Cheetah patrolling units in Uttarakhand cities to be armed with handguns

In a bid to modernise the ground units, especially the quick reaction ones,Uttarakhandpolice would soon arm its two-wheeler-borne city patrolling units, known as ‘Cheetah’, with 9mm pistols.

Its in accordance with the ministry of Home affairs initiative of ‘Strict and Sensitive, Modern and Mobile, Alert and Accountable, Reliable and Responsive, Techno-savvy and Trained (SMART)’ policing.

Paving the way for construction of Government Medical College at Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district the government has approved a sum of Rs 336.89 Crore for the college. An amount of Rs 50 Crore has been released as the first instalment for the medical college. The secretary in charge, medical education department Pankaj Kumar Pandey said that the TAC of finance department had proposed that a sum of Rs 237.78 Crore for civil works and Rs 98.11 Crore for additional works is needed for the medical college following which the finance expenditure committee approved a sum of Rs 336.89 Crore for the medical college.

The Rudrapur medical college would be constructed under the centrally funded scheme in which the Union Government would bear 90 percent of the total cost while the remainder of 10 percent would be borne by the .

In the order the Pandey said that the regulations of e procurement and procurement policy 2017 should be strictly followed in purchase of material and equipment. He also said that the internal heating system should be based on Solar Energy and use of primary steel should be made for structuring and steel works in the building construction.

Ukhand to reconstitute State Pharmacy Council

The Uttarakhand government has started the process of reviving the State Pharmacy Council (SPC). The council has been in a suspended state for the last eight years. The orders to reconstitute the SPC have been given by the Health minister Dhan Singh Rawat to the officers of the department. This information was given by the minister to the office bearers of the diploma pharmacists association.

A delegation of the association met the minister at his Vidhan Sabha office on the day. The minister said that the orders to reconstitute the SPC have been given to the officers of the department. He said that the Pharmacy Practice Regulation 2015 would be strictly implemented in the State after the constitution of the council. Rawat also gave on the spot orders to release the Uttarakhand pharmacist regulations which are pending at the level of administration.

Uttarakhand: Tourism sector lauds ‘Dekho Apna Desh’

The residents ofUttarakhandhave welcomed the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative proposed in the budget. Hiranmoy Roy, professor of economics at DIT University, said that it will lay the foundation for more job creation in the state.

Hoteliers said, “Centre’s initiative to develop tourist destinations across the country will surely benefit the state as Uttarakhand is known for Char Dham Yatra and adventure tourism. We already have an airport and one more is about to come to the state. Things like air safari have great tourist attractions, and I hope the government will promote such facilities by making a video on them to get maximum benefit.” Meanwhile, Shyamal Chatterjee, an industrialist associated with CII, said that 95% of the total industries in Uttarakhand are MSMEs and the announcement of the revamped credit guarantee scheme of Rs 9,000 crore is commendable.

Uttarakhand records worst sex ratio in country at 844; Kerala best at 974

Uttarakhand’s sex ratio (number of females per 1,000 males) at birth was found to be the worst in the country at 844, and Kerala’s the best, at 974, according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2020, released by the Registrar General of India (RGI) on September 22.

The report stated that India’s overall sex ratio at birth had gone up by 3 points to 907 in 2018-20 from 904 in (the partly overlapping period of) 2017-19. It was 907 in rural areas and 910 in urban areas.

The ratio is possibly indicative of the number of pre-natal sex determinations and female foeticide cases.

Uttarakhand’s sex ratio, meanwhile, dwindled four points as it had stood at 848 in the last RGI report published for the 2017-2019 period.

22.4 lakh Uttarakhand residents have digital health IDs under Ayushman Bharat Mission: Data

TheUttarakhandHealth department has issued digital health identity cards to 22.44 lakh people under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, according to the latest data.

The digitalisation scheme was launched by theGovernment of Indiain 2021. The ID card consists of the 14-digitAyushman Bharat Health Account(ABHA) Number which allows users to save their health records and medical investigations online. This health account contains details of tests, illnesses, doctors visited, medicines prescribed and diagnosis. The health data of ABHA holders can be accessed and shared online with healthcare providers which makes it easier for users to avail healtcare facilities remotely. It can also be useful in cases where a patient shifts to a new city. As many as 913 medical professionals and 130 health care facilities have been registered under the scheme.

FDAs campaign against food adulteration continues in State

The Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) department of Uttarakhand on the orders of the FDA commissioner, R Rajesh Kumar has undertaken a campaign against food adulteration in the State. On Monday a combined team under deputy commissioner of Garhwal division and deputy commissioner of headquarters conducted a surprise inspection of hotels, resorts, camps and restaurants in Shivpuri, Rishikesh area of Tehri district.

The deputy commissioner (headquarters) GC Kandwal said that in hotel Grand Shiva resort 12 kg of chicken meat stored in unhygienic conditions was destroyed. Similarly samples of milk and unpacked paneer were taken from this place. The team collected samples of gravy and refined oil from Grand Tapovan Resort Shivpuri, Rishikesh. Samples of turmeric and red chilli powder were collected from Wonder Camp Shivpuri. Samples of paneer and coriander power were also collected from H O A resort. Here a large quantity of spices and other edible items were seized as they were found to have crossed the date of safe usage.

Uttarakhand tables Rs 5,440 crore supplementary budget

The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government inUttarakhandhas tabled a Rs 5,440 crore supplementary budget in the House.Out of which, Rs 2,276 crore was under the head of revenue expenses and Rs 3,163 crore under the capital expenses.

The breakup shows that Rs 254 crore have been kept for finance, taxes, planning, secretariat and miscellaneous Services while Rs 432 crore provision has been kept for medical and family welfare and Rs 125 crore for Education, Sports, youth welfare and culture. A major chunk of Rs 388 crore has been reserved for water supply, housing and urban development and Rs 316 crore for welfare schemes.

With the focus of development in rural pockets, the has kept a provision of Rs 600 crore for rural development. Also, Rs 276 crore provision has been made for public works and Rs 102 crore for industries. In other major provisions, Rs 127 crore has been marked for revenue and general administration, Rs 56 crore for crop husbandry and research, Rs 24 crore for labour and EMPLOYMENT, Rs 92 crore for judicial administration, Rs 52 crore for food, Rs 37 crore for Horticulture development and Rs 27 crore for animal husbandry.

Uttarakhand govt withdraws Char Dham Bill

Close on the heels of the central government withdrawing the contentious farm laws, theUttarakhandgovernment on Tuesday announced repealing of theChar DhamDevasthanam Board Act, which had brought over 50 temples, including Char Dham shrines of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, under the state’s control.

The act, which had led to constitution of a board, on the lines of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, headed by an Ias officer, was strongly opposed by the priests of the Char Dham shrines as they claimed it was an effort to deprive them of their centuries-old rights of administering the temples.

The fears were compounded when earlier this month, before PM Modi’s visit to Kedarnath on November 5, protesting priests had stopped former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, regarded as the architect of the act, to enter the Kedarnath temple premises.

Health infrastructure improving in Uttarakhand- CM Dhami

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the Health of the State has witnessed a many fold increase in recent times. The State Government is committed to improvement in the health Services. He was addressing the 13thnational convention on medical Education at Swami Ram Himalayan University, Jollygrant.

He said that the State government has started a free health investigation scheme under which 207 pathological tests are being done free of cost.

Terming the founder of the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) Swami Ram as the great humanist, philosopher, teacher and a saint, the CM said that he did a great service to the State by setting up HIHT. He said that Swami Ram believed that the human body is a temple of god and serving fellow human beings is the biggest form of the prayer.