State PCS

• 14 Jun 2022

150 Hi-Tech Nurseries Based on Israeli Technology to be Set up in Uttar Pradesh

Why in the News?

• Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to set up 150 hi-tech nurseries based on Israeli technology, under the schemes of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), to promote horticulture and to serve the twin objective of improving rural livelihoods.

Key Points

• These hi-tech nurseries will be manned by women from self-help groups set up under the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihoods Mission. According to the estimates of the Horticulture Department, the average cost of the hi-tech nursery will be around One crore rupees.
• Under the scheme, two hi-tech nurseries are being developed in each district to grow fruits like plum, pomegranate, jackfruit, lemon, mango, guava, moringa, dragon-fruit etc.
• These 150 hi-tech nurseries will be set up in the state's Agricultural Science Centers, on the campus of agricultural universities and in the research centers of the horticulture department, so that farmers can be easily trained.
• These nurseries will be equipped with proper fencing, irrigation facility, infrastructure like high-tech greenhouses and will be maintained through other clusters of CLF (Cluster Level Federation)/State Rural Livelihood Mission.
• The state government plans to grow quality plants and seeds in high-tech nurseries along with centers of excellence to increase the production of quality crops. It also aims to provide adequate crop for the growing number of food processing industries.
• The plants produced in these nurseries will be sold for plantation by interested local farmers, farmer producer organizations (FPOs) at the regional level, other private nurseries at the state level and various state governments at the national level.
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set an ambitious target of increasing the area under cultivation of horticulture crops from 11.6 percent to 16 percent and food processing units from 6 percent to 20 percent during the next five years to increase the overall yield along with processing of fruits, vegetables and spices.
• It may be mentioned that Indo-Israel Centre of Excellence for fruits and vegetables has been set up in Basti and Kannauj districts respectively so that farmers can get quality saplings.

'Plug and Play': Govt's Initiative to Boost Industries in Bihar

Why in News?

• Recently, the Bihar government has taken an initiative of 'Plug and Play' to promote industries in the state, under which 'plug and play' pre-fabricated sheds will be constructed in five districts, where entrepreneurs will be able to start factories only by installing equipment.

Key Points

• A shed will be constructed at a cost of Rs.15 crores. From land to electricity and water, the government will arrange. This will increase the pace of industrial development in the state.
• Under this scheme, sheds at Co-operative Spinning Mill Campus (Bhagalpur), Bela Industrial Area (Muzaffarpur), Hajipur Industrial Area (Hazipur), Kumarbagh Industrial Area (West Champaran-Phase-2) and Sikanderpur Industrial Area (Bihta, Patna) will be constructed.
• The shed will be constructed within six months. For this, the Infrastructure Development Authorities (IDA) have floated a tender worth Rs 75 crore. Its technical bid will open on July 5, while the pre-bid meeting of working agencies has been called on June 28 in Patna.
• The co-operative spinning mill in Bhagalpur will have a shed in 10 acres of land on the campus, where a minimum of 100 entrepreneurs will be able to get the platform after six months.
• Sanjay Kumar Verma, General Manager, District Industries Center said that the purpose of construction of 'Plug and Shed' is to help those entrepreneurs who are unable to set up factories due to lack of land. Now they will get electricity along with land. Here small enterprises like manufacturing of textiles, packaging materials, sanitary pads etc. will be promoted.

SISTec Gets NBA Recognition

Why in News?

• Recently, the National Accreditation Board (NBA) has given its recognition to Sagar Group's Bhopal-based Sagar Institute of Science and Technology (SISTec).

Key Points

• The Department of Mechanical Engineering of SISTec and the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering have received recognition from the National Accreditation Board.
• The NBA Peer team visited THE SISTec and evaluated the college strictly on a number of parameters. During the tour, the team appreciated the honesty, infrastructure, management, faculty, student contributions, teaching-learning process, institutional values and best practices adopted in the college.
• NBA, India has been set up by AICTE to assess the qualitative potential of programmes offered by the educational institution to promote international quality standards for technical education with new procedures, standards and norms.

Haryana Secured the First Position in The Khelo India Youth Games

Why in News?

• Haryana finished first in the medal tally with 52 gold medals at the Khelo India Youth Games held on June 13, 2022 at Panchkula, Haryana .

Key Points

• Haryana topped the medal tally with a total of 137 medals with 52 gold, 39 silver and 46 bronze medals, while Maharashtra finished second with a total of 125 medals, including 45 gold, 40 silver and 40 bronze medals. Karnataka, who finished third, bagged 22 gold, 17 silver and 28 bronze medals to bag a total of 67 medals.
• Haryana bagged the highest number of 38 medals in wrestling, including 16 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze.
• Haryana emerged as the overall champions in boxing by winning the most gold medals in boxing competitions. In boxing, the players from Haryana won 10 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.
• Haryana got 3 gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze in athletics. Similarly, in Judo, the players from Haryana bagged 3 Gold, 4 Silver and 4 Bronze medals and 2 Gold and 6 Bronze medals in Cycling.
• Haryana players won 4 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze medals in Swimming, 3 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze medals in Shooting, 4 Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze in Weightlifting and 1 Gold and 5 Bronze in Yogasan, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze medals in Thang Ta and 1 Gold, 3 Silver in Gatka.
• Apart from this, the players from Haryana have 1 Gold, 1 Silver in Handball, 1 Gold in Hockey, 1 Gold and 1 Silver in Archery, 1 Gold and 1 Bronze in Badminton, 1 Bronze in Football, 1 Bronze in Gymnastics He won 1 Gold and 1 Silver medal in Kabaddi, 1 Silver in Table Tennis, 1 Bronze in Tennis and 2 Silver medals in Volleyball.
• The Khelo India Youth Games were held from June 4 to June 13, 2022 in Chandigarh, Delhi, Shahabad and Ambala, including Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula.

260 Schools to Reopen in Four Naxal-Affected Districts

Why in News?

• On June 12, 2022, the Chhattisgarh School Education Department has issued a letter to restart 260 schools in four Naxal-affected districts- Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma.

Key Points

• The school education department has directed the collectors of the four districts to organize 'Shala Pravesh Utsav' (School Pravesh Utsav) and 'Thank You Chief Minister's Programme' .
• The education department has asked the collectors to ensure 100 per cent admission and regular attendance of children and invite the minister-in-charge of the district, district panchayat president, other public representatives and officials to the programmes.
• Earlier, around 400 schools were closed in naxal areas due to various reasons. Based on the community's demand in these districts, the government has decided to reopen 260 schools.
• These schools will be formally opened by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on June 16 during the state-level school admission festival.

Dhami Takes Oath as Member of Legislative Assembly

Why in News?

• On June 13, 2022, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took the oath of assembly membership. Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan administered the oath to him at the Assembly Building.

Key Points

• Chief Minister Dhami, who won the by-election to Champawat assembly seat by a record vote percentage on June 3, 2022, has become an MLA for the third time.
• In the Assembly elections held in March, 2022, the BJP had won 47 of the 60 seats with a thumping majority, but Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lost his Khatima assembly seat to Congress candidate Bhuvan Kapri.
• Champawat MLA Kailash Chand Gahtori had resigned and vacated the seat for Chief Minister Dhami after losing the Khatima assembly elections.