By April 2013, expect your shopping bag to flaunt organic tomatoes, cabbages, peas, turmeric and ginger.

Jailed tribal activist Dayamani Barla was produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court here on Monday on criminal charges for allegedly participating in a demonstration organised by Jharkhand

Jharkhand State Level Bankers’ Committee in its 40th special meeting here, recently, on drought relief, has decided to exempt the farmers from paying back loan amount in the current financial year because of severe drought that had affected almost al the districts of the state.

The banks and the government officials who participated in the meeting also agreed that loans to existing and new farmers, including those who were allowed to pay back their loan dues next financial year could avail loans from the banks.

Public sector enterprise escapes public glare in coal scandal ----------

Agency seeks details of the period when Sushilkumar Shinde headed the ministry

After proceeding against a number of private companies given coal blocks, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now questioning the power ministry.
It has sent questionnaires to the ministry, to know the basis on which it had recommended names of companies to the screening committee for allocation. Senior CBI officials indicate once the questionnaires are answered, it is likely the agency will call some officials for questioning.

Kolkata Sanjiv Goenka-controlled power utility CESC may lose its Mahuagiri coal block in Jharkhand, which was allotted to it in 2007 and is scheduled to be put to use in 2016 when its 1,260 MW thermal power project at Dumka in Jharkhand is ready.

CESC’s Mahuagiri block is among the 29 allocated coal blocks under the scanner of the inter-ministerial group (IMG) set up by the government. IMG, which recommended deallocation of eight coal blocks till September 18, is reviewing the status of other allocated blocks. Mahuagiri and North Dhadu coal blocks (allotted to Electrosteel and Adhunik Alloys) will be looked at next, an official in the Coal Controllers office in Kolkata told FE.

The blocks facing action are part of the 29 under the IMG scanner

The Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) reviewing the controversial allotment of coal blocks for captive mining on Wednesday recommended cancelling those given to three companies, including Rungta Mines Ltd, due to production delays. It also said the government should deduct bank guarantees given by six companies, including Arcelor Mittal India Ltd, regarding four blocks.

The Planning Commission approved Rs 16,300 crore for Jharkhand for 2012-13 against the last financial year’s allocation of Rs 12,232 crors. The state had demanded for Rs 15,323 crore for last year which the Planning Commission had curtailed due to non-utilization of approved funds made by Planning Commission.

Chief minister Arjun Munda told the Planning Commission that Jharkhand needed a central package like Uttar Pradesh and special concessions like Bihar as the state’s various development projects were being seriously affected.

The Planning Commission on Monday approved a Plan outlay of Rs.16,300 crore for 2012-13 for Jharkhand, representing an increase of 25 per cent over the previous fiscal.

The outlay was finalised at a meeting here between Chief Minister Arjun Munda and Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia. “We have approved a Plan size of Rs.16,300 crore which is the level the State Government has asked for,” Mr. Ahluwalia told reporters after the meeting.

The state chief minister Arjun Munda announced a relief package to the vextent of Rs 410 crore for the relief to 39 lakh farmers in the state owing to adverse impact of lowest rainfall this year in comparison with last few years affecting sevvere drought like condition throughout 24 districts of the state.

Of the sanctioned amount of Rs 410 crore, Rs 150 crore will be provided to the farmers to purchase diesel for irrigation purpose and Rs 240 crore will be utilizes by 39 lakh farmers as interest free loan through banks.