At least four popular safari destinations Sariska and Ranthambore inRajasthanand Tadoba-Andhari and Nagzira-Navegaon inMaharashtra announced that they would receive tourists Friday onwards as a drop in Covid cases provides a small window of opportunity. Several others are likely to make an announcement in a day or two. In a circular issued on Thursday, NTCA inspector general Amit Mallick said, As the Covid situation has improved across the country, the chief wildlife wardens may take a call to open for tourism.
RAJASTHAN
Army conducts Sudarshan Shakti exercise along western border
TheSapta Shakti Commandof theIndian Armyconducted exercise Sudarshan Shakti 2023 along the western borders inRajasthanandPunjabfrom May 22 to 25.
The exercise was designed to validate operational plans in a Network-centric Environment with Elements of combat power, combat support and logistic support.
Integrated use of force multipliers like special forces and deployment of Niche technologies covering drones, loiter ammunition as well as key aspects of electronic warfare, made it a unique event.
Industrial effluents flow in three rivers, says NGT panel report
Industrial effluents flow round the year in three seasonal rivers of western Rajasthan — Bandi, Jojari and Luni — which were sources of water for drinking and agricultural purposes, and recharging groundwater, said the report of a monitoring committee constituted by (NGT).
A five-member monitoring committee headed by former Jharkhand High Court chief Justice Prakash Tatia was set up by the NGT on November 23 last year to prevent pollution of the three seasonal rivers due to industrial activities in Jodhpur, Pali, and Barmer districts Balotra town.
Industrial effluents discharged in the Jojari river move up to Araba village in Barmer and get stagnated there.
Rivers Bandi, Jojari, and Luni are now only rivers of effluents released from all textile and steel industries of Jodhpur, Pali, and Balotra and other towns of Barmer district.
The reports say the Municipal Corporation is discharging sewage in RIICO drain and the common effluent treatment plant (CETP) is discharging about 15 MLD treated effluents in the Jojari river.
‘Rajasthan plans to develop 23 old airstrips on PPP mode’
State tourism minister Vishvendra Singh said that the government is planning to re-develop 23 old airstrips in public-private PARTNERSHIP (PPP) mode to promote tourism in rural areas of the state.
Singh said that Rajasthan has formulated a path-breaking rural tourism policy which other states should emulate. “The policy is expected to boost wildlife tourism, cultural and religious tourism across the state,” said Singh. Union tourism secretary Arvind Singh said that about 70 million direct and indirect jobs were generated through tourism in the country in 2021-22.
He said that besides this job-generating potential, the tourism sector has huge impact on the GDP of the country. Keeping the importance of the sector in view, the Centre is trying to improve rail, road and air connectivity which are key to the Growth of the sector, said Singh.
50% discount for students, scribes in RTDC hotels: Rathore
The board ofRajasthanTourism Development Corporation (RTDC) on Friday decided to give 50% concession to students appearing competitive examinations, journalists, central and employees on their stays in the corporations hotels.
RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore said awardees of Bharat Ratna,Padma Bhushan,Padma Vibhushan,Padma Shri, Gallantry and Sports awardees will also get the benefit of 50% concession in fees for staying in RTDC hotels. Rathore said that the corporation management is determined to bring back the old glory of the corporation.
He said there is a plan to start cruise service on Chambal River front after Palace on Wheels, helicopter joyride.
Pushkar to get Rs 500 crore for development
Local self government minister Shanti Dhariwal took up the issue of undertaking a development work forPushkarin a review meeting attended by RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore and senior officials of the UDH department.
Rathore said, the works would entail expenses of about Rs 500 crore and the work will be done in phases.
Listing out the works, he said that the prioroty is to stop the inflow of dirty water into Pushkar Sarovar. Similarly, renovation and beautification of Brahma temple, beautification of 24 Kosi Parikrama Yatra Marg, renovation of Pushkar would be undertaken. These are some of the works among 100 identified amd discussed in the meeting.
My Policy, Mere Haath campaign launched in Rajasthan
Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture ministerLalchand Katariaclaimed that the central government, while adopting the innovations of the state, has decided to distributeFasal BimaInsurance policy certifcates to farmers throughout the country. This would facilitate farmers to claim benefits of the policy.
Speaking at the launch of the state-level programme of Meri Policy, Mere Haath campaign by distributing the policies of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to farmers at PantKrishi Bhawanhere on Saturday, the minister said farmers sometimes have to suffer crop losses due to natural calamities like unseasonal rains, hailstorms and locusts. To provide relief in such critical times, crop insurance scheme is a better option.
Due to continuous publicity by the and timely payment of insurance claims to farmers, the popularity of this scheme has been increasing in the state. He said in the last three years, insurance claims worth about Rs 14,500 crore have been distributed to more than a crore farmers, he added.
Three boards to be formed for economic upliftment
Chief MinisterAshok Gehlothas approved a proposal for the formation of three boards for the overall development and economic upliftment of different sections of the Society, officials said.
The three boards are the Rajasthan LeatherCrafts Development Board, the Rajasthan State MahatmaJyotiba Phule Boardand theRajasthan State Dhobi Welfare Board. With the approval for the Rajasthan Leather Crafts Development Board, the standard of living of the people in the leather business will improve and their will be ensured, the officials said.
It will also ensure greater participation of the tanners in the industrial development of the state, they said. The Rajasthan State Dhobi Welfare Board has been constituted with the objective to provide basic facilities to the washermen.
The court for specially abled persons has issued an order to the labour and employment departments to prepare a draft of the policy to ensure 5% reservation in private jobs for persons with disabilities (PwDs) following the same pattern as Bihar government. The labour department has assured the court of preparing the draft for the same and submitting it to the state government.
Meanwhile, the court for specially-abled persons has directed theenergy departmentto ensure providing agricultural power connections to PwD farmers on par with the benefits given to SC/ST farmers. The energy department has assured the court that this provision will be included in the new energy policy.
Nutrition boost for pregnant women, newborns in Raj
Since it started in 2020 from five districts of southernRajasthan, theIndira GandhiMatritva Poshan Yojana (IGMPY) of the , now being run across the state, has significantly improved Health and Nutrition of pregnant Women and newborns.
The scheme is also ensuring that cash transferred to pregnant women is used for nutrition and improving healthcare access. Under IGMPY, second-time mothers are given Rs 6,000 in instalments during pregnancy and if agirl childis born, then an additional Rs 2,000 is given.
Women’s nutrition knowledge during pregnancy increased by 38% and the husbands by 19% in 2021-2022 with help of cash transfers and context-specific social behaviour change Communication (SBCC), the official data says. The key interventions were interpersonal communication, SBCC interventions like early pregnancy registrations, improved quality ANC and pregnancy weight monitoring, dietary diversity for beneficiaries, age-appropriate infant and young child feeding practices, and age-appropriate child immunization.
IPE Global provides technical support to Government of Rajasthan at state, district, and block levels to effectively implement cash transfers and behaviour change interventions.