02.12.22

Meghalaya first in northeast to develop mental health policy

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TheMeghalayacabinet on Tuesday passed its first-ever mental Health and social care policy, becoming the first state in the northeast, and the third in India, to develop such a policy.

Chief ministerConrad K. Sangmasaid the policy will ensure proper attention to mental health, especially for children, adolescents and youth.

The vision of the Meghalaya mental health and social care policy is to promote overall mental health and well-being and facilitate appropriate access and care pathways through robust engagement with various communities. The policy is part of a sensitive public health approach, adopted by the state, for providing mental, psychological and social care for its people.

HIV cases spiral in Assam, may go beyond 2021-22 tally

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HIV cases have spiraled inAssamwith over 2,000 cases being detected in barely seven months this year, a figure which equals the number of cases detected in the entire period in 2021-2022. Health officials said the trend is heading towards a figure which may end up as the highest HIV cases in Assam by March next year.
Till now, the highest ever HIV cases 2,366 were detected in Assam in 2021-2022. But this year, from April to October alone 2,269 cases have been detected.

The new HIV cases in Assam have increased by 26.2% in 2021 in comparison to 2010. In the current year, it is seen that HIV infections are spreading among the youth, especially among IDUs (Injecting Drug Users),

As per NACO HIV Estimation Report 2021, Assam has about 25,073 people living with HIV (PLHIV). Of them, 45% are female and 3% are children. Kamrup (M) has the maximum number of cases (7,610), followed by Cachar district (5,200), Nagaon (1,602) district and Dibrugarh (1,402). Till October 2022, 10,765 people were on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

The state government on Wednesday announced plans to implement a scheme under which people will contribute land to government agency, Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco), to form a land pool for industrial use. Idco will develop the land pool into a modern industrial park.

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The government will keep portions of the land for basic . Idco will have leasing rights on a part of the land and the individual landowner will have the leasing rights on the balanced developed land, according to the Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) 2022, unveiled on the first day of the Make in Odisha investors’ meet.

The policy said at least three new industrial Infrastructure Development projects will be implemented. They are Odisha East Coast Economic Corridor along National Highway 16 which passes through Bhubaneswar and touches most coastal districts from Ganjam to Balasore, Biju Economic Corridor along the Biju Expressway covering the western Odisha districts and Odisha East-West Economic Corridor from Khurda toJharsuguda. What is being seen as a move to ensure regional balance, industries coming up in Biju Economic Corridor in western Odisha will be considered under “thrust sector”, eligible for maximum incentives.

The new industrial units in the priority and thrust sectors will be reimbursed power tariff of Rs 2 per unit for a period of seven and 10 years respectively. Eligible industrial units in thrust and priority sectors shall be provided 30% and 20% capital Investment subsidy respectively.

Tamil Nadu CM launches STEM labs on wheels

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Naduchief minister M K Stalin launched STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) laboratories on wheels for government school students. This initiative is meat to encourage government school students to develop an interest in science and mathematics.

The chief minister flagged off 100 mobileSTEM labsfrom Adi Dravidar Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Kattur, Trichy.

A sum of Rs 25 crore has been sanctioned for the initiative named Vaanavil Mandram which would benefit 25 lakh students in 13,210 schools in the state.

A total of 710 volunteers were identified by the school Education department through science forums to explain science and mathematics concepts with real-time exhibits.

A model STEM lab session was conducted in the Kattur Adi Dravidar school. The chief minister interacted with students and teachers.

Kerala cabinet approves draft bill to remove governor as chancellor

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The state cabinet, gave its nod to the draft bill that will remove the governor from the chancellor post of all the universities in state. It is learned that this bill will be brought on the very first day when the assembly session begins on December 5. Though the state cabinet has given its nod to the draft bill, once the assembly passes an Act, it has to be approved by the governor later.

Since an amendment in the Universities Act will have to be made for each university, a decision was taken to have a single chancellor for like-minded universities. Hence, the cabinet decided to bring in five separate amendments for creating the chancellor’s post. The allowances and other benefits for the chancellor will be met from the university’s fund. It is learnt that there will be separate chancellors for Health, Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, digital, veterinary and universities and Cusat. There will be a single chancellor forKerala, Calicut, Kannur, MG, Sanskrit, Malayalam and Sree Narayana universities.

The service period of a chancellor will be five years and the office will be set up at the university’s headquarters. A person will be eligible for re-appointment as chancellor for only one additional term. The higher Education minister will be the pro-chancellor of all universities in Kerala. The government has decided to rope in experts from respective fields as chancellors.

The amendment is being brought in the Universities Act to remove the clause that the person holding the position of the governor will also be the chancellors of all universities in the state.

Karnataka: Scheme to train youths for jobs takes off in Dharwad

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Amrutha Munnade, a scheme announced in the 2022 budget, is being implemented inDharwaddistrict to provide Skill development training for students to increase EMPLOYMENT opportunities. Various free courses are being given to candidates belonging to the backward classes through Amrutha Munnade.

Training will be provided by theKarnatakaGerman Technical Training Institute (KGTTI), Government Tool Room and Training Centre and Industrial training institutes (ITI).

There are 30 courses in GTTC, Hubballi. Many courses have already started in KGTTI. Devaraj Urs, the backward classes development corporations district manager, AT Sultanpur, said the government had called applications from students.

Of 7,980 big wetlands in Telangana only three on Centre’s list

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DespiteSupreme Courtorder to notify wetlands across the country which are bigger than 2.25 hectares, only three out of 7,987 fitting the category inTelanganastate have been listed in the Wetlands of India portal to date.

In all, has 13,297 wetlands covering 4.95 lakh hectares, but the state’s wetland authority, which was created in 2019, is yet to list the ones over 2.25 hectares in the portal intended to provide protective status to these ecologically sensitive areas. TheUnion ministry of environmenthad launched the portal in 2021 as a primary source for accessing information relating to wetlands.

The three listed from state are Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary, Pakhal Lake Wildlife Sanctuary andKapra Wetland, with the first two mentioned as ‘Wetlands of International Significance’ on the portal.

These wetlands provide shelter to over 470 different migratory birds coming from Australia, Europe and other cold regions around the globe.

Andhra University plans 4-acre greenery to atone for loss

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Environmental activistsof the city fume over the recent large-scale tree cutting happened on the AndhraUniversity groundsfor Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting. Citing security concerns for the PM’s meeting, the District Administration sought permission of theAU officialsfortree felling.

Hundreds of trees were felled on about 1.5-acre land. Andhra University has now decided to developgreeneryin three different parts of the university, totalling to four acres, to compensate for this. The locations would be chosen based on one major parameter, i.e. the places where there would be no immediate future constructions.

Goa University first Indian varsity to sign MoU with Bangladesh maritime University

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TheGoa Universityhas signed a MoU with Bangladeshs Bangabandhu SheikhMujibur Rahman Maritime University(BSMRMU) for cooperation in the maritime fields. Goa University has become the first varsity in the country to forge ties with the university.

The MoU was signed between GU and BSMRMU for cooperation in the maritime fields, extending support for Education, research, training, student and faculty exchange and joint research in areas of mutual interest. The study involves both fundamental and applied research leading to conceptualisation of various sensors and equipment for a sustainable usage of blue water.

Need model code for pollution control

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Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) chairman PRaghavendra Rao urged theNational Real Estate Development Council(NAREDCO) to come up with a model code for fixing the criteria for pollution control, so that feasible industrial activities were not banned by the government.

Addressing NAREDCO Haryana Real Estate Summit 2022 and Buyer-Seller Interface in Gurgaon, Rao added that the suggested model code should be validated by institutions relating to research so that their validity is not questioned.

The details of the model code for pollution control should also be supported and validated by data so that parameters recommended in the Code Of Conduct are considered without any hitch, pointed out Mr Rao. He advised NAREDCO to ask constituents to adopt best pratices.