State PCS

• 21 Sep 2023

Didis Associated with Self-help Groups of Livelihood Mission will run Canteens in Industrial Areas.

Why In News?

On September 20, 2023, Agricultural Production Commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh informed that Didis associated with self-help groups of Livelihood Mission will run canteens in industrial areas.

Key Points:

• After assuming the responsibility of running canteens for patients, attendants and others at community health centers in Uttar Pradesh, the Didis associated with self-help groups of Livelihood Mission will now run canteens in industrial institutions as well.
• For this, there will be an agreement between Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) and Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission. Under this scheme, UPSIDA will provide suitable space for the canteen for the self-help group sisters.
• 150 cluster canteens will be opened in 25 districts of the state by UPSIDA and Livelihood Mission. These cluster canteens will be on the lines of branded food chains, where special food items made by Didis will be sold.
• 8 to 10 Didi's will get employment in a cluster canteen. These canteens will open in cities, where there is more footfall of people.
• Didi's will take full responsibility of the operations. In these canteens, employees and workers working in industries will get home-like food items at reasonable prices.
• According to C. Indumati, Director of Livelihood Mission, the canteen will open soon in Kanpur Industrial Estate. Apart from this, studies are being done to open canteens in industrial estates of cities like Aligarh, Varanasi, Mathura etc.

Socialist Thinker and Writer Sachchidanand Sinha received 'Satrachi Samman'

Why In News?

Socialist thinker and writer Sachchidanand Sinha was awarded the ‘Satrachi Samman’ for the year 2023 by the Satrachi Foundation at a function held in Muzaffarpur on September 20, 2023.

Key Points:

• Famous writer-thinker and political intellectual Sachchidanand Sinha was given a check of fifty-one thousand rupees, a certificate of honor, a cloth and a memento as a mark of respect.
• It is known that for Satrachchi Samman 2023, The selection committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Prof. Veer Bharat Talwar.
• It is noteworthy that ‘Satrachi Samman’ was started in 2021 by Satrachi Foundation, Patna. The objective of ‘Satrachi Samman’ is to ‘underline writings related to rightful social concerns.
• Premkumar Mani in 2021 and Prof. Chauthiram Yadav in 2022 have been honored with this recognition.
• Sachchidanand Sinha
  • Sachchidananda was born in 1928.
  • Sachchidanand Sinha remained active as a writer, thinker, speaker, journalist, editor and activist throughout his life. The sources of his ideology remained within the socialist ideology, but he expressed his belief in taking a critical view towards socialist politics and its leaders.
• Some of his major books: Chaos and Creation (Arup aur Akar), Sanskriti Vimarsh, Culture and Socialism, manav sabhyata aur rashtra-raajya, Adventures of Liberty, Zindagi: sabhyata ke hashiye par, kadavi phasal, nihattha paigambar, marksvaad ki lohiyawadi samiksha, naksali andolan ka vaicharik sankat, Emergency in Perspective - Reprieve and Challenge etc.

The State Level Organisation of Rajiv Gandhi Rural and Urban Olympic Games will be held in Jodhpur.

Why In News?

On September 20, 2023, Naresh Kumar Thakral, Government Secretary, Rajasthan Sports Department, said that the state level Rajiv Gandhi Rural and Urban Olympic Games is proposed to be organized in Jodhpur district from 25 to 28 September.

Key Points:

• At the state level, this game has 11 categories (Kabaddi, Shooting, Volleyball, Tennis Ball Cricket, Kho-Kho, Football, Tug of War, Athletics-100m, Athletics-200m, Athletics- 400m and Basketball) in total 50 districts. A total of 7 thousand 556 players have been selected from both rural and urban levels, out of which 4 thousand 91 are from the female category and 3 thousand 565 are from the male category.
• Earlier, these games had been successfully organized at the rural and panchayat level from 5th to 10th August, at the block level from 17th to 22nd August and at the district level from 1st to 6th September.
• It is noteworthy that in compliance with the budget announcement of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the year 2023-2024, a budget of Rs 150 crore has been approved for organizing the Rajiv Gandhi Rural and Urban Olympic Games.

Chief Minister Krishak Mitra Yojana’

Why In News?

On September 20, 2023, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the work of getting the beneficiaries to fill the forms under ‘Mukhyamantri Krishak Mitra Yojana’ to provide permanent agriculture pump connections to the farmers.

Key Points:

• In the state level programme held at Kushabhau Thakre Auditorium, Chief Minister Shri Chouhan launched the process of enrollment in the scheme by getting filled the applications of Smt. Namita Ranway of village Jinwaniya of Harda district and Shri Premnarayan Panwar of Bhairuda Sehore. The Chief Minister said that the implementation of the scheme is being started immediately.
• Chief Minister Chouhan said that under the scheme, permanent pump connections of 3 HP or more capacity will be provided at a distance of 200 meters (about 656.17 ft) through 11 KV. Works include extension of line, installation of distribution transformer and extension of low-pressure line cable.
• CM Shri Chouhan said that the scheme includes extension of 11KV line of distance up to 200 meters (about 656.17 ft) for permanent pump connection of 3 HP or more capacity, installation of distribution transformer and low-pressure line cable extension work.
• The expansion work including all the material under the scheme and its maintenance will be undertaken by the power distribution company. 50 percent of the cost of this work will be borne by the government and 50 percent by the farmer or farmer group.
• The Chief Minister said that the hard work, sacrifice and diligence of the farmers has made Madhya Pradesh the number one in the country in the agriculture sector. Our Sharbati wheat and Chinnor rice are getting international recognition. Food grain production in the state in 2002-03 was 159 lakh metric tonnes, which has now increased to 619 lakh metric tonnes.
• The government has planned for loans at 0% interest as well as adequate electricity and irrigation for farmers. It is our resolve to provide water for irrigation to every farmer. Ken-Betwa Link Project has been approved; this will further increase the area under irrigation in the state.
• The Chief Minister said that there was a time when total production of electricity in the state was only 2900 MW. Today more than 29-thousand-megawatt electricity is being produced in the state. Irrigation capacity has increased from 7 lakh hectares to 47 lakh hectares, our target is to irrigate an area of more than 65 lakh hectares.
• Provisions of the scheme
  • The power distribution company will do the work of infrastructure development and arrangement of material.
  • Farmers will have to give 50% of the cost of infrastructure development, 50 percent of the cost will be borne by the state government/power distribution company.
  • Maintenance of necessary line, transformer etc for the pump connection will also be done by the power distribution company.
  • If group of farmers apply then members of the group will have to bear the cost proportionately
  • Farmers will have to deposit only 50 percent of the amount
  • Due to the better quality of transformers and other materials, the power distribution company will now do uninterrupted power supply and all maintenance-related work.
  • The scheme will be effective for 2 years from its implementation, 10,000 farmers will benefit in the first year.

Haryana Government started a Cashless Facility for Government Employees and Pensioners of the State.

Why In News?

According to information received from the media on September 19, 2023, the Haryana government has started a cashless facility for the government employees and pensioners of the state.

Key Points:

• Government employees of the state will now be able to get four major health services without taking cash in the district hospitals running in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. The state health department has issued an order to this effect.
• In the order issued to all civil surgeons, the Health Department has said that the service providers should provide cashless services to the state government employees for all the services provided under PPP mode (CT scan, MRI, Dialysis and Cath Lab) in the district hospitals.

A Building will be Built for Five Health and Wellness Centres in Deoghar.

Why In News?

According to information received from the Health Department of Jharkhand on September 20, 2023, five new health and wellness centers will be constructed in the urban areas of Deoghar district of the state.

Key Points:

• Under the 15th financial year 2021-22, according to the Central Finance Commission and State Plan, it has been decided to construct five health and wellness centers in Deoghar Municipal Corporation and Madhupur Municipal Council area, under this an amount of Rs 1.72 crore will be provided by the state government for which approval has been granted.
• Health and wellness centers will be constructed in Chandajori, Baidyanathpur and Bariyarbandhi under Deoghar Municipal Corporation and in Chandmari and Lalgarh under Madhupur Municipal Council area.
• For this, about 2500 square feet of land has been provided by the district administration for the construction of each building. Earlier, a map was also prepared for this, according to which the building will be constructed.
• According to the Health Department, at present this center is being operated in the buildings of Ward Development Center of Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council at all these places. An amount of Rs 34 lakh 45 thousand has been approved for the construction of each building.

Chief Minister Participated in 'Mirror Now Summit-Chhattisgarh Path to Progress'

Why In News?

On September 20, 2023, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel participated in the program 'Mirror Now Summit-Chhattisgarh Path to Progress' organized by Times Group in a private hotel in the capital Raipur and spoke on the implementation of government schemes and positive results for the development of Chhattisgarh.

Key Points:

• Addressing the program, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that more than half of the country's population are farmers and more than 75 percent of the people in Chhattisgarh are involved in farming. We have made farming a profitable business and have worked to give them fair prices for their produce.
• He said that our priority has not only been focused on agriculture, but parallel to this we have done effective work towards social and economic empowerment of the people living in forests.
• Chief Minister Baghel, while speaking on the changes brought about in the lives of farmers and cattle herders by 'Godhan Nyay Yojana', said that before implementing it, a long study was done at the government level and only after that people were connected to it.
• Till now cow dung worth Rs 265 crore has been purchased and vermicompost worth about Rs 300 crore has been prepared. Also, out of 10 thousand 200 Gothans, 6500 Gothans have become self-reliant.
• He said that many allied activities are being conducted for livelihood in Gothan and more than 2 lakh women of more than 13 thousand self-help groups are getting employment.
• The Chief Minister said that the extent of Naxal affected areas has reduced and developmental works have been promoted in these areas. Now 67 types of forest produce are being purchased in the forest areas. Value addition to forest products has increased profits. The country's largest millet plant has been established in Chhattisgarh and it is also being purchased at support price.

2 Players from the State Selected for Para Asian Games 2022

Why In News?

According to information received from the media on September 20, 2023, 2 players from Uttarakhand have been selected in the Indian team for the Para Asian Games 2022 starting from October 16 in China.

Key Points:

• The selected players include Neelima Rai, resident of Kalinagar, Udham Singh Nagar of the state and Nirmala Mehta, resident of Haldwani.
• All-rounder Neelima Rai has been selected for lawn ball, throw ball, swimming and other para sports.
• It is known that Neelima Rai has so far won 22 medals in various competitions.
• Neelima Rai, honored with the 'Tilu Rauteli Award', is currently the captain of the Indian women's para throw ball.
• Haldwani resident Nirmala Mehta has been selected for the lawn ball game.

Vineeta Jagdish Chaudhary Received Uttarakhand Science Education Promotion Award

Why In News?

Vineeta Jagdish Choudhary, lecturer in Biology, working at the Government Girls Inter College, Fazilpur Mehraula, Rudrapur, has been honored with the Third Uttarakhand Vigyan Shiksha Prasar Samman 2023 in the Teachers Conclave organized at the IRTD Auditorium in Dehradun on September 17, 2023.

Key Points:

• Cooperative and Higher Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat and USRC Director Dr. Anil Rawat honored Vinita by presenting her with a citation, cash amount of Rs 11,000 and a shawl.
• It is noteworthy that this award is given to 15 teachers of the state for the work done in various fields.
• Vineeta has been given this honor because of the good work done in the field of science education in the state.
• Presently Vineeta is the Block Science Coordinator as well as the Eco Club in-charge.