State PCS - Rajasthan (RAS)

• 01 Apr 2025

Rajasthan Day

Why in News? 

Recently, the Rajasthan government has announced to celebrate Rajasthan Foundation Day on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada instead of 30th March 2025.

Key Points 

• An age-old demand: 
  • The Nav Varsh Samaroh Samiti, formed in 1992  had been demanding from the state government for years that Rajasthan Foundation Day be celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (Nav Samvatsar) instead of 30th March. 
  • of Foundation Day lies in this day. 
  • The committee argued that the true significance of Foundation Day lies in the fact that Rajasthan was established on this day during an auspicious time according to the Hindu calendar. 
• Importance of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada: 
  • Chaitra Shukla Pratipada is the day of the year when the Earth completes  a full cycle around the Sun , making day and night equal. 
  • It symbolizes  balance and new beginnings . 
• Establishment of Rajasthan  
  • On 14th January 1949, in Udaipur, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had announced in principle the merger of the princely states of Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. 
  • He inaugurated Greater Rajasthan in a ceremony held on 30 March 1949 in Jaipur, hence Rajasthan Day is celebrated every year on 30 March. 
  • At the time of independence, there were a total of 22 princely states in Rajasthan. In present-day Rajasthan, 19 of the then princely states were ruled by kings. Whereas, there was chiefship in three princely states (Neemrana, Luv and Kushalgarh). The Ajmer-Merwara province here was ruled by British rulers. 
  •  The Government of India merged the British-ruled Ajmer-Merwara province into Rajasthan on 1 November 1956 on the recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission headed by Afzal Ali. 
  • During this period, Suneltappa village of Mandsaur tehsil of Madhya Pradesh was also included in Rajasthan. Whereas, Sironj village of Jhalawar district of Rajasthan was included in Madhya Pradesh. 
  • On the basis of the recommendations of the Rao Committee constituted by the Government of India, Jaipur was made the capital of Rajasthan state on 7 September 1949. 
  • Rajasthan is the largest state in the country. Its area is 3 lakh 42 thousand 239 square kilometers. This is 1/10th of the country's land area. 

National Award for TB Elimination

Why in News? 

On the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day on 24th March 2025, Rajasthan has been awarded the National Award for its special efforts towards TB elimination . 

Key Points 

• About the issue: 
  • The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare presented this award to Rajasthan for securing the third position in the country in the TB Free Gram Panchayat Campaign, at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. 
  • Rajasthan has made significant contribution in realizing initiatives like TB Free India Campaign and TB Free Gram Panchayat . 
  • The Principal Secretary to Government informed that under the TB Free Gram Panchayat Campaign, 3,355 Gram Panchayats of Rajasthan were declared TB free in the year 2024 , whereas this number was 586 in 2023.  
  • Apart from this, more than 19,000 Nishchay Mitras (community supporters) have been added so far in Rajasthan under the Prime Minister TB Free India Campaign

 Prime Minister's TB Free India Campaign 

• Introduction: 
  • It is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to accelerate the country's progress towards TB elimination by the year 2025 . 
• Objective: 
  • Providing additional patient support to improve treatment outcomes for TB patients. 
  • To enhance community participation in meeting India's commitment to end TB by 2025. 
  • Taking advantage of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. 
• Ingredients:  
  • Ni-Kshaya Mitra Initiative: It ensures additional diagnostic, nutritional and professional support for TB treatment. 
    • Ni-Kshaya Mitras (Donors) support health facilities (for individual donors) at Block/Urban Wards/Districts/State levels to supplement Government efforts to accelerate the response against TB. 
  • Ni-Kshaya Digital Portal: It will provide a platform for community support for people suffering from TB. 
• Tuberculosis (TB): 
  • Introduction: TB or Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called 'Mycobacterium tuberculosis', 
    • It usually affects the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body too. 
    • It is a treatable and curable disease. 
  • Transmission: TB disease spreads from one person to another through the air. When a person suffering from 'pulmonary TB' coughs, sneezes or spits, he or she spreads the TB germs into the air. 
  • Symptoms: Common symptoms of 'pulmonary TB' include cough with sputum, sometimes blood, as well as chest pain, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats. 
  • Vaccine: Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a vaccine for TB disease.