• 09 Apr 2022

Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force

Why in News?

Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to establish the Sixth Battalion of the Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force (UPSSF) in Ayodhya.

Key Points

• UPSSF was formed in September 2020 to protect the courts, major religious places and establishments of the state.
• As a result, in June 2021, five battalions of UPSSF were formed, which include battalions of Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Mathura and Saharanpur. The 1^st Battalion of UPSSF is deployed in the security of Metro in Lucknow.
• For the establishment of all these battalions, the PAC Commandant was given the additional charge of Commandant of UPSSF by the government.
• The sixth corps in Ayodhya has been formed under the Uttar Pradesh Special Security Forces Rules-2021.

Ethiopian Investment Commission Signed with Haryana for Cooperation

Why in News?

Recently, a two-day meeting of 'Haryana-Ethiopia Investment Commission' (EIC) was organized by the State Foreign Cooperation Department at Gurugram and Chandigarh. The Framework for Cooperation between the State of Haryana and Ethiopia was signed on the occasion.

Key Points

• In this meeting, the framework of cooperation between the State of Haryana and EIC, Ethiopia was signed by Yogendra Choudhary, Principal Secretary, Department of Foreign Cooperation, Haryana and Dr. Tijita Mulugeta, Ambassador of Ethiopia.
• The primary objective of this meeting was to strengthen trade and investment relations between the Democratic Republic of Haryana and Ethiopia.
• A spokesperson of the Department of Foreign Cooperation said that a pioneering initiative has been taken by the Department to organize the 'Haryana-Africa Conclave, Series-1' in October 2021 in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Twelve countries of the African continent including Ethiopia participated enthusiastically in this conclave.
• On this occasion, dignitaries from the Government of Haryana, businessmen and exporters from the pharmaceutical, agro-processing and textile sectors of Haryana participated.

Haryana One of the Top 3 Best Performing States in the Country

Why in News?

On April 8, 2022, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana Public Health Engineering Department, A.K. Singh said that Haryana has completed the target of 'Har Ghar Nal Se Jal' mission. With this achievement, Haryana has been ranked among the top 3 best performing states in this mission.

Key Points

• Although the Central Government had set a target to achieve this goal by 2024, due to the efforts of the Haryana Government, this target has been achieved two years before the scheduled time.
• This mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2019 to improve the lives of people by ensuring clean water from tap to every household in the rural areas of the country. In Haryana also, this mission was implemented to make provision for supply of tap water to every household in the villages.
• Through this mission, a constant effort was made to free women from the heavy burden of labor of fetching water from afar.
• In Haryana ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ was started in 2019, at that time 17.66 lakh connections out of total 30.96 lakh connections were already provided in the state. Haryana had achieved 100 percent coverage of tap water connections on November 1, 2021, in 18 districts except Mahendragarh, Palwal, Nuh and Jind.
• Now by providing 1.41 lakh tap connections in the remaining 4 districts- Mahendragarh, Palwal, Nuh and Jind, the state has made a record of providing tap connections to 100% households.

Sirom Toli Sarna Sthal Beautification Plan

Why in News?

On April 7, 2022, Chief Minister Hemant Soren laid the foundation stone of Sirom Toli Sarna Sthal Beautification Plan.

Key Points

• The foundation stone for the beautification plan of Sirom Toli Sarna Sthal in the capital Ranchi is part of a series of efforts by the state government to keep the tradition and art-culture of tribal society alive, intact and preserved.
• Under this scheme, various facilities will be made available in the Sarna Sthal complex at a cost of about Rs.5 crore.
• The Chief Minister said that the State Government would make efforts to preserve all the Sarna and Masna Sthals of the State, so that the coming generations would also be well aware of its historical importance.
• Significantly, Sarna Sthal is a sacred grove in the religious traditions of the Chotanagpur plateau region in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam and Chhattisgarh. The followers of these rituals are mainly Baiga, Kurukh, Munda and Santhal.

Jhalmalko Laya-Lyor Gotul Racha Utsav

Why in News?

On April 8, 2022, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel attended the 'Jhalmalko Laya-Lyor Gotul Racha Utsav' at village Amakra in Antagarh block of Kanker district.

Key Points

• This festival was organized to preserve the local culture, tradition, folk songs and folk dances.
• It is noteworthy that the basic objective of this program is to bring tribal youth and girls into the mainstream of development by connecting them with their culture, heritage.
• Cultural and social events like Gotul culture, Mandari, Rela, Hulki, Kolang are almost disappearing from the tribal society, which is known to be preserved.
• This program is being organized for the purpose of giving
• Jhalmalko is a surname given to young men and women. It is related to those tribal youth and girls, who are not only full of special qualities, as well as they have complete knowledge of their tribe, customs and culture and tradition.
• On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced the establishment of District Co-operative Bank in Koylibeda along with giving full tehsil status to Koylibeda and Amabeda.
• Apart from this, for the protection of local culture, 10 gotuls and 10 devgudis were also announced in the Antagarh area.
• Like 'Badal' established in Bastar, the Chief Minister also organized and promoted dance, art and literature in Kanker district. It also gave approval to send 14 youth of Antagarh region on a study tour to Indonesia to study the innovations happening in the field of agriculture and forest produce.

State Level Manas Singing Competition Launched in Shivrinarayan

Why in News?

The three-day state-level Manas Mandali competition organized from April 8 to 10, 2022, was inaugurated by Rajshri Mahant Dr. Ram Sundar Das, chairman of Chhattisgarh Gauseva Aayog, at the fair ground of Shivrinarayan, a famous pilgrimage site in Janjgir-Champa district.

Key Points

• In the state level Manas singing competition, about 350 artists from selected Manas circles of 25 districts will give their presentations in this state level competition.
• In this competition the winners will be given first prize of Rs.5 lakh, second prize of Rs.3 lakh and third prize of Rs.2 lakh.

Barnawapara Sanctuary

Why in News?

On April 8, 2022, Chhattisgarh's most excellent and attractive sanctuary Barnawapara has been transformed into a new form.

Key Points

• This rejuvenation has been done with the amount approved in the annual action plan 2021-22 of CAMPA (Chhattisgarh Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) under wildlife habitat upgradation work.
• Under this annual action plan, intensive lantana eradication and eupatorium eradication work has been done in an area of ​​5 thousand 920 hectares, Out of which the work of eradication of lentanas in total area of ​​950 hectares in 19 chambers of Barnawapara Sanctuary and Eupatorium eradication work in total area of ​​4 thousand 970 hectares in 32 cells.
• Due to the wildlife habitat upgradation work done in Barnawapara Sanctuary, located under Balodabazar forest division, located at a distance of about 100 km from the capital Raipur, the grass species has started growing rapidly due to the moisture in the soil. Along with this, the wildlife in the sanctuary has now got good facilities for grazing grass, due to which they have started roaming freely after the eradication work of Lantana and Eupatorium. Due to this, the tourists have got an easy sight of the wildlife and the wildlife has also started appearing healthy..
• It is worth noting that the total area of ​​Barnawapara Sanctuary is 244.86 sq km. In which there are mainly mixed forests, sal forests and teak plantations of the east. Mainly Karra, Bhirra, Senha are found in mixed forests in Barnawapara. Teak plantation is the naturally grown teak in the area and the Sal forest area is in less area.
• In addition to the above beehive species, herbaceous species, such as Eupatorium, Lentana, Charotha etc. are major weeds, due to which the herbivore wildlife found in the Barnawapara sanctuary area does not get grass, wildlife also has problems in movement and It becomes difficult to defend against carnivorous animals as well.
• It is noteworthy that in Barnawapara Sanctuary, wildlife like leopard, gaur, bear, sambar, chital, nilgai, kotari, chausingha, wild boar, wild dog, striped hyena, fox, wolf and mouse antelope are found in abundance and are also easily visible.

1064 Anti-Corruption Mobile App

Why in News?

• On April 8, 2022, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched '1064 Anti-Corruption Mobile App' at the State Secretariat, Dehradun.

Key Points

• This app has been created by the Vigilance Department to root out corruption in Uttarakhand.
• This app is available in both Hindi and English languages. In this, any person can make a complaint on 1064 number through the app or by phone.
• If the complaint of any complainant is not related to Vigilance, then it will be sent to the Chief Minister Helpline and the concerned department.
• By registering each complaint through the app, the confidentiality of the complainant will be taken care of along with the security of the relevant data.