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Municipal finance board chairman stresses on energy conservation through LED lights

Friday, 03 January 2014 10:27 administrator
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The Times of India               03.01.2014

Municipal finance board chairman stresses on energy conservation through LED lights

VADODARA: Gujarat Municipal Finance Board (GMFB) chairman Vijah Rupani stressed on the need to reduce the energy bills of civic bodies. Rupani began his round of visiting municipal corporations and holding meetings with municipality functionaries from Vadodara on Wednesday.

At a meeting of Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) functionaries, Rupani suggested that civic bodies should switch over to LED fittings from conventional streetlight sources. He said that LED lighting involved lower energy consumption and was also low on maintenance.

Rupani also asked the civic bodies to ensure employment generation through the Ummeed programme of the state government. He also suggested that pay and use toilet blocks should be encouraged. Rupani suggested that the plans of the VMC to spruce up its gardens and ponds should be taken up as special projects and separate grants should be sought.

According to Rupani, the state government had given grants to the tune of Rs 5,500 crore to municipal corporations in the state. He added that the budget of the GMFB was around Rs 110 crore at one point of time, but this had gone up to Rs 5,500 crore now.

 

Vegetables at Doorstep Soon

Thursday, 02 January 2014 12:03 administrator
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The New Indian Express              02.01.2014 

Vegetables at Doorstep Soon

If consumers find purchasing vegetables a big pain in the neck or just do not have the time to visit market or  skills to pick the freshest vegetables from crowded market places, here is some good news to them.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, in coordination with the state marketing department, will launch an initiative, ‘Manakuragayalu’, to provide vegetables at people’s doorstep in about 100 locations in the twin cities.

The fresh vegetables on wheels will involve unemployed youth forming into self help groups and sell fresh vegetables grown by farmers and farming entrepreneurs.

The directorate of marketing has identified as many as 100 locations to sell fresh vegetables at citizens’ doorstep. The department will act a facilitator between  farmers and consumers as direct marketing of vegetable produce will eliminate middlemen and makes the farmer directly responsible for selling his/her produce through SHGs who, in turn, will sell to the consumers at their doorstep.

Chief executive officer (CEO), Rythu Bazaar, MK Singh told Express that the initiative would have three benefits. Farmers in the cluster of Rangareddy and Medak districts will supply freshly harvested vegetables to unemployed youth (SHGs), who collect vegetables from farms and carry them to the designated mobile vegetable sales outlets listed out by the department and sell the vegetables in retail which will be cheaper than the market price.

‘’We are in the process of finalising the details with the GHMC shortly and the initiative will be launched on Ugadi’’ Singh added.    

The consumers will get quality of vegetables at cheaper rates. The prices will be a little higher than those at Rythu Bazaars but the vegetables can be bought at one’s doorstep, he added.

The GHMC will provide bank linkage to the SHGs for purchasing vehicles by providing 50 percent loan subsidy and will identify 100 groups for selling vegetables,  additional commissioner (UCD) D.Jayaraj Kennedy said.

GHMC officials said that the dreams of farmers and unemployed youth would come true by fetching them better rate and offering lower prices to consumers, thus avoiding exploitation by middlemen.

Chief secretary PK Mohanty is keen on the scheme and wants the GHMC and marketing department to start the process at the earliest. The two held a meeting at the HGHMC’s head office near Tank Bund on Tuesday to discuss the nitty-gritty of the operations.

 

Civic body plans sports policy

Saturday, 28 December 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Times of India            28.12.2013   

Civic body plans sports policy

NASHIK: Mayor Yatin Wagh called a meeting of the city's sports associations on Friday, inviting suggestions from them for a proposed sports policy by the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC).

Wagh said, "The objective in preparing a sports policy is to promote sports in the city. Suggestions made by the associations about infrastructure facilities, financial assistance, sports festivals, appointment of dieticians for players etc., will be incorporated in the proposed policy. Written suggestions by sports enthusiasts will also be accepted."

Rajendra Satpurkar a member of the Body Building Association said, "The NMC must conduct sports competitions at the district-level to promote local sportspersons. The gymnasiums are constructed by the NMC and adequate equipment is provided to these gymnasiums, however they are not maintained properly. The management of these gymnasiums should therefore be given to sports associations."

Arjun Tile, an office-bearer of the National Congress Party ( NCP) said, "There is a large number of gardens, but playgrounds are less. So, the NMC must focus on developing more playgrounds and set up a sports development committee at prabhag-level."

Santosh Mandale, an office-bearer of a sports associations said, "There is a need for proper training for players by the municipal corporation. The NMC must adopt the players who shine at the state, national and international levels."

Deepak Sonawane of the Maharashtra Body Building Association said, "Apart from the training, a nutritious diet for the players is also needed. So a special dietician must be appointed by the civic body to provide dietary tips to players."

Prashant Bhabad of the Kabaddi association said that a special committee of sports experts should be set up to chalk out the sports policy of the municipal corporation. He added that a provision of funds should be made in the NMC's budget.

The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) is planning to come out with a sports policy to promote sports in the city.

The city mayor Yatin Wagh, who had called the meeting of sports associations on Friday said that the suggestions made by them would be incorporated in the proposed policy.

Wagh said, "The objective in preparing sports policy is to promote sports in the city. The suggestions made by the associations like infrastructure facilities, financial assistance, organizing sports festivals, appointment of dietician for players etc would be incorporated in the proposed policy. Moreover, the written suggestions by sports-lovers will also be accepted."

Earlier, while discussing the issue, Rajendra Satpurkar of the body building association said, "NMC must conduct various sports competitions at district-level to promote sportspersons. Moreover, the gymnasiums are constructed by the NMC and adequate equipments are also provided to gymnasiums, but they are not maintained properly. Hence, management of these gymnasiums be given to sports associations so that they will be maintained properly."

Arjun Tile, an office-bearer of the National Congress Party (NCP) said, "There are large numbers of gardens in the city, but playgrounds are very less. Hence, the NMC must focus on developing more playgrounds and set up sports development committee at prabhag-level.

Santosh Mandale, an office-bearer of one of the sports associations said, "There is need to create players and proper training be imported to them by the municipal corporation. Moreover, the NMC must adopt the players who shine at state, national and international levels."

Deepak Sonawane of Maharashtra Body Building Association said, "Apart from training, nutritious diet is also needed to players. Hence, special dietician be appointed by the municipal corporation to provide dietary tips to players.

Prashant Bhabad of Kabaddi association said suggested setting up special committee of sport experts to chalk out the sports policy of the municipal corporation and the provision of funds be made in the budget of NMC.

 
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