Uttarakhand

• 30 Oct 2023

Government will Give Awards of Rs 5 to 10 lakh to Colleges

Why In News?

On October 28, 2023, the Uttarakhand state government issued an order regarding giving awards ranging from Rs 5 to 10 lakh to the government colleges of the state.

Key Points:

• This amount will be given according to grading done by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) to encourage assessment and positive competition among colleges.
• It has been said in the order that this amount received by the colleges as a reward can be spent only as per the arrangements given in the Uttarakhand Government College Student Fund Rules 2020.
• The award amount will be given to the colleges which got NAAC assessment done last year and the colleges which get NAAC assessment in future. Arrangements for the award will be made in the budget as per rules.
• According to the government order, this amount will be given to the colleges through the corpus fund constituted under the department. Colleges with B grade will be given an amount of Rs 5 lakh and colleges with A double plus will be given Rs 10 lakh as award.
• Apart from this, Rs 9 lakh will be given on A Plus grade, Rs 8 lakh on A grade, Rs 7 lakh on B Double Plus and Rs 6 lakh on B Plus.
• According to officials of the Higher Education Department, till now 27 colleges of the state have undergone NAAC evaluation. In the year 2022-23, 19 colleges have got NAAC evaluation done.
• Out of the 27 government colleges of the state which have undergone NAAC evaluation, none of the colleges have got A or A+ grade.
• Colleges which have undergone NAAC assessment include Government Post Graduate College Doiwala, College Chaubattakhal, Tanakpur, Lohaghat, Ranikhet, Dwarahat, Agastyamuni, Haldwani, Ramnagar, Pithoragarh, Kashipur, Uttarkashi, Berinag, Women's College Haldwani, Narendranagar, Kotdwar Bhabar, Raipur, Chakrata, Talwadi. , Kotdwar, Purola, Tuni, Chandrabadni, Haldu Chaud, Barkot and Government Post Graduate College, Karnaprayag.
• It is noteworthy that Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat had given instructions for mandatory NAAC evaluation of all colleges in the department meeting held last year. The minister said that recognition of non-government colleges that do not do so by March 2023 will be terminated, while departmental action will be taken against the principals of government colleges.

Dr. Godiyal becomes acting chairman of Uttarakhand Public Service Commission

Why In News?

On October 28, 2023, the Personnel Department of Uttarakhand has issued a notification regarding the appointment of Dr. Ravidutt Godiyal, a senior member of the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission, as the acting chairman.

Key Points:

• It may be noted that the post of Uttarakhand Public Service Commission Chairman Jagmohan Rana had become vacant after the completion of his tenure. After the approval of the Governor, the Personnel Department has made senior member of the Commission, Dr. Ravidutt Godiyal, the acting chairman.
• Dr. Jagmohan Singh Rana has been a member of the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission and was given the responsibility as acting chairman. However, after the completion of his tenure, the acting Chairman has now been appointed as the Chairman.
• It is noteworthy that retired IAS Rakesh Kumar had resigned from the post of Chairman of Uttarakhand Public Service Commission on June 11, 2023, after which he could not be appointed as the permanent Chairman in Uttarakhand Public Service Commission.

Concrete Wall will be Built Between the Longest Tunnel of Uttarakhand

Why In News?

On October 28, 2023, General Manager of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) Colonel Deepak Patil said that for the first time in the country, a concrete wall is being built in the middle of the longest tunnel of Uttarakhand under construction on Yamunotri Highway.

Key Points:

• General Manager of NHIDCL, Colonel Deepak Patil said that this will be the first tunnel in the country, in the middle of which a strong concrete wall is being built. With this, vehicles will run in their respective lanes and the possibility of accidents will be zero. However, in case of emergency, air tight doors will be made in the wall to go from one tunnel to another.
• Under the Chardham Road Project, 4.5 km stretch from Silkyara to Pol village on Yamunotri Highway at a cost of Rs 850 crore. A long tunnel is being built, of which only 500 meters is left to be constructed.
• State-of-the-art technologies like fire suppression system and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) will also be used in this tunnel.
• To prevent road accidents, a 400 mm strong concrete wall is being built inside the tunnel, due to which the traffic on the right and left sides will pass through their respective lanes. Due to this wall, the possibility of vehicles colliding with each other inside the tunnel will be reduced to zero.
• If any vehicle faces any fault inside the tunnel, it will get the facility of lay-by (a place to park the vehicle for some time on the roadside). Every 500 km. But a lay-by facility will be available. A total of seven lay-bys will be built on both the right and left sides of the tunnel, out of which construction of four has been completed.