Current Affairs Exam

Govt. will work with industry for revival

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The Nadu government will engage with the Industry and come out with an economic revival plan, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu has said.

Interacting with select members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-Tamil Nadu, he said the industrial activity would be allowed in phases, with the drop in the COVID-19 cases factored in.

The members urged the government to come out with a policy to support migrant labourers, important as they were for reviving and sustaining the economic activity, the CII said in a statement.

Micro, Small and Medium enterprises were the most affected by the second wave of COVID-19, the members said, urging the government to help them restart through financial packages and loan moratoria.

Government firm on free-vaccine policy, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

Thestate governmentis of the firm opinion that Covid-19 vaccine should be provided free-of-cost to every citizen, chief ministerPinarayi Vijayansaid in the assembly.

The chief minister said that the state has written to the Prime Minister requesting him to provide Vaccines to all sections of the Society, considering the greater common good. The state has also placed an order for purchasing 70 lakh doses ofCovishieldand 30 lakh doses of Covaxin through the state medical Services corporation.

The state has requested the Centre to take initiative to float global tender for procurement of vaccine as states competing in the market for vaccines would result in the increase of price of vaccines.

Karnataka: Oxygen distribution needs robust system

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The deaths ofCovid-19 patients in Chamarajanagarand Kalaburagihospitalsin less than 24 hours due to non-availability of medical Oxygen have exposed the lack of a sturdy distribution mechanism as well as official bungling.

Despite several warnings by Health experts, the government failed to assess the shortage of oxygen and take remedial steps. The response brings to mind a Kannada proverb: digging a well for water when people are dying of thirst.

Its been more than two weeks since hospitals and health experts have repeatedly highlighted scarcity of oxygen and asked the government to ramp up facilities, especially in districts, where cases are rising.

Dunzo to pilot drone delivery of medicines in Telangana

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

Tech startupDunzoDigital is leading a consortium along with experts to pilotdrone deliveryofmedicinesin the state ofTelangana.

The consortium will conduct experimental BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight ) drone delivery flights for the ‘Medicine from the Sky Project.’ It aims at serving different districts in the state of Telangana for medical supplies. The drone delivery system will focus on an end-to-end ecosystem for drone-based logistic transportation and utilize the existing Logistics Network of the state.

Launched by the Telangana government and theWorld Economic Forum, the program aims at creating a large-scale impact and helping curb the spread of Covid-19 in the state. This will also help later support the delivery of essentials like Vaccines and medicines.

Andhra Pradesh clears funds for 30 skill development colleges

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The has cleared the plan to establish 30skill development collegesacross the state. The proposal also includes askill developmentuniversity which would head all these colleges.

The state government has also cleared the budgetary allocation of Rs 1,385.53 crore for both the colleges and the university. The government plans to have the colleges and the university launching their academic sessions by 2023.

The government has released the budgetary allocation to the AP Skill development Corporation (APSDC) for further action.

The new colleges would provide residential accommodation to 120 students each and another 120 students will be non-residential. They would offer three months to six months courses besides short term courses for one month.

The state government would link the industrial training institutes and the polytechnic colleges in the state with these skill colleges for better coordination. The state government has asked the state industries department to coordinate with the colleges and the industries on the courses and trainings to be provided so as to suit the Industry requirement.

12-17% multi-drug resistant tuberculosis cases seen in Goa yearly

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

Annually, 1,000- 1,500 TB cases are reported in Goa with 12% to 17% of them being multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Though the numbers dont look alarming, MDR-TB cases are still a cause of concern as the recovery rate is 50% or sometimes lesser.

MDR-TB is seen among patients who fail to adhere fully to the treatment regime and consequently, develop resistance to anti-microbial drugs. Close contacts of a patient who develops MDRTB are exposed to the same infection.

The majority may develop MDR-TB for not following the drug regime in toto, but there will be few who may get the disease through a close family contact or in another set-up, where he/she may have been sharing a space with a carrier in a closed Environment. The incidence of MDR-TB in patients who have been detected having TB for the first time, is about 3%.

Real Estate industry demands Maharashtra govt reduce stamp duty from 5% to 2%

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The real estate has once again asked for a reduction in stamp duty blaming the second wave of theCovid pandemicfor subdued sales.

In separate letters to chief ministerUddhav Thackeray, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar who also holds the finance portfolio and to revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat,CREDAI-MCHI, the real estate representative body has asked for reversal of stamp duty to 2% till March 2022.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday launched the Haryana Engineering Works (HEW) portal to facilitate ease of access and doing business with the government for contractors in the state.

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The contractors desiring to work in various projects of three primary engineering departments of the state namely Public Works Department, Irrigation-and-water”>Irrigation and water Resources Department and Public Health Engineering Department will benefit from this portal.

The portal will enable the contractors desirous of participating in various tenders of these departments to register themselves for the purpose. Every contractor will have to create a profile on it and they would be exempted from bearing Earnest Deposit (EMD) if they provide certain essential details for registration on the portal.

Khattar also directed that startups and new entrepreneurs should also be facilitated through this portal and expressed his hope that the portal would prove as a game-changer in providing an accessible and simple platform for the contractors which would also be a single-point reference for providing necessary information to the prospective bidders of the departments.

Punjabi University to work on operating system based on Linux

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

Punjabi University will now work on Linux-based operating system. The University Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Arvind, said they would develop an operating system that worked in Punjabi.

The VC made the announcement on the concluding day of the 50th seven-day workshop organised by the Department of Punjabi Computer Help Centre.

Such programmes organised by the department for university students and outsiders would also be started for foreign apprentices, the VC added.

Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing relief to farmers of the country and state by increasing the subsidy on Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizers by 140 percent.

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The Chief Minister said that the farmers will now get the subsidy of Rs 1200 per bag on DAP from the existing Rs 500 per bag. Despite the international price hike, the farmers would get the Fertilizers at old rates of Rs 1200 per bag, he said.

Thakur said that DAP is the second most commonly used fertilizer in India. The annual consumption of DAP is around 1200 to 1500 MT in Himachal Pradesh.

He said that farmers normally apply this fertilizer in Rabi season in potato and wheat crops just before or at the time of sowing. It is majorly used in Una, Kangra and some parts of Paonta Sahib and Nalagarh in the state. Last year, the actual price of DAP was Rs 1700 per bag in which the Central Government was providing a subsidy of Rs 500 per bag, he added.

The Chief Minister further said that recently, the international prices of phosphoric acid, ammonia etc. used in DAP had gone up by 60 percent to 70 percent, resulting in an increase in price of DAP bag to Rs 2400 per bag.