Chhattisgarh

• 18 Apr 2023

Inauguration of the newly constructed Co-generation Power Plant of Keerta Sugar Factory

Why in News?

On 15 April 2023, Chhattisgarh's Cooperative Minister Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam formally inaugurated the power generation work of the co-generation power plant at Maa Mahamaya Sugar Factory, Kerta by pressing the start button.

Key Points

• With the launch of the co-generation plant, a big achievement has been added to the name of Maa Mahamaya Sugar Factory, Keerta. The production of 2 MW electricity in this plant will be sold through the co-generation plant, which will benefit the farmers as well as the factory.
• Maa Mahamaya Sugar Factory is estimated to earn an additional income of about one crore rupees every month from power generation.
• Minister Dr. Tekam said that both the factory and the farmer would be benefited from the commencement of this plant. Surplus electricity was not being used in the factory, keeping in mind that the government gave a grant of Rs 2 crore for the establishment of the power plant due to which the plant was established.
• Work is being done to set up an ethanol plant here. He suggested the factory management to visit and observe the rich sugar factories of Maharashtra & implement the management and technology of the factory there so that this sugar factory could be more beneficial for the farmers.
• Minister Dr. Tekam said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the state government is continuously working in the interest of farmers along with the development of every section. The highest price is being given for sugarcane, paddy and tendu leaves in the state. At the same time, 65 types of forest produce and millet are also being procured at the support prices.
• Minister Dr. Tekam said that the state government is going to start an ethanol plant in the sugar factory of Kawardha in the month of January.
• He said that this year the recovery of the sugar factory here was 9 per cent, if the recovery of sugar is above 10 per cent, then the farmers will get its benefit.

Deendayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sustainable Development Award-2023 to 2 Panchayats of the state

Why in News?

On 17 April 2023, President Smt. Draupadi Murmu presented the Deendayal Upadhyaya Panchayat Sustainable Development Award 2023 to the 2-gram panchayats of Chhattisgarh at the National Conference on Promotion of Panchayats in New Delhi.

Key Points

• Gram Panchayat Sankra of Nagri development block of Dhamtari district and Gram Panchayat Nagam of Lundra development block of Surguja district have been honoured with the Deendayal Upadhyaya Panchayat Sustainable Development Award 2023 at the national level.
• Gram Panchayat Sankara has been given this award in the category of 'Healthy Panchayat' while Gram Panchayat Corporation has been given the award in the category of 'Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihood Gram Panchayat'.
• It is known that under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Panchayat Sustainable Development Award (DDUPSVP), the most populous Gram Panchayat Sankra of District Panchayat Nagri has topped in Chhattisgarh for excellent work related to health in the Healthy Panchayat category.
• It is worth mentioning that Gram Panchayat Sankara has also been awarded the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Panchayat Empowerment Award earlier.
• National Panchayat Awards were presented to the Panchayats selected in the following different categories-
  • Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Panchayat Sustainable Development Award (DDUPSP) for performance under individual LSDG themes
  • Nanaji Deshmukh Best Panchayat Sustainable Development Award (NDSPSVP) for overall performance under all 9 LSDG themes and specific categories related to green initiatives
  • Gram Urja Swaraj Special Panchayat Award
  • Carbon Neutral Special Panchayat Award.