The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday approved a comprehensive and integrated socio-economic development project for Mizoram, involving a cost of over Rs 2,873 crore over a period of five years. The programme that will benefit 1.20 lakh families, will be implemented under the new land use policy of the state government, an official statement said.It envisages switching people involved in Jhum cultivation to permanent livelihood activities with ownership of land, access to link roads, irrigation and water harvesting and all this at a remunerative price for produces.Jhum cultivation or shifting cultivation is a prevalent practice in North-eastern states and it involves clearance of forest on sloppy land, drying and burning debris and cropping.After harvest, land is left fallow and cultivators repeat the process in a new plot designated for the year for Jhum cultivation. People involved in Jhum cultivation are called Jhumia.The integrated socio-economic development project for Mizoram under new land use policy seeks to increase income by 7-10 times through agri-horticultural activities, animal husbandry, fisheries, agro forestry etc, the statement said.The overall growth of the economy in the state will increase to 16 per cent from 6 per cent at present in the next 10 years, it added.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Trade unions call for shutdown against price rise on September 7
New Delhi, July 15 (ANI): Trade unions of the country including Congress party-backed INTUC (Indian National Trade Union Congress) will go on a day-long strike against price rise and other policies of the Central Government on September 7.Addressing a national convention of trade unions here on Thursday, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said this will be the biggest ever strike of the workers."All the central and trade unions together, including the INTUC, are going for a one-day strike primarily against price rise, against retrenchment, against underpayment, against poverty, against many of economic policies of the government, and it is going to be the biggest ever held worker's strike in the country," said Dasgupta.Members and leaders of INTUC, AITUC, Hind Mazdoor Sabah (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) and Labour Progressive Front (LPF) participated in the convention.Earlier on June 25, a ministerial panel headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had lifted the pricing controls on petroleum following which the price of petrol went up by Rs 3.50 a litre.The Government hiked the prices of diesel by Rs.2 a litre, kerosene by Rs.3 a litre and cooking gas by Rs.35 per cylinder. (ANI)
