Latest news with #RuralDevelopment
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
USDA Rural Development North Dakota Director Tom Campbell talks programs, budget and projects
Jun. 28—BISMARCK, N.D. — Tom Campbell said something he's enjoyed about becoming North Dakota's director of Rural Development as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been connecting with people in the state. Part of his mission, he said, is to go into rural North Dakota and meet with people who would be applicants for Rural Development funding, as well as visiting projects the program has assisted to check on their progress. "I'm really enjoying that," he said. "Every day I learn a lot." Campbell was announced as state director at the beginning of May , chosen by U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins. Campbell is a potato farmer and politician who served as a North Dakota senator from 2013 to 2018. Becoming the rural development director, he said, has included a slew of onboarding and getting to know his support staff. The program has shrunk in staff and budget as part of federal cuts, which has lessened the amount of funding it can give out, Campbell said. The program's main focus is assisting rural North Dakotan projects, mostly through loans and grants. With budget season coming up and the budget cuts the program has faced, the number of grants the program can give out has lessened, he said. It's been challenging. "That's a little bit frustrating," he said. Though cuts have depleted some of what the program is able to offer, Campbell still encourages people to reach out and see what help is available to them. The program focuses on three different areas: community programs, single family housing programs and business and cooperative programs. The three divisions have more than 60 programs between them. Campbell's main goal is to continue what the program has already been doing, further supporting its mission of helping rural North Dakotans, he said. The rural development program acts as a "behind the scenes" helping hand, he said, pushing rural projects forward. Some things the program has supported include housing, electric cooperatives, infrastructure, rural hospitals, fire stations, emergency vehicles, fiber optics, water projects and more. One project Campbell has visited recently was in Park River, where the city has set up a daycare and preschool near its school. Campbell's support staff and team in general have been quality people to work with, he said. "They have a true, caring heart," he said. "They really, truly care about helping people out there." Campbell said people are free to reach out to him via phone or email to see how Rural Development could assist them.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
2,153 treated for dog bite so far in Madurai's Thirumangalam Government Hospital
MADURAI: The number of people bitten by stray dogs is on the rise in Thirumangalam taluk. According to sources, around 2,100 patients have been treated for dog bite in Thirumangalam Government Hospital in the last five months. Speaking to TNIE, former president of Kappalur Panchayat - R Kannan said, "There are more than 1,900 families in our panchayat, and we are worried about dog bite. Over the last two years, there has been a rapid increase in dog bites. We are unable to do anything about it because we cannot kill dogs. Every time a person is attacked by a dog, he or she visits the Thirumangalam Government Hospital which is four kilometres away." An official in Thirumangalam Government Hospital said, "There is an increase in the number of anti rabies vaccines being administered by us. This is directly linked in increase of dog bite incidents. Also, we administer immunoglobulin shots if we see any deep wounds of muscles, for safety." An official from the Rural Development (Madurai) said,"We are coordinating with officials and president of each panchayat on the issue. Since, panchayats don't have staff and vehicles to catch stray dogs, they cannot do anything on this matter. We have informed the town panchayat or municipality near the panchayat to catch dogs and also carry out Animal Birth Control (ABC)." ---------- Dog bite cases in 2025 376 - January 345 - February 382 - March 384 - April 460 - May 206 - June (till 15) Source: Health department
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Not happy with outsourcing of works, CM Majhi seeks review
BHUBANESWAR: Amid the allegations over rising dependence on private agencies for core engineering works in government projects, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed the chief secretary to conduct an in-depth review of all outsourcing practices adopted by engineering departments in the last 10 years. In a strongly worded note (accessed by TNIE), the chief minister has flagged that engineering departments, which traditionally carry out surveys, investigations, project designs, cost estimates and preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) using in-house expertise, have increasingly resorted to outsourcing these responsibilities to private firms. This trend, he stated, has been observed even in the case of minor infrastructure projects that could have easily been executed by government engineers. Emphasising that departments such as Works, Rural Development, Water Resources, and Housing and Urban Development have well-established technical wings with qualified and experienced engineers, Majhi questioned why such expertise was being sidelined. 'Earlier, the government engineers used to undertake these tasks diligently. The current outsourcing trend raises serious questions about the under-utilisation of the capabilities of government departments and the justification behind increasing project costs,' read the note. The CM has asked the chief secretary to submit a detailed report within a month outlining which departments have outsourced technical works in the last 10 years, the nature of the works outsourced and the private companies engaged, besides the financial outlay involved in these assignments. He also wanted to know whether the departments, or any other state government agencies, were capable of doing the same work and measures needed to empower them to execute such work in-house, including training and procurement of modern equipment. While the BJP-led government has started initiating a probe into the alleged practice, insiders pointed out that the practice of engaging external consultants and private agencies gained significant traction during the previous government. 'The use of project management units (PMUs) and technical consultants had become institutionalised across various departments under the earlier regime. Although these arrangements were often justified as a means to augment capacity and expedite execution, it gradually eroded departmental accountability and suppressed in-house expertise,' they alleged.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Rural Ontario Development Program launches in Clinton
Rural Ontario is getting an infusion of government money to pull from to try and ride out uncertain economic times. 'We sometimes feel like we're under the shadow of the GTA and the bigger cities, and we have a lot of residents, a lot of good businesses, and all these things help just promote those and strengthen them,' said Huron County Warden, Jamie Heffer. $20 million will be available over the next two years in the newly developed Rural Ontario Development Program. Rural municipalities, along with small businesses, Indigenous communities, and non-profit organizations in Rural Ontario can apply, starting Tuesday. The money can be used for economic development, employee attraction and retention, community infrastructure, and/or business development. 'Whether it's a medical clinic in a small community or a business centre or a wellness initiative to help people on the streets across Ontario, this type of funding makes a difference. And it builds confidence that there's so much more opportunity to grow,' said Ontario's Minister of Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson, who announced the funding in Clinton this morning. Rural Ontario Development Rural leaders launch the Rural Ontario Development Program in Clinton on June 24, 2025. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) While $20 million over two years may not sound like a lot of funding, the idea is to help fund a large number of small projects, rather than two or three large ones. Since 2019, the provincial government has invested $27.5 million in over 473 projects across Ontario, through the predecessor to the Rural Ontario Development Program, called the Rural Economic Development Program. 'The R.E.A.C.H Centre here in Clinton is a perfect example. What started out as a regional equine and agricultural centre, is now home to Fanshawe College. It's home to a local Montessori school. It's home to so much more. And they're looking to grow. That's exactly what we want to do,' said Thompson, who is also the MPP for Huron-Bruce. 'When we built this arena for just shy of $7 million, we got $500,000 in funding from the province. But over a period of a loan, that's a lot of money that you could be paying out in interest. So, every little bit helps,' said Municipality of Central Huron Reeve, Jim Ginn. DOWNTOWN CLINTON Downtown Clinton, Ont. on June 24, 2025. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) Rural leaders hope if the government is bombarded with applications, as they expect they will be, it will be a sign that more investments in Rural Ontario are warranted. 'I'm hoping that if uptake is very strong, that perhaps we'll be seeing, more funds in it in another two years time,' said Rural Ontario Municipal Association Chair, and Mississippi Mills Mayor, Christa Lowry. 'This is extremely important for our small, rural Ontario. The opportunity to just have the government putting this kind of dollars into strengthening our rural communities. It's just a fantastic program that we're looking forward to,' said Heffer. 'It's an incentive and it kickstarts things. We did some public fundraising here for the R.E.A.C.H Centre, and when you know the other levels of government have kicked in some money, that helps people justify putting in some of their own,' said Ginn. Applications for the Rural Ontario Development Program open today, and close on Sept. 24.
Saba Yemen
4 days ago
- Business
- Saba Yemen
Al-Madani, Al-Rabai, & Abbad inaugurate agricultural & fisheries projects in Capital Secretariat at cost of 659 Million Riyals
Sana'a - Saba: Deputy Prime Minister for Local Administration, Rural Development, and Minister of Local Administration and Rural Development Mohammed Al-Madani, along with Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources Dr. Radhwan Al-Rabai, and Capital Secretariat Governor Dr. Hamoud Abbad, inaugurated on Tuesday a number of agricultural and fisheries projects in the Capital Secretariat at a cost of 659 million and 779 thousand Yemeni riyals. These projects, funded by the local authority in the Capital Secretariat through the Agricultural Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit, included: - Establishing fish and marine product sales points in the Secretariat's districts. - Installing advertising boards to promote agricultural and fisheries products. - Launching the unit's digital platform to enhance e-service efficiency and facilitate beneficiaries' access to support and financing. The projects also encompassed the second phase of support for plant and animal sector activities at the Agricultural and Veterinary Institute, including maintenance, furnishing, and operation of equipment at the modern veterinary teaching hospital. Additionally, they involved providing necessary tools , materials for medical devices and training veterinary staff on their use. Other initiatives included expanding capacity and improving educational resources for the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agriculture (Phase II), which involved supplying and installing furniture for four lecture halls in the veterinary college and the new agricultural college's auditorium. Among the inaugurated projects were: - Rehabilitation, maintenance, and restoration of the Agricultural , Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit's building. - Maintenance, rehabilitation, and furnishing of agricultural sector buildings. - Rehabilitation of the mechanical maintenance workshop and servicing agricultural sector equipment. - Procurement and supply of surveying equipment for the financing unit's operations. During the inauguration, Deputy Prime Minister Al-Madani emphasized the importance of these developmental projects in strengthening value chains. He noted that the government is currently implementing policies and mechanisms related to value chains and reducing import costs, with all current projects directly impacting society and contributing to self-sufficiency and food security. He highlighted the opening of marketing-related projects, such as fish sales points, and institutional development projects, including equipping the veterinary hospital, which will serve professionals in veterinary and animal value chains. Al-Madani mentioned new marketing initiatives, such as upcoming value chain festivals in various provinces, and multiple value chains being implemented nationwide by financing units and local authorities, covering fisheries, cotton, dates, and other sectors. He stressed the importance of the Capital Secretariat's role as the final link in the value chain, receiving raw materials produced in rural areas and marketing them through projects that promote fresh product sales while processing others to reduce import costs. This step enhances economic empowerment for families and activates the private sector to receive raw materials from rural regions. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources Dr. Radhwan Al-Rabai affirmed that the launched projects focus on economic aspects, particularly marketing and export, to absorb local products and enhance their competitiveness. He stated that the next phase would see integration between financing units in the Capital Secretariat and provinces to implement qualitative initiatives addressing local agricultural value chains, reducing imports and advancing self-sufficiency. Dr. Al-Rabai noted a serious commitment to achieving self-sufficiency by building a resilient economy that adapts to regional and international changes. Capital Secretariat Governor Dr. Hamoud Abbad emphasized the significance of these projects in laying the foundation for agricultural, livestock, and marketing development, highlighting the Secretariat's central role in successfully marketing local products through festivals, exhibitions, fish sales points, and permanent markets. He underscored the importance of cooperative initiatives in achieving sustainable development and fostering partnerships between official and community sectors in value chains and economic empowerment. Engineer Abdulmalik Al-Ansi, Director of the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit, stated that these projects mark the first phase of a strategic series to be announced soon, as part of a comprehensive plan to enhance community production and create a stimulating developmental environment. He added that the new projects will launch an ambitious development plan prepared in recent months to empower agriculture, fisheries, vocational education, and digital services, improving local production efficiency, creating jobs, and enhancing citizen services. Al-Ansi affirmed the unit's commitment to expanding productive projects and targeting sectors most vital to people's lives, aiming to build a strong economy based on planning, sustainability, and community participation. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (Local)
