Junior Digest

New Delhi:  Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis  sought increased funding for several central schemes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in the state with him here.

He said overall 28,000 villages have been hit by drought in the state across 20-22 districts. This includes the entire Marathwada region, West Vidarbha, districts of Ahmednagar, Solpaur and Sangli to an extent.

“In fresh scenario, the magnitude of the drought has increased and 11,000 more villages have been affected,” he told reporters after the meeting with Modi.

The Prime Minister called for focus on medium and long term solutions for drought-proofing.

“CM @Dev_Fadnavis & I held wide-ranging discussions on the drought in parts of Maharashtra & how to mitigate it,” Modi tweeted.

“Stressed on vitality of increasing water use efficiency through sprinkler & drip irrigation including in sugarcane cultivation,” he added.

In another tweet, the Prime Minister said, “Usage of modern solid & liquid waste management practices in urban areas will also benefit the adjoining rural areas.”

Fadnavis said the state government has chalked out a plan to tackle drought situation in Marathwada and Vidarbha, which includes creation of a “guaranteed irrigation” plan over the next 2-3 years.

An additional plan to have better water management system in Western Maharashtra was presented to the Centre, he said, adding the state has demanded Rs 7500 for these two projects.

“We have been allowed to send a supplementary proposal for relief now. We also did a presentation on what pre-monsoon work that could be done in the coming six-weeks. This includes de-silting work at several places, improvement of structures,” Fadnavis said, adding that a long term plan to combat with drought was also presented to the PM.

“It is for the first time that the Centre sanctioned highest ever relief to the state. We has initially asked for Rs 4500 crore, but the Centre sanctioned over Rs 3000 crore, the highest ever in the state’s history. Of this, Rs 2500 crore has already been disbrused.

@ Agency report.

Pyongyang : North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un told a rare ruling party congress that the country would only use its nuclear weapons if its sovereignty came under threat from another nuclear power, state media said today.

Kim also promised that the North would follow a policy of non-proliferation, and said Pyongyang was willing to improve and normalise relations with countries that had been “hostile” in the past.

His remarks came in a report delivered on the second day yesterday of the first Workers’ Party congress to be held since 1980.

Kim had opened the conclave on Friday with a defiant defence of the North’s nuclear weapons programme, and praised the “magnificent… and thrilling” test of what Pyongyang claimed was a powerful hydrogen bomb on January 6.

It was the North’s fourth nuclear test, and there are growing signs that a fifth test could be imminent.

“As a responsible nuclear weapons state, our republic will not use a nuclear weapon unless its sovereignty is encroached upon by any aggressive hostile forces with nukes,” Kim was quoted as telling the party gathering yesterday.

He also vowed that Pyongyang would “faithfully fulfil” its non-proliferation obligations and push for global denuclearisation, the North’s official KCNA news agency said.

North Korea withdrew from the global Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2003 — the first signatory country to do so.

Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons use policy has never been completely clear.

At the time of the first nuclear test in 2006, North Korea stated it would “never use nuclear weapons first”, but has since made repeated threats of pre-emptive nuclear strikes against South Korea and the United States.

Kim’s latest statement does not seem to amount to a clear “no first-use” policy, as it does not specify what kind of “encroachment” might justify a nuclear strike.

In recent years, North Korea has put a focus on the development of tactical nuclear weapons, with numerous — and increasingly successful — tests of a submarine-launched ballistic missile system.

In his address, Kim also waved what might be taken as a potential olive branch, with his statement that North Korea would seek better relations with friendly countries, “(even) though they had been hostile in the past.”

There has been speculation that, in the wake of the party congress, Pyongyang might renew its push for talks with Washington.

@ Agency report.

New Delhi : Much-acclaimed Sanskrit period drama “Priyamanasam”  opened the 11th edition of Habitat Film Festival, which will also pay a homage to veteran actress Helen.

Hansal Mehta’s sensitive real-life inspired drama “Aligarh”, Malayalam hit “Ennu Ninte Moideen”, much-awaited Bengali film “Cinemawalla” and National Award-winning Tamil movie “Visaranai” are some of the cinematic gems that will be screened at the festival.

The themes of the films selected for the festival as diverse as displacement, migration, intolerance, caste, corrupt systems and destruction of indigenous culture and through all this, stories of love, courage, aspiration and resilience of the human spirit.

A special North East package, bringing movies in Assamese, Bodo, Khasi, Manipuri and Mizo, will also be offered to the audience.

The retrospective of this year’s festival pays tribute to 77-year-old Helen, whose talent and individualistic portrayals created a signature style.

On May 11, there will be an interaction with Bollywood’s original dancing star followed by screening of a documentary film on her.

The festival will close with Pan Nalin’s female buddy film “Angry Indian Goddesses”.

“This year’s films bring you a selection that will entertain, enchant, engage delight and disturb in varying measure in a nine day cinematic voyage that travels across the vast terrain of the land and gives you a window into the soul of the country,” said Vidyun Singh, Director Programmes, in a statement.

@Agency report.

Kolkata: After China blocked India’s bid at the United Nations to ban Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, the neighbouring country was told that it cannot have double standards on terrorism, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh today said.

“We have conveyed to China in very clear terms that you cannot have two standards on terrorism. You cannot say that you don’t accept or you are against terrorism and at the same time you support a leader of a terrorist outfit,” Singh said.

India’s view has been conveyed to China at many fora, including the External Affairs ministry, the former Army chief said here on the sidelines of a seminar by Centre for Eastern and North Eastern Regional Studies Kolkata (CENERS-K).

Last month China had blocked India’s bid at the UN to ban Azhar, the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief and mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack.

The UN had banned JeM but India’s efforts seeking a ban on Azhar after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, too, did not fructify as China did not allow the ban.

When asked about India’s objections to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the minister said, “There are problems. It is through a territory which belongs to India and India has raised its concerns and has told China about it.”

“Let’s see. Once we have expressed our point you need to consider what exactly is the status of that territory. We will wait a bit to see what China says about it,” Singh said.

@Agency report.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has restrained Kerala government from issuing ownership certificates to elephant owners.

A bench comprising justices Dipak Misra and S K Singh also directed that people in possession of elephants do not transfer the pachyderms outside the state.

The apex court made it clear that if any ownership certificate has been issued, “the same shall be withdrawn subject to the final verdict of the Supreme Court.”

“We think it apt to direct that the state government shall not issue any ownership certificate to any of the persons in possession of elephants. That apart, the persons who are in possession of elephants shall not transfer the elephants outside the state nor shall they part with the elephants by way of transfer in any manner,” the bench said.

The direction came on two applications moved on a PIL, filed by six organisations and individuals including Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, which said the number of captive elephants kept by people and religious institutions stood at over 3,000.

The two applications alleged that the elephants, used for religious processions or rides, were chained and ill-treated in violation of the statutory provisions and sought quashing of a Kerala government notification dated February 26 which offered an amnesty period for those keeping 289 captive elephants without valid ownership certificates.

During the hearing, advocate Aparna Bhat, appearing for Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, said the state government under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 has no authority to issue such a notification.

The counsel for the Kerala government referred to Section 40(4) of the Act to highlight that the state government can make a declaration subject to certain conditions and it has jurisdiction to issue an amnesty scheme.

Taking note of the submissions, the bench said it would deal with the issues raised in the application at the final stage of hearing.

@ Agency report.

New Delhi, May 6 ,2016: Cultivable land in the country is decreasing by 0.03 million hectares every year but the situation is not alarming, government said in Rajya Sabha today.

“The average cultivable land is reducing by 0.03 million hectares per year. But land productivity has increased slowly.

It is not an alarming situation,” Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjiv Baliyan said during Question Hour, adding that the net sown area has remained almost the same.

Replying to supplementaries, the Minister said this can be checked by increasing crop density from 138 per cent to 200 per cent, with focus on improving irrigation facilities.

He said the quality of seeds was a major problem and crop output can be increased by deploying technology in agriculture sector and irrigation facilities.

“The biggest problem is irrigation as only 45 per cent land is irrigated in the country,” he said.

Admitting that India is far behind countries like Israel which has deployed drip irrigation facilities to get maximum yield out of every drop of water, he said states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat deploy drip irrigation facilities.

He, however, said the Prime Minister’s Krishi Sinchai Yojna is a scheme that can help improve crop yield.

To a question on the break-up of cultivable and fallow land, Baliyan said, “Out of a total of 328 million hectare of total land, 181.95 million hectares is cultivable land, which is 60 per cent of total land.

“The current fallow land is 15.25 million hectares and another 11 million fallow land, which is not cultivated for last five years, a total of 26 million hectares can be made cultivable by improving irrigation facilities.”

To another supplementary, he said in 2007 when the National Policy for Agriculture was made, states were advised against converting land for non-irrigation purposes.

Earlier in a written reply, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said “as per report on Land Use statistics for 2012-13 (latest available), total land under cultivation/ cultivable land in the country has marginally declined from 182.01 million hectares in 2010-11 to 181.96 million hectares in 2011-12 and further to 181.95 million hectares in 2012-13.”

He also said “the average decrease in the cultivable land in the country during the above period has been 0.03 million hectares per year.

@ Agency report.

New Delhi, May 6 ,2016 : The Centre has asked the state governments to adopt Yoga as part of their school syllabus so that willing students can take it as a subject.

Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik said in Lok Sabha the letter to the states favouring adoption of Yoga as part of the school syllabus was sent by the HRD Ministry so that those students who wished to enroll themselves could take it, though it will not be a compulsory subject.

“We hope that Yoga will be part of the school curriculum from the next academic session,” he said during Question Hour.

Naik said Yoga has been made compulsory for police personnel and plans are afoot to make it compulsory also for defence personnel.

“A scheme titled ‘Yoga Training for Police Personnel’ has been initiated by the Ministry,” he said.

The Minister said the government has succeeded in adoption of June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. The 1st International Day of Yoga was celebrated in the country in a grand manner on June 21 2015, which was celebrated across the globe involving 192 countries.

“Arrangements for celebrating 2nd International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2016 has also started,” he said.

@ Agency report.

New Delhi, May 6 ,2016: Ahead of Akshaya Tritiya festival, gold and silver refiner MMTC Pamp today launched new gold coin ‘Tola’ of 11.6639 grams and said it would mint 0.5 million pieces of these coins in the current fiscal.

The ‘Tola’ is an octagonal shaped coin with distinctive knurled edges and an intricate finish with 999.9 pure gold. It has the design of a traditional weighing balance and the reverse features ‘potli’ containing one hundred ratti seeds.

“For centuries, gold was measured in tola but the advent of metric system overtook this historical association. We have tried to capture the ancient wisdom and heritage in the ‘Tola’ coin,” MMTC-Pamp Managing Director Rajesh Khosla said.

The company, which already mints different designs of gold and silver coins, aims to manufacture 0.5 million pieces of ‘Tola’ coins this fiscal, he told reporters.

MMTC-Pamp also has plans to launch half and quarter ‘Tola’ gold coins in the coming months.

In its initial phase, Khosla said that the ‘Tola’ coin will be available for purchase in select outlets of MMTC-Pamp outlets, Stock Holding Corporation of India (SHCIL), Indian Potash Ltd, as well as reputed jewellers in 28 cities including Chennai.

He further said that MMTC Pamp has also integrated a buy-back option at prevailing market price of gold that can presently be availed at its company-owned retail outlets in Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi and Hyderabad.

MMTC Pamp is a joint venture between state-run MMTC and Switzerlands PAMP. It has an installed capacity to refine 200 tonnes of gold and 600 tonnes of silver per annum. It has a capacity to mint 2.5 million pieces in gold or silver.

@ Agency report.

Noida : Calling money a “great equaliser”, Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan on Friday called for raising society’s tolerance towards wealth rather than prohibiting its use.

Rajan, who recently drew criticism for comparing Indian economy as ‘one-eyed king in the land of blind’, also said he has no problem with India’s growth, but it can do better.

“In a free market, all it takes to buy what you want is money. You do not need a pedigree, a great family history, the right table manners, or the right fashionable clothings or looks,” he said in his convocation address at the Shiv Nadar University here.

“It is because money has no odour, because it is the great equaliser, that so many people across history have been able to acquire resources and invested them to make the world we live in.”

Making it easier for Dalits to start business can do more to social status than any reservation, he noted.

“Rather than prohibiting the use of money and wealth, let us think about increasing society’s tolerance for its use,” he suggested.

Lamenting that income inequality within countries is on the rise, he said the need of the hour is providing effective access to school and healthcare, a non-discriminating job market with many jobs and equal opportunities for advancement regardless of gender, race or background.

“Indeed, making it easy for Dalits to start businesses may do more for their social status because money empowers (more) than many other forms of affirmative action,” the governor said.

On the country’s GDP, he said: “I have no problem with India’s growth. It is doing great. It could do better”.

India has emerged as the fastest growing large economies in the world with a growth rate of 7.6 per cent in 2015-16. It is projected to expand by 7.5 per cent in the current fiscal.

@ Agency report.