Net gain for farmers

CHANDIGARH: Benefiting the farmers and unemployed youth in the state, the Himachal Pradesh government is starting AGRISNET to provide information about various procedures as well as financial help in areas like agriculture, fisheries, horticulture and animal husbandry.
Additional director IT JM Pathania told The Times of India: "This will save the farmers from the botheration of running from one government office to the other to get clarifications in agri-related areas.They would be able to know about the diseases that affect the crop, the financial support schemes they can benefit from and get guidance under the horticulture technology mission once the AGRISNET is operational and linked to the state wide-area network (SWAN)."
The Union ministry of agriculture and cooperation has approved Rs 1.32 crore for the implementation of phase of the AGRISNET. Once it is functional, any farmer in a remote village can, on demand, get information on cropping strategy for farmers based on integrated information on soils, weather, and fertiliser doses for different crops, control measures for pests and diseases and integrated pest management.
Officials said access to information and improved communication is a crucial requirement for sustainable agriculture development. Modern technology when applied to conditions in rural areas can help improve communication, increase participation, disseminate information and share knowledge and skills. It is essential that information availability is demand driven rather than supply driven. The challenge is not only to improve the accessibility of communication technology to rural population but also to improve the relevance to local development particularly in the field of agriculture, they said.
To sustain self-sufficiency in food, it is essential that the farming community becomes the most wired society. Information on prevailing prices of various farm equipment, products and series of such information can lead to most efficient yield and optimum cost benefit to the farmers. The same needs to be put in a user-friendly way using IT so it is beneficial to the farmers/livestock breeders.
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Motor vehicle inspector in the red
The action has been taken on the basis on an inquiry report submitted by UT vigilance, in which the officer was held guilty.
By Sukhbir Siwach/TNN
CHANDIGARH: In a significant development, the UT administration has framed charges against motor vehicle inspector (pollution) Vinod Sharma for concealing facts regarding himself, including charges of rape, at the time of joining service.
The action has been taken on the basis on an inquiry report submitted by UT vigilance, in which the officer was held guilty. However, Sharma, who is also the officiating assistant secretary of State Transport Authority, termed the allegations baseless, raising question over action being taken against him after 15 years of service.
Before joining as MVI, Sharma was working in the Indian Air Force. According to charges, Sharma was booked in a rape case under Sections 376, 511, 452 and 354 of IPC in 1990 while he was posted at Ambala Cantt in the Air Force. But at the time of joining duty with the UT administration, he did not inform the competent authority about the case even though he was appearing before the court till his acquittal on October 11, 1994. Sharma, however, claimed that the case was wrong as proved by the fact that he continued to serve in the Air Force, and was now a pensioner.
Another charge mentioned in the report against Sharma is that he was not having a heavy goods vehicle licence till last date of submission of his application form in 1991, as was the requirement. Sharma reasoned that he got the licence before the interview for the post and it was the selection committee's duty to see his eligibility.
Sharma had submitted his application under the ex-servicemen category and had claimed age relaxation for the same.