Rajasthan

• 19 Jan 2024

Rajasthan Declares Half-Day Holiday for Pran-Pratishtha Ceremony

Why in News?

The Rajasthan government declared a half-day holiday in the state on January 22 in view of the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Key Points

• The state's order comes after the Centre announced a half-day holiday for all its employees on January 22.
• Preparations for the ‘pran-pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22 includes:
  • Idols of elephants, lions, Lord Hanuman and Garuda, 'vahana' of Lord Vishnu, have been installed at the entrance gate of the Ram Temple.
  • Invitation cards for the consecration ceremony have been sent out to guests including VVIPs, priests, donors and several politicians.
• The city has undergone major improvements in preparation for the temple's inauguration:
  • Prior to the Ram temple’s opening, hotel rates in Ayodhya reportedly increased and many are already booked.
  • Vande Bharat Express will connect two prominent temples in Uttar Pradesh - Ram Janmabhoomi and Gorakhnath.
  • Airlines intend to provide service to and from major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.
• The construction of the Ram Temple has already helped the economic condition in Ayodhya. The increasing number of tourists visiting the district creates new job opportunities for locals.

All India Conference of Director Generals of Police

Why in News?

Recently, the Prime Minister of India attended the 58^th All India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Key Points

• It was a three-day being held in hybrid mode with DGPs (Director general of police), IGPs (Inspector-General of Police) and Chiefs of Central Police Organisations.
• A wide range of policing and internal security issues including Cyber Crime, Technology in Policing, Counter Terrorism challenges, Left Wing Extremism, and Prison Reforms were discussed at the conference.
• Another key agenda of the conference is deliberations on the road map for implementation of the new Criminal Laws.
• The Intelligence Bureau organized the first-ever Conference of the IGPs in India in 1920 and since then, these conferences have been held regularly in New Delhi.
  • The first such conference held post-independence was inaugurated by the first Home Minister of the country, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on January 12, 1950.
  • Initially, it was a biennial event, but after 1973, it became an annual meeting for the heads of police organizations of the states and union territories, as well as central police organizations.