• 14 Jul 2022

Anti-Malarial Plant Cultivation

Why in News?

• On July 13, 2022 Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, director of the Lucknow-based Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CMAP), informed that recently the Uttar Pradesh government has drafted a new policy for contract farming of CIM-Sanjeevani, a new species of anti-malarial plant Artemisia, and sent it to the Central Government.

Key Points

• CMAP has tied up with Chennai-based company Sattav Vaid Natures Global Pvt. Ltd. for contract farming of CIM-Sanjeevani, a new species of anti-malarial plant Artemisia across the country, including Uttar Pradesh.
• The company will do the contract farming of Artemisia. At the same time it will contribute to the development of technology related to processing. The company will deliver the finished plants from the farmer to the pharmaceutical companies. This will give the farmers the price of their produce in the field itself.
• On the one hand, raw materials will not have to be ordered from abroad to make malaria medicine, on the other hand, the farmers will also get the benefit.
• Director Prabodh Kumar Trivedi said that the new species has been developed after many years of research. This already running variety is developed from the poly cross between survival and CIM Arogya. The Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) has also considered this plant to be suitable for anti-malarial medicine in its research.
• The target is to eliminate Malaria in the state by 2027. For this, the Health Department is continuously campaigning. In many districts, the rate of API (Annual Parasite Incidence) has been found to be below one since last year. Till June 2022, more than 26 lac 77 thousand samples have been tested, out of which 1077 have tested positive.
• It is noteworthy that an element called Artemisinin is found in the Artemisia plant, from which Malaria medicine is prepared. Artemisinin kills the Malarial Pathogen Plasmodium Falciparum. This plant is commonly found in China. From there, new species are being prepared by bringing it to India. Experiments have been carried out on this by several institutions including the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Banaras Hindu University.
• CIMAP scientists found artemisinin content 1.2% higher in CIM-Sanjeevani, a new species of Artemisia. In this species, along with meningitis, there are also more elements used in making medicines used in other diseases including cancer. Food pills and injections are prepared from it.
• The report, published in the Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Sciences, states that CIM-Sanjeevani is also beneficial for farmers and the farming industry. The report said that the company that manufactures the drug from this plant can reduce the cost by about 20 percent.
• The report also said that the cultivation of Artemisia can benefit farmers by about 65 thousand rupees per hectare in a period of about four months. This is the reason why Indian companies are coming forward to get contract farming done with this plant.

Federation of Rajasthan Trade and Industry

Why in News?

• On July 13, 2022, in the hospitality of Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, a commerce and industry organization 'Federation of Rajasthan Trade and Industry' (FORTI) youth unit was organized at the Marriott Hotel.

Key Points

• In this program, Governor Kalraj Mishra called for creating an environment for young startups by adopting innovation with encouragement to small and medium industries to strengthen the economy of the state and to build a prosperous Rajasthan.
• The Governor said that under 'Make in India', if emphasis is laid on quality enhancement of local products, good packaging and effective marketing through social media platforms, India will definitely emerge as the world's largest manufacturing hub.
• He also expressed the need to work to promote women-owned businesses. He said how to take products made by local women to the world market through digital technology and how to promote women entrepreneurship at every level, work should be done for it.
• The Governor stressed on economic nationalism to pull the economy out of the covid era. He said that domestic control over the economy, manpower and capital formation is the greatest need of the hour.
• He said that the path of 'Self-reliant India' would be paved only with the development of small, micro and medium industries. There is a need to make effective efforts to modernize the local products to reach the global market. He said that commercial organizations including FORTI should take initiative to list villages traditionally associated with handicrafts and provide market for local products here.

One Time Debt Resolution Scheme

Why in News?

• On July 13, 2022 Rajasthan Minorities Finance and Development Co-operative Corporation Limited, Jaipur has implemented one-time loan resolution scheme-2022-23 for the borrowers.

Key Points

• The benefit of this scheme will be availed by the borrowers of Jaipur district, under which the beneficiaries of professional and education loans disbursed up to March 31, 2022 will be eligible for waiver of penal interest.
• District Minority Welfare Officer Shakeel Ahmad said the scheme will be effective till March 31, 2023.
• Under the scheme, 100% rebate of penal interest will be given to eligible borrowers on depositing the surplus amount (principal and interest) in lump sum.

Power Supply from Towers Built on Pile Foundation

Why in News?

• Recently Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company, in the expansion of its transmission network for the first time in the state, has supplied electricity from very high-pressure towers on pile foundation.

Key Points

• At a cost of around Rs 31 crore, the company has successfully used the technology in the construction of four towers in the middle of the 2.5 km length of the 132 KV Budhni Mohasa (Bavai) DCDS (Double Circuit Double Stringing) line.
• These towers have been built in the Tawa River passing near Mohasa village. This line of total 32.9 km was recently electrified.
• The construction of very high-pressure lines by crossing rivers, ponds, drains etc. has always been challenging in front of the company. They were often constructed with long spans at either end of the river. This caused problems in construction as well as in maintenance. By adopting this new technology, now these towers have been constructed by making a pile foundation inside the river itself.
• Engineer Sanjay Kulshreshtha, Chief Engineer, Faculty of Planning and Designing of the company, said that this technology being used by the company for the first time will prove to be a milestone for construction of transmission line. For this, the company has prepared special design foundations.
• This technology provides considerable flexibility to the construction work in an area of submerged and uneven geographical conditions, leading to changes in the construction of the lines as needed and subsequent ease of maintenance.

Madhav Vigyan Mahavidyalaya, Ujjain

Why in News?

• On July 13, 2022, Madhav Vigyan Mahavidyalaya of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh has become the first government college in the country to get the highest grade A++ marks in the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in the state.

Key Points

• It is worth mentioning that there are only 28 colleges in this category in the entire country. Madhav Vigyan Mahavidyalaya is the only government college. The rest are all private colleges.
• Madhav Vigyan Mahavidyalaya has received 3.58 CGPA, which is the highest in the marks received by any government college in the state so far.
• State Higher Education Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that the grading of the college was done wrong by NAAC in the past. Counting of PhD holder professors and guest faculty of the college was wrongly done by NAAC. Appeal was made by the college, after which the college has been awarded A++ grade by NAAC.

Haryana Government Constituted Backward Classes Commission

Why in News?

• According to the announcement of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on July 13, 2022, the Haryana Government constituted the Backward Classes Commission.

Key Points

• Justice Darshan Singh (Retd) has been made the chairman of this commission. Apart from these, former Vice Chancellor Dr. S.K. Gakhar, Shyam Lal Jangra and Director General of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare Department have been appointed as members of this commission, while Mukul Kumar, Special Secretary, Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare Department have been appointed as member secretaries.
• According to the notification issued in this regard, the Governor of Haryana has constituted the Backward Classes Commission in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections-1 and 2 of section 3 of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission Act, 2016 (9 of 2016).
• While discharging the functions as provided under section 9 of the said Act, the Commission shall study the present social, educational and economic conditions of the backward classes in the State, the representation and participation of the backward classes in the Government and the benefits and schemes of the Government, the educational To assess the benefits available to the students from backward classes in the institutions, to estimate the employment opportunities available to the youth of backward classes and to recommend measures to increase the employment opportunities.
• Further, the Commission will undertake activities such as evaluation of timely activities for skill development and training purposes of the youth belonging to backward classes, study and make recommendations for provision of proportion of reservation for backward classes in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Municipalities in the State. At the same time, it will also study and recommend measures which are necessary for the social, educational and economic welfare of the backward classes.
• It is noteworthy that on July 10, 2022, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced the formation of the Backward Classes Commission afresh, which would work with the objective of providing all kinds of facilities and benefits to the people of backward classes and related castes.

Students of Government Schools will Also Get Holistic Report Card

Why in News?

• July 13, 2022 School Education Secretary of Chhattisgarh Dr. S. Bharathidasan instructed all the district education officers to provide multi-dimensional progress sheets (holistic report cards) to the students of classes 1 to 12 studying in government schools operating in Chhattisgarh like private schools.

Key Points

• In the multidimensional progress sheet, grades will be given by adding the marks of project, sponsorship works in monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, annual assessment in all subjects. Rank in the class will be given based on grade.
• For cognitive area, the percentage of marks obtained is from 91 to 100, grade-A plus, 81 to 90 percent grade-A, 71 to 80 percent grade-B plus, 61 to 70 percent grade-B, 51 to 60 percent Grade-C plus up to 41%, Grade-C from 41 to 50%, Grade-D from 33 to 40 percent and Grade-E below 33 percent will be given.
• The report card will have a qualitative note in the emotional and psychomotor field, in which Excellent will get Grade-A, Good will get Grade-B and Santoshprad will get Grade-C.
• Self-discipline, leadership ability, environmental cleanliness and awareness, cultural, literary communication and expression, inter-cooperation will have grading of the period from July to December and January to March in the field of emotional field.
• Similarly, grading will be done for the period July to December and January to March in the field of sports, yoga and pranayama, performing arts and work experience in the psychomotor sector. The number of days attended by the school, attendance, attendance of the parent in the meetings of the school will be recorded in the report card.
• The multi-dimensional progress sheet will consist of six monthly assessments of Hindi, English, Mathematics, Environment subject from class I to V of 25-25 marks and quarterly, half-yearly and annual assessment of 50-50 marks.
• The multi-dimensional progress sheet for classes 6th to 8th will also have six monthly assessments of Hindi, English, Mathematics, Sanskrit/Urdu, Science, Social Science subject of 25-25 marks and quarterly, half-yearly and annual assessment of 100-100 marks.
• At the secondary level, there will also be six monthly assessments of 25-25 marks in Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Mathematics, Science and Social Science subjects in the multidimensional progress sheet of class 9th and 10th and quarterly, half-yearly and annual assessments will be of 100-100 marks.
• Along with this, the assessment of theoretical and practical subject will also be mentioned. Instead of annual examination for class 10th, the marks of pre-board test will be filled. Class 9th and 10th report cards will mention the category of quarterly, half-yearly and annual examination as well as pass, need for improvement.
• Similarly, in the report card of class 11th and 12th at the higher secondary level, the assessment of Hindi, English, Sanskrit as well as theoretical and practical subjects will be mentioned.
• Six Monthly Examination will be of 25-25 marks and Quarterly, Half Yearly and Pre-Board/Annual Examination will be of 100-100 Marks. For class 12th, the marks of pre-board test will be filled in place of annual examination.
• Class 11th and 12th report cards will mention the category of quarterly, half-yearly and annual examination as well as pass, need for improvement.

Ten Day Robotics Workshop Begins

Why in News?

• On July 13, 2022, a 10-day robotics workshop was started at Chhattisgarh Regional Science Centre, Raipur. The theme of this workshop is 'Hands on Activity'.

Key Points

• The workshop has involved 50 students from the Faculty of Science in government schools in Raipur, who will learn about the nuances of robotics for 10 days and its need and utility in the future.
• Chhattisgarh Regional Science Centre has been set up with the objective of carrying out innovative discoveries and experimental activities on its own, encouraging the learning process, showcasing the latest scientific and technological inventions, creating awareness about science.
• In this series, a 10-day robotics workshop 'Hands on Activity' is being organized to make school students aware of artificial intelligence (A.I.) and the importance of robotics in the future.
• This is the first time after the establishment of Chhattisgarh Regional Science Centre, that such an event is being organized here.