RURAL LOCAL BODIES
Not politics, not interest rates: India's surging economy at risk from water
India is facing a growing water crisis, with the country's growing water stress potentially impacting its growth. The country's growing water stress could affect agricultural production and industrial operations, leading to food inflation and declines in income for affected businesses and workers, especially farmers. Contaminated water kills about 200,000 Indians each year, and the government is focusing on conserving the resource, recycling waste water, and reducing the country's over-reliance on the annual monsoon, especially in the agricultural sector.
Lonavala Viral Video: Five family members swept away at Lonavala waterfall, body of 1 missing children found
Lonavala Viral Video: A heart-wrenching video of the incident showed a group of 9-10 persons, including those who lost their lives, stranded in the middle of a stream with flood waters gushing down and crying for help while their relatives and other bystanders asking them to hold on to each other.
Under-construction bridge collapses in Bihar's Motihari, third one in less than a week
An under-construction small bridge collapsed in Ghorasahan block, East Champaran district, Bihar. No casualties. Departmental inquiry initiated. District Magistrate investigating locals' objections.
Gather the drops, make a wave
With a budget of $51 bn, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is working towards realising the vision of 'Har Ghar Jal', and laying the foundation for a sustainable, equitable water future. However, water security goes beyond mere access. It necessitates fostering a holistic ecosystem where access is not just granted but also perpetuated through continuous efforts. By putting communities at the heart of the change process, we can make a difference.
Home-grown feasts: How Goans once raised pigs & prepared them for festivals
Today, pigs are also disappearing from public sight. A few are still home-raised, but the government is promoting pig farms where rearing happens in intensive conditions, with far more cruelty to the animals. Instead of recycling wastes, they are given specialised feeds, whose production has greater environmental costs. Local breeds like Agonda pigs are being replaced by the Large White (Yorkshire) and Duroc breeds suited for factory farming.
In Gurgaon, BJP paints Inderjit and Raj Babbar's clash as local vs outsider
Gurgaon's diverse contest features BJP's Rao Inderjit Singh against Congress' Raj Babbar, Jannayak Janta Party's Fazilpuria, and Kusheshwar Bhagat. Singh emphasizes 'native vs outsider' while Babbar focuses on civic issues.
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Rs 7,000 cr of exports a year: How the small town of Bhadohi in UP became a global carpet powerhouse
Bhadohi, the carpet capital of India, boasts a rich history of carpet weaving dating back to the Iranian master weavers in the 16th century. The town's success lies in its blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies, offering unique handmade carpets to global markets.
India's Panchayati Raj system highlights strides made in women's leadership: Ruchira Kamboj
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, highlighted the significant progress in women's leadership within India's Panchayati Raj system. Speaking at a #CPD57 side event, she praised the system's decentralised power structure, facilitating active participation from all residents through the Gram Sabha. Kamboj noted the constitutional amendment mandating one-third of all elected roles be reserved for women, leading to 50% representation in 21 states. She emphasized women's transformative impact, integrating gender considerations into local planning for inclusive and sustainable outcomes.
Amit Shah holding road show in Bangalore Rural as BJP-JD(S) workers are not united there: DK Shivakumar
Addressing reporters here, he said JD(S) workers are also in a state of confusion in the Bangalore Rural segment, and people there know well about D K Suresh and Shivakumar. "They (BJP-JDS) want to show their strength and that they are united by bringing Amit Shah there. Why didn't they hold both parties' joint workers' meetings till now? Just because the leaders have come together will the workers come together?" he asked, as he expressed confidence about his brother's win from the segment once again.
Clean air good for body'n'business
Delhi is the most polluted capital city, and 83 of the 100 most polluted cities in the world are in this country. According to The Lancet, pollution led to more than 2.3 mn premature deaths in India. Such an environmental crisis makes a mockery of the 'ease of living' index and is no help to any 'ease of doing business' index either.
Deepak Shenoy likes to buy more when stocks go up and not only on dips: Here's why
Deepak Shenoy, founder of Capital Mind, shares insights on India's infrastructure changes and the challenges faced by the fintech industry. He discusses potential regulations in the hospital space and the impact on pricing. He also highlights the importance of buffers in investment portfolios to address market illiquidity. He says: "We would like to buy more when the stocks go up rather than just on declines."
Global audit framework for local bodies in the works: CAG
Apex auditors, including India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Girish Chandra Murmu, are developing an international framework for auditing regional and municipal bodies to assess their performance. India aims to host a conference in September to deliberate on a preliminary draft of auditing standards for such entities.
Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Renault post the highest-ever share of sales from rural markets in 2023
Senior industry executives ET spoke to said even in the rural markets, the gap in incomes between varied sets of consumers has been triggering demand more at the higher end of the market, which is expected to eventually percolate down and make broad based the recovery over the next few quarters.
Passenger vehicle sales in local market reach new heights in 2023
Vinod Aggarwal, President, SIAM said, “Year 2023 has been reasonably satisfactory for the automobile sector, as passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and two-wheelers posted single digit growth, while three- wheelers have made a very good recovery. Various schemes of Government of India that have been operational now, are showing good results, and is also helping the auto industry to seamlessly transform to new powertrain realms.”
Final bodies found after China's most serious earthquake in a decade
The earthquake, whose epicentre straddled Qinghai and Gansu, was the most serious in China since a magnitude 6.5 temblor struck the southwestern province of Yunnan in 2014 and killed 617 people.
ET Awards for Corporate Excellence: HDFC Bank focuses on social interest margin
HDFC Bank, India's largest private sector bank, created value and extended support to its various stakeholders in FY23. It provided banking services to over 80 million customers through its 7,821 branches. While doing so, the bank did not face regulatory clampdowns nor did it pay penalties or fines. With a corporate social responsibility (CSR) kitty of over ₹800 crore, the bank could also make a significant contribution to community development.
Hero MotoCorp sees 26% jump in festive rural sales
Hero MotoCorp, India's largest two-wheeler maker, witnessed a 26% growth in its secondary network, primarily based in tier II and III cities and rural areas, during the 42-day festive period ending on November 15. The company reported an overall 20% YoY increase in sales, reaching a record 1.4 million units during the festive season.
Local body polls likely to be delayed in Jammu & Kashmir
The Union Territory's administration is considering the delimitation exercise for municipal wards and panchayat segments in the backdrop of a delimitation exercise that was carried out by the Election Commission for assembly and parliamentary seats, said the officials, requesting anonymity.
Health of rural development institutions fragile; lack financial viability: N K Singh
Nayyar, an economist, had retired as the Principal Advisor, Rural Development, in the erstwhile Planning Commission in 2005. She is known for her contributions to the academic literature, policy making, including rural employment guarantee scheme MNREGA, and institution building in the context of rural development in India.
Amazon confirms India Satcom plans, looks to bring affordable broadband to rural areas
Amazon has expressed its interest in bringing affordable broadband to India by entering the country's satcom market. The company's Project Kuiper aims to provide fast and affordable broadband to underserved communities, including rural areas. Amazon is currently in the process of obtaining the necessary approvals from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre and is expected to apply for a GMPCS license from the telecommunications department.
Karnataka reserves 33% urban, rural local body seats for OBCs
The Karnataka Cabinet has approved 33% of seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in urban local bodies and panchayats. This decision follows the recommendations made by the Justice Bhaktavatsala Commission, which relied on caste census data to determine the quota. The Cabinet also announced the reservation of the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in Bengaluru civic body BBMP for OBC communities.
BJP releases manifesto for Bengal panchayat polls, promises corruption-free rural body
The West Bengal BJP unit on Tuesday released the party's manifesto for the July 8 panchayat polls and promised corruption-free village councils and infrastructure push in rural Bengal. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar released the manifesto along with Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari and BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh.
PM Modi boosts rural economy by integrating eGramSwaraj - GeM on National Panchayati Raj Day
The eGramSwaraj–GeM Integration is aimed at enabling Panchayats to procure their goods and services through GeM leveraging the eGramSwaraj platform. The integration will encourage Panchayats to adopt digital procurement and payment platforms, and will also benefit local sellers by opening new markets for them. This initiative will give a major boost to the rural economy and entrepreneurship, and will also strengthen the Digital India Program.
Nagaland to hold Urban Local Bodies polls with 33% reservation for women on May 16
In the 2017 election to these bodies with reservation was opposed by several groups. They opposed it on grounds that it infringed the special provisions granted to Nagaland under Article 371(A) of the Constitution. In the violence and series of vandalism and arson two people were killed while large scale damage to government properties took place. Then chief minister T R Zeliang had to resign.
FinMin releases Rs 4,189 crore as rural local bodies grant to 5 states
This grant is based on the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission and are released to the states as per the advice of the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation for making improvements in two services -- sanitation and maintenance of Open-Defecation Free (ODF) status and supply of drinking water, rain water harvesting and water recycling.
BJP faces inflation heat ahead of local body polls in Karnataka
The ruling BJP in Karnataka faces an immediate threat as elections are due in Bengaluru for its civic body, and for panchayat bodies across the state. The party is trying hard to wriggle out of the legal mess that has arisen after the Supreme Court recently ruled that the state election authorities must conduct urban and rural local body polls on expiry of their terms.
Finance Ministry releases Rs 13,386 crore to 25 states as grant to RLBs
Tied grants are meant to ensure the availability of additional funds to the rural local bodies over and above the funds allocated by the Centre and states for sanitation and drinking water under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
Utilisation of COVID grants to UP govt under cloud
The utilisation of Rs 1,441 crore received by the Uttar Pradesh government under grants for rural local bodies appears to be under a cloud after the Centre expedited the payment considering the urgent need of resources to fight the second wave of Covid-19.
Centre expedites release of Rs 8,924 crore of rural local body grants to 25 states
This marked the first instalment of untied grants for the ongoing fiscal, released to the states for the village, block and district level of panchayati raj institutions, said a finance ministry statement on Sunday.
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