Urban News

Source : The Hindu Date : 29.06.2009

Corporation to promote homestead farming

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city Corporation is planning to distribute free saplings of curry leaves and drumstick to the residents as part of its efforts to promote homestead farming.

The residents who are not into full-fledged homestead farming but who have the scope for planting odd saplings in their plot can avail of the free saplings from the Corporation.

The scheme for distribution of free saplings has featured in the first phase of the People’s Plan Campaign, which has been approved by the District Planning Committee. Around Rs.1 lakh has been earmarked for the curry leaves and drumstick sapling distribution scheme.

“The Corporation is evolving projects to promote homestead and terrace farming among city residents and this scheme is part of this effort. As of now, we depend entirely on vegetables brought from Tamil Nadu.

Often the transportation and storing of these vegetables badly affect their quality, especially leafy vegetables like curry leaves. Through this scheme, we are aiming at attaining self-sufficiency at least in these two plants which are an essential ingredient of our cuisine and also have herbal properties,” said Corporation development standing committee chairman K.O. Asokan.

Under the scheme, every household will be given two saplings of curry leaves and drumstick each. Mr. Asokan said the Corporation had already asked the agriculture Deputy Director to make available the saplings from nurseries.

“Initially, we have ordered 40,000 saplings for 10,000 households. After we receive applications from the beneficiaries, this figure will be raised, if needed. Applications will be collected from each ward by the councillors who will discuss the scheme at the ward meetings. We are hoping to distribute the saplings within a month,” he said.

Before the distribution of saplings, the beneficiary list will have to be approved by the Corporation council. Although the beneficiaries will have to buy the manure and pesticide for themselves, the Corporation will provide the service of agriculture officers if needed, Mr. Asokan said.

The Corporation has set apart funds for the agriculture sector under the first phase of the Plan Campaign this year. Other than the sapling distribution scheme, the local body has earmarked around Rs.87 lakh for projects under the sector, including integrated paddy cultivation project and integrated plantain cultivation project.

Around Rs.1.36 lakh has been set apart for integrated mushroom cultivation programme, to be implemented through self-help groups, while around Rs.60 lakh has been earmarked for integrated terrace farming project

Source : The Hindu Date : 25.06.2009

GVMC general body meet today

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: The general body meeting of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation is scheduled for Thursday, after a gap of nearly six months. The Congress that has a majority in the council will obviously be facing the meeting with a newfound confidence that comes from the victory in the general elections. The Congress enjoys the support of independents that gives it the required numbers.

When the Congress managed to retain its hold in the 2007 elections after it became Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, the TDP members underlined the prop of the independents and pinned their hopes on the TDP returning to power to turn the tables. That, however, turned out to be wishful thinking. Besides, the State government has brought in a rule raising the period for bringing a ‘no confidence’ motion from three to four years apparently to prevent destabilisation.

However, the Mayor faced strong opposition within Congress when a section of corporators pressed for his replacement early last year. The move took a backseat with the district in-charge Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana ruling out any change and effecting a patch-up.

Pleasure trip

With the general body meeting approaching, Mr. Janardhana Rao had recently arranged a pleasure trip -- a river cruise on the Godavari -- to party corporators.

Among the issues that are likely to dominate the meeting is the development of nine municipal sites in public private partnership that has been hanging fire for some time. The cash-strapped corporation needs to find money to fund several of its plans, particularly under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, and sees the development of these sites as one option. The allotment of an alternative site to the food court, proposed on the Beach Road, may also come up in the meeting. An earlier site allotted had been cancelled following protests from Congressmen and taking up construction of a memorial for the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as the foundation was laid long back.