• 19 Jul 2022

Minimum Age for Admission in Madrassas

Why in News?

• On July 16, 2022 Minister of State for Minority Welfare of Uttar Pradesh, Danish Azad Ansari said that a committee would be formed to determine the minimum age limit for admission in Madrassas of the state, on the basis of which the decision regarding age determination would be taken.

Key Points

• Minister of State for Minority Welfare Danish Azad Ansari said the state government will fix a minimum age limit for admission to Madrassas in the state on the lines of various education councils, including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE).
• At the same time, he dismissed speculations that the maximum age limit of students would be considered, saying that the government has no idea of fixing the maximum age for admission to Madrassas.
• Diwan Saheb Zaman Khan, general secretary of the Teachers' Association Madaris Arabia Uttar Pradesh, an organisation of Madarsa teachers of the state, said that the minimum age of students for admission to class one in Madrassas of the state is five years and the minimum age for admission to class 10 is already fixed at 14 years.
• There are 16,461 Madrassas in Uttar Pradesh, of which 560 receive government grants. Under the grant, salaries and allowances are paid to teachers and non-teaching staff of Madrassas.
• It may be recalled that in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in May 2022, it was decided on a proposal moved by the minority welfare department that new Madrassas in the state will no longer get government grants.

Review of 'Green Agriculture Project'

Why in News?

• On July 18, 2022 Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, Usha Sharma reviewed the prepared action plan of 'Green Agriculture Project' started for conservation of biodiversity and forest landscapes in 'Desert National Park' in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts.

Key Points

• Chief Secretary Usha Sharma directed the Collectors of both the districts to work in coordination and take up the project on priority.
• Speaking at the meeting, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Dinesh Kumar said that efforts will be made to facilitate local procurement for 400 farmer families of 52 Gram Panchayats of Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, besides facilitating local procurement and their linkages with the ban.
• Under this project, the standard of living of the villagers will be raised by organizing Kisan Pathshalas, as well as they will be trained to increase the nutrition of 6 thousand families. 200 Pranimitras, Pashu Sakhis will be trained to help the farmers.
• Under the project, 50 families from the respective villages will be benefited from deworming and animal vaccination by the Green Landscape Project. Efforts for biodiversity and local conservation will be made through farms field schools.
• In the meeting, Agriculture Commissioner Kanaram said that the main objective of this project is to conserve biodiversity and forest landscape. The Rs 31.4 crore project is likely to be completed by 2026.
• Traditional natural sources like Gochar, Oran and Tanka etc. will be revived in the villages covered under the project. Efforts will be made to increase the fertility of the soil by removing the solanaceous acacias in the villages.

Special Judicial Magistrate Court will Open in the State

Why in News?

• On July 18, 2022 Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the proposal to open 5 Special Judicial Magistrate Courts in the state. With this decision of the Chief Minister, the pending cases in the court will be disposed of soon.

Key Points

• According to the proposal, Special Judicial Magistrate (NI Act Case) courts will be opened in Ajmer, Udaipur, Jaipur Metropolitan I, Jaipur Metropolitan II and Jodhpur Metropolis as a pilot study.
• Services will be taken on fixed honorarium basis on 10 different posts including retired judge in each court. The tenure of these courts will be one year from 01.09.2022 to 31.08.2023.
• It is noteworthy that in those districts of the state, where the number of NI Act cases are high, pilot study special courts are to be opened.

Ultra-Supercritical Unit Power Plant

Why in News?

• On July 18, 2022 Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the proposals of Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam to set up Ultra-Supercritical Thermal Power Projects at Chhabra and Kalisindh.

Key Points

• As per the approved proposal, 2 ultra-supercritical Technology based units of 660-660 MW capacity will be set up at a cost of Rs.9606.06 crore by expanding the Chhabra Thermal Power Project.
• With this, 1 ultra-supercritical technology Based Unit of 800 MW capacity costing Rs 6054.58 crore will be able to be set up by expanding the Kalisindh Thermal Power Project.
• In the direction of increasing power generation in the state, with the establishment of power projects of total 2120 MW capacity in Chhabra and Kalisindh, where the state will move rapidly towards self-reliance in the power generation sector, there will be growth in the local area and employment will increase.
• It is noteworthy that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had announced in the budget 2022-23 for the establishment of ultra-supercritical technology based thermal power project in thermal power plants of Utpadan Nigam, important from the point of view of saving coal, reducing pollution and environmental protection.

The 'Footwear-Leather' Cluster

Why in News?

• On July 18, 2022, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, in a joint meeting of MSME officers and office bearers of Footwear Industry Association, said that with the objective of providing employment opportunities to more and more youth of the state, the state government in Rohtak is about Will set up a 'Footwear-Leather' cluster on 500 acres.

Key Points

• Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said that the students of ITI institutes in the vicinity of Rohtak city will also be trained by connecting them to the footwear industry, so that the industrialists of the leather industry can get skilled youth at the local level and the youth can get their home-to-home jobs.
• The Deputy Chief Minister told the office bearers of the Footwear Industry Association that the state government is giving a lot of facilities to the industrialists in the state so that they do not face any problem in running their own industries, it will also provide opportunities to the local youth.
• Industrialists will be helped in every way in the 'Footwear-Leather' cluster to be built in Rohtak. As soon as about two dozen industries are started, a Common Service Center will be made there in a year, which will make it easier for the industrialists in their work.
• He said that a Center of Excellence related to leather would also be set up to help the industrialists of the leather industry in the state. On the demand of the office bearers of the association, Dushyant Chautala also assured to build a labour hostel near the 'Footwear-Leather' cluster so that the workers working there do not face any problem in living and commuting to the industry.
• He said that while the state has secured the third position in this field at the national level, Haryana has been ranked in the top achievers category in the fifth edition of 'State Ease of Doing Business' released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• The commitment of the Government of Haryana to provide a conducive ecosystem to the industries has led to Haryana's ranking in Ease of Doing Business, Ease of Logistics and Export Readiness. In addition, the state has been ranked first in Export Readiness Index (Land Closed Category)-2021 and second in 'Logistics is Across Different States Survey-2021'.

Draft for NEP in State Universities

Why in News?

• Recently, on the basis of the draft given by the Jharkhand State Government to implement the NEP on behalf of the UGC, a draft has been prepared to implement the New Education Policy-2022 (NEP) from this academic session in all the seven universities of the state.

Key Points

• According to this, the graduation will now be four years. It will also be mandatory to read a vocational subject. Apart from this, two new compulsory subjects have been included in the core.
• The draft is to be submitted to the Department of Higher and Technical Education. After getting the approval, all the universities will prepare the syllabus and carry out subject mapping, after which it will be put on the Chancellor's portal.
• It may be recalled that a committee was constituted by the Department of Higher Technical Education and Skill Development to implement NEP-2022 in the universities of the state, which met from July 2 to 14.
• The four-year undergraduate course under the format will be of 160 credits, 20 credits per semester. It will be mandatory to study one subject of vocational and two new subjects of core for three semesters. After this, the subject in which the performance will be good, the student will be able to pursue further studies in that subject.
• The subjects have been made multidisciplinary. The two new subjects that are going to be added to the core include Understanding India and Mathematical Analysis and Computational Thinking.
• Among the vocational subjects, BBA, BCA, Health & Hygiene and Yoga Wellness have been included as compulsory subjects. One of these subjects will have to be studied.

Ayushman Card for Children Living in Orphanages

Why in News?

• On July 18, 2022, Uttarakhand Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that destitute children living in orphanages in the state will also get free treatment under Ayushman Yojana. The government has decided to make Ayushman cards of such children.

Key Points

• Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that instructions have been given to the state health authority officials to operate the scheme in this regard.
• Under the Ayushman scheme, free health facilities were provided to more than ten thousand sick children from the age of new born to four years. Health programs are being run at the block level to keep them disease free.
• He said that under the scheme, free medical facilities have been provided to more than ten thousand sick children, which include 1,397 boys and 8,700 girls. The government has spent an amount of Rs 32.38 crore on this.
• Dr. Rawat told that everyone from children to the elderly are taking advantage of 'Ayushman Yojana'. The scheme offers free treatment up to Rs. 5 lac. So far 47.32 lac Ayushman cards have been made in the state. 868 crore has been spent on the treatment of various diseases of the beneficiaries.
• Cards are being made for the people who have been deprived of making Ayushman cards in the state, so that they can be provided free treatment during health related problems.