Views of State governments will be accommodated, says Jairam Ramesh

The Centre has decided to revise the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, incorporating suggestions made by State governments to protect the interests of tribals and the sanctity of gram sabhas. Reacting to the parliamentary committee report, Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh said most of the recommendations pertaining to preserving the federal structure would be accepted but asserted the government would have to necessarily play a role in land acquisition.

BHUBANESWAR: With patience running thin after a long wait to see its greenfield projects in Odisha and Jharkhand take off, ArcelorMittal seems to have learnt it the hard way that the wait has to be much longer. And hours after a ‘harsh’ statement from the company spokesperson in New Delhi, the State Government said it would review the project’s progress.

India-shy L N Mittal, the company CEO, had told his shareholders at a meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday that Indian projects may not see the light for the next five to 10 years.

even years after unveiling the rural job guarantee scheme, the Centre on Tuesday announced a major extension of scope of works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in a bid to revive demand for jobs, which witnessed over 20 per cent dip in the last financial year.

Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday tabled the “MNREGA 2.0 — the second generation reforms” for the flag scheme in both Houses of Parliament

The super-vision mission team of World Bank, with the help of District Poverty Initiatives Project, appreciated the self-confidence, vision and awareness of rural women trying to earn their livelihood. Through innovative initiative of the project, team members spread awareness about the solar energy lantern and mobile charging stations among the rural people. The establishment of solar energy lantern and mobile charging stations is being done through regeneration committee set up for villages.

Shimla: The 775-MW Luhri Hydroelectric Project has run into rough weather with the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests for river valley projects expressing concern over its environmental fallout in view of the extremely long head race tunnel (HRT) and reservoir, which will affect a large number of people due to submergence of land.

New Delhi: Over two years after the environment and forests ministry ordered so, the statutory Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), which gives green nod to divert forests for projects, decided that it would not entertain proposals until resolutions from affected gram sabhas favouring the projects are submitted.

The Centre has decided not to grant forest clearance (stage-I) to any project without examining the documentary evidence related to settlement of rights of affected families. The Forest Advisory Committee of Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has made compliance to the provisions of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, mandatory for seeking clearance for projects.

New Delhi: Union govt has ranked the sikkim state as best state in the country in the category of smaller states for its outstanding performance in strengthening and developing the panchayati raj institutions in the state Union Rural Development Minister Sh Jai Ram Ramesh and Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Tribal Development Sh V.Kishore Chandra Deo on Tuesday presented ( Panchayat empowernment and incentivising schemen award) PEAIS 2011-12 award to Sh C.B.Karki Sikkim Rural Management and Development Department Minister during national conference to celebrate the national panchayat raj day function in vigyan bhawan new delhi on Tuesday .

KOZHIKODE (Kerala), 6 APRIL: Expressing opposition to the mineral mining policies of the Centre which had led to the “loot and plunder” of countrys natural resources, the CPI-M today asked government to ensure that mining was undertaken only by public sector or state-owned enterprises after securing prior consent from Gram Sabhas of communities who used the lands.