• 13 Apr 2023

E-Charging Facilities will be available at All Necessary Places in the Cities

Why in News?

According to information received from media sources on 12 April 2023, on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, work has been started to make the state a leader in the field of electric vehicles. E-charging facilities will be available at all important places in the cities.

Key Points

• The aim of the state government is not only to promote EV manufacturing but also to provide proper charging facilities at all necessary places to the citizens using it.
• Its responsibility has been given to the Urban Development Department. It has also decided the process of allotting the land on a need basis to service providers for e-charging facilities.
• In the first phase, the Electric Mobility Plan (CEMP) will be implemented in 17 municipal corporation cities under the Smart Cities Mission. A working group has also been constituted for the fast-track development of charging infrastructure.
• Principal Secretary of Urban Development Amrit Abhijat said that the land will be given on lease for 10 years to government institutions for charging. The construction of charging infrastructure will be done on a revenue-sharing model as per the norms of the Ministry of Power.
• The lease period, revenue sharing rate and other prescribed norms will be revised from time to time. The institutions will be selected under the tender process. Preference will be given to those who provide charging facilities to the consumers at minimum charges.

Roads & Bridges to be Constructed in Flood Affected Area under 'Kosi Basin Development Project'

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on 11 April 2023, during the financial year 2023-24, roads and bridges-culverts will be constructed under the 'Kosi Basin Development Project' with an amount of Rs 277 crore to strengthen the living standards of the flood-affected people of Kosi.

Key Points

• It is to be known that the work of the second phase of the World Bank-supported Kosi Rehabilitation Scheme was to be completed in March 2023. But only 72% work has been done so far, due to which the work of the second phase of the Kosi Rehabilitation Scheme has been given an extension of 15 months. Now this scheme will be completed by June 2024.
• The state government has planned to rebuild Kosi after the Kushaha Devastation. Under this, the World Bank has funded 67% while the Bihar government has funded 33% to get the Kosi region and its people out of the tragedy and for development.
• Under the first phase of this scheme, the Bihar Kosi Basin Development Project was started on 15 September 2010 with the help of the World Bank, under which the development work in 21 blocks of Saharsa, Supaul and Madhepura was completed on December 31, 2018.
• It is known that on 18 August 2008, a large population of 441 villages of Northeast Bihar, including 34 villages of Nepal were inundated after the Kosi dam was washed away after the Kosi River had changed its course in a length of about two kilometres near Kusaha village of Nepal. According to official statistics, 41 people died in the Saharsa district, 272 in Madhepura and 213 in the Supaul district.
• Only 72 percent of the work of the second phase of the Kosi Basin Development Project has been completed at this time, there is no possibility of the remaining 28 percent of the work being completed in three months. Therefore, it has been decided to expand this scheme.

Open House Stakeholders Dialogue' was organized

Why in News?

According to the information provided by the Information and Public Relations Department of Rajasthan, on 11 April 2023, an 'Open House Stakeholders Dialogue' program was organized at the Rajiv Gandhi Center of Advanced Technology (R-CAT) in Jaipur.

Key Points

• This dialogue program has been organized to get inputs and insights from all the stakeholders to bring about a change in the technology ecosystem of the state. Through this, active, interdependent & integrated collaboration between the state government and the educational support industry will be strengthened.
• The open house will see the participation of all the existing and potential partners of R-Cat apart from academic institutions including RTUs, representatives of IT, allied industries and all other stakeholders to provide a better technical direction to the youth of the state.
• RCAT is ready to work with private institutions and universities to develop the means of employment through technical encouragement & technology of the state government so that a better technical education environment can be developed in the state and the youth of the state can get a better education.
• At present, due to the use of technology in industry, the need for skill-based education is developing. Keeping this in view, various models of technical education are being prepared in R-CAT.
• A panel discussion on various topics was organized on the occasion. Along with this, topics like the challenges of the current industry and harmony between education & technology were discussed in detail. The 'R-CAT IT Sites' newsletter was also released.
• Ashish Gupta, Managing Director of Rajiv Gandhi Center of Advanced Technology said that Rajasthan is a state with better conditions in the field of technical education. Through the use of various applications in government work and the use of SSO, the state has not only made the path of progress easier by making the best use of IT but has also developed means of employment.
• It is worth mentioning that R-Cat has partnered with companies like Adobe, Apple, Microsoft, EC-Council, SAS, RedHat, VMWare, Oracle, CISCO, and Autofina Robotics while MoU was also signed with Fitech Embedded Pvt Ltd today.

Release of the book 'Aapni Dharohar-Aapno Gaurav'

Why in News?

On 12 April 2023, the Art, Literature and Culture Minister of Rajasthan, Dr. B. D. Kalla released the book 'Aapni Dharohar-Aapno Gaurav' in his room located at Government Secretariat.

Key Points

• This book focuses on the panoramas being made by the Rajasthan Heritage Authority on the personality and work of Ranbankuras, legends, saints, folk deities and literary scholars across the state.
• On this occasion, Minister Dr. B. D. Kalla also inaugurated three documentaries made on Pannadhay Panorama, Bapparawal Panorama and Maharana Raj Singh Panorama.
• Along with this, the Minister of Art, Literature and Culture also released the special logo of the Rajasthan Heritage Authority. The symbols of devotion, power, heritage and literature have been included in this logo.
• In his address on the occasion, Dr. Kalla praised the content of the book and the quality of documentaries and said that they should be publicized as much as possible so that the citizens of the state can take inspiration from the ideals of these great personalities.

Rajasthan's most of the Government Schools selected in 'PM Shri Yojana'

Why in News?

According to the information given by the Rajasthan Information and Public Relations Department on 12 April 2023, Rajasthan has now selected the maximum number of government schools in the 'PM Shree Yojana' across the country, after having the distinction of consistently topping the performance in several parameters of educational development in the country.

Key Points

• In this scheme, 21 thousand 356 government schools in Rajasthan have been considered as benchmark schools. After online application in this scheme, Rajasthan has left behind other big states of the country by a considerable margin even in the category of nationally verified schools.
• In the first phase of PM Shree Yojana, a maximum of 402 government schools have been selected in Rajasthan, including 346 government schools of secondary education and 56 government schools of primary education.
• A total of 718 schools in the state will be included in this scheme, out of which Rajasthan has achieved special success by selecting 56 percent of schools in the first phase itself. It is proposed to select the remaining schools in the second phase in July.
• It is worth noting that the benchmarks set for the selection of government schools under PM Shree Yojana include enrollment in schools in elementary setup (classes 1 to 5 and 1 to 8) and secondary setup (classes 6 to 12) in the state. More than average enrolment, pucca building of schools in good condition, separate toilets for boys and girls, arrangement of pure drinking water, a separate facility for washing hands, all teachers have an ID card as per guidelines, barrier-free access ramps Parameters such as the focus on security, electricity connection, library and facilities required for sports activities are included.
• Among these, the state government schools of Rajasthan have topped the whole country in primary scrutiny (21,356 schools), the first phase (402 schools) and total selection (718 schools) as per the guidelines of the scheme.
• Along with enrollment and innovations in the government schools of the state, this number was also on top in the whole country on parameters like school premises full of necessary facilities and resources for the students.
• The online portal of this scheme was started on 3 November 2022, till the last date of application, 31 December 2022, Rajasthan topped the country in getting applications from the state's benchmark government schools (21 thousand 356) under scrutiny.
• After online application, at the national level, Rajasthan left other big states of the country far behind by getting 13,931 government schools verified. After Rajasthan, 7892 schools in Andhra Pradesh, 7776 in Assam, 7054 in Uttar Pradesh, 4848 in Maharashtra, 4700 in Karnataka, 4632 in Punjab, 3483 in Madhya Pradesh, 2163 in Gujarat and 1704 in Uttarakhand were verified after online application.
• Commissioner of Rajasthan School Education Council and State Project Director Dr. Mohan Lal Yadav said that in the first phase of this scheme, out of 402 government schools in the assorted state, a maximum of 28 schools of Jaipur has been selected. There are 24 government schools in Jodhpur, 22 in Udaipur and 21 in Barmer.
• Similarly, 18-18 in Alwar and Nagaur, 15-15 in Bharatpur and Bhilwara, 14 in Ajmer, 13-13 in Shriganganagar, Chittorgarh and Sikar, 12 in Jhunjhunu, 11-11 in Banswara, Dausa and Pali, Bikaner, Baran, 10-10 in Dungarpur, Jalore and Jhalawar, 9-9 in Karauli, Kota, Pratapgarh and Hanumangarh, 8-8 in Tonk, Dholupar and Rajsamand, 7-7 in Churu, Jaisalmei and Sawai Madhopur, 6 in Sirohi and 5 in Bundi have been selected.

The Jiwaji University of Gwalior got an A++ grade in the NAAC ranking

Why in News?

On 11 April 2023, Jiwaji University in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh was awarded an A++ grade by the NAAC committee. With this, Jiwaji University has become the only university in the state to have received this high grade.

Key Points

• It is known that the 5-member team of the NAAC committee inspected Jiwaji University from 27 to 29 March 2023.
• On the other hand, Maharani Laxmi Bai Mahavidyalaya of Bhopal has got an A grade in the NAAC ranking. Shivpuri's PG College has taken a step ahead and secured a B+ grade in the ranking.
• The Higher Education Department provided the facilities, from infrastructure training to prioritizing the institutions and universities participating in the NAAC. An internal assessment of colleges was also done.
• Notably, NAAC grading is decided by evaluating e-library, Wi-Fi campus, teachers' training, e-content, incubation centre, hostel and performance of students, based on research work of teachers.
• It is worth mentioning that the work of the NAAC or National Assessment and Accreditation Council (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) is to test the quality of universities, higher education institutes and private institutes across the country & give them ratings.
• According to the new guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), all educational institutions are required to be accredited by NAAC. If an institution does not take recognition from it, then it does not get the benefit of any government policy.
• College/University or any other higher education institution applies for NAAC grading after fulfilling all the criteria. After the application, the team of NAAC comes to the institute and does the inspection. During this, they check various aspects like Educational Facilities, Infrastructure, and College Atmosphere. If the NAAC team is satisfied, then the college is given CGPA based on which the grade is given later.
• Once NAAC grading is received, it is valid for 4 years. Re-rating is given after 4 years. There is also a system of temporary grading in NAAC, in which grading is given for two years. If a college or university is not happy with the grade given by NAAC, it can apply for the grade again after 6 months.

Dungaria Micro Irrigation and Tiktoli Distribution Project got approval

Why in News?

On 11 April 2023, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet gave revised approval to the Dungaria Micro Irrigation Project and Tiktoli Distribution Project.

Key Points

• With these two projects, more than 6 thousand hectares of an area can be irrigated.
• Irrigation facilities will be made available in Gwalior district from Tiktoli distributary minor irrigation project. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 44 crore 90 lacks. This project will irrigate 3 thousand 700 hectares of land.
• On the other hand, Dungaria Micro Irrigation Project is proposed on the Kshipra River in the Mahidpur development block of the Ujjain district. In this project, a 9.37 M.C.M. dam construction and pipe canal will be constructed.
• The cost of this project is Rs 104 crore 74 lakhs. With this, Rabi irrigation will be done in 3 thousand-hectare areas in 8 villages. The power consumption in this project will be 1.10 MW.

Property Verification Portal' launched

Why in News?

On 11 April 2023, Haryana Urban Local Bodies Minister, Dr. Kamal Gupta, launched the online facility 'Property Verification Portal' to verify the property data of all 88 urban bodies in the state, to make every city in the state a 'clean city-safe city'.

Key Points

• Through the 'Property Verification Portal', now any person can verify the data of his property on the http://ulbhryndc.org portal. There are also options for the correction of property data in the portal.
• Any property holder can verify the documents of his property for one month i.e., 15 May 2023.
• Now they will not have to visit the offices of the Haryana Urban Development Authority or Urban Local Bodies, rather they can verify the property through their mobile or laptop while sitting at home.

Web Media 'cgwall.com' launched in a new style

Why in News?

On 12 April 2023, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched the new web media 'cgwall.com' in his residence office.

Key Points

• On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that CGWAL has been taking the news of Chhattisgarh to the public for a long time. He said that CGWAL is news as well as thought as well as dialogue, now it is coming in front of the public in a new form.
• Rudra Awasthi, editor-in-chief of CGWAL, said that cgwall.com, a web media operating in Chhattisgarh since 2014, is a reliable platform in which news related to political, social, educational and administrative activities is continuously being broadcast.
• Now this web media has once again been given a new look with an attractive page so that the news can reach the readers more quickly.
• In the new style, readers will be able to get news from different areas in different categories in a convenient manner.

288 Bridges built on State Highways in Uttarakhand will be Upgraded

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on 10 April 2023, 288 single-lane bridges built on state highways in Uttarakhand will be upgraded to one and a half lanes. In this regard, orders have been issued by R.K. Sudhanshu, Principal Secretary of the State Public Works Department (PWD).

Key Points

• It is known that last year, on the instructions of the government, the Public Works Department conducted a safety audit of 2518 out of 3262 bridges across the state. In the safety audit conducted in five zones of the state, 36 bridges were found unsafe for traffic.
• Principal Secretary R.K. Sudhanshu said that given the strategic vision and increasing pressure of traffic in the state, the state government has decided to increase the load capacity of the bridges.
• By upgrading these 288 single-lane B loading category bridges of the state to A category, their load capacity will also be increased. A total budget provision of Rs 19.23 crore has been made on these. In the first phase, Rs 12.73 crore has been released for 182 bridges.
• Funds have been released for 12 bridges in Uttarkashi district, 19 bridges in Chamoli district, 10 bridges in Rudraprayag, 25 bridges in Dehradun, 3 bridges in Pauri, 4 bridges in Pithoragarh, 2 bridges in Bageshwar, 7 bridges in Almora, 3 bridges in Champawat, 11 bridges in Nainital and 8 bridges in Udham Singh Nagar.
• Total number of sanctioned bridges -

Uttarkashi	13
Chamoli	38
Rudraprayag	12
Dehradun	25
Pauri	06
Pithoragarh	09
Bageshwar	03
Almora	47
Champawat	10
Nainital	11
Udham Singh Nagar	08
Total	182