JAIPUR: Storm and thundershowers that lashed Rajasthan

From Jodhpur, Savita Rathi was married into a family in Gopalpura village in Churu district, Rajasthan. She became sarpanch of Gopalpura gram panchayat by winning the 2005 elections, defeating her male rival by 600 votes in the general category. She spoke to Narayani Ganesh on the sidelines of a meeting on Panchayati Raj institutions organised by the Indian Women's Press Corps in the capital recently:

You are a qualified lawyer. Is that an advantage?

The Rajasthan Cabinet has decided to amend the State's laws on exporting/transporting cattle in order to facilitate export and migration of the high quality Nagauri calves to other parts of the country. However, there is a catch: the bovines would be allowed to be transported to the States where a ban on cow slaughter already exists. Conceding the long-time demand of farmers from Nagaur district, the Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje decided to carry out amendments to the Rajasthan Cow Slaughter, Prohibition and Regulation of Temporary Migration and Export of Bovine Elements Act, 1955. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore, who briefed journalists later, said the Government had acted on the recommendations of a Cabinet committee headed by Home Minister G. C. Kataria in this regard. The amendments would allow export of Nagauri calves above the age of 2 years for agricultural and dairy purposes, he pointed out. Nagauri bulls are know for their quality and resilience and even in the current Assembly there has been an outcry from the MLAs from Nagaur district for lifting the ban on the sale and transport of calves. The ban made it unviable for the farmer to breed the Nagauri variety, which eventually was leading to its extinction, they had pointed out. More autonomy In another decision the Cabinet resolved to accept the recommendations of the A. K. Vaidhyanathan Committee to provide more autonomy to the cooperative bodies in the State. The State would carry out about a dozen amendments and insert Section 47 A in the Rajasthan Cooperative Act to facilitate the increased autonomy. The Cabinet also decided to launch urban development projects in 15 towns of the State with financial assistance totalling 273 million US dollars from the Asian Development Bank. The project, with a funding format of 70:30 (70 percent from ADB and the rest from the State Government and local bodies) would carry out schemes on drinking water, sewerage, drainage, road, flyovers, development of slums and heritage properties besides garbage management and improving fire-fighting. The beneficiary towns would include Alwar, Bharatpur, Sikar, Churu, Sawai Madhopur, Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jhalrapatan. Mr. Rathore said the Government proposes to amend the Rajasthan Financial Act, 2006, to relax conditions for filing petitions in the case of disputes over land tax assessment.

Physico-chemical analysis of groundwater in Churu block was performed to have a clear picture of water quality so that remedial measures could be worked for. Fluoride higher thatn 2ppm may cause osteoporosis and fluorosis. High nitrate is alarming as it indicates possibility of seepage from sewage.

People in Rajasthan's Churu district have to make do with an annual rainfall of 350 mm. The area's high evaporation rate

Local people in the arid Churu district of Rajasthan know how to store sweet rainwater for the scorching, parched summers

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