to come.
Thanks: The Hindu
More people visiting primary health centres
CHENNAI: Funds have been allotted to 30 Primary Health Centres, including 10 in Tiruvallur district, for upgrading infrastructure to enable them to provide round-the-clock services.
Commissioner for Maternal, Child Health and Welfare Apoorva told mediapersons, who were taken on a tour of various facilities around Chennai on Tuesday, that more people now were seeking medical help in the PHCs. Pregnant mothers regularly visited ante-natal clinics, had access to modern medical equipment, improved laboratory and were provided nutritious snacks and lunch.
Women delivered of babies in the hospital will also have the opportunity to watch their favourite television serial.
Television sets have been installed in wards and in the O.P. sections in health sub centres.
The PHCs and sub-health centres in Tiruvallur district receive anywhere between 250 to 300 patients a day. A doctor and nurse are now on call round-the-clock in the PHCs.
At the peri-urban PHC, such as the one at Naravarikuppam in Red Hills nine women were delivered of babies since December 1. Doctors here said the number of deliveries increased from 35 last year to 65 this year. Around one or two per cent so far tested positive for HIV/AIDS. In the remote PHC at Budur, a child is born almost every day.
A village sub-centre such as the one at Pandikavanur, which caters to a population of about 2,000, about 110 patients are received at its weekly outreach programme. Counselling and testing for HIV/AIDS is offered.
Investment in infrastructure to be hiked to 9 p.c. of GDP
NEW DELHI: The Centre proposes to raise the quantum of investment in the infrastructure sector to nine per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) within five years so as to achieve a high 9-10 per cent economic growth projected for the XI Plan (2007-12).
At a session on the prospects of achieving the projected growth rate titled ‘10 per cent growth: The infrastructure picture’ at the India Economic Summit here on Tuesday, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said: “The Cabinet has recently approved the draft of the XI Plan which envisages an increase in infrastructure investment from five per cent of GDP to nine per cent.”
As per the Plan draft, the Government is envisaging an average GDP growth rate of nine per cent during the first four years of the Plan period and an increase to 10 per cent by the terminal year of the five-year Plan.
To achieve the projected level of funding in infrastructure, Dr Ahluwalia said the country would require an investment of $500 billion in the sector during the Plan period. Of this, the major chunk of $350 billion would be ploughed in as per the business-as-usual forecast, he said. In effect, the balance funding of $150 billion would be required to be arranged from various other sources, including the global financial market.
Dr. Ahluwalia felt that such a level of financing would not be a problem as “specific policies are in place for achieving a jump in investment”. In an optimistic note, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Managing Director-General Rajat Nag felt that it would be possible for India to exceed the Planning Commission’s target and raise the level of investment in infrastructure to 10.5-12.5 per cent of the GDP in the years to come.
Thanks: The Hindu
More people visiting primary health centres
CHENNAI: Funds have been allotted to 30 Primary Health Centres, including 10 in Tiruvallur district, for upgrading infrastructure to enable them to provide round-the-clock services.
Commissioner for Maternal, Child Health and Welfare Apoorva told mediapersons, who were taken on a tour of various facilities around Chennai on Tuesday, that more people now were seeking medical help in the PHCs. Pregnant mothers regularly visited ante-natal clinics, had access to modern medical equipment, improved laboratory and were provided nutritious snacks and lunch.
Women delivered of babies in the hospital will also have the opportunity to watch their favourite television serial.
Television sets have been installed in wards and in the O.P. sections in health sub centres.
The PHCs and sub-health centres in Tiruvallur district receive anywhere between 250 to 300 patients a day. A doctor and nurse are now on call round-the-clock in the PHCs.
At the peri-urban PHC, such as the one at Naravarikuppam in Red Hills nine women were delivered of babies since December 1. Doctors here said the number of deliveries increased from 35 last year to 65 this year. Around one or two per cent so far tested positive for HIV/AIDS. In the remote PHC at Budur, a child is born almost every day.
A village sub-centre such as the one at Pandikavanur, which caters to a population of about 2,000, about 110 patients are received at its weekly outreach programme. Counselling and testing for HIV/AIDS is offered.
Monday, December 3, 2007
3vember 2007
Thanks: The Hindu
325 new MTC services from January
CHENNAI: Transport Minister K.N. Nehru on Monday said here that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) would be introducing 325 new services by January first week. The existing services of MTC numbered 2,775, the Minister said.
He announced this at a public consultation organised by the MTC, in which hundreds of commuters and representatives of their associations participated. On the consultation process, Mr. Nehru said: “We value the people’s input in deciding on useful routes; this is why we decided to organise a meeting of this scale.” He said that the State Government had undertaken various studies to ascertain the number of routes and bus services a city like Chennai needed. Academics were consulted and extensive research was conducted for the purpose.
Transport Secretary Debendranath Sarangi said the meeting was also to obtain feedback on the new bus services and routes. He said the MTC had increased the fleet strength recently and also introduced luxury services. Plans are under way to add 500 buses soon.
Mayor M. Subramanian said that it was for the first time that such a large-scale consultation was being conducted by MTC. “The city is developing rapidly and there is need for modern transport facilities. The quality of the buses and related facilities are improving and becoming on a par with the developed nations,” he said.
MTC managing director M. Ramasubramanian, several councillors and ward members participated.
Thanks : The Hindu
Work on widening of Chowdiah Road begins
Bangalore: It is good news for motorists using the T. Chowdiah Road, popularly known as Sankey Road. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has commenced work on widening the road to a six-lane carriageway from the existing four-lane. Sankey Road is the main link to the northern parts of Bangalore apart from the NH-4 (Pune highway) and NH-7 (to Hyderabad).
Construction of three underpasses in a stretch of about 200 metres will form part of the first phase of the road widening work leading up to the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli. The underpasses will facilitate a two-way movement of traffic on Cunningham Road. With the completion of the underpasses, vehicles from the Kumarakrupa Road moving towards High Grounds will have a free right turn and, similarly, vehicles moving from Bellary Road towards Kumarakrupa Road will have a free right turn. The offsite work on casting the concrete slabs for the underpasses has commenced.
All three underpasses are primarily aimed at ensuring a free flow of traffic which would have a direct effect at easing the traffic congestion along the Sankey Road stretch between the Windsor Manor underbridge and at the Cunningham Road-Sankey Road intersection. Estimated to cost about Rs 4.5 crore, the BBMP has acquired a strip of about five metres land on both sides of Sankey Road. The golf course will shrink by 2.5 metres to seven metres on the Sankey Road stretch and same will be the case with the Ministers’ quarters.
Commissioner of BBMP S. Subramanya told The Hindu here on Monday that the BBMP would work to a strict schedule to ensure a smooth flow of traffic up to the international airport.
“We will do our best to ensure a hassle-free movement of traffic,” he said. With the international airport set for inauguration in the last week of March, the BBMP has also set March 28 as the deadline for the completion of the road widening works between Ballabrooie and the Hebbal flyover (jurisdiction of the BBMP).
Thanks: The Hindu
Health centres in Salem to get more facilities
SALEM: Urban Health Posts (UHP) and maternity and child health centres in Salem city will be revamped shortly. Salem Corporation has planned to construct new buildings, renovate the existing structures and equip eight UHPs and nine health centres with modern medical facilities under a comprehensive scheme. The two major UHPs, Anna Hospital at Ammapet and MGR Hospital at Kitchipalayam, will be renovated at an estimated cost of Rs. 55 lakh under the first phase of the scheme.
Dilapidated buildings in the two hospitals will be demolished and new buildings will be constructed. Modern equipment will be provided to the two hospitals. “We have received government approval for these works and tenders have been called for,” health officials said.
“The maternity centre at Subramania Nagar will be demolished and a new building will be constructed in the first phase. Repair and maintenance works will be carried out at all other centres in the second phase. We are also replacing furniture, including cots, labour boards and chairs, at all UHPs and maternity centres with new ones. New weighing machines, emergency lamps and other equipment will be provided to all our health care delivery centres,” the officials added. The Corporation has also initiated the process to fill up vacancies in the health department.
Two doctors and 30 paramedical personnel will be appointed shortly. The Corporation has come up with the scheme following complaints from the public about poor conditions and service delivery at the health centres.
325 new MTC services from January
CHENNAI: Transport Minister K.N. Nehru on Monday said here that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) would be introducing 325 new services by January first week. The existing services of MTC numbered 2,775, the Minister said.
He announced this at a public consultation organised by the MTC, in which hundreds of commuters and representatives of their associations participated. On the consultation process, Mr. Nehru said: “We value the people’s input in deciding on useful routes; this is why we decided to organise a meeting of this scale.” He said that the State Government had undertaken various studies to ascertain the number of routes and bus services a city like Chennai needed. Academics were consulted and extensive research was conducted for the purpose.
Transport Secretary Debendranath Sarangi said the meeting was also to obtain feedback on the new bus services and routes. He said the MTC had increased the fleet strength recently and also introduced luxury services. Plans are under way to add 500 buses soon.
Mayor M. Subramanian said that it was for the first time that such a large-scale consultation was being conducted by MTC. “The city is developing rapidly and there is need for modern transport facilities. The quality of the buses and related facilities are improving and becoming on a par with the developed nations,” he said.
MTC managing director M. Ramasubramanian, several councillors and ward members participated.
Thanks : The Hindu
Work on widening of Chowdiah Road begins
Bangalore: It is good news for motorists using the T. Chowdiah Road, popularly known as Sankey Road. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has commenced work on widening the road to a six-lane carriageway from the existing four-lane. Sankey Road is the main link to the northern parts of Bangalore apart from the NH-4 (Pune highway) and NH-7 (to Hyderabad).
Construction of three underpasses in a stretch of about 200 metres will form part of the first phase of the road widening work leading up to the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli. The underpasses will facilitate a two-way movement of traffic on Cunningham Road. With the completion of the underpasses, vehicles from the Kumarakrupa Road moving towards High Grounds will have a free right turn and, similarly, vehicles moving from Bellary Road towards Kumarakrupa Road will have a free right turn. The offsite work on casting the concrete slabs for the underpasses has commenced.
All three underpasses are primarily aimed at ensuring a free flow of traffic which would have a direct effect at easing the traffic congestion along the Sankey Road stretch between the Windsor Manor underbridge and at the Cunningham Road-Sankey Road intersection. Estimated to cost about Rs 4.5 crore, the BBMP has acquired a strip of about five metres land on both sides of Sankey Road. The golf course will shrink by 2.5 metres to seven metres on the Sankey Road stretch and same will be the case with the Ministers’ quarters.
Commissioner of BBMP S. Subramanya told The Hindu here on Monday that the BBMP would work to a strict schedule to ensure a smooth flow of traffic up to the international airport.
“We will do our best to ensure a hassle-free movement of traffic,” he said. With the international airport set for inauguration in the last week of March, the BBMP has also set March 28 as the deadline for the completion of the road widening works between Ballabrooie and the Hebbal flyover (jurisdiction of the BBMP).
Thanks: The Hindu
Health centres in Salem to get more facilities
SALEM: Urban Health Posts (UHP) and maternity and child health centres in Salem city will be revamped shortly. Salem Corporation has planned to construct new buildings, renovate the existing structures and equip eight UHPs and nine health centres with modern medical facilities under a comprehensive scheme. The two major UHPs, Anna Hospital at Ammapet and MGR Hospital at Kitchipalayam, will be renovated at an estimated cost of Rs. 55 lakh under the first phase of the scheme.
Dilapidated buildings in the two hospitals will be demolished and new buildings will be constructed. Modern equipment will be provided to the two hospitals. “We have received government approval for these works and tenders have been called for,” health officials said.
“The maternity centre at Subramania Nagar will be demolished and a new building will be constructed in the first phase. Repair and maintenance works will be carried out at all other centres in the second phase. We are also replacing furniture, including cots, labour boards and chairs, at all UHPs and maternity centres with new ones. New weighing machines, emergency lamps and other equipment will be provided to all our health care delivery centres,” the officials added. The Corporation has also initiated the process to fill up vacancies in the health department.
Two doctors and 30 paramedical personnel will be appointed shortly. The Corporation has come up with the scheme following complaints from the public about poor conditions and service delivery at the health centres.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
1ember 2007
Thanks: The Hindu
Campaign to enhance awareness on TB
Udhagamandalam: An intensive campaign is on in the Nilgiris district to enhance awareness about tuberculosis (TB). In a systematic manner medical teams have, over the past few months, been fanning out to different parts of the district to teach various sections of society about how the malady can be kept at bay and how it can be prevented from spreading. Spearheading the campaign is the Nilgiris District Deputy Director of Medical Services (TB) P.J. Vasanthan.
Dr.Vasanthan told The Hindu that the biggest obstacle in combating the malady was lack of awarenes. During the campaign a message conveyed to the people is: “If you are coughing and suffering from sputum-related problems continuously for about three weeks rush to a TB specialist.”
Claiming that it was having a salutary effect, he said ignoring symptoms could not only be life-threatening but also harmful to society. Though people of all ages were equally vulnerable, those in the 15 to 45 age range were most prone to contracting the disease. Wherever the campaign caravan went, the paramount importance of early diagnosis and Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) was highlighted, Dr. Vasanthan said. Pointing out that the campaign team had already covered a number of schools and colleges, he said with the help of non-governmental organisations the benefits of the campaign were being extended to tribals. The campaign was laying special emphasis on conducting awareness programmes in tea gardens, he said.
Stating that insanitary conditions aggravated the problem, he said a major contributory factor was the habit of spitting in public places. There were eight microscopy centres run by the government and two attached to non-governmental organisations, he said. Every month about 20 pulmonary TB cases were reported. While the treatment cost worked out to about Rs. 1,500 a month in the private sector, the total cost in government hospitals was only Rs. 5,000. The intensive campaign would go on till March 2008. Dr.Vasanthan said a worldwide goal was to wipe out TB by 2050.
Thanks: The Hindu
Work on ECR project resumes
PUDUKOTTAI: Work on the World Bank-funded East Coast Road (ECR) project, which remained suspended for about a month following sharp showers in the coastal parts of the district, resumed recently.
Being a coastal belt with estuaries, rivulets and the Vellar, the major river of the district, the work involves construction of culverts and minor bridges at several places in the 36-km-long stretch. Work on construction of a minor bridge or culvert has been undertaken every couple of km between Kattumavadi and Kottaipattinam, about 70 km from here.
Authorities of the Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project (TNSRP), which is executing the Rs.2,160-crore project of laying the 742-km road from Arcot to Tuticorin, suspended the work as a vast stretch of newly laid and levelled earth on the ECR stretch turned slushy at places such as Kottaipattinam, Kattumavadi and Manamelkudi. The overflowing water from the culverts brought all work to a grinding halt.
The project, which started in February 2004, is expected to be completed by March 2009. Of the total outlay of Rs.2,160 crore, a sum of Rs.1,148 crore will be utilised to upgrade the ECR, TNSRP sources told The Hindu. The upgrading work includes strengthening of the earth and ensuring technical stability of the area to suit the huge volume of heavy vehicles. With the receding of rain water, work resumed last week, the sources said.
The project is being executed through meticulous planning, covering a stretch of 387 km between Arcot and Tiruvarur and 355 km between Nagapattinam and Tuticorin.
Campaign to enhance awareness on TB
Udhagamandalam: An intensive campaign is on in the Nilgiris district to enhance awareness about tuberculosis (TB). In a systematic manner medical teams have, over the past few months, been fanning out to different parts of the district to teach various sections of society about how the malady can be kept at bay and how it can be prevented from spreading. Spearheading the campaign is the Nilgiris District Deputy Director of Medical Services (TB) P.J. Vasanthan.
Dr.Vasanthan told The Hindu that the biggest obstacle in combating the malady was lack of awarenes. During the campaign a message conveyed to the people is: “If you are coughing and suffering from sputum-related problems continuously for about three weeks rush to a TB specialist.”
Claiming that it was having a salutary effect, he said ignoring symptoms could not only be life-threatening but also harmful to society. Though people of all ages were equally vulnerable, those in the 15 to 45 age range were most prone to contracting the disease. Wherever the campaign caravan went, the paramount importance of early diagnosis and Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) was highlighted, Dr. Vasanthan said. Pointing out that the campaign team had already covered a number of schools and colleges, he said with the help of non-governmental organisations the benefits of the campaign were being extended to tribals. The campaign was laying special emphasis on conducting awareness programmes in tea gardens, he said.
Stating that insanitary conditions aggravated the problem, he said a major contributory factor was the habit of spitting in public places. There were eight microscopy centres run by the government and two attached to non-governmental organisations, he said. Every month about 20 pulmonary TB cases were reported. While the treatment cost worked out to about Rs. 1,500 a month in the private sector, the total cost in government hospitals was only Rs. 5,000. The intensive campaign would go on till March 2008. Dr.Vasanthan said a worldwide goal was to wipe out TB by 2050.
Thanks: The Hindu
Work on ECR project resumes
PUDUKOTTAI: Work on the World Bank-funded East Coast Road (ECR) project, which remained suspended for about a month following sharp showers in the coastal parts of the district, resumed recently.
Being a coastal belt with estuaries, rivulets and the Vellar, the major river of the district, the work involves construction of culverts and minor bridges at several places in the 36-km-long stretch. Work on construction of a minor bridge or culvert has been undertaken every couple of km between Kattumavadi and Kottaipattinam, about 70 km from here.
Authorities of the Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project (TNSRP), which is executing the Rs.2,160-crore project of laying the 742-km road from Arcot to Tuticorin, suspended the work as a vast stretch of newly laid and levelled earth on the ECR stretch turned slushy at places such as Kottaipattinam, Kattumavadi and Manamelkudi. The overflowing water from the culverts brought all work to a grinding halt.
The project, which started in February 2004, is expected to be completed by March 2009. Of the total outlay of Rs.2,160 crore, a sum of Rs.1,148 crore will be utilised to upgrade the ECR, TNSRP sources told The Hindu. The upgrading work includes strengthening of the earth and ensuring technical stability of the area to suit the huge volume of heavy vehicles. With the receding of rain water, work resumed last week, the sources said.
The project is being executed through meticulous planning, covering a stretch of 387 km between Arcot and Tiruvarur and 355 km between Nagapattinam and Tuticorin.
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