State PCS

• 01 Feb 2024

Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project

Why in News?

Recently, the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).

Key Points

• MoU will pave the way for the availability of drinking water and irrigation in 13 districts of Rajasthan and will also play a huge role in changing the economic conditions of the region.
• The Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), an ambitious drinking and irrigation water project, was announced by the state government in the state budget 2017-18 as a permanent solution to the problem of drinking and irrigation water in 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan.
  • The districts included Jhalawar, Baran, Kota Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Tok, Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur.
• ERCP aims to harvest surplus water available during rainy season in rivers in Southern Rajasthan such as Chambal and its tributaries, including Kunnu, Parvati, Kalisindh, and use this water in south-eastern districts of the state, where there is scarcity of water for drinking and irrigation.
  • ERCP is planned to meet drinking and industrial water needs of the southern and south eastern Rajasthan, for humans and Livestock till the year 2051.

Chambal River

• About: It originates at the Singar Chouri peak in the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains (Indore, Madhya Pradesh). From there, it flows in the North direction in Madhya Pradesh for a length of about 346 km and then follows a north-easterly direction for a length of 225 km through Rajasthan.
  • It enters UP and flows for about 32 km before joining the Yamuna River in Etawah District.
  • It is a rainfed river and its basin is bounded by the Vindhyan mountain ranges and the Aravallis. The Chambal and its tributaries drain the Malwa region of northwestern Madhya Pradesh.
  • The Hadauti plateau in Rajasthan occurs in the upper catchment of the Chambal River to the southeast of the Mewar Plains.
• Tributaries: Banas, Kali Sindh, Sipra, Parbati, etc.
• Main Power Projects/ Dam: Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, Jawahar Sagar Dam, and Kota Barrage.
• The National Chambal Sanctuary is located along river Chambal on the tri-junction of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is known for critically endangered gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle, and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.

Madhya Pradesh Government to Introduce Strong Law to Prevent Exam Paper Leaks

Why in News?

The Madhya Pradesh government would enact a strong law to stop exam paper leaks.

Key Points

• A stringent law will be made to ensure that no person, including the in charge of examination centres, involved in such malpractices, can escape.
  • No one will be able to make question papers available to students.
• If there is any issue in the government system, it will also come under the purview of this law. Such acts will come under the ambit of criminal activity.
• With this law, the MP School Education Department will ensure that students appear for exams in a "tension-free" atmosphere.

Super Speciality Hospital in Rewa & Parbati-KaliSindh-Chambal Link Project

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh government has approved Rs 164 crores for the expansion of a super specialty hospital in Rewa.

Key Points

• This decision will benefit the people of Rewa and Shahdol divisions as it is the largest super specialty hospital in those divisions.
• The council of ministers also took an important decision about the startup policy in the state.
  • All the startup people who want to participate in national or international competitions will be given a reimbursement of Rs 50,000 by the state government for participating in national competitions and Rs 1.50 lakh for participating in international competitions.
  • The amount will be given once in a financial year and up to twice in the entire tenure for a startup.
• The Parbati-KaliSindh-Chambal Link Project pending for almost two decades, would now be implemented with the initiative of the PM.
  • This would benefit 12 districts of Malwa and Chambal region in the state and 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan.
  • The availability of drinking water will increase in these areas and water will also be available for irrigation and industrial use.
  • The project worth Rs 75000 crore and the state would invest only 10%, the rest 90% of the amount would be provided by the central government.

Parbati-KaliSindh-Chambal Link Project

• It aims to harvest surplus water available during rainy season in rivers in Southern Rajasthan such as Chambal and its tributaries, including Kunnu, Parvati, Kalisindh, and use this water in south-eastern districts of the state, where there is scarcity of water for drinking and irrigation.
• It is planned to meet drinking and industrial water needs of the southern and south eastern Rajasthan, for humans and Livestock till the year 2051.
• It proposes to provide drinking water to 13 districts of Rajasthan and provide irrigation water for 2.8 lakh hectares of land through 26 different large and medium projects.
  • 13 Districts: Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Tonk, Jaipur, Karauli, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dausa and Dholpur.

Champai Soren New CM of Jharkhand

Why in News?

Recently, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Legislature Party elected Transport Minister Champai Soren as new leader after Hemant Soren resigned as Chief Minister.

Key Points

• The Enforcement Directorate arrested Hemant Soren in a land scam case soon after he resigned as Jharkhand Chief Minister.
  • The resignation came after the ED officials questioned the CM for more than seven hours at his official residence in Ranchi.
  • Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan has accepted the resignation.
• Senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and Transport Minister Champai Soren was elected leader of the Legislature Party.
• Champai Soren is a five-time MLA from Seraikela. In the 1990s, he actively took part in the movement for the creation of a separate State of Jharkhand along with JMM patron Shibu Soren.

Directorate of Enforcement (ED)

• The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with investigation of offences of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
• It functions under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
• As a premier financial investigation agency of the Government of India, the Enforcement Directorate functions in strict compliance with the Constitution and Laws of India.

Uttarakhand: Home to 2nd Largest Snow Leopard Population

Why in News?

According to the Snow Leopards Population Assessment in India (SPAI), Uttarakhand has documented a notable population of 124 snow leopards, securing the second position after Ladakh, which boasts 477.

Key Points

• The recently released report, titled 'Status of Snow Leopard in India', represents the first-ever scientific effort estimating the presence of 718 snow leopards in the Indian Himalayan territories.
• A team at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), conducted a comprehensive scientific assessment, highlighting Gangotri National Park as a pivotal area for conservation.
• According to authorities, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve has also emerged as a promising habitat for snow leopards.
• The survey spanned six snow leopard range states with Himachal Pradesh leading with 51 elusive cats, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21),and Jammu and Kashmir (9), resulting in a total of 718 across these states.

Gangotri National Park

• It was established in 1989 and is situated in Uttarkashi, Uttrakhand in the upper catchment of Bhagirathi River.
• Gaumukh at Gangotri glacier, the origin of river Ganga, is located inside the park.
• The park area forms a viable continuity between Govind National Park and Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Flora: The park is enveloped by dense coniferous forests that are mostly temperate. Chirpine, deodar, fir, spruce, oak and rhododendron are the common vegetation.
• Fauna: Various rare and endangered species like bharal or blue sheep, black bear, brown bear, himalayan monal, himalayan snowcock, himalayan tahr, musk deer and snow leopard are found in the park.

The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve

• It was established in 1988 and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site 1988. The reserve is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including several endangered species such as the snow leopard, Asiatic black bear, Himalayan musk deer, and blue sheep.
• The reserve is also known for its rich cultural heritage and is home to several indigenous communities such as the Bhotiyas and the Joharis. These communities have been living in the area for centuries and have developed a unique way of life that is closely tied to the natural environment.

Uttarakhand First Woman Chief Secretary

Why in News?

Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Radha Raturi was appointed as the first woman chief secretary of Uttarakhand.

Key Points

• Raturi, an IAS officer of the 1988 batch, replaced Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. She is the first woman to hold the top administrative post in Uttarakhand.
• She has worked as a bureaucrat both in undivided Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which came into existence in November 2000.