Mizoram’s NLUP Land Policy Benefits

By Kaushik Deka

Mizoram tops in agriculture in small states list

H. Liansailova, 69 The agriculture minister is the architect of farm reforms. Do it different The New Land Use Policy (NLUP) of 2009, to reduce areas under jhum cultivation and increase rice production. HOW THEY DID IT Under NLUP, a Rs. 1-lakh incentive was given to farmers to shift from jhum cultivation to terrace agriculture. They were also provided highly subsidised power tillers, tractors as well as free irrigation facilities.

Kapzela C., a 64-year-old farmer from Aizawl, would only get a yield of 1,500 kg paddy from his six bigha farm land. In the last two years, his paddy produce has gone up to 3,000 kg. He even successfully experimented with winter crops this year, growing 2,000 kg of cabbages and 400 kg of onions by cultivating just half a bigha.

In 2012, he plans to sow onions in winter in the whole farm. "Like many others, I used to do jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation.

Government officials first persuaded me to take to terrace agriculture, which helps conserve soil and maintaining fertility. It protects the forest cover too. I'm now a responsible farmer," says Kapzela.

Mizoram's flagship New Land Use Policy (NLUP) for agriculture and allied sectors introduced in 2009 has changed the lives of farmers such as Kapzela. As the state suffers from water scarcity, farmers are provided funds to build water harvesting structures and given free irrigation facility through drip or micro sprinkler system. "I did not have to worry about anything. I got even the slake lime, which is used to reduce the acidity of the farm land, free from government," says Kapzela.

The government's Watershed Development Programme for Shifting Cultivation Areas under NLUP not only encourages farmers to shift from jhum to wet rice cultivation (WRC) or terrace agriculture but offers assistance of Rs. 1 lakh to those whose only source of income is farming.

Between 2010 and 2011, the government distributed 350 power tillers at 75 per cent subsidy and 50 tractors with assistance of up to Rs. 2 lakh.

The results are showing. The area under jhum cultivation has decreased from 44,947 hectares in 2007 to 28,735 in 2011. The WRC area has increased from 9,594 hectares in 2007 to 12,130 hectares in 2011. The state produced 52,000 metric tonnes of rice this year, a 10 per cent increase over production in 2010-11.

Agriculture Minister H. Liansailova is pushing for more. "There is still a 75 per cent gap between total rice production and total demand in the state, where 60 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture. We need to narrow it significantly," he says.

Meet the Lovely And Talented: Nargis Fakhri

Introducing Nargis Fakhri

Nargis! The name rings a thousand bells in the heart of every Bollywood buff. Nargis Fakhri may not be aware of the gravity that one relates to her first name, but she's really got the looks to be the coveted cherry on Bollywood pastries. One of America's top fashion models, Fakhri, last Friday, made her debut in one of the most anticipated Bollywood movies of the year, 'Rockstar'. She played the strong and libertine Heer, who falls in love with an adorable aspiring musician, Janardan, played by Ranbir Kapoor. It was RK and Nargis! Again!

Nargis was born in New York on October 20, 1979 to a Pakistani father and a Czech mother.

Nargis is an established model.

Her ticket to fame was the television show 'America's Next Top Model'.

After leaving the show, she started out with L.A. based Ford Models agency. She trotted the globe featuring in various international Ads for Platinum Jewellery, Herbal Essence, Pantene, Sony Vaio, Subway, Jeep and Ponds.

Her tryst with India began when she was featured in Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar 2009.

She has been the cover girl for Vanidades, Image, Shape and recently Vogue.

'I can speak German, Spanish and even a bit of Greek. It took me just three months to pick up Hindi,' says Nargis.

Tension in Mizoram Border After Mob Rampage

Aizawl, Nov 14 : Tension continues to simmer along the Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi district after goons gheraoed Bairabi police station and damaged at least four police vehicles in northwest Mizoram last night.

A large number of goons, numbering about 200, had tried to storm the police station.

The goons, claiming their loyalty to a few NGOs in Mizoram, had gathered in front of the police station around 6pm yesterday, where a peace meeting between police officials of both the states was in progress.

The meeting was arranged in a bid to curb the tension in the aftermath of an assault on a few Mizo police personnel in Hailakandi district on Friday night.

The three jawans, belonging to 21 Assam Rifles and a Rashtriya Rifles battalion deployed in Mizoram, suffered injuries when some irate policemen from Assam beat them up after they refused to carry a load of vegetables to a nearby camp of the 21 IRB battalion.

According to official reports from Mizoram, the meeting had begun on a cordial note, but had to be stopped midway when the goons stormed the police station.

They also damaged four vehicles parked in front of the station.

The deputy superintendent of police in Hailakandi district, Khalilur Rahaman, and three of his colleagues, who were a part of the meeting, managed to save themselves from the wrath of the goons as they hid in a room.

Mizoram police later escorted them out of the police station.

N.K. Nath, officer-in-charge of the police station, said over telephone this morning that tension persisted after the incident.

The three injured jawans were shifted from Bhairabhi health clinic to an Aizawl hospital yesterday.

Source: Telegraph India

Manipur Rice At Par With Japanese in Taste

By Sobhapati Samom
 


Imphal, Nov 14 : Manipur’s scented black rice, popularly known as Chakhao in local tongue, has similar food value and taste with Japanese variety rice which is being sold at Rs 400 per kilogram in New Delhi, said Dr SV Ngachan, Director, Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) for NE Hill Region.

Dr Ngachan was sharing his view during a day-long field day on rice cum farmers fair at ICAR complex here. He said, “ the farmers and concerned authorities need to explore the market potentials besides upgrading technologies in their farming activities”.

He also informed the gathering that ICAR has a new Tribal Support Programme under National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) which can be adopted in upland areas where farmers face water scarcity.

Tripura has become the most productive State as their farmers practise improved farming technology, he said. He asserted that an integrated approach of various farming systems and linkages with various line departments besides increasing yield to 1.7 metric tonnes per hectare would help Manipur to achieve self-sufficiency in food production.

The State has deficits in production of pulses (10 per cent), meat (32 per cent), fish (50 percent), eggs(46 per cent, milk (60 per cent). The State surplus only in production of pork meat.

With the per capita annual requirement of rice in Manipur being roughly 200 kilos, the deficit of the State stands at 65,000 metric tonnes, according to Agriculture Director L Palendro.

Manipur was ranked eighth in all India level during the 10th Plan. However, the State is deficient in rice production. “But we can overcome the deficit if the farmers increases pre-Kharif rice farming area to 10,000 hectares besides using SRI (System of Rice Intensification) method”, Palendro said. The State has an estimated cultivable area of around two lakh hectares.

He urged the farmers to cultivate mustard after paddy cultivation using zero tillage method which is now widely and successfully adopted at Maklang area of Imphal West district. He also appealed to the farmers to adopt balanced use of fertilisers.

Earlier, State Agriculture Minister Ph Parijat opened the farmers fair where Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Churachandpur was adjudged the best among the five KVKs. More than a hundred farmers from different districts of Manipur attended the field day on rice cum farmers fair.

New Trains For Northeast India

New Delhi, Nov 13 : The Union Minister of Railways Dinesh Trivedi Friday announced the introduction of 26 new trains, extension of rail lines of eight trains and increase in frequency of five trains. Out of the 26 new trains to be introduced two would be for North-East India, namely Guwahati-Dimapur Express and Jaipur-Kamakhya Kavi Guru Express.

The 15669/15670 Guwahati-Dimapur Express will run on daily basis while the 19709/10710 Jaipur-Kamakhya Kavi Guru Express will run on weekly basis. 

Addressing a press conference, the Minister said : "The 26 new trains will be flagged off within a week or so by the local public representatives from different stations. The extension of trains and increase in frequency of trains will, however, is implemented with immediate effect."

In the Railway Budget 2011-12, announcement for introduction of 132 new trains, extension of 33 trains and increase in frequency of 22 existing trains was made. Of these, 42 new trains have been introduced, 24 trains extensions and 13 increase in frequency of existing trains has been implemented.

In order to cater to the surge of passenger traffic that is seasonal in nature, Indian Railways has followed a strategy of running trains on demand.

Recognizing the need to bridge the extremely large gap between supply and demand on one hand and limitations of terminal capacity and line capacity on the railways on the other, a close watch is kept on the wait-list of passengers as well as on important social and cultural events in the region.

Exercising operational innovations by way of utilizing spare maintenance capacity and ensuring optimum utilization of assets, special trains are run to the maximum extent feasible for clearance of passenger traffic. Special trains are run not only on traditional festivals and holidays but for also on region specific cultural events like Urs festival at Ajmer and the Durga Puja/Diwali and Chhat festivals.

Between April to September 2011, Railways carried approximately 4120.8 million passengers, which is 5.47% higher than the 3907 million passengers carried during corresponding period of last year. In case of originating passenger earnings, between April-September 2011, Railways have achieved originating earnings of approximately Rs. 14017.7 crore, which is 10.47% higher than the originating earnings of Rs. 12688.8 crore during corresponding period of last year.

Keeping in view the consistent and substantial growth in passenger traffic, Indian Railways will endeavor to introduce new trains, increase frequency of train services and extend some existing trains as announced in the Railway Budget 2011-12 during the course of the financial year and will also run special trains during important festivals and peak seasons this year.

Megan Fox's Super Sexy Makeup Ad

Megan Fox Goes Sexy For Glamorous Armani Makeup Ads

Megan Fox stars as a glamorous, '50s-style siren in her new ad for Armani Beauty.

In the commercial for the new Armani "Designing Lift" foundation, Fox channels Elizabeth Taylor, the Daily Mail says, with her dark hair coiffed into glamorous waves. Her shoulders are bare and dark makeup lines her eyes as the camera captures her in gauzy color.

Fox was previously the face of Armani's jeans, which you might remember from those devilishly sexy ads featuring Fox frolicking in her lacy underthings. She's since been dropped in favor of Rihanna, but we might like Fox's more subtle turn as a beauty model even more.

Model Lara Stone served as spokesmodel for the Giorgio Armani cosmetics line before Fox took over the crown last year.

Check out our screenshots of Megan and watch the commercial below.

 

Movie Made By Real Navy SEALs!

Even as we thank our troops for their selfless bravery overseas, it's hard to imagine what those acts of bravery actually entail. So, as we continue the Veterans Day celebration into the weekend, there's no better time to take a real glimpse into the battles we usually only read about.

There are plenty of war films, but "Act of Valor" stands above the rest: it stars actual Navy SEALs. It began as a Navy recruitment video, but eventually grew into a full-on feature, directed by Mike "Mouse" McCoy and Scott Waugh. The plot concerns the rescue of a CIA agent and a web of terrorist plots that must be taken down, and the action is as intense as the screen will allow.

This second trailer was revealed during the 2011 Quicken Loans Carrier Classic, a college basketball game between North Carolina and Michigan State that took place aboard the USS Carl Vinson on Friday evening. The film hits theaters in February.

Manny Pacquiao Defeats Juan Manuel Marquez In Controversial Fight Decision

By TIM DAHLBERG

LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao was taken to the limit Saturday night before escaping with a majority decision win over Juan Manuel Marquez in their welterweight title fight.

Pacquiao won on two scorecards, while the third ringside judge had it a draw. It was a narrow escape for the Filipino congressman, who took as much punishment as he got over 12 rounds.

The third fight between the two was as close as the previous two, and by the time they finished 12 arounds the outcome was still in doubt. Pacquiao won some rounds with sheer agression, while Marquez won others with brilliant counterpunching, keeping Pacquiao from getting inside.

Marquez was a 7-1 underdog, but it was clear early he would be in this fight. He picked Pacquiao apart with right hands almost every time he tried to get inside, and landed good hard flurries throughout the fight.

Pacquiao was the aggressor throughout, and landed some sharp punches of his own. But when the decision was announced, the crowd booed roundly and, once again Marquez had lost a close fight.

One ringside judge had it a 114-114 draw, while two others favored Pacquiao by 115-113 and 116-112. The Associated Press had it 114-114.

The sellout crowd at the MGM Grand arena threw bottles and cans toward ringside after the decision was announced, with one full can hitting a ringside writer. Marquez, who had been bitter about the scoring in the first two fights, stormed out of the ring.

Pacquiao continued his remarkable run with the win, but it didn't come easy. He had trouble all night finding his range and, when he did get inside, Marquez often moved to the side and landed a counter right hand.

It was the third close fight between the two men, though this one was fought at 144 pounds instead of 125 as was their first fight seven years ago. That fight was a draw, while Pacquiao won a split decision in the second bout in 2008 at 130 pounds.

"My fans are very happy because they thought I won," Pacquiao said when asked about the crowd reaction.

Marquez fought going backward all night, and that might have been his undoing. While he landed well at times, Pacquiao was in his face most of the night.

"I got robbed," Marquez said. "I don't know what else I can do to win."

Pacquiao earned a minimum $22 million for the fight, while Marquez got $5 million

Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez

Manny Pacquiao celebrates his majority decision victory against Juan Manuel Marquez in the WBO world welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 12, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.