New Delhi Nov 27 PTI A mass movement towards urban farming will be initiated by the Delhi government to ensure it reaches every home across the national capital Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said after inaugurating a two-day Smart Urban Farming Expo on Saturday The expo organised by the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi DDC in partnership with Urban Gro Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers ISAE and Indian Agricultural Research Institute IARI is being held at the Thyagaraj Stadium here It aims to start a movement towards mass adoption of urban farming in the national capital Around 400-500 orientation workshops will be organised in various areas of Delhi over the next few months in partnership with the Delhi government and those interested can be inducted for a week-long training where they will be further made aware about the outlook technology and latest trends in urban farming said a statement quoting Sisodia The adoption of urban farming is the need of the hour to ensure food quality and security and to ensure every person can experience the joy of farming from their homes he added It would include sessions on the new frontiers in urban farming its associated technical horti-engineering business economic social and environmental aspects According to DDC vice-chairperson Jasmine Shah despite curiosity for urban farming it has remained an elite concept limited to the segment of trading farmers and the ongoing expo would simplify the process and increase its reach The governments motivation is that the expo does not just serve the purpose of knowledge exchange among professionals to bring world-class innovations to Delhi but the two-day deliberations at the expo should be able to simplify the process and increase its reach Sisodias presence today is a marker of Delhi governments commitment towards making urban farming a mass movement he said PTI MG SMN SMN

New Delhi Nov 27 PTI Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain on Friday conducted surprise inspection of five fair price shops in Krishna Nagar to take stock of distribution of free ration under the National Food Security Act NFSA and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojna PMGKAY During the inspection conducted along with Krishna Nagar MLA S K Bagga and senior officials of the department the minister directed his team to take strict action against a shop found giving wheat flour in lieu of the entitled quantity of food grains to a beneficiary The minister took up the matter and directed the inspecting team to take strict warranted action as per law against the FPS dealer including seizing the record if required He also directed the Food Supply Officer to submit a report of the action taken by the inspecting team of the department against the FPS dealer according to a statement issued by the government Hussain also interacted with some beneficiaries The Delhi government is committed to provide free ration to all the entitled beneficiaries Free rations are being distributed regularly by the Arvind Kejriwal government to over 72 lakh PDS card holders and those without ration card residing in Delhi said Hussain while addressing the residents of the area Five kg free ration is being distributed by the Delhi government to all the needy people without ration cards including migrant workers unorganised sector workers workers engaged in building and construction work domestic helpers he added PTI MG SMN SMN