• 04 Nov 2022

Cabinet Approves Investment Proposals Worth Rs 7,000 crore in IT Sector

Why In News?

• On November 3, 2022, the Cabinet meeting chaired by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved investment proposals worth Rs 7,000 crore in the IT sector in the state.

Key Point

• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the state government will invest Rs 2186 crore in Microsoft, Rs 483 crore in MAQ and Rs 638 crore in Paytm in Noida in the IT sector and through this investment, 14185 people will get employment.
• Apart from this, two investment proposals were also approved for the data center in the state, in which a Singapore-based company STP will invest Rs 1130 crore for a data center in Noida, while another company SKBR will invest Rs 2692 crore. Through these two projects, 4 thousand people will get employment.
• The Cabinet has decided to open seven more data centers in the state after north India's first data center opened in Greater Noida recently. Land grant will be arranged for all these data centers and apart from this, the cost of supply of one feeder will also be borne in the supply of dual feeder.
• Additional Chief Secretary (IT and Electronics) Arvind Kumar said that it has been decided to increase the target of data center to 900 MW data center. For this, the definition of FAR has also been changed so that maps can pass quickly. In this, the system of partial completion has been given, while the facilities have also been increased regarding electricity connection.
• Apart from this, funding of up to Ten crore rupees will also be done in the field of Center of Excellence Data Center. These changes in the data center will not only increase investment, but it will also come faster. This policy will be valid for 5 years.
• Arvind Kumar said that three centers of excellence have already been opened in the state and 5 new centers of excellence will be opened, in which these centers will be opened in new areas like 3D printing, 5G, virtual reality, spacetech. Innovative culture will be promoted at the school level itself. Apart from this, the sustainance allowance has been increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 17.5 thousand.
• A grant of Rs 5 lakh will now be available to make prototypes of the Center of Excellence. Those who affect the rural environment, recycle garbage, environmental protection, renewable energy will be provided 50 percent more incentives. Apart from this, the definition of women-partnered start-up has also been fixed, under which 26 percent women should participate in start-ups.
• The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has also approved three new universities in the state, including Karnataka's famous JSS University in Noida, SD Singh University in Fatehgarh-Farrukhabad and SDGI Global University in Ghaziabad. Letters of Intent have been issued to these three universities.

Pro. Sudha Sinha Gets Dinanath Sharan Samman-2022

Why In News?

• On November 3, 2022, renowned philosopher and poet of Bihar, Prof. Sudha Sinha was awarded the Dinanath Sharan Samman-2022 by Chitragupta Samajik Sansthan, Patna.

Key Point

• It is known that Prof. Sudha Sinha has been the Chairperson of the Department of Philosophy of Patna University.
• It is noteworthy that Dr. Dinanath Sharan was a mystic critic of humanity and life-values. As a conscious poet, he weaponised poetry against exploitation and hypocrisy and throughout his life he continued to do solitary service to literature and journalism.
• Dinanath Sharan's fame came from the criticism-book 'Hindi Kavya Men Chhayavad’ written by him. He also established the 'Department of Hindi' at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, doing a very important work in the promotion of Hindi in Nepal.
• Dinanath Sharan Samman is given every year, under which the honored person is given a sum of Rs 11,000 along with citation and floral garlands.

Skill Training Batch for Women of Navjivan Families Launched in Alwar

Why In News?

• On November 3, 2022, Rajasthan Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Tikaram Jully launched the first batch of skill training for women in Alwar district under the state government's 'Navjivan Yojana'.

Key Point

• Minister Tikaram Jully said that navjivan yojana is being operated by the state government to free the families from the swamp of illegal liquor in the state and bring them into the mainstream of the society by giving skill training. This is a positive initiative to provide skill training to the family members, especially women, freed from the menace of illicit liquor and provide them loans and employment opportunities for self-employment.
• Describing women as a strong link in the family economy, he said that such training will enable them to provide more financial support to their families.
• RaviKant, Assistant Director, Social Justice and Empowerment Department, said that in the skill training batch of the first phase under the Navjivan Yojana, 75 women participants of Navjivan families of Alwar city and Alwar rural will be given 60-days tailoring training through voluntary organization.
• Under this scheme, free tool kit has been provided to each participant and loans will also be disbursed at minimum interest rates through scheduled corporations and banks for self-employment during training. Apart from this, the families included in this scheme will also be linked to pension, Palanhar, Kanyadan, Indira Gandhi Urban Credit Card Scheme and Indira Mahila Udyam Protsahan Yojana.

Madhya Pradesh Ranks Third in the Country in 3rd National Cultural Fest

Why In News?

• Madhya Pradesh secured the third position in the country in the 3rd National Cultural Fest for Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) held in Bengaluru under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India on November 3, 2022.

Key Point

• In this fest, students from Madhya Pradesh made their place in 13 different disciplines. About 80 tribal students of Eklavya Model Residential School run under the Tribal Affairs Department of Madhya Pradesh brought laurels to the state by achieving this feat in the fest.
• The three-day cultural fest also featured story recitation, creative writing , spellby and debate competitions, besides genres such as classical and ecclesiastical singing, instrumental playing, solo and group singing, improvised painting, drama, tribal group dance, folk dance and group singing .
• Sakshi Mayadia and Rajaram of EMRS Indore bagged the first position in the quiz. Sakshi also secured the first position in English speech.
• Vaishnavi Waskale of EMRS Indore and Neha Yashwant of PVTG, EMRS Indore bagged the first position in the Hindi debate and Soumya Rai of EMRS Indore bagged the first position in the English debate.
• Himangi Khapade of EMRS Indore bagged the second position in Spell-B, Kartik Dodve of EMRS Barwani bagged the second position in Hindi speech and Tirath Singh of EMRS Pali bagged the third position in poetry recitation.
• Bharti Bighle of EMRS Budni bagged the second position in ecclesiastical singing and Ashish Mishra of EMRS Dhansaur bagged the third position in classical singing. Emrs Barwani's team was third in patriotic group singing.
• Rangita of EMRS Budni bagged the first position in tribal solo song singing. Also, Ashish Bharti of EMRS Tamia bagged the third position in sub-classical solo singing.

Haryana wins India Agribusiness Best State Award

Why In News?

• On November 3, 2022, a spokesperson of the Haryana government informed that Haryana has bagged the award in the best state category in the India Agrobudiness Award-2022 released by the Indian Council of Agriculture and Food.

Key Point

• Haryana has received this award for outstanding contribution in the areas of agriculture friendly policies, programs, production, inputs, technologies, marketing, value addition, infrastructure and exports in the state.
• A 15-member committee headed by Niti Aayog member Prof Ramesh Chand has selected Haryana as the best state for implementing better techniques, advanced methods in the field of agriculture and horticulture.
• Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister J. P. Dalal will receive the award on behalf of Haryana on November 9 at the National Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi.
• Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Lal, Haryana, which has been moving from agriculture, horticulture revolution to blue revolution for the last 8 years, is now moving forward in agro business as well.  As a result of the Chief Minister's efforts to make farmers aware, the farmers of the state have adopted crop diversification in large numbers. This has not only increased their income, but has also opened up other employment opportunities.
• Haryana has played the role of a guide in the journey of transforming Indian agriculture from a production-centric to a market-driven system. In view of the improvement in the field of agriculture and horticulture, several steps have been taken by the Haryana government including proper use of water for irrigation, diversification of crops with less water consumption and implementation of various schemes to increase the income of farmers.
• At present, special attention is being paid by the state government to promote agribusiness and make farmers self-reliant. For this, companies in the agricultural sector, farmer producer organizations have been identified, so that the farmers can be organized and collectively ensure their production and marketing system. Special emphasis is also being laid on reducing the cost of agriculture and horticulture by providing investment, technology and new equipment in this work.
• The Haryana government is paying special attention to the formation and strengthening of FPOs and so far about 700 FPOs have been formed in the state. The government is inviting agriculture sector companies in the state to work with these FPOs to strengthen backward and forward linkages.
• During the year 2021-22, 22 agriculture sector companies have entered into 34 MoUs with 22 FPOs with Buy Back Corporation for trading and marketing of FPO products. During the current financial year, 12 more FPOs and 15 companies have come forward to sign MoUs for horticulture products.
• The state government is providing incentives to FPOs for their handholding. For agribusiness, the government has launched a special scheme called 'Crop Cluster Development Programme' for FPOs. Under this programme, 70-90 per cent subsidy is provided to FPOs for setting up integrated pack houses in horticulture clusters. So far, 30 integrated pack houses have been set up. Priority is also being given to setting up custom hiring centres by the agriculture department.
• To promote FPOs, the Haryana government has come up with the 'FPO Policy 2022'. Under this policy, SFAC-Haryana will act as the state nodal agency to liaise with various implementing agencies and carry out some important functions like registration, rating/grading, monitoring, marketing.
• The policy will also ensure strengthening of FPOs including cluster formation of horticulture and agriculture, smooth functioning of FPOs, backward and forward linkages, strengthening of supply chain and direct marketing/trading of produce after sorting/grading at aggregation points.

Durg District Emerges Overall Champion in 22nd State-Level School Sports Meet

Why In News?

• On November 3, 2022, the 22^nd State Level School Sports Competition concluded at Chandulal Chandrakar College, Dhamdha in Durg district of Chhattisgarh, in which Durg district was the overall champion with 15 points.

Key Point

• Bilaspur district stood second with 14 points in the 22ndstate-level school sports competition.
• In kabaddi, Bilaspur stood first, Durg second, Raipur third in the boys' category and Bilaspur first, Durg second and Raipur third in the girls' category.
• Similarly, in kho-kho, Bastar first, Durg second and Bilaspur third in the boys' category and Durg, Bilaspur second and Bastar third in the girls' category.
• In the 19-year-old category, Surguja stood first, Bilaspur second, Durg third and Surguja first, Durg second and Bilaspur third in the girls' category.
• In the closing program of the competition, Cabinet Minister Ravindra Choubey honored the players with prizes.

Uttarakhand Becomes First State in the Country to Register Nikshay Mitra

Why In News?

• On November 3, 2022, Uttarakhand Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat informed that Uttarakhand has secured the first position in the country by registering the highest number of Nikshay Mitras in the Prime Minister's TB Free India Campaign.

Key Point

• Uttarakhand has become the state with the highest number of Nikshay Mitra registrations across the country based on the average number of TB patients. Any person including elected representatives, political parties, NGOs, corporate institutions can register as Nikshay Mitra.
• As Nikshay Mitra, each person will support the treatment of one or more TB patients by adopting them for at least one year and Nikshay Mitra will provide food baskets suggested by the Central Government to the patient every month, estimated to cost one thousand rupees.
• Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that in three districts of the state - Tehri Garhwal, Chamoli and Champawat, 100 percent Nikshay Mitras have been linked for patient care and treatment, while in five districts Almora, Bageshwar, Rudraprayag, Udham Singh Nagar and Uttarkashi, more than 95 percent Nikshay Mitras have been linked.
• It is noteworthy that under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, 5852 Nikshay Mitras have been made in the state so far. Of these, 91 per cent of the Nikshay Mitras have been linked to TB patients.