• 13 Jul 2022

Forensic Science Institute in Jodhpur

Why in News?

• Recently, 15 acres of land has been allotted by the Rajasthan government for the Institute of Forensic Science at The Sardar Patel University of Police Campus in Jodhpur.

Key Points

• The Institute of Forensic Science will be jointly opened by the National University of Forensic Science Sciences (NFSU) and Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice (SPUP).
• A proposal in this regard has been sent by the State Government to the Central Government. It has written to the Central Government to start some selected courses from the academic session-2022-23 itself using the new campus and the existing building and resources of the university.
• At the same time, a proposal has also been sent to some colleges at divisional level in the state to be affiliated with NFSU, Rajasthan in the coming time.
• It may be recalled that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in a letter to the Union Home Minister earlier, has said that the establishment of Forensic Science Institutes in the state will set up new dimensions of capacity building and research in the field of crime and forensic sciences. At the same time, it will boost the availability of trained manpower in this field in view of the growing importance of forensic science in the criminal justice system.

Approval to Increase the Prize Money of Players and Coaches

Why in News?

• On July 12, 2022, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has given approval to increase the prize money for the promotion of players and coaches. Now Maharana Pratap Award and Guru Vashishtha Award winners will be awarded with prize money of Rs 5 lac each.

Key Points

• In a financial year, 5 Guru Vashisht Awards and 5 Maharana Pratap Awards will be given. So far, each winner in these awards has been awarded an amount of Rs 1 lac.
• Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had announced an increase in the prize money during the dedication and sportsman felicitation ceremony at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on May 29, 2022 .
• It is noteworthy that in the year 2014, the amount of Maharana Pratap and Guru Vashistha Award was increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lac. With the important decision of the Chief Minister, the prize money has now increased five times.
• Guru Vashisht Award was instituted in the year 1985-86 and till now a total of 40 outstanding sports coaches have been given this award. Similarly, Maharana Pratap Award was started in the year 1982-83 and till now a total of 170 outstanding sportspersons have been awarded.
• These awards are the best sports awards of the state, which are given to selected players and coaches who have performed best at the international level.
• It is noteworthy that the Chief Minister had increased the prize money for Olympic medal winners to encourage sportspersons in the state. In this, the prize money of the medal winners was increased from Rs 75 lac to Rs 3 crore for the Gold Medalist, Rs 50 lac to Rs 2 crore for the Silver Medalist and Rs 30 lac to Rs 1 crore for the Bronze Medalist.
• Similarly, the prize money of Rs.30 lac, Rs.20 lac and Rs.10 lac for winning Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals in Asian and Commonwealth Games has been increased to Rs.1 crore, Rs.60 lac and Rs.30 lac respectively.
• It was also decided by Chief Minister Gehlot to give appointments to the medal winning sportspersons in the state in the government services on the basis of an out-of-turn policy to promote sports. So far, 229 players have been appointed in various departments.

Madhya Pradesh Rewarded for Mineral Development

Why in News?

• Madhya Pradesh was awarded first and second prize in two categories at the 6th National Conclave at Dr. Ambedkar International Center in New Delhi on July 12, 2022. Minister of Mineral Resources and Labor of state Brijendra Pratap Singh received the awards.

Key Points

• It may be recalled that two categories were prescribed by the central government for the award, in which Madhya Pradesh was awarded the first prize of Rs 3 crore in the category of excavation, auction, operation of mines and best performing states.
• At the same time, the second prize of Rs 2 crore was also awarded in the category of the states which took initiative in the excavation, auction, operation of mines and the best performing states in it. Madhya Pradesh received Rs 2 crore as incentive award for successful auction of mines.
• Minister of Mineral Resources and Labor of state Brijendra Pratap Singh said that Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to receive an amount of Rs 7 crore as incentive.

HCS Pre Exam will Have Five Options Instead of Four

Why in News?

• On July 12, 2022, Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) has decided to have five options instead of four in the OMR sheet of the examination to prevent malpractices in the HCS Pre examination to be held on July 24.

Key Points

• It may be mentioned that the commission is scheduled to conduct the examination for 156 posts of HCS Pre on July 24, 2022.
• The Commission has issued a notice in this regard. Along with this, candidates have also been issued new options as well as OMR sheets and guidelines related to the exam.
• Now candidates will not be able to leave the circle blank on the OMR sheet. If a candidate does not know the answer to any question and leaves options A, B, C and D blank, then he/she will have to compulsorily fill in the fifth circle (Has-#).
• Youth belonging to Sikh religion will be allowed to carry Kada and Kirpan, but such youth will have to reach the center one hour before the reporting time of the examination, so that they can be screened if they do not have any device. If anyone is found with any banned device, they will be debarred from the exam, no candidate will be able to leave the room until all the OMR sheets are collected in the hall.
• In November last year, HPSC deputy secretary Anil Nagar and his two accomplices were arrested by the vigilance with a bribe of lacs of rupees. They were accused of recruiting dental surgeons and forgery in the HCS preliminary examination. The Deputy Secretary had the full responsibility of the confidential branch and he used to get the candidates passed by messing up the OMR sheet after the examination. The Commission had cancelled both the recruitments and issued a fresh schedule for the examination.

Prime Minister Gifted Various Development Projects to Jharkhand

Why in News?

• On July 12, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development projects worth over Rs 16,800 crore from Deoghar in Jharkhand.

Key Points

• The Prime Minister inaugurated the Deoghar Airport built at a cost of Rs.401 crore to provide direct air connectivity to Baba Baidyanath Dham. Spread over 657 acres, Deoghar Airport will be second international airport of jharkhand after Ranchi. The terminal building of the airport has a capacity of about five lac passengers annually.
• The Prime Minister inaugurated the Deoghar-Kolkata-Deoghar flight by presenting flying flags to IndiGo Company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rono Dutta and Chief of Flight Operations Ashu Mishra.
• The Prime Minister dedicated services related to AIIMS, Deoghar Patient (In-Patient) Department (IPD) and Operation Theater to the nation. This is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister to develop excellent health facilities in all parts of the country. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of AIIMS Deoghar on March 25, 2018.
• The projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister include development of two big shrine buildings with a capacity of 2,000 pilgrims, development of Jalsar Lake front, Sivaganga Talab development etc. The new facilities will improve the experience of lacs of devotees visiting Baba Vaidyanath Dham every year.
• The Prime Minister dedicated and laid the foundation stone of several road projects worth over Rs 10,000 crore. These projects will further encourage connectivity in the region, as well as make movement easier for the general public.
• The Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for various energy infrastructure projects worth about Rs 3,000 crore in the region. This includes the Bokaro-Angul section of GAIL's Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra pipeline; HPCL's new LPG Bottling Plant at Barhi, Hazaribagh and BPCL's Bokaro LPG Bottling Plant were inaugurated. Apart from this, the foundation stone of Parbatpur Gas Collecting Station, Coal Bed Methane (CBM) asset of ONGC was laid in Jharia block.
• The Prime Minister dedicated two railway projects- Godda-Hansdiha electrification section and Garhwa-Mahuria doubling projects. These projects will help industries and power stations to ensure smooth movement of goods. This will also make the movement of trains between Dumka and Asansol easier.
• The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of three rail projects - Redevelopment of Ranchi Railway Station, Jasidih Bypass Line and LHB Coach Maintenance Depot, Godda. These include world class passenger amenities including food court, executive lounge, cafederia, air conditioned waiting hall etc. in the redevelopment of Ranchi station. This will ensure ease of movement as well as comfort for the passengers.
• Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that under the UDAN scheme, about 70 new locations have been added through airports, heliports and water aerodromes in the last 5-6 years. Today, common citizens are getting the facility of air travel on more than 400 new routes.
• Before 2014, there were 74 airports in India, but in seven years till April 2022, 66 new airports have been established taking a total of 140 airports (including heliport and water aerodrome).
• Under the UDAN scheme, more than 420 air routes have been operated till June 2022. More than 1.79 lac flights have been flown under this scheme. The UDAN scheme has immensely benefited many regions across India including hill states, North-Eastern region and islands.

Planning to Build a Film City in Uttarakhand

Why in News?

• On July 12, 2022, Special Principal Secretary Abhinav Kumar directed to select the land for making a film city in the state to make Uttarakhand the preferred destination for film shooting.

Key Points

• Secretary Abhinav Kumar, in a review meeting of the Information Department at the auditorium at the Chief Minister's Camp Office, directed to prepare an action plan for infrastructure development related to the film industry and to provide basic facilities related to film shooting and production in the Film City.
• He said that the National Level Film Training Institute should be contacted and as its branch, the Film Training Centre should be opened in the state of Uttarakhand. He directed to start mobile theatres in hilly and marginal areas. He also asked for a subsidy scheme for this.
• He said that if a film based on the dialect of the state of Uttarakhand is selected for a national, international level film festival, a special subsidy scheme should be formulated for the promotion.
• He also directed to start courses related to the genre of film and filmmaking in the state universities. He directed to prepare a proposal for land selection and enumeration for construction of Haldwani Media Centre and to make available the structure of the department as an e-office and most of the facilities on digital platform.

New Education Policy-2020 Implemented in Uttarakhand

Why in News?

• On July 12, 2022, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami implemented the New Education Policy-2020 in Uttarakhand by launching 'Bal Vatika' (Class Before Primary) in the Directorate of Education. The government claims that Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to do so.

Key Points

• 'Bal Vatika' classes were started in Anganwadi centers and schools of all the development blocks of the state. Nursery education in private schools, now children studying in Anganwadi and government schools will be conducted in 'Bal Vatika' class.
• More than 20 thousand Anganwadi centers are being run in the state. In the first phase, under the new National Education Policy, operation of Bal Vatika classes will start in five thousand Anganwadi centers operating in government primary schools under the Education Department.
• Children in 'Bal Vatika' classes at Anganwadi centres will be taught under the new National Education Policy. The course for this has been prepared. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has prepared hand sheets for Anganwadi workers and teachers and three practice booklets (Health, Dialogue and Creation) for children in the course.
• On this occasion, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Directorate of Elementary Education building and laid the foundation stone of SCERT building. He released a book and a career card for the development of entrepreneurship among children, as well as announced the repair of dilapidated Anganwadi centers in the area.
• Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that there are 4,447 Anganwadi centres operating in the primary school premises of the state. In these centres, the students will be prepared for class one by starting classes from pre-primary. The pre-primary has been named 'Bal Vatika' by the education department. A separate course has been prepared for this by the department.
• In Uttarakhand, 20,067 Anganwadi centres have been sanctioned. Out of this, 20 thousand 17 Anganwadi centres are being operated. There are 14,555 Anganwadi workers deployed in these centres. Apart from this, 14,249 helpers and 4,941 Mini-Anganwadi workers are working in Anganwadi centres.

Automatic Weather System Installed in Kedarnath Dham

Why in News?

• On July 12, 2022, District Magistrate of Rudraprayag Mayur Dixit informed that Automatic Weather System (AWS) has been installed at the foothills of Meru-Sumeru Mountain range in Kedarnath.

Key Points

• With AWS accurate information will be given about the weather there, as well as getting the forecast of rain and snowfall will also help in making necessary arrangements.
• Along with this, decisions can be taken in advance regarding the conduct of Kedarnath Yatra on rainy season and other occasions. Apart from this, it will also help in ongoing reconstruction works and helicopter operations.
• Significantly, Kedarnath Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. Kedarnath Temple in the lap of the Himalayan Mountains in Uttarakhand is one of the Char Dham and Panch Kedar along with being included in the twelve Jyotirlingas. Due to the unfavorable climate here, this temple opens for darshan only between the months of April to November.