Latest news with #AnuGarg
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Banks asked to achieve credit target of Rs 2.52 lakh crore in FY 2025-26
BHUBANESWAR: Development commissioner Anu Garg on Friday stressed the need to achieve 100 per cent annual credit plan (ACP) target to the tune of Rs 2.52 lakh crore for the financial year 2025-26. Addressing the 179th state level bankers' committee meeting along with the special SLBC on financial inclusion and financial literacy of Odisha here, she said the role of adequate credit is critical as Odisha marches towards 2036 with an aspiration to become a developed state. She urged the bankers to support the recently launched 'financial assistance to cold storage ' scheme, aimed at strengthening the storage ecosystem of the state to minimise the post-harvest loss and prevent distress sale by farmers, initially covering all the 58 subdivisions in the state. Executive director of UCO Bank VN Kamble appreciated the bankers for achieving a 100 per cent target in the agriculture sector, but expressed his concern for not achieving ACP in the MSME sector. He urged them to prioritise lending to MSMEs which are the major contributors to the economy. Principal secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department Arabinda Kumar Padhee called upon banks to support entrepreneurship under agriculture and allied sector. Principal secretary of Finance department Saswat Mishra emphasised on improving performance by private sector banks in government sponsored schemes like Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), PM Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme and PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi). Regional director of RBI Bhubaneswar Sarada Prasan Mohanty stressed the efforts of the lead district managers for conducting town hall meetings to resolve the issues of MSME entrepreneurs and promote government schemes at the district level. Principal secretaries Usha Padhee and Suresh Kumar Vashishth, convener of SLBC and senior bank officials were present among others.
Business Mayor
22-05-2025
- Business Mayor
Piepowder, are you?
Learning new words is always exciting, especially when their meanings are interesting. Take, for instance, the word ' piepowder '. Now, what would you think that means? Powdered pie? Uh-huh, wrong. It comes from the old French 'pie' meaning foot, and 'poudre', meaning powder or dust. Basically, when you put foot and powder together, you are referring to the dust on your feet. In English, piepowder has come to mean a traveller , especially a travelling merchant, says word expert Anu Garg. He says that in the pre-sneaker, pre- sidewalk, carriage-less era, travellers earned their name the hard way, one dusty footstep at a time. Merchants would trudge from fair to fair, handling disputes as well. Pilgrimages to sacred destinations and places of worship were undertaken on foot in earlier times as there was no other option; all pilgrims were piepowders. Even today, some devotees take a vow to trek barefoot, say, to Vaishno Devi, to Mumbai's Siddhivinayak mandir and to Kerala's Sabarimalai. Pilgrims to Sabarimalai chant 'Kallum Mullum Kaalukku Methai' – 'stones and thorns are but soft cushions to our feet' – but the mother of all walking pilgrimages is the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St James) in Spain. The journey itself is said to be a transformative experience, taking one to exalted spiritual heights, revealing deep insights. Interestingly, the Spanish name for the Milky Way is El Camino de Santiago – a medieval legend says that the Milky Way was formed from the dust raised by travelling pilgrims!
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Climate action initiative launched in Odisha
1 2 Kolkata: In a significant step towards building climate-resilient, inclusive, and low-emission development in Odisha, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management (ICAR-IIWM), recently launched the CGIAR Climate Action Program . The initiative was formally inaugurated by Anu Garg, additional chief secretary, department of water resources and development commissioner, Odisha. The event also witnessed the presence of Kamal Lochan Mishra, executive director, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), and A K Nayak, deputy director general (natural resource management), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The launch event saw a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from state departments, academic and research institutions, development agencies, and civil society organisations. Discussions centred on strengthening climate risk management , promoting digital climate services, and fostering community-led adaptation and innovation. Recognised as one of India's most climate-vulnerable states, Odisha faces frequent extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods and droughts, which threaten agriculture, water security and rural livelihoods. The CGIAR Climate Action Program aims to support Odisha's climate response by delivering science-based, technology-driven solutions and facilitating multi-stakeholder collaboration. Key focus areas include strategic foresight and early warning systems, development of low-emission food systems, climate finance mobilisation, and alignment with Odisha's state action plan on climate change. The initiative also envisions identification of priority geographies and sectors for early implementation, capacity-building initiatives involving govt, academia and civil society, establishment of an advisory group to steer implementation and scaling, and the creation of long-term partnerships and funding frameworks to ensure sustained impact.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
State joins latest edition of Jal Shakti Abhiyan
Bhubaneswar: To strengthen the water conservation initiative , the state joined the latest edition of the " Jal Shakti Abhiyan – Catch the Rain Campaign" of the Union ministry of jal shakti, which is being observed this season with yet another new theme. The annual theme, called "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari – Jan Jagrukta Ki Or" (People's Action for Water Conservation – Towards Intensified Community Connect), emphasised the importance of people's engagement at the grassroots level in the management and conservation of water resources. In a letter to all district collectors and heads of the urban local bodies, additional chief secretary, water resources department, Anu Garg wrote that the cabinet secretary already discussed the role of states for effective implementation of the campaign. "In view of the suggestions, the district collectors are hereby appointed as district nodal officers for the campaign, and urban local bodies' heads will take necessary steps in coordination with the DMs while implementing various water conservation activities," Garg wrote. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo She said under the earlier campaign, each district is targeted to create at least five artificial structures per village, while the municipal corporation is tasked with constructing 10,000 recharge structures. "You are requested to take effective steps for undertaking water conservation activities with large-scale community participation in your respective district and monitor the uploading of data on the Jal Sanchay dashboard regularly for the success of the campaign," Garg mentioned. The campaign, which will culminate in Nov, is focusing on five key areas such as rainwater harvesting , geo-tagging of all water bodies, setting up Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts, intensive afforestation, and awareness generation on the annual theme. A special initiative has also been taken up under the annual theme, which is called Jal Jangal Jan: EK Prakrutik Bandhan Abhiyan, under which activities like mapping of forest springs, catchment area protection in forest land, and forest community engagement would be taken up. The Centre also suggested to the state that it would ensure large-scale community participation in the campaign this time, extend necessary support to the stakeholders, mobilise resources at the grassroots level, and document the innovations and best practices.
