Saturday, April 30, 2011

An act proposed by government of Rajasthan to strengthen the social security & food security schemes

Please find attached copy of press release letter by the government of Rajasthan for the betterment of services or schemes being supported or run by the government. In this government has key focus on improving social security and food security schemes.

This is first such initiative by the government to eradicate corruption in dealing with the said schemes. As per this release now government is going to fix a time period for availing the documents and the getting the benefit of this schemes and if it is delayed, government would take necessary action against the concerned authority. The prime focus would be strengthening Panchayats.

We could share this release to our LIFE project villages.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Recent activities at SJVS-Banswara

25/04/2011: Field visit to LIFE project villages (Mundari, Kajalpad & Jamrai) in Banswara (Rajasthan) by Caritas India staff along with field animators & project coordinator of LIFE team of SJVS-Banswara. Its a first joint monitoring field visit where in field animators monitored the project villages






27th-28th April 2011: Training to SJVS-Banswara staff on 'analysis of monitoring tools data'



28th/04/2011: Practical training on organic cultivation by one of the staff of LIFE project staff Mr. Vijay Katra at SJVS-Banswara



Thursday, April 28, 2011

Indian government online

The below links provide you with an access to a host of services with  Indian State / UT & Central Government Departments: 

 *   Birth Certificate <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=1>
 *   Caste Certificate <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=4>
 *   Tribe Certificate <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=8>
 *   Domicile Certificate <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=5>
 *   Driving Licence <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=6>
 *   Marriage Certificate <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=3>
 *   Death Certificate <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=2>
 *   Search More - How do I <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ advancedsearch. php>
Apply for:
 *   PAN Card <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=15>
 *   TAN Card <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=3>
 *   Ration Card <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=7>
 *   Passport <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=2>
 *   Inclusion of name in the Electoral Rolls <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=10>
 *   Search More - How do I <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ advancedsearch. php>
Register:
 *   Land/Property <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=9>
 *   Vehicle <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=13>
 *   With State Employment Exchange <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ howdoi.php? service=12>
 *   As Employer <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=17>
 *   Company <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=19>
 *   .IN Domain <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=18>
 *   GOV.IN<
http://gov.in/> Domain http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=25>
 *   Search More - How do I <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ advancedsearch. php>
Check/Track:

 *   Waiting list status for Central Government Housing <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=9>
 *   Status of Stolen Vehicles <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=1>
 *   Land Records <
http://www.india. gov.in/landrecor ds/index. php>
 *   Causelist of Indian Courts <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=7>
 *   Court Judgements (JUDIS ) <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=24>
 *   Daily Court Orders/Case Status <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=21>
 *   Acts of Indian Parliament <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=13>
 *   Exam Results <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=16>
 *   Speed Post Status <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=10>
 *   Agricultural Market Prices Online <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=6>
 *   Search More - How do I <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ advancedsearch. php>

Book/File/Lodge:
 *   Train Tickets Online <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=5>
 *   Air Tickets Online <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=4>
 *   Income Tax Returns <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=12>
 *   Complaint with Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=14>
 *   Search More - How do I <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ advancedsearch. php> Contribute to:
 *   Prime Minister's Relief Fund <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=11>
 *   Search More - How do I <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ advancedsearch. php> Others:
 *   Send Letters Electronically <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ otherservice_ details.php? service=20>
 *   Search More - How do I <
http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ advancedsearch. php>

Recently Added Online Services

 *   Tamil Nadu: Online application of marriage certificate for persons having registered their marriages <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2691>
 *   Tamil Nadu: Online District wise soil Details of Tamil Nadu <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2693>
 *   Tamil Nadu: View Water shed Atlas of Tamil Nadu <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2694>
 *   Tamil Nadu: E-Pension District Treasury Tirunelveli <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2695>
 *   Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by Name (2008) <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2697>
 *   Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by EPIC number (2008) <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2698>
 *   Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by House number (2008) <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2699>
 *   Himachal Pradesh: Revised Pay and Arrears Calculator-Fifth Pay <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2702>
 *   Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by Part number (2008) <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2700>
 *   Andhra Pradesh: Online Motor Driving School Information <http://www.india. gov.in/howdo/ onlineservice_ detail.php? service=2705>

Global Navigation
 *   Citizens <http://www.india. gov.in/citizen. php>
 *   Business (External website that opens in a new window) <
http://business. gov.in/>
 *   Overseas <
http://www.india. gov.in/overseas. php>
 *   Government <
http://www.india. gov.in/govt. php>
 *   Know India <
http://www.india. gov.in/knowindia .php>
 *   Sectors <
http://www.india. gov.in/sector. php>
 *   Directories <
http://www.india. gov.in/directori es.php>
 *   Documents <
http://www.india. gov.in/documents .php>
 *   Forms <
http://www.india. gov.in/forms/ forms.php>
 *   Acts <
http://www.india. gov.in/govt/ acts.php>
 *   Rules <
http://www.india. gov.in/govt/ rules.php>
 *   Schemes <
http://www.india. gov.in/govt/ schemes.php>
 *   Tenders <
http://www.india. gov.in/tenders. php>
 *   Home <
http://www.india. gov.in/default. php>
 *   About the Portal <
http://www.india. gov.in/aboutthep ortal.php>
 *   Site Map <
http://www.india. gov.in/sitemap. php>
 *   Link to Us <
http://www.india. gov.in/linktous. php>
 *   Suggest to a Friend <
http://www.india. gov.in/suggest/ suggest.php>
 *   Help <
http://www.india. gov.in/help. php>
 *   Terms of Use <
http://www.india. gov.in/termscond tions.php>
 *   Feedback <
http://www.india. gov.in/feedback. php>
 *   Contact Us <
http://www.india. gov.in/contactus .php>
 *   Accessibility Statement <
http://www.india. gov.in/accessibi litystatement. php>
 

Monday, April 25, 2011

LIFE quarterly review...

23rd-25th June 2011: LIFE project quarterly review at RCDSSS-Ajmer

Friday, April 22, 2011

LIFE project staff learning's at CESSS-Amravati

In concern with the training of two LIFE project staff (one each from Ajmer & Banswara) at CESSS-Amravati (Maharashtra)-a center for promoting sustainable agriculture- to learn & practice the know-how of the sustainable agriculture and implementing the same through the LIFE project ;Mr. Hemant (Field animator from RCDSSS-Ajmer) and Mr. Vijay Katara (Field animator SJVS-Banswara) have attended the 15 days (from 27th March-10th April 2011) training programme at CESSS-Amravati and returned  back on 13th April 2011. Both have shared a brief report of their learning’s and practice (in Hindi),their key learning based on their report as: 

Key Learning’s on:

  • Sustainable agriculture and its different aspect especially organic cultivation
  • Promotion of sustainable agriculture amongst the interested farmer’s.
  • Making interested farmers to know about the hazards of use of chemical/synthetic fertilizers and preparation and practicing of organic cultivation.
  • Proper ploughing before cultivation
  • Promoting sustainable agriculture through demo plots and establishing key linkages with KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendera) and other development agencies practicing sustainable agriculture.
  • Preservation and promotion of traditional seeds amongst the farming community
  • Formation of organic cultivation based farmers group in the villages.
  • Enhancing the involvement of farmers in the Gram sabha and sharing the benefit of organic cultivation in gram sabha meeting.
  • Developing IEC materials on sustainable agriculture
  • Organizing awareness camp on sustainable agriculture
  • Motivating techniques for organic cultivation
  • Planning on sustainable agriculture for individual farmers

Practice on:

  • Preparation of –organic manure, vermin compost unit, vermin compost,  and green manure.
  • Use of locally available resources for organic cultivation
  • Making organic pest repellant through locally available resources.
  • Taking sample for soil testing & water testing
  • Interaction with individual farmers/farmers group on organic cultivation
  • Planning on sustainable agriculture for individual farmers

In the report participants have shared that through strong community mobilization and with project team they are going to share their learning’s and practices amongst the LIFE project team members and amongst the project area target community.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Know-Kissan Call Center : 1800-180-1551

KISAN CALL CENTRE - Concept

The challenges before Indian Agriculture are immense.  This sector needs to grow at a faster rate than in the past to allow for higher per capita income and consumption.    About two thirds of workforce directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture.  This sector generates about 28 percent of its GDP and over 15 percent of exports.  Rising consumer prosperity and the search by farmers for higher incomes will simultaneously drive crop diversification.  Export opportunities for agricultural products are also expected to continue to grow, provided India could meet the stability, quality and presentation standards demanded by foreign trade and consumers and maintain its comparative advantage as a relatively low cost producer.

Given its range of agro-ecological setting and producers, Indian Agriculture is faced with a great diversity of needs, opportunities and prospects.   The well endowed irrigated areas which account for 37 percent of the country's cultivated land currently contribute about 55 percent of agricultural production, whereas, rainfed agriculture which covers 63 percent accounts for only 45 percent of agricultural production.   In these less favorable areas, yields are not only low but also highly unstable and technology gaps are much wider as compared to those in irrigated areas.

If it is to respond successfully to these challenges, greater attention will have to be paid to information-based technologies. Both technology generation and transfer will have to focus more strongly than ever before on the themes of optimization in the management of their available resources by producers. In order to make information transfer more effective, greater use will need to be made of modern information technology and communication among researchers, extensionists and farmers have to be utilized.

Public extension system requires a paradigm shift from top-down, blanket dissemination of technological packages, towards providing producers with the knowledge and understanding with which they solve their own location - specific problems.  Continuous two-way interaction among the farmers and agricultural scientists is the most critical component of Agricultural Extension.

At present, the issues have been addressed by the Extension Systems of State Departments of Agriculture, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), KVKs, NGOs, Private Extension Services through various extension approaches in transfer of technology. With the availability of telephone and Internet, it is now possible to bridge this gap to quite a large extent by using an appropriate mix of technologies.

The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India has launched Kisan Call Centers with a view to leverage the extensive telecom infrastructure in the country to deliver extension services to the farming community. The purpose of these Call Centers is mainly to respond to issues raised by farmers instantly in the local language, on continuous basis.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Minimum Support Price (MSP) from the government for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) — including produce

India's poorest, the tribals, can now expect minimum support price from the government for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) — including produce. The Centre is expected to announce minimum support prices for 12 types of MFP for state governments to follow, and a mechanism to ensure that even non-profitable produce is procured. These are bamboo (declared MFP recently), tendu leaves, mahua flower and seed, sal leaf and seed, chironjee, wild honey, tamarind, myrobalan, gums and gum karanj.

The decision was taken at a meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently. “The consensus view has emerged,” environment minister Jairam Ramesh said, in a letter to Planning Commission deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia this week.

Ramesh said it was decided the state governments would have to give higher MSP than the Centre. A committee headed by T Haque of the panchayati raj ministry will decide on the MSP for each MFP that could range between R500 and R2,000 per kg.

"Tribals in the North-East get five to ten paisa for a tendu leaf," said Nandan Saxena, who made a documentary on exploitation of tribals resulting from unfair price for MFP. Over 10 crore people are said to be dependent on MFP for livelihood, but they have to sell their collection at throwaway prices.

The government has also decided that monopoly of any agency in procuring MFP, including state agencies, will be removed. “A level-playing field for all will have to be provided to ensure tribals get maximum money for forest products they collect,” a plan panel official said.

The Centre will also tell states they will have to improve the marketing and distribution network. Another decision taken was that gram sabhas should be involved in management and regeneration of MFP.

"Forest regeneration plans should be prepared in consultation with the gram sabhas," Ramesh said, adding the issue has already been discussed with member secretary Planning Commission Sudha Pillai.

The government will also be preparing a plan to set up MFP processing units
at the local levels with the help of gram sabhas.



Saturday, April 16, 2011

Kisan Credit Card (KCC) /Farmers Credit Card

Kisan Credit Cards  (KCC)
Kisan Credit Cards were started by the Government of India, RBI (Reserve Bank of India), and NABARD (National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development) in 1998-99 to help farmers access timely and adequate credit.
The Kisan Credit Care allows farmers to have cash credit facilities without going through the credit screening processes repeatedly. Repayment can be rescheduled if there is a bad crop season, and extensions are offered for up to 4 years. The card is valid for 3 years and subject to annual renewals. Banks in India that lend for agricultural purposes usually offer the KCC. Withdrawals are made using slips, cards, and a passbook.

Extent of Exposure

As per scale of finance specific to the crop and KCC norms. Int rate is around 7% (SI).

Tenure

The card would be valid for 5 years, of which crop loan and working capital components has to be renewed annually. Kisan Credit Card Scheme: Himachal Pradesh

Details of Kisan Credit Card Scheme

Name of the Scheme:  Kisan Credit Card Scheme  (KCC)
Sponsored by : State Government
Funding Pattern: Rs. 50000/- for Rabi Crops. Rs. 50000/- for Kharif Crops. Ministry/Department State Government PSU Description 1 Maximum Limits Rs. 50000/- for Rabi Crops. Rs. 50000/- for Kharif Crops.

Eligibility:  Individual farmer/ Society.

Purposes :Agriculture.

Repayment period:  Kharif 31 January Rabi 31 July.

Collateral Security Charge on land in case loan is above Rs. 10000/- and two sureties if loan is below Rs. 10000/-. 6 Margin Stipulation As per nature of the loan Beneficiaries Individual,Community, Benefits Benefit Type Loan, Eligibility criteria Individual / Society.

How to Avail?
Approach to the State Headquarters and Branch Manager at District Level Branches Validity of the Scheme Introduced On 31 / 03 / 2006 Valid Up to 31 / 03 / 2012

Friday, April 1, 2011

FIGURES AT A GLANCE - INDIA (census 2011)

The Census 2011 is the 15th census of India since 1872 and conducted in two phases — houselisting and housing census (April to September 2010) and population enumeration (February 9 to 28, 2011).The Census covered all 35 states and UTs and cost Rs 2,200 crore. 27 lakh enumerators were involved in the exercise where 8,000 metric tonnes of paper and 10,500 metric tonnes of material moved

FIGURES AT A GLANCE - INDIA  (census 2011)
POPULATION
Persons
1,21,01,93,422


Males
62,37,24,248


Females
58,64,69,174

DECADAL POPULATION GROWTH 2001-2011
Absolute
Percentage

Persons
18,14,55,986
17.64

Males
9,15,01,158
17.19

Females
8,99,54,828
18.12

 















For more information log on to:

Some +positive facts:
  • The highest child sex ratio is in Mizoram (971 females against 1000 males) and Meghalaya (970).
  • Lahul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh has the highest sex ratio (1,013 female).
  • For the first time, there is a significant fall in the growth rate of population in the Empowered Action Group states after decades of stagnation,” The EAG states are : UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh and Orissa.
  • The literacy rate has gone up from 64.83 per cent in 2001 to 74.04 per cent in 2011 showing an increase of 9.21 per cent.

Some –negative facts:
  • Haryana’s Jhajjar (774 females) and Mahendragarh (778 females) districts have the lowest sex ratio
  • The combined population of UP and Maharashtra is bigger than that of the US.
  • The highest population density is in Delhi’s north-east district (37,346 per sq km)
  • The lowest is in Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh (just one per sq km).
  • Interestingly, the addition of 181 million population during 2001-2011 is slightly lower than the total population of Brazil, the fifth most populous country in the world.
  • While China has 19.4 per cent of the world’s total population, India has 17.5 per cent of the world population.
  • The Census indicated a continuing preference for male children over female children. The latest child sex ratio in is 914 female against 1,000 male–the lowest since Independence.

Now we have to think a lot about:

  • Water problem
  • Space problem
  • Education
  • Food availability
  • Employment
  • And many other concerns….