Key challenges faced by the Indian agriculture: sugestion by finance minister and others

1. include the need to increase productivity by leveraging technology-especially for high yielding and resistant variety seeds, efficient utilization of water,
2. adapt latest IT to increase resilience to nature by phasing sowing, watering and harvesting and to increase the price benefits to the farmer by providing timely market information.
3.by revisiting the incentive structure of farming, use latest technology to raise productivity, reduce wastages and enhance earnings as well as to improve marketing of farm produce.
4. there is a need for more investment in agriculture sector.

The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley further said that the performance of Agriculture Sector during three out of the last four years (2015-16, 2014-15, 2012-13) has not been good mainly due to inadequate monsoons. As per the estimates of GDP for the second quarter (July-September) of 2015-16, the Minister said that agriculture, forestry and fishing sector grew by 2.2 percent as compared to growth of 2.1 percent in the corresponding period of 2014-15.

5. Many suggestions were received from the representatives of different Agriculture Groups. Major suggestions include Micro Irrigation System be given infrastructure lending status, food exports may be taxed rather than banned and funds collected there from be spent for improving irrigation system.
6. It was suggested to set-up National Institute for Agriculture Market Intelligence, introduction of agriculture index and satellite survey every month. Data received though survey be shared with farmers so that they can take a decision about sowing of a particular crop as well as its marketing etc.
7. maximum retail price (MRP) be fixed for different types of fertilizers, cost of urea be increased while NPK prices be decreased for balanced use of fertilizers, discourage import of urea from China.
8. direct transfer of fertilizer subsidy to farmers, introduction of Price Deficiency Payment System, 100% funding by Central Government to control food and mouth disease among the livestock, subsidy to farmers through Government agencies for setting-up solar system, subsidy on herbicides, setting-up warehousing facilities in the rural areas so that farmers can store their produce and there by avoid distress sale by them.
9. development of village/farm ponds, provision of three phase electricity and drip irrigation system, to create awareness among farmers about crop insurance and timely settlement of their claims, promoting investment for having better quality seeds, higher investment in agriculture research and development, creation of market platform for agro products, expansion of price stabilization fund, cheap credit for livestock, timely release of grants, exemption of oil seeds from GST, rubber to be considered as a agriculture commodity, to create a buffer stock of pulses and edible oils etc as international commodities prices are historically low,
10.reforms in Land Lease Act, setting-up of Special Commission for irrigation to improve dry land farming, Green Revolution to be taken to North East, all those given employment under MGNREGA programme should be registered under Panchayats and made available for agriculture among others

Smart City Plans throw up a range of vision statements

Most of the cities aspire to be clean and green; others to leverage heritage and other unique features

Stimulating economic development and inclusivity common aim

Aligarh to promote communal harmony; NDMC to emerge as a global bench mark capital city

Dahod to be a multi-functional tribal hub; Ludhiana to be bicycle capital

Vizag to be a healthy metropolis; Lucknow to be clean, green and efficient

Smart City Plans for 95 cities received in the Ministry of Urban Development have thrown up a variety of vision statements ranging from becoming clean and green to being a multi-functional tribal hub.

A perusal of Smart City Plans of 50 cities revealed that 11 cities aimed at emerging as clean, green and sustainable cities followed by 9 cities seeking to leverage rich cultural heritage legacy for stimulating development, 8 cities stating economic growth and development upfront as the core of their vision and the rest seeking to emerge as tourism hubs, port cities, education and health hubs, industrial and institutional centres etc., taking advantage of unique features and strengths of respective cities. Promoting economic development, improving quality of life and enabling inclusive urbanization is mentioned as part of the vision by most of the cities.

As required under the Mission Guidelines, each of the Mission Cities has formulated City Vision Statement based on citizen consultations.

New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in its vision statement aimed at emerging as the global bench mark for a capital city.

Aligarh (UP) envisaged becoming an economically vibrant, environment-friendly smart city while conserving heritage and culture, by promoting communal harmony and sustainable urban infrastructure.

Dahod (Gujarat) sought to emerge as a dynamic Dahod and a multi-functional activity hub for tribals.

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) seeks to be a healthy metropolis while Warangal in neighbouring Telangana is keen to emerge as vibrant regional economic hub besides being clean and green.

Lucknow is keen about emerging as a clean, green and efficient citizen centric city with a modern economy and outlook anchored in its tradition, heritage and culture with better quality of life.

City vision statements State-wise are given below:

Arunchal Pradesh:

Pasighat : A well managed clean, green, environment friendly city with a character of its own defined by scenic beauty, intellectual capital, eco-friendly tourism and an inclusive capital.

Andhra Pradesh:

Kakinada : To transform from Pensioners’ Paradise to economic destination

Tirupati: A right place to live, work and visit with a high quality core infrastructure in an inclusive manner, which is intelligently and efficiently managed to convert the holy city into a smart city.

Bihar:

Biharshariff: To emerge as a tourism gateway

Chandigarh: Seeks to be an ideal city which is innovative, distinct and dynamic, economically vibrant, accessible and livable.

Chattisgarh:

Bilaspur: To be the cultural capital of the city.

Goa:

Panaji: To be transformed into a world class, environmentally sustainable and inclusive city while preserving its heritage, cultural diversity and ecosystems through innovation and smart solutions.

Gujarat:

Gandhinagar: An institutional hub with diversified economic base that provides equitable setting for all to live and work with better quality of life and infrastructure.

Rajkot: To become a sustainable, modern, affordable, resilient and technology driven smart city.

Surat: Providing equal access to best quality physical and social infrastructure and efficient mobility through state of the art technology.

Vadodara: To be a sustainable and clean city with an efficient, sophisticated, skilled and people centric administration offering best quality services to its citizens.

Haryana:

Karnal : To become economically flourishing while embedded in culture and history.

Himachal Pradesh:

Dharamshala: To be a smart, sustainable and resilient city with a global imprint and enhanced quality of life for its residents.

Jharkhand:

Ranchi: To develop as an industrial centre through inclusive growth practices to enhance quality of life by adopting smart and sustainable methodology.

Karnataka:

Mangaluru: To be a clean and green port city, nurtured by a vibrant community and educated and industrious citizens with pluralistic cultural heritage and health care services, using eco-friendly technologies for affordable, safe and quality urban life.

Davanagere: Aspires to be a city where LIFE nestles. L-Livable, convenient and safe; I-Inclusive; F-Financially vibrant and futuristic; E-Edutainment, Economic prosperity and Environment friendly.

Hubbali-Dharwad: To be the growth engine of North Karnataka by unlocking city’s potential and leveraging locational advantage and human resources.

Belagavi: A livable, inclusive and vibrant city with access for all citizens to good quality and affordable physical and social infrastructure and employment opportunities.

Madhya Pradesh:

Indore: To enter an era of rejuvenation by envigorating city’s rich cultural and economic heritage and innovation in spatially restructured and sustainable urban development, mobility, environment, infrastructure, governance and citizen services for better living.

Sagar: Revitalize the city as a regional commercial mode creating new business opportunities and vibrant living spaces for safe and connected communities.

Maharashtra:

Kalyan –Dombivili: To facilitate a convenient living habitat for its citizens with excellent transit facilities and enable easy access to other parts of Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Odisha:

Bhubaneswar: To promote responsible governance through participatory decision-making and open access to information and technology.

Roukela: To develop as an industrial centre through inclusive growth practices to enhance quality of life of the people by adopting smart and sustainable methodology.

Puducherry:

Oulgaret: To emerge as the most preferred tourism and green industry smart city evolved on the concept of ‘work-live-learn-play’ environment.

Punjab :

Amritsar: To be a vibrant heritage city with world class and eco-friendly infrastructure leading to enhanced economic growth through responsive resource management making it a clean and green city.

Rajasthan:

Jaipur: Aspires to leverage its heritage and tourism, through innovative and inclusive solutions, to enhance the quality of life.

Kota: To ensure high quality life through creation of inclusive social and economic opportunities, enabled by infrastructure and governance.

Udaipur: To be the ‘Eternal Udaipur’ and world’s favourite lakeside heritage city.

Tamil Nadu:

Tiruppur: To be the textile and apparel smart city where enterprise and social collaboration thrive helping its people live, learn and work better by using leading technologies.

Thoothukudi: Most preferred port based and industrial smart city evolved on the concept of ‘work-learn-live-play’ environment.

Tiruchirapalli: To be the transportation hub of Tamil Nadu with state-of-art infrastructure, enhanced inter and intra city connectivity and better quality of life.

Uttarakhand:

Dehradun: To establish the city as eco-friendly knowledge hub of the region, infusing technology for providing timely and accurate information to citizens and authorities for decision making and improving the ease of doing business for promoting tourism.

Uttar Pradesh:

Agra: To further consolidate as a world class heritage city with increased economic opportunities for all citizens.

Bareilly: To be an economically vibrant city with high public safety, clean environment and eco-friendly mobility.

Kanpur: To enhance the identity of the city and provide better quality of life through governance, social, spatial, economic and environmental impacts.

Rampur: To unleash the full potential of the city besides emerging as a clean, green and smart Rampur.

Moradabad: To make a global impression as a clean, green and smart brass city with best quality of life for citizens.

Saharanpur: Promoting and developing local art and skills by engaging citizens in smart development enabled by the use of technology in city governance and management for better living.

West Bengal:

Bidhannagar: Clean, green, safe, socially embracing, livable and progressive city attracting new age service professionals.

Durgapur: To be clean, green and smart Durgapur.

Haldia: To be the sustainable and smart port city. A city to enjoy and grow.

Government constitutes Committee for Holistic interpretation of the provisions of the Cinematograph Act/ Rules headed by Shyam Benegal

In most countries of the world there is a mechanism/process of certifying feature films and documentaries. However it has to be ensured that in doing so, artistic creativity and freedom do not get stifled/curtailed and the people tasked with the work of certification understand these nuances. Indian films have glorious history. A whole lot of Indian films have enriched the cultural milieu of the country besides making astonishing advances in technical aspects of film making. Keeping this in view and in sync with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister, a committee headed by Shri Shyam Benegal has been constituted to suggest the paradigm for ensuring such a milieu. The recommendations of this Committee are expected to provide a holistic framework and enable those tasked with the work of certification of films to discharge their responsibilities keeping in view this framework.

During their deliberations, the Committee would be expected to take note of the best practices in various parts of the world, especially where the film industry is given sufficient and adequate space for creative and aesthetic expression. The Committee would recommend broad guidelines / procedures under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act / Rules for the benefit of the chairperson and other members of the Screening Committee. The staffing pattern of CBFC would also be looked into in an effort to recommend a framework which would provide efficient / transparent user friendly services. 
it also has other 5 members and recommendation to be submitted within 2 months,

Grand inter-oceanic canal or Nicaragua canal

A 50billion $ canal  in Nicaragua to connect Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean. The project is given to Chinese Weng Company for 50 years concession. It became highly debatable and country is divided in two groups.

1. Support: due to job creation; economic development; cargo traffic through it challenge panama canal; port development; etc ..
2. Opposition: damage to environment; ecology; displacement of people; livelihood issues; economic targets challenged; procedure followed is doubted; impact assessment issues;

Union Government launched Ganga Gram Yojana in Uttar Pradesh

The Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti on 5 January 2016 launched Ganga Gram Yojana at Village Puth in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Under the scheme, 1600 villages of UP situated along the banks of river Ganga will be developed.

Highlights of the Ganga Gram Yojana
• In the first phase of the program, 200 villages have been selected initially.
• In these villages, open drains falling into river Ganga will be diverted and alternative arrangements for sewage treatment will be made.
• The villages will have toilets in every house hold.
• It is proposed to incur the expenditure of 1 crore rupees on every village.
• These villages will be developed under the Seechewal model..Seechewal village is situated in Punjab, where cooperation of the villagers has been solicited for the water management and waste disposal.

First Company of Ganga Task Force deployed
The Ministry also deployed first company of Ganga Task force Battalion at Garhmukteshwar as a major initiative towards fast track implementation of Namami Gange Programme.
Moreover, three such companies will be soon deployed at Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad.

WHO declares EBOLA outbreak over

The World Health Organization (WHO) on 14 january 2016 declared Liberia free of Ebola, marking the end of the outbreak in West Africa. . But there is need to continued vigilance, warning that there was a significant risk of flare-ups. That’s because there is still ongoing risk of re-emergence of the disease because of persistence of the virus in a proportion of survivors specially in there semens,” .
The outbreak in West Africa was by far the largest Ebola on record and the only one to have become a full-fledged epidemic. More than 28,500 people were sickened by the virus, and 11,315 died since the outbreak began in a remote Guinean village in December 2013. At the height of the epidemic there were hundreds of infections every day, and patients died in front of overfilled treatment centers that had shut their doors. “Detecting and breaking every chain of transmission has been a monumental achievement,” Margaret Chan, director-general of WHO, said in a press statement.

Regret for not available all these days

sorry for the inconvenience caused and regret for not available all thes days and months together.Today onwards i am going to rejuvenate the preparation ......Thanking you