• 27 Dec 2021

Defense Minister Lays Foundation Stone of BrahMos Missile Manufacturing Unit in Lucknow

Why in News

• On December 26, 2021, Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of BrahMos Aerospace Cruise Missile Manufacturing Unit and Defense Technology Test Center of DRDO in Lucknow.

Key Points

• BrahMos is a joint venture between Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) of India and NPOM, Russia to develop next generation supersonic missiles for the Indian Army.
• The BrahMos project is expected to create 5,500 new jobs, while the supporting supply chain will create an additional 10,000 jobs.
• It may be mentioned that the three wings of the Indian Defense Forces - the Army, Air Force and Navy - have already inducted the BrahMos advanced weapon system.

CM Launches Smartphone, Tablet Distribution Work to Students

Why in News

• On December 25, 2021, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the distribution of one crore free smartphones and tablets on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in another initiative to empower the youth of the state.

Key Points

• He presented one lakh smartphones and tablets to final year students at Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
• It is noteworthy that according to the announcement made by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, one crore youth of the state will be given free smartphones and tablets to make them technologically advanced. Under this, he distributed 60,000 smartphones and 40,000 tablets to the youth in the first phase.
• On this occasion, the Chief Minister also launched 'Digi Shakti Portal' and 'Digi Shakti Adhyayan App'. Digi Shakti Study App is installed on all smartphones and tablets.
• The concerned university or department will provide the study material to the students through Digi Shakti Adhyayan App. Along with this, information about employment related schemes and other similar youth welfare schemes will also be given by the government through boot logo and wallpaper.

Uttar Pradesh in Good Governance Index, 2021

Why in News

• On the occasion of Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021, the Good Governance Index (GGI) was released by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in which Uttar Pradesh has got 5th rank in Group 'B'.

Key Points

• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• Uttar Pradesh has secured 5th rank in Group 'B' with a score of 4.628 in the overall ranking of Good Governance Index, while Madhya Pradesh has been ranked first in Group 'B'. Gujarat has secured first rank in Group 'A'.
• Uttar Pradesh has increased its score by 8.9 percent as compared to the previous index (2019). Last time its score was 4.25, which has now increased to 4.63.
• Uttar Pradesh has basically made reforms in the social welfare and development and judicial and public security sectors.
• The Good Governance Index is based on 10 sectors, in which Uttar Pradesh's ranking and score are as follows-

Category	Uttar Pradesh Ranking	Score
1. Agriculture and Allied Sectors	7th	0.435
2. Commerce and Industry Sector	1st	0.680
3. Human Resource Development Sector	2nd	0.568
4. Public Health Sector	8th	0.167
5. Public Infrastructure and Utility Sectors	7th	0.537
6. Economic Governance Sector	7th	0.337
7. Social Welfare and Development	7th	0.448
8. Judicial and Public Security	3rd	0.322
9. Environmental Sector	4th	0.333
10. Citizen Centric Governance	2nd	0.802

Bihar in Good Governance Index, 2021

Why in News

• On the occasion of Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021, the Good Governance Index was released by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in which Bihar has got 6th rank in Group 'B'.

Key Points

• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• Bihar has secured 6th rank in Group 'B' with a score of 4.624 in the overall ranking of Good Governance Index, Madhya Pradesh has secured first rank in this group and Gujarat has secured first rank in Group 'A'.
• Bihar has increased its score by 5 percent as compared to the previous index (2019). Last time its score was 4.40, which has now increased to 4.624.
• Bihar has basically improved in public infrastructure and utilities, social welfare and development sector and judicial and public security sector.
• The Good Governance Index is based on 10 sectors, in which Bihar's ranking and score are as follows-

Sectors	Bihar Ranking	Score
1. Agriculture and Allied Sectors	6th	0.442
2. Commerce and Industry Sector	7th	0.626
3. Human Resource Development Sector	3rd	0.507
4. Public Health Sector	3rd	0.287
5. Public Infrastructure and Utility Sectors	1st	0.754
6. Economic Governance Sector	5th	0.417
7. Social Welfare and Development	8th	0.385
8. Judicial and Public Security	7th	0.227
9. Environmental Sector	7th	0.330
10. Citizen Centric Governance	4th	0.469

Rajasthan in Good Governance Index, 2021

Why in News

• On the occasion of Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021, the Good Governance Index was released by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in which Rajasthan has got the second rank in Group 'B'.

Key Points

• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• Rajasthan has secured second rank in Group 'B' with a score of 4.884 in the overall ranking of Good Governance Index, Madhya Pradesh has secured first rank in this group and Gujarat has secured first rank in Group 'A'.
• Rajasthan has increased its score by 1.7 percent as compared to the previous index (2019). Last time its score was 4.80, which has now increased to 4.88.
• The Good Governance Index is based on 10 sectors, in which Rajasthan's ranking and score are as follows-

Sectors	Rajasthan Ranking	Score
1. Agriculture and Allied Sectors	4th	0.501
2. Commerce and Industry Sector	5th	0.638
3. Human Resource Development Sector	7th	0.398
4. Public Health Sector	6th	0.249
5. Public Infrastructure and Utility Sectors	8th	0.525
6. Economic Governance Sector	8th	0.290
7. Social Welfare and Development	3rd	0.606
8. Judicial and Public Security	1st	0.417
9. Environmental Sector	1st	0.377
10. Citizen Centric Governance	1st	0.883

Tansen Ceremony

Why in News

• On December 26, 2021, the most prestigious festival of the country and the world in the field of Indian classical music, the World Sangeet Samagam 'Tansen Samaroh' was inaugurated in a grand and colorful way at Sangeetdhani Gwalior.

Key Points

• The Tansen ceremony was duly inaugurated by the guests on a grand and attractive stage built on the theme of Omkareshwar, the Siddheshwar temple near the Samadhi of Sangeet Samrat Tansen at Hazira, Gwalior.
• The country's eminent sitar player Pt. Karthik Kumar (Mumbai) and eminent ghatma player P. Vikku Vinayakram (Chennai) were honored with the 'National Kalidas Samman' for the year 2013 and 2014 respectively.
• Both the eminent music seekers were presented with an income tax-free honor amount of Rs 2 lakh, citation plaque and shawl-shriphal in the form of Rashtriya Kalidas Samman.
• On this occasion, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has increased the honor amount of Tansen adornment and Kalidas adornment to Rs 5 lakh each and on the lines of Tansen ceremony, organized 'Baiju Bawra Samaroh' in memory of the great music sage Baiju Bawra, contemporary of Sangeet Samrat Tansen. also announced the launch.
• The Chief Minister said that the centenary celebrations of Tansen Samaroh, to be organized in the memory of the great music sage Tansen, would be celebrated with pomp and grandeur in the year 2024.
• On this occasion, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia along with other guests also released a book focused on Pt. Ravi Shankar.
• It is worth mentioning that the Tansen ceremony was started in the year 1924 during Scindia's reign itself. This is the 97th Tansen ceremony.

Madhya Pradesh in Good Governance Index, 2021

Why in News

• On the occasion of Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021, the Good Governance Index was released by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in which Madhya Pradesh has got the first rank in Group 'B'.

Key Points

• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• Madhya Pradesh has secured first rank in Group 'B' with a score of 4.887 in the overall ranking of Good Governance Index, while Gujarat has secured first rank in Group 'A'.
• Madhya Pradesh has increased its score by 0.7 percent as compared to the previous index (2019). Last time its score was 4.85, which has now increased to 4.89.
• Madhya Pradesh has basically made reforms in the public infrastructure and utility sector and social welfare and development sector.
• The Good Governance Index is based on 10 sectors, in which the ranking and score of Madhya Pradesh are as follows-

Sectors	Madhya Pradesh Ranking	Score
1. Agriculture and Allied Sectors	1st	0.652
2. Commerce and Industry Sector	4th	0.646
3. Human Resource Development Sector	8th	0.380
4. Public Health Sector	7th	0.185
5. Public Infrastructure and Utility Sectors	2nd	0.662
6. Economic Governance Sector	2nd	0.477
7. Social Welfare and Development	2nd	0.666
8. Judicial and Public Security	5th	0.282
9. Environmental Sector	6th	0.308
10. Citizen Centric Governance	5th	0.627

Haryana Kaushal Rojgar Nigam Portal

Why in News

• On December 25, 2021, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the portal of Haryana Kaushal Rojgar Nigam in a program organized on the State Level Good Governance Day.

Key Points

• He said that the year 2022 would be celebrated as the year of good governance, Antyodaya Utthan. Similarly, the emergency response system Dial-112 will be made accessible to the deaf persons. Police assistance will be provided to them immediately after understanding their problem through a sign language expert through video calling.
• The Chief Minister said that the public distribution system has been linked with the family identity card. From January-2022, there will be no need to carry the ration card to the ration depot, but it will be possible to get ration only from the family identity card. The account of addition or reduction of the number of family members will also be done through the family identity card.
• Birth-death registration along with family identity card has been made mandatory and marriage registration will also be added to it in future.

Haryana in Good Governance Index, 2021

Why in News

• On the occasion of Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021, the Good Governance Index was released by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in which Haryana has got the fourth rank in Group 'A'. Whereas Gujarat has got the first rank.

Key Points

• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• Haryana has secured fourth rank in Group 'A' with a score of 5.327 in the overall ranking of the Good Governance Index.
• This year's score has increased by 6.6 percent as compared to the previous index (2019) of Haryana. Last time its score was 5.00, which has now increased to 5.33.
• Haryana has basically made reforms in agriculture and allied sector, public infrastructure and utility sector, economic governance sector and social welfare and development sector.
• The Good Governance Index is based on 10 sectors, in which Haryana's ranking and score are as follows-

Sectors	Haryana Ranking	Score
1. Agriculture and Allied Sectors	2nd	0.507
2. Commerce and Industry Sector	4th	0.657
3. Human Resource Development Sector	2nd	0.696
4. Public Health Sector	10th	0.431
5. Public Infrastructure and Utility Sectors	3rd	0.791
6. Economic Governance Sector	6th	0.570
7. Social Welfare and Development	10th	0.392
8. Judicial and Public Security	9th	0.213
9. Environmental Sector	9th	0.153
10. Citizen Centric Governance	1st	0.914

Integrated Agriculture Cluster

Why in News

• On December 24, 2021, Union Rural Development Secretary NN Sinha unveiled the Integrated Agriculture Cluster Initiative under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in the state capital Ranchi.

Key Points

• This Integrated Agriculture Cluster initiative was unveiled at the National Workshop organized by Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), in which representatives from various states also participated.
• Addressing the workshop, Sinha appreciated the work being done for livelihood empowerment through Sakhi Mandals in the state. He asked the representatives of other states to implement other activities including Livelihood Resource Center and Didi Bagiya Yojana in their states.
• He said that to connect the last families of remote villages with a strong livelihood, coordinate with all the departments from the state level so that the beneficiaries can get the benefits of all the schemes in an integrated manner.
• The income of women has doubled due to drip irrigation and the income of people is increasing from multi-crops and animal husbandry. Capacity building of various cadres through training, empowering financial inclusion of PVTG families, involving women in various skilling activities is the priority of the state, which will boost rural livelihoods.
• The objective of this initiative is to provide 'end to end solutions' to the farmers.

Jharkhand in Good Governance Index, 2021

Why in News

• On the occasion of Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021, the Good Governance Index was released by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in which Jharkhand has got the fourth rank in Group 'B'.

Key Points

• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• Jharkhand has secured fourth rank in Group 'B' with a score of 4.763 in the overall ranking of Good Governance Index, while Madhya Pradesh has secured first rank in Group 'B'. Gujarat has secured first rank in Group 'A'.
• Jharkhand has increased its score by 12.6 percent as compared to the previous index (2019). Last time its score was 4.23, which has now increased to 4.76.
• Jharkhand has basically reformed in agriculture and allied sector, public health sector, public infrastructure and utility sector, public infrastructure and utility sector and social welfare and development sector.
• The Good Governance Index is based on 10 sectors, in which Jharkhand's ranking and score are as follows-

Sectors	Jharkhand Ranking	Score
1. Agriculture and Allied Sectors	3rd	0.509
2. Commerce and Industry Sector	6th	0.629
3. Human Resource Development Sector	6th	0.417
4. Public Health Sector	2nd	0.481
5. Public Infrastructure and Utility Sectors	3rd	0.636
6. Economic Governance Sector	3rd	0.442
7. Social Welfare and Development	5th	0.516
8. Judicial and Public Security	4th	0.287
9. Environmental Sector	3rd	0.335
10. Citizen Centric Governance	8th	0.510

'Chhattisgarh Herbals' Stall Got First Place in International Herbal Fair

Why in News

• The stall of 'Chhattisgarh Herbals' got the first position in the 8th International Herbal Fair held at Lal Parade Ground, Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh from 22 to 26 December 2021.

Key Points

• In this fair, a stall of 'Chhattisgarh Herbals' was set up by the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association. More than 120 products of Chhattisgarh Herbals were displayed in the fair. These products are prepared from such minor forest produce grown on the natural forests of the state, which are organic-certified.
• In the International Herbal Fair, the state has achieved another special achievement with the stall of herbal products of Chhattisgarh getting the first position. The Forest Minister of Madhya Pradesh also visited the stall of Chhattisgarh Herbals and appreciated the work of Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association and their products.
• In the buyer-seller conference held on 23rd December in the fair, contracts worth about one crore rupees were signed for the wholesale sale of raw minor forest produce of the state, in which forest produce like Harra Kacharia, Bahera Kacharia, Sabut Harra, Sabut Bahera and Kalmegh are included.
• After the primary processing of these forest produce collected from the forests, it is brought to Van-Dhan Kendras, where they are processed and value added to produce high quality products. These products are sold through 'Sanjeevani Sales Center' and online platforms like Amazon, Flipkart.
• More than 7000 women self-help groups are working in this work of collection, processing and value addition of minor forest produce in Chhattisgarh, most of whom are from the Scheduled Tribes category.

Chhattisgarh in Good Governance Index 2021

Why in News

• Chhattisgarh ranks first in 'Social Welfare and Development' among Group B states in the Good Governance Index, 2021, released by the Central Government on Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021.

Key Points

• This index, prepared by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India, has been released to test the states on the test of good governance.
• Gujarat tops this index, while Maharashtra and Goa are in second and third place respectively. According to the index, 20 states have improved the overall GGI scores for the year 2021.
• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• In Chhattisgarh, in the last three years, better work has been done in all areas through schemes. These development works are also getting appreciation at the national level. This is the reason that Chhattisgarh is on top of the Group B states in the parameters of social welfare and development.

Uttarakhand in Good Governance Index, 2021

Why in News

• On the occasion of Good Governance Day on December 25, 2021, the Good Governance Index was released by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in which Uttarakhand has got the third rank in the category of North-East and Hill states.

Key Points

• In the GGI-2021, the ranking has been given by dividing the states and union territories into four categories - Group A, Group B, North Eastern and Hill States, Union Territories. 58 indicators from 10 sectors have been considered for preparing GGI-2021.
• Uttarakhand has secured the third rank in the category of North-East and Hill states with a score of 4.842 in the overall ranking of the Good Governance Index.
• This year's score has decreased by 0.5 percent as compared to the previous index (2019) of Uttarakhand. Last time its score was 4.87, which has now come down to 4.84.
• Uttarakhand has basically made reforms in agriculture and allied sector, public health sector and judicial and public security sector.
• The Good Governance Index is based on 10 sectors, in which Uttarakhand's ranking and score are as follows-

Sectors	Uttarakhand Ranking	Score
1. Agriculture and Allied Sectors	7th	0.386
2. Commerce and Industry Sector	3rd	0.650
3. Human Resource Development Sector	2nd	0.607
4. Public Health Sector	7th	0.451
5. Public Infrastructure and Utility Sectors	8th	0.627
6. Economic Governance Sector	2nd	0.447
7. Social Welfare and Development	6th	0.484
8. Judicial and Public Security	2nd	0.493
9. Environmental Sector	8th	0.138
10. Citizen Centric Governance	1st	0.560