• 10 May 2023

Amit Kumar of Meerut honoured with Shaurya Chakra

Why in News?

On 9 May 2023, President Draupadi Murmu awarded Shaurya Chakra to CRPF Assistant Commandant Amit Kumar for showing indomitable courage during the operation against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

Key Points:

• Shaurya Chakra has been given to Amit Kumar for the operation that took place on 12 October 2020 in the Barzulla area of Srinagar.
• It is known that on 15 August 2022, it was announced to award him three police medals for this operation as well as other operations.
• Significantly, Amit Kumar is a resident of Meerut's New Meenakshipuram. Amit's family is originally from the village of Nisurkha in the Bulandshahr district. His father Jeet Singh is also retired from the army.
• Amit did his BSc and MSc in Physics from Meerut College after completing his schooling at Army School Meerut Cantt.
• In the year 2013, Amit became a directly appointed officer in CRPF. After being posted at various places, in April 2018, he was appointed as the Commander of Valley QAT, Srinagar. During this, he took part in many operations. He was involved with the team in 15 encounters, in which 30 terrorists were killed and five were captured alive.
• In appreciation of these courageous works, the government has so far honoured Amit with 14 citations. Since 29 August he has been posted as Assistant Commandant in One Signal CRPF in New Delhi.

Dr. Devendra Kumar Shukla: New Chairman of the Bihar State Pollution Control Board

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on 9 May 2023, Dr. Devendra Kumar Shukla, a formerly retired officer of the Indian Forest Service, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Bihar State Pollution Control Board by the Bihar government.

Key Points:

• It is worth mentioning that the Bihar government has recently reconstituted the Bihar State Pollution Control Board through a notification.
• Dr. Devendra Kumar Shukla has succeeded the outgoing Chairman of the Board, Dr. Ashok Kumar Ghosh, who retired recently.
• Before being appointed to this post, Dr. Devendra Kumar Shukla held the post of Chairman of the Bihar State Biodiversity Board.

Women's Village Service Cooperative Society

Why in News?

On 8 May 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the draft action plan for the formation of a Mahila Gram Seva Sahakari Samiti in each block of the state for women empowerment and women upliftment.

Key Points:

• The contribution of Rs.3 lakh of each committee will also be borne by the state government. In this way, the state government will bear the total financial burden of Rs 10.53 crore for the village cooperative service societies to be formed in 351 blocks in the state.
• According to the draft, there will be at least one Gram Panchayat in the jurisdiction of the committee and the minimum number of members will be 300. The minimum share amount will be Rs 3 lakh.
• The minimum deposit amount from members in general areas will be Rs 1 lakh and in Scheduled Tribe areas the deposit amount will be Rs 75 thousand. There shall not be two Village Co-operative Service Societies in any one Gram Panchayat.
• Rs 50,000 will be given from the Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Societies (PACS) for furniture and other resources in the new societies.
• With this decision of the Chief Minister, the active cooperation of women in the cooperative sector will increase. Along with this, the all-around upliftment of women and the cooperative movement will also get strength, speed and direction.

Solar Power and Wind Power Projects Launched

Why in News?

On 8 May 2023, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan virtually inaugurated 21 MW solar power and 15 MW wind power projects at Kushabhau Thakre Auditorium in Bhopal, and in his presence contracts were signed among Municipal Corporation Bhopal, Solar Energy and Wind Energy companies.

Key Points:

• This project of solar and wind energy will prove to be a milestone in the field of energy for Bhopal city.
• Bhopal Municipal Corporation will save Rs 14 crore every year from this project. It will increase further in the coming times.
• With this project, Bhopal Municipal Corporation will get electricity at the same rate for the next 25 years.
• At present, Rs 12 crore per month is being spent on electricity. Solar plants are being installed in all the zonal offices of the Municipal Corporation, implemented through two projects for the next 25 years. With these projects, 60 percent power demand of Municipal Corporation Bhopal will be met.
• Important aspects of the projects -
  • This is the first grid-connected open-access project to be set up by any urban body in the country.
  • This is the first hybrid project to be set up in Madhya Pradesh, in which solar and wind energy will be used together.
  • It is the first renewable project based on power banking regulation.
  • About 60 percent of the power demand of Municipal Corporation Bhopal will be met by these projects.

State-level meeting of Narcotics Coordination Mechanism

Why in News?

On 9 May 2023, under the chairmanship of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a state-level meeting of the Narcotics Coordination Mechanism was held in ministry to make Madhya Pradesh drug-free.

Key Points:

• It was informed in the meeting that the state has been declared first in the country and Datia district as the best district in the country by the social justice department of the central government in the ‘Drug-free India campaign’.
• It is known that in 2022 in Madhya Pradesh, the action was taken by registering 4740 crimes under the NDPS Act and by arresting 5673 accused.
• In this meeting, the Chief Minister instructed that the people involved in the drug business are the most dangerous and dangerous criminals, and strict action should be taken against them. The property of such persons should be identified and confiscated.
• Use the latest technology to control drugs and their business. Intelligence systems should be activated & strengthened and best practices & innovations released in other states should be implemented in the state.
• To make the youth aware, run a mass awareness campaign in the state on a wide scale. Special vigilance should be exercised in schools, colleges and slum areas.
• The youth should be administered an oath not to take drugs, for this, activities should be conducted in schools and colleges at the beginning of the next academic session.
• Drug de-addiction centers should be operated in the state as per the requirement. It is necessary to conduct continuous activities for control of drug-related activities, de-addiction and public awareness against drugs.
• District-level committees of the Narcotics Coordination Mechanism should meet every month and information about the action taken by them should be placed before the state-level committee.
• Courts should be constituted immediately in the districts of the state where NDPS courts are not constituted.

Agreement Signed Between AIIMS & PCB to Study the Side Effects of Pollution on Health

Why in News?

On 9 May 2023, an MoU was signed between the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MP PCB) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal for a joint study and research on 'Impact of environmental pollution on human health'.

Key Points:

• The MoU was signed by Chandramohan Thakur, Member Secretary, MP PCB Board and Dr. Ajay Singh, Director & Executive Officer, AIIMS.
• The agreement made by the subject matter experts of both the institutes will set a new example in the country for the health security of future generations.
• A joint study by the experts of both the institutes will find out what are the ill effects of various pollutants present in the environment on human health and what diseases are caused by them.
• Pollution will help in preventing serious diseases like cancer, respiratory and heart diseases & on the basis of these, health policy will be decided.
• This research will also be helpful in the research work being done in other states. At present the agreement has been made for 2 years. This agreement may also be extended based on the findings of the study.
• This agreement will prove to be a turning point in the control of air pollution and diseases caused by it. This will be of great help in the study of various diseases caused by pollution in different regions. Due to the availability of authentic data, it will help in making an effective health policy in the country and the state.
• It is known that water pollution also causes many infectious and serious diseases. The joint study is a unique initiative towards the control and eradication of these diseases, which will set an example before other states.

The Website of Haryana Airport Development Corporation Launched

Why in News?

On 8 May 2023, the Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana launched the website of Haryana Airport Development Corporation.

Key Points:

• With the creation of the website of Haryana Airport Development Corporation, the civil aviation department in the state would be able to implement and speedy completion of airport development projects. With this, the work of monitoring and inspection of the development works of the Integrated Aviation Hub as well as all other airstrips in Hisar will be completed quickly.
• With the launch of this website, anyone from anywhere in the world can see the development work being done by the Haryana Government in the Civil Aviation Department in the state.
• On this occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said that the formation of the Haryana Airport Development Corporation in the state is important in the field of civil aviation and said that its formation will make it easier to purchase equipment & items for the operation of airports and will speed up the work. The technical feasibility report for the development of airports can be reviewed as and when required.
• Not only this, now preparation and publication of tender documents for aviation activities will be easier, and quality control of development works will be possible through appropriate agencies.
• The formation of the Haryana Airport Development Corporation will help in the repair, maintenance & upgradation of airport infrastructure and institutional capacity building of the civil aviation sector in the state.

Ordinance for Amendment in Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 and Haryana Municipal Act, 1973

Why in News?

On 9 May 2023, in the cabinet meeting chaired by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, the ordinance to amend the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 and the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973 was approved.

Key Points:

• These ordinances will be called the Haryana Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023.
• According to the amendment, seats will be reserved for backward class 'A' in each municipality and the number of reserved seats will be as much as possible.
• In case the ratio of backward class 'A' population to the total population of that municipality is 0.5 or more in the same proportion as the total number of seats in the municipality, it is rounded off to the next higher integer.
• Excluding the seats already reserved for Scheduled Castes, such seats shall be allotted by a draw of lots from a maximum of three times the number of seats proposed for the reservation to Backward Class 'A' having the highest percentage of the population of Backward Class 'A' and will be allotted on rotation in the subsequent elections also.
• In the Cabinet meeting held on 8 May, the Council of Ministers approved a proposal to accept the recommendations of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission for the provision of the proportion of reservation for Backward Class-A in contesting municipal elections.
• Since the State Legislative Assembly is not in session and the elections to the Urban Local Bodies are to be held at the earliest, therefore, according to the recommendations of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission, provision has been made in Section 6 & Section 11 of the Act, 1994 and Section 10 of the Act, 1973, there is a need to bring an ordinance for the provision of reservation for Backward Class-A in the elections of Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils/Committees.

Approval for Amendment in Agri-Business & Food Processing Policy-2018

Why in News?

In the cabinet meeting chaired by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal on 9 May 2023, approval was granted to the proposal for amendment in the Agri-Business & Food Processing Policy-2018 and incentive schemes under it.

Key Points:

• As per the revised proposal, 25 projects will be set up under the 'Backward and Forward Linkage Scheme' and 15 additional projects under the 'Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Scheme'.
• The policy budget will remain unchanged at Rs 433 crore. A budget of Rs 160 crore will be diverted to the above schemes from the plan for the creation, expansion and diversification of individual agri- and food processing units by 31 March 2024, or till the notification of the new agri-business & food processing policy, whichever is earlier.
• This amendment will be helpful in achieving the desired policy objectives and will be useful in creating a vast food processing ecosystem as well as increasing the income of farmers in the state.
• The Haryana Agri-business & Food Processing Policy was notified with a vision to create a prosperous rural economy by achieving accelerated growth in the agriculture sector, creating strong value chain linkages, laying emphasis on research and establishing state-of-the-art infrastructure.
• The objective of this policy was to make Haryana an obvious destination for investors in the food processing sector, promote value addition in agriculture & allied sectors such as dairy, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, poultry etc. and strengthen infrastructure by investing.
• In food processing clusters, thus developing a strong value chain, promoting farm gate processing of fresh food especially fruits, vegetables, milk and fish, promoting startups in the agri-business space and enabling farmers to enhance their income through new means and to carry out agri-marketing reforms.
• The objective of notifying this policy is to attract an investment of Rs 3,500 crore by the year 2023, create employment for 20,000 people in the entire value chain of the food processing sector and engage in perishables (fruits, vegetables), dairy, fisheries etc. to increase the level of processing by 10 per cent.

Champion of Change Delta Ranking

Why in News?

On 9 May 2023, the 'Champion of Change Delta Ranking' of 112 aspirational districts of the country was released by 'NITI Aayog' for March 2023. All the districts included in the 'top five' of this ranking are from 'Jharkhand'.

Key Points:

• The position of the districts in the overall ranking is as follows-
  • First place - Sahibganj
  • Second place - Ramgarh
  • Third place - Godda
  • Fourth place - Hazaribagh
  • Fifth place - West Singhbhum
• Better work has been done in these districts in terms of development plans.
• In the context of deciding the Champion of Delta ranking, NITI Aayog has fixed five broad parameters, which are as follows-
• 30 percent marks for good work in the field of health and nutrition
• 30 percent marks for doing good work in terms of education
• 20 percent marks for doing good work in terms of agriculture and water resources
• 10 percent marks for doing good work in terms of financial inclusion and skill development
• 10 percent marks are given for doing good work in terms of infrastructure.
• The ranking is decided based on marks scored regarding the above-mentioned parameters.
• Aspirational districts have to identify socially & economically backward districts and help them in their development so that they too can come at par with other districts on the scale of development.

Mungeli District got the honour of the Best Nikshay Mitra

Why in News?

On 8 May 2023, the Governor of Chhattisgarh Vishwabhushan Harichandan honoured Collector and President of Red Cross Society District Branch Mungeli as Shrestha Nikshay Mitra at a function organized at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of World Red Cross Day.

Key Points:

• District Immunization Officer Dr. Kamlesh Khairwar received the award on behalf of Mungeli Collector Rahul Dev.
• It is worth mentioning that Mungeli district has got the distinction of becoming the best Nikshay Mitra in the state of Chhattisgarh by adopting more and more T.B. patients through the Chhattisgarh Red Cross Society.
• On this occasion, the Governor honoured several other Nikshay Mitras and District Magistrates who worked actively in the Prime Minister's T.B. free India campaign, in which Mahasamund Collector Nilesh Kumar Kshirsagar was also honoured.
• It is worth mentioning that on 9 September 2022, President Draupadi Murmu launched the Prime Minister's TB-free India campaign in virtual form. India has more than 25 percent of the total TB patients in the world.
• According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, all countries have set the target of eradicating T.B. by 2030 but the Government of India has set a target of eradicating T.B. by the year 2025 and efforts are being made at every level to fulfil this resolution.

Somnath Mela Masi 2023

Why in News?

On 8 May 2023, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, participating in the historic Somnath Mela Masi 2023, announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh to the Somnath Mela.

Key Points:

• It is worth mentioning that the Somnath Masi Mela is organized on the banks of the river in front of the Someshwar Mahadev temple situated on the other side of the Ramganga River in the village named Masi of Ranikhet Tehsil of Almora district of Kumaon Mandal.
• It starts on the last Sunday of Vaisakh and the mela of the first session is called 'Saltiya Mela'. Its main attraction is the water-throwing competition by throwing stones in the river on this side of the Ramganga in front of the temple of Somnath on the last Monday of Vaisakh.
• This competition takes place between the two factions of Palipchhau, Masiwal and Kanudia. Therefore, the people of both factions come with their respective marks (flags), and drums and stand at a fixed place on the banks of the Ramganga and wait for their signals to start the competition at the appointed time by the chiefs of both factions. As soon as there is a signal from their side by a flag or a whistle, the people of both factions throw big stones into the river with their hands and try to take the thrown water on themselves. This water is considered holy.

CM launches New Format of CM Helpline 1905 at Secretariat

Why in News?

On 9 May 2023, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the new format of CM Helpline 1905 at the Secretariat.

Key Points

• In the new version of CM Helpline 1905, apart from dialling 1905, the facility of web portal, mobile app and audio call recording feature have also been provided.
• Now along with taking help on 24 hours CM helpline 1905, the facility to register complaints will also be available.
• On this occasion, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami instructed the officials that the CM Helpline 1905 should be reviewed twice a month by the departments. The Chief Minister himself will review it in the last week of every month.
• The Chief Minister directed that people should be made more and more aware through the CM Helpline 1905. It should be ensured that the general public gets the benefit of this helpline created for the redressal of public problems and complaints.
• The Chief Minister instructed the officers to ensure that public problems are resolved at their level only. The problems which can be solved at the tehsil level should not reach the unnecessary District Magistrate and the problems which have to be solved at the district level should not reach the government level. The level at which the problems have to be resolved, if it is not happening then the responsibility of the concerned officers and employees should be fixed.
• Anti-Corruption Mobile App- 1064 should be made more powerful. Tehsil Diwas should be organized regularly. At the district level also, the District Magistrate should conduct public hearings every month. Tehsil Jan Samarpan Diwas should be organized on the first & third Tuesday of every month and the fourth Tuesday, the District Magistrate should solve public problems by observing Jan Samarpan Diwas in the district.
• All public problems and public complaints should be registered online. Those whose problems will not be resolved at the tehsil and district level, only those problems will be referred to the chief minister's office.