The state budget that is to be announced on March 26 is likely to be a populist one with the state government planning to expand the ambit of its social welfare schemes and announcing some new ones. However, given the challenges faced by the state, chief minister Ashok Gelhot will have to tread cautiously and present a balanced budget for the overall growth of the state.

JAIPUR/ALWAR: In one of the biggest crackdowns on illegal mining in state's Mewat region in the recent past, police on Thursday arrested over 100 people from unlawful gravel mines in Pahari police station area in Bharatpur district and seized equipment worth crores of rupees. Besides, few persons were also detained.

Jaipur: The state health ministry is closely monitoring the recent cases of swine flu and has already started collecting details about the reports on a daily basis.

So far, in March, 28 cases of swine flu have been reported in the state and out of them five have died of H1N1 influenza. Since the cases of swine flu were reported in Jaipur after a gap of around six months, it has caught the department off guard

The Annual Plan for Rajasthan for 2012-13 was on Wednesday finalised at Rs.33,500 crore at a meeting here between Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

“We have agreed on annual Plan size of Rs.33,500 crore for the next fiscal which is well funded by the State and some assistance (Rs 60 crore) from the Centre,” Mr. Ahluwalia told the media.

No. Of People Below Poverty Line Dips To 24.8% From 34.4%

Jaipur: In Rajasthan, if you earn more than Rs 846 per month (Rs 28.20 per day) in urban areas and Rs 755 per month (Rs 25.16 per day) in rural areas, then you are not below poverty line. The data was released by the Planning Commission on Monday. This is a jump from Rs 568.15 per month (Rs 18.93 per day) in urban areas and Rs 478 per month (Rs 15.23 per day) in rural areas for 2004-05.

Even as Rajasthan’s minister of environment, the flamboyant Bina Kak has expressed apprehension at the rising cases of human-animal conflict, environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan is determined to play down such incidents.

Ms Kak cites the example of four people being killed in Rajathan within a span of three weeks due to man-animal conflict with two of the victims having been mauled to death in Ranthambore National Park.

Jaipur: The state government’s pregnancy, child-tracking and health service management system, which was launched in 2009, has now become a tool for the Centre to estimate the actual vaccine requirement for the year 2012-2013 in the country.

The state’s medical, health and family welfare department had launched the system in 2009 and the Centre decided to follow suit and launched an infant tracking system to encourage immunization in every state. The Centre also launched similar mother and child tracking system (MCTS) in all the states.

JAISALMER: Viewing the security scenario and the frequent threats, an integrated security system is being put in place covering 202 railway stations across the country. This includes Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner.

In addition to this, three trains-Thar Express, Palace on Wheels and Atari Express will be a part of the system, informed Railway Protection Force director General P K Mehta during his visit to Jaisalmer on Tuesday.

Jaipur: A division bench of the high court has called for an explanation from the Union and state governments on a PIL seeking court intervention on the failure of the governments as also other agencies in checking teh steep decline in sex ratio.

The PIL stated that the anti-dowry law, as also PCPNDT Act are not being complied with, especially in Rajasthan. It was also stated in the PIL that the court should direct that no party in a marriage shall call more than 250 guests for the ceremony.

JAIPUR: The state government on Tuesday introduced the online application system for obtaining document of land records for farmers. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot launched the web portal of the project during the inauguration.

Under the new system, farmers in the state can visit to the Rajiv Gandhi Vikas Kendra (RGVK) and take printouts of the records of his land after paying a fee. The document will be digitally signed and will be considered valid in the court.