• 01 Dec 2022

Ten Heritage Sites have been Selected in the Second Phase of the 'Adopt a Heritage Scheme'

Why In News?

• On November 30, 2022, Renu Dwivedi, Director, Directorate of Archaeology, Uttar Pradesh, informed that 10 heritage sites have been selected in the second phase of 'Adopt a Heritage Scheme' in the state.

Key Points

• Renu Dwivedi said that in the second phase of 'Adapt a Heritage Scheme', Potra Kund (Mathura), Kalpa Devi and Astik Baba Temple (Sitapur), Buddhist Caves of Deogarh (Lalitpur), Raj Mandir Guptar Ghat (Ayodhya), Lakshmi Temple (Jhansi), Tahrauli, Alambagh Bhawan of Lucknow Fort (Jhansi), Balabehat Fort (Lalitpur), Digara Garhi (Jhansi) and Shiv Mandir (Tikait Rai Bithoor Kanpur) have been included.
• He said that a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed with Smarak Mitra, under which work will have to be done on the adopted heritage. Along with preserving the heritage, memorial friends will also be able to earn income through temporary construction and other means there.
• State Assistant Archaeology Officer Dr. Rajiv Trivedi said that the work to be done on the monuments has been fixed by the memorial friend. Signage, drinking water, electricity, sewerage, public facilities, Wi-Fi, benches, dustbins, lighting, approach roads and pathways, cafeterias, ramps and wheelchair arrangements for the differently-abled will have to be done at the site.
• A memorial committee has also been constituted to monitor the work done by the memorial friends on the adopted heritage, which will inspect from time to time.
• Smarak Mitras will not be able to maintain and preserve the adopted heritage. This work will be done by the department according to archaeological standards. Memorial friends will be able to get temporary construction done but cannot impose any entry fee on the monument.
• Renu Dwivedi said that the scheme of adoption of heritage was started in collaboration with the State Directorate of Archaeology, Tourism Department and other stakeholders to provide high-level tourism facilities at monuments and archaeological sites. In the first phase of the scheme, 11 monuments and archaeological sites of the state were selected for adoption.

Graded Action Plan will be Implemented in 25 Districts of Bihar

Why In News?

• On November 28, 2022, Bihar State Pollution Control Council Chairman Prof. Ashok Ghosh said in a press conference held at Parivesh Bhawan in Patna that the council has prepared a graded action plan, which will be implemented after six months in all the 25 districts of the state where new monitoring stations have been set up to measure air quality.

Key Points

• Under the Graded Action Plan in the state, pollution will be banned in polluted cities with an AQI of more than 100.
• This ban will vary from city to city depending on the severity of pollution level (AQI). The responsibility of its implementation will be on the DMs of the respective districts and the concerned departments.
• It is known that according to the already made law related to environment, it is necessary to have a data of one year to implement such an action plan. Therefore, despite the graded action plan being prepared, it has not been implemented.
• It has been almost six months since the newly installed 25 monitoring stations were set up in 22 districts of the state and the Graded Action Plan will be implemented after the completion of one year after the next six months.
• Prof. Ashok Ghosh said that if the AQI is more than 450 in the state, air pollution health emergency will be declared by the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority. Under the National Clean Air Programme a district-level implementation committee will be formed under the leadership of the DM, which will decide on taking other additional steps, including the closure of schools.

Transgender Festival

Why In News?

• On November 30, 2022, Rajasthan Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Tikaram Jully inaugurated the state-level 'Transgender Festival' at Pratap Auditorium in Alwar district of the state.

Key Points

• Tikaram Jully said that the state government has constituted a transgender upliftment fund for the social security of the transgender community, in which a provision of Rs 10 crore is being made to provide a big relief to the transgender community.
• Rajasthan is probably the first State in the country to implement such a scheme.
• He informed that education, scholarship as well as self-employment scheme has been implemented for transgenders in the state. Apart from this, free medical facilities will be provided to transgenders, transgenders have been linked to Chiranjeevi scheme for gender change surgery and other medical facilities.
• The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment symbolically presented transgender IDs to 13 transgenders. Apart from this, transgenders from different places were welcomed by presenting them a momento of Saksham Alwar Campaign.
• He also announced to celebrate the next Transgender Festival in Kota on the demand of transgenders.

Free Cochlear Implant in Chiranjeevi Scheme

Why In News?

• On November 30, 2022, Professor, Department of ENT, SMS Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan. Mohnish Grover said that under the 'Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana' in the state, cochlear implants are now being made available completely free of cost in government hospitals.

Key Points

• Prof. Dr. Mohnish Grover said that hearing and speech disabilities from birth is a serious problem, whose effect can last for life. Four out of every 1,000 children born in India are born with such deformities. Cochlear implant technology has proved to be very effective in its treatment. Rajasthan in particular has emerged as the leading state in the country in providing treatment through this technology.
• He said that to perform a cochlear implant, it is necessary to have this cochlear nerve in the patient's brain. But in patients who do not have this nerve, the cochlear vein is developed and implanted through surgery, which the auditor calls brain stem. This is a state-of-the-art technology, which is currently used only in some private hospitals in Chennai and Delhi.
• Rajasthan is the first state in the country where this very expensive implant, which costs Rs 18 to 20 lakh, is being done free of cost in a government hospital.
• Rajasthan is the third state in the country after Andhra Pradesh and Kerala where cochlear implants are returning the hearing and speech ability of about 1,100 children up to five years of age.
• While in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, this technology is available only in private hospitals, in Rajasthan it is available completely free of cost in government hospitals under the Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana.
• At present, free cochlear implant facility is available in government hospitals of five cities of the state. These include Jaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner, Udaipur and Jodhpur cities.
• So far 700 implants have been done in SMS Hospital, Jaipur, 95 in Jaipuria Hospital, 145 in Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner, 40 in RNT Medical College, Udaipur, 60 in SN Medical College, Jodhpur and 20 in JLN Medical College, Ajmer.
• Prof. Dr. Mohnish Grover said that the younger the age of the children for cochlear implants, the more benefits are available. According to the health policy, the age of nine months is approved for the implant, that is, only children older than at least nine months can be operated.
• Children below 4 years of age in Rajasthan can get free treatment. The operation of a cochlear implant is generally very expensive. Each operation costs at least eight to 10 lakhs.
• It is known that from April 1, 2022, cochlear implants have been included in the 'Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme'.

State Government's Big Decision in the Interest of Pensioners

Why In News?

• On November 30, 2022, the Madhya Pradesh state government took a big decision in the interest of pensioners and increased the rate of dearness relief on pension to pensioners and family pensioners on the 6th and 7^th pay scales from October 1, 2022. The increased amount will be payable from November 2022. The Finance Department has issued orders to this effect.

Key Points

• After the 12 per cent hike in the sixth pay scale, the rate of dearness relief has now gone up to 201 per cent. With the increase of 5 percent in the seventh pay scale, the inflation relief rate has increased to 33 percent.
• Prior to the issuance of the order, inflation relief was being available at the rate of 189 percent on basic pension and family pension in the 6th pay scale and 28 percent in the 7thpay scale. According to the order, dearness relief will also be payable on additional pension payable to pensioners aged 80 years and above.
• Dearness relief will also be payable on superannuation, retirement, disability and indemnity pension. Employees who have been dismissed from service or removed from service will also be eligible for dearness relief on compassionate allowance accepted and dearness relief will also be payable to pensioners receiving family pension and extraordinary pension as per the order of the Finance Department.
• If a person has been kept in service on compassionate grounds due to the death of his/her spouse, dearness relief on family pension will not be eligible in such cases. If the spouse is in service at the time of his death, he will be eligible for dearness relief on family pension payable on account of death of spouse. Dearness relief will be payable on their basic pension to such pensioners who have summarized a part of their pension.
• The order will also apply to retired employees of the state government who have drawn a lump sum amount on merger in undertakings, autonomous institutions, mandals, corporations etc. and who have become eligible for repatriation of one-third of the pension.
• The director pension has been instructed to conduct sample checks in the branches of the bank and adjust it in the payments for the next month in case of discrepancy. All pension disbursing officers have been directed to ensure payment of approved dearness relief to pensioners keeping in view the provisions of Madhya Pradesh Treasury Code 2020.

Haryana Made Many Important Changes in MBBS Bond Policy

Why In News?

• On November 30, 2022, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, after a meeting with a delegation of students in Chandigarh, informed that the state has made several important changes in the MBBS bond case keeping in mind the demands of MBBS students .

Key Points

• After the new changes in the MBBS bond policy, while the state has reduced the time limit of the seven-year bond agreement to 5 years, this five-year has also included PG studies, that is, in a way, the bond time limit will now be two years.
• Apart from this, the bond amount has been reduced from 40 lakh to 30 lakh earlier. Out of this, if the fee is reduced, then this amount will be about 25 lakh and it has also been decided to give a discount of 10 percent for girls. This amount does not include the institute's fees.
• It has also been decided in this policy that if any untoward incident happens to a student studying MBBS, then his family will not be forced to pay the bond amount.
• This policy states that a government job (contracted) will be given to an MBBS student within one year after studies. Apart from this, if a student takes up a private job after completing his studies and his salary is less than the salary being paid by the government to the medical officer, then he will not have to pay the bond amount unless his salary is equal to or more than the salary of the medical officer. In such a situation, the government will offer him a contracted job.
• It is worth mentioning that the Haryana government has run many schemes like Chirayu, Ayushman Bharat and Nirogi Haryana, which have been started to provide the best health facilities to the people of the state. Apart from this, medical colleges are being built in all the districts in the state and government hospitals are being opened, due to which the government will need a large number of doctors in the coming time.
• The Chief Minister said that at present, the number of medical colleges, dental colleges, homeopathic colleges and nursing colleges etc. has increased in the state. In 2014, there were 7 medical colleges in the state and MBBS seats were only 700. During the tenure of the present government, 6 colleges were opened and now the number of MBBS seats has increased to 1735.
• He said that there is a plan to open medical colleges in every district of the state. Medical colleges are coming up in many districts and as soon as the construction work of these medical colleges is completed, 3000 students will be admitted for MBBS.
• MBBS seats have been increased in the state and these seats will be increased in future also to meet the shortage of doctors.
• The state government aims to meet the target of deploying one doctor above the population of 1000. This criterion has been set by the World Health Organization.

Gumla Tops in Ragi Production in the entire State of Jharkhand

Why In News?

• In a review meeting of Ragi Mission and Poshan Laddu Yojana conducted by Gumla District Administration of Jharkhand in the district on November 30, 2022, DC Sushant Gaurav informed that ragi was cultivated in 3500 hectares of land in Gumla district this year, in which Gumla has secured the top position in the state by producing 4500 metric tonnes of ragi.

Key Points

• DC Sushant Gaurav said that Gumla district has produced 4500 metric tonnes of ragi, out of which 200 metric tonnes of ragi produced has been collected at the cluster level.
• He directed to organize Kisan Mela in the state in a grand manner so that people from far off places can come and buy Ragi and things made from it. If any institution, organization or company wants to join the district administration to purchase or market ragi in the fair, they will be welcomed.
• He directed a team from the district to prepare to go to universities or institutes of other states to understand and learn the food items made from ragi, scientific approach related to ragi etc. so that the training taken by them can do better work in Gumla district.
• Sushant Gaurav directed the District Social Welfare Officer to give a list of children studying in all Anganwadi centers of the district and prepare ragi flour for the children of the centers and send it. Ragi flour will be given regularly by mixing it in children's food, which will save children from malnutrition.
• Ragi is the best way to eliminate malnutrition in the district and it is also a source of economic income.

Four More Hospitals of Chhattisgarh got NQAS Certification

Why In News?

• On November 30, 2022, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has awarded National Quality Assurance Standard Certificates to four more government hospitals in Chhattisgarh . These include two hospitals in Dhamtari district and one each in Durg and Raigarh.

Key Points

• The Union Health Ministry has issued NQAS certificates to Gedra and Gadadih Health and Wellness Centre (HWC) Sub Health Centre ( HWC) Sub Health Centre in Dhamtari district, Aheri Health and Wellness Centre Sub Health Centre in Durg and Rambhata Urban Primary Health Centre in Raigarh.
• Gadadih Sub Health Centre has scored 94 percent, Gedra Sub Health Centre and Rambhata Urban Primary Health Centre 90 percent each and Aheri Sub Health Centre 87 percent in the evaluation of the hospital on various parameters by the Government of India team.
• So far, a total of 61 hospitals in the state have been awarded national quality assurance standard certificates. These include ten district hospitals, seven community health centres, 26 primary health centres, 13 urban primary health centres and five sub-health centres.
• Hospitals are evaluated on 12 parameters for national quality assurance standard certification by the team of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. For this, the quality of parameters such as service delivery, patient satisfaction, clinical services, inputs, infection control, support services, quality management, output is evaluated by the hospital. Quality certificates are issued by the Government of India only to hospitals that meet the assessment.

Country's First Fish Research Center Established in Private Sector

Why In News?

• According to information received from Chhattisgarh public relations department on November 30, 2022, a fish research centre has been established in village Rampur of Balodabazar-Bhatapara district with the technical support of scientists from Thailand. The centre is the first of its kind in Chhattisgarh and the country to be set up in the private sector.

Key Points

• Dr. C. Suvarna, Chief Executive, National Fisheries Development Board, during his two-day visit to Chhattisgarh, visited the Aqua Genetic Center for Fish Farming at Rampur. Along with this, Dr. Suvarna also inaugurated a large private fish feed center with a production capacity of 100 tonnes per day located in village Baikoni of Simga development block of Balodabazar-Bhatapara district.
• This centre of Aqua Genetic has been established by a joint venture of M Hatchery Raipur and Manit Group Thailand. In this research center, scientists from Thailand will provide research as well as training.
• Spread over an area of about 100 acres, this research centre is also producing tilapia fish seeds along with research on the genetics of fish. Apart from this, fish farmers will also be trained in state-of-the-art techniques of fisheries.
• The research center established in village Rampur will be able to supply improved varieties of fish seeds to farmers across the country including Chhattisgarh. With this, Chhattisgarh will make rapid progress in the field of fish production. Apart from this, with the start of the Large Fish Feed Center, the farmers of the state will be able to get fish food at a low rate at the local level.
• Significantly, Chhattisgarh is among the leading states of the country in fish seed production. Now private sector units are also coming forward in the field of fish research here.
• Dr. Suvarna also inspected the fish farming being done by women self-help groups in the closed mines in village Kherwari of Simga development block through cage culture method. The group has prepared 12 cages for fish farming here. For this, 60 percent under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and D. M. 40 per cent grant has been given from F.
• During his stay, Dr. Suvarna also visited the large Bio floc unit at village Pikaridih in Tilda development block of Raipur district. For the establishment of this unit, farmer Anju Mishra has received 60 percent of the amount in grant under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. Tilapia and Singi fish are being reared in this unit.

Almora's Lakshya Sen got Arjuna Award

Why In News?

• On November 30, 2022, President Draupadi Murmu conferred the Arjuna Award on shuttler Lakshya Sen, a resident of Almora in Uttarakhand, at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Key Points

• President Droupadi Murmu presented the Sports and Adventure Awards 2022 at the ceremony. These awards include Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award-2022; Dronacharya Award-2022; Arjuna Award-2022; Dhyan Chand Award-2022; Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award-2021; National Sports Promotion Award-2022 and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy-2022.
• Lakshya Sen was born on August 16, 2001, in Tilakpur ward of Almora. Lakshya Sen started playing badminton at the young age of four.
• Lakshya's father DK Sen has been a badminton coach with the Sports Authority of India and is currently training at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, Bengaluru.
• Lakshya Sen has so far won 26 medals at national and international level. Of these, 16 are gold medals. Lakshya Sen's elder brother Chirag Sen is also an international badminton player. Chirag has been number two in the Junior National Badminton Championships and Junior World Championships.
• Lakshya presented the Arjuna Award to his Grandfather Late. Dedicated to CL Sen. Lakshya's grandfather CL Sen was the best player of badminton. During his time he had won many state and national level competitions in Veteran. He promoted badminton game in Almora. He is also known as Bhishma Pitamah of Badminton in Almora.