• 18 Sep 2021

Exploration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage of Ganga

Why in News

• Recently, in order to protect the cultural heritage of Ganga, the study of traditional perfume industry, gutta, religious places, ghat in the perfume city 'Kannauj' was done by the central team.

Key Points

• From the year 2019, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Central Government is implementing the Namami Ganga Cultural Documentation Project under the Namami Ganga Project with the aim of preserving the natural, architectural and intangible heritage located up to a distance of 51 km on both the banks of the river Ganga.
• Namami Gange Project is a flagship project launched by the Central Government in the year 2014, with the main objective of reducing pollution of river Ganga and rejuvenation of river Ganga.
• It is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, which is the implementing arm of the National Ganga Council.
• Kannauj, also known as the perfume city of India, was the capital of King Harshavardhana, the ruler of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, in the 7^th century. For this, the address 'Mahodya Shri' has been used by Banabhatta. After the death of Harshavardhana, Kannauj became the center of tripartite struggle between the Palas, the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas.

National Service Scheme Award

Why in News

• Recently, two cadets from Bihar are among the 30 NSS volunteers selected from all over the country for the National Service Scheme Award for the year 2019-20.

Key Points

• The two cadets selected for the National Service Scheme award include Mamta Kumari (Student of JPM College, Jayaprakash University) and Vishal Raj (Student of Gaya College, Magadh University).
• It is noteworthy that the National Service Scheme, a unit of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, awards the National NSS Award every year to the most active volunteer, program officer and university program coordinator of NSS.
• Every year 30 volunteers, 10 program functionaries and 2 program coordinators from all over the country are awarded.

Various Bills Passed in Rajasthan Assembly

Why in News

• On September 17, 2021, the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly passed several bills including the Rajasthan Appropriation (No.3) Bill and the MBM University, Jodhpur Bill.

Key Points

• The bills passed include the Rajasthan Appropriation (No.-3) Bill, the MBM University, Jodhpur Bill, 2021, the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Registration (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• The Rajasthan Appropriation (No.-3) Bill, 2021 was introduced to authorize the payment and appropriation of certain amounts in the Consolidated Fund of the State for the services of the financial year 2021-22.
• With the passage of this bill, an amount of Rs.3163.26 crore can be paid and applied.
• Minister of State for Higher Education Bhanwar Singh Bhati said that making MBM Engineering College Jodhpur a university would help in spreading higher education in the Marwar region. This university will be multi-disciplinary and engineering and technical education will continue to operate here as before.
• Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal said that the Rajasthan Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2021 has been brought due to the imposition of various conditions by the Central Government.
• In response to the discussion on the bill, Dhariwal said that according to the budget estimates for the year 2020-21, the fiscal deficit of the Rajasthan government is 3.98 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). At the same time, the fiscal deficit of the central government is more than 6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
• Another important bill, the Registration (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2021 was also passed by voice vote.
• After its passage, now the misuse of the property of the giver of the power of attorney will stop in the event of his death. In this, on the day the power of attorney was given, the living certificate of that day will also have to be given at the time of the registry. This will determine whether this power of attorney is correct or not.
• Dhariwal said that the common man will no longer face any problem in the registration of leases for a period of less than one year. Such registration will now be done online as well. The general public will not have to go to the sub-registrar's office.
• The registration of tenancy will also automatically result in the registration of tenants. This will allow them to be identified. Disputes regarding immovable property in other ways including rental deed will also be reduced.

Judge Ravi Malimath

Why in News

• On September 17, 2021, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the transfer of Justice Ravi Malimath, acting Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh, to the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Key Points

• The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the transfer of Chief Justices of 8 states and several other judges of the country.
• The current Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Mohammad Rafiq, has been made the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
• Prior to this, Justice Ravi Malimath has been the Acting Chief Justice of Uttarakhand from July 28, 2020 to January 6, 2021 and the Judge of Himachal Pradesh High Court from January 7, 2021 to June 30, 2021.
• Born on May 25, 1962, Justice Ravi Malimath practiced as an advocate from January 28, 1987 in Karnataka High Court, Madras High Court and Supreme Court for 20 years in civil, criminal, constitutional, labour, company, service matters etc. They are considered constitutional experts.
• He was appointed as Additional Judge of Karnataka High Court on February 18, 2008 and as Permanent Judge on February 17, 2010.
• He will retire on May 24, 2024.

Cleaning Old Dams

Why in News

• Recently, as per the instructions given by the Prime Minister, under the Amrit Mahotsav, for the first time in the country, the cleaning of dams will be done through machines.

Key Points

• Significantly, there is a difference of opinion among experts regarding the desilting of dams in terms of its usefulness and economic affordability, due to which large dams become decades-old structures. In such a situation, this decision of cleaning the dams is very important.
• This work of cleaning the dams will be started as a pilot project from Rani Avantibai Lodhi Sagar Project (Bargi Dam) built in Bargi tehsil of Madhya Pradesh. Hydrological pressurized system will be used for this work.
• The Bargi Dam has been constructed on the Narmada River. Other dams built on the Narmada river, such as Maheshwar, Omkareshwar, Indira Sagar and Sardar Sarovar Dam will also benefit from its cleaning.

Sohrai and Kohbar Painting

Why in News

• On September 17, 2021, the Governor of Jharkhand, Ramesh Bais released a special envelope on Sohrai and Kohbar painting issued by the Department of Posts at Raj Bhavan, Ranchi.

Key Points

• Sohrai and Kohbar art are the two main folk arts of Jharkhand. Both these paintings depict the development of human civilization.
• Natural colors are used in both these paintings. This art is more prevalent mainly in Hazaribagh and Chatra.
• There is a rich tradition of Kohbar and Sohrai in many districts of Jharkhand. Possibly the present-day Kohbar art is a modern form of the age-old cave paintings found in Jharkhand. The Kohbar paintings of Hazaribagh are mainly tribal.
• The depictions on clay walls are made by women. The illustrations are very artistic and clear enough to be read easily.
• The subjects of Kohbar's paintings are generally fertility, male-female relations, witchcraft, which are represented by such symbols of husbands, animals and birds, sorcery, which are popular and valid for progeny growth, For example, bamboo, elephant, tortoise, fish, peacock, lotus or other flowers etc. Apart from these, various figures of Shiva and human figures are also used. These pictures are painted in full size on the outer or inner walls of the house.
• Kohbar painting has been done for centuries in the villages of Jorkath, Isco, Shanreya, Sahaida, Dhetrige, Kharati, Raham etc. of Hazaribagh district.
• In the Sohrai paintings, the background of the walls is of the original color of the soil. Figures are made on it with brown resin, lap (kaolin) and black (manganese) colors. In Kohbar and Sohrai paintings, slight variation has been found according to different tribal groups or sub-castes.

Combined Course in Higher Secondary Schools

Why in News

• On September 17, 2021, on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched a combined course of ITI vocational education along with higher secondary education in higher secondary schools of the state.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister made a historic beginning of this curriculum designed for quality vocational education along with school education in Chhattisgarh schools from Swami Atmanand School, Patan in Durg district, organized by video conferencing at his residence office.
• In this two-year course jointly prepared by Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education and State Council for Vocational Training (SCVT), students will be able to study classes 11^th and 12^th as well as ITI courses.
• In this course, students who pass the 12^th examination will also get a certificate of ITI along with higher secondary. Students will be given a certificate of class 12^th by the Board of Secondary Education, from which they can take admission in higher education and will also get a certificate of ITI, from which they will be able to get employment. Both the courses will run concurrently.
• Chief Minister Baghel said on the occasion that a Welder trade for students and a Hindi Stenography course for girl students have been prescribed. This course will be of two years duration. This course will be completed in two years during class 11^th and 12^th.
• Children who get skill training at the school level itself will be easy to get employment in small and big industries being set up in Chhattisgarh. Also they will be able to do self-employment.
• The Chief Minister said that this job-oriented course would be expanded in future and new trades would be included in it as per the need.
• He said that 172 English medium schools have been started in the state to provide quality education in English medium to the children of Chhattisgarh. Similarly, it has been decided to upgrade multipurpose Hindi medium schools as Swami Atmanand Hindi medium schools.

Unemployment Rate in Chhattisgarh

Why in News

• According to the report released by the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy on September 16, 2021, the unemployment rate in the state of Chhattisgarh is only half of the national rate. The unemployment rate in Chhattisgarh is 3.8 percent, while the national unemployment rate is 7.6 percent.

Key Points

• According to the data, the unemployment rate is 6.5 percent in Andhra Pradesh, 13.6 in Bihar, 26.7 in Rajasthan, 6.3 in Tamil Nadu, 7 in Uttar Pradesh, 6.2 in Uttarakhand, 11.6 in Delhi, 12.6 in Goa, 6.7 in Assam, 35.7 in Haryana, 13.6 in Jammu-Kashmir, 7.8 in Kerala, 6 in Punjab, 16 in Jharkhand and 7.4 percent in West Bengal.
• The condition of Chhattisgarh state is many times better than the above states. This is the result of efficient management of the state government.
• Chhattisgarh state is an agricultural state. 74 percent of the state's population resides in villages and the basis of its livelihood is agriculture and forest produce.
• Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the state government's continuous efforts to improve agriculture and rural economy has given momentum to the economy of the villages. Employment opportunities have also increased in the villages.
• During the Corona transition period, along with conducting MGNREGA works in a better way, the system of paddy procurement, collection, procurement and processing of minor forest produce was also continued, which has provided continuous employment to the people in the villages.
• Chhattisgarh government's Suraji Gaon Yojana, Godhan Nyay Yojana, Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana have also helped in keeping the economy dynamic in rural areas.
• Through the above schemes and programs of the government, direct help was provided to the villagers, farmers, livestock farmers, MNREGA workers, forest produce collectors. As a result, the flow of money in the market remained stable, which has helped in controlling the unemployment rate in the state.

‘Nyaya Janata Ke Dwar Abhiyan’

Why in News

• On September 17, 2021, on the guidelines of the National Legal Services Authority, the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority launched 'Nyaya Janata Ke Dwar Abhiyan' across the state.

Key Points

• Starting the campaign, two Legal Aid Clinic buses were flagged off by all the judges of the High Court including Acting Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra from the Chhattisgarh High Court Complex, Bilaspur. These buses will reach the remote areas of the state and make people aware about justice.
• Apart from the High Court premises, one legal aid clinic bus has been dispatched in each district with a special team. This team will go to at least 100 villages to make people aware of justice.
• On this occasion, Justice Mishra said that this special campaign is being run by the Department of Justice, Government of India. Its purpose is to create awareness among people about justice in village-village and make them aware of their rights.
• Under this, information about justice and the legal field will be given to illiterate people through short films at various public places like Haat Bazaar, so that they can become aware of their rights and go to courts themselves to get justice.
• During more than 100 camps, information will be given especially about all those important laws which are necessary for a healthy society. These include good touch bad touch, rights of children living in hostels, motivation to participate in sports, awareness of cyber crime, being aware of cyber law.
• Along with this, information will be given on many topics like the law of drink and drive, the law on the ban on fetal testing, the seriousness of the POCSO Act, the rights of women at the workplace and the right to equal pay.
• Apart from this, information about Lok Adalats to be set up in the state for legal aid and settlement of complaints by mutual agreement will also be given and appeals will be made to take advantage of Lok Adalat camps for settlement of disputes.
• At the village level, information about the law related to domestic violence will be given under the 'Hamaar Angana Yojana'. Under the 'Duty Campaign', awareness will be made about Article 51 of the Constitution.
• MSCT matters, New Acts of Motor Vehicle Act, rights of senior citizens and parents to protect against coronavirus, provisions of section 125 CrPC, Legal Services Authority Act, utility of Permanent Lok Adalat and toll free number of NALSA 15100 Information will be given about Awareness will also be made to get information through YouTube channel of NALSA.

Implementation of NQAS in Chhattisgarh

Why in News

• The state of Chhattisgarh was awarded the second prize in the implementation of National Quality Assurance Standard (NQAS) in a virtual program organized by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the occasion of Patient Safety Week.

Key Points

• This award was given for the performance in the implementation of National Quality Assurance Standard (NQAS) in the state between the 2018-19 to 2020-21 in both the categories of district hospitals and community health centers.
• Under the National Health Mission, Chhattisgarh, the process of internal and state level assessment, service delivery audit and patient satisfaction survey of the institution is done after regular training of health workers to provide excellent health service in state hospitals and provide better treatment to patients.
• The identified hospitals of Chhattisgarh are evaluated on the basis of parameters like OPD, IPD, Laboratory, Delivery Room, Emergency Services, Radiology, Pharmacy & Stores, General Admin, Operation Theater and NBSU by the team of experts from Government of India. Quality certificate is issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare only to the hospitals that qualify the assessment.
• Under the NQAS program, from 2018-19 to 2020-21, a total of 28 hospitals and health centers (including 7 district hospitals, 7 community health centers, 13 primary health centers and one urban primary health center) were given Quality certificates for providing quality health services in Chhattisgarh.
• Director of National Health Mission, Chhattisgarh, Dr. Priyanka Shukla informed that in 2020-21, 16 government hospitals and health centers of the state were given quality certificates by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, even during the crisis period of Kovid epidemic. At the same time, in 2019-20 and 2018-19, a total of 6-6 hospitals/health centers were given quality certificates.

Nanda Devi Festival

Why in News

• On September 17, 2021 the 119^th Nanda Devi Festival concluded with the immersion of the idols of Goddess Nanda and Sunanda.

Key Points

• The festival was jointly organized by Shri Ram Sewak Sabha and Nainital District Administration.
• In this festival, a large number of devotees pay obeisance to the deities at Naina Devi Temple. Apart from religious rituals, various cultural performances were also organized during the festival.
• On the last day of the festival a cultural group from Almora performed outside the Naina Devi temple. Other performances including devotional songs were also telecasted live.
• The deities were taken out in a ceremonial procession across the city, after which the idols were immersed in the lake.
• On the last day of the festival, members of the Anjuman-e-Baltistan Shia community offered water to the devotees who came to worship the goddess.

ATM Van of Cooperative Banks

Why in News

• On September 17, 2021, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off mobile ATM vans of cooperative banks at his residence. Apart from providing cash withdrawal facilities in different districts of the state, these vans will also help the tourists visiting the state.

Key Points

• On this occasion, five ATM mobile vans were flagged off from the Chief Minister's residence, while the remaining five were flagged off from District Co-operative Bank Headquarters to their destination.
• Cooperative Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that mobile ATM van facility of cooperative banks is being made available in every district in collaboration with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• He said that from these ATM mobiles, any person can withdraw cash from any bank account.
• It is noteworthy that the mobile ATM van had made a significant contribution in helping the people of the state during the pandemic.