Chandigarh, September 07 Neither the bylaws nor any architectural norms apparently exist anymore in any of the villages

Even after city villages have been included in the Municipal limits of Chandigarh, the authorities are yet to accept these in the true spirit, as most villages lack basic amenities. Lack of concrete roads, streetlights, adequate health and sanitation services comprise a small list of the larger picture of neglect.

Saba Rahman

Some say it began with the Mayans who used a stick to plant maize in unprepared soil while others trace it to ancient Egypt. But it is clear that conservation agriculture (CA) in the modern sense started in the mid-20th century and was practised successfully in the Americas, particularly Brazil.

VPTS provided to ne villages

SHILLONG, Aug 28

PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug. 28: The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) would invest Rs 12 crore this fiscal under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

Director (personnel) and in charge of SAIL's raw materials division, Ganatantra Ojha, said majority of the funds earmarked for CSR would be spent towards developing model villages in mining areas and near the steel plants of the company.

BHUBANESWAR: Energy Minister Surya Narayan Patro on Thursday announced in the Assembly that electrification of all villages and hamlets in the State will be completed by the Eleventh Five- Year Plan.

To a question from Arun Kumar Sahu of BJD, the Minister said 18,017 villages and 48,172 hamlets are without electricity. Out of this, 26 villages were given electricity under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutkaran Yojana (RGGVY).

Besides, 1,629 villages/ hamlets were electrified under the Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana.

BHUBANESWAR: There will be one

North East India Committee on Relief and Development (NEICORD), an organisation working for relief and development in the north eastern region, recently inaugurated a raised flood shelter on the July 10 constructed for the community of Daokabaha village in Chirang district. NEICORD has been working in this district for the last two and half years focusing on disaster risk reduction at the grass root level.

Deputy Speaker of the Assam Assembly, Pranati Phukan yesterday took stock of the erosion by Dehing river at Jagun village near Naharkatia and announced commencement of anti-erosion works in the affected area. To initiate the anti-erosion project work, Phukan released Rs five lakhs. She also announced that NABARD would step in with Rs 66 lakhs project to check the continuing erosion in the area in the current financial year.

A ministerial panel reviewing measures for Dalit welfare has asked the government to prepare a blueprint at the earliest to implement a Rs 7,140 crore