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‘Rural road projects are hotbed of corruption’ P M

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY): which aims at linking all habitations with a population of 500 or above with all-weather roads. PMGSY was launched in December 2000 with a target to connect about 168,000 habitations. The last estimated project cost (at 2003-04 prices) is Rs 1.3 lakh crore for building 365,000 km of roads and for upgrading an additional 368,000 km. The whole programme of providing connectivity to the 168,000 identified habitations is likely to be completed only by 2015, since as of June 30, 2009, only about 40 per cent of the eligible habitations had been connected.

An independent national quality monitor has found that more then half the work done under the PM scheme is of unsatisfactory quality on an average in several states. Prime Minister Dr Singh confessed in MAY 07 that corruption in road construction projects has spread like a cancer to every corner of our country. Huge stretches of road get worn during every monsoon despite crores of rupees invested on road construction and maintenance. We need a network of rural roads linking our villages to towns, to market centers and tour highways. Without connectivity, the rural economy would not develop, the Prime Minister warned. Source : Merinews.com, June 2nd, 2007- managementparadise.com

‘Flying by Cattle Class!’ :

In utter contempt, Union Minister, Mr. Shashi Tharoor termed travelers by economy class in the airlines as ‘cattle class’. When there was all round condemnation of his contemptuous remark he says sorry. Tharoor was in the midst of a controversy along with External Affairs Minister SM Krishna last week over their staying in a five-star hotel even as the country was facing a serious drought situation. Another Minister says that he can not travel ‘cattle’ sorry- economy class for reasons of privacy and health. Such is the attitude of ministers who consider themselves a class apart from the voters who elected them. Do they deserve to be our representatives?

Food Prices Soar to Record 15.4% :

As of 5th September, food articles sub-index of WPI rose an annual 15.4 percent, up from the previous week's 14.8 percent rise, as a dry spell parched nearly half of India's districts, hurting summer crops. In its latest move to check soaring food costs, India's cabinet on Thursday approved an extension of limits on stocks that can be held by traders of sugar, vegetable oil, lentils and rice until September 2010. The index for primary food articles has risen 14.67% and that for manufactured food products had climbed 9.21% from end-March.

Power Target will be Missed Again :

According to the official projections, the country is once again set to miss power targets; a 20% shortfall in 11th Plan’s 78,000 mw target. The reasons are many and familiar: time overrun in construction, inadequate coal and the Rs 5 lakh crore shortfall in funding. Figures for the first four months of the current year show that additions are only 60% of the targeted capacity. Achievement varies significantly across the private, central and states sectors: success rates are 88%, 75% and 14% respectively. Public sector power agencies blame equipment suppliers and inadequate coal supply. FE 140909

» Funds can be found internally for Power Sector Posted by S.R.Ram on 2009-09-11
By reducing revenue foregone by half, by collecting tax arrears, by selling loss making PSUs and by curtailing wasteful expenditure, by 10%, top priority should be accorded for investment in power sector funds can be invested in the most essential power sector. All development depends on availability of power and hence top priority should be given for investment in this sector

Production of sugar from domestic cane cheaper than import of raw sugar :

The landed cost of this sugar in India comes to $ 466 or Rs 22,860 a tonne. To this, one has to add port handling and internal transport charges and conversion costs. The ex-factory cost of the resultant white sugar would, thus, be nearly Rs 28,000 a tonne on an average realisation of Rs 32,000 a tonne. As against this, if domestic cane is procured at Rs 2,000 a tonne and conversion charge, the same ex-factory cost at 9.5 per cent sugar recovery would be roughly Rs 24,000 a tonne. BL 130909

Food grain output likely to decline by 10-15% this year :

The production of food grains in the country is likely to decline by 10-15 per cent in the current financial year due to deficient rainfall, a government official said. PTI 150909

Centre raises subsidy for wheat, pulses under NFSM :

The Centre has decided to increase the subsidy on distribution of certified seeds for wheat and pulses by Rs 200 per quintal and Rs 800 per quintal, respectively, for the coming rabi crop season to boost the area under cultivation. In the rabi season 2009-10, wheat growers would get Rs 700 per quintal or 50 per cent of cost, whichever is less, for buying certified seeds. Earlier, the upper limit of subsidy was Rs 500 per quintal. In case of pulses, oilseeds and maize, the farmers would get Rs 2,000 per quintal of 50 per cent of cost, whichever is less, on seeds including hybrid ones. The earlier maximum limit was Rs 1,200 per quintal.

Launched in 2007-08, NFSM has a mandate to jack up the country's output of food grain commodities by additional 20 million tonnes, comprising rice by 10 million tonnes, wheat by 8 million tonnes and pulses by 2 million tonnes, by the end of 11th Five-Year Plan. PTI 150909

Rains lift reservoir levels, brighten rabi prospects :

The level of water stored in 81 reservoirs across the country has increased from 38 per cent of last month to 57 per cent of the capacity currently. However, the current level of overall 57 per cent water storage in the reservoirs, is still lower than last year’s average water storage of 69 per cent and the last 10 years’ average storage of 62 per cent in the same period, according to CWC datable 170909

Eat millets for better nutrition and to save water :

Ragi is 30 times rich in calcium than a bowl of rice. Millets also have more fibre than rice and wheat. Some varieties have as much as 50 times more fibre than rice. Ragi — grows on unirrigated land. If one kg of rice needs 4,000 litres of water, jowar grows on rain water.

The government policy of thrusting rice and wheat on all states through the PDS killed millet cultivation. The output declined from 18.41 million tonnes in 1966 to 17.97 million tonnes in 2006, a fall of over 2 per cent. On the other hand, wheat production went up from 18.1 million tonnes to 69.73 million tonnes in the period, an increase of 284 per cent. Rice production rose 125 per cent during the period.