City News Bhopal, Tuesday, February 25, 2014 Efforts to get MP declared as Basmati paddy cultivator Staff Reporter, Bhopal C hief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that efforts are being made to get Madhya Pradesh declared as Basmati paddy cultivation area. Recently, discussions have been held with Central government for procurement of gram on support price. He said that state government has extended relief to hailstorm-affected and drought-hit farmers from its own exchequer without caring for Central assistance. Chouhan was addressing an “Aao Banayen Apna Madhya Pradesh” convention at Raisen today. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Smt. Sushma Swaraj was also present on the occasion. The Chief Minister said that state government has made agriculture profitable. It is the result of farmers’ hard work and state government’s efforts in agriculture sector that Madhya Pradesh has received Krishi Karman Award for the second time consecutively. The Chief Minister urged all sections of society to discharge Chouhan distributes Rs. 439 crore benefits Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gives away assistance to beneficiaries under various schemes at “Aao Banayen Apna Madhya Pradesh” convention at Raisen on Monday. their duties earnestly, dedicatedly and honestly. He said that no eligible person will remain deprived of wheat, rice and salt at Re. 1 per kg. Middle Class Commission will solve prob- lems of middle class. He said that now scholarships will be given to children of general class also. He said that facility has been given to reserved class students to hire room in cities to pursue education. On foreign study of these sections’ children, Rs. 15 lakh per student will be spent. Smt. Sushma Swaraj appreciated Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s efforts to make Madhya Pradesh a golden state. She urged all to give active cooperation in this. She said that Madhya Pradesh was once a sick state which has been brought to the category of developing states. Smt. Swaraj gave credit for second time Krishi Karman award to Madhya Pradesh to farmers’ hard work and state government’s policies. Forest Minister Dr. Gaurishankar Shejwar said that Madhya Pradesh is the only state to give bonus on wheat procurement. Revenue Minister Rampal Singh referred to welfare schemes of state government for all sections of society and urged people to avail their benefits. Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Surendra Patwa also spoke on the occasion. Active community partnership necessary Rs. 157 per day to create sanitation awareness wages for MNREGA labourers from Apr 1 A Staff Reporter, Bhopal Employment worth about 800 lakh mandays generated so far Staff Reporter, Bhopal N ow, job card holder labourers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act will get minimum Rs. 157 per day wages. At present, wages are paid at the rate of Rs. 146 per day. Panchayats, Rural Development and Social Justice Minister Gopal Bhargava has directed that information should be disseminated on a large scale about increase in labourers’ wages from April 1, 2014. Through a notification on February 13, the Central Government has fixed minimum MNREGA wages as Rs. 157 per day from April 1, 2014. Commissioner Madhya Pradesh State Employment Guarantee Council Dr. Ravindra Pastor has sent detailed guidelines and instructions regarding this to CEOs of Zila Panchayats. They have been asked to ensure that wide publicity about increased MNREGA wages should be made in Janpad and Gram Panchayats under their jurisdiction. For this, information should be written no notice board of every Gram Panchayat that revised minimum wages will come into effect from April 1, 2014. MNREGA is being implemented in all 51 districts of the state. There are about 82 lakh active job card holders registered labourers in the state. So far, 799.25 lakh mandays of employment has been generated under the scheme in the state during the current fiscal. Of this, 148.05 lakh mandays worth employment was given to scheduled cast and 241.68 lakh mandays worth employment to tribal labourers. Percentage of women labourers was 42, who were given 338.25 lakh mandays worth employment. So far, about Rs. 1800 crore has been spent under MNREGA during current fiscal. one-day workshop on Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan was held under Sanitation Awareness Week here today. Youths’ organisations, community-based institutions and media representatives took part in the workshop held by State Water and Sanitation Mission. Inaugurating the workshop, Secretary Panchayats and Rural Development Sanjeev Kumar Jha said that sanitation should be made a habit in life. Community’s active partnership is necessary in this. He urged youths’ organisations, community-based institutions and media representatives to play an important role creating sanitation awareness in rural areas. Jha also laid emphasis on Secretary Panchayats and Rural Development Sanjeev Kumar Jha inaugurates a workshop on Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan on Monday. Bharat Abhiyan in the joint efforts to eradicate state. She said that maxhabit of open-air defecaimum number of youths tion. should be associated with State Programme Officer of State Water and this campaign. Smt. VarSanitation Mission Smt. man informed that Hemwati Varman threw Maryada Abhiyan has light in detail on strategy been launched in Madhya adopted for better implePradesh from year 2012 mentation of Nirmal under Nirmal Bharat Ab- hiyan to ensure women’s large-scale participation. The campaign to ensure women’s dignity and security has yielded encouraging results. Under the first phase of the campaign, 5800 villages where piped water schemes are in operation are being rid of open-air defecation. In the second phase, piped water schemes are being started in 10 thousand other villages, which will also be free of this evil practice. In the third phase, all villages in the district will be free of this problem. She informed that work to eradicate open-air defection is in the final stage in Burhanpur, Budhni development block in Sehore district and Badnawar development block In Dhar district. Narmada-Kshipra Simhastha Link Project to be inaugurated today Staff Reporter, Bhopal N armada-Kshipra Simhastha Link Project will be inaugurated by former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani at village Mundla Dostar (Ujjaini) in Indore district on February 25 at 3 pm. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will preside over the function. MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Smt. Sushma Swaraj, former Maharashtra Minister Nitin Gadkari, MP Ananth Kumar, former Chief Ministers Sundarlal Patwa and Kailash Joshi and Yoga guru Baba Ramdev will be present on the occasion. Urban Administration & Development Minister Kailash Vijavargiya, Minister of State for Narmada Valley Development Lal Singh Arya, MPs Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Narendra Singh Tomar, Rajya Sabha MP Thanwarchand Gehlot, MLA Jitu Patwari and Indore Zila Panchayat Chairman Omprakash Paraswadiya will also be present. Dedication at Kshipra’s Ramghat Project will be dedicated to people at Kshipra’s Ramghat in Ujjain on February 25 at 6 pm. Former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani will be the chief guest on the occasion while Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will preside. MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Smt. Sushma Swaraj, former Maharashtra Minister Nitin Gadkari, MP Ananth Kumar, former Chief Minister Sundarlal Patwa, MP Kailash Joshi and Yoga guru Baba Ramdev will be present on the occasion. Urban Administration & Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, School Education Minister Paras Jain, Minister of State for Narmada Valley Development Lal Singh Arya, Narendra Singh Tomar, Rajya Sabha MP Thanwarchand Gehlot, Premchand Guddu, MLA Dr. Mohan Yadav, Mayor Rameshwar Akhand and Zila Panchayat Chairperson Smt. Vishnu Hakam Singh Aanjana will also be present. Aao Banayen Apna Madhya Pradesh a drive to promote sense of belonging Staff Reporter, Bhopal C hief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that “Aao Banayen Apna Madhya Pradesh Abhiyan” is a drive to promote sense of belonging in every citizen of the state. He said that Madhya Pradesh will be included in the list of prosperous states through people’s cooperation. Chouhan was addressing an “Aao Banayen Apna Madhya Pradesh” convention at Vidisha today. He inaugurated and laid foundation stones for Rs. 89 crore public welfare works and launched beneficiary-oriented schemes. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and local MP Smt. Sushma Swaraj was also present on the occasion. Referring to state’s public welfare schemes, the Chief Minister said that state government will never discriminate between citizens. Government wishes to help every poor of all sections. He said that poor students will be given scholarship. Every poor person will be provided wheat and rice at 2 BRIEF Crops damaged by hail CNS, Satna: Hail extensively damaged crops yesterday in Maihar, Rampur and Amarpatan tehsils of this district and officials are assessing the loss today, official sources said. “Wheat, gram and ‘masoor’ (a lentil) were harmed. The hail affected about 25 villages,” Maihar’s Tehsildar Pankaj Mishra said. Body found under bridge in Jabalpur CNS, Jabalpur: A youth’s corpse has been found under the Govan India bridge spanning the Tebhar River, police said. The body found yesterday was identified as that of Basant Bhoomiya (30) who was a resident of the local Basant Nagar area. No injury was observed on the corpse. 35 lakh for Saunsar college Staff Reporter, Bhopal: Higher Education Department has sanctioned Rs. 34 lakh 14 thousand to Government college Saunsar in Chhindwara district for various construction works. Construction of cycle stand, classrooms, lab upgradation and boundary wall will be made using this amount. Commissioner Higher Education has directed to complete the works within prescribed time-limit. ITI exams now under OMR-based semester system Staff Reporter, Bhopal: For the first time, allIndia level ITI exams will be held under OMRbased semester system. Exams will commence from February 25. District collectors have arranged flying squads and observers for smooth conduct of exam. Invigilators at exam centres will be from other institutions. Exams will be held in 91 Industrial Training Centres. Bride takes poison, hospitalised CNS, Harda: A groom’s party, which came from Burhanpur district to Dhankaar village, has been compelled to return empty-handed after the bride who was refusing to get married consumed poison, police said. The woman, who took the extreme step on Saturday, was admitted to a nursing home at this district headquarters. Further action would be taken after the woman is in a position to make a statement. In a statement to police, groom Rakesh’s father Shankarlal Mandlekar said. Mishap kills 2, hurts 28 CNS, Satna: Two persons died on the spot and 28 were severely injured after a tractor-trolley carrying them overturned near Barhiya village today, police said. This morning, the Mauhriya village residents left for a temple in Maihar. The deceased were identified as Sudha Dahiya (3) and Pyare Lal Dahiya (40). Those hurt were admitted to government hospitals here and in Maihar. 2 held while taking bribe CNS, Jhabua: A sub-engineer and an employment assistant posted at Ranapur Block Panchayat were arrested by Lokayukta Police while accepting a bribe of Rs 6,000. Sub-Engineer Mukam Singh Dabar demanded the money, through the medium of employment assistant Mukesh Parmar, from Tandi village for disbursing an amount for digging a well under the Kapildhara Yojana. The duo was apprehended at Dabar’s residence. Crops damaged by hail Staff Reporter, Bhopal: Wheat and gram crops suffered damage in Seoni District due to heavy hail at several places including the district headquarters. The regional Meteorological Centre today warned that morning fog would reduce visibility tomorrow in all divisions of Madhya Pradesh. Hoshangabad and Jabalpur divisions are likely to experience isolated hail over the next 24 hours. Precipitation and hail are being caused at several places by moisture from the Arabian Sea. SFDC presents dividend cheque of Rs. 75.31 crore to CM Staff Reporter, Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was presented a cheque of Rs. 75 crore 31 lakh 22 thousand on behalf of State Forest Development Corporation. The cheque was presented by Forest Minister and Corporation’s Chairman Gaurishankar Shejwar and former Chairman Guru Prasad Sharma here today. This is highest dividend given till date by the corporation. Forest Development Corporation is one those corporations in the state which have no liability of state government. Corporation’s Managing Director R.N. Saxena and Additional Director N.K. Sapra were also present on the occasion. IT survey uncovers Rs 1.25 cr unaccounted income CNS, Burhanpur: Income Tax sleuths conducted surveys at nine premises of two groups related with powerloom industry in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur district and uncovered unaccounted income to the tune of Rs 1.25 crore, IT sources said. The raid, which began yesterday and continued for 20 hours, was led by Joint Income Tax Commissioner (Nimar Circle) GS Gautam. IT authorities unearthed unaccounted income of Rs 52 lakh from one group and imposed a tax of Rs 17 lakh on it. Likewise, unaccounted income of over Rs 75 lakh was unearthed from another group and a tax of Rs 25 lakh was imposed on it. ‘Mukhabhinaya’ generating wide response Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addresses “Aao Banayen Apna Madhya Pradesh Abhiyan” convention at Vidisha on Monday. come partners in state’s deLeader of Opposition in ernment employees that Re. 1 per kg so that no one velopment. She said that 2 of Lok Sabha and local MP Smt. Madhya Pradesh will revise sleeps hungry in Madhya its shining examples are that Sushma Swaraj said that Rs. their dearness allowance Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh has re45 crore cancer institute will every time the Central govThe Chief Minister said ceived Krishi Karman be opened at Vidisha. She inernment revises it. that Vidisha will be among Award twice and genderformed that Rs. 189 crore has After participating in the leading districts in next 5 based discrimination has been sanctioned to ensure convention, Chief Minister years. Irrigation facilities been ended. early construction of medical Chouhan visited Vidisha’s and roads have been expandRevenue & Rehabilitation college. School of Excellence to see a ed. Besides, every thing Minister and in-charge of disSmt. Swaraj said that cricket match. He congratufound lacking will be providtrict Rampal Singh said that “Aao Banayen Apna Madhya lated Mahendra Singh of Kaed in the district. he will discharge responsibilPradesh” is a resolve, appeal nara Club on being selected Chouhan said that he is ity of district entrusted to and invitation made by head in Ranji Trophy team and anconcerned about every person him by the Chief Minister. of the state to people to benounced Rs. one lakh to him. in the state. He infored gov- Staff Reporter, Bhopal: On the second day of ‘Mukhabhinaya’- the three day long National Mask Dance festival at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya the audience gave over whelming response to the traditional mask dances of various states. The audience shared that they are witnessing performances of some of the mask dances which were till now unheard for them. The ‘Tiwa Mukha Dance’ of Assam and “Garaga Dance” of Andhra Pradesh was the centre of attractions for the evening. Tiwa Mukha Nrutya is performed by Tiwa tribe of Assam during the ‘Barat’ festival in the full moon night of Push Month. Both male and females perform the dance using masks of deities, demons and different animal masks. The performance is accompanied by musical instruments such as – Paati Dhol, Taal, Sarailow and Buffalo horn trumpet. This mask dance is performed for whole night to celebrate their Barat festival. Garaga dance - ‘Garaga’ means a pot. In the context of village rituals and dance form, it is a pot, usually made of brass and decorated with turmeric and vermilion and with a colorful cloth. It is a vigorous dance, performed by twelve to sixteen artists, to enthuse the devotees during the all-night rituals.