Reluctant Tribals Try Their Hands On Strawberry Farming In Odisha
Used to vegetable farming traditionally, several Adivasi couples in Keonjhar district hesitatingly took up strawberry farming on the insistence of ITDA. Niroj Ranjan Misra finds out whether it clicked or not
Highest Voter Turnout In West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Since Independence
The two States witnessed historic voting in Assembly polls on Thursday, with turnout recorded at 91.78% in Bengal (Phase 1, 152 seats) and 84.69% in Tamil Nadu (all 234 seats). Bengal had witnessed its highest 84.72% turnout in the 2011 polls. TN too had its highest 78.29% in 2011. What the huge turnout, post-SIR, translates into for the parties remains to be seen on May 4. While violence marred parts of Bengal, Tamil Nadu remained largely peaceful. The stakes are high: TMC seeks to retain dominance against an aggressive BJP, while Congress plays a limited role. In Tamil Nadu, DMK aims for re-election against AIADMK, with actor Vijay’s TVK emerging as a disruptor. Tribal-dominated seats in North Bengal and western districts also remain key battlegrounds.
