Raman Singh fails to protect fertile land

The ruling bjp had promised in its manifesto that it would bring in a legislation to protect agricultural land and only barren and unproductive land would be used for industrial purposes.

The ruling bjp had promised in its manifesto that it would bring in a legislation to protect agricultural land and only barren and unproductive land would be used for industrial purposes. Now the Raman Singh government is getting flak for enhancing compensation to the farmers who gave away their land for industrial and commercial projects. Increasing the compensation by 10 to 12 times,the government has fixed Rs 10 lakh per acre compensation for farmers if their double-crop irrigated land is taken for industrial purpose,Rs 8 lakh per acre for single-crop non-irrigated land,Rs 6 lakh per acre for barren land. While industrialists are unhappy over it as they feel that it would create problems in acquiring land,the Opposition Congress has criticised the state government for having backed out from its promise of not diverting agricultural land for any other purpose.

State may ban drinking at public places

The state government is considering enactment of a law to ban consumption of alcohol at public places. The move comes in the light of growing tendency among people to drink at public places across the state. Many prefer to consume alcohol at roadside thelas,dhabas and even in vehicles parked on the road,according to officials. The police point out that alcohol-related crime is also on the rise both in the cities and the rural areas. Even as the state excise department nets Rs 1,000 crore every year from the sale of alcohol,protests by women against opening of liquor shops in their localities are mounting in several districts in both urban and rural areas.

CM wants rath yatras across 20,000 villages

After having embarked upon a Vikas Rath Yatra ahead of the Assembly polls in 2008,Chief Minister Raman Singh is now all set to roll out Kisan Raths to reach out to people in 20,000 villages. Singh,his ministers,elected representatives and the entire administrative machinery will be on their Gram Suraj campaign from April 12,during which a massive exercise for resource mapping and micro-level planning for the development of villages would be carried out. While the focus of this years campaign is agriculture and health,Kisan Raths carrying elected representatives and officials of various departments will roll into the villages where they will collect data about the existing facilities and needs of the village concerned.

Cash award for SC-ST on clearing IAS prelims

The state government will provide a cash award of Rs 1 lakh each to all Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates who pass the Civil Services Preliminary Examination being conducted by the UPSC. Tribal Welfare Minister Kedar Kashyap said SC/ST candidates passing the state civil services preliminary examination will be given Rs 10,000,while those clearing the main exam will get Rs 20,000 as incentive. Thirty-two per cent of the states 2.10 crore population comprises tribals while the population of Scheduled Castes constitutes 12 per cent. Sixty-five per cent of the states geographical area falls under the tribal sub-plan.