Herbal plants can be grown with saline or brackish water

Periwinkle (Tamil name: Nithyakalyani, Hindi name: Sadabahar and Botanical name: Vinca Rosea) is one of the herbal plants that can be grown with moderately saline water irrigation.

• Salt occurs naturally in soils from rocks and minerals and is present in all water except for rainwater.
• Water salinity level is rated by Electrical Conductivity level or EC. This is measured using an instrument called EC Meter. The EC of good water is 0 to 1. Sea water EC is about 45.
• Plants respond to salt differently. Many do not tolerate it at all (salt-sensitive). Others will continue to grow but yields will be substantially reduced when grown with salty water or on saline soil (salt-tolerant). Finally, halophytic (salt-loving) plants actually experience improved growth when given saline or brackish water.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) conducted on-farm trials on over 20 different medicinal plants:

• Trials were conducted with water of salinity level 0 to 10.
• Adathoda, Aloe Vera, Nilavembu, Senna, Nithyakalyani, Coleus, Datura, Eclipta (Karisalanganni), Kanvazhikilangu (Gloriosa), Gymnema (Sakkaraikolli), Thumbai, Thulasi, Kilanelli, Isubgol, Sarpagandha, Manathakkali, Thuthuvalai and Aswagantha were grown successfully by a farmer in Idigarai, Arukutty village irrigated by well water of 2 to 4 EC.
• Another farmer, Madangopal, cultivated the following using well water of 6 EC - Adathoda, Aloe Vera, Senna, Datura, Kanvazhikilangu (Gloriosa), Thulasi, Manathakali and Thuthuvalai.

So, farmers whose irrigation wells having high salinity levels need not lose heart as some of the medicinal plant species irrigated with waters with different salinity levels show good growth prospects.

Also, demand for herbal plants is growing in the market, including for exports.

Sanitation is key for avoiding water borne diseases in rural areas

A Rural Sanitary Mart was opened recently at Veppanapalli in Krishnagiri Taluk of Tamil Nadu. This is part of the Nirmal Gram Puraskar or the "Clean Village Campaign" of the district.

Highlights of this nationwide campaign are:

• The Indian Government gives an award ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 500,000 to panchayats that achieve 100% sanitation.
• Subsidy: There is a government subsidy available for people below the poverty line.
• Many states are following a community led approach with the help of Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• A model rural sanitation park was established by the District Rural Development Agency, Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu. 22 models of village toilets are on display with prices ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 850.
• Haryana: Over 158,000 individual household toilets, 2,267 school toilets, 318 women sanitation complexes, 1,042 anganwari (childcare center) toilets and 60 rural sanitary marts had been constructed by end 2006.
• Karnataka has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Department of Posts to use the village postmen to spread the message of sanitation.
• Innovative ways to promote rural sanitation are being adopted by some villages in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu.

Benefits:

• Water borne diseases such as cholera, gastro-enteritis, dysentery, typhoid, worm infection, jaundice and diarrhoea will be prevented.
• It could help curb the spread of infections like chikungunya and dengue as well.

RTI (Right to Information) has the potential to transform rural India

Sidhakahna Jot Keshav village in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh is one such example. Five inspired residents of the village filed RTI applications and questioned the district administration about the conditions of the village roads and drains. They also raised questions as to why there were no allotments under the 'Indira Awaas Yojna'.

The administration immediately acted and the construction of the roads and drains began in the village. Since then, 32 villagers have been allotted the houses under the 'Indira Awaas Yojna' and the administration has displayed a list on the village wall, containing the names of the villagers eligible for the allotments under the scheme.

Under the RTI (Right to Information) Act, any citizen can request the following from any Government department or undertaking:

• inspect works, documents, records.
• take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records.
• obtain information in form of printouts, or in any other electronic mode.
  

How to request information:

• Apply in writing or by email in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area, to the Public Information Officer (PIO), giving the details of the information required. Here is a sample RTI application.
• You don't have to give the reason for seeking the information.
• Application fee is Rs. 10. In addition, you have to pay about Rs. 2 per page for making copies. People below the poverty line are exempt from the fees.
• In Bihar you can file an RTI application by making a phone call.
  
• There are many Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that help citizens in filing RTI applications. Please inquire in your area.

Telemedicine brings better healthcare to rural India

With the help of a trained ophthalmic technician, a patient from Aravind Eye Hospital’s vision centre, Ambasamudram consults with an ophthalmologist doctor in Theni in Tamil Nadu.

Benefits of telemedicine:

• Reduces the cost for rural patients who have to travel long distances to the town where the doctor is located and also stay there, alongwith their family members, for the duration of the consultation.
• Provides access to specialists.
• Health coverage for remote and difficult to reach areas.

Examples of other hospitals providing telemedicine services are:

• Narayana Hrudalaya, Bangalore: Narayana Hrudalaya Telemedicine Network runs through 26 locations in India and abroad, offering video consultation round-the-clock, primarily for heart patients from remote areas. Using ordinary telephone lines, a large number of ‘family physicians’ are networked with Narayana Hrudalaya for early diagnosis of heart attacks.
• Apollo Hospitals Group has a very large telemedicine network including remote locations such as Aizawl, Mizoram.
• Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi has a unique mobile unit which is as well equipped as a small hospital.

To expand the telemedicine network, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has signed Memorandum of Understanding with the following hospitals:

• Manipal Hospital, Bangalore.
• Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.
• Madras Diabetic Research Foundation, Chennai.
• Dr Venkatrao Dawle Medical Foundation, Ambajogai (Maharashtra).

ATMs are becoming more accessible to rural India

In India there are about 30,000 Automated Teller Machines (ATM) as of late 2007. Most of these are located in urban areas. However, now Banks are extending this service to rural areas through the following steps:

• Banks are beginning to introduce ATMs in rural areas.
• Some banks have started providing ATM cards to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holders. As a result of this, these farmers need to go to the bank only to get their KCC loans sanctioned. After that, they can do most of their transactions using an ATM machine.

Also, ATMs are being introduced with features that makes it easier for rural people to use:

• Lower cost ATMs designed by IIT, Madras and IIT, Bombay.
• Voice navigation in local Indian languages.
• Fingerprint verification.
• Back-up power to ensure smooth operation during power failures.
• Can work in dusty environment.

Better rural credit through the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and the Swarojgar Credit Card (SCC)

The Government of India introduced the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme in 1999.

According to a recent survey report, over 65 million KCCs had been issued by early 2007.

This credit, typically, covers the working capital needs of the farmers for a crop cycle. You borrow the money when you need to buy inputs such as seeds, tools, fertilizer, pesticides and labour. Once the crop is harvested and sold, the amount has to be repaid. The credit becomes available again for the next season. This helps the farmers to avoid traditional money lenders and the exorbitant interest rates charged by them.

In 2004 this scheme was expanded to cover more types of loans:

• Term loans for agriculture and allied activities.
• A reasonable component to meet consumption needs.
• Many banks also offer Personal Accident Insurance Scheme at a very nominal premium.
• Some of the banks have launched KCCs that can be used in an ATM machine.

The Swarojgar Credit Card Scheme (SCC) was introduced in 2003. The SCC aims at providing working capital and term loans to small artisans, handloom weavers, fishermen, self employed persons, rickshaw owners, other micro-entrepreneurs, self help groups (SHG), etc. Farm sector activities like fisheries, dairy, etc., can also be covered under the scheme. About half a million SCCs had been issued by Sept 2006.

You can get a Kisan Credit Card or a Swarojgar Credit Card from any of the following:

• Commercial banks
• Co-operative banks
• Regional Rural Banks (RRB)

Tissue culture plants help increase yield and profits

Theni District of Tamil Nadu is the emerging hub for tissue culture banana variety called Grande Naine.

Plant tissue culture, also known as micro propagation, is gaining popularity due to the following advantages:

• Higher yield
• Resistant to disease
• Saplings available throughout the year
• Mass propagation of selected elite varieties
  

The following are examples of plants that are being successfully propagated in large scale through tissue culture in India:

• Fruits: Banana, Pineapple
• Sugar cane: Sugar factories are increasingly using tissue culture plants.
• Spices: The Spices Board, Cochin, has brought large area under tissue culture cardamom and vanilla cultivation through involvement of progressive farmers.
• Medicinal plants: Aloe, Safed Musali
• Flowers: Carnation, Gerbera
• Trees: Sandal wood, Eucalyptus, Teak
  

The Department of Biotechnology has set up two micropropagation technology parks:

• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi
• National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune

Central and Sate Government subsidy is available for planting tissue culture plants as well as for exporting plant products. Please check with your local Agriculture Office.

Some banks like Canara Bank have also been financing tissue culture projects as a priority.