• 27 Dec 2024

Sub-Division Status in Haryana

Why in News? 

Recently, Haryana Chief Minister announced that Dahina block will be granted the status of a sub-division.  

 Key Points 

• Key Announcements: 
  • Water Infrastructure will be constructed in Motalkalan village. 
  • A college will be established in Jatusana. 
  • Bhurthala Distributary will be renovated and a bridge will be constructed on the JLN Canal linking Luhana village to Khaleta. 
  • Addressing waterlogging issues in Bas, Pahrajvas, Summa Kheda, Ratnathal, and Lilodh villages. 
• The CM inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for six major development projects worth over Rs. 23 crore. 
  • He also declared plans to construct sub-health centres in Natheda and Surkhpur villages, along with primary health centres in Gudiani and Ratnathal villages.

Uttam Seva Medal

Why in News? 

On the occasion of Good Governance Day, a ceremony to honour police personnel was organised at the State Emergency Response Centre in Haryana. 

 Key Points 

• Highlights of the Ceremony: 
  • Directors General of Police (DGP) honoured the police personnel who had performed commendable work in various fields with the Uttam Seva Medal. 
• Individual Contributions Recognized For: 
  • Enhancing SWAN bandwidth and digitizing wireless communication for the ‘SWAN’ project. 
  • Contributions to the implementation and monitoring of CCTNS and ICJS projects. 
  • Effectively defending cases in higher and lower courts. 
  • Commendable work in the Special Task Force (STF) Rohtak. 
  • Advancing the e-challaning application. 
  • Reuniting 845 missing children with their families nationwide. 
  • Bravery in arresting major criminals during his STF tenure and was recognized for his efforts. 

 State Wide Area Network (SWAN) 

• SWAN is a central scheme to establish a converged backbone network for data, voice, and video communications across the country.  
• It was approved in March 2005 and is one of the core infrastructure components of the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). 

 Good Governance Day  

• It is celebrated on 25^th December to raise awareness among citizens about government accountability and effective administration. 
  • The theme for 2024 is “India’s Path to a Viksit Bharat: Empowering Citizens through Good Governance and Digitalisation.”  
  • It was started in the year 2014 to honor the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.  
  • The birth anniversary of Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya is also observed on 25th December. 

New Hub for India’s Champion Women Shuttlers

Why in News? 

Haryana boasts a significant contribution to India's Olympians and Olympic medalists. At Paris 2024, nearly one-fourth of the country's Olympians hailed from the state, along with four out of five individual medalists. 

 Key Points 

• Growth of Badminton: 
  • Haryana has witnessed increasing grassroots participation in various sports, with badminton becoming the latest discipline to gain significant traction. 
• Rising Badminton Stars: 
  • Saina Nehwal, a London Olympics 2012 bronze medalist, hails from Haryana but trained in Hyderabad. 
  • Players like Anmol Kharb, who helped India clinch their first Badminton Asia title in 2024 at just 17, and Unnati Hooda have honed their skills in Haryana. 
  • Haryana’s women’s team won their first-ever Senior National badminton championship gold, with Devika Sihag claiming the women’s singles title, marking a hat-trick after Anmol (2023) and Anupama Upadhyaya (2022). 
• Shifting Focus from Traditional Sports: 
  • Areas like Rohtak and Sonepat, traditionally known for kabaddi and wrestling, are now seeing parents encourage badminton due to its non-contact nature and compatibility with education. 
  • Increased ranking tournaments in North India have provided more opportunities for local players. 
• Future Goals: 
  • Coaches emphasized the need to translate national-level victories into international success. 
  • Haryana continues to prioritize performance over commercial interests, aiming to replicate its wrestling dominance in badminton. 

Centre of Excellence for Ceramics

Why in News? 

A new Centre of Excellence for Ceramics is being established in Rajasthan. It is set to promote the industry with exploration, mining, processing and world-class research. 

 Key Points 

• Abundant Ceramic Mineral Reserves: 
  • Rajasthan possesses vast reserves of ceramic minerals like ball clay, silica sand, quartz, china clay, and feldspar. 
  • Raw materials are being sent to other states for processing, despite significant potential for ceramic-based industries and job creation within Rajasthan. 
• Role of the Centre: 
  • The centre will provide technical guidance for mining, processing, and manufacturing ceramic minerals, optimizing the utilization of local resources. 
  • Its services will be pre-defined to ensure utility from day one of operation. 
• Focus Areas: 
  • A major emphasis will be on exploring silica minerals for producing: 
    • Insulators for electricity supply. 
    • Sanitaryware products. 
    • Tiles for the real estate sector. 
    • Pottery and bricks. 
    • Semi-conductors for electronics. 
• Stakeholder Contributions: 
  • Suggestions were received from prominent experts, including officials from Bikaner Technical University, Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), and IIT (BHU), to refine the centre’s objectives and operational framework. 

Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) 

• CGCRI is a national research institute headquartered in Kolkata, operating under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). 
• Founded in 1950, the institute specializes in research and development in areas such as glass, ceramics, mica, and refractories. 

PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

Why in News? 

Recently, Ayaan Sajad from Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir was awarded the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar-2024 by the President for his extraordinary accomplishments in the fields of art and culture. 

 Key Points 

• Extraordinary Talent: 
  • Ayaan Sajad, a 12-year-old singer, has gained widespread recognition for his remarkable talent. 
  • His Kashmiri songs went viral on social media, making him an Internet sensation with millions of views, and his music continues to trend in Kashmir. 
  • He aims to represent his country and native Kashmir, inspiring future generations worldwide to follow their passion. 
• Acknowledgment and Support: 
  • National Conference president and State Chief Minister have congratulated Ayaan for his achievements. 
  • They expressed their hope that his talent and dedication will inspire young minds across the region and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the youth of Jammu and Kashmir in their pursuit of excellence. 

 Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) 

• About: 
  • The PMRBP is organized to celebrate the energy, determination, ability, zeal and enthusiasm of children. 
  • The awards are conferred upon the children for their excellence in seven categories, viz. Art & Culture, Bravery, Environment, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service and Sports, which deserve national recognition. 
  • Each awardee of PMRBP is given a medal, cash prize of Rs. 1 Lakh, a Certificate and a Citation. 
  • The selection of awardees was made by a Selection Committee under the chairpersonship of the Union Minister for Women and Child Development. 
    • The Awards are given by the President of India in the week preceding Republic Day every year. 
• Eligibility: 
  • A child who is an Indian Citizen and is a resident of India. 
  • A Child above the age of 5 years and not exceeding 18 years (as on 31st July of respective year). 
  • The act/incident/achievement should have been within 2 years of the last date of receipt of application/nomination for the year of consideration.