State PCS

• 09 Dec 2023

Kaushambi block of Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh got 2nd place in NITI Aayog's first delta ranking of ABP

Why in News?

Kaushambi block of Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh was ranked second in the first delta ranking of Aspirational Block Program (ABP) announced by NITI Aayog on December 7, 2023. Tiriyani Kumuram Bheem block of Asifabad, Telangana has got the first position in the ranking.

Key Points:

• The blocks are also divided geographically into six zones and ranking is given to two blocks from each zone.
  • In Zone 1, which includes hilly and north-eastern states as well as islands, Amri block (West Karbi Anglong, Assam) and Ngopa block (Saitual, Mizoram) stood first and second respectively.
  • In Zone 2, which covers North Indian states, Harraiya block of Basti district of Uttar Pradesh stood first and Viron block of Ghazipur district stood second.
  • In Zone 3 comprising southern states, Maski block (Raichur, Karnataka) and Naranur (Adilabad, Telangana) were declared the top rankers.
  • In the western Indian states, which includes Zone 4, Sironcha and Aheri blocks in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra emerged as winners.
  • Under Zone 5, Tirla block of Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh and Pat block of Barwani district were the winners in Central India.
  • In Eastern India, included in Zone 6, Andar in Siwan district of Bihar and Ramgarh in Dumka in Jharkhand were at the top position.
• The winners in all categories will be awarded a prize money of Rs 1.5 crore for the top rank and Rs 1 crore for the second rank.
• The ranking of the blocks was calculated based on the performance of the blocks and the progress achieved in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the month of June, 2023.
• Ranking the blocks based on KPIs is a core strategy of the programme, which is based on the spirit of competitive and cooperative federalism. This is the first time that a ranking of blocks has been calculated as part of the Aspirational Block Programme.
• Apart from ABP, ADP rankings for the month of October 2023 were also announced, in which Rayagada (Odisha) and Jamui (Bihar) secured the first and second ranks respectively. Awarded to top rankers in the thematic and overall categories of ADP.
• Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog inaugurated the 'Wall of Fame' along with members of NITI Aayog. The Wall of Fame highlights the key points of the Aspirational Block Program and Aspirational District Program with the vision of creating a developed India by 2047. It commemorates the achievements of the best performing Aspirational Blocks and Aspirational Districts in the country.
• It may be noted that the Aspirational Block Program (ABP) was started on January 7, 2023. ABP focuses on improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens in India's most difficult and relatively underdeveloped blocks. 500 blocks in 329 districts across 27 states and 4 union territories in India are part of this programme.
• The baseline data for the first quarter March 31, 2023 and June 30, 2023 of 500 aspirational blocks was obtained through the management information system of 11 ministries. The first delta rank is calculated based on the improvement in the first quarter.

Documentary 'Weavers of Hope' based on the weavers of Gaya's Patwa group won UNESCO Award

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on December 7, 2023, the documentary film ‘Weavers of Hope’ based on the lives of the weavers of Patwa Toli near Gaya has been honoured with an award by UNESCO.

Key Points:

• The film's director Shinjan Chatterjee said that this documentary film is based on the lives of the weavers of Patwa Toli near Gaya.
• University Public Relations Officer Mohd. Mudassir Alam informed that the competition was jointly organised by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Commonwealth Media Center for Asia (CEMCA).
• The documentary film has been awarded a special award along with a cash prize.
• Students of the Department of Mass Communication and Media of Central University of South Bihar (CUSB) made an important contribution in the production of the film.
• The media department involved in film production were Shivam Bhadani, Shinjan Chatterjee, Tooba Rehman, Pragati Kumari, Megha Kumari, Aditi Singhal, Richa Kumari, Dixit Singh and Sheelu Ragini.

Andar block of Siwan district of Bihar tops NITI Aayog's 1st delta ranking of ABP

Why in News?

Andar block of Siwan district of Bihar in eastern India, included in Zone 6, has got the top position in the first delta ranking of Aspirational Block Program (ABP) announced by NITI Aayog on December 7, 2023.

Key Points:

• In the first Delta Ranking of Aspirational Block Program (ABP), Tiriyani Kumuram Bheem block of Asifabad, Telangana got first position and Kaushambi block of Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh got second position.
• The blocks are divided geographically into six zones and ranking is given to two blocks from each zone.
  • In Zone 1, which includes hilly and north-eastern states as well as islands, Amri block (West Karbi Anglong, Assam) and Ngopa block (Saitual, Mizoram) stood first and second respectively.
  • In Zone 2, which covers North Indian states, Harraiya block of Basti district of Uttar Pradesh stood first and Virno block of Ghazipur district stood second.
  • In Zone 3 comprising southern states, Maski block (Raichur, Karnataka) and Naranur (Adilabad, Telangana) were declared the top rankers.
  • In the western Indian states, which include Zone 4, Sironcha and Aheri blocks in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra emerged as winners.
  • Under Zone 5, Tirla block of Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh and Pat block of Barwani district were the winners in Central India.
  • In Eastern India, included in Zone 6, Andar in Siwan district of Bihar and Ramgarh in Dumka in Jharkhand were at the top position.
• The winners in all categories will be awarded a prize money of Rs 1.5 crore for the top rank and Rs 1 crore for the second rank.
• The ranking of the blocks was calculated based on the performance of the blocks and the progress achieved in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the month of June, 2023.
• Ranking the blocks based on KPIs is a core strategy of the programme, which is based on the spirit of competitive and cooperative federalism. This is the first time that a ranking of blocks has been calculated as part of the Aspirational Block Programme.
• Apart from ABP, ADP rankings for the month of October 2023 were also announced, in which Rayagada (Odisha) and Jamui (Bihar) secured the first and second ranks respectively. Awarded to top rankers in the thematic and overall categories of ADP.
• It may be noted that the Aspirational Block Program (ABP) was started on January 7, 2023. ABP focuses on improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens in India's most difficult and relatively underdeveloped blocks. 500 blocks in 329 districts across 27 states and 4 union territories in India are part of this programme.

International Camel Festival begins in Bikaner from January 11

Why in News?

On December 5, 2023, Bikaner Collector Bhagwati Prasad Kalal said in the meeting held in the Collectorate Auditorium that to promote tourism at the international level, the International Camel Festival will be held in Bikaner from 11 to 14 January.

Key Points:

• District Collector Bhagwati Prasad Kalal said that this time the camel festival will be organized on the theme of 'Icons of Bikaner'. In this, artists who have made special achievements in local art, music and culture will be provided a global platform through the festival.
• A special event regarding classical forms of arts will be organized on January 11 in the Camel Utsav. During this period, special presentations will be given by artists associated with classical music and classical dance.
• During the festival, a fusion show of art and culture will be organised at Dharanidhar Stadium on January 12, in which the colours of local folk art culture as well as contemporary art will be combined. Local cuisine will also be the attraction of this show.
• The District Collector said that kite flying competitions will also be organised during the Camel Festival. During the fair, foot walk and tanga ride, Haveli Sangeet and other cultural programs will be organised every day in the urban park.
• Assistant Director Tourism Krishna Kumar said that during the International Camel Festival, Celebrity Night will be organised at Raiser, in which a special celebrity will be invited to perform along with fire dance.
• He informed that horse racing in Raiser horses and horse dance will also be the special centre of attraction in the International Camel Festival this year. Like every year, a camel race will be organised in Camel Farm. Camel makeup competition, camel race competition, camel dance competition and camel cutting competitions will be organised in the Camel Farm.

In the ranking of Aspirational Development Block Programme, Tirla Development Block of Dhar district has been ranked 1st

Why in News?

On December 7, 2023, Tirla development block of Dhar district was honoured by NITI Aayog for securing first position in the central region of India in the ranking of the Aspirational Development Block Program of the Government of India. Tirla development block will be given a prize of Rs 1.5 crore for this achievement.

Key Points:

• It is worth mentioning that under the Aspirational Development Block Program of the Government of India, 500 development blocks of 329 districts of the country have been included, in which Tirla development block of Dhar district is also included in the 42 development blocks selected from Madhya Pradesh.
• As per the instructions of NITI Aayog, first of all a thinking camp was organised by the development block and a strategy was prepared on the parameters of NITI Aayog to convert the aspirational development block into an inspiring development block.
• After formulating the strategy, work is being carried out on the ground, to give momentum to which the Sankalp Saptah was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 30, 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• The main objective of the Aspirational Development Block Program is to benefit the beneficiaries by speeding up the work of all the departments in the selected 500 Aspirational Development Blocks.
• Tirla, the development block of the district Dhar, has achieved outstanding achievement under the overall five parameters of health & nutrition, education, agriculture, infrastructure & social development under the leadership of District Panchayat CEO Shringar Srivastava and Chief Executive Officer of Janpad Panchayat Tirla Jimmy Baati.

Launch of ‘Sushasan Puraskar yojana’ to recognize and reward excellence

Why in News?

On December 6, 2023, Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal informed that the state government has notified 'Haryana Sushasan Puraskar yojana 2023'.

Key Points:

• The Chief Secretary informed that the ‘Haryana Sushasan Puraskar yojana’ has been designed keeping in mind specific objectives, which include recognizing and rewarding outstanding contributions to good governance.
• The scheme will be applicable to all employees and officers in Group A, B, C & D in State Government Departments, Boards, Corporations, Statutory Authorities, Missions, Societies, Institutions, Universities & Public Sector Undertakings.
• Administrative secretaries, heads of departments, All India Service officers and contractual employees are not included in this scheme.
• These awards will be given for excellent performance at the state and district level.
• State level Flagship Awards will be given under the scheme for exceptional contribution in major schemes implemented by the State Government. The winning teams will be awarded a trophy, citation and a cash prize of Rs 51,000 for each flagship scheme. This award will be distributed equally among the team members, regardless of rank or position.
• State level awards will be given to those who have shown exceptional performance in various aspects and schemes. The winning teams will be given trophies, appreciation certificates and cash prizes. In this, the 1st prize will be Rs 51,000, the 2^nd prize will be Rs 31,000 and the 3rd prize will be Rs 21,000. The cash reward with the Flagship Scheme Awards will be distributed equally among the team members.
• District level award will be given for exemplary contribution at the district level. The winning teams will be awarded a trophy, a certificate of appreciation based on the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner and a 1st prize of Rs 31,000, 2nd prize of Rs 21,000 and 3rd prize of Rs 11,000 equally among the team members.
• To ensure transparency and fairness, trophies & citations for district level awards will be given on the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner of the district & six awards at the state level and three awards for exceptional performance.
• Applicants can submit their applications to the Empowered Committee or ‘District Level Empowered Committee’. The last date for submission of applications is December 15, 2023. The award ceremony will be held on Good Governance Day on December 25, 2023.

Ramgarh block of Dumka district of Jharkhand ranked 2nd in NITI Aayog's first delta ranking of ABP

Why in News?

Ramgarh block of Dumka district of Jharkhand in eastern India, included in Zone 6, has been ranked 2^nd in the first delta ranking of the Aspirational Block Program (ABP) announced by NITI Aayog on December 7, 2023.

Key Points:

• In the first Delta Ranking of Aspirational Block Program (ABP), Tiriyani Kumuram Bheem block of Asifabad, Telangana got 1^st position and Kaushambi block of Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh got 2nd position.
• The blocks are divided geographically into six zones and ranking is given to two blocks from each zone.
  • Zone 1, which includes hilly & north-eastern states as well as islands, was ranked 1st and 2nd by Amri block (West Karbi Anglong, Assam) & Ngopa block (Saitual, Mizoram) respectively.
  • In Zone 2, which covers North Indian states, Harraiya block of Basti district of Uttar Pradesh stood first and Virno block of Ghazipur district stood second.
  • In Zone 3 comprising southern states, Maski block (Raichur, Karnataka) and Naranur (Adilabad, Telangana) were declared the top rankers.
• In the western Indian states, which include Zone 4, Sironcha and Aheri blocks in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra emerged as winners.
• Under Zone 5, Tirla block of Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh and Pat block of Barwani district were the winners in Central India.
• In Eastern India included in Zone 6, Andar block of Siwan district of Bihar stood 1st and Ramgarh block in Dumka of Jharkhand stood 2^nd.
• The winners in all categories will be awarded a prize money of Rs 1.5 crore for the top rank and Rs 1 crore for the 2nd rank.
• The ranking of the blocks was calculated based on the performance of the blocks and the progress achieved in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the month of June, 2023.
• Ranking the blocks based on KPIs is a core strategy of the programme, which is based on the spirit of competitive and cooperative federalism. This is the first time that a ranking of blocks has been calculated as part of the Aspirational Block Programme.
• It may be noted that the Aspirational Block Program (ABP) was started on January 7, 2023. ABP focuses on improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens in India's most difficult and relatively underdeveloped blocks. 500 blocks in 329 districts across 27 states and 4 union territories in India are part of this programme.

SECL will use ‘Miyawaki’ plantation method to increase green cover

Why in News?

As per information provided by Press Information Bureau, Government of India on December 6, 2023, South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) will plant saplings for the 1st time in its operational areas using Japan's popular 'Miyawaki' method to promote forest cover in the coal belt area of Chhattisgarh.

Key Points:

• SECL, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, will use the popular Japanese technology to develop Miyawaki forest in a two hectare area in Gevra area as a pilot project.
• The project will be implemented in partnership with Chhattisgarh State Forest Development Corporation (CGRVVN) at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 4 crore.
• The tree planting using Miyawaki technology will be carried out over a period of two years, with approximately 20,000 saplings planted. In plantation, big plants like banyan, peepal, mango, jamun etc.; Medium plants like Karanj, Amla, Ashoka etc. and small plants like Kaner, Hibiscus, Trichoma, Ber, Fig, Lemon etc. will be included.
• It may be noted that the Miyawaki method of tree plantation was started in the 70s by Japanese botanist and plant ecology expert Akira Miyawaki. This tree planting technique involves planting native trees, shrubs and groundcover plants within every square metre. This is an ideal method to grow a dense forest rapidly in a small space.
• The species selected for Miyawaki plantations are usually plants that do not require much maintenance and can survive harsh weather and water scarcity conditions & grow rapidly under the existing conditions. This helps in developing a dense forest in a short period of time.
• The pilot project of Miyawaki plantation at SECL will help in increasing the green cover around Gevra mine, the country's largest coal mine, in a short period of time. The forest composed of indigenous species of fruit, avenue and ornamental trees will also prove beneficial for local communities and wildlife. The forests developed under the project will also play an important role in absorbing dust particles and controlling the surface temperature.
• It is worth mentioning that apart from being one of the leading coal companies of India, SECL is continuously working towards promoting green cover around its mines and preserving the environment and reducing the impacts of coal mining.
• Since its inception, SECL has planted more than 3 crore saplings. In the financial year 2023-24, the company has developed green cover in 475 hectare area and planted 10.77 lakh saplings, which is the highest among all the subsidiaries of Coal India.
• The company has recently tied up with Chhattisgarh State Forest Development Corporation (CGRVVN) and Madhya Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation (MPRVVN) for plantation and maintenance of 4 years for a five years period from 2023-24 to 2027-28.