-Express News Service Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday expressed reservations about the new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, saying it would in particular pose hurdles in setting up industries and creating new dams. The Bill was cleared by the Union cabinet in September and has now been sent to the joint legislative committee. Quoting provisions of the Bill, such as the promise to pay five times the market...
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Vidarbha, plagued by farm suicides, battles child deaths too-Meena Menon
The Vidarbha region of Maharashtra which has gained notoriety for its farm suicides, is also reporting a high incidence of child deaths. Data compiled under the Right to Information (RTI) Act shows that in Yavatmal district alone 565 children below five died due to various causes between January and September 2011. In addition, the district reported 489 still births for the same period. Yavatmal is second only to AMRavati district which...
More »Maharashtra wakes up to growing urban malnutrition-Meena Menon
Rising trends in malnutrition among children under six here and in other cities have prompted the Maharashtra government to introduce an Urban Malnutrition Mission from next month, official sources said. A quarter of children below six years in the city weighed at anganwadis are underweight, according to the latest monthly progress report (MPR) of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Non-governmental organisations point to a severe crisis of primary health...
More »National Rural Employment Scheme default: 605 gram panchayats face action
-The Times of India AMRAVATI: Divisional commissioner Ganesh Thakur on Saturday said that over 605 gram panchayats (GPs) in AMRavati division will face the music for apathy in implementation of the National Rural Employment Scheme (NREGS). Buldhana district 'topped' in the division with 285 gram panchayats dodging NREGS work. Thakur said that the administration had spent around Rs 39 crore on NREGS in five districts of the division in 2010-2011 while Rs...
More »Did officials pocket Rs2.83 cr paid to buy bhoodan land from tribals?
-The Times of India YAVATMAL: Information released under right to information (RTI) has revealed that the state government has paid Rs 2.83 crore to acquire land distributed to tribals and landless labourers under the Bhoodan movement to rehabilitate Pahur villagers displaced due to Bembla River Irrigation Project. Concerns are now being expressed that some government officials pocketed this compensation along with five land owners by forging documents and sale deeds. Sarpanch Ainuddin...
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