Jaipur: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Norway on Tuesday signed an agreement for the second phase of the Norway India Partnership Agreement Initiative (NIPI). According to the agreement signed on Tuesday, the project will be implemented in NIPI focus districts in Odisha and Rajasthan.

A key focus of the second phase of the initiative is to improve quality and delivery of National Rural Health Mission units in the two states. The second phase of NIPI will also establish state newborn care resource centrs. The partnership will use a mix of advisory services, technical assistance and project management services from UNDP.

Eyes higher contributions from emerging markets

Honda Cars India Ltd., on Tuesday, said it planned to invest Rs.2,500 crore in India by next year to set up a car assembly line, a diesel engine component unit and a forging plant at its Tapukara facility in Rajasthan. The company will also launch five vehicles over the next three year as the Japanese auto giant eyes higher contributions from emerging markets, including India.

The tackle the problem of water pollution, the Pushkar Lake will soon have a coir mesh treatment system.

Jaipur: The state government has decided to constitute a ‘rehabilitation cell’ for smooth rehabilitation of people living in slums and kacchi basti. The cell will perform under Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) with a separate staff and is expected to start functioning from June.

Marred by staff shortage and pressure from several quarters to clear encroachments from government land, the government granted permission to set up a different body and approved the permission for the creation of 12 posts for the cell. The consent came after JDA requested the state government to give extra manpower for carrying the tasks of relocation.

Jaipur: The results are out and Rajasthan has once again flunked the literacy test. A National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report placed the state along with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the worst performing states in the country.

The state has the second least literacy level in rural areas. Only 54% people are literate, just 1% more than Bihar which is at the bottom position. Literacy level among urban populace is also dismal with 73%. In urban literacy, Rajasthan and Bihar share the last two positions while UP with 70%, ranks the lowest in the country. 588 women illiterate per 1,000 in rural Raj, finds national survey

Jaipur: The state government’s efforts for providing free medicines and other initiatives in the health sector are commendable, but as far as tackling medical emergencies like swine flu is concerned, it still needs to learn a lot from other states.

According to the report of the ministry of health, Gujarat is leading in swine flu deaths and Rajasthan is not too far behind. Around 288 deaths out of 445 swine flu deaths in India were reported in Rajasthan and Gujarat since January 1 this year till March 24.

The Annual Plan for Rajasthan for 2013-14 was finalised at Rs.40,500 crore at a meeting here on Wednesday between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister Ashok

Jaipur: Despite tall claims by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Rajasthan on strategies to dispose of bio-medical waste, successive (3rd, 4th and 5th) Common Review Mission (CRM) reports h

After Peaceful Ways Fail To Yield Results, Villagers Threaten To Intensify Protest

Alwar: The ongoing agitation of villagers has spelled doom for the tourism industry at Sariska tiger reserve with mass protest against relocation entering the 13th day on Tuesday. Nearly 2,500 villagers who stay around the park have been blocking its main entrance since February 28. They threatened to intensify the stir on Monday as their peaceful agitation has failed to create any impact on the administration officials.

Jaipur: The famed hill forts of Rajasthan are inching closer to get the World Heritage Site status.

At the moment, seven forts-- Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Gagron, Ranthambore, Amber, Jalore and Bala Kila are on the UNESCO tentative list.
“The UNESCO team was in Jaipur on Monday to discuss the nomination of ‘Hill forts of Rajasthan’ for the world heritage site status. The ‘Hill Forts of Rajasthan’ are strategically built in a series and located on the oldest mountain range of the Aravallis or the Vindhyan range in the region. We made a presentation on all the forts and answered all their queries. Later, we took them to the Amber Fort,” said Rakesh Srivastava, principal secretary and commissioner, tourism.