Latest news with #GramPanchayats
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Officials told to spread awareness about ‘doorstep ration delivery for elderly'
Pushpa Amarnath, Vice-Chairperson, Karnataka State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee, said on Wednesday that provisions are in place for doorstep delivery of ration to cardholders aged 80 years and above and instructed Gram Panchayats to create awareness and ensure that eligible beneficiaries avail themselves of the facility. Speaking at the guarantee schemes' progress review meeting in Pandavapura, Ms. Amarnath addressed concerns related to the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. She noted that benefits to 1,422 women in the district had been withheld after being mistakenly flagged as Income Tax (IT) or GST payers. 'If it is confirmed that these beneficiaries are not actual taxpayers, the issue will be taken up at the State level and resolved, ensuring 100% implementation,' she said. Elaborating on the State government's commitment to food security, she said, 'No poor person should suffer from hunger under any circumstances. It is with this vision that the government has given top priority to the Anna Bhagya scheme.' She stressed that fair price shops must maintain both quantity and quality in food distribution and instructed officials to carry out surprise inspections to ensure compliance. 'No poor family should be denied government benefits,' Ms. Amarnath said. Deputy Commissioner Kumar said both rice and ragi are being supplied as part of the ration distribution and assured that the process will be completed within the next two days. A PAN card is not mandatory to open a bank account, he clarified. 'Necessary directions will be issued after consulting lead bank officials,' he added. Referring to 1,422 women flagged under Gruha Lakshmi, Zilla Panchayat CEO K.R. Nandini said that confirmation has been received from the GST and Income Tax departments that these women are not taxpayers. Committee member Rudrappa pointed out that linking PAN and Aadhaar during bank transactions is leading to incorrect classification of individuals as taxpayers, which needs to be addressed. During her visit, Ms. Amarnath met Jayalakshmamma, a vendor who sells flowers, fruits, and pooja items at the Pandavapura Railway Station with the help of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. Ms. Jayalakshmamma said, 'The Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti schemes have been helpful for me. I am able to save ₹100 to ₹150 daily, thanks to the Shakti scheme. I sincerely thank the State government for the support.' The Vice-Chairperson felicitated Ms. Jayalakshmamma with a garland and congratulated her.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Health
- India Gazette
On PM's call, gram panchayats gearing up for historic nationwide celebration of International Yoga Day
New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): Panchayats across the country are gearing up to make the upcoming International Day of Yoga (IDY) a historic one with mass mobilisation. This is in response to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letter where he appealed Gram Pradhans to encourage and inspire citizens in their Panchayat area to participate in International Day of Yoga. According to a release from the Ministry of Ayush, the Prime Minister, through the letter, had urged Gram Pradhans to lead from the front in making yoga a part of community life. Responding with enthusiasm, panchayats are organising special yoga sessions, community outreach activities, and Common Yoga Protocol demonstrations at schools, anganwadis, panchayat bhavans, and public spaces, transforming IDY 2025 into a true jan-andolan (people's movement) at the village level. Highlighting the significance of the upcoming edition of IDY, the Prime Minister noted that it is not just a global observance but also marks the completion of a meaningful decade-long journey of yoga's resurgence on the global stage. 'It is a matter of pride that yoga has positively transformed lives not only in India but across the world,' mentioned the PM in the letter. This year's theme--'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'--emphasises not just personal well-being, but the spirit of unity among humanity, environmental harmony, and global welfare. The Prime Minister described yoga as an 'inseparable part of our cultural heritage' that balances body and mind and guides individuals toward a holistic and peaceful life, the release stated. He emphasised that yoga plays an empowering role in nation's collective vision of a developed India, by fostering physically and mentally strong citizens. In his letter, the Prime Minister called upon Gram Pradhans to mobilise maximum participation from villagers by organising yoga sessions at community spaces like panchayat bhavans, anganwadis, schools, and primary health centres. He urged them to ensure inclusive participation from all sections--children, youth, women, and the elderly--so that every citizen may experience the benefits of yoga, the release added. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the initiative will reach every household and inspire individuals to make yoga a part of their daily lives. Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (IC) for Ayush and Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, appreciated the efforts of Gram Panchayats across the country and said: 'The overwhelming response from Gram Panchayats is a testament to the inspiring leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His heartfelt call has transformed the International Day of Yoga into a true jan-andolan, with villages across India embracing yoga as a way of life. These grassroots efforts reflect the deep cultural connection and growing public commitment to holistic health through yoga.' According to the release, Sarpanch of Pariyari village in Kerakat, Jaunpur (Uttar Pradesh), Om Prakash Yadav shared how the Prime Minister's letter served as a heartfelt and inspiring message for the community. 'The letter felt like a personal message from the Prime Minister, and it truly motivated our entire village to embrace yoga,' he said. Following the call, the village began organising weekly yoga sessions at the Panchayat Bhavan and introduced yoga competitions for school children to enhance their confidence and discipline. A special 'Yoga Yatra' was also carried out, with enthusiastic participation from all sections of the village, creating widespread awareness and a strong sense of unity through yoga. Sunil Kumar W, Gram Pradhan of Bandakpur village in Damoh (Madhya Pradesh), extended heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his inspiring message on the International Day of Yoga. 'The Prime Minister's historic initiative has truly transformed yoga into a mass movement, reaching every village across the nation,' he stated. Sharing his village's preparations, he added, 'We are ensuring maximum community participation in our panchayat area, and will be organising a special yoga session under the Common Yoga Protocol on the occasion of IDY 2025. Our villagers are eagerly looking forward to participating in this collective practice.' He also mentioned that a widespread awareness campaign is underway at the panchayat level to ensure that every household is informed and inspired to join the celebration. According to the release, Pawani Mishra, Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Khera Kursi in Kanpur Dehat (Uttar Pradesh), expressed pride and inspiration upon receiving the Prime Minister's letter. 'It is a matter of great honour for us,' she shared. 'The letter has motivated us not only to practise yoga but to adopt it as a way of life.' In preparation for IDY 2025, the panchayat has launched special yoga programmes tailored to all age groups. Despite being a hilly area, local youth have come together to develop an open-air yoga site, where regular morning sessions are now held. Women's groups have also initiated awareness drives under the theme 'Health is Wealth', hosting discussions on yoga and nutrition. Additionally, village-level painting and essay competitions on the theme 'Prosperity through Yoga' saw enthusiastic participation from children. 'We are confident,' she added, 'that through this collective effort, IDY 2025 will become a historic and truly people-led celebration at the grassroots level.' (ANI)
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Rope in Gram Panchayat members, officials for caste census in Karntaka: Congress MLC
Congress MLC Dinesh Gooligowda has appealed to the State government to mobilise 92,000 members of 5,950 Gram Panchayats (GP) in Karnataka to create public awareness about the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, popularly known as the caste census, by involving bill collectors, data entry operators, secretaries, and PDOs in the enumeration process. In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Department Priyank Kharge, the MLC urged the government to give instructions to Deputy Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers to conduct special gram sabhas and ward meetings to inform the public about the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey. To complete this survey within the stipulated timeframe, he said, 'it is appropriate to utilise the services of 92,000 members of 5,950 GPs to create awareness among the public and extend their cooperation for the survey. Their familiarity with the local population and influence within the community will help build trust in the enumeration process.'
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
How MGNREGA is being used to stop distress migration in Maharashtra's Nandurbar
For the first time in decades, Surupsinh Mansinh Padvi and Macchindra Vasave say they would not have to leave their village in Maharashtra's tribal dominated Nandurbar district this year in search of work. They are among the Nandurbar's tribal farmers who migrate en masse to the brick kilns in Gujarat or the construction sites in Madhya Pradesh in search of seasonal work. On average, around 20,000 people — mostly the young and the able-bodied — would migrate outside the district for work. Forced migration has been a permanent feature in the Talamba village under the Akkalkuwa taluka of Nandurbar, where both work and fields dry up in the summer in the absence of sufficient irrigation. According to the farmers, their fields do not yield enough for them to look after their families. Now, the farmers say they plan to take up orchards, and are looking for more income from their fields. 'Thanks to the field ponds, we managed to have under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (MGNREGS), we would now have enough water to tend to our fields,' says Padvi as Vasave nods along. Tweaking MGNREGS Dr Mittali Sethi, District Collector, Nandurbar, says this distress migration can be stopped if work is made available to those who need it the most, right at their doorstep. 'For such work, MGNREGS would come in handy, but it requires that enough work is available to be given on demand. This required proper coordination with the line agencies. Our aim was to ensure that work which improves the overall financial condition of the beneficiary,' says Sethi. In 2024-25, Nandurbar saw 1,47,284 households demand work, of which 1,46,870 got work, according to data on the MGNREGA website. Job cards — distributed by the Gram Panchayats to labourers who wish to avail work under the scheme — were routinely distributed to almost everyone eligible in the district, but the jobs were not always easily available. 'Also, work should be made available to those who need the most, those who migrate,' says Sethi. The district authorities then decided to run a pilot called Nandadeep under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 12 villages — 2 in each of the six talukas of Nandurbar — to see how the scheme could be run. The project was started by identifying the families that migrate, and then giving them work to stop them from leaving. Each village saw around 60 to 70 such families who left their homes in search of work. 'Nandadeep identified villages which report a high level of migration. The next step was to ensure the work would be made available easily. This was done through the coordination with all the departments,' says Sethi. Widening the scheme After the Nandadeep scheme, the construction of water retention structures, orchard plantation etc, was taken up, and minor irrigation works were prioritised, which would help the MGNREGS beneficiaries. In the Taloda taluka, the Dhavjapani and Malda villages saw the construction of cement tanks for water conservation under Nandadeep. Sunil Padvi is another young farmer from Malda in the Taloda taluka who migrates to Pune for work every year. Padvi, who used to sow bajra and maize just once a year, says he would now be able to take two crops with the water availability, and would not have to migrate for work. Padvi's land is at an elevation of 100 metres above the ground, which has no irrigation facility. 'Using the scheme, I managed to create a farm pond, and also get a plantation done for a mango orchard,' he says. The structure is at a depression, so Padvi invested in a drip irrigation facility to raise the water level. 'Now that the orchard and water are available, I am sure in the next few years, the orchard will earn good money,' he adds. District collector Sethi says with its positive results, the pilot, which was started in late 2024, has encouraged them to widen the scheme in all the 255 villages in Nandurbar. Partha Sarathi Biwas is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express with 10+ years of experience in reporting on Agriculture, Commodities and Developmental issues. He has been with The Indian Express since 2011 and earlier worked with DNA. Partha's report about Farmers Producer Companies (FPC) as well long pieces on various agricultural issues have been cited by various academic publications including those published by the Government of India. He is often invited as a visiting faculty to various schools of journalism to talk about development journalism and rural reporting. In his spare time Partha trains for marathons and has participated in multiple marathons and half marathons. ... Read More
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
4G network penetrates 95% of the population, internet connections jump to over 97 crore in June 2024
India's 4G coverage now reaches 95% of the population, with strong rural expansion under BharatNet. Internet users rose nearly 285% since 2014, driving mobile growth and a shift from feature phones to low-cost 5G devices. However, high spectrum costs challenge sustainable telecom development. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In a major step towards digital inclusivity and access, India's 4G mobile networks now cover 95% of the population, according to the Ministry of Electronics & IT Internet connections rose from 25.15 crore in March 2014 to 96.96 crore in June 2024, registering a growth of 285.53%. Out of 6,44,131 villages, 6,15,836 have 4G mobile connectivity as of December a result of this growing internet penetration, ET reported in March that 5G smartphones in the sub-Rs 10,000 price range are likely to attract more attention compared to basic feature feature phone vendors, including iTel, Lava, HMD, Karbonn and Cellecor, saw steep declines in volumes, while Reliance Jio slipped out of the top five list, the same report revealed. This leap in infrastructure supports a mobile subscriber base of 116 crore in 2025, highlighting the scale and reach of India's digital the Digital India initiative , the government has taken various measures to connect rural India through the BharatNet Project , which aims to provide affordable high-speed broadband of January 2025, the BharatNet project has brought high-speed internet to over 2.18 lakh Gram Panchayats. Nearly 6.92 lakh km of optical fibre cable has been laid under the telephone connections in India grew from 93.3 crore in March 2014 to more than 120 crore in April 2025, a recent PIB release the telecom sector in India faces a spectrum cost burden, which is among the highest globally. The GSM Association, a global organisation representing mobile network operators, said in a report that the acquisition of new bands to support 5G and 4G networks increased the spectrum cost burden between 2015 and mitigate cost pressures, it suggested that governments prioritise the long-term growth of the digital ecosystem.
