• 02 Jun 2023

MoU between NGEL and UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited

Why In News?

According to the information received from the Press Information Bureau of the Government of India on 1 June 2023, Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) and NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Lucknow with the objective of collaborating in the development of renewable energy parks & projects and transforming the energy sector.

Key Points:

• The MoU was signed by the CEO of NGEL Mohit Bhargava and UPRVUNL Director (Finance) Nidhi Kumar Narang & Managing Director P. Guruprasad.
• Under the MoU, the two organisations are planning to undertake a solar PV project dedicated to the Rihand reservoir, other water areas and any available vacant land, solar PV project for solar electrification of Ayodhya City. Wherever land will be made available, both organisations will work together for the development of renewable energy parks and projects.
• Both NGEL and UPRVUNL will work together to form a Joint Venture Company (JVC) to carry out tasks such as renewable energy generation responsibility, and flexibility in the production & scheduling of thermal/hydro power stations by combining renewable energy& energy storage.
• It is worth mentioning that the NTPC is India's largest power generation company. Its total installed capacity (including joint ventures and affiliates) is around 72 GW.
• To expand the renewable energy business, a wholly-owned subsidiary NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) has been formed which will work on a range of projects including renewable energy parks and green hydrogen, energy storage technology & round-the-clock development work in the renewable energy power sector.
• It is known that UPRVUNL was formed to set up and operate power generation stations in Uttar Pradesh. At present, UPRVUNL has four thermal power stations with an installed capacity of 5,820 MW and one thermal power station with an installed capacity of 1,320 MW is in a joint venture with NTPC.
• UPRVUNL is in the process of raising another 3,300 MW capacity with supercritical technology on its own. In addition, the central government is in the process of raising another 1,980 MW capacity through joint ventures with public sector undertakings.
• At present, UPRVUNL is also focusing on renewable energy and the energy storage sector.

18 Districts of UP including Noida-Ghaziabad will be Safe Cities

Why In News?

On 1 June 2023, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told a workshop of mayors and presidents in Lucknow that the state government would make 17 municipal corporations & 18 cities, including Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, safe cities in six months to ensure a safe environment for women in cities.

Key Points:

• After this, within a year, each body of all 75 districts of the state will be made a safe city.
• The Safe City will get the following facilities:
• City buses will have cameras and panic buttons.
• As soon as the women press the panic button, the control room will get information immediately.
• Pink toilets will be built in major intersections and markets.
• Women police personnel will patrol the city on pink scooty.
• Schools and colleges will have more vigilance.
• In the first phase, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Agra, Jhansi, Firozabad, Mathura-Vrindavan, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Meerut, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Aligarh, Kanpur and Ayodhya will be covered.
• On this occasion, the Chief Minister also announced the launch of an incentive scheme for the bodies to provide better facilities in the cities. For this, five parameters have been set like cleanliness, pure drinking water, good roads, safe city and self-reliance.
• An additional Rs 1 crore will be given to Nagar Panchayat, Rs 2 crore to the municipality and Rs 10 crore to the municipal corporation.

Selection of 16 players from Bihar in State-Level School Judo Under-19

Why in News?

On 31 May 2023, Muzaffarpur District’s Sports Officer Mithilesh Kumar said that under the joint auspices of Bihar Art Culture & Youth Department and Bihar State Sports Authority Patna, a State-Level School Judo Under-19 boys & girls selection competition was organized at Khel Bhavan in Sikandarpur of Muzaffarpur district, in which 16 (10 boys and 6 girls) players were selected.

Key Points:

• More than 60 players from different districts of Bihar participated in this selection competition. Most of the players in the selected team are from Lakhisarai and Begusarai districts.
• The School Games Federation of India (SGFI) will organise a State-Level School Judo U-19 competition in New Delhi and Madhya Pradesh from June 6 to 12.
• Among the selected players, Shyam Kumar-BP Inter School Begusarai, Md. Afzal-DPS Majhaul Begusarai, Soumya Kumar-Commerce Inter College Muzaffarpur, Ajit Kumar and Ramji-Plus 2 R.U.V. Barahia Lakhisarai, Akshat Kumar and Rishabh Savarna - Shri Ramavtar Singh Senior Secondary School Lakhisarai, Shivanshu Suman-Sant Paul School Begusarai, Nitin Raj and Abhinandan Kumar-CS DAV Public School Motihari are included.
• Among the selected players in the girls' category, Lakshmi Kumari High School Gauripur Lattipur Bhagalpur, Anshika Kumari G.B.O. 10 +2 Utkramit Vidyalaya Banswar Buxar, Priyanshu Kumari J.D. Women's College Patna, Muskan Kumari Women's College Khagaul Patna, Mansi Kumari 10 +2 Rajkiya Utkramit Vidyalaya Barhia Lakhisarai, Nazrana Naaz Urdu Girls High School Asanandarpur Bhagalpur are included.

Para Medical Council will be formed for the 1st time in Bihar

Why In News?

According to information received from the media on 1 June 2023, in view of the demands of the employees in the health sector of Bihar, the Health Department has decided to form a Para Medical Council for the first time in the state.

Key Points:

• There are many such institutions in the state so far, in which the correct data on health workers is not available. Also, such employees are not being registered. In view of this shortage, the Health Department has decided to form a Para Medical Council.
• The council will have 10 members, including the chairman. Also, a para-medical manual is being prepared by the department.
• According to official sources of the Health Department, so far there is no statutory institution for technical education such as X-ray Technician, Radiology Assistant, Dental Assistant, Medical Laboratory Assistant, Ophthalmic Assistant, Operation Theatre Assistant, CT Scan Technician, ECG Assistant, ECG Technician, Dialysis Technician, MRI Technician, Medical Laboratory Technologist, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Dresser, Audiology Assistant.
• In such a situation, without registration, the government does not have information about how many students have what degree in which field in the state.
• At the time of registration, the valid certificates of the students doing paramedical will also be checked. With this, those who take fake degrees will also be caught.
• According to sources, the para-medical council is being formed on the lines of the nursing council, pharmacy council & medical council. Preparations for the formation of this council in the department have been completed. Soon it will get the approval of the Cabinet.

'Status Report of Drinking Water Quality in Urban Towns 2022-23' released

Why in News?

On 31 May 2023, Dr. Subodh Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department, Rajasthan released the 'State Report on Drinking Water Quality in Urban Towns of Rajasthan 2022-23' at a state-level workshop of chemists of the Engineering Department.

Key Points:

• In the workshop, Additional Chief Secretary informed that in the year 2025-26, drinking water will be available through taps in 1 crore 7 lakh households of the state.
• A survey of 235 urban areas of the state has been done to prepare this report. In 89 towns, drinking water supply is based on surface water sources, in 70 towns based on both surface and groundwater and in 76 towns only based on groundwater.
• All 33 laboratories in the state are NABL accredited. Training for chemists and other personnel have been organized from time to time in collaboration with UNICEF and NEERI for the continuation of NABL certification of these laboratories.
• Technical support was provided to PHED by UNICEF in preparing the status report.
• Field engineers, chemists and officials associated with urban planning will get the benefit of the status report prepared on water quality.
• By the end of 2025, 90 percent of drinking water in Rajasthan will be available from surface sources and dependence on groundwater will be reduced to 10 percent after the completion of all the projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission. At present, 75 percent of the schemes in the state have the availability of surface sources.
• In these mega projects approved under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the state government's share will be 60 percent while the Center's will be 40 percent. After the completion of these projects, 5739 villages of 11 districts of the state will be shifted from groundwater to surface water-based schemes.
• It is worth mentioning that recently 5 major surface water-based drinking water projects worth Rs 23 thousand crore have been approved in the SLSSC meeting.
• In the Jal Jeevan Mission, the objective of the central and state governments is to provide potable water to every household. Under the mission, the requirement of the existing 130 crore litres of water to be delivered to every household will increase to three times.
• UNICEF State Head Isabelle Birdum said that traditional water harvesting systems will be used along with modern technology for water harvesting. Through the workshop, a roadmap will be prepared to take necessary steps in the future regarding water quality.

Medal Winning State Personnel in sports competitions will get a special Increment

Why In News?

On 1 June 2023, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved a proposal to give special increments as personal salary to state employees who have excelled in national and international level sports events & competitions. This will encourage the personnel towards sports.

Key Points:

• For this, eligible personnel will have to apply for a special increment within a period of 6 months from the date of completion of the sports event.
• The personnel will be given 1 and 2 special increments as individual salaries at the rate fixed by the state government for their outstanding performance (winning medals) in national and international sports competitions respectively.
• The personnel will get a maximum of 5 special increments throughout the service period.
• The benefit of a special increment will be payable from the first date of the following month of the end of the sports competition.

Indore Pride Day

Why in News?

On 31 May 2023, 'Indore Gaurav Diwas' was celebrated on the occasion of the birthday of Lokmata Ahilya Bai at a ceremony held at Nehru Stadium in Indore, the cleanest city of India and the financial capital of Madhya Pradesh.

Key Points:

• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the works of Umang Park to be built by Indore Municipal Corporation and the incubation centre set up by Indore Development Authority for the support of startups. He also released the resolution paper of solar city and inaugurated tree ambulance.
• It is known that 298 years ago on this day in 1767, Devi Ahilya Bai was born. Therefore, in his honour, the whole city celebrates this day as Pride Day.
• Devi Ahilyabai Holkar was the wife of Khanderao, the son of the famous empress of the Maratha Empire and the famous Subedar Malharrao Holkar.
• In 1754, when Khanderao attained martyrdom in the battle, father-in-law Malharrao Holkar handed over the command of the Holkar Empire to Ahilya Devi.
• Ahilya Devi's name is taken with respect, for the renovation and reconstruction of temples during her reign of 28 years. He built about 65 temples, Dharamshalas not only in her state but all over India.
• Apart from this, roads, wells, ponds, bawdis, ghats and water tanks were built with basic facilities. While living in Maheshwar, she built Dharamshalas in remote places of the country, such as Amarkantak, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Ayodhya, Gangotri, Pushkar, Mathura, Rameshwar and Haridwar.
• It is worth mentioning that Indore is the only city in India where both the Indian Institute of Management (IIM Indore) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Indore) are located.

MP gets honoured for Remarkable Work in PM Swanidhi Yojana

Why In News?

On 1 June 2023, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri felicitated Madhya Pradesh for their remarkable work in the PM SVANidhi scheme in New Delhi. Additional Commissioner Urban Administration and Development Awadhesh Sharma received the award.

Key Points:

• Significantly, Madhya Pradesh is number one in the country in the PM Svanidhi Scheme.
• In Madhya Pradesh, a total of 7,31,517 cases have been approved under the Prime Minister's Svanidhi Scheme. Out of these, loans have been disbursed in 7,08,894 cases against the target of 6,48,850 allotted to the state. The percentage of progress in the scheme is 109.25%.
• It is worth mentioning that a scheme named 'Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi' (PM SVANidhi) was launched by the Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Development to provide financial support to small shopkeepers and street vendors.
• The Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was announced as a part of economic incentive II under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• It was implemented from 1 June 2020, to provide affordable working capital loans to street vendors who have been adversely affected due to the COVID-19 lockdown to restart their livelihoods.
• It is a Central Sector Scheme i.e. it is a fully funded scheme by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, it has the following objectives:
• Providing a working capital loan facility
• Encourage regular repayments and
• Rewarding digital transactions
• Under this scheme, small shopkeepers can apply for a loan of up to Rs 10,000. Applicants do not need any collateral to get the loan.
• One year time is given to repay the capital received under this scheme, sellers can repay the loan through monthly instalments during this period.
• Also, under this scheme, if the beneficiaries pay on the loan taken on time or before the stipulated date, then they are provided with an interest subsidy of 7% (annually), which is directly deposited in the bank account of the beneficiary at an interval of 6 months through 'Direct Benefit Transfer' (DBT).
• The scheme is available only to beneficiaries from those States/UTs which have notified rules & schemes under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. However, beneficiaries from Meghalaya, which has its own State Street Vendors Act, can participate.

Sports Minister inaugurates new range of Shotguns

Why In News?

On 1 June 2023, Madhya Pradesh's Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia inaugurated the newly-built Shotgun Range at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy at Bishankhedi.

Key Points:

• Spread over 32 acres of shooting academy, the new shotgun range, spread over 10 acres, has five ranges, including the final range, two administrative buildings and pavilions.
• On this occasion, Sports Minister Scindia said that Shotgun World Cup can also be organized in the new shotgun range. In this episode, the National Rifle Association of India is organizing a selection trial of shotguns from June 11 to 18.
• The Sports Minister also reviewed the Madhya Pradesh State Boxing Academy. She also directed the officials to conduct a talent search for the academy soon and weed out the C-category boxers.

MoU signed between Shri Vishwakarma Skill University & British Council

Why In News?

On 1 June 2023, a spokesman of Shri Vishwakarma Skill University of Palwal district said that an important MoU has been signed between Shri Vishwakarma Skill University and British Council with the aim of enabling students in the field of employment through English.

Key Points:

• It is known that the British Council is known for professional training in the English language. Shri Vishwakarma Skill University is focusing on linguistic courses and English is the third most spoken language in the world.
• Now the British Council in collaboration with Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Palwal will train students in English.
• The spokesperson said that the British Council English will contribute its skills to the social and professional advancement of students through an online self-study course.
• The British Council in association with Sri Vishwakarma Skill University will make more and more students competent and proficient in English through this course.
• Language plays the most important role in the development of personality as well as professional advancement. English is spread all over the world and through this, students can make their careers stronger.
• With this objective, Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Palwal is running courses in English, German and Japanese languages on its campus. Now after joining the British Council, there will be more quality in the language course of English.

Chhattisgarh created a world record in Resolution for Environmental protection

Why In News?

Under the Mission Life program organized by the Chhattisgarh Environment Protection Board on 1 June 2023, 12 lakh 38 thousand 116 people of the state have set a new world record by taking a pledge to protect the environment.

Key Points:

• This was an innovative initiative of Chhattisgarh Environment Protection Board, EIACP to bring awareness through public participation in the field of environmental protection, in which the goal was to take a pledge to make changes in their daily lives for environmental protection in a single day.
• Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel appealed to the people of the state to participate in this campaign of the Environment Protection Board, saying that this is not only an oath but a public campaign, which will set a record in Nava Chhattisgarh.
• The Chief Minister's appeal had an impact and people from all walks of life in the state participated enthusiastically in the campaign of the Chhattisgarh Environment Protection Board where in one day more than 12 lakh 38 thousand 116 people set a world record by taking an oath to protect the environment.
• In Raipur district, the world record of a maximum number of oaths in a day was broken and with 1 lakh 75 thousand 209 oaths, the district registered its name in the Limca Book of Records.
• Also, by administering oaths to more than 12 lakh 38 thousand 116 people in the entire state, the district registered its name in the India Star Book of Records and World Record Book.

Gift of Scholarship to students in the state

Why in News?

On 31 May 2023, the Uttarakhand Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami approved the proposal to provide scholarships to meritorious students of degree colleges and universities of the state.

Key Points:

• Under this, students studying in government universities and government degree colleges will get scholarships.
• Under the Chief Minister's Higher Education Scholarship Scheme, a scholarship of Rs 3000 will be given to those who stand first in every faculty of every college in graduation, Rs 2000 to the second position holders and Rs 1000 to the third position holders.
• The first prize winner will get Rs 5000, the second runner-up Rs 3000 and the third prize winner will get Rs 2000 per month.

CM released the books 'Ganga ke Prahari' and 'Swachhta Hi Seva'

Why In News?

On 31 May 2023, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami released the books 'Ganga Ke Prahari' and 'Swachhata Hi Seva' by young litterateur Lalit Shaurya of the state.

Key Points:

• Describing the books as beneficial for public awareness towards river conservation and cleanliness, the Chief Minister said that in the book 'Ganga Ke Prahari', information about rivers has been told about the cleanliness of rivers along with information through stories.
• At the same time, the stories related to cleanliness in the book 'Swachhata Hi Seva' will be helpful in taking the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to the people along with cleanliness.