• 13 Sep 2024

Haryana's Growing Drug Problem

Why in News?

Recently, Haryana authorities seized drugs and liquor worth Rs.14 crore since the election announcement, highlighting ongoing concerns about drug-related issues in the state.

Key Points

• Haryana Police registered 3,757 FIRs and arrested 5,350 people under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS),1985 till December 2023.
  • The haul included 590 kg charas, 4,950 kg ganja, 34 kg heroin, 310 kg opium, and 33,602 kg poppy husk, with Sirsa leading in cases and arrests (582 cases, 766 arrests).
• According to Haryana Narcotics Control Bureau, top 10 districts in Haryana for drug cases (1^st Jan to 8^th Dec , 2023) are Sirsa, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Kurukshetra, Fatehabad , Ambala , Yamunanagar , Hisar, Rohtak , Panchkula.
• Studies by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development and Indian Council for Social Science Research link the drug problem to youth unemployment and frustration.
• Unemployment Rate in Haryana :
  • Unemployment rate is the percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force.
  • Based on the current weekly status (CWS) approach, a person is considered unemployed if they did not work for even an hour during the reference week but were available for or sought work for at least one hour.
  • Urban unemployment rate for the 15-29 age group increased to 11.2% in the April-June 2024 quarter, up from 9.5% in the January-March 2024 quarter according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) April-June 2024 Report.
  • For women in the 15-29 age group in urban areas, the unemployment rate rose to 17.2% in April-June, compared to 13.9% in the previous quarter.
• Haryana’s Hriday Parivartan Abhiyan (Heart Change Campaign):
  • The campaign aims to bring about a behavioral change in drug addicts and peddlers by encouraging renunciation of drugs through community involvement.
  • Identified drug peddlers and consumers will appear before village elders, the community, and a pandit.
    • They will be educated on the damaging effects of drugs on their lives, families, and communities.
    • A ceremony involving the symbolic act of putting salt in a pot will signify the renunciation of drugs. ‘Namak-Lota Abhiyaan’ (pledge in front of elders to stay off drugs)
    • Participants will take an oath before village deities and the community, vowing to give up drugs.
  • Peddlers involved due to poverty will be made aware of government schemes designed for people below the poverty line to provide them with alternative livelihoods.
• Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) has launched a pioneering project called ‘Chakravyuh: The escape room’ which aims to keep teenagers away from narcotics addiction.

MP Revives Pittu: Street Sport

Why in News?

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government has added Pittu to the sports calendar of all Madhya Pradesh colleges for the academic year 2024-25.

Key Points

• Aim: To revive Pittu, a traditional Indian game, believed to have been played by Lord Krishna as mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana.
• Game Structure and Rules:
  • Pittu is played on a 26m x 14m field with two teams of six players each (four substitutes allowed per team).
  • The game consists of two halves, each lasting 10 minutes.
  • The striker team knocks over a stack of seven coloured tiles (Pittu) and must reassemble it, while the defending team tries to prevent this.
• Significance:
  • Pittu is believed to have originated in the southern Indian subcontinent.
  • Revival of Pittu is part of the MP government’s effort to teach students about Lord Krishna’s life and connect them with Madhya Pradesh's heritage.
  • The game gained renewed attention after the Prime Minister mentioned it in his Mann ki Baat speech in January 2021.
  • Pittu was demonstrated during the National Games and even had a Lagori World Cup in 2015-16.

Atal Residential Schools

Why in News?

Recently, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister announced a major expansion of Atal Residential Schools to enhance educational opportunities for underprivileged students.

Key Points

• Currently, there are 18 Atal Residential Schools.
  • The expansion will be in phases, with schools planned for 57 districts in the next academic session, extending to 350 tehsils in the third phase, 825 development blocks in the fourth phase, and Nyay panchayat level in the fifth phase.
• School Features:
  • Named after former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the schools are designed to set a benchmark for inclusive education and to combat illiteracy and deprivation.
  • The new schools will cater to students from classes 1 to 12 and include Bal Vatikas.
  • Schools are directed to hold biannual meetings with parents to keep them informed.

Bal Vatikas

• Bal Vatika is an early childhood education program that aims to help children aged 3–6 years develop cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically.
• The program focuses on play-based learning and is designed to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for children.

Nyay Panchayat

• A Nyaya Panchayat is a judicial system in the panchayati raj system of India that resolves disputes at the village level. Nyaya Panchayats are considered the most basic level of the Indian judicial system.
• Some of the functions of Nyaya Panchayats include:
  • Resolving disputes: Nyaya Panchayats resolve minor civil and criminal disputes.
  • Providing justice: Nyaya Panchayats provide low-cost and quick justice.
  • Punishing offenders: Nyaya Panchayats can raise small fines and punish offenders. However, they do not imprison people.
  • Decentralizing democracy: Nyaya Panchayats help to decentralize the democratic system.

Lakhpati Didi - Transforming Lives in Chhattisgarh

Why in News?

Recently, the Lakhpati Didi Yojana has significantly impacted women's lives in Chhattisgarh by supporting them through various self-help group (SHG) initiatives, helping them become self-reliant and financially empowered.

Key Points

• Lakhpati Didi Yojana: The scheme, launched by the Central Government, aims to make 35,000 women in the district lakhpatis.
  • A "Lakhpati Didi" is a member of a SHG who has successfully achieved an annual household income of Rupees One Lakh or more.
    • This income is sustained across at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles, ensuring that the average monthly income exceeds Rupees Ten Thousand (Rs. 10,000).
    • It was initiated by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), wherein each SHG household is encouraged to take up multiple livelihood activities coupled with value chain interventions, resulting in a sustainable income of Rs. 1,00,000 or more per year.
  • Purpose: The initiative aims to empower women not only by improving their income but by transforming their lives through sustainable livelihood practices.
    • These women serve as role models in their communities, demonstrating the power of effective resource management and entrepreneurship.
• Achievements: Since the inception of the Lakhpati Didi Yojana in 2023, one crore women have already been made Lakhpati Didis and the government announced the enhancement of the target for Lakhpati Didi from 2 crore to 3 crore, recognising the success of 83 lakh SHGs with 9 crore women transforming the rural socio-economic landscape.
  • Positive changes reported in Lundra development block (Chhattisgarh).
  • Personal Experience of Shobha Lakra:
    • Group: Champa Mahila Swayam Sahayata Samuh
    • Activities: Goats and sheep rearing
    • Benefits: Knowledge of government schemes, mutual support, loans, and earning over ₹1 lakh annually

Cyber Commandos

Why in News?

Recently, the Central government announced the plan to train and prepare 5,000 ‘Cyber Commandos’ over the next five years to tackle the rising cybercrime threats.

Key Points

• This announcement was made during the first Foundation Day celebration of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
  • I4C is a national-level coordination centre for addressing cybercrime issues.
• The cyber commandos will be trained in IT infrastructure security, digital forensics, and incident response.
• Related Launches:
  • Centralised Suspect Registry: It is a centralised database of suspicious bank accounts and related persons. It will be securely accessible to banks, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies.
  • Samanvaya Platform: It is a one-stop data repository for cybercrime, data sharing, crime mapping, analytics, cooperation, and coordination for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) across the country.
  • Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC): It serves as a “war room” to monitor high-priority cybercrime cases involving large financial transactions.
• Cyber Fraud Statistics 2023: In 2023, a total of 1,128,256 cybercrime incidents were reported across India on the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting Management System (CFCFMS), a key component of I4C.
  • Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of complaints at 197,547, while Maharashtra reported the highest amount of fraud at Rs 9.9 billion.