• 16 Jun 2023

First Heritage Park and Rail Coach Restaurant will open in Uttar Pradesh

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on June 14, 2023, Uttar Pradesh's first rail heritage park and rail coach restaurant is going to open in Agra.

Key Points:

• In the park and restaurant located on Agra Cantt Station Road in the state, people of Agra will get information about railway heritage as well as delicious food. The work of the park and restaurant, which is going to start in July, is going on at a rapid pace.
• North Central Railway & Uttar Pradesh's first rail coach restaurant and heritage park have started taking shape on vacant railway land at the intersection leading to Agra Cantt Railway Station Road Idgah Bus Stand.
• Last year, the Railways had decided to set up a rail coach restaurant on 2,000 square meters of land. The decision to build a heritage park along with the restaurant was taken later. A train coach has been erected on the rail track by laying a rail track for the rail coach restaurant.
• Chetan Agarwal, who designed the coach, said that the train coach is being given a look like heritage and Maharaja train. Antique lights are being installed in it. Heritage and Merecan tiles are being installed in it. The platform of the coach restaurant is being built from red stone.
• The rail coach restaurant will have a seating capacity of about 72 people. In this, 36 people will be able to sit inside the coach, and 36 people will be able to enjoy delicious dishes sitting on the platform outside.
• Apart from this, there will be about 10 shops in the heritage park. Food and drink will also be available here. The first coach restaurant will start in Heritage Park. There will also be a tourist guide Kiosk. Tourists will also have the facility of information about trains and online booking. There will also be a children's park.
• Agra Railway Division PRO Prashasti Srivastava said that the railway has given the land on a five-year lease. With this, the railways will get a revenue of 80 lakhs.
• Hilton Group has taken the tender to build a heritage park and run a coach restaurant. Railways and Hilton Group have signed an agreement to maintain the heritage park and operate rail coach restaurants for five years.
• The PRO said that a rail museum will also be built along with a coach restaurant in the Rail Heritage Park. In this, old signals and box tickets and other goods of the railways will be kept. In this, visitors will get information about the history of railways.

Folk Art Development Board will be Formed in the State

Why in News?

On June 14, 2023, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the proposal to set up a Lok Kala Vikas Board for the upliftment of various castes and classes associated with folk art of the state.

Key Points:

• Apart from the chairman and vice-chairman, the board will have 7 non-official members. Board secretary and executive staff will be separate. Nodal officer will be appointed for the proceedings of formation of the board.
• The purpose of formation of the board includes providing global recognition to folk art and artists, connecting them with employment, providing financial assistance to folk art institutions, providing a platform to artists, promotion of arts, supervision of institutions.
• Apart from these, the Board has to ensure cultural exchange, publication, review in relation to folk arts, organize folk art fairs, exhibitions, lectures, seminars, celebrations and protection and promotion of folk artists.

Niwari became the Second ‘Har Ghar Jal’ Zila in the State

Why in News?

On June 14, 2023, Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh became the second Har Ghar Jal district of the state. 100% tap water has been supplied to 55,645 houses in all the 253 villages of the district.

Key Points:

• It is worth mentioning that Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh has the distinction of being the first water district in the country along with the state.
• So far, tap water has been supplied to more than 50% (more than 60 lakh 7 thousand) houses in the state. Along with this, water quality monitoring is also being done.
• In Niwari district, arrangement of tap water has been made in all the rural houses through three groups of tap water schemes. Tap water facility is provided to 100 percent houses of 30 villages from Niwari Group Tap Water Scheme, 143 villages from Niwari-Prithvipur-1 Group Tap Water Scheme and 80 villages from Niwari-Prithvipur-2 Group Tap Water Scheme.

Aapda Mitra will be Made in All Villages of State

Why in News?

On June 13, 2023, Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana, Dushyant Chautala told after the meeting of the ministers of the Disaster Management Department of all the states held under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi that Aapda Mitras will be made in all the villages of the state who will work as volunteers at the time of disaster and soon a portal will be started to register them.

Key Points:

• It is known that Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala also has the charge of Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
• The Deputy Chief Minister informed that committees will be formed from district to village level by the State Disaster Management Board.
• It is known that this year Rs 1,100 crore has been sanctioned for providing relief in times of possible calamities like flood and drought, while provision of Rs 500 crore & Rs 300 crore was made per year respectively in previous years.
• Plans are also being made to drain the areas in the state where water gets filled due to rains and to pour water into canals etc. so that there is neither damage to crops nor loss of life & property.
• The Deputy Chief Minister informed that the state government is warning about possible disaster by sending messages through mobile etc. This year too, messages related to heavy rains, strong storms etc. have been sent in advance to the people of the state.
• It was informed in the meeting by the Central Government that a technology has been invented to predict fire due to lightning. The Haryana government is also going to implement this technology soon in the state so that people can be saved from loss of life and property.
• In the meeting, a request was made on behalf of the Haryana Government to the Home Minister to set up a battalion of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) in Hisar so that help can reach immediately in case of any disaster.
• It is known that the state government has also given training to 260 IRB personnel for the National Disaster Relief Force.
• The Deputy Chief Minister urged the Central Government that a command-center should be set up jointly for Chandigarh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in Haryana so that the forecast of earthquakes in the Kangra-seismic belt could be made.