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OPINION Rapid agriculture growth and rapid rural employment growth were always the focus of India’s policy makers. Mahatma Gandhi envisaged India as a Nation of self-sufficient autonomous village republics. Land – the summum bonum of rural existence, and agricultural structure was the most important determinant of India’s development. Highly skewed distribution of land was responsible for agricultural backwardness. As land was the critical income generating asset of rural India, changes in agricultural holding structures were necessary to ensure prosperity of the rural population. Accordingly, India’s State policy focused on State Governments formulating and implementing Land Reforms legislations. These included the Land Ceiling Act, the Tenancy Act, the Land Revenue Act and broadly adopted the land to the tiller policy. Surplus

PRESS RELEASE On November 1, 2019, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave the prestigious Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) to PepsiCo India for its efforts to save more than 17 billion litres of water through community water programmes and positively impacting thousands of community members. PepsiCo India has been named as global ACE Winner in Sustainable Operations in the Multinational Enterprise category for its sustainable farming initiative in India. The award recognizes the company’s efforts to save more than 17 billion litres of water through its community water programmes and replenishing over five billion litres of water, positively impacting 60,000 community members. Established in 1999, the ACE honours US companies that promote and uphold high standards as responsible

PRESS RELEASE Binita Shrivastava is an innovative entrepreneur, a passionate professional and a philanthropist. She is using her startup platform, Visionara Global India which oversees into events, public relations, media and productions; to raise funds for to support a non-government organization (NGO) through her initiative VG Mrs India — A National Beauty Pageant (A Gateway to International Pageant). After winning the crown of Classic Mrs India Overseas, Binita felt that there is need for a professional structure in the pageant industry especially for the Indian married women. So she decided to structure the beauty pageant industry for common women. Shrivastava is the founder of Visionara Global Mrs India, a premier beauty pageant. Being a small town girl, she wants to

PRESS RELEASE Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), which is celebrating 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in a big way, launched several new products which are in tune with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Nitin Gadkari launched a unique bamboo water bottle, Kacchi Ghani mustard oil and sanitary napkins all made by khadi institutions in different parts of the country. The bamboo water bottle is made at Agartala, Tripura, having capacity to store 700 ml to 900 ml water. It is being seen as the perfect replacement of plastic bottles as it is natural, cost effective, attractive and most eco-friendly. Similarly, Kacchi Ghani mustard oil, which was a

PRESS RELEASE Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan inaugurated the 60th World Standard Day organized by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). He said that BIS must become synonymous with trust and take the lead in setting global standards. Delivering his address, Paswan congratulated everyone on the occasion of 60th World Standards Day and appreciated the efforts of all officials of BIS and said that we have some of the best laboratories in the world. The Minister encouraged that BIS must take the lead in making global standards and benchmarks. Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of providing tap water to all households by 2024 Paswan said that BIS, which sets quality standards for

PRESS RELEASE The Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) was felicitated at an event organized by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, on November 19, 2019 at New Delhi. The award was presented to Mahendra Singhi, President, CMA and Ms Aparna Dutt Sharma, Secretary General, CMA, by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Sadananda Gowda, Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers.   Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, and Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, were the distinguished guests at the award ceremony. It may be recalled that Prime Minister during his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2019, had spoken of the need to reduce single use plastic in the country. Subsequently, the Ministry of Jal

PRESS RELEASE French companies have invested more than `150 crore in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in India, in financial year 2019-20. To recognize their contribution, Indo- French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) launched the maiden edition of the IFCCI CSR Conclave and Awards on November 21, 2019, at Ibis Aerocity, New Delhi. Ajit Pai, Officer on Special Duty, NITI Aayog along with CSR heads, policy-makers, decision-makers, business leaders, CSR foundations and non-profit organizations were a part of the programme. Initiated by the CSR committee of the Chamber, the Conclave showcased CSR projects of top French companies in India and recognized how these companies have linked their CSR activities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Eleven shortlisted companies made