• 06 Dec 2023

Construction work of Rajasthan's longest high level bridge begins

Why In News?

Moradabad's horses and riders once again became champions in the 25^th annual horse riding competition of UP Police held at the grounds of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Police Academy, Moradabad on December 4, 2023. Moradabad retained the trophy with their brilliant performance.

Key Points

• Chief Guest ADG Bareilly Zone P.C. Meena honoured the winning and runner-up teams by giving them shields, medals and prizes.
• It is worth mentioning that Moradabad has been winning the title of champion in every competition.
• During the 25^th Annual Equestrian Competition which started on December 1, 2023, competitions of Tent Pegging, Vravo Jump, Police Rebound Dressage, Relay Competition Guru-Chela, Middle Relay, Show Jumping Top Score, Show Jumping Trainee and New Horse, Jumping Sixwar were conducted. .
• Horses and riders from seven zones including Bareilly, Aligarh, Moradabad and Lucknow participated in the competition.
• On the last day, in the show jumping open sixwar competition, Veer Singh of Training Zone stood first with his horse Gulab, Mahesh Babu with his horse Rimjhit and Bhagwan Singh with his horse Montina stood jointly second. Satyam Singh of Lucknow zone got third place with horse Ada.
• In the tent hanging individual competition, SI Raj Naresh of Training Zone Moradabad stood first with Diamond, Anuj Kumar of Kanpur Zone stood joint second with horse Parth and Tarun Sangwan of Bareilly Zone stood joint second with horse Phantom. Training Zone's Veer Singh finished third with his horse India.
• On this occasion, ADG P.C. Meena said that the contribution of horses in the development of human civilization has always been commendable. Even today, there is no alternative to horses and mounted policemen in police functioning like traffic control, fair control and crowd control.
• In the horse riding competition, SIMP Rajnaresh of Training Zone Moradabad secured first position in Varvo Jumping, Team Tent Pegging, Dressage Team and Individual, Guru Chela, Middle Relay, Tent Pegging Individual. He was declared the best horseman. Training Zone Moradabad's horse Rathore got the title of best horse

Two-day global investor summit in Bihar from December 13

Why In News?

On December 5, 2023, Bihar Industries Department Minister Sameer Mahaseth and Information Public Relations Minister Sanjay Jha told the media that the Industries Department will organize 'Bihar Business Connect-2023... a global... 'Investors Summit' (Bihar Business Connect-2023: A Global Investors' Summit).

Key Points

• More than 600 entrepreneurs from India, abroad and the state are likely to participate in this conference.
• Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department said that the Industries Department organized Investors Meet in USA, Dhaka(Bangladesh) Dubai (UAE) Taiwan and Japan and the investors from there were invited to invest in Bihar and participate in Bihar Business Connect 2023.
• Road shows were organized in seven major industrial cities of the country - New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Tiruppur and Kolkata.
• Representatives from more than 22 countries have been invited to Bihar Business Connect-2023. Mainly among them are countries like USA, Germany, Hungary, UAE, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Russia, Thailand.
• Additional Chief Secretary said that priority will be given on the first day of Bihar Business Connect-2023
• Four industries (Textile, Food Processing, IT/ITES/ESDM and General Manufacturing) will be discussed, in which seven ministers have been invited to participate.
• The main session has been organized on the second day, in which the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and other ministers will attend. B-to-B meetings will be organized with entrepreneurs on both the days.

Announcement to honour 2 Officers, 5 Personnel and One volunteer of Rajasthan Home Defense Department with 'Director General Citation and Disc'

Why In News?

On the eve of 61^st Home Defense Foundation Day-2023 on December 5, 2023, it has been announced to honor 2 officers, 5 personnel and one volunteer of Rajasthan Home Defense Department with Director General Citation and Disc by the Director General, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Key Points

• Senior staff officer of the department Navneet Joshi said that Rajasthan Home Defense Department Commander Vikas Lamba, Deputy Commander Ravindra Singh, Company Commander Balveer Singh, Raghunath Singh, Additional Administrative Officer Bhanwar Virendra Singh, Platoon Commander Narnaram, Senior Assistant Madan Mohan Joshi and This award will be given to volunteer Bhagwat Singh.
• Similarly, for the commendable services rendered in the department by the Director General and Commandant General, Home Defense Rajasthan, Commandant Vikas Lamba, Deputy Commandants Ramjilal and Lalit Bihari, Company Commander Ganga Singh, Additional Administrative Officer Ram Prakash Singh, Platoon Commander Deshraj and Shubhakaran Sharma, themselves. It has been announced to give 'Director General Commendation Disc' and Director General Commendation Certificate to servants Dinesh Damor, Gautam Gehlot, Mohammad Afzal, Umed Singh and Late Santosh Kumar Mudgal.

Construction Work of Rajasthan's Longest High level Bridge Begins

Why In News?

On December 5, 2023, PWD Executive Engineer Mukesh Meena informed that the construction work of Rajasthan's longest high level bridge on Chambal river near Balaji Ketuda village of Jharer on Sawai Madhopur-Etawah road has started.

Key Points

• PWD Executive Engineer Mukesh Meena said that this high level bridge will be completed in about 2 years at a cost of Rs 165 crore. Its length will be 1880 metres.
• With its construction, people of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will also get transportation facilities. Apart from this, Sawai Madhopur will be directly connected to Khatoli, Etawah and Baran districts.
• At present the Gainta Makhida bridge built on Chambal river is the longest bridge in the state. Its length is about 1562 meters. This was also built in the Etawah area in the past. This bridge will connect Kota district as well as Sawai Madhopur of Bharatpur division.
• In the budget announcement last year, the state government had released Rs 30 lakh for the construction of DPR of Balaji Bridge in Jharer. After that, the Public Works Department had prepared its DPR worth Rs 165 crore and sent it to Jaipur. Chief Minister Gehlot had announced the construction of this bridge in the budget announcement.
• Mukesh Meena said that this will be a prestressed concrete garden bridge. It will have four girders. The 12 meter wide bridge will have a carriageway of seven and a half meters. A 280 meter approach road will also be built from the bridge towards Sawai Madhopur. In this way, a 486 meter approach road will be built towards Kota. Two small minor bridges will also be built in it.
• 48 pillars will be erected in the construction of the bridge. There will also be two abutments on both sides, which will be built at the beginning of the bridge towards Sawai Madhopur and Kota. On these 48 pillars, 40 meter long spaces will be kept between each pillar. In this, five pillars will be built on top of the rock along with a bell foundation. Apart from this, 36 anklet foundations will be made, which are built on soil and rocks. These include two abatements.

90 MLAs with Criminal Background are Winners in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections-2023

Why In News?

As per media reports dated December 5, 2023, it has been revealed that out of the MLAs emerging victorious in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections-2023, 90 individuals possess a criminal record. Among them, 34 MLAs are facing charges related to serious criminal offences.

Key Points

• Out of the total winners in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections-2023, 39 percent are criminals and 15 percent have serious crimes registered against them. 51 winners from BJP, 38 from Congress and one from Bharat Adivasi Party have declared criminal cases against themselves.
• In the year 2018, 94 MLAs had declared crimes and 47 had declared serious criminal cases against themselves. That means, out of the total winners, 41 percent were criminals and 20 percent were booked for serious crimes.
• According to the report prepared on the basis of affidavits submitted by the candidates to the Election Commission, there are 205 crorepatis among the winners and their average wealth is Rs 11.77 crore. The average assets of MLAs in 2018 were Rs 10.17 crore.
• The average assets of the 101 MLAs who were re-elected have increased by Rs 4.60 crore (37 percent) in five years.
• The three winners with the highest assets in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023 are Chetanya Kashyap (Ratlam seat), Sanjay Pathak (Vijayraghavgarh) and Kamal Nath (Chhindwara).
• The three winners with the least assets in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections-2023 are Kamleshwar Dodiyar (Sailana), Santosh Varkade (Sehora), Kanchan Mukesh Tanve (Khandwa).

Inauguration and foundation of 39 Projects worth Rs 590 crore for Jind District

Why In News?

On December 4, 2023, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated and laid the foundation of 39 projects worth a total of Rs 590 crore for Jind district. These include inauguration of 8 projects worth about Rs 51 crore and laying of foundation stone of 31 projects worth Rs 539 crore.

Key Points

• Bestowing a substantial gift upon the Jind district, the Chief Minister inaugurated the commencement of a canal-based drinking water supply project. This initiative, amounting to Rs 388 crore, aims to enhance the provision of drinking water in Jind city by conveying water from the Narwana branch to the Bhakra main line.
• The Chief Minister inaugurated the Municipal Council office building constructed at a cost of about Rs 15 crore.
• The Jind-Hansi road is undergoing expansion and reinforcement, with an investment of Rs 3 crore 53 lakh. Additionally, the special repair of the Jind-Bhiwani road, amounting to Rs 2 crore 52 lakh, has been initiated. Furthermore, the Kalwa-Kalawati-Bhutani-Haat road is undergoing special repairs at a cost of Rs 7 crore 88 lakh, and the inauguration of this special repair work has been officially marked.
• Moreover, the inauguration ceremony included the widening and strengthening project for the Kurad via Malar, Rozla road, amounting to Rs 5 crore 79 lakh. Additionally, the improvement work on the Pillukhera Mandi to Bheron Kheda-Dhadoli-Bhartana-Lalit Kheda road, with a total cost of Rs 7 crore 11 lakh, was also officially initiated.
• Furthermore, the Chief Minister unveiled the commencement of construction for the AsanGaon Water Works, aiming to ensure a seamless drinking water supply to Asan and Shiva villages. This project is estimated to incur an expenditure of around Rs 5 crore 30 lakh.

State's first Girls Sports College to be built in Lohaghat

Why In News?

On December 5, 2023, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said at a ceremony held at Maharana Pratap Sports in Dehradun that the State's first Girls Sports College will be built in Lohaghat, for which approval has been given for the transfer of 500 drains of land.

Key Points

• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami felicitated the medal winners of the 37^th National Games at the ceremony and Sports Minister Rekha Arya handed over the flag of the Indian Olympic Association to the Chief Minister for hosting the 38^th National Games, which was installed at the National Sports Secretariat Raipur.
• The Chief Minister said that the players of the state are performing better in National and International competitions. In the 36^th National Games in Gujarat, the players of the state won 18 medals, while in the 37^th National Games in Goa this year, players won 24 medals.
• The Chief Minister said that a budget of Rs 10 crore has been arranged for opening gyms in villages, while the government is going to make rules regarding five percent sports quota for admission to professional courses in universities.
• He said that arrangements have also been made to provide grants for construction of sports infrastructure facilities through private sports fields. The process of four percent sports quota in government jobs for sportspersons is in the final stages.