Uttarakhand

• 10 May 2023

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.