UTTARAKHAND

Uttarakhand government to give Rs 3,000 per month to Covid orphans

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TheUttarakhand governmenton Saturday announced the Chief Minister Vatsalya Yojana to take care of those children, who lost their parents or the sole earning member of the family toCovid-19infection. Under thescheme, the government would make arrangements for the Education and training of thesechildrentill they attain the age of 21 years.

According to the provisions of the scheme, an amount Rs 3,000 per month would be given to them. Besides, the district magistrates have been asked to ensure that their share of ancestral property is not sold till they turn adults. Also,such kidswill be provided with 5% horizontal reservation in Uttarakhand government jobs.

Before Uttarakhand, several other states/UTs including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Delhi, among others have announced such schemes. Earlier this week, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also announced that his government will take responsibility of those children who have lost their parents during the second wave of the Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh.

In Uttarakhand, scanty winter rain & snow hit output of hydropower plants

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Due to scanty winter rains and snowfall this year, water level and flow in the state’s rivers that have hydropower Plants have decreased drastically, resulting in lower-than-usual power generation.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) centre in Dehradun, there was a 63% deficit in rainfall during winter (January and February), the months which usually get good rain and snowfall, ensuring a steady water level throughout the summer months in the hills.

Dabral explained that abundant snowfall in the higher reaches in winter is crucial for maintaining the required water flow during summer.

Telemedicine, virtual OPD service launched by Ukhand govt

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The on Wednesday launched the Doctor at your doorstep service in order to enable access to doctors advice to people living in remote areas.

A communique from the CMs office said that the objective of the service is to enable patients in Home isolation to consult doctors. Secretary Health Amit Negi said that due to the pandemic, OPD Services in many hospitals had been affected which is why the service had been started.

Infrastructural development underway at swift pace in border districts: Dhami

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Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended a review meeting chaired by DEFENCE minister Rajnath Singh on infrastructural development along the nations northern borders in the national Capital on Tuesday.

Dhami said that infrastructural development works comprising roads, rail, telecommunications and air service are being undertaken at a swift pace in the border districts of Uttarakhand. The district magistrates of the border districts have been directed to hold monthly meetings and ensure that the remaining works are completed in the minimum time period. The is executing all remaining works in border districts on a priority basis, he added. Infrastructural works in the border districts will boost tourism in the State while also creating EMPLOYMENT opportunities at the local level, added Dhami.

Eco panel to boost tourism activities in Uttarakhand’s forest areas

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With 72% area of the state under forest cover, theUttarakhand cabinethas decided to promotetourism activitiesin certain areas that come under the forest department.

A committee headed by the chief secretary and comprising members of the forest and tourism department was approved by the cabinet, which would explore the prospects and take a call on tourism activities that can be started in forest areas.

The committee would also handle issues related to mountaineers and trekkers coming to Uttarakhand. Besides, the chief secretary, the committee would also comprise principal secretary forest, secretary tourism, secretary forest and chief wildlife warden.

Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat has said that there is a tremendous potential for pharmaceutical industries in Uttarakhand and the State can become leading State in the country in this discipline.

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He was addressing a programme organised by Association of Devbhoomi Pharma Industries here on Wednesday. Rawat said that pharma can play a vital role in strengthening the Health Services and for this the people associated with this industry and government should work in tandem.

He said that there is a big demand for the safe, effective and high quality medicines at national and international levels and in such a scenario the pharma industry of the state has a golden opportunity at hand. On the problems associated with the industry the minister assured the members of the association that all their issues would be resolved. He said that soon a high level meeting would be convened in which the office bearers of the association and the officers concerned with the pharma industry would be invited so that the problems are resolved on the spot.

He said that the department officers have been directed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the pharma units, provide land for setting up common drug testing lab, provide necessary concessions in

purchase of alcohol for synthesis of sanitisers and treatment and disposal of the harmful waste generated by the industrial units with the approved agency of the pollution board.

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announces Rs 118 crore relief package for 7.54 lakh women

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Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a Rs 118 crore relief package for Women self-help groups and the women associated with Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission. The decision has been taken to help the women who were severely hit financially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The total package includes an amount of Rs 24.82 crore, which would be paid by the government in form of interest on loans by the women groups under the Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission and Integrated Livelihood Support Package (ILSP).

A total of 159 Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) have been formed under Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission. Each one of them would be given a one-time grant of Rs 5 lakh. The total estimated cost for the same would be Rs 7.95 crore, a communique from the CMs office said.

Financial assistance would also be provided for six months to the active self-help groups formed under the scheme for self-reliance. Under the project, Rs 2,000 per month would be given to 42,989 active women groups leading to an expense of Rs 51.59 crore for the government.

Under the Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana, the beneficiaries will be given interest reimbursement at Rs 5,000 per month on the loan taken for six months. The total cost for the same would be Rs 9 crore.

Yuvak Mangal Dal and Mahila Mangal Dal of Youth Welfare and Provincial Development Dal will be provided financial assistance for six months for self-reliance. In the package, a financial assistance of Rs 2,000 per month would be given to 20,000 groups and it would cost almost Rs 24 crore for the Uttarakhand government.

Mana’ in Uttarakhand is no more the last but the ‘first Indian village’

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The Border Roads Organization (BRO) placed a sign board at the entrance of Mana village inUttarakhand. It was declared to be the first Indian village.

Mana is located in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand and a border with China. It was previously called the last village. It holds a huge religious significance for the Hindus as the place is related to the time of Mahabharata. It is believed that the Pandavas (the five mythological characters from the epic Mahabharata) passed through Mana Village when they made their final journey to heaven.

Must repopulate deserted areas near border in Uttarakhand: CDS

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Chief of DEFENCE StaffGeneral Anil Chauhan emphasised the need to repopulate the unoccupied areas near the border in Uttarakhand, saying if repopulation isnt possible, then such areas should be madetourist hubs.

In Uttarakhand, there are vast unoccupied areas which are even far away from the last villages of the state towards the border. We have to see if we can repopulate them and, if, that is prob-lematic, we have to see if we can popularise border tourism there, the CDS said at an event in New Delhi.

Asias biggest liquid mirror telescope to come in Ukhand

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The Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (AIRES) will soon install Asia’s biggest Liquid Mirror Telescope also known as Devasthali Optical Telescope (DOT) at Devasthal near Nainital in Uttarakhand. A liquid mirror telescope coated with mercury is much cheaper than the usual ones and it can observe only those objects in space that come into its view as it cannot be moved in different directions. It will be used to study celestial bodies like stars, space debris and satellites among others which will pass through its focus.

Currently, biggest such telescope in Asia has a diameter of 3.6 metres while this telescope would be of four metres in diameter making it to be the third biggest telescope in the world after the installation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel launched this telescope remotely in March, 2016. It has been made in joint cooperation with Canada and Belgium at a cost of Rs 10 crore. The scientist of ARIES, Dipankar Banerjee informed that the telescope could have been installed earlier but it got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the state. He said that all the manufacturing work of the telescope is completed and it will be installed and inaugurated soon. Some experts from Belgium and Canada will also arrive on the occasion, added Banerjee.