• 25 Nov 2022

International Agriculture Research Center will be Established in Gorakhpur University

Why In News?

Recently, in a meeting chaired by the Vice-Chancellor of Gorakhpur University, Prof. Rajesh Singh, it was informed that the Consortium of International Agriculture Research Center (GCIAR) will be established at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Gorakhpur.

Key Points

• With the establishment of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Center (GCIAR) at the Institute of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, Gorakhpur, the development of improved varieties of wheat, maize and paddy seeds in Purvanchal will also provide extensive experience to the students in the field of research.
• Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajesh Singh said that the development of progressive varieties of wheat, maize and paddy in the research center will help in doubling the income of the farmers.

1890 Government Schools of Bihar got Solar Power

Why In News?

Recently, in a meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary of Bihar Education Department Deepak Kumar Singh, it was informed that under the 'Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan', roof top solar power plants have been installed in 1890 government schools of Bihar.

Key Points

• The roof top solar power plants that have been installed on the roof of these government schools in the state are grid connected.
• Deepak Kumar Singh told that there are 1230 schools in these schools, whose approved power load is two kilowatt peak.
• He said that roof top solar power plants will be installed on the roof of basic schools and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Residential Schools in the districts where Shiksha Bhawan has been constructed.
• Director of Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA) said that it is mandatory to take a three-phase connection in the buildings where the connection of approved electricity load above 15 kW peak is and this connection will be installed.
• It was decided in the meeting that a hybrid solar power plant of 15 kW peak will be installed in the administrative buildings of District Institute of Education and Training (DIET). Apart from this, grid connected roof top power plants will also be installed on other buildings.
• In the meeting, the BREDA Director requested the officers of the Education Department that in schools where there is a connection of less than two kilowatt peak electricity load, the consumer number should be given so that the district agency can be informed.
• It was informed in the meeting that solar power plants will be installed in all schools and other buildings of the Education Department. Apart from this, IIT Patna will set up state-of-the-art science labs in 50 model higher secondary schools of Bihar.
• The Model Science Lab is to be set up in two phases. In the first phase, science labs will be set up in seven higher secondary schools of Patna district at a cost of Rs 1.05 crore and in the second phase, the remaining 43 labs will be set up. At least one model lab must be set up in each district.

Many Important Decisions Taken in Rajasthan Cabinet Meeting

Why In News?

In the meeting of the State Cabinet chaired by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on November 24, 2022, several important decisions were taken including giving more opportunities of promotion to the state personnel, promoting tourism of Rajasthan, amendment in Rajasthan Civil Service (Absorption of Ex-Servicemen) Rules, approval on the proposal of Rajasthan Homeless Upliftment and Rehabilitation Policy.

Key Points

• In this meeting, the cabinet has approved Rajasthan Rural Tourism Scheme-2022. This scheme, prepared in the cradle of the budget announcement for the year 2022-23, will give a boost to rural tourism. With this, employment will be created in the villages and rural handicrafts will be protected by the establishment of tourism units such as rural guest houses, agricultural tourism units, camping sites, caravan parks to be established in rural areas. At the same time, domestic and foreign tourists will be able to get acquainted with the rural culture of Rajasthan.
• Under the scheme, the provisions of setting up and operation of rural tourism units will allow units on a minimum of 1000 square meters on a 15 feet wide road and a maximum of 2 hectares of agricultural land. These units will not require land conversion and building plan approval. These include 100 percent exemption in stamp duty.
• The Cabinet approved the 'Rajasthan Homeless Upliftment and Rehabilitation Policy-2022'. Under this policy, provisions have been made to provide roof with minimum space of 50 square feet per person, proper privacy and security to special category people like women, mentally challenged and sick. Apart from this, there are various provisions in the policy including providing basic necessities like drinking water, medical facilities, adequate fire safety measures and operating shelter homes for homeless persons. With this decision, education, skills and employment will be provided to the homeless and empowered.
• In the meeting, the Cabinet also took a major decision to amend the Rajasthan Civil Services (Absorption of Ex-Servicemen) Rules, 1988. This will provide horizontal category-wise reservation to ex-servicemen in state recruitments . The amendment will also provide proportionate representation to SC/ST ex-servicemen in direct recruitments as a whole. Apart from this, proper representation of general candidates of backward classes (other than ex-servicemen) will also be ensured from the posts reserved for backward classes.
• It is noteworthy that after recruitment in the existing recruitment rules of ex-servicemen, they are adjusted in the category related to them. This system is reducing the selection of SC/ST ex-servicemen due to adjustment of ex-servicemen in their category. Also, due to the reservation fixed for ex-servicemen, the selected candidates are adjusted in their category, due to which such candidates of backward classes, who are not ex-servicemen, are also not being properly represented in some recruitments.
• In the cabinet meeting, Schedule-1 of the Rajasthan Computer State and Subordinate Services Rules, 1992 was amended. According to this, the existing provision of 50 percent direct recruitment and 50 percent promotion for appointment to the post of programmer can be amended to 40 percent direct recruitment and 60 percent promotion. This will give more promotion opportunities to the serving personnel.
• The Cabinet approved amendments to the Rajasthan Commercial Tax Subordinate Services (General Branch) Rules, 1975. Under this, the quota of promotion from tax assistant to junior commercial tax officer has been increased from 37.5 percent to 87.5 percent. With this decision, the personnel working on the post of tax assistant will get the benefit of promotion.
• The Cabinet has approved the proposal to amend the Rajasthan Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2017. Under this amendment, the creation of a new post of Joint Director in Rajasthan Prosecution Service, pay-level L-20 to L-21 for the post of Additional Director in Rajasthan Prosecution Service and new post of Chief Superintendent in Rajasthan Motor Garage Service (Pay Level L-17) will be created. This will provide an opportunity of additional promotion to the officers of Rajasthan Prosecution Service and Rajasthan Motor Garage Service.

The area of Shri Mata Mansa Devi Temple will be made a 'Holi Complex'

Why In News?

Recently, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal informed the meeting of Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board held at Haryana Secretariat in Chandigarh that the area of Mata Mansa Devi Temple in Panchkula of the state will be made 'Holi Complex '.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister said that liquor shops will be closed in the designated area of Mansa Devi temple. There will be a complete ban on the sale of liquor in an area of about 2.5 km from the temple area. Along with this, the contracts that are currently there will also be allotted elsewhere.
• He said that the Sanskrit College being built in Shri Mata Mansa Devi campus will be run by the Shrine Board. The appointment of staff in this college, their salary and fees charged from the students will be decided by the Shrine Board. This is a unique initiative to promote Sanskrit.
• Significantly, the foundation stone of this college has been laid. The Shrine Board has provided land for this. Construction work will start soon.
• The Chief Minister said that the building of the old age home being built in the premises of Shri Mata Mansa Devi Temple is almost ready. For its operation, the board has been instructed to prepare a plan as soon as possible, so that it can be operated effectively.
• He also directed to complete the work of National Institute of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy and Sanskrit Gurukul to be built in Shri Mata Mansa Devi Temple at the earliest.

Expo Utsav 2022

Why In News?

On November 24, 2022, Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais inaugurated the Expo Utsav 2022 at Morhabadi Ground in Ranchi. The festival will continue till November 28. Many big brands of the country and the world are participating in this expo festival.

Key Points

• This expo festival has been organized by Ranchi Junior Chamber. This is the silver jubilee year of the expo festival. This year, the expo will have 325 stalls.
• There will be new food items at the expo festival. This year, there will be a separate hangar for real estate in the name of 'Apna Ghar'. Efforts are being made to promote new entrepreneurs through startup zones. Apart from this, pink hangar has been built to encourage women, in which ladies will be entrepreneurs.
• Significantly, many things have been brought for children in this year's expo festival. An amusement park has been set up for children, in which more than 15 types of swings have been installed. A QR code has been prepared for the people coming to the expo, so that people can get information about all the stalls as soon as they scan it.

New Fisheries Policy

Why In News?

In the meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on November 24, 2022, the amendment was approved in the new fisheries policy of Chhattisgarh state keeping in mind the interests of fishermen.

Key Points

• In order to preserve the demand and interests of the fishermen community, the new fisheries policy has decided to lease out ponds and reservoirs instead of auctioning them for fish farming and give priority to the people of hereditary-traditional fishermen community.
• Provision has been made to connect more and more fishermen with livelihood by reducing the water area allocation limit of ponds and irrigation reservoirs by 50 percent.
• Reducing the allocated water area limit condition from the value per member will double the number of fish farmers benefited.
• According to the revised new fisheries policy, ponds and irrigation reservoirs for fisheries will no longer be auctioned, but will be given on a 10-year lease.
• In the allotment of pond and reservoir, priority will be given to Dhimar, Nishad, Kenwat, Kahar, Kahra, Mallah's fishermen group and fisheries cooperative society in general area and Scheduled Tribe fishermen group and fisheries cooperative society in scheduled tribe notified area.
• Fisherman means a person who earns his livelihood, fishing, fishing or fish seed production, under which priority is proposed to be given to hereditary-traditional Dhivar (Dhimar), Nishad (Kenwat), Kahar, Kahra, Mallah.
• Similarly, fishermen groups and fisheries cooperative societies or fishermen individuals will be allotted half a hectare of water area instead of a maximum of one hectare in case of rural pond and two hectares of water area per member/per person in place of four hectares in case of irrigation reservoir.
• Till now, the audit of the committees formed for fisheries was done only by the Cooperative Department. Now in the revised new fisheries policy, the responsibility of joint team audit of cooperation and fisheries department has been given.
• Under the three-tier panchayat system, the gram panchayat will have the right to allot ponds and irrigation reservoirs of zero to 10 hectare average water area on lease for 10 years.
• District Panchayat more than 10 hectare and up to 100 hectare, District Panchayat more than 100 hectare and up to 200 hectare average water area, fishery department lease more than 200 hectare and 1000 hectare average water area reservoir, barrage to fishermen group and fisheries cooperative society But will give
• All the water areas under the urban body will be under the urban body, which will be allotted on lease for 10 years as per the policy of the government.

Important Decisions Taken in the Meeting of Chhattisgarh Council of Ministers

Why In News?

In the meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on November 24, 2022, several other important decisions including the decision to amend the Chhattisgarh District Mineral Institute Rules, 2015 were taken.

Key Points

• It has been decided to amend the Chhattisgarh District Mineral Institute Rules 2015 regarding the restriction of fixed percentage of the amount received in the trust fund for expenditure on infrastructure work edited by the District Mineral Institute Trust. Under this, the provision of spending 20 percent of the amount available in other priority heads of DMF in the general area and 40 percent in the notified area has been abolished, this will speed up the work of infrastructure, which will accelerate social and economic development in the state.
• The products will be manufactured by forest produce-based industries set up on the basis of tripartite MoU signed between the State Government Chhattisgarh State Forest Produce Association and private investors. Under the Chhattisgarh Herbal Brand, the government has decided to sell through Sanjeevani and other means while purchasing with a discount of 40 percent.
• As a result of this decision, those industries who want to manufacture forest produce-based products will get a boost. Along with this, good quality products will be sold under Chhattisgarh Herbal.
• The proposal of Chhattisgarh Public Service, Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Amendment Bill 2022 was approved.
• The proposal for reservation amendment bill in admission to Chhattisgarh educational institution was approved.
• The Chhattisgarh Appropriation Bill 2022 was approved for the assembly's deputation of the second supplementary estimate year 2022-23 .
• The proposal to extend the prescribed period from December 31, 2017 to December 31, 2018 for withdrawal of cases of ordinary nature pending in various courts of the state in public interest was approved.
• The proposal of the Chief Minister to increase the voluntary grant amount from Rs 70 crore to Rs 110 crore was approved.
• According to the amendment of the Government of India, the amendment proposal submitted by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department in the Revenue Book Circular Section 6 No. 4 was approved.

Helidrome will be Built on the Lines of International Airport in Sahastradhara

Why In News?

On November 24, 2022, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Secretary Dilip Jawalkar informed that a Helidrome will be constructed with modern facilities in Dehradun Sahastradhara by the next travel season.

Key Points

• It is noteworthy that the crowd of passengers is increasing in the Heli service being operated from Sirsi, Guptkashi, Phata for Kedarnath Dham. In view of this, a proposal is being prepared to operate Heli service from Sahastradhara to Kedarnath, Badrinath from next year.
• The proposal will be sent to the government through the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). For operation of Heli service, an offer will be made by UCADA to the aviation company and after getting the permission of DGCA, passengers from Dehradun will also get the benefit of Heli service directly.
• Here passengers will get facilities on the lines of international airports. The Helidrome will have a capacity of 500 passengers. Apart from the parking of the helicopter, passengers will get a variety of facilities at the airport.
• Municipal corporation land will be acquired for Sahastradhara helipad expansion on behalf of UCADA. For this, Rs 13 crore will be paid to the Municipal Corporation in lieu of the land.