New Delhi: The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday asked the Kejriwal government to rename 40 villages with "Mughal era names" after freedom-fighters, artistes, and "martyrs" including Ankit Sharma and Ratan Lal who were killed in communal riots in the city in February 2020.Delhi police officer Mohan Chandra Sharma, who was killed in Batla House encounter, and Kargil War hero Captain Vikram Batra, were also suggested in the list of names proposed by it.Ankit Sharma, an IB staffer, and Delhi police head constable Ratan Lal were killed during riots in North East Delhi in 2020.Names of Maharshi Valmiki, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, cricketer Yashpal Sharma, and Milkha Singh were also proposed to rechristen these villages."People want to know about such personalities. We are sending a proposal to name the villages after them. People want the Mughal era names to be changed," Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta told reporters in the national capital.There are 40 villages that have names "associated with Mughals" and "symbolise the slave mentality", he said."The 40 villages have names like Jia Sarai, Zamroodpur, Masoodpur, Jafarpur Kalan, Tajpur, Najafgarh, Neb Sarai. Delhi is no longer a sarai (inn). It is the national capital of the country."The villagers, including youths, do not want their villages to be identified with any symbol of slavery. They want to know who was Captain Vikram Batra, Bismillah Khan, Ashfaqullah, and Mohan Chandra Sharma who was martyred in Batla House encounter," Gupta said.At a time when the whole country was celebrating the 75th anniversary of independence, the villagers do not want to be associated with such names and they have approached us, he claimed."We demand Kejriwal that the names of these 40 villages be changed after the names of freedom-fighters, brave-hearts of armed forces who laid down their lives to safeguard the borders of the country, those who won laurels for the country in the fields of sports, art, music, and culture," said the Delhi BJP president.Gupta on Wednesday had visited Muhammadpur in South Delhi where the BJP with the local villagers ”changed” the name of the village to Madhavpuram -- even though neither has the authority to effect such changes.The ruling Aam Aadmi Party had earlier said that the Delhi government's 'State Naming Authority' appropriately reviews name change proposals it receives and acts following the due procedure."The villagers had decided to rename Muhammadpur, which is a Mughal era name, to Madhavpuram. A proposal to this effect was passed in South MCD. It was sent to the Delhi government for approval but nothing happened in last six months.”So, the BJP decided to rename Muhammadpur as Madhavpuram with the consent of the local villagers who did not want to be associated with a symbol of slavery," Gupta had earlier said.The Aam Aadmi Party, which governs the city, has charged that the BJP does not want the government to function as per the due process and was looking for opportunities to start hooliganism.—PTI

The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday asked the Kejriwal government to rename 40 villages with "Mughal era names" after freedom-fighters, artistes, and "martyrs" including Ankit Sharma and Ratan Lal who were killed in communal riots in the city in February 2020. Delhi police officer Mohan Chandra Sharma, who was killed in Batla House encounter, and Kargil War hero Captain Vikram Batra, were also suggested in the list of names proposed by it.

Change 'Mughal Era' Names Of 40 Villages: Delhi BJP

The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday asked the Kejriwal government to rename 40 villages with "Mughal era names" after freedom-fighters, artistes, and "martyrs" including Ankit Sharma and Ratan Lal who were killed in communal riots in the city in February 2020.
Delhi police officer Mohan Chandra Sharma, who was killed in Batla House encounter, and Kargil War hero Captain Vikram Batra, were also suggested in the list of names proposed by it.



Lucknow: Paying tributes to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 35th death anniversary here, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the great farmer leader always worked for the development of villages and strengthening the rural economy.Adityanath said the former PM, who was also the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was of the clear view that the path of the development of the country goes through the by-lanes of the villages and farms.As soon as the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, it waived the crop loans of the farmers, he said.The chief minister also said that there has been a massive transformation in the lives of the sugarcane farmers in the last five years due to the work done by the “double-engine government”.Even during the COVID-19 waves in UP, 119 sugar mills operated in the state, he said, claiming that the state government has so far given Rs 1.73 lakh crore to the sugarcane farmers.Ramala Sugar Mill in Chhaprauli, the work place of Chaudhary Charan Singh, is being operated after re-establishment, Adityanath told reporters.Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also paid floral tributes to the former prime minister.He said that the SP will follow the path shown by him and will bring justice to the farmers.“The BJP has shattered the dreams of farmers. It did not fulfill even a single promise made to them. The farmers will be ruined by the path on which the ruling party wants to take the country,” Yadav said in a statement issued here.He also referred to the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people, including four farmers, died during a protest on October 3, 2021. Many farmers, suffering from debt and inflation, committed suicide, he said, and claimed that the farmers did not even get the minimum support price for their crops. —PTI

 Paying tributes to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh on his 35th death anniversary here, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the great farmer leader always worked for the development of villages and strengthening the rural economy.

Chaudhary Charan Singh Always Worked For Development Of Villages: CM Yogi Adityanath

Ms Vini Mahajan* 
Our country is standing at the cusp of transformative change and we have a huge opportunity to transform rural India. We are certainly heading in the right direction, with all the right moves, given that today the IMIS of the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), the flagship programme of the Government of India, recorded another milestone – of 101462villages declaring themselves as ODF (open defecation free) Plus.

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/mahmudakash177/image/upload/v1662039159/xsobtuynu39367k7uncl.jpg" alt="swach bharat" style="height: auto;width: auto"/>
These villages are sustaining their ODF status and have systems in place for managing solid and/or liquid waste and they would continue on their sanitation journey as they work towards making their villages cleaner, greener and healthier.
Almost eight years ago, Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission from the ramparts of the Red Fort, with a vision to make the country open defecation free as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. Under his visionary leadership, the country came together in the world’s largest behaviour change campaign and achieved its aim,and on 2nd October 2019, 11 years ahead of the SDG-6 target set by the United Nations, rural India became open defecation free. However, this was not the end of the mission, it laid the foundation to take on a much more challenging, yet necessary task; the need to ensure sampoornswachhata or complete cleanliness, to make the country’s villages ODF Plus.&nbsp;&nbsp;
One lakh ODF Plus villages is no small achievement, given that the process of solid and liquid waste management is technical in nature, is relatively new to rural India and is a second-generation issue. Provision of toilets has led to the need to manage faecal waste. Also, with potable water supply, more greywater is being generated that needs to be treated and reused; and with lifestyle changes and the use of packaged food products, the menace of plastic waste is rearing its ugly head in rural areas and that needs to be managed effectively.
And this is what the second Phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) is about – to appropriately manage all types of waste that will not only make our villages clean, but also creating avenues for generating incomes for rural households and creating new livelihood opportunities, while fulfilling the requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals. The SBM-G reinforces the Government’s commitment to promote hygiene and safe sanitation and thereby improve the quality of life of its citizens.
At the outset, DDWS had introduced intermediate stages in the process of declaring a village as ODF Plus, given that all villages may not fulfil all criteria under the verticals of biodegradable waste management (BWM), plastic waste management (PWM), greywater management (GWM) and faecal sludge management (FSM) before declaring a village as ODF Plus. In the ODF Plus - Aspiringcategorytoday are 54734villages in which all households and institutions besides having access to sanitation through individual household latrines, have arrangements for either SWM or LWM; those in ODF Plus – Rising are 17121 villages which have arrangements for both LWM and SWM in addition to the criteria in Aspiring. Those that are declared ODF Plus - Model are 29607 villages which have all the above and where IEC messages are prominently disseminated and displayed.&nbsp;
This also translates into 99640 villages across the country having arrangements for solid waste management; 78937having liquid waste management facilities; and 57312villages having both functional solid and liquid waste management plants. The top five performing states are Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradeshwhere maximum number of villages have been declared as ODF Plus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
All possible assistance is being given to States in the form of funding, technical and capacity building support.
Availability of adequate funding: The Government of India, in February 2020, approved Phase-II of the SBM (G) with a total outlay of Rs. 1,40,881 crores to focus on the sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). SBM (G) Phase-II is planned to be a unique model of convergence between different verticals of financing and various schemes of Central and State Governments. Funds are also available through the 15th Finance Commission and through convergence with MGNREGA.
&nbsp;
Technical Support: Extensive focus is being given to strengthening the capacities of a range of key stakeholders at State, district, block and panchayat levels to ensure effective and expedited implementation. DDWS has made available reference materials pertaining to the programme’s approach and processes, with technical specifications, technology options, cost estimates, technical drawings etc., for various elements of ODF Plus in the form of technical manuals and toolkits which States have been translating into their vernacular languages. The manuals would go a long way towards building capacities of functionaries and rural local bodies.
Capacity building: Management of solid and liquid waste and related infrastructure is technical in nature and for building capacities of the GP level stakeholders, a large pool of trainers is required. As a part of this initiative, 5-day Training of Trainers (ToTs) on the implementation of SBM (G) II in the states is being carried out by the DDWS with the support of development partner UNICEF. Under this, Master Trainers (MTs) from each district,are being trained and they in turn are trainingSarpanchs/Pradhans, village secretaries and Swachhagrahisin the various ODF Plus verticals.
SBM-G continues to be a people’s movement: All along, SBM (G) Phase-II had been uniquely designed to leverage the capacity of individuals and communities in rural India to create a people’s movement to ensure that the ODF status of rural areas is sustained, people continue to practice safe hygienic behaviour and that all villages have solid and liquid waste management arrangements.&nbsp;
In this regard, the contributions of both men and women in the village communities have been immense. Either as Swachhagrahis, Mistries, drivers or Green Ambassadors, they continue to work for ODF Plus. We have our share of unsung heroes too:
Saying NO to stubble burning, Ajmer Singh, afarmer of Sehbajpur villagein Raikot block of Ludhiana district in Punjab has successfully installed a biogas plant which utilizes crop residue and cow dung as feed to generate biogas, within his household premises. The family of 3 now avails of 3-4 cum per day of clean cooking fuel and organic compost for their fields, free of cost.
&nbsp;Meanwhile, when Smt. Richhawati, an active community leader and SHG member heard that the community biogas plant sanctioned for their Gram Panchayat (GP) in 2021-22 was being shelved owing to non-availability of community land and inadequate finance, she donated 2500 square feet of land that she owned for the project that would cater to the clean fuel needs of the community.The woman’s magnanimous gesture has set the wheels in motion for the construction of the Gobardhan plant that is now located in Salmatta GP in Sitarganj Block of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand.&nbsp;
I also salute the Swachhagrahis – the frontline workers who go by different names in each State, who are versatile enough to take on responsibilities to promote awareness and get people to participate in waste management.
Lots more to be done in the next three years…but I’m confident that the great people of this country will join hands to make a Swachh and Swasth Bharat a reality.
—The Hawk
* Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India

Our country is standing at the cusp of transformative change and we have a huge opportunity to transform rural India. 

India Clocks In Over One Lakh ODF Plus Villages

Chennai (The Hawk): After water was discharged from Red Hills lake, the Tiruvallur district administration issued a red alert for 11 villages.
As the catchment area continued to experience heavy rainfall, 500 cusecs of water were released.
After the meteorological service predicted additional rain in the upcoming days, district collector Alby George stated in a statement that 500 cusecs of water were discharged from Red Hill Lake.
Residents of low-lying areas, such as Thandal, Naravarikuppam, Kazhani, Grandline, Vadakarai, Puzhal, Vadperumbukkam, Mathur, Vasapur, Manali, and Sadayankuppam, according to the Collector.
It should be mentioned that the lake at Chembarambakam released 569 cusecs of extra water. The Poondi and Cholavaram reservoirs are being monitored by the state authorities as a result of the catchment areas being pounded by severe rains.
(Inputs from Agencies)

After water was discharged from Red Hills lake, the Tiruvallur district administration issued a red alert for 11 villages.

11 villages in the Tiruvallur district of TN are on red alert

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government will run a pilot project in five villages affected by human-animal conflict to find a solution to the problem, a senior official said.
State's Additional Chief Secretary Anandvardhan on Monday directed the Watershed Department to start working on the pilot project and said that along with government efforts, community participation, role of gram panchayats and cooperation of local people should also be taken.
He asked the department to work on micro-planning in areas and villages affected by human-animal conflict.
Under the project, Anandvardhan also asked to study the pattern of human-animal conflict in the rural areas surrounding the Rajaji-Corbett landscape and to document local attitudes, perceptions and socio-economic impacts of the conflict in the area.
In a meeting between the Watershed department along with scientists and consultants of Wildlife Institute of India, he also directed to develop an early warning system to alert people about animal attacks. —PTI

The Uttarakhand government will run a pilot project in five villages affected by human-animal conflict to find a solution to the problem, a senior official said.

To Reduce Human-Animal Conflict, U'khand To Run Pilot Project In 5 Affected Villages

New Delhi (The Hawk): The fourth convocation ceremony of the Post Graduate Diploma in Agri Business Management of the Chaudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (CCS-NIAM), Jaipur and the Agri Innovation and Incubation Center was inaugurated today by the chief guest, - the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar. Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Kailash Choudhary was the special guest. On this occasion, Shri Tomar said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government is continuously making efforts through various schemes for the betterment of the Agriculture sector. To bring more benefits to the Agriculture sector in the country and to make the villages more prosperous, the students and youth associated with Agriculture should also contribute. Shri Tomar also announced to add 60 seats in NIAM and abolish the provision of compulsory stay in hostel.
Union Minister Shri Tomar said that the Agriculture sector is important, in which everyone's interest should increase, youth should also be attracted towards it, it is the responsibility of all of us. There is livelihood in the Agriculture sector, but there is also the patriotism of the farmers, that is because everything will come to a halt without agriculture production. There are many challenges in the Agriculture sector, which the Central Government, by using technology, is successfully moving ahead to solve with the cooperation of the States. Many challenges like moving towards remunerative crops, crop diversification, elimination of middlemen in the sale of produce are being dealt with in a planned manner. Shri Tomar said that scientists have done a lot of work in the Agriculture sector, while, along with the untiring hard work of the farmers, there has been unprecedented progress in Agriculture due to the farmer-friendly policies of the Government. In terms of most of the agricultural produce, India is at Number One or Second rank in the world today, which we all together should aim to make it a leader. The world has a lot of expectations regarding food grains from India, which we are fulfilling and will continue to do so in the future. Agricultural research is a work of continuity, while there is no let up in the hard work of the farmers and the efforts of the government. Jobs are necessary for livelihood, but at the same time it is also necessary to improve the Agriculture sector, because 56 percent of the country's population is dependent on it.
Shri Tomar said that Prime Minister Modi constantly emphasizes that we should not only make the present beautiful, but also make India a developed nation by the time we celebrate the centenary of India’s Independence, this is a golden and historic opportunity for India. It is the responsibility of the new generation to take advantage of it. The future of the country in 2047 should be such that India becomes the torchlight to the world. In this direction, programs and schemes are being continuously evolved under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi. The Union Minister said that it is futile to wait for tomorrow, we should do the work now that can be done today. Appreciating the Agri Startups, Shri Tomar said that very good experiments have been done in the country. In the year 2014, when we came to power, there were 32 Startups in all sectors taken together. Startups in the country have been continuously encouraged by Prime Minister Shri Modi, due to which the number of Agri Startups alone has now increased to 2,000, whereas, including other sectors, more than 10,000 Startups are working. On their strength, India will become world guru in the future.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Choudhary also addressed the gathering. Members of Parliament, Shri Ramcharan Bohra and Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Principal Secretary of Rajasthan, Shri Dinesh Kumar were among the dignitaries present. Dr. Vijayalakshmi Nadendla, Joint Secretary- Marketing and Director General of Regulation, delivered the welcome address. Dr. Ramesh Mittal, Director, NIAM proposed the vote of thanks. During the convocation, Shri Tomar gave away diplomas to the students of Post Graduate Diploma-Agri Business Management and medals to the meritorious students. Shri Tomar also launched the products of Startups, trained and funded by NIAM and distributed cheques for grants. Startup exhibition and products display was also organized, in which startups trained and funded by NIAM participated. On the occasion, awards were distributed to NIAM's partner institutions based on their performance in startup training and funding, including Platinum Award to Shri Karan Narendra Agricultural University, Jobner, Diamond Award to National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack (Odisha) and Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour was honored with the Gold Award. Shri Tomar also launched the website of Agri Innovation and Incubation Center, besides inaugurating the Farmer Producer Organization Business School and Smart Class Room and was provided with the status report of the Indo-German project. Nine publications of NIAM were also released during the ceremony.

The fourth convocation ceremony of the Post Graduate Diploma in Agri Business Management of the Chaudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (CCS-NIAM), Jaipur and the Agri Innovation and Incubation Center was inaugurated today by the chief guest, - the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar. 

Students And Youth Should Contribute To Make Agriculture More Remunerative And Make Villages More Prosperous: Tomar

Kibithoo: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' in Arunachal Pradesh's Kibithoo and said "no one can encroach even pin's tip worth of our land" and that "no one has the power to cast an evil eye on us".
The Home Minister said that no one can cast their "evil eye" on India in today's time as the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Indian Army are guarding the borders.
"The entire country can sleep peacefully in their homes today because our ITBP jawans and Army is working day &amp; night on our borders. Today, we can proudly say that no one has the power to cast an evil eye on us," Shah said while addressing on the occasion.
Shah said that India is taking all measures to boost its security.
"Today, we say with pride that gone are the days when anybody could encroach on India's land. Today, we can proudly say that no one can encroach even a tip of a pin's worth of our land because ITBP and Indian Army are present at our borders. I salute the sacrifices of all the jawans. Whosoever came to encroach the land here in 1962 had to return because of your patriotism," he added.
He said that the Modi government's Look East policy has accelerated progress in the Northeast and the region now contributes to the development of the country.
"Before 2014, the entire Northeast region was known as a disturbed region but in the last 9 years, because of PM Modi's 'Look East' policy, Northeast is now considered an area which contributes to the development of the country," he said.
The Home Minister described Kibithu as India's first village and not last village.
"Kibithoo is India's first village &amp; not the last village. Earlier when people visited here, they used to say "I had gone to the last village of the country, but today, I'll say that I visited the first village of India," he said.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has approved the VVP with central components of Rs 4,800 crore including Rs 2,500 crore exclusively for road connectivity for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26.
The VVP is a centrally sponsored scheme under which 2,967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts abutting the northern border in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been identified for comprehensive development.
In the first phase, 662 villages have been identified for priority coverage, which includes 455 villages in Arunachal Pradesh.
The VVP will help in improving the quality of life of people living in identified border villages and encourage them to stay in their native locations thereby reversing the outmigration from these villages and adding to the security of the border.
—ANI

 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' in Arunachal Pradesh's Kibithoo 

'No One Can Encroach Even Pin's Tip Worth Of Our Land': Shah

Pauri: In view of the tiger terror, the Pauri Garhwal district administration has imposed curfew in dozens of villages of Rikhanikhal and Dhumakot tehsils. The prohibitory orders will remain in force from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Apart from this, schools and Anganwadi centres of both these tehsils will remain closed on April 17 and 18. The orders were issued after a man was killed by a tiger in Dalla village of Rikhanikhal. Two days ago, the forest department installed a cage in the village to catch the tiger. On Sunday, a drone was flown in the surrounding area, in which the movement of a tiger has also been seen in Padiyar Pani village. Earlier, a tiger had also attacked Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Lansdowne, Dalip Rawat. Khushendra Singh, head of Gram Panchayat Meldhar, said that after the death of an old man in a tiger attack, there is panic in the surrounding villages. He said that 10 streetlights have been given by the district administration to make arrangements for lighting on the roads of the affected villages. The district administration has imposed an 11-hour night curfew in Rikhanikhal, Dhumakot tehsil area of Lansdowne assembly constituency till further orders. District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan has issued advisory for 28 villages of Rikhanikhal, Dhumakot tehsil. Along with this, curfew will also be imposed in Panu Patti Char. Tigers have been seen roaming in the villages adjacent to the Corbett National Park in Rikhanikhal. Divisional Forest Officer of Garhwal Forest Division, Swapnil Anirudh said: “A cage have been installed in the village to catch the tiger.” —IANS

 In view of the tiger terror, the Pauri Garhwal district administration has imposed curfew in dozens of villages of Rikhanikhal and Dhumakot tehsils.

Tiger Terror In Uttarakhand: Curfew Imposed In Several Pauri Villages

Itanagar: On Monday, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that all Arunachal Pradesh villages along the borders with China, Myanmar, and Bhutan will be fully developed and have all basic facilities.
The Chief Minister mentioned that Arunachal has a large number of villages along its 1,817 km international borders with China (1,080 km), Myanmar (520 km), and Bhutan (217 km) during the inauguration ceremony of a three-day training event commemorating the National Panchayati Raj Day.
"We will also develop all the other villages by convergence of state and Central government schemes and programmes," he said.
Khandu asserted that the state government with the support and guidance of the Centre is committed to develop each village of the state.
He mentioned how Home Minister Amit Shah recently went to Kaho, the 'first' village on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Anjaw district, to inaugurate the ambitious 'Vibrant Village Programme' (VVP) for the development of the villages along the border.
For the development of villages in Arunachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister has supported nine factors to meet the set localised sustainable development goals (LSDGs), based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations.
A ideal road map for the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) to plan and implement development projects for their respective segments, he added, are the nine factors as stipulated by the Department of Panchayati Raj.
The nine parameters are - clean and green village, water sufficient village, child friendly village, healthy village, poverty free village, self-sufficient infrastructure village, socially secured and socially just village, village with good governance and gender equality village.
"In accordance with the 17 SDGs adopted by the United Nations, of which 15 are relevant for Arunachal Pradesh, the state government has been preparing the annual budget to achieve these goals. Likewise, the PRIs can now plan to achieve these nine parameters prescribed in the LSDGs for wholesome development of the villages," the Chief Minister said.
While informing that Rs 123 crore was accorded to the PRIs last year, Khandu said that in this year's budget (2023-24), the fund for Panchayati Raj has been increased to Rs 143 crore.
In addition to the grants from the finance commission, he revealed that the state is allocating 10% of its own resources to PRIs.
"In fact, there's no drought of funds with the state government. Things are not progressing well because the planning system is not perfect yet," he said.
Khandu restated his earlier recommendation that similar plans and activities involving many agencies be merged into a single entity and implemented at the grass-roots level.—Inputs from Agencies

On Monday, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that all Arunachal Pradesh villages along the borders with China, Myanmar, and Bhutan will be fully developed and have all basic facilities

 All Arunachal villages along int'l borders to be developed with all basic facilities: CM

Varanasi: All the remaining villages of Uttar Pradesh will be covered with 4G network within a year. According to the government spokesman, the Union Minister of State for Telecom Devusinh Chauhan gave this information during his visit to Varanasi on Saturday. Chauhan along with Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel, launched installation of mobile towers equipped with 4G network at an event. The Union Cabinet had approved a project for saturation of 4G mobile services in uncovered villages across the country at a total cost of Rs 26,316 crore in July 2022. Chauhan said the 4G saturation project is an ambitious scheme envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create digital connectivity facility for the residents of far-flung areas and thereby bridge the digital divide in 500 days. "This scheme will not only be helpful in including the citizens living in far-flung areas in the mainstream and improving their standard of living, it will also be effective in delivering e-governance, medical and educational facilities and other citizen-centric schemes directly to the beneficiary," the minister said. He further said the locals will get direct and indirect benefits from installation of the mobile towers and the area will also get developed. Chauhan said that 65 remote villages of Varanasi district and adjoining Chandauli, Ghazipur, Mirzapur, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Sonbhadra, Varanasi districts under the Varanasi Business Area will be provided 4G services through 49 new towers and by upgrading seven existing towers. —IANS

All the remaining villages of Uttar Pradesh will be covered with 4G network within a year

All UP Villages To Get 4G Within A Year

Lucknow: The Yogi government of Uttar Pradesh has set a target of preparing 'gharaunis' for more than 90,000 villages by December this year.
In relation to this, the goal is to get an error-free map from the Survey of India by July 31; likewise, on-the-spot testing must be finished by August 31, said a press release by Chief Minister's Office on Saturday.
'Gharauni' is a certificate of the details of people's land or their patrimonial houses.
An elaborated description of its action plan was prepared and presented before the Chief Secretary. Also, in an official statement released by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, it said, "The Yogi government has finished surveying 90,894 villages so far. Although, the map of the Survey of India shows 73,000 villages. Around 57 lakh Gharaunis have been prepared. It is a significant accomplishment that, of these, approximately 55.15 lakh 'Gharaunis' have been distributed as of April 24, 2023".
The statement also said that the districts of Bundelkhand are at the top of the list of the top 10 districts under the 'Svamitva Yojna', a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj that aims to provide property rights to the residents of the rural areas. The scheme is conducive to the procurement of loans and other benifits to the rural people by using their homes as financial assets.
The districts of Bundelkhand; Lalitpur (99.944 pc), Jalaun (99.657 pc), and Jhansi (99.056 pc) are in the top three, while Mahoba (98.701pc) is in the fifth position. Moradabad (99.037 pc) is in fourth place. Baghpat (98.375 pc), Sambhal (97.474 pc), Hamirpur (97.328 pc), Shamli (97.044 pc) and Kasganj (97.008 pc) ranked sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.
The official statement further added, "On April 24, PM Modi digitally distributed 20,98,926 'gharaunis' of Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day. These 'gharaunis' were distributed under the Pradhan Mantri Svamitva Yojana for 37,833 villages in the state".
UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath hailed the scheme considering it a step toward converting 'Rashtroyada from Gramodaya' dream into reality. —ANI

The Yogi government of Uttar Pradesh has set a target of preparing 'gharaunis' for more than 90,000 villages by December this year

UP Govt Sets A December Deadline For Getting 'Gharaunis' Ready For More Than 90,000 Villages

Uttarkashi: On his two-day Uttarkashi visit, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited village Siror, Netala of Frontier Development Block Bhatwadi in the morning on Sunday and distributed Mandua seeds among women to promote millet cultivation in the state. In order to promote Manduva cultivation in the village area, CM Dhami sowed 'Mandua' seeds, 'line showing' method in village Siror and distributed Mandua seeds to women. He said that the way millets are being promoted under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the result is that the demand for coarse grains (millets) is increasing not only in the country but also globally. "To encourage millet crops in the state, an amount of about Rs 73 crore has been given to the State Millet Mission. Our government is procuring coarse grains like Mandua, Jhingora, and Chaulai from the farmers of hilly areas on MSP and the farmers are also being paid for it online", the chief minister said. Taking information about various agricultural equipment, the chief minister said that modern equipment should be distributed to the farmers as much as possible. He also sprinkled Jeevamrit fertilizer, and Beejamrit fertilizer in the fields. He also urged the villagers to increase the use of these fertilizers in the fields. Chief Minister Dhami also planted fruit trees in the village on this occasion. 'We should plant more and more fruit-bearing plants in barren lands", he added. He met the villagers and inquired about their well-being and also took information from the villagers about the erosion happening in the Bhagirathi River. The chief minister took feedback from the local people regarding the public welfare schemes of the government. He ploughed the fields of village Siror with a power weeder. He said that during his morning tour, he met the villagers and gets feedback on the work being done by the government. The dream of making Uttarakhand the best state will be fulfilled only by making the village ideal and best, he added. —ANI

On his two-day Uttarkashi visit, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited village Siror

Dhami Visits Siror, Netala Villages In Uttarkashi, Sows 'Mandua' Seeds, Promotes Millet Crops

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government is now eyeing Open Defecation Free (ODF)-Plus status for the villages of Uttar Pradesh by adopting a comprehensive approach towards cleanliness, self-reliance, and waste management. The government is already moving forward on the action plan to rejuvenate villages in the state by not only promoting cleanliness but also sustaining the rural economy by increasing the income of rural families through the sanitation initiative. The initiative has the potential to change the picture of villages in the state. The implementation of the action plan to convert cattle dung and agricultural waste into biogas and slurry on a war footing across all villages of the state is a significant undertaking as it not only promotes cleanliness, but also focuses on increasing the income of rural families. The UP Government is also taking proactive steps towards a cleaner and more sustainable environment in villages by working on a large scale to manage and reduce waste. The Yogi government has taken various initiatives to increase the income of rural families by converting cattle dung and agricultural waste into biogas and slurry in all villages across the state. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), the government has allocated Rs 50 lakh for each district to promote the Gobardhan Yojana. These funds are intended to support the construction of biogas plants that convert cattle dung and agricultural waste into biogas and slurry. Linking the biogas plants with government cow sheds in the villages ensures a reliable source of feedstock for the plants. The action plan includes installing lighting arrangements in the community places of the villages by connecting generators to the gas produced from the plant. Apart from this, efforts are also being made to utilise the energy generated from biogas plants in flour mills and provide affordable flour grinding services to rural communities. Furthermore, the government is also ensuring the distribution of stoves to identified families, facilitating efficient and clean cooking practices in rural kitchens. Currently, 20 districts in the state have completed such plants, while 60 plants are under construction in 38 districts. Additionally, efforts have begun to implement 22 plants in 17 districts. As an integral component of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the state government is undertaking significant efforts to enhance faecal and plastic waste management in rural areas. These initiatives aim to streamline waste disposal processes and improve overall cleanliness in villages across the state. The government is working on a large scale to connect villages located within a 20 to 25 km radius of established and proposed Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) in 763 urban bodies. The process of connecting these villages is currently underway. Following this, the Panchayati Raj Department will undertake the construction of FSTPs in the remaining villages. At the same time, plastic waste management units are being established in 35 districts for plastic waste management in villages. To streamline this process, villages located within 15 to 20 km of established and proposed Material Recovery Facility (MRF) centres in the 763 urban bodies will be connected to the respective MRF centres. The Panchayati Raj Department has been instructed to construct Plastic Waste Management (PWM) units in the remaining villages, further emphasising the government's commitment to efficient waste management practices. Swachh Gramin Survekshan 2023 is being organized by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti (Government of India) for identifying the Gram Panchayats that have excelled in implementing various components of ODF Plus in the field of cleanliness. Under the leadership of the District Magistrate, the participation of all Gram Panchayats in each development block of every district in the state has been registered for the Swachh Gramin Survekshan. Based on population, the participating Gram Panchayats will be divided into three categories: up to 2000 population, 2001 to 5000 population, and more than 5000 population. A total of 15 excellent Gram Panchayats will be selected from each category, resulting in a total of 45 outstanding Gram Panchayats. Similarly, out of the 15 excellent Gram Panchayats selected from each development block, 15 exceptional Gram Panchayats at the district level will also be selected. The process of selecting the best Gram Panchayats will involve third-party verification conducted by the central government. The development block level time period to complete the participatory verification in the Swachh Gramin Survekshan 2023 in the state has been fixed between May 1 and June 15 this year whereas, the deadline has been fixed from 16 June to 30 June at the district level. From 1 July to 15 July at the state level and 31 July at the district level for marking and awarding excellent Gram Panchayats. At the same time, the time period for marking and awarding excellent gram panchayats at the state level has been fixed till August 15. The deadline for verification of excellent Gram Panchayats nominated by the state by a national independent organization is fixed between July 16 and August 15. After the review of the applications, the selected Gram Panchayats will be awarded at the national level on October 2. The state government is taking proactive measures to ensure the villages in the state gain recognition at the national level by striving to meet the specified standards within the given timeframes. —ANI

The Yogi Adityanath government is now eyeing Open Defecation Free (ODF)-Plus status for the villages of Uttar Pradesh

Yogi Govt Eyes ODF-Plus Status For UP Villages

Athens: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said roads built in Indian villages in last nine years can cover the distance between the Earth and the Moon. "The Moon is a hot topic these days, so I will give one example by linking it to the Moon. In the last nine years, the roads built in villages in India are of a total distance that can cover the distance between the Earth and the Moon..." PM Modi said while addressing to the Indian diaspora at the Athens Conservatoire in Greece on Friday.   PM Modi during his address also said that India has made the world aware of its capabilities by hoisting Tiranga on the Moon.  He said, "This is the month of Sawan, of Lord Shiva. In this holy month, the country has made a new achievement. India has become the first country to land in the dark zone, at the south pole (of the Moon)." He added, "By hoisting the Tiranga (on the moon), we have made the world aware of India's capabilities. Congratulatory messages are pouring in from across the world. The social media is full of congratulatory messages. When the achievement is this big, its celebration also continues. Your faces say that wherever you might be in the world, India beats in your heart. I congratulate you once again on the grand success of Chandrayaan-3." The event was embarked with the Punjabi folk dance, Bhangra, which was performed by the young Indian community members and was attended by hundreds of Indian diaspora members. Later on, PM Modi along with the Indian community members sang the Indian National Anthem and the diaspora chanted slogans of "Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai". PM Modi arrived in Athens for a day visit, after attending the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg. At the Athens International Airport, PM Modi was received by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis. He received a rousing welcome upon his arrival at the hotel in Athens with members of the diaspora who had gathered outside the hotel chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai,' and 'Modi, Modi.' PM Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister in the last 40 years to visit Greece. The last Prime Ministerial visit from India to Greece was in 1983 by Indira Gandhi. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had visited New Delhi in 2019. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said roads built in Indian villages in last nine years 

Roads built in Indian villages in last 9 years can cover distance between Earth and Moon: PM Modi

Lucknow: Nearly two lakh people in 601 villages across 23 districts of Uttar Pradesh have been affected by floods, according to data released by the state government.  Relief Commissioner G.S. Naveen Kumar said that all the embankments in the state were safe and district magistrates of flood-affected districts were directed to conduct survey of inundation of agriculture land, destruction of crops due to flood and submit a report to the state government.  The flood-hit districts are Amroha (45 villages), Azamgarh (8), Ballia (1), Barabanki (4), Basti (6), Bijnor (30), Badaun (27), Farrukhabad (115), Fatehpur (4), Gonda (23), Gorakhpur (4), Hardoi (55), Kannauj (9), Kanpur (3), Kasganj (57), Lakhimpur Kheri (26), Kushinagar (1), Mau (3), Meerut (40), Muzaffarnagar (40), Shahjahanpur (14), Sitapur (6) and Unnao (80).
The state government has set up 1,101 shelters and 1,504 flood outposts in the affected districts while 2,135 medical teams have been sent to flood-hit villages.  A total of 2,838 boats were pressed into service to carry out rescue operations and 14 rescue teams of NDRF, SDRF and PAC were deployed in flood-affected districts for rescue and relief work.  The state revenue department organised ‘rahat chaupal’ at 5,014 places in flood-prone districts.  According to the irrigation department, river Ramganga was flowing above danger level in Shahjahanpur and Ghaghra was above the danger level in Ballia.  The Relief Commissioner said Uttar Pradesh received an average rainfall of 1.4 mm in the last 24 hours, which was 29 per cent of the normal rainfall of 4.8 mm.  The state received an average 495.9 mm rainfall since June 1, which was 84 per cent of the normal rainfall of 588.1 mm.  In the past 24 hours, no district received 30 mm or more rainfall, he said.  More than excess rainfall was recorded in 12 districts, normal rainfall in 24 districts, deficient rainfall in 22 districts, extremely deficient rainfall in 11 districts and six districts recorded less than 40 per cent rainfall since the start of the monsoon season.
—IANS

Nearly two lakh people in 601 villages across 23 districts of Uttar Pradesh have been affected by floods, according to data released by the state government. Relief Commissioner G.S. Naveen Kumar said that all the embankments in the state were safe and district magistrates of flood-affected districts were directed to conduct survey of inundation of agriculture land, destruction of crops due to flood and submit a report to the state government.

Nearly 2 lakh people affected by floods in UP

Imphal: At least three tribal people were shot dead by militants in Manipur’s Kangpopki district on Tuesday, officials said.
Officials in the state capital said the armed extremists stormed villages between the Ireng and Karam areas along the bordering regions of Imphal West and Kangpopki districts and shot dead the three villagers on the spot.
The rebels came into the tribal dominated villages in a vehicle early in the morning and left before the security forces arrived.
Further details of the incident are awaited.
On September 8 and 9, three people were killed in clashes with security forces and cross-fire between militants in Pallel, Tengnoupal district.
—IANS

At least three tribal people were shot dead by militants in Manipur’s Kangpopki district on Tuesday, officials said.

3 tribals shot dead in Manipur

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has completed more than 4,31,794 'gharaunis' (property ownership cards) in 45 days, crossing the target of making two lahk 'gharaunis' every month at a rate of 144 per cent, taking the total count of 'gharaunis' to 66,59,905, said a press release by the Chief Minister’s office on Thursday "With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath monitoring the implementation of the PM Svamitva Yojana in Uttar Pradesh himself, rapid progress is being made in the making of ‘gharaunis’ (property ownership cards), in the state," the release said. More than 66 lakh 'gharaunis' have been prepared so far in the state, while the government is aiming to cover all households in 90,000 villages by December this year, of which work has been completed in over 47,000 villages, the statement said. According to the release, property ownership cards were prepared with the help of drone surveys, the work of making 'gharaunis' is underway in 90,908 villages in Uttar Pradesh, of which the preparation of property ownership cards has been completed in 47,893 villages. From April 24 to September 15, a total of 11,44,936 'gharaunis' were prepared. Since the beginning of the plan on April 24, 2020, until September 15, 2023, a total of 66,59,905 'gharaunis' have been made in the state, the release stated. Among the five top districts, Lalitpur has performed the best in Svamitva Yojana, followed by Kasganj, Muradabad, Jalaun, and Sambhal. In all these districts, more than 99 per cent of the work has been completed as per the target. On the other hand, the worst-performing districts in the state include Hardoi, followed by Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kushinagar, and Gonda districts. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given strict instructions to the District Magistrates of all these districts to expedite the implementation of the plan, the release added. Under the PM Svamitva Yojana, ownership rights to their land are provided to those people in the village who are not recorded in any government records. In rural areas of the state, there are many people whose land is not documented in any government records, which always poses a risk of encroachment on their land by someone else. Moreover, they cannot get loans against this land.  In view of this situation, Prime Minister Modi launched the PM Svamitva Yojana on April 24, 2020. It aims to make the monetization of properties easier, make bank loans more accessible, reduce property disputes, and include comprehensive village-level plans. Additionally, it will enhance the socio-economic profiles of panchayats, making them self-reliant. The scheme includes every section of society, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, persons with disabilities, minorities, women, and other vulnerable groups. —ANI

Uttar Pradesh has completed more than 4,31,794  'gharaunis' (property ownership cards) in 45 days, crossing the target

UP Completes Nearly 67 Lakh 'Gharaunis' Under PM Svamitva Scheme

New Delhi (The Hawk): The country has achieved yet another major milestone under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II with three-fourth of the total villages in the country i.e., 75% villages achieving ODF Plus status under Phase II of the Mission. An ODF Plus village is one which has sustained its Open Defecation Free (ODF) status along with implementing either solid or liquid waste management systems. As on date, more than 4.43 lakh villages have declared themselves ODF Plus, which is a significant step towards achieving the SBM-G phase II goals by 2024-25. The top performing States/UTs which have achieved 100% ODF Plus villages are – Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, D&amp;N Haveli, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Tripura. Among States/ UTs – Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli &amp; Daman Diu, Jammu &amp; Kashmir and Sikkim have 100% ODF Plus Model villages. These States &amp; UTs have shown remarkable progress in achieving the ODF Plus status, and their efforts have been instrumental in reaching this milestone. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today, the Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has accorded the highest priority to Swachh Bharat Mission since he took charge in 2014 and the entire nation rallied behind the call of the Prime Minister to make ‘Swachhata’ a ‘Jan Andolan’. PM’s vision and mission to make the nation Open Defecation Free by 2019 became a true mass movement and the targets were achieved well before time. PM called this achievement a stepping stone and envisioned moving towards ‘Sampoorna Swachhata’ which includes visible cleanliness and efficacious management and recycling of all waste with the vision of waste to wealth. Shri Shekhawat further said that based on this vision and mission, SBM-G Phase-II has set the ambitious target of making all villages ODF Plus by 2025. Out of the 4,43,964 ODF Plus villages so far, 2,92,497 villages are ODF Plus Aspiring villages with arrangements for Solid Waste Management or Liquid Waste Management, 55,549 villages are ODF Plus Rising villages with arrangements for both Solid Waste Management and Liquid Waste Management and 96,018 villages are ODF Plus Model villages. Overall, so far, 2,31,080 villages have arrangements for solid waste management, and 3,76,353 villages have arrangements for liquid waste management. The Union Minister further added that this year marks 9 years of the Swachh Bharat Mission. The achievement of 75% ODF Plus villages is a significant milestone for India, as the country has moved from ODF to ODF Plus in Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II. The major components of the Phase-II of SBM (G) are Sustaining Open Defecation Free Status (ODF-S), Solid (Bio-degradable) Waste Management, Plastic Waste Management (PWM), Liquid Waste Management (LWM), Faecal Sludge Management (FSM), GOBARdhan, Information Education and Communication/Behavior Change Communication (IEC/BCC) and Capacity Building. The SBM-G program has been instrumental in improving the health and well-being of millions of people across the country. An ODF Plus Model village is one which is sustaining its ODF status and has arrangements for both Solid Waste Management and Liquid Waste Management; and observes visual cleanliness, i.e., minimal litter, minimal stagnant wastewater, no plastic waste dump in public places; and displays ODF Plus Information, Education &amp; Communication (IEC) messages. As on date, 96,192 villages are ODF Plus Model villages. Shri Shekhawat stated that the entire budget outlay for SBM Phase II is 1.43 lakh crores out of which 52,497 has to come from SBM-G and the remainder has to come from 15th Finance Commission funds (51,057 cr) and MGNREGA (24,823 cr). The central share allocation from SBM-G for the year 2023-24 is Rs.7,192 Crore and the states have planned for an expenditure of 22,264 cr from all sources this year. Against this, there has been an expenditure of 4,690 cr from SBM-G funds and a total of 18,686 cr so far including FFC and MGNREGA. States with high expenditure of SBM-G funds this year are UP (1214 cr), Bihar (752 cr), and West Bengal (367 cr). These funds have been utilized to build sanitation assets, promote behavior change, and implement solid and liquid waste management systems. The Union Minister expressed happiness that this achievement of 75% ODF Plus Villages is attained during ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) – 2023 campaign which is being celebrated annually from 15th September to 2nd October under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), Drinking Water &amp; Sanitation Department, Ministry of Jal Shakti. He said Swachhata Hi Seva is increasing the ODF Plus momentum through Shramdaan activities with the theme of 'Garbage Free India', reinvigorating community participation i.e., Jan Andolan towards achieving the targets and goals of Swachh Bharat Mission. Enumerating the major achievements of SHS-2023 so far, Shri Shekhawat informed that 5 crore people have participated in the campaign with over 2.05 crore people giving Shramdaan. Shramdaan activities include cleaning of 2,303 Beaches; 1,468 River Side and Waterfronts; 3,223 Legacy Waste Site; 480 Tourist &amp; Iconic Spot; 32,178 Public Places; 4432 Water Bodies; 17,027 Institutional Buildings and 14,443 Garbage Venerable Sites, among other things. Along with 34 State/ UTs in SBM-G, approx. 42 Partner Ministries/Departments are also actively participating in the SHS 2023. SBM(G) is a shining example of what can be achieved when there is a concerted and converged effort to improve sanitation and hygiene. Department of Drinking Water &amp; Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti congratulated and applauded the contribution of all villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States/UTs on this proud achievement. Solid Waste Management Plastic waste management - In terms of Plastic waste management, 2,380 Plastic Waste Management Units and 1,78,556 waste collection &amp; segregation sheds have been set-up. Over 3 lakh vehicles are in place to ensure effective solid waste management takes place in the country. Over 2,603 blocks in the country are covered with Plastic Waste Management Units. 23 States / UTs are using waste plastic for bituminous road construction and 2 states of Tamilnadu and Kerala are using it in Cement factories. The plastic is cleaned, shredded, bailed and transported for use in road construction as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Road Transport &amp; Highways and also as a fuel in cement factories etc. Approx. 1.59 lakhs gram panchayats have passed resolution to ban Single Use Plastic (SUP). The emphasis is on Urban rural convergence of plastic waste under which urban assets are effectively utilized for managing plastic waste of rural areas first, and thereafter PWMUs in rural areas are set up. For Bio-degradable waste management at household level, people are being encouraged to segregate their dry and wet (organic) waste at source for composting at community level. 4,94,822 Community compost pits have been constructed, 1, 78,554 Waste Collection sheds are constructed, approx. 3,16,123 vehicles for collection and transportation of waste are operational as on date. Completed 729 Biogas and 63 CBG Plants across 279 districts. GOBARdhan, which stands for Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources-dhan, is an initiative to support biodegradable waste recovery, conversion of waste into resources and for creating clean &amp; green village. It is a ‘waste to wealth’ initiative wherein waste generated in villages is used to generate biogas/CBG as well as bio-slurry/bio-fertilizer and is in tune with the circular economy and Mission LiFE initiatives of GoI. 848 Functional Biogas/CBG Plants have been set up across 307 districts. Greywater Management: As per SBM(G) guidelines, it is estimated that 65-70% of potable water used at household level in rural areas gets converted to greywater which is estimated to be 36 litres per capita per day. This estimation is based on mandated supply of 55 Litres per capita of potable water as per Jal Jeevan Mission. The greywater management under SBM(G) is focused on the principle of 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recharge by preferably onsite treatment strategies by sustainable and economical solutions viz., kitchen garden, soak-pit, leach-pit and magic-pit, etc. In case of bigger villages (with population more than 5000) or wherever these simple technologies are not feasible, technologies such as WSP, CW, Phytorid, DEWATs and other technologies are recommended to be adopted. SBM(G) has taken initiatives on promotion of the effective management of greywater in rural areas by launching Sujlam Campaigns in three versions from 2021-23. The Campaigns had been able to bring about encouraging participation from every State, UT, and their respective villages. The impact was quite enormous and during the period of the three campaigns, an estimated 5.1 million soak pits were constructed for greywater management nearest to source and onsite at community areas, institutions and at drainage discharge points with minimum effort and expenses. This led to saturation of multiple villages with LWM and overall ODF Plus achievement of the States/UTs. 63% of villages have achieved greywater management and have contributed towards ODF Plus achievements. Remaining 37% of villages may achieve the same very soon. The villages with 100% Har Ghar Jal, villages under Namami Gange, Aspirational districts, SAGY and large villages with population more than 5,000 are being nudged to priotise the grey water management achievement under this 37 % leftovers . The Namami Gange villages are also prioritized by mapping and fixing the treatment systems at drainage discharge points by ensuring COD/BOD as per NGT specifications . DDWS under Greywater management is also contributing towards circularity concept by recycling grey water for irrigation purposes on small scale viz Kitchen garden and also in large scale viz Agricultural land/ Industries . DDWS is also furthering the mandate by futuristic planning and contribution towards ecosystem services . For Faecal Sludge, Twin pit toilets are the recommended mode for in-situ treatment of liquid waste. Where there are single pit toilets, which are not yet filled up or emptied, these too are considered safe sanitation under the UNICEF and other international standards. But where they need to be emptied or where there are septic tanks (with or without soak pits), mechanized desludging and evacuating the faecal sludge to STP/FSTP for treatment becomes the mode of intervention. As on date States though SBMG IMIS have updated the toilet typology and the baseline and have reported 73% Twin Pits in total and about 12.4% Single pits and 11% Septic Tanks in the rural households. SBM(G) provides Rs 230 per capita to the States for planning either co-treatment structures or for building new FSTPs. In addition, apart from supporting Districts to strengthen mechanized desludging of on-site sanitation systems and establishing treatment units for the safe disposal of faecal sludge, there is provision of retrofitting of single pit toilets into twin pit toilets (or similar systems) for which funds from FFC/MGNREGA are to be used. The remaining toilets which have septic tanks are being linked on convergence mode with the nearest FSTP/STP. Currently. 1198 FSTPs and 765 STPs are reported functional by the States and 316 districts overall have initiated linkage with existing STPs/FSTPs under the convergence methodology. As per the data analysis of the toilet typology reported on IMIS it is observed that 288 Districts contain about 80% of the Septic tanks under the reported 11% as above and are considered as Hot Spot Districts. Of the 316 districts that have reported initiation of linkage with FSTPs/STPs abovesaid, 108 Districts are the Hot Spot Districts

 The country has achieved yet another major milestone under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II

India Achieves Major Sanitation Milestone As 75% Villages Are Now ODF Plus Under Swachh Bharat Mission - Grameen

Patna: Twelve people met their watery grave in six districts of Bihar in the last 24 hours, sources said here on Tuesday.  While three persons each drowned in Gaya and Arwal districts, two lost their lives in Darbhanga, one each in Aurangabad, Samastipur, Supaul and Jamui district. In Gaya, two minor girls Sangam Kumari (13) and Ratim Kumari (10) died of drowning in a canal located in Bataura village.
The villagers claimed that girls had gone near the canal to bring wood. Ratim was trying to reach the bushes but slipped in the canal.  At this, Sangam along with three more girls, tried to save Rahim and entered the canal. All of them started to drown. When the villagers spotted them struggling for their lives, they jumped into the canal and managed to save three girls. By then, Sangam and Ratim had already died. Their bodies were fished out by the villagers.  In Arwal, two minor twin boys drowned in a well. According to the villagers, they might have gone near the well and fell into it. Their bodies were also recovered from the well. Another person slipped into the Sone river and died.
—IANS

Twelve people met their watery grave in six districts of Bihar in the last 24 hours, sources said here on Tuesday.

Twelve drowning deaths in 6 districts of Bihar in 24 hrs

Jodhpur/Barmer: In Agolai village, nearly 50 kms from Jodhpur, a weathered inscription detailing the history of the public pond has faded. But Rikaram Kadela (48) reckons that the pond is over 500 years old; spanning more than 13 acres (with a catchment area of nearly 2,000 acres), it caters to the water needs of around a dozen hamlets.  Increasing the pond’s capacity had long been pending, say residents. Even in 2017, a plan to develop the pond had been mooted but nothing really happened. “But last year, with community participation and financial and technical support from NGO Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS), the Gram Panchayat and the community, we took a step towards this goal. The results speak for themselves,” says Mangilal Baliyan (55).  The pond's water storage capacity increased with the removal of over 6,022 cubic meters of sediment over two weeks using excavators, notes Kadela. The Gram Panchayat and community members carted away much of the silt for uses such as kuchcha road laying and land leveling. With a depth exceeding 30 ft, it is currently more than half full. Private tankers frequent its banks, pumping water to take to paying community members who are now benefitting from cheaper and more frequent deliveries.
A few kilometres away in Surani, an older community pond spread over more than 50 bighas (more than 30 acres) has also undergone a quick and effective facelift. Its water-holding capacity had diminished due to sediment accumulation but for 17 days in the summer of 2022, under the guidance of Vasundhara Seva Samithi (VSS), giant excavators removed nearly 11,000 cubic metres of silt from the pond.  Thanks to the generous pre-monsoon rain this year, the pond which is the sole drinking water source for the community, appears significantly full. "Now, if the pond fills up entirely during monsoon, not only Surani but even neighbouring villages will not need to rely on external sources for water for two years," says Mahendra Singh Inda (38), who works closely with the Sarpanch, his mother, Sujan Kanwar.  In the desert state of Rajasthan, nothing is more important than water. Many of the traditions and generational knowledge revolve around water -- how to find it, where to store it and how to use it judiciously. So, it is only natural that large, rainfed waterbodies -- manmade or otherwise -- have remained the anchors for human settlements in the state for centuries.  In Barmer’s Ramsar block lies Banwa Nadi (Nadi means a rainfed structure). Amidst the undulating sand dunes of this region, stretching for miles in all directions, these ponds are few and far between, and therefore, precious. Hukmaram Makad (68) from Babugulariya panchayat believes the pond was identified and dug around a century ago with “bare hands”.  But now communities have the benefit of modern machines that can achieve spectacular results in a matter of days. Across project sites, a minimum of 10,000 cubic feet of silt were moved in within a couple of weeks and at the cost of around three lakhs, often increasing their capacities 20 times over.  The first water body census published this year, enumerates 16,939 water bodies in Rajasthan, of which 98.9% are in rural areas, 71.6% are man-made and 46.7% are under public ownership. Out of these, more than 13,000 have had no repair done on them for the last decade at least.  There is now increased awareness around the maintenance of these waterbodies thanks to organisations like R.G. Manudhane Foundation, Tata Capital, and A.T.E. Chandra Foundation, who with their NGO partners, have worked on rejuvenating 850 waterbodies across 12 districts of Rajasthan over the past two years. This work has augmented surface water storage capacity by 989 crore litres, in addition to positively impacting groundwater reserves wherever hydrogeologically possible.  The results of this work are immediate and therefore encourage donors to do more. For instance, Sridhar Sarathy, Head of Sustainability and CSR for Tata Capital says “Tata Capital believes that waterbody rejuvenation and maintenance is extremely important to build not only capacity for storage and recharge of groundwater but also community awareness and resilience towards climate change impact. Our pilot project with ATECF and a local NGO partner helped rejuvenate 30 surface water bodies creating a capacity of 31.61 crore litres of water for 30 villages in Jodhpur district last year which will be doubled to benefit 60+ waterbodies in Jaipur district in FY23-24.”  Water at doorstep  “In my youth, I used to travel at night on a camel cart to bring water from places located 20 km away and return only by morning," Makad remembers. But women, who have the primary responsibility of bringing water to their homes and for livestock, often did not even have the luxury of transport. For most of them, the day began with a three to four km trek and if the routine was missed, there was simply no water for the rest of the day.  Despite the state trying to ensure water security through other means, geographical challenges created by sand dunes and small and scattered settlements make any last-mile water delivery project doubly difficult to implement. Much of the region also falls under the overexploited category in terms of groundwater resources and has sunken and highly saline groundwater unfit for consumption. Thus, the only viable option is surface water.  Without pipes, the only way for water to reach their homes is either by foot or tankers -- which, along with the presence of large storage tanks in almost every home, has improved access and reduced drudgery for women; the rejuvenation of waterbodies in their own villages has compounded these benefits.  "Almost every household in the village receives pond water from tankers and stores it in underground water tanks called tankas, measuring anywhere between 3000 to 10,000 litres," says Inda. Bharti Odh (30), a farm worker from Surani, says hundreds of women now save time and labour. “We have more time to work in the fields alongside men and prioritise our children's upbringing."  Tankers become unaffordable when the water source is too far away, or water is scarce. Before the rejuvenation of Banwa Nadi, tankers would bring water from Gadra Road or Khudani, requiring a 40 to 50 km roundtrip. "It used to cost Rs 1,200 to 1,500 per tanker, considering the distance. On average, each household requires three to four tankers a month, a heavy financial burden for most families," recalls the former village sarpanch Kesaram Puniya.  Now after Banwa Nadi rejuvenation, the tanker costs have reduced to Rs 300 to 400, says Mool Singh, a tanker operator in Ramsar block. He remembers how the pond used to fill up a little during the monsoon, only to quickly dry out. Now there is water throughout the year. The time required for delivery has also come down from a day to two to three hours, thus meeting the needs of over a dozen gram panchayats and 3,000 to 4,000 households with a population of around 20,000.  The twin benefits of water security and reduced financial burden have incentivised the community to invest their time and resources to develop and safeguard water sources.  Under this model, the NGOs incur the costs for excavators while communities and Gram Panchayats pay to cart the slit away and transport it to wherever it is needed. The Gram Panchayats also create embankments, develop the catchment area and commission plantation works under the MGNREGA scheme. Makad adds that, to ensure community participation in pond preservation, they plan to form a committee. While the Gram Panchayat is responsible for pond security and management, villagers will take it upon themselves to monitor the pond.  Birbal Khinchar, a 58-year-old villager from Surani reflects on the experience "Community participation in the pond’s revival has provided us with an opportunity to transcend caste discrimination. No one owns the pond's water; it belongs to all of us. We do not let villagers from nearby areas go thirsty either; they fetch water from here without restrictions."  Scaling up community action  Given these kinds of outcomes, ATECF’s Vertical Head for Sustainable Rural Development, Amrtha Kasturi Rangan, says that the work can be scaled up to include all the waterbodies in Rajasthan with community participation (in maintenance and carting away silt), technology interventions (in choosing sites, triangulating work and use of machines) and government support can play a vital role in catalysing this as a movement across Rajasthan.  Stressing the community aspect, she says “Communities must come together to own it -- and the role of the NGO in convincing them about the benefits of the work becomes important for this. The fact that they contribute 65% of the project cost by carting the silt away is a testament to the impact this work has on their lives.” Khinchar fills his tanker with water from the pond before sharing his thoughts, "I have witnessed numerous famines and witnessed water and fodder scarcity for livestock. The crisis of water for human needs is not new to this desert area. However, we are grateful to our forefathers whose wisdom emphasised the importance of water. As a result, Surani Pond continues to be a valuable water asset for our present and future generations.”
—IANS

In Agolai village, nearly 50 kms from Jodhpur, a weathered inscription detailing the history of the public pond has faded.

The Hawk

Tag : Villages

Change 'Mughal Era' Names Of 40 Villages: Delhi BJP

Sunil Aswal

Tag : Villages

Change 'Mughal Era' Names Of 40 Villages: Delhi BJP

Sunil Aswal

More about Villages