Uttarakhand

• 13 Jul 2022

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.