Uttarakhand

• 10 Jul 2023

State’s 64 Bridges to be Renovated with Rs 264 Crore: Approval by HPC Meeting

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on July 9, 2023, the health of damaged and over-aged bridges in Uttarakhand will be improved or replaced. In this regard, an amount of Rs 264 crore 69 lakh 52 thousand has been approved by the government for 64 such bridges under the World Bank-funded U-prepare project.

Key Points:

• Apart from this, the Public Works Department (PWD) has submitted an estimate of Rs 622.18 crore (estimated cost) to the government for 74 bridges.
• It is known that the state government is working on many fronts under the mitigation of disaster management in the state. For this, with the help of the World Bank, several works have been completed under the Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project (UDRP) in the first phase and some projects are underway, while in the second phase, the U-Prepare project has been started.
• Under this, this project has been started to improve the health of bridges. It also includes those bridges which were declared dangerous in the safety audit conducted by the government in December 2022.
• The project, funded by the World Bank, is to be completed in the next five years.
• It may be noted that the High-Powered Committee (HPC) constituted under the chairmanship of State Chief Secretary Dr. SS Sandhu had given green signal to the Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project (UDRP).
• Under the project, repair of damaged bridges, construction of new bridges and construction of missing link bridges are to be done. Bridges damaged in disasters have been taken on priority in the project.
• At present financial approval has been received for 64 bridges from HPC under the World Bank-funded U-Prepare project in the state. The department has submitted the details of the estimated expenditure for 74 bridges. As soon as the tender process is completed, the work of improving the bridges will be started.
• It is notable that in the safety audit conducted in December 2022 on the instructions of the government, 36 bridges were found unsafe. During that time, 3262 safety audits of five zones were conducted. Under this, the bridges which can be technically improved will be repaired.

Cabinet Nod to State Mental Health Policy

Why in News?

On July 7, 2023, Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar, Health Secretary, Uttarakhand said that strict action will now be taken against de-addiction centres and psychiatric institutions operating in the state by flouting the rules and standards. In this regard, the State Government has approved the State Mental Health Policy Manual.

Key Points:

• Now all mental health institutions and de-addiction centres will be operated under the rules of the State Mental Health Policy Manual.
• Apart from institutions, psychologists, mental health nurses, psychiatric social workers will have to compulsorily register with the State Mental Health Authority. A fee of Rs 2,000 has been kept for temporary registration of mental health institutions, but registration of mental health experts will be free.
• Two thousand rupees will be payable for a temporary license of one year. After that, a fee of 20 thousand will have to be paid for permanent registration.
• For violating the rules, a fine of 5 to 50 thousand rupees will be imposed the first time, 2 lakh the second time and 5 lakh in case of repeated violation. A provision has been made to fine up to Rs 25,000 on the employees working in unregistered de-addiction centres.
• If a person violates the rules, then in such a situation, that person will be punished with imprisonment of six months or a fine of Rs 10,000 in the first instance, and for repeated violations, a jail term of two years or a fine of Rs 50,000 to 5 lakh.
• It is known that the State Mental Health Authority was constituted in the year 2019. After this, the state government has formed a board for monitoring and hearing in seven districts. Of these, boards have been formed in Haridwar, Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts, while the process is underway in six districts.
• Under the State Mental Health Policy Manual, de-addiction centres cannot keep a mental patient hostage in a room. The patient will be kept in the de-addiction centres and will be discharged only on the consultation of the doctor. Fees, stay, and food menu will have to be displayed in the centre.
• A doctor, a psychiatrist will have to be kept for the treatment of the patients. There should be an open space in the centre for the mentally ill.
• Monitoring will be done through the Mental Health Review Board at the district level. Mental patients will be given a phone facility to talk to their relatives. Apart from this, the distance from one bed to another has also been fixed in the rooms.
• With the implementation of this policy, mental patients of the state will get better treatment facilities. Along with this, there will be a ban on incidents happening in mental health institutions.

Security of Women Working Night Shifts in factories to be Strengthened

Why in News?

On July 7, 2023, in the Uttarakhand cabinet meeting, the proposal of the Labor Department was approved, deciding to strengthen the security for women employees working in factories in night shifts.

Key Points:

• It is known that whatever reliefs were given to women workers in the Factories Act 1948, the relief has been further increased by amending it.
• Now it will be mandatory to install panic buttons, GPS devices, and CCTVs in the vehicles carrying women workers working in night shifts in factories to their homes.
• Police verification of the driver-conductor operating these vehicles has also been made mandatory. It has also been clarified that women can work the night shift only in those factories where there are at least 20 women workers. Less than this, the night shift will not be allowed for women workers.
• When the new rules are implemented, it will be easier for women to travel from home to the factory.