Page 3 - Rural Development

Double engine govt's efforts now bearing fruit in Uttarakhand: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the efforts of the double-engine government for the development of tourism and pilgrimage in Uttarakhand are now bearing fruit

Centre rejects discrimination claims in rural development schemes from WB

Ministry of Rural Development states that Rs 2 trillion was allocated to West Bengal in the last 9 years and the state has not cooperated with the Centre to implement schemes

PM Modi to inaugurate development projects in Rajasthan worth Rs 7,000 cr

Union Minister Piyush Goyal accused Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of hindering Rajasthan's development

'Will withdraw plea from SC if guv gets pending RDF released by Centre'

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said the state government will withdraw its petition in the Supreme Court on the pending rural development fund (RDF) if the governor gets it released from the Centre. Cheema was responding to Governor Banwarilal Purohit's letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday in which he had stated it would be appropriate to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court on the state government's plea. Chief Minister Mann, in a letter on Thursday, had asked the governor to take up the issue of the pending RDF worth Rs 5,637.40 crore with the president and the prime minister. The state government had moved the Supreme Court in July on the RDF issue. On the governor's statement that the state's debt rose by Rs 50,000 crore under the AAP dispensation, Cheema asked him not to talk about debt as it was inherited from previous governments. Responding to the governor's response on the RDF issue, the finance minister said the Punjab governmen

Volume growth returning, rural demand seeing green shoots: Procter & Gamble

With softening of inflation, volume growth is finally returning and rural demand is witnessing green shoots, Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd (PGHHL) said on Friday. PGHHL, which reported a 12 per cent sales growth in FY23 and 3 per cent sales growth in the first quarter this fiscal, said FMCG consumption in the June quarter was the fastest in the last six quarters. "Inflation is softening and volume growth is finally returning. A growth of 7.5 per cent in a quarter for the industry is great news," PGHHL Vice President Finance Gautam Kamath said in an investors' call. This volume growth eventually unlocks capital investment and triggers a positive investment cycle. "In another piece of good news, the rural demand is growing as well. With a quarter showing 1.4 per cent volume growth in the non-food sector in the rural economy after four quarters of significant volume decline," he added. After a couple of years of flat volume growth, the industry as a whole is looking to

Speed up digitisation to ensure better services in rural areas: FM to RRBs

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday expressed concern over the slow progress of computerisation in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and urged them to speed up the process to strengthen credit delivery in rural areas. There is still a lot of work to do in digitising RRBs and cooperative banks, she said after launching the 'Kisan Rin Portal' and Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) manual here. Cooperative banks are not equally endowed, and their financial health varies, she said, adding ramping up capacity in the sector is taking place under the Ministry of Cooperation headed by Home Minister Amit Shah. The cooperative bank digitisation would happen with the necessary speed, she said. However, she said, "I am more concerned about RRBs, their digitisation and computerisation. Therefore, if they didn't have it, extending phone bank facility...or internet banking facility...won't work out". A lot of work is still pending, and the Department of Financial Services is .

Rural demand to boost revenue of hosiery industry by 18-20% in FY24: Crisil

The Indian hosiery industry is likely to witness 18-20 per cent revenue growth to Rs 36,000 crore this financial year, supported by the revival in rural demand, a report said on Monday. Rural demand, which accounts for almost half the domestic revenue, was impacted last fiscal amid rising inflation and lower farmer income and as a result, the overall volume declined by 30 per cent year-on-year, a report by Crisil Ratings said. "This fiscal, urban demand is expected to remain stable, while a well distributed monsoon and probable inflation moderation should boost rural demand, leading to a recovery of 35-40 per cent in volume. Potential export opportunities, especially to Gulf countries, could bump up volume further," Crisil Ratings Director Rahul Guha said. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed by the government with the UAE could boost textile segment exports, especially of hosiery. Tailwinds from the agreement could add 2-3 per cent to hosiery exports from

Rural Development ministry pushes for use of drones to monitor MGNREGS work

In line with Centre's push for use of unmanned aerial vehicles in rural areas, especially in agriculture, the Rural Development Ministry has formulated a new policy for use of drones to monitor works under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. Drones will be used for monitoring ongoing work, inspection of completed work, and impact assessment. It can also be used by Ombudspersons appointed in each district to address grievances. The expenditure towards using drones may be made under the Admin contingency component of the MNREGS, which is around 10 per cent of the fund allocated to the state. No additional allocations have been made towards it and states have been directed to hire agencies specialising in using drone technology. "To leverage the use of drones, it has been proposed to use this technology for monitoring and inspection of works and quality of assets under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS," the circular with the standard operating procedures said. Drones will be used for monitoring works unde

Gehlot announces 15% bump in honorarium paid associated with Rajeevika

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday announced a 15 per cent increase in the honorarium paid to women associated with RGAVP, also called Rajeevika, and interest-free loan to them for agriculture and non-agriculture related work. Addressing the 'Sakhi Sammelan' programme organised by Rajasthan Grameen Ajeevika Vikas Parishad (RGAVP), Gehlot said women's association with Rajeevika has boosted their confidence. Social and economic empowerment of women is taking place through programs such as Rajeevika, the chief minister said. They have realised their capabilities and the rights given by the Constitution. Working in the spirit of cooperation, women associated with Rajeevika groups are playing an important role in the development of the state today, he said. RGAVP, an autonomous society established by the state government, is mandated to implement all rural livelihood programmes associated with self-help group-based institutions in the state. Gehlot said that every section

With hopes for development, Bengal's hills ready to vote after 23 years

Residents of West Bengal's hills in the north are getting prepared to cast their votes in the July 8 panchayat polls after 23 years, even as nominees are doing last-minute canvassing before the trail ends on Thursday. Over the past one month, the candidates have walked to remote villages in their respective areas and listened to people's aspirations for development while sipping tea with them after being welcomed with traditional 'khada' (scarf) as a mark of respect. Despite being witness to violent bouts of agitation for Gorkhaland statehood, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts have largely been free from incidents of political violence so far in this election season, barring some isolated happenings, in stark contrast with the regular hurling of crude bombs and firing of bullets in the plains of West Bengal since the filing of nominations began a month ago. Roads, water, electricity, MGNREGA jobs, development of tourism and agriculture, corruption and minimum wages in tea and ...

Marico expects June quarter revenue drop on sluggish rural demand

Rural consumers typically make up about two-thirds of consumer goods makers' sales, according to Bengaluru, Karnataka-based Bizom, which tracks retail industry trends

Rural development ministry launches mobile app to sell women SHGs' products

The Union Rural Development Ministry on Monday launched a mobile application under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission that will add to the e-commerce initiatives for products made by women from Self-Help Groups. The eSaras app was launched by Ministry of Rural Development Secretary Shailesh Kumar Singh. He also inaugurated the eSaras Fulfilment Centre at the ministry's office in New Delhi' Janakpuri, it said. The fulfilment centre will be managed by the Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chains -- a not-for-profit company jointly constituted by the ministry and Tata Trusts. It will be used to process, package and ship products that customers purchase through the eSaras portal and app. It will also handle the logistics required to bring an online order to a customer's doorstep. The eSaras app will be used as a more effective platform for marketing of products made by women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The initiative was conceptualise

CM Mann bats for optimum utilisation of MGNREGA, boost to rural development

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday batted for optimum utilisation of the MGNREGA scheme to give a boost to development in rural areas and provide livelihood opportunities. He was chairing a meeting here to review the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. The chief minister called the scheme important as it provides enhancement of livelihood security, giving at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household, whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. He said the scheme has been implemented in all districts across the state since April 2008, adding that the state government will enhance the budget of this ambitious scheme up to Rs 2,000 crore. It is heartening to learn that 11.53 lakh active job cards are there in the state, said an official release quoting Mann. He bemoaned that the wage rate notified under the scheme for the state is Rs 303 less in comparison to the neighbouring

'Nabard plans to raise at least 20 bln rupees via over 3-yr bonds'

In May, Nabard raised 49.29 billion rupees via bonds maturing in three years, three months and 19 days at a 7.50% coupon

85-90% MGNREGS workers expected to be ADPS eligible by June-end: Officials

The Union rural development ministry is hopeful of covering 88 to 90 per cent of active MGNREGS workers under the mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) before the month ends, officials said on Friday. The deadline to make workers registered under the national employment guarantee scheme a part of the payment system ends on June 30. The ministry has asserted that workers will not be refused work if they do not have an Aadhaar number. So far, around 74.9 per cent active workers have been marked eligible for the payment system, according to data on the ministry's website. The rural development ministry has asked states to organise camps and follow-up with beneficiaries to achieve 100 per cent coverage under ABPS. It has also clarified that beneficiaries should be requested to provide their Aadhaar number, but should not be refused work if they do not have one. Data on the ministry's website shows that 1,491,848 workers need to be registered under ABPS every day to meet the ..

Start Matrubhumi Yojana for village development soon: UP CM to officials

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed officials to soon start the 'Matrubhumi Yojana' which aims at facilitating individuals or private institutions to contribute to the development of villages. At a review meeting here, he said a large number of people have associated themselves with this scheme and have expressed their desire to get buildings, roads and community centres built in their villages in the name of their ancestors. Efforts should be made to connect more and more people with this scheme, he said, adding a proposal for such a plan should be prepared for urban areas as well. In November 2021, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the proposal for the implementation of 'Mathrubhumi Yojana' to facilitate individuals or private institutions to contribute to the development of any village. According to officials, a large number of people from rural backgrounds now working in cities or abroad want to contribute to the development of their village but we

Demand for work under MGNREGS in FY24 to be 27% lower than in FY23

This is due to improved economic conditions in India and a new attendance system introduced in February

Himachal gets Rs. 37.76 crore grant-in-aid for maintenance of rural roads

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned an incentive grant-in-aid of Rs 37.76 crore for Himachal Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said on Saturday. As per the report submitted by National Quality Monitors, the state has performed well in the maintenance of PMGSY Roads. Efforts of the state government for maintaining a good quality of the rural roads network and enhancing the expenditure of the same in the last two quarters were also taken into consideration, a statement issued here said. These incentives have been received after the gap of four years, Singh said and added that this incentive will be utilized for metalling and black-topping of rural roads constructed under PMGSY.

India has potential to be world's skill capital: Rural Development Minister

India has potential to be the world's "skill capital", Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh said on Tuesday as his ministry signed an MoU with 19 "Captive Employers" for providing jobs to 31,067 rural youths under a government scheme. According to the Memorandum of Understanding, the government will give these employers the target to train and provide gainful employment to rural youths, with a minimum salary of 10,000 per month for the minimum period of six months. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said education should be focused on skill development, and skill development should be focused on providing employment... That is what we are trying to do," Singh said at an event to sign the MoU. "India has the potential to be the skill capital of the world. In this direction today for the first time an MoU is being signed between government and employers," Singh said. He also sought suggestions from the employers on implementing the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana ...

Rural Development Ministry to ink pact for youth training, employment

The Ministry of Rural Development is signing an agreement with 19 "Captive Employers" for providing jobs to 31,067 rural youths under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), according to an official statement issued on Monday. The ministry will provide these employers the target to train and provide gainful employment to rural youth, with a minimum salary of Rs 10,000 per month for the minimum period of six months. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed on Tuesday in the presence of Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh. The minister will also distribute appointment letters to some candidates who received similar training under the DDU-GKY and are placed with captive employers, according to the statement issued by the Ministry of Rural Development. The Rural Development Ministry launched the Captive employment Guidelines under DDUGKY to ensure that the candidates are trained in line with the industry requirement and employed. "The Captive ...