Uttarakhand

• 18 Jan 2023

Two Startups of Uttarakhand got National Award

Why In News?

• According to information received from the media on January 16, 2023, two startups from Uttarakhand were awarded the National Award by Union Minister Piyush Goyal on National Startup Day in Delhi.

Key points

• Union Minister Piyush Goyal has presented the National Startup Award to Digantara Aerospace and Indigenous Energy Startup Company for their outstanding work.
• It is known that in the year 2018, Rahul Rawat and Anirudh Sharma decided to build a startup on the idea of monitoring space weather. To turn his idea into a business, Digantara created an aerospace startup company.
• In June 2022 last year, Digantara Aero Space launched a satellite in collaboration with ISRO to monitor space weather. This satellite will give information about the changes in radiation in space.
• Rahul Rawat, co-founder and chief operating officer of Digantara Aerospace Company, said that just as weather changes are being reported on earth, similarly the weather is changing due to radiation in space. A satellite has been prepared, which can get accurate information about weather changes in space.
• Professor of Electric Energy. Yogesh Sharma said that the indigenous energy startup is working to make electric batteries. In the coming time, the prevalence of electric vehicles is increasing rapidly. Indigenous Energy has developed a technique to increase battery storage.

Four Places Identified for Settling Joshimath Disaster Victims

Why In News?

• On January 17, 2023, Uttarakhand Disaster Management Department Secretary Dr. Ranjit Sinha said that land has been selected at four places to rehabilitate the Joshimath disaster-affected people.

Key points

• Secretary Dr. Ranjit Sinha said that three demonstration buildings will be built on the land of the Horticulture Department located in the first Koti Farm to assure the people of joshimath that good houses will be built. It will have pre-fabricated model buildings of one, two and three BHKs.
• Who will be given how many rooms, it will be decided later. However, people's buildings have already been inspected for this. For this, CBRI Roorkee has been asked to build a model building by January 21.
• He said that land was selected at five places to settle the disaster affected people. Out of these, four locations have been found suitable on the basis of GSI report. These include land in Koti Farm, HRDI land, Pipalkoti and Dhak village.
• Dr. Ranjit Sinha said that the local administration will talk to the people, if they like this building, more buildings will be built for them. Construction agencies are already fixed by CBRI, their rates are also fixed. The CBRI has fixed a rate of Rs 400 per sq ft for this. The life of these buildings is 25 to 30 years.
• The four locations marked are:
  • Koti Farm: About 12 km from Joshimath, the road from Auli to Koti Farm is cut. Revenue land is available here.
  • Dhak village: Dhak village located on Malari Road is located at a distance of about 12 km from Joshimath. Revenue land is available here.
  • Pipalkoti: Government land is also available in Pipalkoti, about 36 km from Joshimath.
  • Land of HRDI: About nine km from Joshimath is the land of Herbal Research Institute (HRDI).

Plan to Set up Electric Vehicle Charging Station on Chardham Yatra Route

Why In News?

• On January 17, 2023, Uttarakhand Transport Secretary Arvind Singh Hyanki informed that a target has been set to set up electric vehicle charging stations on Gangotri and Yamunotri highways by the upcoming Chardham Yatra. For this, survey work has been completed in the plan to set up e-vehicle charging stations on the yatra route.

Key points

• Transport Secretary Arvind Singh Hyanki said that under this scheme, 30 km per km of traffic will be covered. More than 100 stations are to be set up by setting up a vehicle charging station at a distance of 100 km.
• About 34 stations will be set up under the scheme in Uttarkashi district, which has two dhams, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Among them, places have been identified in Chinyalisaur, Dharasu, Brahmakhal, Barkot, Yamunotri, Syana Chatti, Janki Chatti, Dhoontari and Uttarkashi cities etc.
• Moon Banerjee, project manager associated with the project, said that about 62 places have been identified on the Chardham Yatra route.
• He said that three electric vehicles can be charged at a time at the charging station on the yatra route. They will have two fast and one slow charger. Rates will be fixed by the government to provide charging facility at minimum rates.
• Uttarkashi Assistant Divisional Transport Officer Mukesh Saini said that this is an important scheme of the state government. The setting up of electric charging stations will help e-vehicle owners and drivers. The environment will also be safe.
• Secretary Transport Arvind Singh Hyanki said that the disaster may affect work in Joshimath area, but efforts will be made to set up charging points in other places as per the target.