• 23 Jan 2024

Hisar Airport to be Operational by April 2024

Why in News?

Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Hisar, Haryana will be open for commercial operations from April 2024.

Key Points

• The state government held talks with Alliance Air to start flights from Hisar to cities like Chandigarh, Jaipur and Ahmedabad and that the carrier has already obtained necessary licences from DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) for the operations from the airport.
• According to the sources, it will be a greenfield airport conceived in an area over 7,000 acres which will be implemented in three different phases. Phase 1 was already implemented a few years ago.
  • Under phase 2, a runway of 10,000 feet, a terminal building with an annual capacity of 2.1 million passengers and all the related facilities for cargo and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) of the aviation ecosystem were in place.
• In addition to the Hisar airport, the state government has developed five airstrips in Haryana.

Sariska Tiger Roaming in Haryana

Why in News?

A male tiger believed to have strayed from Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan has been spotted in a village near Masani barrage in Rewari, Haryana.

• The tiger is identified as ST-2302.

Key Points

• Forest and wildlife teams from Haryana and Rajasthan are collaboratively tracking the three-year-old tiger.
  • While monitoring the situation, authorities are taking precautions to prevent any untoward incidents in case the tiger ventures into human-inhabited areas.

Sariska Tiger Reserve

• It is located in Aravali hills and forms a part of the Alwar District of Rajasthan.
• Sariska was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and was declared the tiger reserve later in 1978, making it a part of India's Project Tiger.
• Kankarwadi fort is located in the centre of the Reserve and it is said that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh at this fort in struggle for succession to the throne.

Note

• Kalesar National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary:
  • It is located on the Siwalik foothills. It is contiguous to Rajaji National Park (Uttarakhand) and Simbalbara National Park (Himachal Pradesh).
• Sultanpur National Park:
  • It is a Ramsar Site located 15 km from Gurugram.
  • The park is famous for migratory birds.
• Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary:
  • It is a human-made freshwater wetland.
• Other Wildlife Sanctuaries of Haryana:
  • Morni Hills (Khol-Hi-Raitan) Wildlife Sanctuary & Bir Shikargarh Wildlife Sanctuary located in the Shivalik hills.
  • Chhilchhila Lake Wildlife Sanctuary (Seonthi Reserve Forest) in Kurukshetra district.
  • Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary in Jhajjar district.

Uttarakhand CM Initiates First Phase of Scholarship Scheme

Why in News?

Recently, Uttarakhand Chief Minister provided an amount of Rs 33 lakh 52 thousand through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the account of 241 students in the first phase of the Chief Minister’s Higher Education Promotion Scholarship Scheme.

Key Points

• This amount was provided to the students entering their first year of graduation at the university campuses and government colleges in the state.
• The students having a minimum of 80% of the faculty-wise merit list prepared at the college level, monthly scholarships of Rs 3000, 2000 and Rs 1500 will be provided to the first, second and third respectively.
• Scholarships distributed for other classes will be done after verification on the Samarth Portal from the concerned institute level.
• The main objective of starting this scheme is to bring forward the talents of students from ordinary families.

Chief Minister’s Higher Education Promotion Scholarship Scheme

• It was announced on 31^st May 2023 by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
• The main objective behind launching the Scheme is to encourage students to pursue higher education by providing them monthly financial assistance.
• Only Graduate and Post Graduate Students are eligible for scholarship.

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)

• It is an initiative launched by the Government of India on January 1st, 2013, with the aim of reforming the government delivery system.
• It is designed to streamline and expedite the transfer of information and funds to beneficiaries while also reducing fraudulent practices within the system.
• DBT enables the direct transfer of government subsidies, benefits, and assistance to the intended recipients, ensuring a more efficient and transparent delivery mechanism.

Uttarakhand Renames Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve

Why in News?

Ahead of the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol at the Ayodhya temple, the 5,800-hectare Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve in Ramnagar forest division, is renamed as Sitabani Conservation Reserve.

Key Points

• According to the officials, there is an ancient temple dedicated to Mother Sita and the Maharishi Valmiki Ashram inside the reserve, where she is said to have stayed with her sons Luv and Kush after she left Ayodhya.
  • Both the structures are being maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve (PCR)

• It is located in the Nainital District of the hill state of Uttarakhand. It was designated as a Conservation Reserve in December, 2012.
• The total area of PCR is 58.25 sq. km which lies in the beautiful, vast and rich forests of Ramnagar Forest Division, Ramnagar.
• The reserve is home to more than 33 species of mammals, 365 species of birds and more than 400 species of flora.

Note

• In 2021, Union minister of state for forest, during his visit to Corbett National Park had written in the visitor’s book that the national park’s name should be changed to Ramganga National Park after he learnt from forest officials that Corbett had different names in the past, one being Ramganga.
  • The reserve came into existence in 1936 and was named Hailey National Park after the first Lieutenant Governor Governor of the United Provinces.
  • It got notified as a reserve in December 2012.

Uttarakhand Airports Soon to be International

Why in News?

Uttarakhand Chief Minister announced that the airports in Dehradun and Pantnagar would soon attain international status.

Key Points

• Jolly Grant in Dehradun and Pantnagar in Udham Singh Nagar are pivotal airports for the state.
  • Jolly Grant being the primary airport and the nearest gateway to the picturesque town of Mussoorie.
  • Pantnagar serves as the closest airport to the serene Nainital.
• This move is expected to enhance connectivity and boost tourism, opening up new avenues for economic growth in the state.
• In addition to this, the CM also revealed an ambitious vision for the development of a new township near Dehradun.
  • The township is set to be established in Haripur, near Kalsi in the Dehradun district, equipped with modern facilities to cater to the needs of the residents.
• This development aligns with the government’s broader agenda of creating sustainable urban infrastructure to support the state’s growing population.

Uttarakhand CM Releases Calendar

Why in News?

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami released the annual calendar "Strong Leadership, Prosperous Uttarakhand" of the Information and Public Relations Department, Uttarakhand.

Key Points

• Through this annual calendar, major religious and tourist places, local products, natural beauty, mythological places of all 13 districts of Uttarakhand were shown through pictures.
• Efforts were made to attract people's attention towards the state's tourism policy, solar energy policy, empowered women-rich state, sensitivity towards youth and the work done by the government for investment-employment-prosperity.
• The CM gave instructions the officials in a high-level meeting:
  • Continuous efforts should be made towards water conservation and awareness campaigns should also be conducted for this.
  • To make people aware of digital transactions and to run cleanliness campaigns regularly.
  • Vocal for Local should be promoted rapidly in the state.
  • To continuously work on promoting tourism more rapidly and promoting natural farming in the state.
  • To run awareness campaigns from time to time to include food and sports in their daily routine and to stay away from drugs and addiction.