State PCS

• 24 May 2024

Uttar Pradesh Tops in Transmission Line Addition

Why in News?

According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA),Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the leading state in terms of the addition of transmission lines by state transmission utilities in FY24.

Key Points

• In FY2024, the Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (UPPTCL) exceeded other state utilities by adding 1,460 ckm (circuit kilometer) of transmission lines rated at 220kV or higher.
  • The Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd (GETCO) came in second with 898 ckm additions by the end of FY24.
  • UPPTCL contributed slightly more than 20% of the overall increase from the state sector. Gujarat came second with a share of 13% in this increase. Following Gujarat were Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar.

Central Electricity Authority

• CEA is an organization originally constituted under Section 3(1) of the repealed Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, since substituted by Section 70 of the Electricity Act, 2003.
• One of its objectives is to formulate a National Electricity Plan every five years for optimum utilization of available resources for power generation.
• It works under the Ministry of Power and is located in New Delhi.

Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL)

• Established on 14^th January 2000, as the result of power sector reforms and restructuring in UP which is the focal point of the Power Sector, responsible for planning and managing the sector through its transmission, distribution and supply of electricity.
• It is a professionally managed utility supplying reliable and cost efficient electricity to every citizen of the state.

Red Alert in Jaipur

Why in News?

The Jaipur weather office has issued a red alert as temperatures are predicted to exceed 49 degrees in various parts of Rajasthan, emphasizing the importance of taking "extreme care for vulnerable individuals."

Key Points

• According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the heatwave will continue over the next few days. Severe heat wave conditions will be recorded in Jodhpur, Bikaner divisions and Shekhawati region.
  • To provide some relief from the scorching heat, the Bikaner district administration has started sprinkling water on the roads in various areas of the city.
  • Additionally, the State government has cancelled the leave of officers and employees of the Water Department to ensure an uninterrupted supply of drinking water.

India Meteorological Department (IMD)

• About:
  • It is the National Meteorological Service of the country and the principal government agency in all matters relating to meteorology and allied subjects.
  • It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
• Objectives:
  • To take meteorological observations and to provide current and forecast meteorological information for optimum operation of weather-sensitive activities like agriculture, irrigation, shipping, aviation, offshore oil explorations, etc.
  • To warn against severe weather phenomena like tropical cyclones, norwesters, dust storms, heavy rains and snow, cold and heat waves, etc., which cause destruction of life and property.
  • To provide meteorological statistics required for agriculture, water resource management, industries, oil exploration and other nation-building activities.
  • To conduct and promote research in meteorology and allied disciplines.

Backlash Over Haryana Govt.’s E-initiatives

Why in News?

The Haryana government is facing a backlash from a section of stakeholders over some of its e-initiatives, the opposition has turned it into an election issue and promised to roll them back on coming to power.

Key Points

• Parivar Pehchan Patra and Meri Fasal Mera Byora are the e-initiatives, due to which the government is facing backlash.
  • The Parivar Pehchan Patra has been marred by privacy concerns and large-scale discrepancies in user details, causing inconvenience to people.
  • According to the sources, Meri Fasal Mera Byora, which provides multiple services to farmers through a single portal, was a good initiative, but poor implementation and loopholes not just caused hassles to farmers but also led to instances of fraud and corruption.

Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) Scheme

• Background: PPP scheme was formally launched in July 2019 to achieve Haryana government’s vision for ‘paperless’ and ‘faceless’ delivery of schemes, services and benefits offered by the state government.
  • Under this, each family is considered a single unit and gets an 8-digit unique identification number, called family ID.
  • Family IDs are also linked to independent schemes like scholarships, subsidies and pensions, so as to ensure consistency and reliability.
  • It also enables automatic selection of beneficiaries of various schemes, subsidies and pensions.
• Objective: The primary objective of Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) is to create authentic, verified and reliable data of all families in Haryana.

Meri Fasal Mera Byora

• It was launched in 2022, for the convenience of the farmers of the state for redressal of grievances of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
• Through this portal, farmers can register their complaints from anywhere.

Madhya Pradesh's Buddhist Circuit

Why in News?

The Buddhist circuit at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh attracted many pilgrims from around the globe for Buddha Purnima, a significant festival celebrated by Buddhist every year on 23^rd May 2024.

Key Points

• The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) is developing a Buddhist circuit that will connect Sanchi and other destinations in the state with Bodhgaya and Sarnath, two major centers of Buddhism of the country.
  • The aim is to educate Buddhist pilgrims visiting these places about the Buddhist heritage destinations in MP.
• Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the MPTB has spent Rs 70 crore to develop destinations like Sachi, Mandsaur, Dhar, Satna, Rewa, Satdhara, Sonari, Murel Khurd and Gyaraspur.
  • The project includes the enhancement of Marshall House, the foothill, approach roads, the hilltop, light and sound show, tourist facilitation center in Sanchi, landscaping around Chaitanya Giri Vihar, the development and beautification of Kanak Sagar Lake located at the base of Sanchi, a Buddhist theme park, beautification of Square Road Junction, improvement of the path from the railway station to the Stupa foothill, and the construction of meditation kiosk and complex in Satdhara, Sonari,Murel Khurda, and Gyaraspur near Sanchi.

Buddha Purnima

• Buddha Purnima also known as Vesak, commemorates the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as Gautama Buddha and founded Buddhism.
  • Celebrated primarily in South, Southeast, and East Asia, it falls on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Vaisakha, typically in April or May.
• It is considered a 'triple-blessed day' as it marks Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and Maha Parnirvana. It has been recognised by the United Nations as the ‘UN Day of Vesak’ since 1999.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

• It was launched in 2014-15 for integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits — Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Northeast Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Wildlife Circuit and Tribal Circuit.
• It is 100% centrally funded and efforts are made to achieve convergence with other schemes of Central and State Governments and also to leverage the voluntary funding available for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Central Public Sector Undertakings and Corporate Sector.

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Sets New Record

Why in News?

According to the sources, Madhya Pradesh greeted over 110 million tourists in 2023, achieving a historic milestone for the state’s tourism.

Key Points

• The year 2023 witnessed a significant increase in the number of tourists, with a remarkable 112.1 million visitors, compared to 34.1 million in 2022.
  • Ujjain, known as one of India’s most sacred cities, emerged as the most popular destination, drawing over 52.8 million pilgrims and travelers.
• Five of the state’s top ten most visited places were revered religious sites, including Ujjain, Maihar, Chitrakoot, Omkareshwar, and Salkanpur, highlighting the growing appeal of spiritual tourism.
  • Key initiatives such as Mahakal Lok in Ujjain and Ektma Dham in Omkareshwar played a pivotal role in bolstering visitor numbers.
• The 24^th of May, commemorating the foundation day of the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC), doubles up as Madhya Pradesh Tourism Day, symbolizing the state’s commitment to nurturing its tourism sector.

Shri Mahakal Lok

• The temple is believed to be governed by Mahakaleshwar, which means the ‘Lord of time’ i.e., Lord Shiva. As per Hindu mythology, the temple was constructed by Lord Brahma and is presently located alongside the holy river Kshipra.
• Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain is one of the 12 jyotirlingas considered the most sacred abodes of Shiva. The shrine is revered as one the 18 Maha Shaktia Peeth in India.
  • It is the only jyotirlinga facing the south, while all the others face east. This is because the direction of death is believed to be the south.
• In fact, people worship Mahakaleshwar to prevent an untimely death.
• According to the Puranas, Lord Shiva pierced the world as an endless pillar of light, called the jyotirlinga.
  • Besides Mahakal, these include Somnath and Nageshwar in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, Bhimashankar, Triyambakeshwar and Grishneshwar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi, Baidyanath in Jharkhand, and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.