• 06 Dec 2021

MaNTrA Tracking App

Why in News

• On December 5, 2021, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated 5000 new health sub-centres, 15 BSL-2 laboratories and mother-newborn tracking app (Mantra) 'MaNTrA' at his official residence.

Key Points

• On this occasion, he honored the ANMs for providing excellent services in maternal health and immunization services by presenting them with a citation. These include ANMs working in different districts.
• With the launch of these 5000 new centers, 15 BSL-2 laboratories and mother-newborn tracking app 'MaNTrA', quality health facilities will be available to the citizens.
• These health sub-centres will be able to provide better health services to the people in the areas deprived of health facilities and backward districts.
• A health sub-centre is set up to provide facilities to a population of 5,000. These sub-centres are being set up in large numbers in aspirational and other backward districts.
• These 5,000 health sub-centres will provide health facilities to 2.5 to 3 crore people in a year.
• These sub-centres will enable women and children as well as people of other age groups to get health facilities closer to their homes. These health sub-centres will have a special role in the vaccination of children.

Confirmation of Omicron Virus by Genome Sequencing

Why in News

• On December 5, 2021, in the report of genome sequencing of a family from South Africa in Rajasthan, 9 people have been found to be suffering from the new variant Omicron of Corona.

Key Points

• The World Health Organization has identified the recently discovered strain B.1.1.1.529 of Kovid-19 as 'Variants of Concern - VOC'.
• The virus was first detected in South Africa and its name was changed to Omicron.
• Omicron has been placed in the most worrying category of COVID-19 variants along with the globally dominant Delta Plus and its weaker rivals Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
• However there is no reliable estimate of how much more infectious this Omicron variant is than the previous virus strain.
• In addition to South Africa, an Omicron variant has been identified in people arriving from Malawi, Botswana, Belgium and Hong Kong in Israel.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has decided to name the variant based on the letters of the Greek alphabet instead of the countries where they were first identified.
• WHO chose the name Omicron instead of the two letters Nu or Xi between Mu and Omicron.

Tantya Bhil Balidan Diwas

Why in News

• On December 4, 2021, Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled a grand statue of Jannayak Tantya Mama made of Ashtadhatu on the sacrifice day of Kranti Surya Jannayak Tantya Mama at Patalpani.

Key Points

• The Navteerth Sthal will be built at Patalpani at a cost of Rs 4 crore 55 lakh. A meditation center will be established here, where bravery will be worshipped, which will inspire the coming generations to patriotism.
• A fair will be organized every year in Patalpani on 4th December, 2021 on the sacrifice day of Jannayak Tantya Mama.
• Tantya Bhil was born in the year 1840 in the house of Bhausingh Bhil in the village of Bardahir in Pandhana tehsil of East Nimar (Khandwa district) of the then Central Province. Somewhere in the year 1842, the mention of his birth is also found.
• The real name of Tantya Bhil was Tautia. He was also affectionately called by the name of Tantya Mama. He was reverently called 'Mama' by people of all age groups.
• Tantya Bhil was arrested by the British because of the betrayal of some trusted people. He was kept in the Central India Agency Jail in the British Residency area in Indore. Later he was kept in Jabalpur Jail. Sessions Court Jabalpur sentenced him to death on 19 October 1889 and was hanged again on 4 December 1889.
• After the execution, on the Khandwa railway route near Indore, near Patalpani railway station, fearing that the revolt broke out in the surrounding villages, they quietly left in the night by throwing his dead body at the place where his wooden effigies were kept.
• This place i.e. Patalpani is known today as 'Samadhi Sthal of Tantya Bhil'.

Naveen Adarsh Gram Yojna

Why in News

• Recently, the Central Government has approved the Naveen Adarsh Gram Yojana for Madhya Pradesh for the integrated development of tribal villages.

Key Points

• In this, the work of improving infrastructure, socio-economic indicators, welfare of tribals and capacity development of public representatives will be done.
• In Madhya Pradesh, this scheme will be implemented through convergence of central and state government schemes.
• Under the scheme, various works will be done by selecting such villages, which have at least 50 percent population of tribal class and such population is at least 500. A total of 7307 villages have been selected.
• In this, 100 percent grant-in-aid will be given from the center. In the first phase, works will be done in 1204 villages. Out of these villages, three villages will be selected for the best works in the state and awards of Rs 5 lakh each will be given.
• At the national level also, three villages will be selected for the best work, which will be given prizes of Rs.10 lakh each.

Loyola School in the Top 100 of the Country

Why in News

• In a recent nationwide survey conducted by leading education news magazine, Education World India, Loyola School, Jamshedpur has been ranked among the top 100 schools in the country.

Key Points

• The survey was conducted as part of the annual Education World India School Rankings (EWISR) 2021-22. Loyola has secured 87^th rank in the top 100 list.
• The survey was conducted on various parameters, including academic reputation, co-curricular education, sports education, quality of teachers, teacher-student ratio, leadership quality, parental involvement, infrastructure, quality of alumni, integrity and selection. For reputation includes ease of access and transparency.
• Loyola School, which started in 1947 with only 34 boys, is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee this year. The school was founded in January 1947 by two Jesuits from Kolkata, Father Cecil Leaming and Father Robert Dragman.

Chhattisgarh's First Makhana Processing Center

Why in News

• On December 5, 2021, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel virtual launched the first Makhana Processing Center of Chhattisgarh 'Makhana Farming, Processing and Marketing Center' in village Lingadih of Arang development block of Raipur district in the transfer program of Godhan Nyay Yojana.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister released an amount of Rs 50 lakh for the smooth operation of 'Godhan Nyay Mission' in the amount transfer program of Godhan Nyay Yojana.
• On this occasion, he launched the Makhana produced in this farm under the brand name 'Dauji' in the name of Late Krishna Kumar Chandrakar Dau Ji, who started Makhana cultivation at Ojas Farm, Lingadih.
• Free technical information for Makhana cultivation, periodic visits to Makhana field and training of farming are given to the farmers by the 'Makhana Farming, Processing and Marketing Center' of Lingadih.
• Along with the availability of Makhana seeds for the farmers, the purchase of Makhana is also done by this center.
• Along with the pond, cultivation of makhana can be done in one to one and a half feet deep field. A net profit of about 70 thousand rupees per acre can be earned from the cultivation of Makhana.
• Makhana, associated with the identity of Mithila region of Bihar, is being cultivated in a very limited area of Raipur, Dhamtari and Mahasamund of Chhattisgarh.

Most Improved State in Environment Award

Why in News

• Chhattisgarh has been awarded the first prize in the Most Improved State in Environment category at the India Today State of States 2021 Conclave on December 5, 2021. India Today Senior Associate Editor Rahul Noronha handed over the award to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Key Points

• According to the report published by India Today, the state of Chhattisgarh is ranked first in the year 2021, being 17th in the year 2018, 6th in the year 2019 and second in the year 2020.
• Similarly, according to the India State of the Forest report, there has been an increase in the forest area of the state. This is a major achievement of the work done by the state government towards environmental protection under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
• To check the air quality in the atmosphere, 18 air quality stations have been set up by the Chhattisgarh government.
• Micro action plans have been prepared under the National Clean Air Program in three major municipal corporations most affected by air pollution - Raipur, Bhilai, Korba.
• About 6 million people live in urban areas out of Chhattisgarh's population of 28.8 million. About one thousand 650 tonnes of solid waste is collected daily from urban areas. The Mission Clean City program is being run by the state government in the entire state.

Environmental Warrior Award

Why in News

• Recently, Khushi Thakur, a resident of Raipur, the capital and city of Chhattisgarh, has been honored with the International Environmental Warrior Award at the International Environment Conference held in Lumbini (Nepal), the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

Key Points

• Khushi Thakur has been honored with 'Green Youth of Lumbini (Nepal)' and 'Kamla Watershed Conservation Campaign, Janakpur (Nepal)' and 'Didiji Foundation Joint Effort' by Nepal's organization 'Peepal, Neem and Tulsi Abhiyan'.
• Khushi Thakur has received this award at the global level for her awareness towards the environment.

Silver Medal in Asian Thai Boxing

Why in News

• Asian Thai Boxing Competition was organized from 3 to 5 December 2021 at Sarurnagar Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad under the aegis of World Thai Boxing Federation and Asian Thai Boxing Federation, in which 2 players from Chhattisgarh got silver medals.

Key Points

• The Thai Boxing Indian Federation includes 6 players from Chhattisgarh, out of which Rohit Jagne and Kanika Chandrakar of Durg won the silver medal.
• Anees Memon from Chhattisgarh Thai Boxing said that the team of 12 Asian countries including India were invited in this.
• Here in the age group of 14 to 16, Rohit Jagne was defeated by the Maharashtra player 52-56. That's how he won silver.
• In the women's section, Kanika Chandrakar of Durg also won the silver medal in the final after losing to Maharashtra.

Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor

Why in News

• On December 4, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor (Eastern Peripheral Expressway Junction to Dehradun), Child Friendly City Project Dehradun, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Also inaugurated the state-of-the-art Perfume and Fragrance Laboratory (Centre for Aromatic Plants) at Doon.

Key Points

• The total length of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will be 175 km. The highway will be built at a cost of about Rs 8,600 crore. The highway is being built to encourage economic activities and encourage investment.
• The travel time between Delhi-Dehradun by road will be reduced from eight hours to about two-and-a-half hours.
• It will be Asia's largest 12 km wildlife elevated corridor for uninterrupted movement of wildlife.
• This expressway will have more than 750 rain water harvesting and water recharge points at an interval of 500 meters. It will have six interchanges, four flyovers, six major bridges, 10 minor and two ROries and 10 VUPs.