The judgment one reaches on what the current year's Budget will do for farmers will vary depending on whether its provisions are seen as a sui generis exercise or are viewed within a longer term per

The government's 11th Five-Year Plan initiative to spread micro-land ownership across the country has the potential to help 50 lakh people (or 1 lakh families) to secure land over the next five year

RAMBAN: J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) secretary R C Sharma reviewed progress under Rural Employment Generation Scheme (REGS) of the backward districts of Ramban and Doda today. It was informed that KVIB so far have set up 99 units with the bank loans of Rs. 196.99 lakhs and provided margin money grant of Rs. 61.07 lakhs. Sharma said that some of the BPL villages should be included in the J&K Bank's programme of village adoption to uplift the people living below poverty. He said that in order to improve the quality of the blankets being woven in these backward districts and generate sustainable employment the KVIB is addressing the problems of traditional industries in these districts. He disclosed that improved looms on modern technology should be provided to the one new units sanctioned in the current year under blanket weaving for the better quality of the blanket weaving in the area. Similarly, 22 units under ready-made garments have also been got sanctioned to cater the need within the area. A special team for looking in to the needs of unreached and unbankable areas has been constituted which will facilitate the entrepreneurs artisans working in the traditional industries or to start small tiny industrial units. He said that the other units producing articles under KVI sector in these districts for local consumption and specialized units like jackets, caps, tracksuits, mufflers socks etc manufacturing are also being promoted to meet the requirements of the people. A common facility centre is being established for beekeepers producing honey to facility the processing testing and packaging of the honey produced in the area. This will also be used to impart training to the beekeepers, The board its starting four training centres in Doda and Kishtwar districts to train 200 women. One such training centre has already been commenced at Sangaldan in Ramban district to train 40 beneficiaries under craft training.

Does away with middlemen; ten States keen to replicate model The implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) through biometric smart cards in Andhra Pradesh has attracted nationwide attention, with many States planning to adopt a similar method. Financial Information Network and Operations Ltd (FINO), a Mumbai-based technology solutions provider, is presently implementing NREGS in five districts of Andhra Pradesh by paying wages through biometric smart cards. "The hassle-free mode of payment sans middlemen has become a hit with the unskilled manual labourers. Encouraged by the feedback, at least 10 other States, including Orissa, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, are showing interest in adopting similar methods,' Mr Rishi Gupta, Chief Financial Officer and President (Sales), FINO, told Business Line over phone from Mumbai. Implementation After a successful pilot programme in eight mandals of Warangal and Karimnagar districts, the payment of pension and National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme wages are now being paid through smart cards in 259 villages

Economy on the move: The President, Ms Pratibha Patil, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr P.R. Dasmunshi, arriving to attend the first day of the Budget Session at Parliament House in the Capital on Monday.