JAIPUR: Preliminary study by civil organisations has shown that the state's special project of free distribution of hybrid maize seeds to farmers in the hopes of a rich harvest might have gone awry. The seeds have provided less than promised yields and, in many cases, they have not germinated.

The state government through funds from the National Agriculture Development Programme and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) has been promoting hybrid maize seeds to the tribal farmers on a large scale since 2009.

Jaipur: Malnutrition among children in Rajasthan has taken ominous proportions. The Hungama (Hunger and Malnutrition) survey carried out recently by Naandi Foundation indicates that the situation in many districts has worsened when compared to what it was about a decade back.

The Hungama Survey, released on Tuesday by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, mentions 10 districts in Rajasthan. These districts are among a sample size of 112 districts in the country.

Jaipur: The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) is now tightening the reins on mine owners to safeguard the environment and promote scientific disposal of mining waste. The board will now allow the establishment of marble sawing units only on the precondition that mine owners will effectively reuse marble slurry within a year of getting licence. This step has been taken as marble dust and slurry are hazardous for the environment.

Rajasthan has been assured by the Centre of allocation of 50 per cent of the electricity generated by the proposed nuclear power plant in Banswara. A letter from the Prime Minister's Office to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot informed that as per the amended guidelines the home State would be allocated 50 per cent of the power generated from the new power projects set up by Nuclear Energy Corporation of India.

JAIPUR: Implementation of the state government's ambitious 'Mukhyamantri Gramin BPL Awas Yojana' which aims to providing shelter to 10 lakh BPL families in rural areas over the next three years was launched across the state on Monday. Selected BPL families were handed over the sanction letters of the first installment of grant under the housing scheme at programmes held at the panchayat samiti levels.

The Congress Government in Rajasthan is going whole hog on the ambitious plan for providing 10 lakh dwelling places for the rural poor in the next three years.

JAIPUR: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was in Delhi on Saturday, met Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh requesting him to expedite allotment of captive coal blocks for the power projects being set up in the state. Ramesh said a solution would soon be worked out.

Gehlot on Friday had met senior Congress member Ahmed Patel.

JAIPUR: The Dungarpur-Banswara-Ratlam rail line project, the foundation stone for which would be laid by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday, is likely to benefit the state Congress and chief minister Ashok Gehlot greatly.

For years now, Banswara has been eagerly awaiting a rail link. The tribal district has no rail lines passing through.

United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday launched a rural livelihood programme, another ambitious poverty alleviation plan after the popular rural jobs guarantee scheme.
The National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), launched in Rajasthan