• 24 Nov 2021

35% MLAs in Uttar Pradesh have Criminal Cases : ADR Report

Why in News

• A press release was issued by Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reform (ADR) on November 23, 2021 after analyzing the financial, criminal and other details of 396 out of 403 sitting MLAs of the Assembly.

Key Points

• The analysis is based on the affidavits submitted by candidates in the 2017 Assembly elections and the by-elections that followed.
• As per the ADR, it was found that out of 396 MLAs in the Assembly, 140 or 35 percent MLAs have criminal cases and 106 or 27 percent MLAs have serious criminal cases.
• Party wise, 106 out of 304 MLAs of BJP, 18 out of 49 MLAs of SP and 2 MLAs out of 18 of BSP and 1 MLA of Congress have criminal cases pending against them.
• The report further said that of the 396 MLAs in the Assembly, 313 or 79 percent were crorepatis.
• The BJP has the highest number of crorepati MLAs (235 out of 304) with 77 percent while 42 out of 49 (86 percent) MLAs of Samajwadi Party were crorepatis. Apart from this, 15 out of 16 MLAs of BSP and five out of seven MLAs of Congress are crorepatis.
• The average assets of MLAs was Rs 5.85 crores. Among the main parties, the average assets of 304 MLAs of BJP is Rs 5.04 crore, that of 49 MLAs of Samajwadi Party is Rs 6.07 crore, of 16 MLAs of BSP is Rs 19.27 crore and the average assets of 7 MLAs of Congress is Rs 10.06 crore.
• BSP MLA from Mubarakpur Assembly constituency, Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali, has total assets of more than Rs 118 crores and tops the list of crorepati MLAs, followed by BSP's Vinayshankar Tiwari from Chillupar Assembly seat with assets of more than Rs. 67 crore.
• Out of 396 MLAs, 95 have declared their educational qualification between 8th to 12th class passed, 290 MLAs have declared themselves as graduates or above, 4 MLAs have are illiterate and 5 MLAs were Diploma holders.
• Apart from this, 206 MLAs are aged between 25 and 50 years and 190 MLAs are between 51 and 80 years.

Urja Saksharta Abhiyan

Why in News

• A meeting of the Council of Ministers was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on November 23, 2021. It was decided by the cabinet that "Urja Saksharta Abhiyan" would be launched at the state level to make all the citizens of the state energy literate. Through the campaign, the citizens of the state will be given information about energy saving.

Key Points

• Taking a step towards tackling the effects of global warming and climate change, the state government is starting an "Urja Literacy Campaign" (Urja Saksharta Abhiyan).
• Efforts will be made to make all the citizens of the state energy literate according to the time bound action plan under the Urja Saksharta Abhiyan.
• In this, to develop an understanding of the expenditure and dissipation of energy in the general public, to give information about traditional and alternative sources of energy and to create an understanding of their impact on the environment, meaningful dialogue about the use of energy and energy, about energy conservation and management, Organized activities such as creating awareness about the impacts of energy use, making decisions for its efficient use based on understanding the consequences, mitigating environmental risks and negative impacts of climate change and enabling selection of different energy technologies.
• Through this unique campaign, the students of schools and colleges and the general public will be given information about energy and energy saving.
• The campaign will be implemented as a mission.

Balaghat Ranks First in the Country in the Field of Fish Production

Why in News

• Recently, Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh has got the first place in the country for excellent work in the field of fisheries development.

Key Points

• Balaghat district was given the first prize on World Fisheries Day (21 November) in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. The survey covered 70 districts of the country.
• Rs.3 lakh and Memento was given by the Government of India as a reward. Director Fisheries Bharat Singh and Deputy Director Fisheries Industry Balaghat Shashi Prabha received this award.
• Bharat Singh informed that Balaghat district has received the Best Inland State award for doing excellent work for RAS, Biofloc, Cage and economic progress of women and children.
• Balaghat has distributed/established 2 feed mills, 23 retail markets, 2 kiosks, 10 Biofloc, 280 two wheelers, 5 three wheelers, 160 cage cultures etc in the last three years. Under PMMSY scheme, 2288 beneficiaries have been benefited and in Savings-cum-Relief scheme, 7292 beneficiaries have been benefited.

IISF-2021 Curtain Razor Launched

Why in News?

• The Curtain Razor of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2021 was launched by Om Prakash Sakhlecha, Minister of Science & Technology and MSME, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 23rd November, 2021.

Key Points

• This festival was organized under the joint aegis of Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology and Madhya Pradesh Private University Regulatory Commission.
• This time the festival will be organized in both virtual and direct mode. The celebration will also highlight the contribution of Indian scientists on the occasion of 75 years of independence.
• Dr. Anil Kothari, Director General of Madhya Pradesh Science Council said that this is the biggest science festival in Asia.
• The five pillars of the science festival are Freedom Struggle (it will introduce Indian scientists associated with the freedom struggle), Ideas at Seventy Five (inviting new ideas from the youth), Achievements at Seventy Five (in this 75 years of achievements), Action at Seventy Five (It will have 75 action plans for New India), Resolve at Seventy Five (It will have 75 resolutions for self-reliant India).
• Chief Scientist of the Council Dr. Rakesh Kumar Arya told in the presentation on IISF 2021 that the 7^th Science Festival will be held in Panaji from 10-13 December. There will be 12 events including Science Film and Science Literature Festival and Mega Science and Technology Expo exhibition will also be organized.

Sports Policy Approved by Uttarakhand Cabinet

Why in News?

• On November 23, 2021, in the cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami, the draft of the New Sports Policy 2021 was approved. As a policy, the government will set up centers of excellence for high priority sports in different parts of the state.

Key Points

• With the implementation of sports policy, opportunities will open for the players of the state to show their talent at the national and international level.
• In the sports policy, while every year 2600 players across the state will be given a scholarship of Rs 2,000 per month, on the other hand, physical and sports aptitude tests will be implemented to identify the players from the age of eight.
• Sports Minister Arvind Pandey said that 'Uttarakhand Sports Policy 2021' is excellent and effective for the development and upgradation of sports culture in the state. Nowadays the interest of youth in sports has increased in the country and many possibilities have taken shape, in view of this, Uttarakhand Sports Policy-2021 was formulated by the state government in the interest of youth in the state.
• State government will select 300 children (150 boys and 150 girls) in each district of the state in the age group of 8 to 14 years and these 3,900 children will be provided a scholarship of Rs 1,500 per month. Similarly, 200 children in the age group of 14 to 23 years will be given a scholarship of Rs 2,000 per month by marking them in each district.
• Under the 'Uttarakhand Sports Policy 2021', children and youth affected by electronic culture will be motivated towards sports and move towards play field culture.
• Sports policy includes sports, upgradation of sportspersons, locating, nurturing and nurturing sports talent, increasing interest in sports, planning of sportspersons, arrangement of extra nutrients food diet along with normal diet, employment opportunities for sportspersons and complete Provision has been made to provide facilities.
• Under this policy, the state government has made provision for government jobs for medal winners in all categories of international and national sporting events.