• 12 Nov 2024

Chhattisgarh’s Industrial Policy 2024-29

Why in News?

The Chhattisgarh government launched the New Industrial Policy on the State’s foundation day. It introduces special provisions for surrendered Naxals, women, and the third gender community, community, marking a commitment to inclusivity in development.

• New Industrial Policy 2024-29 aligns with the “Amritkaal: Chhattisgarh Vision@2047”, aiming to transform the State into a self-reliant industrial hub.

Key Points

• Policy Objectives:
  • The policy aims to foster economic growth while empowering marginalized groups, ensuring all citizens have an opportunity to participate and benefit from development.
• Key Initiatives:
  • Special Provisions:
    • A dedicated incentive package includes entrepreneurship training and financial support, offering surrendered Naxals opportunities for a fresh start and meaningful community involvement.
    • Tailored training programs and government-backed financial aid empower members of the third gender community to establish their own enterprises, breaking long standing social and economic barriers.
    • Targeted initiatives include investment concessions, tax exemptions, and financial assistance, along with skill-based training to promote self-employment and business management among women.
  • Economic Development Measures:
    • The policy increases grant subsidies from 18%-20% to 30%-35%, substantially supporting new enterprises and small businesses.
    • A Rs 50 crore fund is designated to assist start-ups in translating innovative ideas into sustainable businesses.
    • The “Single Window System 2.0” digitizes approvals across departments, simplifying permissions, licenses, and registrations to make investment processes more efficient and attractive.
    • Incentives support small, medium, and large industries with a focus on logistics, new industrial zones, and cluster development, building a robust business ecosystem across the State.
    • The policy prioritizes pollution-free industries, particularly in Electric Vehicle manufacturing and sustainable product development, aligning growth with environmental responsibility.

Single Window System (SWS) 2.0

• It offers over 100 facilities from 16 departments on its portal.
• The applicant only needs to log in once and will not need to reapply. If any department needs information during the process, the applicant can find out by logging in.
• No need to contact any office offline. Payment can be made through e-challan. Departmental officers have been given IDs and passwords to address applications.

Pilgrims Death During Char Dham Yatra 2024

Why in News?

In 2024, the 192-day Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, encompassing the high-altitude shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, saw the unfortunate loss of 246 pilgrims due to health-related complications.

Key Points

• As per Uttarakhand government data, over 47,03,905 pilgrims participated in the Char Dham Yatra, which started on 10^th May 2024 and is scheduled to conclude on 17^th November 2024.
  • Deaths exceeded 230 in 2023, while in 2022, the count was over 300.
• Helicopter Travel and Health Risks:
  • A high death rate was noted among pilgrims using helicopters to reach the Kedarnath shrine. Rapid ascent to high altitudes (about 3,000 meters) without acclimatization increases health risks.
  • Oxygen depletion at all Char Dham shrines can lead to altitude sickness, which can become fatal if not managed promptly.
  • Issues such as inadequate accommodation, trail congestion, extreme and shifting weather conditions, and insufficient health screenings.
• Economic Impact of the Char Dham Yatra:
  • The yatra generates approximately Rs 7,500 crore annually, a significant portion of Uttarakhand’s economy.
  • The yatra provides direct and indirect employment to over 10 lakh people, including hotel staff, guides, taxi drivers, priests, mule operators, porters, and others in the tourism and handicraft sectors.
• Criticism and Concerns:
  • Although the State mandated health check-ups for pilgrims this year, the high fatality rate has raised concerns.
  • Think tanks like NITI Aayog have repeatedly called for sustainable tourism practices in the Indian Himalayan region, urging the State to align with these standards.

Char Dham Yatra

• Yamunotri Dham:
  • Location: Uttarkashi district.
  • Dedicated to: Goddess Yamuna.
  • River Yamuna is the second-most sacred river in India after River Ganga.
• Gangotri Dham:
  • Location: Uttarkashi district.
  • Dedicated to: Goddess Ganga.
  • Considered the most sacred of all Indian rivers.
• Kedarnath Dham:
  • Location: Rudraprayag district.
  • Dedicated to: Lord Shiva.
  • Situated on the bank of the Mandakini River.
  • One of the 12 Jyotirlingas (divine representations of Lord Shiva) in India.
• Badrinath Dham:
  • Location: Chamoli district.
  • Home to the sacred Badrinarayan Temple.
  • Dedicated to: Lord Vishnu.
  • One of the holy shrines for Vaishnavites.

Jharkhand Tribes Fight for Rights

Why in News?

For the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand, Political parties announced plans to introduce a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), but assured that tribal communities would be excluded from its provisions and emphasised the protection of their rights and security.

• Tribals have played a vital role in Jharkhand’s socio-political landscape and their struggles have sparked numerous historical movements.

Key Points

• British Control and Tribal Resistance in Jharkhand:
  • Geographical Context: Jharkhand, primarily located on the Chota Nagpur Plateau in eastern India, came under British control in 1765 when the Mughals granted Diwani rights over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the British, allowing them to collect revenue.
  • Tribal Inhabitants: Jharkhand’s plateau region has long been inhabited by tribes like the Munda, Santhal, Oraon, Ho, and Birhor, with agriculture forming the primary livelihood for over half of these tribal workers, exceeding the national Scheduled Tribe average of 44.7%.
• Colonial Policies and Tribal Revolts:
  • The British introduced commercial agriculture and mining, displacing many tribes from their lands. This exploitation led tribal leaders to organize movements to protect their rights and resist British rule.
  • Scholars Ram Dayal Munda and Bisheshwar Prasad Keshari identified 1769-93 as the initial phase of resistance, followed by a period of open revolt in the succeeding decade.
• Key Tribal Rebellions:
  • Dhal Revolt (1767-1777):
    • Leader: Jagannath Dhal, former king of Dhalbhum (now in West Bengal), led the first significant revolt against British intrusion.
    • British Response: The revolt lasted 10 years, prompting the British to reinstate Dhal as ruler in 1777. This revolt marked the beginning of sustained tribal resistance.
  • Munda Rebellion (1899-1900):
    • Leader: Led by Birsa Munda, the rebellion aimed to overthrow British control, expel outsiders, and establish an independent Munda state.
    • Objectives and Tactics: The Mundas employed guerrilla tactics and targeted colonial officials, moneylenders, and missionaries.
    • Outcome: Birsa was arrested and later died in prison in 1900, but the rebellion left a lasting impact, with Birsa celebrated as a hero among the Mundas.
  • Tana Bhagat Movement (1914):
    • Founder: Jatra Bhagat of the Oraon tribe called for a return to traditional practices and launched a no-rent campaign against colonial rule.
    • Alliances: The Tana Bhagats joined revolutionary Congress activists, participating in the Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation, and Civil Disobedience movements.
    • Legacy: The movement introduced ideas of non-violence and collective action, influencing the larger Independence movement.
• Jharkhand Movement and Statehood:
  • The late 1980s saw a resurgence of Jharkhand’s identity, with the formation of the All Jharkhand Students Union (1986) and the Jharkhand Coordination Committee (1987), leading to the Jharkhand Movement and eventual statehood in 2000.
  • The Jharkhand Movement highlighted the gradual disintegration of Jharkhand culture over 200 years, particularly under British rule. Today, tribal communities continue to face challenges like land disputes, low literacy rates, poverty, and exploitation amidst industrial growth.

Kayakalp Scheme in Rajasthan

Why in News?

The Rajasthan College Education Commissionerate has instructed 20 government colleges to paint the front facades of their buildings and entry halls orange as part of the Kayakalp scheme. The initiative aims to create a "positive environment" within educational institutions.

Key Points

• The Kayakalp Scheme:
  • The Kayakalp scheme, launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to enhance cleanliness, hygiene, and infection control across public healthcare facilities in India.
• New Directive for Government Colleges:
  • First Phase: In the first phase, two colleges from each division level are included, totaling 20 colleges.
  • Objective of Rejuvenation: The order emphasizes creating a "positive, clean, healthy, and educational environment" for students, where they feel encouraged upon entering college campuses.

Pollution in River Sutlej

Why in News?

Residents of Sri Ganganagar district in Rajasthan are increasingly expressing anger over alleged pollution in the Sutlej River, which they attribute to factories in neighboring Punjab.

Key Points

• Markets across Sri Ganganagar district were closed as residents protested against alleged pollution in the Sutlej River.
• Despite efforts by the Punjab government to treat the water with STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) facilities, the water’s quality remains harmful, allegedly causing health issues in local communities.
• National Green Tribunal Actions:
  • In 2018, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a Rs 50 crore fine on the Punjab government for “uncontrolled industrial discharge” into the Sutlej and Beas rivers.
  • In 2021, the NGT again reprimanded Punjab and directed both Punjab and Rajasthan to submit quarterly compliance reports to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, detailing measures to curb industrial effluent discharge into the rivers.

Sutlej River

• The ancient name of Sutlej River is Zaradros (Ancient Greek) Shutudri or Shatadru (Sanskrit).
• It is the longest of the five tributaries of the Indus River that give the Punjab (meaning “Five Rivers”) its name.
  • Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Satluj are main tributaries of Indus.
• It rises on the north slope of the Himalayas in Lake La’nga in southwestern Tibet.
  • Flowing northwestward and then west-southwestward through Himalayan gorges, it enters and crosses Himachal Pradesh before beginning its flow through the Punjab plain near Nangal.
  • Continuing southwestward in a broad channel, it receives the Beas River (and forms 65 miles (105 km) of the India-Pakistan border before entering Pakistan and flowing another 220 miles (350 km) to join the Chenab River west of Bahawalpur.
    • Sutlej River meets the Beas River in Harike in the Ferozpur district before entering Pakistan.
  • The combined rivers then form the Panjnad, the link between the Five Rivers and the Indus.
• Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project is located on River Satluj in Shimla and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Hokersar Wetland

Why in News?

In recent years, a significant shortage of water caused by deficient rainfall at the Hokersar wetland in the Kashmir Valley has adversely affected the arrival of migratory bird populations in the area.

Key Points

• Hokersar Wetland:
  • Location:
    • The Hokersar wetland, a Ramsar site, is situated in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. It is also known as the ‘Queen Wetland of Kashmir’.
  • Geographic Setting:
    • It is a natural, perennial wetland that is part of the Jhelum basin and is located in the northwest Himalayan biogeographic province of Kashmir, at the foot of the snow-draped Pir Panchal range.
  • Water Source:
    • The wetland receives water from the Doodhganga River, a tributary of the Jhelum.
  • Flora and Fauna:
    • It is home to the last remaining reedbeds of Kashmir and serves as a critical pathway for 68 waterfowl species.
    • These birds, migrating from regions like Siberia, China, Central Asia, and Europe, include species such as the little cormorant, common shelduck, large egret, and great crested grebe.
  • The wetland is vital for local biodiversity, offering food sources, spawning grounds, and nurseries for fish, along with breeding habitats for various species.
• Impact of Rainfall Deficit on the Wetland:
  • According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the region is experiencing an 81% rainfall deficit.
  • Experts suggest that the lack of rainfall is not the sole reason for the reduced bird arrival. Typically, over one lakh birds arrive by this time, with numbers reaching millions by the season's end in March and April.
    • However, this season, only around 500 birds have arrived, marking the lowest number since 2016.
• Additional Factors:
  • Illegal sand mining, habitat degradation, and encroachment have compounded the impact of rainfall deficit.
    • Reduced water from upstream sources like Doodhganga and Sukhnag Nallah, along with mining activities, have exacerbated the situation, draining the wetland’s water.
• Urgent Need for Conservation:
  • Experts and activists stress the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect the wetland, highlighting its crucial role for both wildlife and local livelihoods.
  • Sustainable practices must be prioritized to restore the wetland’s health and ensure its continued ecological function.