These investments are proposed in various sectors such as tourism, logistics, petroleum, agri & food processing, e-waste recycling & energy, IT, real estate etc…reports Asian Lite News
The Rajasthan week at the India Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai ended on 18 November. With 18 Letter of Intents (LoI) and 24 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving investment of around INR 40,000 crore, the state signed off in style from the World Expo, Dubai.
These investments are proposed in various sectors such as tourism, logistics, petroleum, agri & food processing, e-waste recycling & energy, IT, real estate etc.
Rukmani Riar Sihag, Executive Director, RIICO in a meeting with K.B. Balmurli, COO of Transworld Group.
The week witnessed series of one-to-one meetings, roundtables, business and media interactions and cultural programmes.
The delegation was led by three Ministers, Mr Shanti Kumar Dhariwal, Minister for Urban Development & Housing: Mr Parsadi Lal Meena, Minister for Industry and Mr Arjun Singh Bamaniya, Minister of State for Industry, Government of Rajasthan.
It also included Ms Rukmani Riar Sihag, Executive Director, Rajasthan State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation Limited (RIICO) & Additional Commissioner, Bureau of Investment Promotion (BIP), Rajasthan; Mr Dhiraj Srivastava, Commissioner, Rajasthan Foundation; Mr Rajiv Arora, President, FORE along with other officers from RIICO, Industries, BIP and Tourism.
Rukmani Riar, Parsadi Lal Meena & Arjun Singh Bamaniya signed an MoU with Shyam Kapur, CEO, Sharaf Group of 150Cr Multi Model Agri Logistics Park.
State government has framed its investor friendly policies like RIPS-2019 and MSME Act to make investors in Dubai aware about the possibilities in Rajasthan for businesses to grow, thrive and succeed. State government has launched one stop shop to ensure ease of doing business.
A high-level delegation from the Rajasthan government was in Dubai to meet the investors during the week and pitch for the investments. To further accelerate the growth of manufacturing and service sectors investment, the Rajasthan Govt. is organizing the mega investment event “Invest Rajasthan-2022” at Jaipur on January 24th & 25th 2022.
Minister Dhariwal said “There is a lot of scope and business opportunity available at Rajasthan especially in the priority sectors including Tourism & Real Estate. The state Govt’s has taken a series of measures and enabled a 180-degree change in how business is done in Rajasthan.”
“To encourage transparency and ease of doing business, all our systems and processes can be accessed online”, added Dhariwal.
Inviting global investors to invest in Rajasthan, Minister Meena said, “Our participation at Expo 2020 is focused on offering the huge investment opportunities available in the state. The government has taken a slew of measures by bringing the right policies in place; thus, ensuring ease of business to attract global investments.”
“We will ensure, that investors will get the best possible amenities. The government is developing various dedicated industrial areas at subdivision level so that the locals, businesses, investors and youth can get the best opportunities”, he added.
These MoUs are related to the logistics, ceramics, stone, real estate, tourism and agriculture sectors, reports Asian Lite News
Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) and Letters of Intent (LOI) worth over Rs 1,500 crore were signed between a Rajasthan delegation led by the state ministers Shanti Dhariwal, Parsadi Lal Meena and Arjun Singh Bamnia and investors at the Dubai Expo
These MoUs are related to the logistics, ceramics, stone, real estate, tourism and agriculture sectors.
The delegation held one-to-one meetings with various investors and also met representatives of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, who were invited to attend the state government’s program ‘Invest Rajasthan’ which is scheduled to take place on January 24-25, 2022.
Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal said that positive reactions were seen regarding investment in Rajasthan.
“Overseas Rajasthanis as well as investors from different countries have expressed their willingness to invest in the state,” he added.
Industries Minister Parsadi Lal Meena informed that MoUs and LOIs were signed keeping in view the possibilities of industrial investment in the state and other policies including ‘One Stop Shop’, RIPS-2019 and MSME.
Also, investment proposals related to medical, education, IT, auto, textile and other sectors were being discussed, he added.
Minister of State for Industries Arjun Singh Bamnia informed that due to the availability of roads, electricity and natural resources besides DMIC, Expressway, Renewable Energy, investors are expressing their willingness to invest in Rajasthan.
The Rajasthan Pavilion at the Dubai Expo was inaugurated on November 13.
The Rajasthan pavilion which was inaugurated last Saturday was be graced by the state’s Industry Minister Prasadi Lal Meena, Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal and the minister of state for Industry Arjun Singh Bamaniya, according to an official statement.
Besides, senior state bureaucrats and officials from the state’s industry and commerce department were also be present, it added.
The inaugural session at the Dubai Expo also marked the international launch of the Rajasthan government’s mega investment summit ‘Invest Rajasthan 2022’.
The programme was inaugurated under the aegis of Rajasthan Business and Professional Group at the India Club Dubai under the direction of Rajasthan Foundation Commissioner Dheeraj Srivastava. Industry experts Naveen Sharma, G R Mehta, Dinesh Kothari, Vasu Shroff, Gul Banswara also expressed their views during the event.
Global Business Foundation President Chandra Shekhar Bhatia, Conveners Sahitya Chaturvedi and Nilesh Jain gave a grand welcome and felicitation to the delegation.
During the week, several memorandum of understandings are also expected be signed between the state government and aspiring investors. The officials will also hold discussions and round table meetings with the investors present in Dubai during the period.
The state officials shall also meet representatives of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce for further strengthening mutual trade and investment.
For over Rs.100 crores investment in Rajasthan that employs 200 people, the Government provides customised packages to make the projects viable in the state – Ms Rukmani Riar Sihag, Executive Director, @riicolimited at the Investors' Meet at the #IndiaPavilion.#IndiaAtDubaiExpopic.twitter.com/HYeezDrUNQ
The international show will be a platform to highlight Rajasthan’s advantage as an investment destination and lay ground for major investments towards shaping trade and industrial scenario of the state. A series of the recent policy decisions by the state government have created a transparent and conducive investment environment.
The state, which is rich in mineral and natural resources, is also adding new advantages with the development of mega infrastructure projects such as Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Piped Gas grids. The upcoming HPCL-Rajasthan Oil refinery and Petrochemical Complex and Fintech park will add more avenues for investment.
The Rajasthan Pavilion will be inaugurated inside the Indian Pavilion at the Dubai Expo…reports Asian Lite News
A delegation of Rajasthan Government, represented by state Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Industries Minister Parsadi Lal Meena and Minister of State for Industries Arjun Singh Bamnia, is participating in the expo to attract investments in the state.
Senior officers of various departments including Industries and Commerce Department will also participate in the programme, which will continue till November 18.
Industries and Commerce Commissioner Archana Singh said that Rajasthan is emerging as a ‘better investment destination’. Investors will be made aware of the investment possibilities in Rajasthan at the Dubai Expo.
Also, invites will also be made for the Invest Rajasthan, to be held on 24th and 25th January, 2022. Apart from this, a road show will also be organized in Dubai on November 15.
She said that special attention is being given to sectors like Agro & Agro Processing, EV, Chemicals & Petrochemicals, ESDM, Tourism, Medical & Health, Mines, Minerals & Ceramics, Renewable Energy, Textiles in Rajasthan.
ARCHANA SINGH, INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE COMMISSIONER: “Considering the future requirements, there is huge potential for investment in these sectors. Discussions will be held with industry representatives and leading investors till November 18 at Dubai Expo and MoU will also be signed with investors who wish to invest in Rajasthan. Investment opportunities in DMIC, Gas Grid Pipeline, Refinery and Fintech Park will be discussed with industrialists from other countries as well as representatives of Dubai Chamber of Commerce who will be visiting the expo.”
A high-level delegation from Rajasthan government will be in Dubai to meet the investors during the week and pitch for the investments, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Rajasthan is geared up to offer big-bang investment opportunities to the global investors during the State’s week (November 12-18) at Expo 2020 India Pavilion in Dubai.
The sectors in which the state is looking at major investments include chemicals & petrochemicals, fintech, automobile & electric vehicles, renewable energy, infrastructure, mining, tourism, MSMEs, etc. A number of MoUs are slated to be signed during the course of Rajasthan week at the India Pavilion.
A high-level delegation from Rajasthan government will be in Dubai to meet the investors during the week and pitch for the investments. The programme would also feature diaspora connect programmes and tourism prowess of Rajasthan.
The delegation will include Shanti Kumar Dhariwal, Minister for Urban Development & Housing; Parsadi Lal Meena, Minister for Industry; Arjun Singh Bamaniya, Minister of State for Industry; Ashutosh A T Pednekar, Secretary – Industries, Government of Rajasthan; Rukmani Riar, Executive Director, RIICO; Dhiraj Srivastava, Commissioner – Rajasthan Foundation, etc.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot
The Rajasthan Week will kickstart with the inauguration of the state’s pavilion in the India pavilion on Saturday followed by an inaugural session which will be addressed by the Rajasthan government ministers and other top officials. The delegation will have focussed interactions and G2B meetings with a number of companies in Dubai for attracting investments in the state.
Among the specific projects in which the State is looking for investments, is Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR). HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL), a subsidiary of HPCL is developing this project, which is one of the largest refineries of the country in Barmer, Rajasthan. Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) is developing PCPIR near the refinery to catalyze the investment for the downstream products of the refinery. With a capacity of 9 MMTPA, the Refinery has the potential to generate Rs 15,000 crore investment.
india_pavilion
The other mega project of Rajasthan is FinTech Park at Jaipur. RIICO is pitching Jaipur as destination par-excellence for corporates and start-ups of the financial and Information Technology world by developing a world-class FinTech Park spread over 100 Acres. The State is also planning to develop a textile park at Jodhpur. Considering the current potential and existing ecosystem of textile and apparel sector in the State, RIICO has proposed to develop a dedicated textile park in the city, which is well connected by road, rail, and air.
Investments would also be in the offer for Khushkera Bhiwadi Neemrana Investment Region (KBNIR) along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Marwar Industrial Cluster and MEDtech Medical Devices Park. RIICO is developing the Medtech Medical Devices Park at Jodhpur with a proposed area of approximately 230 Acres. The park will have a dedicated common facilitation centre (CFC) equipped with high quality laboratory and research and development facility.
Following protests, the state government agreed to designated 24,000 bighas as Oran land but no decision was taken about the remaining land, despite sustained demands and protests by the locals…reports Mukesh Mathrani.
In 2002, villagers from around 10 villages in Rajasthans Barmer district were successful in saving three bighas of their sacred land, locally known as oran, from being allotted to a stone mining company by the district administration. The allocation was cancelled after a three-month-long battle which saw the community come together to protest this threat to their source of firewood, water and livestock feed.
But that was just the beginning. Over the years, they have had to fight many times to save their oran from encroachers, miners and the government. They continue to fight till today.
Orans are groves of trees, with a rich diversity of traditional flora and fauna and water bodies, considered sacred and preserved by the locals in this desert state. Orans, which derives from the Sanskrit word ‘aranya’ meaning ‘forest’ or ‘wilderness’, were often set aside by Rajasthan’s feudal lords for religious purposes. An Oran ensures food and fodder for the community and the large herds of camels, sheep and goats in times of famine.
Orans are preserved in the name of local deities; they are open to the whole community, irrespective of caste or creed, as long as the villagers follow certain rules governing its use. Tradition dictates that not a single tree or plant from here is cut, for example; only seasonal grazing of livestock is allowed.
Wrangling with the bureaucracy
But increasingly, these common lands have been allotted by the administration to mining, solar and other industries, to the detriment of the ecological health of the land. Most recently, the villagers in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district are engaged in a movement to protect their sacred land from being allotted to wind and solar energy companies.
Residents allege that power companies and the sand mafia have encroached upon the Degrai Mata temple at Devikot in Jaisalmer. Durajan Singh, secretary at Degrai Mata temple and member of Oran Bachao Samiti, said that around 60,000 bighas had been set aside for the 610-year-old temple by the former royals of Jaisalmer.
According to Singh, post-independence when the land settlement process was initiated, this Oran was designated as government revenue land but villagers remained unaware of its status until 1999, when solar companies started cutting down trees to set up power plants.
Following protests, the state government agreed to designated 24,000 bighas as Oran land but no decision was taken about the remaining land, despite sustained demands and protests by the locals.
Singh said that for the past few years the government has been allotting land to the power companies like Adani Power and ReNew Power from this undesignated 36,000 bighas but now it has started allotments on the registered Oran lands as well. Villagers of more than a dozen villages have been protesting for the past six months against these allotments. Recently, they took out a 60-km long procession to mark their protest.
Sumer Singh Bhati, a local resident and social activist who is actively participating in this ‘Oran aandolan’ (protest) said: “In the last few years, the government has allowed private power companies and sand mining firms to recklessly cut trees and destroy the Oran land. If it is not stopped, communities will have to pay the price in times of need.”
The villagers now want the government to register the remaining land as protected oran land that can’t be allocated to private or state players. They cite the precedence of the people of Asada village in Barmer sitting in Satyagraha (non-violent protest) in 1952 to save around 800 bighas of Oran land, forcing the government to finally recognise and register it as such.
They simply want the implementation of the Rajasthan government’s acceptance in 2018 of the recommendation by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for the inclusion of sacred groves such as Orans and ‘Dev vans’ as forest land.
An oasis in the desert
Author of Oran-Hamara Jeevan and regional director at Nehru Yuva Kendra, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Bhuvnesh Jain, pointed out that these Orans played an important role in biodiversity conservation by preserving the endemic, endangered and economically important plant species.
Jain further stated that Orans are home to many types of grasses, herbs, medicinal plants, shrubs and trees, which are on the verge of extinction. It is also the habitat of many animals and birds like godawan (great Indian bustard), deer, and jackal. Technically speaking, he said that the Sariska, Ranthambore and Desert National Park are all pasture lands or Orans.
According to Jain, Orans were once considered an important lifeline in the desert. But with passing time and urbanisation, people started ignoring it and its importance has somewhat lessened. But for pastoral communities, Orans are still, quite literally, an oasis in the desert. According to Sumer Singh Bhati, a resident of Sanwta village in Jaisalmer who is actively involved in the Oran protection movement, their region has one of highest populations of camels in the state. Over 5,000 camels are dependent on the Degrai Mata temple Oran alone.
Malaram Godara, a resident of Araniyala village in Barmer, said that Orans are a big source of support during the frequent droughts this part of Rajasthan experiences. He explained that during such situations, people are still able to manage at least drinking water for the community and, more importantly, fodder and water for their thousands of livestock.
Mal Singh Jamara’s family has approximately 500 camels, 1,000 goats and 130 cows. Despite owning such a large herd, he has never had to worry about droughts in the past as the livestock were guaranteed food at the Orans.
“But for a few years now, power companies have been disturbing the oran land by cutting down the trees. Our cattle are not even safe from the power lines laid on the ground. In recent months, many endangered animals like the Great Indian Bustard have died due to the high tension lines,” he said.
Pradeep Pagariya, an agricultural scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Barmer, said that the Oran was not only vital for the community but is also an important buffer against pollution, the dense green cover helpful in preventing the development of sand storms in the desert. They further play a critical role in maintaining the quality of air and reducing pollutants.
“But modernisation and mismanagement have resulted in the destruction of this ecosystem,” said Narendra Tansukhani, a Barmer-based social activist who participated in the Oran Aandolan.
Preserving the community’s heritage and rights
Aman Singh, Chief Coordinator of Krishi Avam Paristhitiki Vikas Sansthan, wrote: “It is a pity that Orans, which are unique examples of Gene Pool Conservation based on the socio-cultural value system i.e., traditional biodiversity conservation methodology has not attracted much attention from scientists, foresters and policymakers.”
Tansukhani said that for many years, they have been demanding that these oran lands be declared as heritage sites.
It is only recently that the Rajasthan government, in a long-overdue action under the Rajasthan Biological Diversity Rules, has initiated the process to declare seven sacred groves of western Rajasthan as heritage sites. Jain, in coordination with Rajasthan’s revenue department, conducted a survey on the Oran lands in the Jodhpur region. Data revealed that there is a total of 1,34,749.75 hectares of Oran land in 1,759 villages of the Jodhpur division. These lands will now be officially exempt from being allocated for industry and being encroached upon.
As such, Orans are simply defined in the revenue records as ‘Culturable Waste Land’ which allows the government to distribute these land for other purposes. Therefore it is the need for policy and necessary legislation to legally and constitutionally uphold the community’s right to own and manage these Orans, which should be declared as forests or grazing land with the ownership of communities, according to Singh.
Over 1,500 girls from Karauli in rural Rajasthan are now part of the campaign urging the state government to help them go back to school…reports Asian Lite News.
The pandemic has directly affected millions of lives in the country and the lockdown has cost many their livelihoods. For Priyanka Bairwa, a 19-year-old girl who lives in Sapotra town in the Karauli district of Rajasthan, the lockdown not only took away her familys source of income but also her dreams of pursuing higher education.
But soon, she realised she wasn’t the only girl whose dreams were getting shattered. She met many like her, who were unable to continue their education and were now being forced into marriage.
Priyanka, and a few others, started a campaign to raise awareness about these issues and put pressure on their elders to help ensure all girls have the right to education.
Over 1,500 girls from Karauli in rural Rajasthan are now part of the campaign urging the state government to help them go back to school.
The campaign, which started in October 2020 with 10 girls in one district is today, a state-wide campaign involving six districts and over 1,500 girls. Their demands for scholarships and support for higher education have also been sent to the government of Rajasthan and the girls hope for a change in the right direction.
Priyanka’s story
Since Priyanka’s father, Madanlal, was suffering from tuberculosis, the responsibility of providing for the family rested primarily on her mother, Urmila and the older kids. Urmila worked as domestic help and Priyanka would often help her mother with the chores in different homes; that is until the first lockdown was announced, more than a year ago. The lockdown meant that Urmila and Priyanka could no longer work in other homes and they soon lost their livelihood. Much to her disappointment, Priyanka, who was pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree, was also unable to continue her studies, due to limited means. Being the oldest girl in the house, soon there were talks of arranging her marriage.
But Priyanka vehemently opposed the idea. “Corona destroyed the dreams of thousands of poor girls like me. Studies came to a halt and there was no work outside, so the family started talking about marriage. Friends and relatives put a lot of pressure on me to get married, but I stood my ground and opposed it,” she said.
Early marriage or child marriage is very common in the rural regions of Rajasthan. According to AMIED (Alwar Mewar Institute of Education and Development), a non-profit organization working in the rural areas of Rajasthan, every second girl in Karauli district is married off before she reaches the age of 18. And the situation only got worse in the pandemic, as the education of girls came to a halt and girls began to be viewed as a burden on families.
Priyanka soon realised that many young girls were being married off without their consent. “I realised many girls in Sopotra would have dropped out of studies and they may be getting pressured into marriage. I met a few other girls and soon a group of 10 girls was formed,” reminisces Priyanka. With 10 girls, Priyanka felt she could now work to ensure girls from her area got a chance to study and avoid marriage. “We went from village to village in Sapotra tehsil on foot and we met many girls who were facing similar situations at home. We persuaded them to join us and we all decided to work together to prevent girls from getting married at an early age and help them continue their education,” said Priyanka with pride.
The beginning of a movement
Priyanka’s mother was engaged in cleaning work at the AMIED office in Sapotra. “I knew that AMIED works for education and girl’s education was one of their primary objectives. I, hence, approached them and they agreed to help us,” states Priyanka. The organisation soon imparted training on health and education to the ten girls.
But Priyanka’s parents were afraid. Initially, they stopped her from venturing out too much as they believed the current society is not safe for girls to travel alone. Many parents had similar fears and in addition, most of the villagers felt that no one would pay heed to the demands of a few young girls. But thankfully, AMIED stepped in and convinced many parents to allow their daughters to participate in the campaign. They said, if it succeeds, then girls’ education could be free in the future. After much convincing, some parents, including Priyanka’s, gave their consent and the girls continued their campaign.
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Vinita Meena, a resident of Gokulpur village in Sapotra tehsil, is today one of the leaders campaigning for the cause. During the lockdown, Vinita’s housemates were considering marrying her off. But Vinita opposed the marriage and soon joined Priyanka in the campaign. “The girls we talked to had two things in common. First, the pressure to get married and second, the fear of dropping out of school. Poverty, negligible participation in online classes, lack of awareness and lack of schools that provide education after standard 8 are the main reasons for dropping out of school,” says Vinita.
Talking about the support they received from AMIED, Vinita says, “The AMIED institute gave counselling and training to the 10 girls. We then realised that just 10 girls will not work. That is why we selected two girls from each village in the neighbouring 50 villages as leaders who can lead the campaign. We were now 100 girls campaigning for the cause,” says Vinita.
The group leaders of the villages chalked out a plan of action and thus the foundation of the Dalit-Adivasi Backward Class Kishori Shiksha Abhiyan was laid. Noor Mohammed, the director of AMEID explains, “The campaign was named Dalit-Adivasi Backward Class Kishori Shiksha Abhiyan as the impact of the lockdown was most felt by the girls belonging to Dalit and Adivasi communities. They did not have smartphones for online classes. Thousands of girls from standards 9 to 12 were also afraid of being dropped out. This group of 10 girls is supported by our organization as their mentor.”
Gaining traction
In collaboration with AMIED, the girls now held regular meetings in the villages with other girls and their families. They made a list of demands which included timely scholarship for studies and free education up to class 12. Along with this, a demand was made to give a one-time scholarship of Rs 5,000 to those entering college, which should be paid all at once, so as to meet the requirements of buying books and other course material. This would ensure that girls not only have the opportunities to study up till class 12 but also pursue higher education, while also reducing the financial burden on their families. Currently, the scholarships offered by the government are paid in instalments and are not sufficient to cover all expenses.
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To further intensify the campaign, the girls reached out to the political heads of the district including the Sarpanch (village headman), MLA and other stake-holders. Memorandums about the campaign were given to the sarpanches of the different villages. A group of girls also met the Labour Minister, Government of Rajasthan, Tikaram Jully. The minister’s positive attitude towards the campaign gave an impetus to it. Rajasthan’s Education Minister, Govind Singh Dodasara, also praised the campaign. They soon sent emails to Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot and the education minister, listing their demands.
On March 9 and 10 this year, AMIED organised a state-level conference in Jaipur to arrange a meeting of the girls associated with the campaign from different districts. It was named Rajasthan Rising Manch. Its aim was to understand the issues of girl child education, organisation, gender and caste discrimination among girls.
A campaign to alleviate poverty
Priyanka, who is currently struggling to arrange two square meals a day for her family emphasises the importance of the campaign. “During the lockdown, it was with the help of our neighbours in Sapotra that we were able to feed ourselves. My brother, Tejaram (16) is a student of standard 11. He gets up at 4 am to study and distribute newspapers. Then he goes to work in the vegetable market, and then he goes to school. In the evening, he works to keep the goods inside. It’s a tough life for all of us,” she says. She believes educating girls may help lift many families out of poverty. “There are many families, like ours, that are struggling to make ends meet. If we girls become something by studying, then it will be good for our family as well as the society, at large. I also want to do good for my society. That is why I dream of pursuing a B.Ed (Bachelor of Education) after graduation. So that I can become a teacher and teach girls who cannot get an education due to poverty or other circumstances.”
Varsha Bairwa, a standard 10 student who has been associated with the campaign since November last year, believes the success of this campaign can completely change the situation for girls in her village. “Girls in my village have to walk 2 km to school. That is why only one girl from the whole village goes to study besides me. People from the rest of the village taunt us while we go to school. That is why I wish this campaign is a success,” says Varsha.
(The author is a Jaipur-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
A major hurdle before the Rajasthan government in containing the spread of the virus is the deep-rooted traditions and superstitions in the minds of rural people, reports Kshitiz Gaur
Unfazed by the increasing spread of Covid-19 and related deaths, the rural folks in Rajasthan are relying on superstitions and crude practices of quackery, instead of health experts and medical help. Worse still, many people are even against vaccinations because they believe that the pandemic is a curse from God. Many others are influenced by misinformation.
On May 27, Dhapu Bai Gemati (70) of Baghelo Ka Kheda village in Bhilwara district hid from her family for five hours after slipping away from the vaccination centre in Kiratpura. Passerbys, who initially thought they had stumbled upon a dead body, found her hiding in the bushes. When they discovered her, she begged with folded hands asking not to be vaccinated, claiming it would kill her. She was shaking with fear when the sarpanch came and talked her into going back home. Her relatives said they will bring her back for vaccination after some counselling.
Even as the people of Dantra Dhani village in Bhilwara district believe that hanging shoes at the facades of their houses will ward off the “evil spirits”, those in Lachchipura village of Ajmer are keeping campfires alive throughout the night to please their village deities in hope that they would protect their lives. Similar is the situation in Nagaur, Bhilwara, and Tonk districts of the state, where the villagers infected with Covid-19 are turning to priests and quacks. Because of the dearth, or even complete lack, of medical facilities in some of these areas, the administration is unable to create awareness among these people about seeking proper medical help in case of diseases.
Also, the faith in traditions is so deep-rooted in the minds of people that all efforts by the district administrations to prevent them from gathering for rituals and functions are proving fruitless.
In Sagariya village of Bhilwara district, more than 100 people gathered in the first week of May to perform the last rites of an 80-year-old man, defying the lockdown and flouting restrictions that specify that no more than 20 persons should be present at a funeral. “
The people fled when they saw us. We seized 15 vehicles from the spot,” said Bhagirath Singh, the SHO of Shahpura police station.
Vaccination (ANI)
However, the relatives of the deceased once again defied orders and organised a community feast later, which was also attended by a large gathering as a mark of unity.
A similar incident was reported from Ajmer, where some members of the Koli community organised a grand funeral in the city’s Dhola Bhata area for a person who died of Covid-19. This, when on average, four Covid-related deaths are reported from the area every day.
“We had appealed to the people to desist from organising functions or rituals that involve the gathering of people, but in vain. Hence, we have requested the authorities to take stringent steps to prevent such gatherings,” said Lalit Verma, a former corporator from Dhola Bhata.
Verma said the district administration and the police should strictly enforce the state government order banning marriage functions till June 30.
“It is a major challenge to prevent marriages held in villages on the occasion of the Akha Teej. A large number of weddings are held in May because the month is considered auspicious for marriages. We have taken steps to prevent such functions and avoid gathering of crowds,” said Chinmaya Gopal, the district collector of Tonk, who has ordered around 60 families who had planned marriage functions to cancel their plans.
“Social gatherings and marriage functions are the major sources of Covid-19 spread in the rural regions of Nagaur. Many positive cases from these areas have been referred to our hospital,” said Anil Jain, superintendent of JLN Hospital in Ajmer.
Complete lockdown in Rajasthan from May 10 to 24
A major hurdle before the Rajasthan government in containing the spread of the virus is the deep-rooted traditions and superstitions in the minds of rural people.
In Dantra village of Bhilwara district, a tribal area with only 3,000 residents, 28 Covid-related deaths were reported in a span of 30 days. Yet, the villagers refuse to take vaccinations against the virus they believe that hanging shoes on the facades of their houses would keep the “evil spirits” at bay, and that quacks, who often use crude practices such as searing their skins with hot iron rods, could cure the disease.
“We have launched an awareness programme and are trying to convince people to take medical help,” said C.L. Sharma, the sub-divisional officer of Asind block of Bhilwara.
The district administration has so far sealed three clinics run by quacks in Pushkar town and Bhilwara. Raids to nab more such practitioners are on in Jahajpur, Mandal, Badnore, and Asind areas. In the first half of May alone, eight Covid-19 patients, who were initially treated by quacks, were admitted to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital at Bhilwara.
Even as the government machinery and the medical fraternity wage a war to protect people from contracting the virus, some religious leaders are putting more hurdles in their way. One Prem Agarwal at the Siddheshwar Peeth of Jhanki Wale Balaji recently told the devotees that reciting Hanuman Chalisa 11,000 times within 15 days could contain the spread of the virus in Rajasthan. This has prompted thousands of people across the state to congregate at temples and homes to chant the Chalisa, thus increasing the risk of more people contracting the virus.
(The author is an Ajmer-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
Under the new guidelines announced on Thursday night, marriages shall remain cancelled till May 31…reports Asian Lite News
The Rajasthan government on Thursday announced a complete lockdown from 5 a.m. on May 10 to 5 a.m. on May 24 amid the surge in coronavirus cases.
Under the new guidelines announced on Thursday night, marriages shall remain cancelled till May 31. ‘Band, baja, baraat’ and DJ services will remain suspended till the said date except for court marriages and weddings at home with 11 guests only.
Marriage gardens and wedding venues shall remain closed and their owners will have to return the funds deposited in advance for the same.
A small town in Rajasthan fights corona together with ‘medical at your doorstep’ model
MNREGS projects shall remain suspended. All religious places shall remain closed as well. Travelling within the state will remain suspended in the lockdown period. Those coming from other states need to submit RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours of their travel.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the lockdown while chairing a cabinet meeting via video conferencing and expressing his worry on Covid spreading to rural areas and infecting youths.
On Thursday, a total of 17,532 new cases and 160 deaths were reported across the state.
More than a lakh have tested positive in Rajasthan in the last one week while over 500 have died…reports Asian Lite News.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that his wife Sunita Gehlot tested Covid positive on Wednesday, and he would be isolating as a precaution.
Sharing the information on his Twitter handle, he said that as per protocol, her treatment has started while she remains under home isolation.
कोविड टेस्ट करवाने पर आज मेरी रिपोर्ट भी पॉजिटिव आई है। मुझे किसी तरह के लक्षण नहीं हैं और मैं ठीक महसूस कर रहा हूं। कोविड प्रोटोकॉल का पालन करते हुए मैं आइसोलेशन में रहकर ही कार्य जारी रखूंगा।
While the bets for the Bengal polls are in full swing, the sessions for other states, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry are yet to start…reports Archana Sharma
Phalodi, a small Rajasthan town that is home to the famous betting market, predicts a clear victory for the BJP in the ongoing West Bengal polls, giving it 150-160 seats in the 294-member Assembly while giving the ruling Trinamool Congress only 100-110 seats.
The small town has come alive against the backdrop of the ongoing Assembly polls in five states. While the bets for the Bengal polls are in full swing, the sessions for other states, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry are yet to start, said punters engaged in a number game here.
Speaking to IANS on the condition of anonymity, a bookie from the town asserted: “The BJP continues to be a favourite of bookies this election season and it will get around 150-160 seats in Bengal. Didi (Mamata Bannerjee) is headed for a defeat and there are chances that the BJP will form the government with an alliance.”
The trends, however, are showing small changes daily, he added.
Another punter told to IANS that the rate on Monday in the Phalodi betting market went in the favour of 153 seats — a slim majority — for the BJP.
However, the market says that this is not the final figure presently as it will depend on trends appearing in the next rounds of polling.
Four days back, the BJP stood on a figure of 128 seats, however, thereafter, sentiments have gone stronger in favour of it, he added.
Overall, the Phalodi market says that the BJP will form a government in the state, but there can be chances that it might need alliance for this goal, he added.
Punters said that Trinamool Congress will get 100-110 seats while other parties including Congress-Left, AIMIM etc will altogether secure 30 seats.
Didi will herself lose the polls in Nandigram to her former lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari, the punters say, but note that bets on this have not yet started.
