In the lush fields of Punjab germinates a scary tale.

The Bikaner farmers, as many as 2,237 of them, who filed a joint petition in June against the electricity distribution company Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam seeking compensation for crop damage due t

JAIPUR: The state government has declared drought in Jodhpur, Nagaur, Barmer, Bikaner and Jaisalmer districts on Wednesday. The five districts have been worst-hit by deficit rain and will remain in the status of 'drought-affected' from August 1 to July 31 next year.

As per the emergency relief plans, collectors of all the above districts have been asked to do an early assessment of the total losses. To get maximum aid, chief minister Ashok Gehlot instructed the officials to mention everything in detail in the letters that will be presented to Centre. He also asked them to take the assessment exercise of losses seriously. To gauge the situation in the state, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar will visit Jaipur on August 3.

Arduous & Lengthy Process To Obtain Admin Permission

Jaisalmer: Wind and solar power producing companies in the districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner are staring at the bleak prospects of projects getting delayed as they cannot deploy labourers owing to an existing ban on outsiders entering these border areas for national security reasons. The police stepped up surveillance after Jaisalmer subdivisional officer Ramesh Chandra Jainth under the existing rules issued an order on April 9 giving directions that outsiders have to take permission for entering the scheduled police stations areas.

JAIPUR: Jaipur is among the five cities in the state where malaria control activities would be monitored on a regular basis. The move came after the Centre directed the state to intensify monitoring in the five districts as deaths were reported due to malaria in 2011. Four malarial deaths were reported in the city in 2011.

Besides, three districts, including Bikaner, Barmer and Jaisalmer, have attracted the attention of the Centre as malaria cases have increased in western parts of the state.

Health practitioners, policy-makers and activists here on Monday expressed concern over high prevalence of anaemia among adolescents and women in Rajasthan and called for evolving multi-sectoral strategies through convergence with various agencies for effective control of the syndrome caused by iron deficiency and malnutrition.

Addressing a workshop on “Anaemia: A major public health issue”, experts said the State Government’s Adolescent Anaemia Control Programme (AACP) could be supported by effective action in the spheres of education,

The policy deep-freeze and land acquisition woes have resulted in over 500 projects, mostly power and steel, being shelved or put on hold during 2011-12, entailing a total investment of over Rs 5,0

Central Audit Body Pulls Up State Govt & Departments For Huge Losses Incurred

Jaipur: Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Limited (RSMML), a public sector undertaking of the state government, has incurred a loss of Rs 1.10 crore for non-compliance of legal requirements which led to unproductive expenditure towards land tax and dead rent. It also incurred loss of Rs. 1.92 core for keeping 12 areas without any plan to undertake mining having paid premium charges on it.

Interview with A.R. Ansari, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation.