Guwahati, Aug. 1: The Arunachal Pradesh government is keen on formulating a legislative policy framework to address anti-dam movements and safety aspects of dams.

The empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on drought, chaired by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, today gave in-principle approval for a Rs 2,519-crore package to Maharashtra to tackle drought-like situation in the state.

The package is part of the total demand of Rs 4,919 crore the state had proposed and would address issues such as availability of drinking water, fodder and irrigation works.

Subsidy on diesel, seeds to be hiked to help farmers

The Central government on Tuesday approved Rs 1,931 crore financial package to five drought-affected states, including Rs 224 crore for Karnataka. The package will be used primarily to ensure supply of drinking water in rain deficient states and improve watershed management for drought-proofing. In addition, subsidy on diesel and seeds will be increased to help farmers tackle the crisis and save standing crops. Import duty on oil mill cake has been waived to improve the feed scenario.

50 per cent diesel subsidy to farmers to save standing crops

With the country facing a 20 per cent deficient monsoon, the Union government on Tuesday announced a financial assistance of more than Rs. 1,900 crore under various schemes for the affected States. It also extended a diesel subsidy of 50 per cent to farmers to save the standing crops through groundwater irrigation. Subsidy on seeds will be raised and farmers who are forced to sow again will be given compensation. To enhance the supply of animal feed, the import duty on oil meal cakes will be waived.

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Jairam Ramesh, Union Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister, on Thursday described the Railways as the world’s largest open toilet as his ministry signed an MoU with the Defence

New Delhi Terming water pollution as a ‘‘national crisis’’, a Parliamentary committee has decided to summon officials of at least six central ministries to seek their views to find ways to check the problem.

‘‘Since the subject of water is not restricted to only one ministry, we have decided to summon officials of ministries of water resources, agriculture, urban development, panchayati raj, rural development and sanitation and drinking water to find a multi-agency approach to deal with the situation,’’ a member of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee said here.

A major step to make India open defecation free was taken on Thursday with the ministry of rural development headed by minister Jairam Ramesh joining hands with the ministry of defence under defence minister A.K. Antony to set up bio-digester toilets in 2.4 lakh gram panchayats in India.

The technology for these eco-friendly toilets has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and was originally used for human waste disposal for armed forces personnel deployed at high altitudes. But the technology has now been extended to suit all climates and biodigesters have been installed in various locations in J&K, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

All trains could soon have bio-toilets, with the Ministry of Rural Development offering to bear half the total cost — Rs. 500 crore — of installing them.

After meeting with Railway Board Chairman Vinay Mittal on Tuesday, Rural development Minister Jairam Ramesh said his Ministry would pay 50 per cent of the cost of retrofitting all 50,000 existing train coaches with green toilets, provided that the Railways pay the rest of the bill.