MeraPahad Community Of Uttarakhand Lovers

It may be SAZ against SEZ in Uttarakhand
 
BS Reporter / New Delhi/ Dehra Dun November 21, 2007
 
 
Amid reports that a large chunk of agri land has fallen into the hands of land builders and industrialists in Uttarakhand, the state government is contemplating special agriculture zone (SAZ) to protect agriculture. 
 
“We want to protect agriculture, for which we want to bring SAZ in Uttarakhand,” said state Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. 
 
However, Rawat made it clear that the idea of SAZ was not being mooted to replace the much contentious special economic zone (SEZ). 
 
For the purpose, Rawat said, he had asked experts from Pantnagar Agriculture University to prepare a blueprint of SAZ. 
 
But it was not immediately known whether SAZ would form a part of the new agriculture policy, which is being discussed by the government. 
 
The government is bringing the new agriculture policy to clear whether the agri land can further be given for SEZ and other industrial purposes. 
 
Significantly, the decision to bring a new agriculture policy comes close on the heels of Nandigram episode in West Bengal where the Left-Front government is facing the wrath. 
 
“Our main aim is to protect agriculture land, which is falling in the hands of land mafia and builders,” Rawat said. 
 
The government has also toughened laws pertaining to purchase of revenue land in the state by amending present laws. 
 
In the new agri policy, the government would focus on setting up of more mandis across the state, particularly in the hilly areas where farmers don’t get fair price for their yields. “The new policy would safeguard the interest of both farmers and consumers,” the minister said. 
 
Contract farming would be promoted, he said adding the role of agents would be minimised so that farmers could get much better price for their produce. 
 
Special sops like electricity and water supply and seeds at cheap rates would be provided to farmers, he added. In addition to this, toll free call centres for farmers would also be set up across the state. 

http://www.business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?leftnm=lmnu2&subLeft=1&autono=304894&tab=r

Community radio gets a boost in India
 

19 November 2007
The community radio revolution in India is now set to unfold in full earnest across the hinterland. The Ministry for Information & Broadcasting has approved the applications of as many as seven NGOs to set up community radio systems.

“Seven NGOs have got the licence from the Inter Ministerial Committee to set up community radio stations. Other groups are likely to get clearance at the next meeting at the end of this month. The ministry has received a heartening response on the community radio front, with some 140 applications under the new broadened scheme,” said a senior official from the ministry.

The 7 NGOs cleared include The Energy Research Institute of India (TERI) headed by well-known environmentalist R K Pachauri, Chennai-based Alternative for India Development, Delhi-based Society for Development Alternatives, Deccan Development Society in Hyderabad, Mannvikas Samajik Sansthan based in Satara in Maharashtra, Indian Society of Agri-Business Professionals and the Mysore Resettlement and Development Agency in Bangalore.

The move to allow NGOs to set up community radio stations was made by the ministry last year when it broadbased its policy to include them besides educational institutes and agricultural organisations.

Most NGOs that have applied with the ministry are looking at reaching out to remote areas. “TERI will be basing its radio station in Mukteshwar in Suti, Uttarakhand. We are planning to involve farmers and the youth in the area in creating the right content for the radio station. Dissemination of education and agriculture-based information will be our focus area. TERI hopes to contribute to the already robust community training programme in the country,” said an official associated with TERI.

Other agencies approved of include Krishi Vigyan Kendras and several educational institutes. Now, there are some 27 community radio stations in the country. The ministry plans to push up the figure and is organising workshops in different parts of the country to explain how the system is set up. Their efforts seem to be paying off with hundreds of applications with them now from across the country save Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East.

Setting up a community radio requires clearances from both the Defence ministry and Ministry of Home Affairs and these do not come easily for insurgency affected areas.

Source: Indian Express
From:http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/155365/1/