State PCS

• 15 Jul 2023

Kanpur will be directly connected with Intelligence Agencies across the country

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on July 13, 2023, Kanpur city of Uttar Pradesh will soon be connected to MAC (Multi-Agency Center) to curb criminals and strengthen the security system, so that the picture and complete information of any criminal in the country will be available at a click.

Key Points:

• By connecting Kanpur city with MAC (Multi-Agency Center), all intelligence agencies like IB, NIA, RAW, and ATS will be able to share inputs directly from this city.
• It is known that earlier this system was limited to state headquarters only, now they will be installed in cities too, so it will be called SMAC (Subsidiary Multi Agency Center). Apart from Kanpur, 78 cities of the state have been included in it.
• The Mac will be installed in the Crime Branch. The system that will be installed in the Crime Branch will have an intranet line, which is a private network. It can only be used by the concerned person with his login ID. Not everyone can use it like the Internet.
• It will have a highly secured telephone line also known as a hotline. One point of contact from each intelligence agency will handle this system.
• With this, information about major crimes like terrorist activities, large-scale smuggling of drugs, gold and fake notes will be available to the police on their system on a call. The police officers sitting in Kanpur will be able to find out what crimes the criminal living here has committed in which cities of the country. Similarly, information about criminals coming from other cities will also be easily available. The police here will be able to give this input to the whole country in a few seconds.
• The MAC was set up after the Kargil War between May 3, 1999 and July 26, 1999. IB was created as its nodal agency.
• It is known that until now MAC was given only to the states. In this, its system was with STF in Uttar Pradesh. However, later a system was also installed in ATS.
• The main purpose of installing this system is to get information about the illegal use of cyberspace, crime-terror nexus, narco-terrorism, terror financing, global terror groups, and the movement of foreign terrorists and share it with the agencies. It has been created on the basis of the CIC (Central Intelligence Agency) of the UN (United Nations).

CAG Report presented in Legislature: Bihar in top 3 in Revival of Economy

Why in News?

On July 13, 2023, Finance Minister Vijay Chaudhary tabled the CAG report in the Bihar Legislature, in which Bihar ranked 3rd among the top 10 states in the country that revived their economy after the Covid pandemic.

Key Points:

• As per the report, Bihar has recorded GSDP at a five-year high. During the financial year 2021-22, an increase of Rs 30630 crore i.e. 23.90 percent was recorded in revenue receipts due to an increase in the share of central taxes and self-tax revenue. Due to the increase in social services, the revenue expenditure increased by 19727 crores.
• During the financial year ending March 31, 2022, the state government spent only Rs 194202.20 crore i.e. 73.17 percent against the total budget provision of Rs 265396.87 crore.
• The supplementary provision of Rs.47094.17 crores was completely wasted as it was not even up to the level of the original provision.
• The report of local bodies for the financial year March 31, 2021, and financial management till March 31, 2022, was presented in the House. In this, questions have been raised on the functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Municipal Bodies and the financial management of the State.
• According to the CAG report, Panchayati Raj institutions have not given utilization certificates worth about Rs 25,000 crore. Also, questions have been raised about the continuous increase in the budget size and the amount not being spent in that proportion.
• According to the CAG report, a fiscal deficit of Rs 25551 crore has been recorded, although this deficit is less than Rs 4276 crore in the previous year. During the year 2021-22, the state faced revenue deficit for the third time after 2004-05, which was 422 crores.
• According to the CAG report, the Urban Development and Housing Department had approved a grant of Rs 10,952 crore received between the financial years 2016-17 to 2020-21, but till March 2022, adjustment of Rs 4984 crore i.e. up to 46% of the utilization certificates were pending.
• Patna Municipal Corporation has suffered a loss of about nine crore rupees due to its failure to recover the user fee charged for providing door-to-door garbage collection services.
• It was found in the audit that between the years 2007-08 to 2020-21, the Panchayati Raj Department had issued a grant of Rs 42940 crore to the Panchayati Raj Institutions, but the institutions gave utilization certificates of only Rs 17917 crore. This was only 42% of the total amount, while a utilization certificate of about Rs 25,000 crore is pending.

50 Birdhouses will be constructed in the state

Why in News?

On July 13, 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved an additional budget provision of Rs 43.50 crore for the construction of 50 birdhouses for the conservation and promotion of birds in the state.

Key Points:

• These birdhouses will be built at 33 Lav-Kush Gardens and 17 other places on the lines of Gulab Bagh Bird House in Udaipur.
• An expenditure of Rs 87 lakh per birdhouse will be incurred for the construction of birdhouses, food for birds and the purchase of exotic birds. Thus, a total of Rs 43.50 crore will be spent.
• Out of the same amount, birds like Cockial (Australian Bird), Love Bird Parrot, Bajriger (Buggy Parrot), Guinea Fowl (Chakor Rooster) etc. will be purchased from pet shops in bird houses with one lakh rupees each.
• It is worth mentioning that the Chief Minister had announced the construction of 50 birdhouses in the budget for the year 2023-24. This approval has been given in the implementation of this declaration.
• With this approval of the Chief Minister, along with the protection of birds in the state, the treatment and promotion of sick, helpless and injured birds will be done.

Agreement signed between CCHAU and Agricultural University of Tanzania

Why in News?

On July 13, 2023, a spokesman of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCHAU) informed that an agreement has been signed between CCHAU and Sokoine Agricultural University, Morogoro, Tanzania, East Africa to promote research and innovation in agriculture.

Key Points:

• The agreement was signed by Prof. Raphael T. Chibunda, Vice Chancellor of CCHAU and College of Agriculture and Sokoine Agricultural University of Tanzania.
• According to this MoU, scientists, researchers and students of CCHAU will try to strengthen the economic condition of farmers with the help of innovative research.
• CCHAU's advanced agricultural techniques and innovations will also benefit Tanzanian farmers. With HAU's technology, Tanzanian farmers will be able to strengthen their economic position by increasing agricultural production and creating new startups.
• CCHAU scientists will impart training on commercial and new techniques of agriculture to promote faculty exchange, training, research and cooperation in agricultural extension activities in Tanzania and India.
• The two universities will participate in seminars, conferences and cooperate with each other.
• It is known that at present, the 47th International Trade Fair is going on in the Tanzanian city of Dar-es-Salaam, in which a delegation from Haryana under the direction of Chief Minister Manohar Lal is on a tour to explore and promote business and education opportunities in Tanzania.
• The 50-member delegation includes top officials of the Haryana government, businessmen and vice-chancellors and officials of four universities.

CM virtually inaugurated the state's 1st Swami Atmanand English Medium Adarsh College in Kanker

Why in News?

On July 13, 2023, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel virtually inaugurated the state's first Swami Atmanand English Medium Adarsh College in Kanker from his residence office.

Key Points:

• On this occasion, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the children who pass out from higher secondary schools through English medium, will be able to continue their studies in Swami Atmanand English Medium Adarsh Mahavidyalayas in the future also.
• It is known that 10 Swami Atmanand Adarsh Colleges of English medium are being opened in the state. Out of these, the first Swami Atmanand English Medium Adarsh College was inaugurated in Kanker.
• In this program organized in Kanker district through video conferencing from his residence office, the Chief Minister interacted with three girl students selected in NIT Raipur and one girl student selected in Central University Bilaspur under 'Hamar Lakshya' program for school children of Kanker.
• It is worth mentioning that under the 'Hamar Lakshya' program conducted for school children in the Kanker district, 75 children of the district have qualified in JEE.
• The Chief Minister said that Swami Atmanand English Medium School of Excellence was started in the year 2020 to provide an excellent education in English medium to the students of poor families. This scheme became very popular in the state.
• Today, 377 English medium and 350 Hindi medium schools are running in the state under Swami Atmanand Yojana. Under the unemployment allowance scheme, an amount of Rs 80 crore has been given to 1 lakh 17 thousand beneficiaries in three installments so far.
• Kanker District Collector Kanker Dr. Priyanka Shukla said that the beneficiaries of the Unemployment Allowance Scheme who have got placement in Hyderabad will get an income of Rs 13 to 15 thousand per month. Under this scheme, 112 beneficiaries of the district have got jobs so far.

National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate to 4 PHCs & 2 CHCs

Why in News?

According to the information given by the Chhattisgarh Public Relations Department on July 13, 2023, four primary health centers and two community health centers of Chhattisgarh, which provide excellent health care and better treatment to patients, have been awarded the National Quality Assurance Standard (National Quality Assurance Standard) by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Quality Assurance Standard) the certificate has been awarded.

Key Points:

• it is known that the National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate has been issued after examining the quality of services available to patients in these hospitals in April, May and June by a team of experts of the Union Health Ministry.
• Udaipur Community Health Centre in Surguja district and Bagbahara Community Health Centre in Mahasamund have been awarded national quality assurance standard certification by the Union Health Ministry.
• Jarwe Primary Health Centre in Janjgir-Champa district, Kumhrawand Primary Health Centre in Bastar, Batikela Primary Health Centre in Surguja and Bagodar Primary Health Centre in Kanker have also been given this certificate by the Government of India.
• Udaipur CHC has scored 87 percent and Bagbahara CHC has scored 85 percent in the quality of services available in the hospital for patients by experts of the Union Health Ministry. On the other hand, Jerwe PHC got 82 percent marks, Bagodar PHC got 80 percent, Batikela PHC got 76 percent and Kumhravand PHC got 75 percent marks.
• It may be noted that the services and satisfaction level of the hospital are tested on various parameters by a team of experts before issuing the National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate. These include parameters such as available services, patient rights, inputs, support services, clinical services, infection control, quality management and outcomes. Quality certificates are issued by the Union Health Ministry only to the hospitals that meet these stringent standards.