• 12 Oct 2022

Bihar's Jehanabad Becomes First District with 100% Digital Banking

Why In News?

On October 11, 2022, Jehanabad district of Bihar has become the first 100% digital banking district with the joint effort of the Reserve Bank of India and the Union Finance Ministry.

Key Points

• Digital banking is being promoted in the state to provide the benefit of banking facility to the people sitting at home, so that every district, every town and every panchayat can be digital. In this direction, with the joint efforts of the Reserve Bank of India and the Union Finance Ministry, campaigns are being run for digital banking in three districts of Bihar as a pilot project.
• As a result of this campaign of digital banking, Jehanabad district has become the first 100 percent digital banking district and soon Arwal and Sheikhpura are going to become 100 percent digital banking districts.
• Out of the total 1035126 active account holders in Jehanabad district, 1031235 have at least one digital banking product, i.e. internet banking, debit card, mobile banking, UPI and other similar facilities. This is 99.65 percent of the total active account. There are about 17944 accounts in the current account, in which 11887 account holders use internet banking, 4452 PoS or QR codes and 8450 mobile banking services.
• Arwal has 609662 bank accounts out of which 552221 are active bank accounts. About 90.58% of its accounts are linked to digital products, while in Sheikhupura so far 89.18% of accounts are linked to digital products.
• The best thing about digital payment systems in financial transactions is that it does not require carrying cash. From buying petrol with the card, there are many discounts like buying rail tickets, toll on highways and insurance.
• It is noteworthy that in the year 2019, the Central Government and the Reserve Bank had decided to make at least one district in every state of the country a district with 100 percent digital banking service.
• Under this, Jehanabad district was selected in Bihar and the State Level Bankers Committee worked with all the stakeholders and Jehanabad has been declared a district with digital banking.

'The Indian Responsible Tourism State Awards 2022- Rajasthan' to be held in Jaipur

Why In News?

On October 11, 2022, Director, Tourism Department, Rajasthan, Dr. Rashmi Sharma said in the press conference that 'The Indian Responsible Tourism State Awards 2022-Rajasthan' will be held in Jaipur in the last week of November.

Key Points

• Dr. Rashmi Sharma said that in order to honor the entrepreneurs who have promoted responsible tourism in the state, the Rajasthan Tourism Department has started 'The Indian Responsible Tourism State Awards 2022-Rajasthan' in collaboration with Outlook Group. Local entrepreneurs associated with the tourism sector will participate in it.
• He informed that 'The Indian Responsible Tourism State Awards 2022-Rajasthan' will be given in eight categories.
• The awards will be given in the categories of Sustainable Leadership - Hotels, Sustainable Leadership - Homestay, Sustainable Leadership - BNB and Guesthouse, Sustainable Enterprises in Eco-Fragile Landscape, Sustainability Champion in Pathfinder, Sustainability Champion in Grassroots Heroes, Heritage Conservation and Wildlife Conservation.

11th Edition of India Stonemart to be held in Jaipur

Why In News?

On October 11, 2022, Rajasthan Chief Secretary Usha Sharma, while presiding over a review meeting regarding India Stonemart at the Government Secretariat in Jaipur, informed that the 11thedition of India Stonemart will be held from November 10 to 13 at JECC, Jaipur.

Key Points

• Instructing the concerned officials to ensure proper preparations regarding India Stonemart-2022, the Chief Secretary said that the famous India Stonemart event in the country and abroad should be historic.
• India Stonemart will be organized by the Centre for Development of Stone, RICO and FICCI. Jaipur Development Authority, Jaipur Municipal Corporation, Jaipur Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited, Police, General Administration Department and other departments will cooperate to make it a success.
• Around 350 exhibitors are expected to participate in The India Stonemart. Exhibitors from several countries including Turkey, Iran, Portugal will participate in it. The states of Gujarat and Odisha will also set up state pavilions in it. Jaipur Architecture Festival, Buyer-Sale Meet and Shilpgram have also been organized here.

PM dedicates 'Shri Mahakal Lok' to the Nation

Why In News?

On October 11, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 'Shri Mahakal Lok' to the nation at the world famous Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain.

Key Points

• As soon as Prime Minister Modi pressed the remote button, Lord Mahakal himself appeared in the form of a Shivling made of colorful Kalave (Defense Sutra). At the same time, the whole atmosphere became Shiva.
• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed The Prime Minister about the Shiva-Leelas mentioned in the murals, pillars and statues built in Shri Mahakal Lok. Governor Mangubhai Patel was also present on the occasion.
• The Prime Minister visited the meditative statue of Lord Shri Shankar, Saptarshi Mandal, etc. at Shri Mahakal Lok. After this, he sat in an e-cart and observed the panoramic religious-spiritual and art forms based on Shiva Leela built in the 900-meter long 'Shri Mahakal Lok' complex.
• Around 700 artistes from different parts of India performed the pastimes of Lord Shiva with their dance, song and acting. 40 countries of the world including India witnessed this spiritual, supernatural, unique and wonderful experience.
• The state government had developed a world-class infrastructure in Ujjain in Simhastha Kumbh-2016 under the leadership of Chief Minister Chouhan. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Chouhan, 'Shri Mahakal Lok' is being built on the lines of 'Banaras Corridor'. "The estimated cost of Shri Mahakal Lok Kshetra Vikas Project is Rs 800 crore.
• In the first phase of the scheme, small and big Rudra Sagar, Harsiddhi Temple, Chardham Temple, Vikram Tila etc. have been developed in the courtyard of Lord Shri Mahakaleshwar.
• In the first phase, the work of Mahakal Plaza, Mahakal Corridor, Mid-Way Zone, Mahakal Theme Park, Ghat and Deck Area, Nutan School Complex, Ganesh School Complex has been completed with Rs 350 crore.
• In the first component of the Mahakal corridor, a 200-meter long route has been made suitable for walking. It has a 25 feet high and 500 meters long mural wall. Also, various statues including 108 Shiva pillars, Shiva's postures have been built, which are spreading a different shade.
• Routes have also been made for Lotus Pond, Open Area Theatre and Lake Front Area, e-rickshaws and casual vehicles. The lake of Bade Rudra Sagar has been filled with clean water. At the same time, it has also been ensured that this water remains clean.
• In the second phase of Shri Mahakal Lok, Maharajwada complex will be developed, in which the historic Maharajwada building will be reused as heritage, integration will be done with mahakal temple complex by incorporating old remains as Kumbh museum. The second phase of works will be completed in 2023-24.

Chief Minister Launches a Portal for e-Auction of Advertising Permissions and Advertising Sites of Municipal Bodies

Why In News?

On October 11, 2022, Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal launched a portal for advertisement permission under Haryana municipal advertising bye-laws-2022 and e-auction of advertisement sites of municipal bodies, providing another facility to traders and citizens.

Key Points

• The launch of this portal will ensure transparency in the allocation of advertising rights in all municipal bodies.
• The Chief Minister said that with the launch of this portal, permission will be given to put advertisements on government buildings and private buildings in a transparent manner through the Urban Local Bodies Department.
• All civic bodies will get 3.2 percent of the collector rate, he said. E-auction of government sites will be done. The minimum rate will be 4 percent, of which 40 percent will go to the MC and 60 percent to the building owner.
• All municipal bodies, government departments, boards, corporations, authorities in the state can now list their properties on the portal for e-auction for advertisement. Private property owners can also choose to list their properties/properties on this portal to allow advertisement through e-auction.
• The role of the civic bodies will be only to process applications on this portal and list properties, fill the reserve price and fix the date of auction. After this, the auction will be conducted automatically on the portal and the highest bidder will be selected.
• In addition, all advertising permissions, contracts, payments, securities will be managed online through this portal. This will ensure robust revenue collection and transparency in contract management.
• The Chief Minister informed that once registered on the portal, advertising entities (businesses/individuals) can participate in the e-auction of all listed advertising properties in municipal bodies in the state.
• The portal will not only increase transparency in granting advertising rights but also increase revenue through advertising of civic bodies and other government entities.

Stadium to be Built in Gorratoli Village of Gumla in the Name of U-17 Indian Football Team Captain Ashtam Oraon

Why In News?

On October 11, 2022, DSO Hemlata Boon of Gumla district of Jharkhand told that a stadium will be built in the name of Ashtam Oraon, the captain of FIFA World Cup Under-17 Indian women's football team in Gorratoli village of Gumla district.

Key Points

• It is known that the captain of the FIFA World Cup Under-17 Indian women's football team, 8th Uraon, hails from Gorratoli village in Gumla district of the state.
• Hemlata Boon said that after the eighth Uraon became a part of the India team, a new stadium will be built in the village to promote the game in Banari Gorratoli area. For this, the DPR of the stadium has also been prepared.
• He said that PCC road has been constructed in the name of Ashtam Uraon in Gorratoli village.

International Agricultural Farm 'Agri Carnival 2022' will be Organized in Raipur

Why In News?

According to the information given by the Chhattisgarh Public Relations and Information Department on October 11, 2022, the International Agricultural Madai 'Agri Carnival 2022' will be organized from October 14 to 18 at the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University campus in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh.

Key Points

• Directors of international and national level agricultural institutions, agricultural scientists, senior officials of various agricultural product manufacturing companies, startup entrepreneurs and a large number of progressive farmers will participate in the Agri Carnival being organized at Indira Gandhi Agricultural University campus.
• A mega international agriculture fair exhibition will also be organized on the occasion. During the Agri Carnival, every day a tour of the crops and agricultural exhibition being grown in the research area of the university will be organized for the farmers, students and common citizens.
• International Agricultural Farming 'Agri Carnival 2022' is organized by Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur, State Government Agriculture Department, Chhattisgarh Biotechnology Promotion Society, International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, NABARD, Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research, Agriculture and Processed Food Export Development Authority ( APEDA), NABL and other institutions.
• Various programs will be organized during the five-day Krishi Madai, including buyer-seller conference to increase export of agricultural produce, workshop on innovation startups and entrepreneurship, seminar on processing and export of minor forest produce, training workshop for biodiversity conservation and registration of farmer species. , Training by NABL for validation of testing laboratories, Crop Breeding Modernization and Digitization etc. are prominent.
• In agriculture, new varieties of crops, alternative crops that give more income, new agricultural technology, natural and organic agriculture, biofertilizers and biopesticides, animal husbandry, fish farming and fodder production, integrated crop nutrients and pest and disease management, soil Information regarding fertility and soil health, rainwater management and ground water enrichment, protected farming, advanced agricultural machinery processing and value addition etc. will be given by subject-expert scientists. During this, the successful entrepreneurs of agro-based startups will also be provided guidance to the youth willing to set up new startups.
• About 20 thousand farmers are likely to participate in the International Agriculture Madai.

Farmers' Database will be Made in Uttarakhand

Why In News?

On October 11, 2022, in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Rajiv Chawla, Chief Knowledge Officer of the Central Government at Dehradun Secretariat of Uttarakhand state regarding land records of farmers in the state, the state officials were instructed to prepare a database of farmers.

Key Points

• Giving detailed information about the Agri Stack portal developed by the Central Government, Chawla said that a database of farmers will be prepared in the state to give the benefits of various schemes to the farmers without any paper process.
• For this, every farmer will be provided with a unique identity. Also, giving a presentation regarding the improvement of land records of all the farmers of the state for the portal, he said that the three main pillars of the Agri Stack portal are farmer database, land-referenced village map and crop survey data.
• He told the meeting that there is no separate database of farmers in Uttarakhand. This data of farmers is available only on the online PM Kisan portal of PM Kisan Yojana.
• Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, the data of all eligible beneficiaries will be integrated into the departmental database. This will be about 80 to 85 percent of the total farmers. The revenue department online-write-off record will record details of the area of all seasonal crops sown in the land owned by each farmer.
• The Agriculture Department will update and use this data. With this time series data, possible estimates of crops can be prepared every month in the future. The information received crop-wise will be used to get crop loans, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Fasal Bima Yojana and crop marketing benefits from Kisan Credit Card. This will make verified information available online to the farmer.
• It was informed in the meeting that the Revenue Department has tendered to make the maps of villages online in the state. In the first phase, maps of two districts - Almora and Pauri - will be made online, maps of the remaining districts will be made online in two years.
• For crop survey data, the process of inviting proposals from the Department of Agriculture for Dehradun and Champawat districts is in progress. Various departmental dashboards will be prepared using artificial intelligence and machine learning using land revenue data, soil profiling data of Dehradun and Champawat. For other districts, the Revenue Department will get the work of crop survey done in a phased manner after providing the geo-referenced village maps.