• 01 Jan 2022

Mobile Phone Distribution Campaign

Why in News

• On December 31, 2021, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the 80,000 mobile phone distribution campaign at the Asha Sisters' Conference held at the Indira Gandhi Foundation.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister announced an additional honorarium of Rs 500 per month from 01 April 2020 to 31 March 2022 to the Asha sisters and Asha relatives who are doing good work in the prevention of Kovid.
• 2000 rupees per month were provided to ASHA and ASHA associates by the central government and 750 rupees per month by the state government. Apart from this, incentive money was also provided to them through various programs. In this way, he could get an honorarium of about Rs 5,300.
• The State Government has decided that the monthly incentive amount received by the State Government to ASHA and ASHA associates should be increased from Rs 750 to Rs 1500. This will at least provide them the prescribed amount up to Rs.6,000.
• The Chief Minister said that in the State Health Index 2019-20 report recently released by the Government of India, Uttar Pradesh has got the first place in the incremental ranking among 19 big states of the country. Out of the 12 indicators of health outcome promenade, Uttar Pradesh has excelled in 06.

The Planning Period of Covid Health Consultants and Covid Health Assistants has been Extended by Three Months

Why in News

• On December 31, 2021, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the proposal to extend the planning period of Covid Health Consultants and Covid Health Assistants by three months from January, 2022 to March, 2022 in view of the present situation of Covid and the possibility of a third wave.

Key Points

• With this decision of the Chief Minister, the work of prevention of third wave of Covid-19, limiting the spread of infection and door-to-door survey and distribution of medicines will be conducted smoothly in the state.
• The Chief Minister has also given approval to pay the honorarium of Covid Health Consultants and Covid Health Assistants from grants received to Panchayati Raj Institutions or local body institutions under the State Finance Commission like the 15th Finance Commission of the Center.

Every Family that Accepts Voluntary Resettlement will get Compensation of 15 Lakhs Instead of 10 Lakhs

Why in News

• On December 31, 2021, the Forest Minister of Madhya Pradesh has informed that a provision has been made to give Rs.15 lakh per family to the family units accepting voluntary resettlement from the protected areas and villages of the Tiger Reserve Corridor area of the state.

Key Points

• Earlier from the year 2008, for displacement from protected villages, compensation amount of Rs 10 lakh was given per family unit.
• Forest Minister Dr Shah informed that the state had requested the central government in this regard. On the proposal, the National Tiger Conservation Authority, New Delhi, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, gave its approval to the proposed compensation amount.
• A provision of Rs 300 crore has been made for the restoration in the year 2022-23. In this, Rs 285 crore has been approved from CAMPA head and Rs 15 crore for resettlement in plan number 5109. With the implementation of this arrangement, families living near Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Nauradehi Sanctuary and Ratapani Sanctuary will be relocated.
• With the increase in the compensation package, the villagers living within the inaccessible forest areas will be resettled and encouraged to join the main stream of development. At the same time, by reducing human interference in inaccessible forest areas, human-wild-animal conflict will also be reduced and wildlife conservation will be strengthened more.
• Villagers living in such forest areas have opted for resettlement voluntarily, in which 16,000 family units have been shifted to new habitations.

Prepaid Auto Service Started From Ranchi Railway Station

Why in News

• With an aim to provide more facilities to the passengers, Prepaid Auto Service System was inaugurated at Ranchi Railway Station by Ranchi MLA, Chandeshwar Prasad Singh in presence of Railway Divisional Manager (DRM), Pradeep Gupta on 31st December, 2021.

Key Points

• With the launch of this service, the passengers especially the elderly, women, children, disabled and sick passengers will get a lot of convenience from the station to their destination and they will also get rid of the arbitrary fares charged by some auto drivers. Also, women will help the passengers to reach their destination safely.
• The amount to be paid as travel charges under this prepaid auto service system has been determined under a certain norm as a result of approval from the District Transport Department. In case of any inconvenience, passengers can register their complaint by contacting 139.
• Auto booking will be done from the prepaid auto service counter at Ranchi Railway Station. A booth has been made for this. Where passengers have to pay first. After this the receipt will be given to the passenger.
• The rates of autos plying from prepaid booths have been decided on the basis of route and distance. Under this, passengers will be charged a minimum of Rs 100 and a maximum of Rs 300 for booking.

State Level Guru Ghasidas Folk Festival and Jayanti

Why in News

• On December 31, 2021, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh made several announcements including granting Municipality status to Nagar Panchayat Nawagarh in the closing ceremony of Guru Ghasidas Lok Mahotsav and Jayanti celebrations and Open Panthi dance competition.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister sanctioned one crore rupees for upgradation of Nawagarh Hospital into 50 bedded hospital, police post at Sambalpur and Jaitakham of Nawagarh.
• The Chief Minister said that Baba Guru Ghasidas has tried to remove the darkness of the society by following the path of truth. Guru Baba incarnated in the land of Chhattisgarh and conveyed his message to the people in Chhattisgarhi dialect. By giving the message of equality, social harmony, Baba worked to unite human society in one thread.
• Baba gave the motto 'Mankhe-Mankhe' is equal, that is, there is no discrimination between human beings, all are equal. Apart from this, he has given the message of Truth is God and God is Truth.
• In the function, the Chief Minister distributed prizes to the winning Panthi team of the Open Panthi Dance Competition. First prize one lakh 51 thousand, second prize one lakh one thousand rupees, third prize 75 thousand rupees and the Panthi dance teams participating in the competition were given consolation prize of rupees 3100.

Skill Hub Initiative Program

Why in News

• On 31 December 2021, the Ministry of Human Resource Education of the Central Government announced the launch of Skill Hub Initiative program in 18 schools of Chhattisgarh as a pilot project to connect school dropouts and youth to employment education. This program will start from the new year.

Key Points

• This program will start in the first phase in 18 schools of Chhattisgarh state. Under the programme, short term certification courses will be conducted to provide vocational education to out-of-school children, students and skill training after school hours and on weekends.
• For this new initiative being started for employment education and skill upgradation, school dropouts and youth will be given training in various job oriented tasks.
• People in the age group of 15 to 29 years will be selected for the training. In this regard, necessary guidelines have been given to all the district collectors for the preparation of the programme.
• Arrangements will be made in selected schools to provide training to the children in various employment related tasks. Interdepartmental cooperation will also be taken in this work.
• The District Education Officer and the nominated officers attached to the Education Department will monitor the training. Vocational trainers posted in the school will make training and other arrangements.
• The trainees who take the training after the training will also be linked with employment. Along with this, skill certificates and academic credit will be obtained through skilling, re-skilling, upskilling courses.
• Schools affiliated to the Skill Hub Initiative will be registered on the Skill India portal. In the pilot phase of this program limited duration training will be conducted.

National Quality Assurance Certificate

Why in News

• On December 31, 2021, 7 government hospitals in Chhattisgarh were awarded National Quality Assurance Standard (NQAS) certificate by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for providing excellent healthcare and providing better treatment to patients.

Key Points

• Along with this, Kondagaon district hospital has been given LaQshya Certification for excellent facilities of delivery room and maternity operation theater and for good care of the maternity and pregnant women.
• The Union Health Ministry has awarded quality certificates to two district hospitals, two primary health centers and three urban primary health centers in the state.
• National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate has been awarded to Mungeli District Hospital and Narayanpur District Hospital by the Government of India.
• On the other hand, Katgi in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district and Kopra Primary Health Center in Gariaband have got the National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate.
• Rajatalab and Hirapur Urban Primary Health Center in Raipur and Nawapara Urban Primary Health Center in Surguja district have also been awarded with National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate.
• The hospital's services and satisfaction level are tested on several parameters by a team of experts before awarding the National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate and Lakshya Certificate. Only hospitals that meet these stringent standards are issued quality certificates by the Union Health Ministry.

State Focus Paper Released in 'State Credit Seminar' 2022-23

Why in News

• On December 31, 2021, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami released the State Focus Paper at the State Credit Seminar organized by NABARD.

Key Points

• The total credit potential for the priority areas of Uttarakhand state for 2022-23 by NABARD has been estimated at Rs 28528 crore.
• Roads, storage system, drinking water, irrigation etc. have been improved in Uttarakhand through infrastructure related schemes. NABARD's contribution has also been in women empowerment especially by strengthening priority sectors and generating livelihood through women self-help groups.
• Arun Pratap Das, Chief General Manager, NABARD said that NABARD, in line with its mandate to ensure rural prosperity, adopts a participatory and consultative approach involving all the stakeholders in the field of agriculture and rural development, to provide potential linked credit to each district of the country every year. Prepares the Plan (PLP).
• The PLP estimates the credit potential in agriculture, allied and other sectors within the priority sector for each district of the state. These estimates also serve as a basis for preparation of Annual Credit Plans (ACPs) for lead banks at the district level and SLBCs at the state level.
• The State Focus Paper is the culmination of the results of the PLP, bringing together the prospects and projections of all the districts into a consolidated document for the state as a whole.
• In the State Focus Paper for the year 2022-23, the total credit potential for priority sectors in the state of Uttarakhand has been estimated at 28 thousand 528 crores, which shows an increase of 5 percent as compared to the previous year's credit plan.
• The State Focus Paper also synthesizes the various policy initiatives of both India and the State Government. This document will prove to be helpful for the state government for prioritizing policy initiatives and budget outlay for 2022-23.
• Self-help groups, NGOs, cooperative institutions, banks and departments were honored for doing commendable work in the program.