• 14 Apr 2022

Bihar included in the list of 6 leading states in terms of budget spending

Why in News?

On April 12, 2022, Bihar State Planning Board Vice-Chairman Vijendra Yadav said that in terms of annual budget expenditure, Bihar has joined the list of 6 leading states by spending Rs 2 lakh crore in a year, setting a new record.

Key Points

• Bihar is ahead of 5 states in terms of annual budget expenditure. These include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
• It is worth noting that all these states come under the category of already developed state, as well as they have the facility of industrialization as well as sea-port. Being a sea-port, transportation in the state becomes easy.
• At the same time, after the separation of Jharkhand, there has been a significant shortage of heavy industry in Bihar. So far this shortcoming has not been overcome.
• Vijendra Yadav said that before 2005, the state government could not spend even Rs 25,000 crore. The income was also limited to 4 digits, which has reached to Rs 56,000 crore at present.
• He informed that the state's GST collection has increased by 17% as compared to last year. Apart from this, there has also been an increase in registration tax by 107%, transport tax and mines and land element tax as compared to last year.

Three national highways will be made road accident free under pilot project

Why in News?

On April 13, 2022, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Transport and Road Safety Department of Rajasthan, Abhay Kumar said that in compliance with the budget announcement, three major national highways of the state would be made road accident free under the pilot project.

Key Points

• The Additional Chief Secretary gave this information in a meeting held in the Government Secretariat regarding 'Prevention of Road Accidents'.
• The three major national highways that will be made road accident free under the pilot project include Shahjahanpur to Ajmer (NH-448), Bar-Bilara-Jodhpur (NH-25) and Sikar to Bikaner (NH-110) National Highways.
• The Additional Chief Secretary directed the concerned officers to further improve the response time of ambulances and to encourage the Good Samaritans who took serious injuries in road accidents to the hospital immediately by rewarding them under the 'Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Jeevan Raksha Yojna'.
• He said that data related to road accidents should be uploaded immediately through Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) application so that they can be scientifically analyzed to reduce accidents.

Cultural program 'Folk Safar' organized

Why in News?

A cultural program 'Folk Safar' was organized at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur in collaboration with Rajasthan Tourism Department and UNESCO on 13^th April, 2022.

Key Points

• In 'Folk Safar', the music of Danish artists, heritage of folk traditions of their country and neighboring regions, along with a scintillating performance of traditional music and rhythm of the Maru region of the state by Manganiyar artists, in which Langa Sangeet and Kalbelia dance were performed. The event was also included.
• The Danish artists in the program were led by Maren Hallberg and Jorgen Dikmes and the Manganiyar artists were led by Shiva, Manzoor Khan Manganiyar from Barmer.
• Folk Safar exhibited handicraft items including the Daris of Salawas of Jodhpur, Jootis of Patodi of Barmer, Applique from Chohtan and Pokaran utensils of Jaisalmer.

State and district level awards will be given in energy literacy

Why in News?

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to give state and district level awards to encourage those who take active part in the Urja Saksharta Abhiyan (UShA).

Key Points

• 6 categories have been fixed for the state level award. On the basis of registration number in the campaign every month, the first district of the state will be rewarded in the category of 'Excellent District Registration'. Similarly, on the basis of certification number every month, the first district of the state will be rewarded in the category of 'Excellent District Certification'.
• Outstanding buildings adopting Energy Conservation Building Codes and other buildings that demonstrate proven energy savings will be rewarded in the category 'Outstanding Buildings Adopting Energy Conservation Building Codes'.
• Universities, departments, industries, etc., who have done excellent work in the implementation of the campaign at the state level, will be rewarded in the category of 'Institutions doing excellent work'.
• In the District Renewable Energy Officer category, the best performing Renewable Energy Officer in the state will be rewarded for performing outstandingly in the field of energy efficiency.
• Degree, Polytechnic, Engineering and Medical colleges will be selected in the 'Most Excellence College' category every month.
• The most outstanding performing government office in the Energy Literacy Campaign UShA will also be rewarded.
• In the category of the most outstanding person/institution adopting energy efficiency, the award will be given to the person or organization doing excellent work in the field of energy efficiency at the district level.
• The farmer will be rewarded for joining the UShA in the 'Energy Saksharta Abhiyan' excellent farmer category and giving authentic information about adopting energy efficiency in the agriculture sector. Similarly, such housewives, who are associated with UShA, are not in any government job and have given advanced suggestions for energy saving, will be rewarded.
• Apart from this, the award in other special achievement categories will be given for the outstanding performance, special cooperation and achievement of any person, institution, government office, school, college etc. in the energy literacy campaign at the district level.
• All information related to UShA Award-State and UShA Award-District will be uploaded on the website of Madhya Pradesh UShA Development Corporation. The award will be given only to selected categories of schools, colleges, offices, institutions and individuals located in the state. Energy efficient appliances (fans, star rated LED tube lights, bulbs and other BEE-star rated appliances) and certificates will be given in the form of award.
• It is noteworthy that to deal with the challenges of global warming and climate change, the Madhya Pradesh government has started the world's unique Energy Literacy Campaign (UShA), ensuring public participation. In this, information about energy saving, benefits and conservation is being given to the people through training and active participation through mobile apps, web portals etc.

One-stop digital platform 'Nagar Darshan' Portal

Why in News?

On April 13, 2022, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar digitally launched the 'Nagar Darshan' portal to update the complete records of urban local bodies in the state on a digital platform.

Key Points

• On this portal, citizens will be able to place their demands, complaints and suggestions according to the development projects being run in their area.
• Now citizens will be able to put any demand related to development works in their ward on the 'Nagar Darshan' portal. Apart from this, they can also register complaints and suggestions online on this portal, which will automatically be sent to the concerned department for further action.
• The details of completed, ongoing and required development projects in urban local bodies will be available online on the 'Nagar Darshan' portal.
• Apart from this, it will also prove to be effective in increasing the credibility of development works and will also act as a source of information for citizens, which will help in better implementation of development plans and projects in urban local bodies.
• Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the main objective of 'Nagar Darshan' is to make all government services accessible to citizens through the websites of urban local bodies, which will ensure efficiency, transparency and reliability of all services provided to citizens

Canine Virus in Ranchi Zoo

Why in News?

On April 13, 2022, Director of Ranchi Zoo (Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park) Jabbar Singh informed that seven foxes have died of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) at Birsa Zoo in Ranchi in the past one month.

Key Points

• Canine distemper virus causes severe infections of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous systems, as well as the eyes, primarily in dogs.
• It can also affect wild carnivores such as wolves, foxes, raccoons, red pandas, ferrets, hyenas, tigers and lions.
• The spread and diversity of this virus in the wildlife of India has not been adequately studied.
• It is noteworthy that foxes are an endangered species protected under Schedule-II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Ban on sale of plastic items at Ganga Ghats in Haridwar

Why in News?

On April 12, 2022, it was decided under the chairmanship of Haridwar Municipal Commissioner Dayanand Saraswati that from April 25, plastic items would not be sold at the Ganga Ghats in Haridwar.

Key Points

• After the ban on plastic items, bamboo, copper and glass bottles will be sold instead of plastic cans along with handmade cloth and jute mats at the ghats.
• This sale will be done through women self-help groups formed under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana and National Urban Livelihoods Mission.
• It is noteworthy that the National Urban Livelihoods Mission was launched in the year 2013 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (Government of India), under which the emphasis was on organizing the urban poor into strong infrastructure level institutions, creating opportunities for skill development goes.