State PCS

• 08 Nov 2022

Goddhoia Drain and Ramgarh Tal

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the restoration of Goddhoia Drain and Ramgarh Tal worth Rs 474.42 crore and sewerage scheme Zone C Part-II, schemes worth Rs 561.34 crore under Gorakhpur Development Projects.

Key Points

• It is worth mentioning that Goddhoia Nala in Gorakhpur City was earlier a natural drain, which has been filled with silt as a result of sewage fall and encroachment. For this reason, there is a situation of waterlogging in various areas around here.
• Keeping this in mind, a project for renovation and interception diversion and treatment of Goddhoia Nala/Drain and Ramgarh Tal has been prepared. Under the project, 38 MLD sewerage coming out of 44300 houses will be treated.
• In this, RCC retaining wall will be built on both sides of the drain and sewerage line will be laid on both sides of it. A sewerage treatment plant will be built near it and a boundary wall will be constructed.
• The project will provide relief to around 2.2 lakh families living within a 9.7-km radius of Goddhoia Drain from floods and water-borne diseases. Apart from this, the facility of sewerage treatment plant will be developed keeping in mind the facilities of the population of the year 2025. Rs 561.34 crore will be spent on this. In this, connections will also be given to 43963 houses while laying sewerage lines.

Katarnia Gharial Conservation and Research Center

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Akashdeep Badhawan, DFO of Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, said that a gharial conservation and research center will be set up in Katarniaghat Wildlife Division.

Key Points

• For this, a 10-member research and trainee team has reached Katarnia. Staying here for three months, the team will prepare a documentary film on gharials.
• A research paper will be prepared by researching the increase of gharial clans in the aquatic area and their living conditions. Based on this, the government will finalize the nature of the tourist destination and the plan up to the Gharial Research Center.
• The Katarniaghat wildlife division is attached to the Indo-Nepal border. In 551 sq km, the division is home to a variety of rare wildlife and birds including tigers, leopards, elephants, rhinos. The six-kilometer area of the Gerua river, which flows between Katarnia, is inhabited by gharial. From the very beginning Katarniaghat is known across the country for Gharial Conservation .
• Now preparations are being made to shine this identity on the national and international level. Under this, along with increasing the clans of gharials, plans are also being made to change the size of the gharial center.
• The 10-member team includes three researchers, six trainee researchers and a movie maker. This team will stay in Katarnia for three months and will work on research. Based on the research report, the nature of the center will be prepared.
• The film has been made at Katarniaghat, but preparations are being made to make a documentary film for the first time, especially on gharials. The film will also include research papers from Katarnia, so that students can easily get research material in future.
• There are 12 pools in Gerua. Three of these pools are inhabited by turtles, while one is occupied by crocodiles. At the same time, there is a family of gharials in six pools. With the rapid increase in their numbers, pools are getting smaller in size. Large alligators are four to five feet long. No more than six can stay in a pool.
• Trishala Ashok, a Bangalore-based expert in movie making associated with wildlife for decades, has also accompanied the team, the DFO said. College students will also be added to the research. It will increase the curiosity of students interested in movie making by sharing expert information.

Uma Singh of Gorakhpur Climbs Mount Friendship by Bicycle

Why in News?

• Recently, Uma Singh of Gorakhpur district has created history in the field of mountaineering, conquering the peak of Mount Friendship in Manali in Himachal Pradesh with a bicycle and thus becoming the first mountaineer to reach the top of this mountain on a bicycle.

Key Points

• Uma Singh, a resident of Godsaira village in Bansgaon Tehsil area of Gorakhpur, started the journey on a bicycle on October 25. He cycled about 1400 km and reached Manali on November 2. From there, his campaign started on November 2. The entire journey took a total of 12 days.
• The top of the 17,346 feet high Mount Friendship stands like a wall for about two hundred meters. So it was not possible to get there. As per the instructions of the guide, he returned from 200 meters below the top after hoisting the tricolor.
• Earlier, Uma Singh had travelled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (3629 km) between July 15 and 17. He cycled four himalayan peaks between August 12 and 15 to become the first Indian and the world's third climber by cycling four peaks of the Himalayan mountains.
• Apart from this, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (19340 feet), the highest peak of the continent of Africa, on August 15, 2021 and hoisted the tricolor.
• It is known that between November 30, 2020 and February 10, 2021, Uma holds the record of completing 12,271 km by cycle in 73 days. During this, he made his knock to all the states of the country and their capital.

'Jaipur Architecture Festival'

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Limited (RIICO) Managing Director Shivprasad Nakate informed that the 'Jaipur Architecture Festival' (JAF) will be organized on November 11 and 12 in the 'India Stonemart 2022' to be held in the state.

Key Points

• Shivprasad Nakate said that JAF will be specifically focused on 'Architectural Practice and Education and Stone Tradition of India'.
• The 'Jaipur Architecture Festival' aims to provide a suitable platform for exchange, dialogue and networking of new ideas in the creative field of architecture and JAF will focus on a wide range of ideas about future cities, environment, architecture as well as practice and education of rich stone traditions.
• The 'Architecture Festival' is being jointly organised by CDOS, RIICO and FICCI. The Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) and Rajasthan Chapter are knowledge partners.
• Eminent architects from across the country and abroad will participate in the festival and students to teaching faculty and important architectural colleges and institutions will also participate in the festival.
• The festival will also play an important role in updating knowledge and awareness about the availability and properties of various stones.
• It is known that the Centre for Development of Stones (CDOS) has taken several initiatives to establish hassle-free selection and sourcing as well as direct contact with participants in the stone industry.
• The event will provide opportunities to learn and communicate with leading architects with over 300 representatives of Design Fraternity for the emergence of new ideas and talents.
• The festival will also showcase 15 inspiring projects of architects and designers at the Display Arena as a source of rich culture, heritage and stone architecture of the state of Rajasthan.
• The 11th edition of India Stonemart 22 will be held from November 10 to 13 at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC) in Sitapura Industrial Area, Jaipur. It is being organized by Center for Development of Stones (CDOS) with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) as co-organisers.

8,693 District level Awards Distributed in Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day program Series

Why in News?

• According to the information given by the Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Department on November 7, 2022, 8,693 people were awarded by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of State for Steel and Rural Development Faggan Singh Kulaste and state ministers, MPs and MLAs in the district level award distribution ceremony in all 52 districts in the Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day program series.

Key Points

• Awards were given to 100 persons at the state-level prize distribution ceremony in Bhopal. 227 people in Morena district and 151 people in Sheopur district were awarded for outstanding work.
• 51 people were awarded in Mandla, 50 in Harda and 210 in Chhindwara. 300 people in Barwani, 150 in Indore, 345 in Alirajpur, 295 in Bhind and 75 in Raisen district were awarded for outstanding work.
• As many as 238 people were awarded in Jabalpur, 186 in Katni, 70 in Dewas, 50 in Sagar, 100 in Anuppur, 258 in Panna, 22 in Gwalior and 312 in Ashoknagar, 50 in Rajgarh, 65 in Dindori, 72 in Neemuch and 230 in Balaghat district.
• 75 people were awarded in Chhatarpur district, 220 in Dhar, 295 in Jhabua, 100 in Khargone, 613 in Burhanpur, 115 in Satna, 397 in Singrauli, 111 in Datia, 25 in Betul and 65 in Narsinghpur.
• 300 in Narmadapuram, 102 in Shahdol, 160 in Ujjain, 350 in Ratlam, 25 in Mandsaur, 75 in Umaria, 20 in Damoh, 160 in Tikamgarh, 315 in Niwari, 400 in Rewa, 105 in Sidhi, 147 in Guna, 72 in Neemuch, 100 in Vidisha, and 60 people in Sehore, were awarded.
• In Seoni, 120 people were honoured with awards at a district-level function. As many as 140 people in Khandwa, 73 in Shajapur, 243 in Agar-Malwa and 173 in Shivpuri district were given awards for their outstanding work in the district-level prize distribution programme.

More than 2.5 Lakh Students from the State Appeared in the National Means cum Merit Scholarship Examination

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, the Director of State Education Center Dhanraju S informed that in the National Means cum Merit Scholarship Examination, this year a record 2 lakh 52 thousand students from Madhya Pradesh have participated.

Key Points

• Director Dhanaraju S said that in the last years, the number of students appearing in this scholarship examination has been only one lakh in the year 2019.
• This year, a total of 811 examination centers were set up across the state for the smooth conduct of this examination. A total of 2 lakh 52 thousand 410 students have appeared for the scholarship.
• The director said that till last year, the application process for this examination was done through MP online kiosk, in place of which this year the state education center has developed a mobile app system and provided the facility of registration of students through the principals of the schools.
• The purpose of the National Means Merit Examination is to provide scholarships by selecting economically weak but talented students. For this examination, only such students studying regularly in class 8th in government and government-aided or local bodies-run schools located in the state, who have obtained at least C grade in class 7th, are eligible.
• The annual income of the parents of the students should not exceed Rs 3.50 lakh. A quota of 6,446 students has been fixed by the Union Ministry of Education for the state of Madhya Pradesh for the scholarship. In this, the selected students get scholarship from class 9th to 12th at the rate of Rs 12 thousand per year.

6.51 Lakh Workers of Haryana to be Covered in Cashless Scheme

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal informed that the government is going to expand the scope of cashless scheme health insurance scheme in the state under which more than six lakh 51 thousand employees, pensioners and their dependents will be covered among other categories.

Key Points

• In this scheme, under category-1, three lakh 43 thousand 746 families of government and corporation employees, three lakh five thousand families of pensioners of Haryana will get this benefit.
• Category-2 will include 1200 families of accredited journalists, 424 families of soldiers of Azad Hind Fauj, 555 families of persons jailed during emergency, 186 families of persons associated with Hindi movement and 614 families of persons jailed during World War II.
• The Chief Secretary has instructed the concerned officials to geographically map the private hospitals included in the list and prepare a draft for the scheme after taking suggestions from the officers and employees' associations.
• He said that for this scheme, treatment in emergency situations in unlisted hospitals will be allowed as per the current practice. Hospitals empanelled with state capitals, metro cities under the 'Pradhan Mantri Jan-Arogya Yojana' can also be empanelled by a Haryana government insurance company.
• It is known that services are currently available in all empanelled hospitals in Haryana, Tricity, NCR on pan India level.
• In this regard of cashless scheme, the Chief Secretary has directed the officials to prepare the RFP (Request for Proposal) of the insurance scheme soon.
• A Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued at an early stage in a procurement process, where an invitation is often submitted through a bidding process for suppliers to submit proposals on a specific commodity or service.

Rachita's 'Mediceva' from Ranchi among Top 75 Women preneurs

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Rachita Kasliwal's startup 'Mediseva - Achhe Swasth Ka Vaada' from Ranchi, Jharkhand, has been selected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a better initiative in the category of Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan and selected it among the top 75 women preneurs across the country.

Key Points

• It is noteworthy that the Government of India had taken the initiative of 'Innovation for You' on the occasion of the 75th Amrit Mahotsav of Independence, in which especially women startups were included.
• Rachita's 'Mediseva' initiative is currently benefiting five states and apart from this, more than 400 people are directly connected to employment.
• Rachita said that the idea of Mediseva came to her in view of the lack of medical treatment in rural areas during the Corona period, which is flourishing with time. The startup started in December 2020 and will now make its service available in Nepal from December 2022, moving internationally.
• Rachita said that her startup is fulfilling the availability of medical services in rural areas, under which medical centers are being prepared in remote rural areas, where people are being connected from medical consultation to specialist doctors. In the medical center, the general physician helps in the first aid of the people through the medical vital machine and if needed, the doctors of the center are connecting the villagers from technical facility to specialist doctor, which is providing better treatment facilities to the villagers.
• Mediseva has currently expanded to rural areas of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Assam. In these states, 50 medical centers are providing medical services to the people of rural areas.
• Rachita says that this idea of Meditech can be adopted by a 12th pass person for his employment. For this, the person should have 10×10 space, computer, internet and other resources. After this, by contacting the institution, you will be able to complete the formalities of the franchise with Rs 5000.
• From this amount, Rs 2500 and 18% tax will be taken as franchise fee. At the same time, the remaining Rs 1500 will be made available in the wallet of the operator of the center, so that the person can meet the initial consultancy fee. Apart from this, other facilities of the medical center will be made available on the lines of Mediseva.
• Rachita's idea of creating employment at the lowest cost has given it a place in the country's women's entrepreneurship.
• Rachita has been the winner of Mediseva – Global Entrepreneur Summit 2022, Global Hackathon 2022, Heart Pitch Competition 2022, Tycon Business Pitch Competition 2022. Apart from this, she has received seed funding of Rs 35 lakh under the Startup India scheme and Rs 1.15 crore from horsetitable shows.

First Bird survey in Kanger Valley National Park

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Kanger Valley National Park Director Dhammasheel Ganvir said that for the first time, birds will be surveyed in Kanger Valley National Park located in Bastar region in collaboration with Bird County India and Birds and Wildlife of Chhattisgarh.

Key Points

• Director Dhammasheel Ganvir said that the work of Kanger Valley Bird Survey will be done from November 25 to November 27, 2022. In this bird survey, 56 bird experts from 11 states of the country have been selected.
• Participants from Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan will participate in this bird survey.
• For three days, bird experts will inspect different bird habitats of Kanger Valley and survey the birds found here. Efforts have been made by experts from time to time to understand the relationship and habitat of birds found in different landscapes of the country with the Kanger Valley.
• This survey will help in national park management and will add new dimensions of bird watching to eco-tourism.
• It is noteworthy that Kanger Valley National Park, Jagdalpur is a unique treasure of bio-diversity of Central India. Kanger Valley is famous in the country and abroad for its natural beauty, bio-diversity, exciting caves. Birds found in the Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas of India have also been seen here.

Special Initiative to Encourage Farmers to Cultivate Lac in Chhattisgarh

Why in News?

• According to the information given by the Chhattisgarh Public Relations Department on November 7, 2022, according to the instructions of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, special initiatives are being taken by the state government in Chhattisgarh to encourage farmers to cultivate lac and increase their income.

Key Points

• In compliance of this, necessary arrangements have been made by Chhattisgarh State minor forest produce association with assistance for supply and sale of beehan lac/lac and availability of lac crop loan.
• In order to successfully implement the scheme in the state and increase lac production, lac production clusters have also been formed by adding 3 to 5 primary committee areas in 20 district unions.
• Under this, information about the demand of farmer-wise beehan lac will be taken by conducting a survey in every lac production cluster. In these, the farmers will have to deposit the total amount required to supply the beehan lac at the price fixed by the union in advance in the district union account.
• Under this, the deadline for receiving demand from farmers for Rangini Beehan Lakh is fixed before November 10. In this, the deadline for depositing the amount from the farmers is fixed till November 15. In these, the deadline for receiving the demand from the farmers for Kusumi Beehan Lac is before November 30 and till December 15 for depositing the amount.
• In order to overcome the shortage of beehan lac in the state, the purchase rate has been fixed to purchase the beahan lac available with the farmers at a reasonable price. Under this, the purchase rate payable to the farmers for Kusumi Beehan Lac (obtained from Plum Tree) is fixed at Rs 550 per kg and for Rangini Beehan Lac (obtained from Palash Tree), the purchase rate payable to farmers is fixed at Rs 275 per kg.
• Similarly, the selling rate has also been fixed to provide beehan lac to the farmers. Under this, the selling rate payable to farmers for Kusumi Beehan Lac (obtained from Plum Tree) is fixed at Rs 640 per kg and for Rangini Beehan Lac (obtained from Palash Tree), the selling rate payable to farmers is fixed at Rs 375 per kg.
• In order to encourage farmers to cultivate lac, arrangements have been made by the state government to provide lac crop loans with free interest through the District Cooperative Bank. Under this, a loan limit of Rs 5,000 per tree has been fixed on nutritious tree Kusum, Rs 900 on plum and Rs 500 per tree on Palash for rearing lacs.
• A training centre has been opened in Kanker by the State Minor Forest Produce Association to carry out lac rearing in a scientific manner. The centre is also providing on farm training in lac production clusters along with 3 days institutional training.
• Kusum tree is very suitable in the summer season for good cultivation of lac rearing, but in the rainy season, the berry tree is suitable for kusumi lac rearing. Therefore, additional income can be obtained by taking 2 crops in a year by planting sweet plum in areas covered with kusum trees. In view of this, efforts are being made by the Forest Department to plant sweet plum on a large scale on the grass and private land of the farmers in kusum rich areas in the state.
• In order to increase lac rearing in the state, young members of tendu leaf collector family, who are 12th passed, are being selected as 'Vandhan Mitra' and used on reasonable honorarium in lac farmer survey, training, beehan lac system and crop loan delivery etc. At present, about 200 Vandhan Mitras (lacs) are providing their services to lacs of farmers in various district unions.
• It is worth mentioning that lac is traditionally cultivated in different districts of the state and about 50 thousand farmers follow Kusumi Lac on Kusum and Plum trees, Palash and Ber trees.
• The state currently produces 4,000 tonnes of lac, with an estimated value of Rs 100 crore. The target is to increase the lac production in the state to 10 thousand tonnes and give an income of Rs 250 crore to the farmers. For this, an important decision has been taken to give lac crop loans with free interest to lac rearing farmers.
• Due to the decline in lac production across the country, the market rate of Kusumi Lac has increased from Rs. 300 to Rs 900 per kg at present. This is increasing the trend of farmers to increase lac farming.

Scientists Change Mutants of Six Paddy Species of Chhattisgarh

Why in News?

• On November 6, 2022, Dr RK Vats, chairman of the Public Awareness Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, said that the scientists at the centre have reduced the height of plants by changing the mutants of six paddy species found in Chhattisgarh. In such a situation, rain, hailstorm and thunderstorm will not have much effect on crops.

Key Points

• It is known that an exhibition of new species of paddy has been organized by the scientists of Bhabha Atomic Research Center in the Akash Tattva Conference held at Uttaranchal University in Dehradun. In the first phase, scientists at the institute have changed mutants of six paddy species found in Chhattisgarh.
• Similarly, scientists have also created new species by changing the mutants of eight species of moong.
• The species whose mutants have been changed to new species have been developed on the request of the Government of Chhattisgarh are CG Javaphool, TKR Kolam, Trombay Chhattisgarh Sonagakshi Mutant (TCBM), Trambe Chhattisgarh Dubraj Mutant (TCDM), Vikram TCR, Trambe Chhattisgarh Vishnubhog Mutant (TCVM) are included.
• According to Dr. RK Vats, scientist of the center, the mutants of paddy species have been modified through gamma radiation. After this a new variety of paddy was developed, which is different from the earlier one.
• It is worth mentioning that about 40 thousand species of paddy are found in the country. Of these, the highest number of 23230 species are found in Chhattisgarh, which is called paddy bowl.

2187 Shelters to be Built for the Poor in 12 Bodies of Four Districts

Why in News?

• In a meeting of the Technical Committee of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) held under the chairmanship of Director, Urban Development Naveen Pandey on November 7, 2022, the proposal to build 2187 houses for the poor in 12 bodies of four districts in Uttarakhand was approved. The proposal will now be sent to the Centre.

Key Points

• In the meeting, proposals were made to build houses for the poor in different bodies of different districts. In this, 2187 houses of one body of Dehradun, three in Haridwar, five in Udham Singh Nagar and three bodies of Pithoragarh were stamped.
• After the meeting, Urban Development Director Naveen Pandey said that the DPR of 12 bodies has been stamped in the meeting. Now the proposal is being sent to the Centre.

Two nurses from Kumaon get 'National Florence Nightingale Award'

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, President Draupadi Murmu conferred the 'National Florence Nightingale Award 2021' on two nurses Shashikala Pandey and Ganga Joshi from Kumaon, Uttarakhand.

Key Points

• Shashikala Pandey, posted at BD Pandey Hospital in Nainital, has been given this honor on her behalf for her dedication to patients and selfless service. Shashikala Pandey, who received the National Florence Nightingale Award for outstanding work in the field of nursing, is the patron of BD Pandey Hospital.
• At the same time, Ganga Joshi is posted as ANM in the sub-district hospital of Khatima. Ganga Joshi has been given this award for her awareness program, special contribution to Covid-19, training of ASHA workers, participation in many trainings at the state and national level.
• Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd), who reached Nainital recently, impressed by the condition, work and dedication of Metron's family, gave him a reward of Rs 10,001. On June 15, the Governor had inspected BD Pandey Hospital. During that, Sasikala Pandey had made the Governor inspect the hospital.
• The National Florence Nightingale Awards were instituted in the year 1973 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India as a recognition for meritorious services rendered by nurses and nursing professionals in society.