Rajasthan

• 02 Mar 2023

Referral Lab will Soon Open in the State for Testing Food Items

Why In News?

On March 1, 2023, Rajasthan's Medical and Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena assured in the assembly that a referral lab would be set up in the state soon for testing food items. He informed that a proposal has been sent to the Central Government by the State Government in this regard.

Key points

• Medical and Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena said that there are different parameters for testing food samples by the State Food Testing Laboratory and referral lab. The state government has also written a letter to the central government to fix the same parameter across the country.
• Replying to a supplementary question asked by the member in this regard during question hour, Minister Parsadi Lal Meena said that samples that samples that have been unsafe in the testing of food samples in the state laboratory can be tested through referral. At present, referral labs are set up in Mumbai, Pune and Mysore.
• He said that the parameters of safe and unsafe are different in the center and the state. Unsafe 1202 samples were sent for referral to the state laboratory, where only 154 of them were found to be unsafe. The central government has assured the early establishment of referral labs in the state as well.
• Earlier, in a written reply to the original question of MLA Suryakanta Vyas, the Medical and Health Minister said that government laboratories are established in the state to check adulteration of food items. He laid on the table of the House the year-wise and district-wise details of samples taken in government laboratories in the last four years and reports received from them.
• The Medical and Health Minister also placed on the table of the House the decisions, decisions received from the referral received from the said report from the samples declared unsafe by the food laboratories of the state to the referral lab, year-wise and district wise information of the samples considered non-standard and standard.
• Parsadi Lal Meena said that section 46(4) of the Food Safety and Standards Act provides for an appeal against the report of the food analyst to the concerned officer. Under these provisions, on appeal by the designated officer concerned, the samples can be tested by the designated officer from the referral laboratory. The FSSAI has earmarked three referral labs for the state - Mysore, Pune and Navi Mumbai.
• He said that the main reason for the difference in the results of the state laboratory and referral laboratory is to test on different parameters and the interpretation of the results obtained by the investigating officer to give his opinion is also one of the reasons for the investigation results obtained after testing the samples.
• The Medical and Health Minister said that proposals have been sent to FSSAI New Delhi under the MoU in the Work Plan 2023-24 for setting up referral labs in the state.

Cabinet Approves 35 proposals for Economic, Social and Educational Development of the State

Why In News?

In the state cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on March 1, 2023, 35 different schemes including economic, social development, promotion of higher education, encouragement of state employees, promotion of industrial activities and control of organized crimes in the state. Important proposals were approved.

Key points

• The Rajasthan Control of Organized Crime Bill-2023 was approved in the cabinet meeting.
  • In this, against whom more than one charge sheet has been presented in the court in the last ten years and the court has taken cognizance of it, as well as who, as a member of organized crime gang, has committed an offense which is cognizable and punishable for a period of three years or more. is punishable, action can be taken against that person.
  • Action will be taken against the gang of two or more persons by whom organized crime is committed in organized crime gang.
  • In case of death of the victim, the offender has been given death penalty or life imprisonment and a minimum fine of one lakh rupees. Also, for criminal conspiracy, giving shelter to gang members, a minimum of five years imprisonment, which can be maximum life imprisonment. Also, a minimum fine of five lakh rupees has been made.
  • At the same time, a provision of minimum three years imprisonment, which can be a maximum of life imprisonment, has been made for acquiring property through organized crime. Also, a public servant who has cooperated in organized crime is punishable with a maximum of three years imprisonment and a fine.
• Other important proposals approved by the Cabinet:
  • The Cabinet has approved a bill to set up Rajiv Gandhi Fintech Digital Institute in Jodhpur. The institute will function as a deemed public university. It will offer certificate courses and diploma courses in the digital and financial technology domain.
  • The Cabinet has approved the proposal to approve the Rajasthan State Forest Policy. This decision will facilitate the systematic development, management of forests in the state and will promote conservation of natural resources in the state and generate many employment opportunities.
  • The Cabinet approved the Climate Change Policy aimed at preventing additional exploitation of the state's natural resources and their sustainable use.
  • The cabinet has approved the 'E-Waste Management Policy' with the objective of reducing, reusing and recycling e-waste in the state and reducing the damage caused by e-waste to the environment.
  • The cabinet has approved amendment in various service rules for appointment in the state government to widows and abandoned women with more than 2 children on and after June 1, 2002. Also, various service rules have been amended regarding promotion of personnel having more than 2 children on or after June 1, 2002.
  • The cabinet approved the proposal to amend the Rajasthan Animal Husbandry Subordinate Services Rules, 1977 to change the educational qualification and designation of the posts of water bearer/sweeper/shepherd. With this decision, the posts of waterman/sweeper/shepherd will be merged, and their new designation will be 'animal attendant'.
  • The cabinet approved the proposal for amendment in the Rajasthan Fisheries State and Subordinate Services Rules, 2012. With this, the recruitment of posts not coming in the work area of Fisheries Subordinate Service can now be done through written examination by the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board.
  • The Cabinet approved the draft Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Governance and Social Sciences Bill, 2023. Its passage will pave the way for the establishment of a university-level innovative institute in the field of higher learning related to governance and social sciences on public-private partnership mode at Jaipur district headquarters.
  • The Cabinet approved formation of Section-8 company for setting up Artificial Intelligence of Things Innovation Hub (AIoT) under City Innovation Cluster at Jodhpur. This decision will benefit the youth, startups and entrepreneurs of the state and create employment opportunities.
  • The cabinet has approved the proposal to amend section 39 of the Rajasthan Municipality Act, 2009 to take action against the municipality member for pre-election disqualifications. With this decision, the state government will get the right to take action against such municipality members.
  • The cabinet decided to allot 210 hectares of land to JK Cement Limited at Village-Parevar, District-Jaisalmer for setting up a cement plant. There will be an investment of about Rs 5000 crore in this project. With the establishment of the project, 1000 people will get direct employment and 5000 people will get indirect employment.
  • The Cabinet approved the proposal for allotment of land for establishment of Regional Millet Research Station of Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad at Gudamalani village in Barmer district.
  • The cabinet decided to construct broad gauge dedicated rail line on government land at village Nawan, district Nagaur. Testing and trials of intermediate rolling stock and base land components made in the country and abroad will be possible on this dedicated rail line.
  • The Cabinet approved the draft Jai Meenesh Tribal University, Ranpur (Kota) Bill, 2023. The passage of this bill will pave the way for the establishment of this university in the private sector.
  • In compliance of the previous budget announcements in the cabinet meeting, it has been decided to develop necessary infrastructure facilities by planning Greater Bhiwadi Industrial Township area and Marwar Industrial Cluster and expanding their jurisdiction.
  • Rajasthan Energy Conservation Building Code and Rajasthan Energy Conservation Building Code Rules-2023 were approved for the construction of energy efficient buildings to save energy in commercial buildings. This will reduce energy consumption in the building sector. Also, reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions will help in making the environment cleaner.
  • Tuition fees waived on government seats for non-creamy layer candidates of MBC and OBC category on the lines of SC, ST, EWS and women students in the MBBS course of medical colleges run by State Medical Colleges, Jhalawar Medical College and Hospital Society and Raj-MES in the cabinet meeting. It has been decided to do.
  • The Cabinet has approved the proposal for allotment of land to the Protection of Animals and Welfare Society for shelter house for homeless dogs. This land is a newly created plot of 1000 sqm in Jaipur Development Authority's residential scheme Ramchandrapura.