• 07 Jul 2023

5 New Hostels for Scheduled Caste Students

Why in News?

On July 6, 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved a financial proposal of Rs 14 crore for the construction of 5 new hostels for Scheduled Caste students in the state.

Key Points:

• New buildings of Savitribai Phule Scheduled Caste Girls Hostel for SC students will be constructed at Malakheda in Alwar district, Suratgarh in Sriganganagar district, Raipur in Pali district and Kanod in Udaipur district whereas Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Scheduled Caste Boys Hostel at Jaitasar in Churu district.
• A provision of Rs 2.80 crore has been made for each hostel. These hostels will have a capacity of 50-50 students.
• With this approval of the Chief Minister, scheduled caste students will be able to build a better future by getting education easily.
• It is worth mentioning that the Chief Minister had made an announcement in this regard in the budget for the year 2023-24.

Gurusharan Chhabra Public Awareness Campaign for Liquor Abstinence

Why In News?

According to the information provided by the Rajasthan Information and Public Relations Department on July 5, 2023, the state government Shri Gurusharan Chhabra Public Awareness Campaign.

Key Points

• Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved a financial proposal of Rs 2.5 crore for a three-month action plan in this regard.
• With this decision of the Chief Minister, publicity and public awareness will be spread across the state through radio, television, community radio, print media, social media, NGOs and civil society.
• Also, abstinence workshops will be organized in schools, colleges and coaching centres.
• It is worth mentioning that the announcement in this regard was made by the Chief Minister in the budget 2023-24.

Khelo MP Youth Games- 2023

Why In News?

On July 5, 2023, Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia, while reviewing the preparations for the Khelo MP Youth Games with the departmental officials, said that as per the wish of the Chief Minister, the Khelo MP Youth Games-2023 will be organized in the month of September.

Key Points

• It is noteworthy that after the success of Khelo India Youth Games held for the first time in Bhopal, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced that now 'Khelo MP Youth Games-2023' will be organized.
• Sports Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia said that the 'Khelo MP Youth Games' will be held in all 52 districts in three phases - district, divisional and state level.
• 24 sports in 'Khelo MP Youth Games' - Athletics, Basketball, Badminton, Boxing, Football, Hockey, Judo, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Malkhamb, Shooting, Swimming, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Table-Tennis, Yogasan, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Youth under the age of 18 will showcase their talents in Kayaking-Canoeing, Rowing, Fencing, Archery, Chess and Tennis.
• State-level athletics and shooting competitions will be held at Sports Complex Shivpuri. TT of Bhopal Boxing, Taekwondo, Judo, Faceting, Tennis, Kayaking, Canoeing and Rowing in Badi Jheel and swimming competitions in Taran Pushkar Bhopal will be held at Nagar Stadium.
• Men's Football at Balaghat's Mulna Stadium, Basketball and Weightlifting at Indore's Basketball Complex, Volleyball at Abhay Prashal, and Women's Football at Emerald Hives School.
• In Gwalior, M.P. Badminton in Badminton Academy Camp and M.P. Hockey events will be held at the Women's Hockey Academy. Malkhamb and Yogasana competitions will be held at Sports Complex Ujjain, Kho-Kho and Archery at Ranital Sports Complex (Cricket Stadium) Jabalpur.
• Kabaddi at Sports Complex Rewa, table-tennis and chess at Indoor Hall Madhav Nagar, Katni and wrestling at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Khandwa.
• 51 thousand will be given to the player who got first place in individual games, 31 thousand to second and 21 thousand rupees to the third place winner.
• In team games, the first-place winner will be awarded Rs 5 lakh, the second-place winner Rs 3 lakh and the third-place winner Rs 2 lakh.
• Taking stock of the works of the final range under construction at Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy, Bishankhedi, Sports Minister Scindia said that the final range built with the technical assistance of NRAI will meet international standards.
• He said that ISSF President Luciano Rossi, during his stay in Bhopal, had rated the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy as the world's most beautiful and well-equipped shooting range.

World's Biggest Jungle Safari in Gurugram & Nuh

Why in News?

On July 5, 2023, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held a review meeting regarding Aravalli Safari Park in New Delhi and informed that the world's largest jungle safari park will be developed in Gurugram and Nuh districts of the state.

Key Points:

• The Chief Minister said that 10,000 acres of land in the Aravalli area in Gurugram and Nuh districts has been identified for a jungle safari park. The Jungle Safari Park will be developed in 3 phases and a target of about 2 years has been set to complete the first phase.
• After its construction, it will help in preserving the Aravalli mountain range. On the other hand, tourism will also get a boost in Gurugram and Nuh areas.
• In order to fulfil the vision of developing a safari park in line with the biodiversity park concept in the state, a 2-stage tendering process has been adopted to provide design consultancy services for the development of the Aravalli Safari Park project.
• In the process, two companies with international experience in designing and operating such facilities were shortlisted. The PMC will be selected soon.
• Efforts will be made to bring all types of animal and bird species to this jungle safari. Apart from the indigenous species of wildlife, studies are also being done on bringing in exotic animals that can adapt to the climate here.
• These types of jungle safari parks are also centres for preserving and protecting extinct species and such species will be preserved in the safari park.
• The meeting also discussed the setting up of a museum at Rakhigarhi in Hisar district, in which the Haryana government is working with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to preserve the old civilization of Rakhigarhi and develop that site.

Cabinet Approves Haryana Micro & Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (Amendment) Rules, 2023

Why In News?

On July 4, 2023, Haryana Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (Amendment) Rules, 2023 has been approved in the cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal

Key Points

• Draft rules 'Haryana Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (Amendment) Rules, 2023' have been prepared to include the composition of 'District Facilitation Council' in Haryana etc.
• Highlights of the Haryana Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (Amendment) Rules, 2023 clarify that 'Council' means the Haryana Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council established by the State Government under section 20 of the Act to deal with cases where The principal amount exceeds Rs.20 lakhs.
• The District Council will have the ADC as the chairperson, while an officer (not below the rank of Assistant District Attorney) from the administration of the Department of Justice and an officer from the DC office (not below the rank of Accounts Officer) will be members.
• Similarly, a member of the Micro and Small Industries Association (nominated by the state government) as a non-official member and an officer of the district unit of the MSME (not below the rank of the assistant director) will be appointed as a member-secretary. .
• The Council or the District Council, as the case may be, shall upload basic information relating to its functioning including annual progress reports on the official web portal created for the purpose.
• The Council or the District Council, as the case may be, shall furnish such information to the Member-Secretary of the National Board for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises as may be necessary from time to time and in the manner defined in the Act.

Gumla's 4 Female Football Players Selected for India Camp

Why In News?

According to information received from the media on July 5, 2023, 4 women footballers have been selected from the Residential Football Girls Training Center Indoor Stadium in Gumla district of Jharkhand for the India Camp conducted in Indore under the Asian Football Championship (Asia Cup) 2023.

Key Points

• Selected girl players include Shivani Toppo, Viksit Bara, Vikshit Bara and Shaulina Dang and Anita Dungdung.
• District Sports Officer Kumari Hemlata Boon said that all the four players will receive special football training for two months in the camp. All the four players have made their place for training in the camp on the basis of their sporting talent. If the players perform well in the camp, they can be selected for the Asia Cup as well.
• He said that Gumla district, which is known as Sports City, is full of sportspersons. The players here are very talented and have made Gumla's identity at the international level.

Project RAIL

Why in News?

On July 6, 2023, Deputy Commissioner of Jharkhand's Khunti district Shashi Ranjan told in the meeting of the Education Department that Project RAIL (Regular Assessment for Improved Learning) will be started to provide quality education to children in the Khunti district.

Key Points:

• Project RAIL will be run in selected 14 secondary schools of Khunti block and two secondary and high schools from each block. It will start from July 14.
• Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan said that according to the syllabus taught in mathematics, science and social science in the selected schools under the project, weekly checks will be done on the basis of objective questions, which will assess the learning level of the children and their day-to-day progress.
• For this, a dashboard will be created, in which weekly examinations, syllabus information, and performance analysis of children will be displayed. The dashboard will be linked to NIC.

Preparation to Start Mobile ECHS in the State

Why In News?

On July 4, 2023, Brigadier Amrit Lal, director of the Sainik Welfare Department in Uttarakhand, announced that there is a preparation to provide free health facilities near home to about two lakh ex-servicemen and their dependents of the state. For this, preparations are on to start Mobile ECHS (Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) in Pahar.

Key Points

• This facility in the mountains will stop migration from the districts along the international border.
• It is known that in the military-dominated state, ECHS centres have been set up in various districts including Dehradun for health facilities for ex-servicemen and their dependents, but due to some centres being in remote areas, ex-servicemen and their dependents are not getting its benefits. Especially those ex-servicemen who are 80 years or more cannot reach the centre.
• It is to be known that according to the Director of the Sainik Welfare Department, this issue was raised by the Sainik Welfare Department in the meeting of Kendriya Sainik Board held in New Delhi in April this year.
• It was told in the meeting that Uttarakhand is a hilly state, which has a different geographical location. The problem is also being faced in the state due to the uniform standards for ECHS.
• Uniform standards have been set for ECHS by the Army Headquarters across the country. According to the director of the Sainik Welfare Department, an ECHS can be set up for a population of at least 7,500 ex-servicemen, while the Dehradun district has 36,500 ex-servicemen. Apart from this, he has a large number of dependents.
• Under the ECHS scheme, some fees are deposited as contributions to the retired soldiers and officers from the Indian Army at the time of retirement. After this, their ECHS card is made, on which they and their dependents get free health facilities for life. They are also provided health care in ECHS empanelled private hospitals.
• 40 to 45 km in the field. The distance can be covered in a while, while it takes hours in the mountains. Apart from this, there is also the problem of transport in the mountains. This problem of the ex-servicemen of the state has been raised in the meeting of the Kendriya Sainik Board so that ex-servicemen get the benefit of health facilities near their homes.