Karnal, March 21
The runaway couples fearing threat to life from hostile parents and retaliation from khap panchayats can heave a sigh of relief as the state government has identified specific accommodation to set up “protection homes” in all districts.

The Punjab and Haryana High court had directed the state government to set up protection homes for such runaway couples, where they could stay up to 10 days as a matter of right. The High Court had further directed that the continuation of stay at the protection homes beyond 10 days be decided on a case-to-case basis depending upon the circumstances and perception of threat.

In compliance of the court orders, the government directed all district administrations to identify suitable places for such couples.

The High Court had also directed the constitution of a committee at every district headquarter to oversee the functioning of such protection homes and held that the committee comprising the District Collector, SP and the District Welfare Officer shall be responsible to ensure compliance of the High Court directions concerning the protection of runaway couples. The High Court has also directed the setting up of counselling cells to counsel the parents of such couples.

The HC had directed the state government to publicise and create awareness about its orders regarding protection provided to runaway couples having married against family wishes and use services of the state Legal Services Authority for creating awareness among the masses.

The increasing number of runaway couples approaching the Punjab and Haryana High Court had become a big problem and in April last year, the HC authorised the district courts to provide protection to such couples. On an average, about 25 couples, mostly from Haryana, had been approaching the HC for protection and the number had now reduced significantly.

The couples fearing honour killing would be provided board and lodging facilities and protection in these homes. The Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Home, had sent a communiqué to the DGP, Commissioners of Police at Faridabad and Gurgaon, all DCs and SPs in the state in this regard and a list of protection homes identified in each district was supplied to them.

The protection homes would be located in the Police lines at Karnal, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Ambala, Jhajjhar, Bhiwani and Sonepat districts.

In Gurgaon district, the protection home would be in the hostel of the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT), in Palwal at Government Police quarters at sadar police station and in Jind, this facility would be provided in the upper portion of the newly constructed hostel of the Jails Department.

In Rohtak, it would be located in the office of an NGO named Bharat Vikas Sangh. Similarly, in Mahendergarh it will be at the PWD rest house, at Red cross Society building in Hisar, at the working women hostel in Sirsa , at the Civil rest house in Kaithal and at the Youth hostel at the Tejli Sports Complex in Yamunanagar.

The Working people hostesl would house the protection homes in Riwari, Nuh and Faridabad districts.

Chandigarh, March 21
With vehicular traffic increasing, Haryana has witnessed a manifold increase in the number of challans issued for violation of the Motor Vehicles Act over the last five years. While Gurgaon tops the chart for challans issued last year, the number of challans issued in the first two months of this year has already reached 35000.

According to information provided by the government in response to a question by BJP MLA Anil Vij during the recent session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, the number of challans in Gurgaon have gone up from 26040 in 2006 to 1.61 lakh in 2010.

The information reveals that greater the development in a district, more are the number of violations of the Act. From a mere 3000 challans in 2006 in Rohtak, 25,483 challans were reported in 2010 while the challans have crossed the 11000-mark this year till February.

Faridabad, another industrially forward district which has witnessed trendous growth over the last few years, is placed second on the list with 81639 challans in 2010,. In 2006, the total number of challans reported from the district were 35000. Nearly 30000 challans have already been issued in the district till Ferbruary this year.

Interestingly, areas like Mewat and palwal, Narnaul and Rewari, which are not considered high on the development index, have witnessed a much lower rate of challaning in the same period.

According to the data, Palwal, where 1800 challans were issued in 2006, saw the number climb up to 3749 in 2010 while1352 challans have already been issued in first two months this year. Mewat, considered Haryana’s backward pocket, saw the number of violations of the Act go up from 1781 to 500 between 2006 and 2010 while as many as 1488 challans have been issued so far this year.

The number of challans in Narnaul too has gone up from 2852 to 3794 in the same period. Against 1.60 lakh challans reported from all over the state in 2006, there has been a four-fold increase in the violations with 6.37 lakh chllans reported in 2010. In 2011, according to the data compiled till February this year, the total number of challans has touched 1.91 lakh already. Sources in the police attribute this increase in the number of challans to the substantial increase in the number of vehicles as also the growing tendency of indiscipline among motorists.

However, the traffic wing of the police maintains that there has been an attempt on its part to step up the drive against traffic violations. “The police is particularly keen on inculcating road sense among the motorists and, over the last few years, the police too has stepped up its drive against the violators,” a police official said.

Jhajjar, March 21
Having top place in the tally of “corrupt officials” who were caught red handed during the past two years in the Rohtak Range Police, the district has got the first position yet again, this time for having the maximum numbers of illegal beneficiaries of BPL ration cards in the range. A large number of them have recently approached the authorities to give up their cards citing various reasons.

The development is the consequence of a special drive launched by V. Kamaraja, IGP, nearly two months ago to initiate action against those who have been availing the benefits of BPL cards after getting it through illegal means.

“As many as 1,430 BPL cards beneficiaries residing in Jhajjar, Karnal, Panipat and Sonepat districts have offered to surrender their cards pleading that since their economic condition has improved, they don’t need them, thus the cards should be cancelled without any delay,” informed Kamaraja, adding that all these had been enjoying the benefits of BPL ration cards for the past couple of years.

Most numbers of such BPL cardholders are from Jhajjar district, followed by Karnal and Panipat. As many as 717 BPL cardholders from Jhajjar, 300 each from Karnal and Panipat district and 113 from Sonepat district had so far approached the authorities for getting their cards cancelled apparently in a bid to save themselves from any police action in this regard. Before launching the drive, all illegal beneficiaries were warned to surrender their cards else they would be booked under various sections of the IPC, maintained the IGP.

Besides, a compiled report about the number of applications moved by the illegal beneficiaries residing in Rohtak district was also being prepared, said Kamaraja, adding that similar to Jhajjar district, a large number of people in Rohtak city also wished to get their BPL cards cancelled.

Kamaraja informed that his special team had identified over 5,000 such residents in the five districts of the range by conducting a detailed survey. “After the survey, we issued public notices across the range for giving a chance to all illegal beneficiaries to surrender their cards within a stipulated period so that they could not give the excuse of not having given any chance to rectify their mistakes or apology,” said the IGP.

The survey disclosed that many people, who were economically well off with modern houses, costly vehicles and expensive mobile phones, also managed to get BPL cards made for availing various benefits, he informed.

Kamaraja maintained that the process of registering police cases would be initiated soon against those illegal beneficiaries who were not ready to surrender their cards despite being warned well in time.

Kaithal, March 21
Twenty-eight-year-old Gurdev of Dubbal village in the district whose both arms had to be amputated following an accident in 2004 had been running from pillar to post to get a government job.

He has been declared 100 per cent physically disabled and without a job, he is finding it difficult to live with dignity. Despite his efforts, which include meetings with the Chief Minister, other ministers and top officials in the administration, the only thing he could get is assurances, which never materialised.

Fortunately, village sarpanch Mahabir came to his rescue and after his efforts, the Social Welfare Department started giving Rs 750 as monthly pension to Gurdev, which is his only source of income.

Narrating his tale of woes, he says he has been running from one place to another to get some employment. “About 7-8 years ago, I went to the fields of my uncle where wheat crop was being irrigated through a tubewell. The fuse of a nearby transformer was blown off and when I went to set it right, I accidentally touched an electric wire and suffered a severe shock. During treatment, both my arms had to be amputated”.

He says in the past couple of years, he has met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, MP Naveen Jindal, Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, besides Kaithal deputy commissioner a number of times and submitted applications seeking a government job so that he could earn his livelihood with dignity, but to no avail.

Gurdev lost his mother about seven years ago and father about three years ago. He has no sibling. He has been living in his ancestral house in Dubbal village. The villagers there are kind enough to him and on occasions offer him food and tea. Youngsters help him take bath and even help him answer the nature’s call.

Chandigarh, March 21
The government has formulated a scheme to promote organic farming by adopting good agricultural practices and minimising the use of pesticides in the state and Rs 1 crore has been earmarked for its implementation during 2011-12.

A spokesman of the Horticulture Department said here that 10,000 hectares would be selected for the adoption of organic farming. He said the state government had taken a serious view of the

higher level of pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables, which is 200 times more than the prescribed limit. Farmers were using pesticides in an unorganised manner to increase the production level by containing insects and diseases.

The scheme aimed at making the farmers, vendors, pesticides firms and dealers aware of the safe use of pesticides and promoting good agricultural practices and organic way of farming, said the spokesman, adding that it also aimed at promoting organic farming in the state and implementing organic component of various schemes, besides conducting seminars, workshops, trainings or awareness campaigns regarding the ill-effects of pesticides. It also aimed at monitoring the maximum residual limit of various pesticides being used by farmers.

He said the scheme would benefit the farmers to a great extent, as by promoting organic way of farming, chemical-free products would be available and these would be more acceptable in both domestic and foreign markets resulting in more income to farmers of the state.

He said an extensive awareness programme would be conducted along with promotion of organic farming and certification to achieve the objectives of the scheme. In the year 2011-12, seven seminars, workshops and 21 training programmes would be conducted throughout the state. As many as 400 samples would also be taken from farm fields and markets to contain the residual limit in fruits and vegetables.

Sirsa, March 21
The misuse of oxytocin, a hormonal injection, on milch cattle is widely prevalent in the state. It is a health hazard not only for animals but also for the consumers. There is enough scientific evidence to prove oxytocin’s negative impact on humans.

Naresh Kadyan, state chief of People For Animals, observed this during “Hello Sirsa” programme of the CDLU’s radio station.

He said the drug authorities rarely kept an eye on the defaulters and the existing laws lacked teeth to nail the violators.

Interacting with radio listeners in the call-in show, Kadyan said the people in Haryana were not much aware of the animal rights. He said even the official machinery was quite insensitive so far as animal rights and prevention of cruelty on animals was concerned. He said while the constitution of a district-level society for the prevention of cruelty to animals (SPCA) was mandatory under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty Act, these have been formed in only a few districts.

Kadyan urged all the deputy commissioners to constitute SPCAs in their respective districts immediately to ensure that animal rights were properly protected. Responding to a query, he said the state was yet to have an animal welfare board. He, however, appreciated the government's move to constitute Gau Sewa Ayog in Haryana.

Kadyan said the state of gaushalas in Haryana was not very good and added that the Gau Sewa Ayog would go a long way in improving their plight.

Kadyan, who shot to limelight for scrupulously pursuing the Pataudi black buck poaching case, claimed the hunting of wild animals and protected birds, including the national bird peacock, was still prevalent in the state.

The cases of peacock deaths and their hunting were on rise, he added, stating that immediate steps must be taken to save the national bird.

High-tension electric transmission lines and excessive use of pesticides were also responsible for the diminishing number of peacocks in the state, Kadyan said.

Author of a book on various legal provisions on animal welfare, Kadyan said loading of animals beyond prescribed numbers in transport vehicles, leaving your milch cattle on roads to stray and not providing appropriate food to pets and other animals in one's custody constituted offences under the law.

The animal rights activist said the existing law for animal rights was under review and the Central Government had already invited suggestions from the public on the new draft law. He hoped that it would change the scenario of animal rights in the country.

Later, interacting with media students, Kadyan said media should play a proactive role in spreading awareness about animal rights and their welfare. He appreciated the role of CDLU Community Radio on this front and expressed his willingness to help the station in its endeavour to sensitise the people of the region on these issues.

Rohtak, March 21
“The Opposition leaders and their parties stand exposed as they have failed to raise or engage in a healthy debate on any issue concerning the people or the state during the recently concluded session of the state Assembly,” claims Ved Prakash Vidrohi, spokesman for the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), in a statement issued here recently.

“They are perhaps left with no issue to attack the government over its functioning and have failed to come up to the expectations of the people,” Vidrohi said.

According to him, the session was like a testing time for the opposition especially the INLD and the HJC, which had been clamoring with baseless allegations outside the Assembly. “If the allegations had any ground these leaders could have come up with a discussion or debate inside the House, but these leaders have been exposed on baseless allegations”.

He said he had recently invited the Opposition for a discussion during the session over various matters, including the land acquisition policy, but none of the leaders come up with any solid fact regarding their claims. Stating that no issue related to public welfare was raised during the session, he said this proved that the Opposition had failed in their job, although the leader of the opposition, Om Prakash Chautala, had challenged the Chief Minister for an open debate on the land acquisition policy, development, law and order and corruption issues.

Vidrohi said though they had been asked to come prepared to debate on these issues in the Budget session, both the INLD and the BJP could not present a single proof in support their allegations.

Lashing out at the HJC, he said Kuldeep Bishnoi could not even muster courage to attend the Assembly even once to speak on various issues he had been raising in the past and during his “tractor rally”.

Rewari, March 21
VHP activists and protagonists of Hindu religion and culture participated in a zonal “dharam raksha nidhi arpan samaroh” held under the auspices of the VHP here on March 18.

While Dr Praveen Togadia, international general secretary of the VHP, was the chief guest, social activist Pooran Chand Agarwal presided over it whereas Dr Pawan Goyal was a guest of honour.

Besides, VHP leaders Kanti Lal Saini, Mahavir Singh and Pradyuman were also present.

Launching a scathing attack on the policies of the UPA Government, Dr Togadia alleged that under the camouflage of their so-called secularism, the UPA government was bent upon rooting out Hindu religion from the country.

Substantiating his allegations, he asserted that while scores of famous Hindu temples in various parts of the country had been taken over by this government, it had not laid its hands upon a single mosque in the country.

Citing a concrete instance of agonizing discrimination against the Hindus, Togadia ruefully pointed out that each Muslim going on a pilgrimage to Mecca was being given a subsidy of Rs 22,000 whereas in sharp contrast to this, a tax was being levied on Hindu pilgrims going to Amarnath as well as the Mansarovar Lake.

Specifically mentioning about Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, alias Hemu, a native of Rewari and legendary warrior of medieval India, who had re-established the Hindu kingdom, albeit for a short period in north India in 1556, after over 350 years of foreign Islamic rule, Togadia lamented that great Hindu rulers like Hemu and Shivaji had been made to lie in a realm of obscurity.

Accusing the UPA Government of deliberately pursuing a “pernicious” policy of appeasement of the Muslims vis-à-vis the obliteration of Hindu religion and culture, Togadia exhorted Hindus to extend their full-fledged cooperation to the VHP’s comprehensive crusade of combating this “anti-Hindu mentality” of the UPA Government.

Ambala, March 21
"The RSS has lost its strength during the past few years due to weak leadership of the Sangh which has caused severe threat to the Hindu community in the country," said former RSS convener Balbir Singh Barwala.

Interacting with mediapersons in Ambala Cantt, Barwala said nearly three to four lakh intruders from Bangladesh had entered into our country.

He said nearly 1,500 letters had been sent to the RSS high command during the past five years, but no action had been taken so far in this regard.

He alleged that nearly 40 senior members of the Sangh were dominating the affairs of the RSS in the organisation and were least bothered about the welfare of the Sangh as well as the Hindu community.

Barwala, who was the state convener in the state for the past 17 years, expressed concern over the increasing number of Muslims in West Bengal, Assam and Kerala which was a serious threat to the Hindu community residing in these states.

Barwala suggested that the RSS, the VHP and the BJP should come together on a single platform to bring awareness among the people to strengthen the Hindu network in the country and make it strong.

Sirsa, March 21
A two-day annual athletics meet of Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal Vidyapeeth (JCDV), was held here recently.

Students in large number took active participation in the sporting event. Performances of athletes and enthusiasm of cheering crowds added colour to the occasion.

Dr Shamim Sharma, executive director, JCDV, was the chief guest during the closing ceremony.

She said such events helped in inculcating true sportsmanship, team management skills and respect for opponents among students. Indulging in sports activities is required for the overall well being and building of a healthy body and sound mind, said Dr RK Sinha, in charge, sports committee.

He added that sports meet was the best place for inculcating team spirit and participation was more important than winning or losing. Jitender was adjudged the best athlete in the men’s section while Sharmila got the honour in the women’s section. Both winners were from JCDM College of Engineering.

Earlier, the sporting event began with the unfurling of JCDV’s flag and release of balloons by the Commonwealth boxing bronze medal winner and Asian Championship 2009 silver medalist Jai Bhagwan. Dinesh, Asian Games 2010 silver medalist, and a recipient of Arjun and Bheem Awards was the guest of honor.

Fatehabad, March 21
The nuclear crisis in Japan after the recent earthquake and tsunami has triggered a debate in Fatehabad and its surrounding areas over the wisdom of setting up a nuclear power plant at Gorakhpur village in the district.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) is going ahead with the phase-I of the nuclear power plant at Gorakhpur with the setting up of two units of 700 MW each.

Pre-project activities have been initiated and are likely to be completed during the 11th Plan, according to an official spokesperson. The project includes the setting up of two more units of 700 MW each in the second phase.

While many people still feel that nuclear energy is the only option available for the country and the government must go ahead with the Gorakhpur project even if it involves some risk, a large majority of people now feels that the government should reconsider its decision.

A group of farmers has been holding agitation against the acquisition of their land for the proposed plant for the last nearly eight months. So far their agitation has the support of activists of the opposition parties only and even another group of farmers, whose land is sought to be acquired for the plant, has been supporting the project on certain pre-conditions.

However, ever since nature’s fury has struck Japan leading to radiation leakage from its reactors, the agitating farmers have been getting support from several unexpected quarters.

Those who feel the need of rethinking over the project after the Japan incident, feel that the agitating farmers should to be supported on this issue. Support to the farmers’ cause was evident during a candle march organised by the Sanjha Manch, a joint forum of several organizations, here recently.

The nuclear plant has become a hot issue of debate among residents of Fatehabad and villagers of the surrounding areas.

Ranbir Singh Chaudhary, president of the Young Farmers Association, Haryana, said though nuclear energy was need of the hour for the country, Gorakhpur was not the right place to set up a nuclear power project.

“Setting up a nuclear plant in a densely populated area that has two towns of Hisar and Fatehabad in its vicinity is not a wise decision considering the hazards involved with the project,” he said.

Chaudhary suggested that the plant could be easily shifted to Rajasthan, where hundreds of acres of barren land was available without any population around. He said for the water needs of the plant, a channel could be easily taken out from the Indira Gandhi Rajasthan Canal.

Chaudhary feared that in case there was any accident in the plant, one could not expect prompt rescue and rehabilitation operations, given the way system works in our country.

Dr Vinod Batra, a local pediatrician, said the whole world had seen the risks involved with nuclear power plants after the Japan incident. “If a developed country like Japan cannot control the damage after the accident, the conditions will be much worse in India given the track record we have in dealing with emergencies,” he added.

Ramesh Sachdeva, a progressive farmer from Fatehabad, however, maintained that though the plant involved hazards, the risk was worth taking.

“Our country does not have many options for meeting the future needs of energy. Hence, the project must see the light of the day soon despite risks involved with it,” Sachdeva added.

Sanjay Gumasta, project manager, Gorakhpur Atomic Power Project, however, ruled out any risks involved with the project despite Japan accident.

“Our design takes care of all aspects and even the Japan accident will give lessons to improve it further,” Gumasta said.

He said the Gorakhpur area, where the nuclear plant was sought to be set up did not fall under the high-risk seismic zone and hence, there was no such risk involved.

Gurgaon, March 21
A two-day international workshop on “Adaptation and mitigation options for tackling the impacts of climate change on water resources” was organised here recently.

The workshop, organised jointly by the Water Sciences division of UNESCO, New Delhi, and the Department of Civil Engineering, ITM University, Gurgaon, was inaugurated by Armoogum Parsuramen, UNESCO director-cum-representative to India, Bhutan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

In his address, Parsuramen disclosed that realising the need to respond to the stressed water resources, UNESCO’s intergovernmental scientific cooperative programme in hydrology and water resources had started implementing a new six-year phase (2008-2013) of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP)-VII.

The theme of IHP-VII is ‘Water Dependencies: Systems under Stress and Societal Responses’. He pointed out that the IHP could foster the cooperation needed to bring the parties concerned together, whether they are member states, research institutions, universities, UN agencies, NGOs, or other national and international associations.

The speakers at the workshop expressed concern about the depletion of water resources and stressed on the need to make cumulative global efforts to reverse the trend.

They also underlined the importance of cooperation between countries and organisations in understanding the effects of climate change and taking adaptive and mitigation measures to tackle them.

Ganesh Shah, a former Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Government of Nepal, raised the issue of scientific and technical cooperation among regions.

Dr Ram Karan Singh, a professor of civil engineering at ITM University, highlighted that the effects of climate change included the enlargement of glacial lakes and an increase in their number.

Prof S Krishnamoorthi, convener of the workshop, said the workshop was aimed at strengthening scientific understanding of the impacts from global changes on water systems and to link these findings to policies for promoting sustainable management of water resources.

Dr Ashok Basistha from TERI University observed that rather than holding a debate on the issue for its own sake, the studies should suggest a specific alternative approach for sector-wise risk assessment and disaster prevention for each region, which could be incorporated in policy planning to face eventualities.

Ambala, March 21
As many as 309 students were awarded graduate and postgraduate degrees during the annual convocation of Gandhi Memorial National College, Ambala Cantt. Urvashi Gulati, chief secretary, was the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Gulati said for achieving excellence in education, IT labs would be set up in 2,600 colleges in the state. She said the government had been encouraging technical education and Rajiv Gandhi Education City being setup in Kundli would play an important role in this regard. All the measures were being taken to promote women education, she said, adding that Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, Khanpur Kalan, had been taking steps in this direction, she added.

She asked the students to launch a campaign against social evils like female foeticide, dowry and drug addiction. She exhorted students to have the potent to achieve any goal by hard working and commitment. She also inaugurated the mass media centre of the college on the occasion.

Bupinder Singh Johar, chairman of the college management committee, said it was the only college in the state where around 65,000 books were available in its library. He said Rs 1 crore would be spent for the further expansion of this library. RR Malik, principal, said some of the lecturers of this college had received national and international awards for their outstanding contribution in the field of education and literary activities.

Samir Pal Saro, deputy commissioner, said Ambala had become a hub of higher education in the state. He said the educational institutions of the districts had always come forward to offer their support to the administration during natural calamities like flood. He thanked the students and the staff for their constructive approach towards society.

A delegation of the Citizen Council, led by its president Ajay Jain, also met the chief secretary and submitted a memorandum for the redressal of various problems faced by the residents of Ambala Cantt.

According to the memorandum, since the municipal council in Ambala Cantt has recently been made a corporation, there was an acute shortage of infrastructure, employees and financial resources. It was demanded that the government should grant liberal funds for the development of roads and public parks.

Sonepat, March 21
Shaily, a student at Geeta Vidya Mandir Girls College here, is one of the two scouts rangers representing India at the 10-day International Youth Conference which commenced in Mexico on March 18.

The college principal, Dr Jyotu Juneja, and scouts ranger leader Renu Popli congratulated Shaily for this achievement.

Dr Juneja said Shaily had been a brilliant student from the very beginning and this achievement was the result of her three-year participation in all activities of the scouts up to the national level.

Narnaul, March 21
Women faculty members and students at the Central University of Haryana organised a round-table conference on “Challenges and opportunities for women in globalised world” to mark International Women’s Day here recently.

Addressing the participants, Vice-Chancellor Mool Chand Sharma observed that across the globe, women had marched forward in many walks of life and contributed phenomenally to their chosen fields.

The speakers, including university faculty members as well as students, felt though India was no exception to the global trend, women here were still subjected to discrimination, injustice, exploitation and patriarchic hold.

The conference raised several issues, mainly concerning women remaining excluded from due benefits of sharp economic growth.

Economic reforms and their impact on women; how the global economic market thrives on unorganised labour largely comprising women were among the issues discussed.

In addition to deliberating on the conference theme, participants came up with pertinent points depicting status of women. They also presented documentary films, poems, sketches and write-ups to support their assertions.

The university authorities also decided to undertake a welfare project involving a select group of women, primarily mothers of small schoolchildren, from Narnaul and nearby areas.

The project aims at sensitizing women about their rights and strengths, apart from honing their skills. Students and faculty members of the university will run the project.

Sirsa, March 21
Sirsa is among the few districts of the country that have been selected for the Ministry of Rural Development scheme, Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP), for the empowerment of women farmers. The scheme is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), which was known earlier as Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), and it will be launched in the district soon, said Deputy Commissioner Yudhbir Singh Khyalia.

The scheme aims to facilitate female farmers who come in the category of small and marginal farmers.The objective of the scheme is to provide socio-economic and technical empowerment to rural female farmers.

MKSP will help female farmers to get production assets like water, seed subsidy and credit easily.

Rural women form the most productive workforce in the economy of the majority of the developing nations, including India.

Agriculture, the single largest production endeavour in India, contributing to 16 per cent of the GDP, is increasingly becoming a female activity. This sector employs 80 per cent of all economically active women who comprise 33 per cent of the agricultural labour force and 48 per cent of self-employed farmers.

About 18 per cent of the farm families in India, according to NSSO reports are reported to be headed by women. Beyond the conventional market-oriented, narrower definition of productive workers, almost all women in rural India can be considered as farmers in some sense - working as agricultural labourers, unpaid workers in the family farm enterprises or combination of the two. Khyalia said the scheme would be implemented in selected districts of the country at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The Centre will contribute 75 per cent to the project, while the remaining 25 per cent would be contributed by the state government, he said.

Panipat, March 21
The biotechnology department of NC College of Engineering (Israna) recently organised an awareness programme on biodiversity conservation.

Dr R Sahai, professor emeritus and head biotechnology, stated that damage and loss of living heritage of mankind was taking place all over the world at an alarming rate. It assumed special significance for India which was a mega biodiversity resource centre of the world, he added.

He said the country had an age-old tradition of protecting and conserving wildlife, forest and plants of agricultural importance. While referring to the recent nuclear leak in Japan, Sahai said it was a major catastrophic of the modern era and added that nuclear radiation would destroy biodiversity and the surviving species might suffer impairments/diseases due to genetic mutations.

He said species other than humans were at a greater risk as these could not migrate to safer places and had no shelter from radiation. The professor laid emphasis on conserving biodiversity as it was essential for food security, health and the overall development of the country. Dr RK Sapra, chief wildlife warden, in his address highlighted steps being taken for the protection, preservation, management and sustainable development of living species in the country. A poster-making competition was also organised for college students along with paper presentation and a rangoli competition.

Sonepat, March 21
The Centre of Excellence for Energy and Environment Studies of the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology (DCRUST), Murthal, has been recognised by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under the national solar science fellowship programme.

Vice-Chancellor of the university HS Chahal said here today that the programme was meant for an Indian scientist desirous of working in the fields of solar energy science, engineering technology and product development in collaboration with selected prestigious institutions like IISc, Bangalore, TIFR, Mumbai, IITs, NITs and Solar Energy Centre (SEC), Gurgaon. The DCRUST, Murthal, was also recognised by the ministry to act as the host institution, he added.

To begin the programme, an MoU would be signed with the ministry, he said, adding that the solar science fellow would work for a period of three years at a chosen host institution to undertake research in the thrust areas identified by the committee constituted by the ministry under the chairmanship of the secretary of the ministry with eminent scientists as members. Dr SK Singh, head of the centre, said the testing of various solar equipments would boost the solar market in the state.