• 07 Nov 2023

One Time Settlement Scheme

Why In News?

Recently, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation has issued a One Time Solution Scheme (OTS) for the electricity consumers of the state. This scheme will be implemented in three phases from November 8 to December 31, 2023.

Key Points:

• The first phase of this scheme will run from 8 to 30 November, the second phase from 1 December to 15 December and the third phase from 16 December to 31 December.
• Under this scheme, 50 to 100 percent discount will be available. This 100% discount will be available to consumers of one kilowatt.
• People caught in electricity theft, defaulters with permanently disconnected connections and pending court cases can also be included in the solution scheme.
• It may be noted that One Time Settlement Scheme (OTS) has been implemented every year in the state. Recently, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had emphasized on implementing OTS. In such a situation, an OTS scheme has been issued by the Power Corporation.
• Under the scheme, domestic consumers with load more than 1 kilowatt have been given two options of payment in instalments along with lump sum payment.
  • You will get 90 percent discount on full payment of your dues by November 30, 80 percent discount on payment in three instalments and 70 percent discount on payment in six instalments.
  • From December 1 to 15, 80 percent discount on full payment, 70 percent discount on payment in three instalments and 60 percent discount on payment in six instalments.
  • After December 16, there will be a 70 percent discount on full payment, 60 percent discount on payment in three instalments and 50 percent discount on payment in six instalments.
• Similarly, commercial consumers up to three kilowatt loads will get 80 percent discount on full payment of their dues by November 30 and 70 percent discount on payment in three instalments. In the subsequent phases, there will be 10 percent less discount on payment in both the options respectively.
• Commercial consumers with loads more than three kilowatts will get 60 percent discount on full payment by November 30 and 50 percent discount on payment in three instalments.
• Private commercial institutions and industrial consumers will get a 50 percent discount on full payment of their dues by November 30 and a 40 percent discount on payment in three instalments. In the subsequent phases, there will be 10 percent less discount on payment in both the options respectively.
• In case of non-deposit of instalments within a stipulated period, a maximum of 3 defaults (not deposited on due date) will be allowed in case of 12 instalments. No consumer will be allowed to have two consecutive defaults. Similarly, in case of 6 instalments, only one default will be allowed and in cases of less than 6 instalments, no default will be allowed.
• Private tube well consumers will be exempted from their surcharge payable till March 31, 2023 and all other eligible consumers will be exempted from their surcharge payable till October 31, 2023.

Second Supplementary Budget of Rs 26,086 crore Presented in Bihar Assembly

Why In News?

On November 6, 2023, on the first day of the winter session of Bihar Legislature, Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary presented the second supplementary budget of Rs. 26,086 crore in the House. Along with this, Bihar State Goods and Services Tax Bill 2023 was also tabled.

Key Points:

• It is noteworthy that this is the second supplementary budget presented by Nitish government in nine months. A budget of Rs. 2.61 lakh crore was presented by Finance Minister Vijay Chaudhary in February. After which the first supplementary budget of Rs. 43,774 crore was presented on July 10 in the monsoon session.
  After the second supplementary budget of Rs. 26,086 crore, the total budget of Bihar has now crossed Rs. 3.30 lakh crore.
• Out of the Rs. 26,086 crore presented in the Supplementary Budget 2023-24, more than Rs. 16 thousand crore is included in the annual scheme head, more than Rs. 10 thousand crore is included in the establishment committed expenditure and Rs. 60 crore is included in the central sector scheme head.
• In the supplementary budget, out of the annual plan item of Rs. 16,000 crore for the central share in the centrally sponsored scheme, the central share of the centrally sponsored scheme is Rs. 2,288 crore and the state's share is Rs. 4,828 crore i.e. the total amount is Rs. 7,116 crore.
• Out of Rs. 16,000 crore annual plan items in the state scheme, the total amount for the state plan is Rs. 8,900 crore.

Booth Level Officers, Returning Officers and District Election Officers who have done Excellent Work in Increasing the Voting Percentage will be Rewarded.

Why In News?

On November 6, 2023, Chief Electoral Officer of Madhya Pradesh Anupam Rajan said that Collectors, District Election Officers, Returning Officers and Booth Level Officers, who have done excellent work in increasing the voting percentage in the State Assembly Elections-2023, will be honoured with cash and citations.

Key Points:

• This innovation is being done by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Bhopal.
• It is noteworthy that voting for Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections-2023 will be held in the state on November 17.
• BLO plays the most important role in election work. Out of all the 230 assembly constituencies of the state, the top 3 booth level officers (BLO) with the highest voting percentage in each assembly constituency will be honoured. In this way, 690 BLOs of the state will be presented with a cash amount of Rs 5,000 each and a citation as a reward.
• Similarly, the returning officers of the top 3 assembly constituencies out of 230 assembly constituencies, who have done excellent work in the election process and increasing the voting percentage in the district through sweep activities, will be honoured with a prize money of Rs 1 lakh each and a citation.
• Apart from these, the top-3 Collector and District Election Officer and District Nodal Officer (Sweep) will be honored with a prize money of Rs 5 lakh each and a citation for the sweep activities in the respective assembly constituency and district.
• This award will be given to the selected officers and employees in a grand and dignified felicitation ceremony by the Governor of the state on the occasion of National Voters' Day on January 25, 2024.

Professor Sohan Lal of Chemistry Department, Kurukshetra University received the Young Scientist Award.

Why In News?

Prof. Sohan Lal of the Department of Chemistry, Kurukshetra University, located in Kurukshetra district of Haryana, has been honored with the Young Scientist Award in a program organized by the Environment and Social Development Association at Galgotias University in Delhi on November 6, 2023.

Key Points:

• It is noteworthy that the Young Scientist Award is given to researchers below 40 years of age working in the field of research. Prof. Sohan Kumar has been honored with the award at the age of 37 for his excellent work in the field of research.
• This award encourages the youth to do excellent work in the field of research and environmental protection and also motivates them to work harder.
• Prof. Sohan Lal has done excellent work in the field of research to re-use waste polythene, which is a serious problem of polluting the environment.
• He has researched that by reusing waste polythene, paver blocks, chairs or other useful items can be made, which will reduce the pollution caused by plastic and it can also be reused.
• While he has worked to utilise waste polythene, he has also worked on making antibiotic medicines containing natural ingredients and is continuously working in the field of research.
• Prof. Sohan Lal has received this award from Padma Bhushan Chandiprasad Bhatt, who started the Chipko movement and has done a lot of work in the field of environment.

Student Transportation Safety Plan

Why In News?

On November 5, 2023, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal announced the launch of 'Student Transport Security Scheme' in a public dialogue program in village Ratangarh in Karnal district.

Key Points:

• Under the 'Student Transport Security Scheme', if there are more than 50 students in the village, bus service will now be provided by the Transport Department to go to far-flung schools.
• The Roadways Department bus will wait for the students at Ratangarh village at 7 am. This bus will take the students to school and then drop them home.
• In villages where there are 30 to 40 students, facilities like mini bus will be available, in villages where there are 5 to 10 students, there will be facilities like auto rickshaw. This facility will be provided free of cost to the students. Its money will be spent through the District Education Department.
• This scheme will be implemented in Karnal district in the first phase and then in other districts of the state

Abua Bir Dishom Campaign

Why In News?

According to the information received from the media on November 6, 2023, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren started the ‘Abu Bir Dishom Campaign’ to give land lease to the people living in the forest area under the ‘Forest Rights Act-2005’ by playing drums at the Project Bhawan in Ranchi. .

Key Points:

• It should be noted that Jharkhand has 30% forest area. At the same time, other states have less forest area, but they are far ahead in granting forest rights lease.
• For the first time in Jharkhand, a massive campaign will be launched to give forest pattas to the landless. Those who live in forests and protect forests, animals and vegetation will get rights and on 29^th December, on the fourth anniversary of the government, forest rights leases will be provided to tribals and those dependent on forests.
• On this occasion, the Chief Minister and the guests also inaugurated the promotional material, app and website of 'Abu Bir Dishome Campaign'

Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

Why In News?

On November 6, 2023, Deputy General Manager of South Eastern Railway, Pankaj Kumar Gupta said that Piska Railway Station of Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, has been selected under the 'Amrit Bharat Station Scheme'.

Key Points:

• A 12 metre wide foot over bridge, lift with good roof and many other modern facilities will be provided at Piska railway station.
• What is the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme?
  • Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, railway stations will be redeveloped in different states of the country. Under this scheme, 1309 stations in the country are to be redeveloped, which includes 83 stations in Rajasthan, 87 in Gujarat, 80 in Madhya Pradesh and 34 in Haryana.
  • However, in the first phase work will be done only on 508 stations. The government will spend approximately Rs 24470 crore on their redevelopment.

Agreement on Investment Proposal of Rs 30,200 crore in Mumbai Road Show

Why In News?

Agreements on investment proposals worth Rs 30,200 crore were signed in the road show held in the country's financial capital Mumbai for the Global Investors Conference to be held in Uttarakhand on November 6, 2023.

Key Points:

• Apart from this, investment talks were also held with JSW Sports, Godrej Chemicals, Astar Bhojan, V Arjun Logistics Park.
• Uttarakhand state government has so far conducted five road shows at the international level and five in the country for the investor conference. In these, investors were encouraged to invest in the state by holding road shows in London, Birmingham, Abu Dhabi, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Also, MoU was signed on investment proposals.
• It may be noted that the state government has set an investment target of Rs 2.50 lakh crore for the investors' conference. So far, MoUs worth more than Rs 1,24,200 crore have been signed in the road show for the proposed Global Investors Conference at FRI, Dehradun on 8th and 9th December.
• It is noteworthy that in the first investor conference held in the state in 2018, MoUs on more than 600 proposals worth Rs. 1.24 lakh crore were signed. But till now only investment of about Rs. 30 thousand crore has been materialised. This time, agreements worth Rs. 1,24,200 crore have been signed so far.

National Games 2023: Uttarakhand has 17 Medals so Far

Why In News?

Players from Uttarakhand won two silver and one bronze medals in various sports in the 37th National Games being held in Goa on November 6, 2023. With this, the total number of medals of Uttarakhand has increased to 17.

Key Points:

• Sneha Chauhan of Uttarakhand won silver medal in Judo 57 kg category. In Archery, Karthik Rana of Doiwala, Dehradun won the silver medal and in the 78 kg category of Judo, Sneha Tadiyal of Uttarkashi won the bronze medal.
• In the 37^th National Games, Uttarakhand is at 23^rd position in the medal table with 17 medals including three gold and three silver medals.
• Whereas Uttarakhand's neighboring state Himachal Pradesh has got only six medals so far, which include two gold, one silver and three bronze medals. Himachal Pradesh is at number 27 in the medal table of National Games.

Uttarakhand will Trade Apples with Assam

Why In News?

On November 5, 2023, Uttarakhand Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Ganesh Joshi said that apples produced in Harsil in Uttarkashi district will be traded in the markets of Assam.

Key Points:

• Uttarakhand Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi said this during a meeting with Mandi Marketing Board officials during his visit to Guwahati to increase the reach of Uttarakhand's apples to Assam.
• He said that the apple of Harsil of Uttarkashi reaches Kolkata. It can be transported to the markets of Assam. If Assam trades apples with Uttarakhand, then the state government is ready to cooperate for this.
• Assam officials told the Agriculture Minister that the Assam Agricultural Marketing Board has 700 employees and 42 board members. Dronggiri area of Goalpara district of Assam is a big producer of bananas, from where bananas are sent to many states of the country.

International Acro Festival will be held in Tehri Lake from 24th November.

Why In News?

On November 5, 2023, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that through Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council, International Acro Festival will be organised in Tehri Lake from 24 to 28 November, in which pilots from the country and the world will perform stunts in the air.

Key Points:

• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that Tehri Lake is the fastest emerging new destination in the tourism map of Uttarakhand, where the International Acro Festival is being organised for the first time.
• 35 international and 100 Indian pilots will participate in the thrilling competition in the Acro Festival.
• There will be adventure competitions like acro flying, synchro flying, wingsuit flying, de-bagging in this event. During the event, famous bands like Euphoria, Pandavas will also perform in the evening.
• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state government is working to give global recognition to Destination Uttarakhand and to make Uttarakhand a leading state in adventure tourism. International Acro Festival will establish new dimensions in this direction.