• 30 Mar 2022

3rd National Water Award: Uttar Pradesh Best State

Why in News?

On March 29, 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind presented the first prize to Uttar Pradesh in the 'Best State' category for its best performance towards water conservation at the 3^rd National Water Awards distribution ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Key Points

• President Ram Nath Kovind also launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain Campaign 2022, along with felicitating the third National Water Award winners.
• On this occasion the First Information Brochure of the 7^th edition of India's International Water Resources Program 'India Water Week-2022' (IWW- 2022) was released. It will be organized from November 1-5, 2022 at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida.
• The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, presented 57 awards in 11 different categories to states, organizations, individuals etc.
• These categories include- Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best Media (Print & Electronic), Best School, Best Institution/RWA/Religious Organization for Campus Use, Best Industry, Best NGO, Best Water User in these categories Consortium and best industries for CSR activity.
• Some of these categories also have sub-categories for different regions of the country. The award winners in various categories were given citations, trophies and cash prizes.
• Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu received the second and third prizes respectively in the 'Best State' category.
• It is worth mentioning that the first National Water Award was started in 2018 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Jal Jeevan Mission were launched in 2019 to convert the water movement into a mass movement, in which many recharge structures were built and crores of people participated in it.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan-II: 'Catch the Rain, Where it Falls, When it Falls' was launched by the Prime Minister on March 22, 2021 on the occasion of World Water Day, which was launched in all the districts (rural as well as urban areas) of the country during the pre-monsoon and monsoon period, i.e. from March 2021 to November 30, 2021.
• Some new features have been added in Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2022, such as spring shed development, protection of catchment areas, gender mainstreaming in water sector. Gender mainstreaming in the water sector is expected to boost the role of women in water conservation and management.

Satish Mahana: Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly

Why in News?

On March 29, 2022, senior BJP leader Satish Mahana was elected as the Speaker of the Eighteenth Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh.

Key Points

• Pro-tem speaker Ramapati Shastri announced the election in the house.
• Former cabinet minister Satish Mahana, replacing Pandit Hriday Narayan Dixit, is the 23rd Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and 18th person to be elected as the Speaker.
• Satish Mahana has been elected MLA for the eighth consecutive time from Maharajpur (Kanpur). He was first elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1991.
• It is noteworthy that Purushottam Das Tandon was the first Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Kesarinath Tripathi had held the post of president for the maximum 13 years.

Third National Water Award: Rajasthan Second Best State

Why in News?

On March 29, 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind presented the second prize to Rajasthan in the 'Best State' category for its best performance towards water conservation at the 3rd National Water Awards distribution ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Key Points

• President Ram Nath Kovind also launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain Campaign 2022, along with felicitating the third National Water Award winners.
• On this occasion the First Information Brochure of the 7th edition of India's International Water Resources Program 'India Water Week-2022' (IWW- 2022) was released. It will be organized from November 1-5, 2022 at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida.
• The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, presented 57 awards in 11 different categories to states, organizations, individuals etc.
• These categories include- Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best Media (Print & Electronic), Best School, Best Institution/RWA/Religious Organization for Campus Use, Best Industry, Best NGO, Best Water User in these categories Consortium and best industries for CSR activity.
• Some of these categories also have sub-categories for different regions of the country. The award winners in various categories were given citations, trophies and cash prizes.
• In the category of 'Best State', Uttar Pradesh got the first prize, while Tamil Nadu got the third prize.
• It is worth mentioning that the first National Water Award was started in 2018 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Jal Jeevan Mission were launched in 2019 to convert the water movement into a mass movement, in which many recharge structures were built and crores of people participated in it.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan-II: 'Catch the Rain, Where it Falls, When it Falls' was launched by the Prime Minister on March 22, 2021 on the occasion of World Water Day, which was launched in all the districts (rural as well as urban areas) of the country during the pre-monsoon and monsoon period, i.e. from March 2021 to November 30, 2021.
• Some new features have been added in Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2022, such as spring shed development, protection of catchment areas, gender mainstreaming in water sector. Gender mainstreaming in the water sector is expected to boost the role of women in water conservation and management.

Solar Powered E-Prime Mover Equipment

Why in News?

Recently scientists of Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal have developed a solar powered e-prime mover device.

Key Points

• This is a solar powered device, so that farmers will be able to spray medicine in one and a half acres of land in just one hour.
• Plowing, weeding and plowing of the same land can be done in less than five hours with the help of this device, in which fuel will not be spent.
• The battery of this device will last for three hours on a single charge. Farmers will also be able to burn the electricity of the house with the battery charged with solar energy.
• This device will also be used for transporting grains.
• Apart from this, the scientists of the institute have also made a CNG engine, which after installing in the tractor can reduce the cost of farming.

Gram Panchayat Chhindiya got National Award for better water conservation and management

Why in News?

On March 29, 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind presented the National Award for better water conservation and management to Chhindiya Gram Panchayat of Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh in the category 'Best Panchayat' at the third National Water Award distribution ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Key Points

• Chhindia got the second prize in the category of 'Best Gram Panchayat' under the third National Water Award given by the Union Ministry of Water.
• President Ram Nath Kovind also launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain Campaign 2022, along with felicitating the third National Water Award winners.
• On this occasion the First Information Brochure of the 7th edition of India's International Water Resources Program 'India Water Week-2022' (IWW- 2022) was released. It will be organized from November 1-5, 2022 at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida.
• The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, presented 57 awards in 11 different categories to states, organizations, individuals etc.
• These categories include- Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best Media (Print & Electronic), Best School, Best Institution/RWA/Religious Organization for Campus Use, Best Industry, Best NGO, Best Water User in these categories Consortium and best industries for CSR activity.
• In the category of best states, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu got first, second and third prize respectively.
• It is worth mentioning that the first National Water Award was started in 2018 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Jal Jeevan Mission were launched in 2019 to convert the water movement into a mass movement, in which many recharge structures were built and crores of people participated in it.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan-II: 'Catch the Rain, Where it Falls, When it Falls' was launched by the Prime Minister on March 22, 2021 on the occasion of World Water Day, which was launched in all the districts (rural as well as urban areas) of the country during the pre-monsoon and monsoon period, i.e. from March 2021 to November 30, 2021.
• Some new features have been added in Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2022, such as spring shed development, protection of catchment areas, gender mainstreaming in water sector. Gender mainstreaming in the water sector is expected to boost the role of women in water conservation and management.

Chief Minister Dhami Allocated the Ministries, Kept 24 Departments with Him

Why in News?

On March 29, 2022, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami divided the ministries. Dhami has 21 ministries and 24 departments with him. He had 12 ministries in the last term.

Key Points

• According to the list, the Chief Minister has 21 ministries with him including Excise, Energy, Drinking Water, Labour, Home, Revenue, Personnel, State Property, Planning, Information, Justice, Disaster Management, Civil Aviation. He will look after a total of 24 departments.
• Keeping the Public Works Department, Irrigation, Tourism, Endowment, Culture, Watershed Management intact, new ministries of Panchayati Raj and Rural Works have been given to senior cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj.
• Cabinet Minister Dr. Dhansingh Rawat has got the charge of the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Higher Education, Medical Health and Medical Education, Cooperation and Sanskrit Education.
• Premchand Agrawal, who was included in the cabinet, has got the charge of Finance, Urban Development and Housing, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs, Reorganization and Census Ministry.
• Subodh Uniyal will no longer have the Agriculture and Horticulture Ministry, this time he has got the charge of Forest, Language, Election and Technical Education.
• Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi has been given the charge of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Sainik Welfare and Rural Development Ministry.
• Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya will look after the Ministry of Sports and Youth Welfare and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs besides women empowerment and child development.
• Cabinet Minister Chandan Ramdas, who joined the cabinet for the first time, has been given the Ministries of Social Welfare, Transport and Small and Micro Medium Enterprises.
• New and young cabinet minister Saurabh Bahuguna has been given the departments of Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries, Sugarcane Development and Sugar Industry, Protocol and Skill Development and Employment.