State PCS

• 07 Jun 2022

Committee Constituted to prepare NEP course in AKTU

Why in News?

• On June 6, 2022, AKTU (Dr. A.P.J. Vice-Chancellor of Abdul Kalam Technical University) Prof. Pradeep Kumar Mishra has constituted the committee to prepare a proposal to implement the National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP) based academic curriculum in the university.

Key Points

• The chairman of the committee set up to prepare the curriculum is per vice-chancellor Prof. Manish Gaud has been created. Dean Academic and Coordinator Prof. Nitesh Purohit, Dr. R. K. Agarwal, Dr. Sarika Srivastava and Dr. Prabhakar Gupta is also included.
• Vice Chancellor Prof. Pradeep Kumar Mishra has directed the committee to identify the courses and prepare a proposal for implementation from the session 2022-23 and submit it within a month.
• Along with this, a committee has been constituted to give awards for the outstanding work of the teachers of the institutes and the department. AKTU will now give awards for promoting and encouraging research and development programmes in its affiliated institutions.

ONGC approves exploration of petroleum reserves in two districts of Bihar

Why in News?

• On June 6, 2022, the Bihar government has approved petroleum exploration licence (PEL) to ONGC to assess the existence of oil reserves in Samastipur and Buxar districts of the state.

Key Points

• It may be recalled that ONGC had applied for a licence for exploration in both the blocks after getting information about oil reserves at Samastipur and Buxar in the Ganga basin.
• 308.32 sq km in Samastipur Oil in the field is to be discovered with state-of-the-art technology.  At the same time, 52.13 sq km of Buxar. Petroleum products will be discovered in the area.
• The first step will be to carry out a 2D seismic survey using the latest seismic data recording system. This will be followed by a geochemical survey using advanced technology. The surveys will be completed with gravitational magnetic and magneto-telluric (MT) surveys in the coming days.
• It is worth mentioning that oil reserves have been discovered in some parts of Bihar in the past, but no commercial success was achieved. However, this had helped to gather valuable geological information for further exploration.

Shakti Diwas for anemia-free Rajasthan

Why in News?

• On June 6, 2022, the Government Secretary, Medical and Health Department of Rajasthan, Dr. Prithvi informed that in order to make Rajasthan anemia-free, the Medical and Health Department along with other departments will organize the first Tuesday of every month as 'Shakti Diwas'.

Key Points

• Under this campaign, various activities will be organized to reduce the rate of anemia in children, women and adolescent girls .
• 'Shakti Diwas' will be held at Anganwadi Centres, Government Schools, Health and Wellness Centres, Sub-Health Centres, Primary Health Centres, CHCs, Dispensaries, Upazila and District Hospitals.
• Screening of anemia, testing of hemoglobin and treatment of anemia, distribution of iron tablets, awareness of anemia and activities for behaviour change were organized on 'Shakti Diwas'.
• On 'Shakti Diwas', children from 6 months to 59 months, out of school children from 5 to 9 years, adolescent girls in the age group of 10 to 19 years, married women of 20 to 24 years, Various activities will be organized for anaemia relief in pregnant women and lactating mothers.
• Similarly, various activities will be organized in government schools for anaemia relief among children of classes 1 to 12 at the end of the holiday.

CM gifts 'Hamar Lab' to Kankerites

Why in News?

• On June 6, 2022, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, during his state-wide meet-up programme, dedicated a state-of-the-art integrated 'Hamar Lab' at Kamaldev District Hospital in Kanker district.

Key Points

• 'Hamar Lab' is an integrated health lab with state-of-the-art equipment. Here, quality testing services will be made available to the patients using all the resources related to the investigation in one place. This will also relieve the patients from the problem of testing at expensive rates outside.
• Now patients will get the facility of 120 different types of health check-ups under one roof. These include screening for diseases such as cancer and TB.
• In 'Hamar Lab', 15 types of tests related to hematology, 39 types of tests related to clinical pathology, 42 types of tests related to biochemistry, 8 types of tests related to sirology, 10 types of tests related to microbiology as well as 6 related to histopathology and cytology. Type of check features will be found.
• Apart from this, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the Mother and Child Diseases Hospital at Albelapara in Kanker district headquarters. Earlier, the Adarsh Mahila Mahavidyalaya was being run here. It was converted into a COVID-19 hospital during the Corona period, after which the Mother and Child Health Hospital, which runs at District Hospital Kanker, has been shifted here.

Cooperative sugar factories Pandariya and Ramhepur set a new national record in recovery rate

Why in News?

• Two co-operative sugar factories recently set up in Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh, Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Co-operative Sugar Factory Limited Pandaria and Bhoramdev Cooperative Sugar Factory, Ramhepur, Kawardha have set a new record in recovery rate by being at the first and second position respectively at the national level.

Key Points

• Both the factories have left behind all the cooperative sugar factories in the country in terms of recovery. Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Co-operative Sugar Factory Limited Pandrit Pandariya was ranked number one in the entire country with 13.12 per cent recovery in crushing season 2021-22 and Bhoramdev Co-operative Sugar Factory Ramhepur, Kawardha came second in the entire country with 11.8 per cent recovery.
• With the recovery rate being higher, 18 thousand 497 farmers of the district will get an additional amount of Rs 53.83 crore. This will lead to payment of Rs 280.7 crore to farmers in the financial year.
• These farmers will receive an additional amount of Rs 53.83 crore at the recovery rate, along with a benefit of Rs 50.58 crore under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyayyojana.
• 29 lakh 5 thousand 338 metric tonnes of sugarcane was procured from farmers in the crushing season 2021-22 at Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Cooperative Sugar Factory Limited Pandariya. At bhoramdev cooperative sugar factory, Ramhepur, Kawardha, 34 lakh 5 thousand 3 metric tonnes of sugarcane has been procured from the farmers.
• Significantly, the rate of sugarcane is decided by the FRP, in which a minimum of 9.50 per cent recovery or less is given at the rate of Rs 275.50 per quintal. With a recovery of more than 9.50 per cent, it increases by Rs 2.90 per quintal per 0.1 per cent.

India commissions its first Liquid Mirror Telescope

Why in News?

• India has recently launched its first 'Liquid Mirror Telescope' International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) at the Devastha Observatory complex in Nainital, Uttarakhand .

Key Points

• It is Asia's largest International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT), which is installed at an altitude of 2,450 meters above sea level.
• The telescope has been installed at devasthal observatory complex owned by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital.
• It is the world's first liquid-mirror telescope developed for astronomy research. It is the only telescope of its kind to be commissioned anywhere in the world.
• This telescope will be used to observe galaxies and other celestial elements present on the edge of the world.
• The telescope has been set up by India in collaboration with Belgium, Canada, Poland and Uzbekistan. It was designed and built in Belgium at the Advanced Mechanical and Optical Systems Corporation and the Centre Spatial de Liez.
• Traditional telescopes have glass mirrors polished with a combination of single or curved surfaces and are used to observe special celestial bodies on specific nights, while liquid mirror telescopes are made up of reflective fluids, such as mercury, and stars, galaxies, supernova explosions, Observes a strip of the sky capturing all possible celestial bodies, from asteroids to space debris.