Cabinet Approves Providing 15,000 Drones To Women Self Help Groups

by Manisha Das

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a scheme under which the central government will provide drones to as many as 15,000 Women's Self Help Groups over the next four years.

New Delhi, Nov 29: Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a scheme under which the central government will provide drones to as many as 15,000 Women's Self Help Groups over the next four years.

These drones will be provided during 2023-24 and 2025-2026. The SHGs would be able to provide those drones as rental services to farmers for agricultural uses.

The estimated capital outlay for the scheme is pegged at Rs 1,261 crore over the next four years.

A central government assistance, 80 per cent of the cost of the drone and accessories/ancillary charges up to a maximum of Rs 8 lakh would be provided, the director general of PIB posted on his X timeline after if was announced by the Union minister Anurag Thakur at a press conference.

"This scheme is important as part of PM Modi's 'lakhpati didi' initiative. Drones play a key role in the services sector. There are about 10 crore women who are part of some Self Help Groups. Through this drone scheme, it has been ensured that they use technology in farming...drones will improve efficiency in spraying fertilisers and pesticides," Union minister Anurag Thakur told media persons.

Also, a five-day mandatory drone pilot training and additional 10-day training for agriculture purposes of nutrient and pesticide application are to be provided to one member of SHGs.

Also, the Union cabinet today approved that the Central government will provide free grains to eligible citizens under the public distribution scheme for another five years.

The PM Garib Kalyan Yojana was initially started during the start of the Covid pandemic, where ration card holders were entitled to receive an additional five kg grains (wheat or rice of individual's choice). Also, Chana was also being provided as part of the additional food distribution programme.

The centre's intention to extend the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana was mentioned by Prime Minister Modi himself during his election rallies earlier this month.

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was launched in April 2020 with the specific purpose of ameliorating the hardships faced by the poor and needy due to economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Initially, in 2020-21, the PMGKAY scheme was announced only for a period of three months (April- June 2020), however, it was extended until December 2022 in seven consecutive phases.
It benefitted 80 crore beneficiaries.

Earlier, the Central Government had decided to remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries and to ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of the National Food Security Act and had decided to provide foodgrains free of cost to the beneficiaries covered under NFSA, 2013, for a period of one year, beginning January 01, 2023.

(ANI)

Mass exodus of party leaders cause consternation in BJD camp

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 8: The BJD appears to be standing on a sticky wicket. The increasing exodus of leaders from Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has generated a palpable sense of worry and uneasiness in the regional outfit’s camp. And, this exodus comes at a time when speculations are high that more BJD leaders will soon change their allegiance.

The BJD leadership is now seemingly pondering how to contain the avalanche, both at district and state levels. Soon after the results of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections were out, a large number of gram Zilla Parishad members and block level panchayati raj representatives left the party and joined the BJP.

What came as big blows to the BJD is the quitting of the Rajya Sabha membership by two senior leaders – Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar. Both the leaders later joined the BJP.

According to senior BJD leader Amar Prasad Satpathy, the regular exodus of party leaders and their subsequent entry into the BJP fold is sending out a wrong signal and the party leadership must think over it.

“When Rajya Sabha members quit their membership as well as resign from the party, it sends out a wrong message to the public and demoralizes cadres of the organization. We must rethink and take course correction measures,” Satpathy told reporters on Sunday.

Realising that things are moving out of his control, BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik has decided to launch a mass outreach programme in November.

Senior BJD leader Ashok Chandra Panda, while claiming that Naveen Patnaik was still in the hearts of the people for all his “good work,” on Sunday said the party would stage a comeback in the coming days.

“Though we lost power in the 2024 assembly elections, we got more votes than the BJP. We have also got 51 of the 147 members in Odisha Legislative Assembly. This is not a small number. We will surely fight back and win the next elections to serve the people again,” said Panda.

Naveen, who kept himself cocooned to his residence after the poll debacle, on Saturday was spotted visiting Ganesh Puja mandaps in Bhubaneswar apparently to reestablish his connections with the local people.

Mamata's Method Of Governance Is Not What Is Needed To Run A State: NCP Leader Brijmohan Shrivastav

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Mumbai, Sep 8: Following the resignation of Trinamool Congress MP Jawahar Sircar from the party, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson and general secretary Brijmohan Shrivastav has indicated that all is not well within the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

In a conversation with IANS on Sunday, the NCP leader remarked: "We have consistently stated that 'all is not well in TMC'. There are significant internal disagreements. Members of the party are pressuring Mamata Banerjee to withdraw from the RG Kar Medical College issue. However, Mamata's approach does not accommodate such views. This is just the beginning; there are many more who are dissatisfied and a long list of individuals who wish to part ways with her. Mamata Banerjee's method of governance is not what is needed to run a state, which is why there is so much discontent in West Bengal."

He added: "The situation in Bengal is primarily about law and order. People are on the streets due to this. The public anger is directed against Mamata. Understanding this public discontent, leaders, legislators, and MPs from her party are beginning to oppose her."

Earlier, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Jawhar Sircar, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, on Sunday, announced his decision to resign from the Rajya Sabha as a protest against the ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital as well as "the corruption" in governance in West Bengal.

Sircar communicated this decision to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee through a letter dated September 8, where he has also said that he has decided to quit politics for good.

In his letter to the Chief Minister, Sircar pointed out that he decided to resign from the Rajya Sabha in 2022 after evidence of corruption against the former West Bengal Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee, surfaced. “I was harassed by a section of the party leadership. However, I refrained from resigning with a belief that you will continue with your moves against financial corruption," Sircar pointed out in the letter.

He also said that the current mass movement throughout West Bengal on the R.G. Kar issue is because of the muscle flexing by a section of the pampered bureaucracy and corrupt persons.

"I have never witnessed such grievance and non-confidence against any government ever in my life. After carefully observing the sequence of events on the R.G. Kar issue for the last month a question came to my mind on why you are not directly interacting with the protesting junior doctors as you used to do before," Sircar said.

--IANS

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Odisha CM Mohan Majhi Launches 'CM-KISAN Yojana'

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Sambalpur, Sept 8: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Sunday, in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, launched 'CM-KISAN Yojana' on the occasion of the Nuakhai festival at Odisha's Sambalpur.

The scheme aims to provide 925 crores financial assistance to 46 lakhs small and marginal farmers who are not covered under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) yojana.

"The launch of CM Kisan Yojana on the auspicious occasion of Odisha's agricultural festibal, Holy Nuakhai, is a moment of joy for all of us. Launched CM Kisan Portal, Farmer Odisha Unified Portal for the benefit of farmers. Keeping in mind the overall development of the farmers, our government has launched the CM Kisan Yojana. Around 46 lakh farming families of the state will benefit from this scheme. 925 crores financial assistance has been directly transferred through DBT to strengthen their financial position, which will improve their financial progress," the CM said in a post on X.

Eligible farmers will receive a total of Rs 4,000 in two phases. The first instalment of Rs 2,000 will be distributed on Nuakhai , which begins from September 8, and the remaining Rs 2,000 will be provided on Akshaya Tritiya.

The scheme will benefit landless farmers who were excluded from the PM Kisan Yojana. The government aims to extend support to this section of the farming community through the CM KISAN Yojana.

This initiative comes as part of the state government's efforts to uplift farmers and strengthen agricultural development in Odisha.
Earlier, CM Majhi along with Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan and state ministers offered prayers at 'Maa Samaleswari' temple on the occasion of Nuakhai in Sambalpur.

State Ministers, Suresh Pujari, Rabi Narayan Naik and Sambalpur BJP MLA Jayanarayan Mishra also partook the sacred 'Nabanna' (new rice) with CM Majhi.

Nuakhai is a three-day agrarian festival and the state government has declared a holiday on Monday.

Different districts of the western Odisha like Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur,Balangir, Bargarh, Subarnapur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda and Boudh celebrate the Nuakhai festival with much pomp and gaiety.

On this auspicious day of Nuakhai, the farmers offer new grain to the deity to welcome the new crop. After having the new rice as the offering to the God, later in the afternoon people enjoy themselves organising dance, games, etc.

(ANI)

Cabinet Approves Providing 15,000 Drones To Women Self Help Groups

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