Ranchi Diary

Jamshedpur girl in popular TV show 
Jamshedpur’s promising actress Arshi Bharti has joined the cast of popular family TV comedy show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. She is playing the role of the secretary of Taarak Mehta’s boss in the show.  The role of the boss is being essayed by famous actor Rakesh Bedi. Arshi informed that her episodes are already being screened on television and she is really very happy with the way she has portrayed her role. After completing her tenth from Sacred Heart Convent School and her plus two from J H Tarapore School, Arshi left for Mumbai to fulfill her dream of becoming an actress.

App to help bring dropouts back to schools
The Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) has introduced a mobile app – DAHAR, through which children, who have dropped out from school, can continue their education. According to a letter issued by the JEPC Administrative Officer, children identified through this app will be tracked, monitored, and administered short-term courses with an aim to eventually get them admitted to schools for regular education. This app will host all the necessary data uploaded by teachers about children who have dropped out of school. According to an official, each teacher will be asked to upload data of at least five school dropouts or out-of-school children in their areas. 

Unique identity scheme for farmers 
In order to provide financial assistance to farmers and link them to various welfare schemes, the Jharkhand government has announced a unique identity scheme for the state’s farmers on World Indigenous Peoples Day to help the government create a database of all farmers. In addition to that, the government also plans to form a federation for the marketing and processing of forest products to boost the cottage industries of lac and silk production. According to state officials, the Birsa Kisan scheme would help more than 45 lakh farmers of the state. 

Govt release high-yield seeds developed by BAU
The Jharkhand government has released eleven high-yield, early-maturing and disease/pest-resistant crop varieties developed by scientists of Birsa Agricultural University after years of experimentation with different breeding techniques and protocols. These varieties include one each of black gram, pigeon pea, soybean, mustard, baby corn, ragi, two of brinjal and three of linseed. These varieties have a yield advantage of 15 to 20 per cent over the traditional varieties. 

Mukesh Ranjan
Our correspondent in Jharkhand mukesh.r@newindianexpress.com