Kurukshetra seeks to carry the message of Rural Development to all people. It serves as a forum for free, frank and serious discussion on the problems of Rural Development with special focus on Rural Uplift.

KURUKSHETRA (ENGLISH) - APRIL 2012

• Rural Focus of Budget 2012-13 - G.Srinivasan

A welcome feature is that the interest rate of 4 per cent recommended by the National Commission of Farmers headed by farm scientist and Rajya Sabha Member Dr.M.S.Swaminathan has been retained for those who are prompt in repayment of loans contracted.

The budgetary outlay for rural drinking water and sanitation is proposed to be raised from Rs. 11,000 crore in the fiscal 2011-12 to Rs. 14,000 crore.

• Union Budget 2012-13 : A Quick Review from Rural Livelihood Perspective - Dr.K.K.Tripathy

The Union Budgets of the Government during 2007-08 to 2012-13 had witnessed an impressible improvement in the expenditure on priority social sectors viz. education, health, water and sanitation, irrigation, housing and employment which have a direct and lasting impact on the human development and overall economic growth.

Critical Review of the Union Budget 2012-13 -Dr.Y.S. Shivay & Anshul Rahal

Plan outlay for Department of Agriculture and Co-operation increased by 18 per cent i.e. from Rs. 17,123 crore in 2011-12 to Rs. 20,208 crore in 2012-13.

• The Budget and Rural Development - Dr. Shahin Razi

The budget 2012 seeks to revive the growth momentum in the economy with a focus on infrastructure development, agriculture and rural economy and inclusive growth.

• Budgetary Allocation and Its Utilization MGNREGS – a View Point - Dr.S.M.Jawed Akhtar & N.P.Abdul Azeez

- The budget allocation has not been increased on the basis of the increase in the number of districts under MGNREGS.

• Second Green Revolution : Eastern States to Lead the Way - Dhurjati Mukherjee

Budget allocation for Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVVJ), increased from 400 crores to 1000 crores.

• Approaches Towards Twelfth Five Year Plan Need for Focused Attention - Arpita Sharma

- India currently has the world’s largest food insecure population with more than 260 million people facing hunger and deprivation.1

• Electricity Through Cogeneration – A Promising Development - Dr.J.R.Meshram & Gargi Malik

To meet the requirement of captive power and thermal energy, the installation of biomass cogeneration projects (excluding bagasse co-generation) is being promoted in industry, with at least 50% of power for captive use, and a provision for the surplus power to be exported to the grid.

• People’s Biodiversity Register and Tapping Indigenous Knowledge – A Case Study from Wayanad - Dr.Raju Narayana Swamy

- Important initiatives taken by the Government o India to secure natural resources include Joint Forest Management Programme since 1991, the Extension of Provisions of Panchayati Raj to Scheduled areas Act (PESA), 1996 the Biologicl Diversity Act 2002 and more recently the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006.

• Electricity from Fruits and Vegetables - S.Jothimani, M.Marimuthu & M.Paramasivan

There are six basic sources used for generating electricity. They are heat, light, friction , pressure, magnetism and chemical action. Of these, magnetism is the most important, contributing by far the largest portion of electrical production worldwide.

• Carbon Credit an Environment Mantra - Dr.R.Amsaveni & Mrs. S. Gomathi

India signed and ratified the Protocol in August, 2002 and has emerged as a world leader in reduction of greenhouse gases by adopting Clean Development Mechanisms (CDMs). India is the second largest provider of CDM project and Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) to annexure 1 countries. India is the beneficiary as far as carbon credits is concerned and is also in trading of carbon product through India’s multi commodity exchange.