GK Notes1: Crop seasons in India

In India agriculture is depend on monsoon. These seasons can be divided into to three viz Kharif, Rabi and Zaid.

Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains towards the end of May in the southern state of Kerala during the advent of south-west monsoon season. As the monsoon rains advance towards the north India, the sowing dates vary accordingly and reach July in north Indian states. Rice, millet, maize, moong, turmeric, groundnut, cotton,etc. are cultivating during this season.

Rabi crops are  are agricultural crops sown in winter and harvested in the spring. The word Rabi is Arabic origin which means spring. The rabi crops are sown around mid-November, after the monsoon rains are over, and harvesting begins in April/May. The crops are grown either with rainwater that has percolated into the ground, or with irrigation. A good rain in winter spoils the rabi crops but is good for kharif crops. Major crops during this season are wheat, oat, barley, linseed, sesame, cumin, coriander, mustard, fennel, pea, onion, tomato, potato, etc.

In the short duration between Rabi and Kharif crop season, mainly from March to June, are called Said crops. These crops are grown mainly in the summer season during a period . Examples watermelon,c cucumber, muskmelon, sunflower sugarcane.

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LIS Notes for Competitive Examinations 3 : Library Legislation - Model Library Bill by Dr. S R Ranganathan

By adapting the public library system in London Dr. S R Ranganathan studied to implement such a system in India and the result of the study was presented at the First All Asia Educational Conference in 1930, Benares. This report included a proposed Model Library Act.

The features of the bill are;

1. Model Libraries Act will provide a system of public libraries for the city, rural and other areas.

2. Minister of Education shall be the State Library Authority ( S L A). It shall be the duty of the State Library Authority to provide for adequate library service in the State.

3. Constitution of a State Library Committee for the purpose of advising the State Library Authority on all matters arising under the Act.

4. Constitution of a Local Library Authority (LLA) for each city and one for each district.

5. The State Library Authority and Government, and a Local Library Authority may raise the library rate in such a manner and at such cess as may be determined from time to time.

This bill was attempted to introduce in West Bengal in 1931 and Madras in 1933. But it could not be enacted due to some compulsory clauses. Dr. S R Rangananthan revised the bill in 1957 as Model Public Libraries Act and later revised in 1972.

LIS Notes for Competitive Examinations 2 : Public Libraries Acts in India

1. The Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Act, 1948.
2. Andhra Pradesh Public Libraries Act, 1960.
3. Karnataka Public Libraries Act, 1965.
4. The Maharashtra Public Libraries Act, 1967.
5. The West Bengal Public Libraries Act, 1979.
6. Manipur Public Libraries Act, 1988.
7. Kerala Public Libraries Act, 1989.
8. Haryana Public Libraries Act, 1989.  
9. Mizoram Public Libraries Act, 1993
10. Goa Public Libraries Act, 1993
11. Gujarat Public Libraries Act, 2001.
12. Orrisa Public Libraries Act, 2002.
13. Uttaranchal Public Libraries Act, 2005.
14. Uttar Pradesh Public Libraries Act, 2006.
15. Rajasthan Public Libraries Act, 2006.
16. Lakshadweep Public Libraries Act, 2007.
17. Bihar Public Libraries Act, 2008.
18. Chattisgarh Public Libraries Act, 2008.
19. Arunachal Pradesh Public Libraries Act. 2009.

 

LIS Notes for Competitive Examinations 1: Baroda and Library Movement

• In 1906-1907 the Maharaja of Baroda Sayajirao Gaekwad III introduced compulsory and free primary education.

• In the same year he conceived the idea of free public library system in all villages and towns of the State of Baroda.
  

• Maharaja insisted that “libraries should not limit their benefits to the few English knowing readers, but should see to it that their good work permeates through to the many”, and that “the vernacular libraries should be encouraged” so that every citizen of the State “may enroll himself as a pupil in the peoples’ university-the library”.

• It was a pioneer movement in India.

• This movement has made 1500 libraries in the state from a single library.

• The Central Library of Baroda was started at Lakshmivilas Palace and later shifted to a newly constructed building at Sarkawada.

• While visited United States Maharaja was impressed by William Alanson Borden, the Librarian at Young Men's  Institute  of New Haven in New Jersey.

• In 1910 W A Borden was invited to Baroda to plan a library system for the state.

• A separate department for libraries was started in 1910 with Mr W A Borden as the full time Director for State Libraries.

• Formally the library movement in India started in the year 1910 with Baroda Library Movement.

• The architect of New Delhi Sir Edward Lutyenc also associated for the creation of the central library.

• The library was commissioned in 1910 and completed in 1931.

• The Maharaja initiated the publication of Gaekwad’s Oriental Series in 1915. 

• Baroda Library Association was started in 1926. Library Associations from Taluk level, organized ‘Mitra Mandal’ (friendly groups in the libraries) in the town and village libraries and organized regular library conferences.

• The Baroda State  launched publication of a quarterly journal called Library Miscellany in English, Gujarati and Marathi in 1912 with Shri J. S. Kodalkar as its first editor. It is the first library journal in India.

• The glorious Baroda Public Library system had diminished after the death of the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad and reinstated after the implementation of the Gujarat Public Libraries Act in 2001.

National Pollution Control Day

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National Pollution Control Day is observed on December 2 every year in memory of those who suffered and lost their lives in the horrific Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984.