State PCS

• 20 May 2023

Greater Aligarh will settle on the lines of Noida

Why In News?

According to the information received from the media on 18 May 2023, Greater Aligarh located on Khair Road in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh will be developed on the lines of NCR.

Key Points

• For this, Lucknow's consultancy firm has prepared 3D design and photographs of the Integrated Housing Township. Aligarh Development Authority (ADA) has come up with a residential scheme on the Aligarh-Palwal National Highway in about 300 hectares.
• It is known that in the board meeting chaired by the Commissioner, the green signal has been given for the township. ADA will collect land on Khair Road near village Moosepur in Jirauli, Jirauli Dor, Atalpur, Ahmedabad, Jatanpur Chikavati, Rustampur Akhan and Lohasra Visawan.
• This whole area is included in the priority regarding all the schemes of the Central and State Government. Defense Corridor, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University etc. projects are being built on this road.
• Whereas, this highway connects Aligarh to Delhi-NCR. This route is also important for the connectivity of Jewar Airport. Due to all these reasons, the housing township of ADA will be very important.
• For the township, the design etc. has been prepared by ADA from the firm of Lucknow. According to the ADA, Greater Aligarh will be divided into sectors. There will be towers of different categories of flats.
• Aligarh Development Authority has become the first district to implement land pooling scheme across the state. In Transport Nagar Yojana, a total of 10 hectares of land has been taken from nine farmers under this scheme. Earlier, Mathura and Lucknow Development Authority had also prepared a proposal for land pooling, but due to non-change of land use of the respective lands in these development authorities, the matter got stuck in the administration.
• It is known that in February 2019, the state government had approved the proposal to implement land pooling policy in industrial development authorities. Under this, along with giving five thousand rupees per acre to the landowner for five years, a rule was also fixed to return 25 percent of the area.
• Proportionate portion of the developed land given by him will be allotted to each landowner free of cost through lottery. Landowners will not have to pay any fee for its internal and external development.

Aligarh's Anjana Gupta Got the Most Votes in the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Elections.

Why in News?

According to information received from media sources on May 17, 2023, Aligarh's newly elected Mayor Anjana Gupta has secured the first position in the state by getting 92.76% votes in Uttar Pradesh municipal elections.

Key Points

• BJP's newly elected councilor Anjana Gupta achieved this feat by securing 92.76% votes from Ward 43. Along with this, the record of securing the highest percentage of votes in Uttar Pradesh municipal elections was created in Aligarh.
• Out of total 10700 votes, 5078 votes were cast in Ward 43 in the municipal elections. In this, Anjana Gupta got 4714 votes while Samajwadi Party's candidate got 201 votes.

'The Siberian Stray'

Why in News?

On May 18, 2023, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra was presented the first copy of the book 'The Siberian Stray' jointly written by Class XII students Aashi Galriya and Asmi Dhaker at Raj Bhavan.

Key Points

• Book writer Ashi Galriya said that this book of hers is a touching story related to the love between an animal and a man. It weaves a unique story line around the relationship between kid Alan and his pet dog Sapphire.
• It is worth mentioning that the writer Aashi is currently a student of Jayshree Periwal Global School. She took the initiative to write this book when she was a student of class VIII. She has been brilliant since her childhood.

Bharat Mein Rajyon ki Rajneeti

Why in News?

On May 18, 2023, the eminent writer Prof. Dharmchand Jain presented the first copy of the book ‘Bharat Mein Rajyon ki Rajneeti’ (Politics of States in India) published in his three parts.

Key Points

• The author, Prof.Dharmchand Jain, said that the book has a comprehensive analysis of state politics, beginning of elections, one-party system, party-defection politics in states, era of common governments, center-state relations, midterm elections, mandate, contemporary political scenario as well as state-politics.
• The book, published by Panchsheel Prakashan, Jaipur, specifically covers the researching analytical material on the Indian Constitution and Governance.
• It may be noted that so far 47 books of Prof. Dharmchand Jain have been published. He has received prestigious awards and honours like Mahapragya Pratibha, Anuvrata writer, Vishisht writer etc.

Outstanding Achievement of MP. Transco

Why in News?

According to the information given by the Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Department on 18 May 2023, M.P. TRANSCO (MP Power Transmission Company) has achieved an excellent achievement by energizing the 1000th transformer in its transmission network of the state.

Key Points:

• According to information, MP Transco has achieved this success by installing and energizing 63 MVA capacity power transformers in the 132 KV sub-station of the Harda district.
• With this, while the capacity of the substation has increased to 189 MVA, the transformation capacity of the Harda district has increased to 839 MVA.
• MP Transco transmits power through one 220 KV sub-station Handia and three 132 KV sub-stations Harda, Khirkiya and Sultanpur in the Harda district.
• MP Transco is the transmission utility with the lowest transmission loss in the country with 2.63% transmission loss. Apart from this, the transmission system availability of MP Transco is the best in the country at 99.45 percent against the prescribed 98.5 percent.
• With the installation of this 1000th transformer in MP Transco, the transformation capacity of the state has increased to 77,109 MV. This includes 11 thousand 200 MVA in 400 KV, 31 thousand 875 MVA in 220 KV and 34 thousand 34 MVA in 132 KV.
• In the network of MP Power Transmission Company, 414 very high-tension sub-stations are functional. This includes 14 thousand 220 KV 88 sub-stations of 400 KV voltage level and 312 sub-stations of 132 KV voltage.
• In MP Power Transmission Company, 36 power transformers of 400 KV level, 208 of 220 KV and 756 power transformers of 132 KV are operational.
• In the year 2022-23, 88 thousand 850 million units of electricity were supplied from the network of MP Transco in the state, which is the best ever.
• MP Transco's transmission lines are installed in 41527.76 circuit kilometers in the state, in which electricity is transmitted through 87 thousand 258 towers.
• It is worth mentioning that when the power supply is high, there is a possibility of increasing the transmission loss. In the year 2022-23, more than 08 per cent of electricity was supplied as compared to the previous year, yet the transmission losses in MP Transco remained equal to the previous year i.e. 2.63 percent.

Haryana Police Tops PRAGATI Dashboard Ranking

Why in News?

On May 18, 2023, the meeting of the State Apex Committee for the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), chaired by Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal, it was informed that Haryana Police ranks at the top in the monthly evaluation progress dashboard conducted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for all states and union territories.

Key Points

• The CCTNS Haryana project aims to enhance citizen-friendliness, promote transparency in police operations and improve delivery of citizen-centric services through effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
• Recently, the Police Department of Haryana has also launched a new facility, wherein First Information Report (FIR) status updates are sent to the complainants through SMS in Hindi. The messages also include a link to download the FIR.
• Bandwidth has been upgraded in a total of 277 police stations in Haryana, which shows the commitment of Haryana Police to continuously improve connectivity. He urged the officers to expedite the work of State Wide Area Network connectivity, which would provide 10 Mbps bandwidth to the newly established 47 Police Stations including Cyber Crime Prevention and Assistance Scheme across the State.
• It was informed in the meeting that various reports have been developed in the CCTNS system to meet the specific requirements of the Anti Corruption Bureau in the State.
• In addition, a new provision has been made specifically to send Rakka (a document generated by the doctor in the Medico Legal Examination and Postmortem Report System) to the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) through CCTNS. An alert is also sent through email to the SHO and the concerned Superintendent of Police (SP).
• Also, a similar provision has been made for Medical Legal Report (MLR) and Post Mortem Report (PMR) stored in MedLEaPR.
• It was informed in the meeting that the work of linking the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) with CCTNS has been successfully completed. This integration has enabled citizens to place requests for blocking or unblocking devices online.
• In addition, CCTNS has been successfully integrated with other departments such as Health, Prisons, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Prosecution and Courts through Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).
• This achievement promotes seamless information sharing and collaboration between these departments, thereby further strengthening the criminal justice system.

Center of Excellence for 3 Sports to be Built under Khelo India in Ranchi

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on May 18, 2023, on the initiative of the Central Government, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) is preparing to start a Center of Excellence for three sports in Ranchi, Jharkhand from this session itself.

Key Points

• This center will be opened in Mega Sports Complex Hotwar. Expert players of three sports will be prepared in this centre. These include hockey, athletics and archery. With the opening of the centre, senior players of Jharkhand will get a platform to further improve their performance.
• It is worth mentioning that one center of excellence is to be opened in all the states through SAI by the Union Sports Ministry. It has already started in most of the states. The Jharkhand government was also asked for a proposal on behalf of SAI for a center in Ranchi. Sports Authority of Jharkhand has been made the implementing agency for this by the government. Soon there will be a formal MoU between Sports Authority of Jharkhand and SAI.
• It is known that on the basis of Sai's proposal, the proposal to open the center was given in Mega Sports Complex Hotwar. Considering this as fixed, a report was sought on behalf of the implementing agency, Sports Authority of Jharkhand, regarding the requirement of residential and training facilities for the players. The Sports Authority of Jharkhand has sent the detailed report to Sai.
• Under this, a center will be started with complete arrangements for 139 players. This arrangement will be made for high level training based on the norms of Khelo India. The players will be selected jointly by the Sports Authority of Jharkhand and SAI. Necessary appointments based on the guidelines will be shared with Khelo India.

Food Processing Mission: Rs 1398 Crore Invested in 737 units in Four and a Half Years

Why In News?

According to the information provided by the Chhattisgarh Public Relations Department on May 18, 2023, under the 'Chhattisgarh State Food Processing Mission' implemented in the state, 737 new units were established in the state in the last four and a half years, with a capital investment of Rs 1397 crore 24 lakh and 6 Thousand 896 people have got employment.

Key Points

• Under the mission, a technical upgradation, establishment and modernization program of food processing units is being conducted, in which grant up to 25 percent (maximum Rs. 50 lakh) of the cost of plant and machinery and technical civil works is being given.
• Similarly, for new cold chain in horticulture and non-horticulture sectors, 35 percent (maximum Rs. 5 crore) of the cost of the project under the Value Addition and Conservation Infrastructure Development Program and up to Rs. 2 crore by banks or financial institutions for a period of 5 years. The grant of the amount is being given at the annual rate.
• Under the program for establishment of primary processing centers and collection centers in rural areas, grant up to 50 percent (maximum Rs. 2.50 crore) of the project cost is being given. On the other hand, under the Reefer Vehicle Scheme, subsidies up to 50 percent (maximum Rs. 50 lakh) of the cost of cooling are being provided to the entrepreneurs.
• It is worth mentioning that in terms of grant for setting up food processing units, the background of the applicant should be strong, that is, the net worth of the applicant should be more than 1.5 times of the grant applied for. Term loan should be availed, the term loan should not be less than 25 percent of the project cost.
• All project components for which grant is sought should be included in the project appraisal report of the bank and financial institution. The date of commercial production should not be earlier than the date of submission of application. Any 2 project components will have to be established out of the prescribed components for the scheme.
• It is noteworthy that under the Agriculture and Food Processing Policy, a new scheme 'Chhattisgarh State Food Processing Mission' is implemented in the state.
• The objective of the Food Processing Mission is to establish food processing industries, to bring more and more investment in the field of food processing in the state, to upgrade products and increase their capacity, to give economic benefits to farmers by collecting and processing agricultural products, and food security. And to improve the standards of cleanliness and to provide a better support system for the organized food processing sector.

16 Proposals Approved in the State Cabinet Meeting

Why in News?

On May 18, 2023, a state cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in which a total of 16 proposals were passed, including giving two years of child care leave to single parents.

Key Points

• The meeting also approved the CM Meritorious Scholarship Scheme which will provide scholarships to students studying in government schools from class 6 to 12.
• Scholarships from class 6 to class 10 will be given on the basis of percentage of marks after the scholarship exam. Rs 600 in class 6, Rs 700 in class 7, Rs 800 in class 8, Rs 900 in class 9, Rs 1200 in class 11 and 12 will be given as scholarship. Scholarship amount will be given every month.
• Other important decisions of the cabinet meeting:
  • Must have scored more than 70% marks in class 6 to class 10. 75% attendance is necessary in the examination.
  • There will be a chance to improve the result in two subjects in the Uttarakhand board examination. Apart from failed students, exams can also be given to improve their marks.
  • The fire department has been divided into 7 categories depending on the city. Each category will have separate facilities.
  • 955 BRCs and CRCs will be placed in the state through an outsourcing agency on a salary of Rs 40,000 per month.
  • The tourism department has made rules for aerosports paragliding etc., under which a license will have to be obtained after fulfilling the conditions, a fine of up to Rs 50,000 will be imposed on those who do paragliding without a license.
  • Approval for amendment to the Commercial Tax Officers Service Rules will now be called State Tax. Commissioner Tax has been reserved for 9 posts of Commissioner State Tax and Entertainment Tax.
  • The powers of the financial committee have been increased - now instead of one crore, works up to 10 crores will get approval from the committee formed at the level of the departmental secretary. Those above this will get approval from the committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
  • Approval for Bhatkhande Hindustani Sangeet Mahavidyalaya's manual.
  • To promote eco-tourism in the state, only 10% of the income earned at the eco-tourism site will be deposited in the treasury. 90% share will be with the local committee so that development works can be done there. 20% of the old eco-tourism sites will be deposited in the treasury and if an amount of more than 5 crores is collected and no new work is possible, that amount will be deposited in the treasury.
  • Now single parents in the state will be able to get child care leave for 2 years. Till now only women employees were getting this facility. Now single male guardians will also get this facility. Those whose children are more than 40% disabled will be able to get the benefit of CCL even after the prescribed 18 years.
  • According to the directions of the High Court, an officer of the Pollution Control Board will also be a member of the site selection committee for stone crusher hot mix plant.
  • The government will now give a grant of Rs.80 instead of Rs.30 per cow per day in the Gaushalas built for destitute cattle in the state; DM will also be able to give money on this infrastructure development.
  • The displaced persons of the Jamrani Dam will be given 300 acres of land at Parag Farm in Udham Singh Nagar. Its displacement policy has already been passed by the Cabinet.
  • The limits of Nagar Panchayat Kaladhungi will be expanded.
  • Nazul Policy 2021 has been extended in the state for one year.

Approval for Proposal of 300 Acres of Land for Jamrani Dam displaced Families

Why in News?

In a meeting of the Uttarakhand Cabinet on 18th May, 2023, the Cabinet approved the proposal for 300 acres of land for the families displaced under the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project in Rani Bagh area of Haldwani in the state.

Key Points

• This land is in Parag Farm area of Udham Singh Nagar, where the displaced families will be settled. This land registered in the Revenue Department will now be transferred to the Irrigation Department.
• It is worth mentioning that about 1323 families of six villages are to be rehabilitated under Jamrani Dam Project. For this, the state government has already approved the rehabilitation proposal. Under this, one acre of land will be given to each displaced family of category-one.
• Till now almost all the formalities regarding the construction of the dam have been completed. Financial approval has also been done. The work of dam construction will be started as soon as the budget is released. After this, drinking water will be supplied to the people of nearby areas including Haldwani in the coming times.
• The Jamrani Dam project has been included in the 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana' by the Public Investment Board (PIB). This project will not only provide irrigation water to 1.5 lakh hectares of agricultural area, but will also provide drinking water supply to Haldwani city and generate 63 million units of electricity.
• It can be noted that these days objections were sought for rehabilitation and resettlement under the Jamrani Dam project, which was published in the month of April.
• The objections are being disposed of at the level of ADM Administration Nainital. A final publication will be made to hear all the objections. After this, the process of compensation and land distribution will be initiated.