This UP village is still without electricity
Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh), May 13: Though the Central government has said all villages in the country have been electrified, there is one village (could be more) in this Uttar Pradesh district that is still waiting for power lines.
Nagla Khushal, which falls under Milawali gram panchayat of Eka block and has around 50 families with a population of over 400, paints a picture of utter neglect.
The sulabh shauchalayas (public toilets) are half-built, water supply doesn't exist and there is total darkness after sunset, transporting the whole area to the dark ages, activist Omkar Bhardwaj told IANS.
Firozabad is 50 km from Taj city Agra and is famous for its glass industry.
When a group of villagers presented a memorandum to the district authorities, the response was callous, Bhardwaj said.
District Magistrate Neha Sharma told IANS: "We will get this checked and send a report to the department concerned."
However, Executive Superintendent of the Electricity Department Shailendra Katiyar said "under the Prime Minister's Saubhagya Yojana, all villages have to be supplied power 24x7.
"This particular village appears to have been left out as the number of families is small. But we will send our team and ensure electricity reached the village as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, Sub-Divisional Officer (rural) Jasrana has visited the village and assured that work would commence soon.
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SC notice to Centre on plea to include ayurveda, yoga in Ayushman Bharat
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court sought the Centre's response on a plea seeking inclusion of ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy in the national Ayushman Bharat scheme.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued the notice to the Centre and others on the petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
The plea, which sought inclusion of the practices in PM-JAY, also known as Ayushman Bharat, said the inclusion would allow a significant portion of the country's population to avail affordable healthcare benefits and wellness in various serious diseases, apart from providing employment to many working in the field of Ayurveda.
Ayushman Bharat, which was launched in 2018, has two main components -- PM-JAY and Health and Wellness Centres.
The former provides for a cashless health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per BPL family every year.
The petitioner sought the scheme to be implemented in all states and the Indian healthcare systems.
"PM-JAY, that is, Ayushman Bharat predominantly covers and is limited to allopathic hospitals and dispensaries, while India boasts various indigenous medical systems, including ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, siddha, unani, homeopathy, which are rooted in India's rich traditions and are highly effective in addressing the healthcare needs of the present time," it said.
The plea claimed due to various "policies created by foreign rulers" and "individuals with a colonial mindset" India's cultural and intellectual knowledge, besides scientific heritage, had systematically eroded.
"These foreigners, motivated by a profit-oriented approach, have thoughtfully implemented many laws and schemes during the time of our country's independence that have slowly undermined our rich heritage and history," it alleged.
