• 06 Oct 2021

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban

Why in News

On October 5, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually handed over keys to 75,000 beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Urban in 75 districts of the state while inaugurating the three-day Amrit Mahotsav program of Independence in Lucknow.

Key Points

• Along with this, the Prime Minister also released the coffee table book of 75 successful projects of 10 smart cities of the state and digitally inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chair at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University.
• Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated the New Urban Conclave and visited 75 housing technology exhibitions on the theme of New Urban India.
• He flagged off 75 electric buses for seven cities of the state.
• During the programme, the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 75 projects costing Rs 4,737 crore. He dedicated 15 development projects worth Rs 1,537.02 crore and 17 drinking water projects worth Rs 502.24 crore under Pradhan Mantri AMRUT Mission to the people and laid the foundation stone for 30 development projects worth Rs 1,256.22 crore and 13 projects worth Rs 1,441.70 crore.

Ganga Dolphins

Why in News

In the program organized by Bhagalpur Forest Division on the Ganges River Dolphin Day, Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey announced the conduct of the Galactic Dolphin Census.

Key Points

• The Union Minister said that Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary would be developed into a world-class tourist destination and a Dolphin Conservation Force would be formed to carry out the conservation and promotion work of dolphins.
• It is noteworthy that from Sultanganj to Kahalgaon, about 60 km, has been declared a 'Gangetic River Dolphin Protected Area'.
• The dolphin census will be done with the participation of scientists, experts from forest departments, NGOs and local people.
• It is known that the Gangetic Dolphin was declared a 'National Aquatic Animal' by the Government of India in 2009 and it is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List.

NABL Accreditation

Why in News

On October 5, 2021, the State Water Resources Minister Dr. B.D. Kalla informed that district level drinking water quality testing laboratories in 30 districts of the state have got NABL accreditation (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories), while three districts are yet to get accreditation.

Key Points

• In these 30 districts- Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Baran, Barmer, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bundi, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Karauli, Kota, Nagaur, Pali Rajsamand, Sikar, Sirohi, Tonk and Udaipur are included. On the other hand, laboratories of Chittorgarh, Sawai Madhopur and Pratapgarh are yet to get accreditation.
• The Minister of Water Resources said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 'Field Testing Kit' has been made available for all Gram Panchayats of the state for monitoring clean and quality drinking water supply through 'Har Ghar Nal Connection' in the approved projects of rural areas.
• He informed that a provision of Rs.67 crore has been made in the annual plan for the year 2020-21 under Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQMS) in the state. Under this, the process of setting up block level drinking water quality testing laboratories in 102 out of 353 panchayat samiti headquarters in the state is underway in the current financial year.
• The Mobile Testing Laboratory is operated by the State Government in Jaipur, whose NABL 'Recognition' process is going on. Along with this, the process of NABL 'recognition' of mobile laboratories operated for drinking water quality testing through outsourcing in 20 other districts of Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer and Udaipur divisions is also in progress.
• The Minister of Water Resources informed that a new building of State Level Laboratory in Jaipur would be constructed at Panipech under Public Health Engineering Department (PHED).
• It may be mentioned that NABL is an independent national level organization for certification of testing laboratories in the country. It gives NABL certification to testing laboratories under ISO/IEC 17025. This organization is established under the 'Quality Council of India' in the Government of India, which certifies the laboratories for 'NABL Accreditation' after 'Performance Audit'.

Aishwarya Pratap

Why in News

Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar of Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy has won a gold medal for the country by performing brilliantly in the 50m Rifle Three Position (Men) section of the ISSF Junior World Championships held in Lima (Peru). He achieved this feat with 463.4 points in the final.

Key Points

• Along with this, Aishwarya also set a new world record at the junior level. Earlier this world record was held by Filip Napejshal of Czech Republic, which he set on November 19, 2019 in China with 462.9 points.
• France's Lucas Bernard Denis Kries was second with 456.5 points, while America's Gavin Raymond Le Barnick was third with 446.6 points.
• Aishwarya, who represented the country at the Tokyo Olympics, equaled the world record in the qualification round to finish at the top with 1185 points.
• Aishwarya equaled the world record with a total of 1185 points with 397 marks in neeling, 398 in prone and 390 in standing.
• He has set a world record for the second time in this event of the World Championships. Earlier, he had set a new world record by securing 459.3 points in the 50m rifle 3 position at the 2019 ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.
• It is noteworthy that Aishwarya Pratap Singh, born in a farmer family on February 3, 2001 in village Ratanpur of Jhirnia tehsil of Khargone district, is training in Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy since 2015. He has so far brought three gold, one silver and one bronze medals to the country in international competitions. Aishwarya Pratap has earned 11 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze medals in national competitions.

'Dedication for Children' Program by NCPCR

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Recently, the National Commission for Protection of Children has started the program 'Bachchon ke liye Samarpan' (Dedication for Children) in three districts of Madhya Pradesh - Vidisha, Raisen and Sehore.

Key Points

• In this, financial assistance will be given to such children, who have lost one or both of their parents due to the corona epidemic.
• Chairman of the Commission Priyank Kanungo said that the program of 'Dedication for Children' will be expanded in future.
• The first installment of 1 lakh 66 thousand rupees was transferred to the accounts of children and their guardians at the rate of two thousand rupees per child per month under private sponsorship to 83 children identified by the commission of three districts of the state by Vedantu Innovation Limited.
• The Commission has collected data of all children directly or indirectly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, who have become vulnerable, who need care and protection and who have given their single parent or both parents to COVID- Lost for any other reason after 19 or March 2020. Non-governmental organizations have also been added to benefit them.

'One District One Product' Scheme

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Recently, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala informed that all 22 districts of the state have got approval from the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries for the 'One District One Product' scheme.

Key Points

• All 22 districts have their own products related to agriculture, horticulture, milk, poultry, etc. sector, which will be promoted by the government by providing financial and technical assistance under this scheme. This will give full benefit to the farmers, micro-entrepreneurs and agricultural exports will also increase in the state.
• The approved products in these districts include Onion in Ambala district, Sweet lime and Citrus fruits like Lemon, Orange etc. in Bhiwani-Fatehabad-Mahendragarh, Cucumber, Cucumber, Melon, Pumpkin, Watermelon etc. in Charkhi Dadri-Rohtak-Faridabad, will be promoted.
• Similarly, branding of amla in Gurugram district, guava in Jhajjar, poultry in Jind, green leafy vegetables in Karnal, potato in Kurukshetra, tomato in Nuh-Palwal, ginger in Panchkula, milk and milk products in Hisar-Kaithal will be done.
• Similarly, Carrot in Panipat district, Mustard in Rewari, Kinnu in Sirsa, Matar in Sonipat and Mango in Yamunanagar will be given a new identity.
• Dushyant Chautala said that the government will connect every block with its own product with an industrial vision for maximum promotion of small industries in rural areas. For this, the government is working on the scheme of 'One Block One Product' and soon industries of different products will be encouraged in all the blocks like 'One District One Product'.

Minor Forest Produce

Why in News

On October 5, 2021, the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association signed a contract with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to improve the collection of minor forest produce in the state.

Key Points

• Under this contract, institutes of Indian Council of Agricultural Research will provide latest equipment and technical guidance to Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association for collection, storage and processing.
• The use of the latest equipment and technology available under the agreement will reduce the labor of the people engaged in the collection of minor forest produce and will ensure improved collection.
  
  • Along with this, new products will be included in 'Chhattisgarh Herbals' with ease in cleaning, sorting, warehousing of forest produce with the use of new technology and production capacity of Van Dhan Kendras will also increase.
• Apart from this, with the use of technology available from various ICAR institutions, collectors and self-help groups get more income, increased dividends and social welfare schemes run by Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Association, such as social security, insurance, scholarship etc. will get more benefits.
• It is noteworthy that earlier Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association has signed an agreement with Indian Millet Research Institute (IIMR) for better processing work of Kodo-Kutki and Ragi.
• This agreement is an important step taken by the state government towards the betterment of minor forest produce collectors, tribals and other traditional forest dwellers families in Chhattisgarh.
• It is noteworthy that ICAR is an autonomous organization working under Agricultural Research and Education under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture Welfare, Government of India. It is the apex body in the country to coordinate and guide in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and animal science.