• 11 Nov 2022

Convention Centre in Gorakhpur

Why In News?

On November 10, 2022, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed to build a large convention center in Gorakhpur in the state, with a seat capacity between three thousand and five thousand.

Key Points

• The capacity of the convention center to be built in Gorakhpur will be more than the capacity of Rudraksh Convention Center built in Varanasi (1200 ).
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the convention center of Gorakhpur will be such a convention center with state-of-the-art facilities, in which big events of national and international level can be held. For this, the Gorakhpur Development Authority (GDA) has also started searching for land.
• With the construction of this convention center in Gorakhpur, seminars, exhibitions and other public events of national and international level will be easily organized.
• The convention centre can act as a hub to promote art, culture, trade and industry. This convention center can also be rented out for the marriage program.

Haryana Sanskrit Academy Announces Literary Awards for the Year 2021

Why In News?

On November 9, 2022, Director, Haryana Sanskrit Academy, Dr. Dinesh Shastri said that the Sanskrit Academy of the state has announced the literary awards for the year 2021.

Key Points

• Dr. Dinesh Shastri informed that Dr. Devi Sahai Pandey (Ayodhya) has been selected for Sanskrit Sahit Alankar Samman and Prof. Kamala Bhardwaj has been selected for Haryana Sanskrit Gaurav Samman.
• Dr. Ambedkar of Karnal has been awarded the Maharishi Valmiki Samman Award for the year 2021. Satyapal Sharma, Sarveshwar Prasad Semwal of Panchkula for Acharya Sthanu Dutt Samman Award, Prof. Aruna Sharma and Maharishi Vishwamitra Samman Award were given to Dr. Chandra Kumar Jha has been selected.
• Dr. Ambedkar of Faridabad was honored for Mahakavi Baanbhatt Samman. Geeta Arya has been selected for Guru Virja Nand Acharya Samman, Acharya Swami Prasad Mishra of Panchkula. Apart from these, Vidya Martand Pt. Anju Bala of Karnal has been selected for Sitaram Shastri Acharya Samman.
• The Vishisht Sanskrit Seva Samman Award will be given to Rajesh Nain of Kaithal for his outstanding services in the Sanskrit field. Guru Ravidas Sanskrit Maha Vidyalaya (Gurukul Pohadka), Sirsa has been selected for Swami Dharamdev Sanskrit Samara dhak Samman Year 2021.
• Dr. Dinesh Shastri said that earlier the Academy has honored the selected litterateurs for the awards from the year 2017 to 2020 and soon these selected litterateurs will be honored by organizing a function.
• It is to be noted that for Sanskrit Sahit Alankar Samman and Haryana Sanskrit Gaurav Samman, a sum of Rs 2 lakh and citation are given to the litterateur. Similarly, Rs 1.5 lakh is given for Maharishi Valmiki Samman, Acharya Sthanu Dutt Samman, Maharishi Ved Vyas Samman, Maharishi Vishwamitra Samman.
• Apart from these, prize money of Rs 1 lakh is given for Mahakavi Baanbhatt Samman, Guru Virja Nand Acharya Samman, Vidya Martand Pandit Sitaram Shastri Acharya Samman, Swami Dharmadev Sanskrit Samara dhak Samman and Vishisht Sanskrit Seva Samman.

Haryana gets 'Best State Agribusiness Award-2022'

Why In News?

Presentation of outstanding contributors in the areas of policies, programmes, production, inputs, technologies, marketing, value addition, infrastructure and exports in the agriculture sector under the India Agribusiness Award-2022 by the Indian Council of Agriculture and Food, in New Delhi on November 10, 2022. For this, Haryana was awarded in the category of 'Better State'.

Key Points

• Haryana Agriculture and Development Welfare Minister J. P. Dalal pointed out that Haryana is one of the largest contributors to the national food pool. The state has taken several policy initiatives for diversification towards promoting horticulture and agri-business and has mapped about 400 horticulture crop clusters and formed 700 farmer producer organizations'.
• In order to strengthen backward and forward linkages in clusters, Haryana has launched an ambitious scheme 'Crop Cluster Development Programme (CCDP)' with a provision of Rs 510.35 crore for setting up integrated pack houses through FPOs. So far, 30 integrated pack houses have been set up and a total of 100 such integrated pack houses are targeted to be set up by the end of the current financial year.
• The Agriculture Minister informed that to ensure final value chain for farmers and agricultural products, a total of 37 agriculture sector companies have executed 54 MoUs with 34 FPOs for trading and marketing of FPO products with buy back mechanism to promote agri-business activities.
• He informed that Haryana has been at the forefront of value conservation through 'Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (BBY)' and horticulture crops were encouraged with Rs 24 crore (in the last three years) and bajra with about Rs 750 crore. It covered 2.41 lakh farmers from Rs 437 crore in 2021-22, while about 2.25 lakh farmers were covered from about Rs 310 crore in 2022-23.
• Haryana is also a pioneer in demonstration of technologies and has set up 11 Centres of Excellence with national and international collaboration. A premium horticulture training institute is also set up in the state to skill more than 2500 farmers and entrepreneurs through weekly, monthly and annual programmes under the National Skill Mission.
• The Agriculture Minister also informed that Asia's largest horticulture market is going to be built in Gannaur, Haryana. With its construction, the farmers of Haryana as well as the farmers of the entire country will benefit from it. With the formation of this market, all the things will be available to the people related to agriculture at one place, such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, fish and dry fruits etc. This market will be made better than the market of Paris and Spain.

Production of Neem Coated Urea Started at Sindri plant

Why In News?

On November 8, 2022, the production of neem coated urea began at the Sindri plant of Hindustan Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (HURL) in Jharkhand.

Key Points

• On this occasion, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted and congratulated that India is becoming self-sufficient in urea production. Taking a step towards the dream of self-reliant India, the farmers of the country will get a lot of benefit from made in India urea production.
• The existing Sindri fertilizer unit of Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) is located in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand state.
• The foundation stone of Hurl Project Sindri was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 25, 2018 . Urea production from the factory was scheduled for December 31, 2020, but due to the global pandemic Covid, the construction work of the project was affected and the production was behind its scheduled time. Due to Corona, urea production from Hurl Project started about 22 months after the set target.
• It is noteworthy that neem oil is coated on urea, due to which it is called neem coated urea. Neem paste on top of urea acts as a nitrification inhibitor.
• Neem coated urea is slow circulated, due to which there is availability of nitrogen nutrients according to the requirement of the crops and increase in crop production.

Chhattisgarh Government's Big Decision in the Interest of Students

Why In News?

According to the information received from the Chhattisgarh Public Relations Department on November 10, 2022, it has been decided by the Chhattisgarh government in the interest of the students that instead of issuing caste certificates to the students, caste certificates will now be issued once every year. The caste certificates issued to the students will be like permanent records.

Key Points

• According to the decision of the state government, in the directive issued by the General Administration Department to all collectors in this regard, it has been clarified that the recognition of permanent social status certificate (caste certificate) will not be limited by time, that is, it will not be timeless, it will be for the rest of the time. It is a permanent record in a way.
• There is no need to issue caste proof again and again. In case of loss of caste certificate, a duplicate of it can also be issued by the authorized officer.
• Collectors have been instructed that caste and residence certificates of scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other backward class students studying from class VI to XII in all government, private schools and central board schools located in Chhattisgarh state should be distributed in their schools only while studying in their schools and the said camp should be continued continuously every year.
• Collectors have been instructed to issue caste certificates, residence certificates pending in schools by the next academic session. Collectors have been instructed to mandatorily send monthly progress reports in this regard to the General Administration Department (Reservation Cell).

Dandachali will get a New Identity from Eco-Park

Why In News?

On November 10, 2022, Atul Bhandari, New Tehri District Tourism Officer of Uttarakhand, said that only 15 km from New Tehri. A proposal to develop Dandachali, a major tourist destination located at a distance of 100 km, as an Eco-Park has been sent to the state government by the tourism department. After getting approval, Dandachali will make tourists from india and abroad feel a world-class tourist destination.

Key Points

• Atul Bhandari told that Dandachali area is five square km. It is surrounded by dense forests of deodar and oak. Wildlife rich in this area, wildlife like Guldar, Bear, Sehi, Ghural are in abundance. The forest is also full of different species of birds. The weather of Dandachali makes one feel cool even in the heat of June, whereas in December and January, snow freezes up to four to five feet.
• He said that nature tracks will be built in the pine forest here. Parking, viewpoints and adventure sports facilities will also be available to tourists. Apart from this, Burma Bridge, Wooden and Glass House restaurants and mountain bike tracks will also be built here.
• However, due to lack of arrangements for hotels etc. to stay in Dandachali, tourists have to return to Chamba or New Tehri before dusk. Despite this, the movement of tourists remains constant. A large number of tourists reach Dandachali every year to celebrate the New Year, but due to Dandachali not being on the tourism map, no account is kept of the tourists coming here.
• With the creation of Eco Park in Dandachali, local youth will also get employment and due to the increase in the influx of tourists, shops and homestays will open here, other means of employment will also be developed.