04-05.07.21

Japanese organisation donates 100 oxygen concentrators to Manipur

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Japan-basedNippon Foundationdonated 100 oxygen concentrators to the Chief MinistersCovid-19 Relief Fund, through theManipur Tourism Forum(MTF), to support the state governments effort in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

MTF founder president TH Dhabali Singh handed over the oxygen concentrators toCM N Biren Singhat the latters office complex in presence of Manipur principal secretary-(health & family welfare) VVumlunmangand health services director K Rajo, a statement from the CMs office said.

Biren expressed his sincere gratitude and thanked the Nippon Foundation for their support. He further stated that the gadgets will be helpful in dealing with the deadly pandemic, prevailing in the state. In his facebook post Biren said.

Assam to use drones to keep tabs on Covid-rule violators

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For the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19 inAssam, the state government will be using drones to keep tabs on those defying guidelines in areas where cases are surging.
Amid fears that the pandemic might last beyond 2021 and the threat of a third wave looming large, chief ministerHimanta Biswa Sarmaon Sunday asked district authorities and the police to conduct monitoring through drones to identify places where people are coming out in large numbers, violating Covid restrictions.

In a review meeting, carried out virtually, with authorities of nine districts, Sarma directed them to extensively move around the districts to ensure strict enforcement of Covid protocols and allot sector-wise responsibility to magistrates to monitor violations.

Taking a new initiative for primary school students deprived of online classes in remote areas of the State, the School & Mass Education Department has decided that under-training students would teach disadvantaged students at their doorsteps during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The students pursuing their career in elementary education training course will reach out to primary school students, who do not have facility for online education in far-flung areas, and teach them near their houses as part of their internship, informed School & Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash on Wednesday. Since uncertainty still looms over reopening of schools and physical classes during the pandemic, as per the decision, one teaching student would be engaged for at least 10 school students for the doorstep schooling. The department has planned to select 10,000 teaching students and engage them for this purpose. The teaching students will visit 10,000 villages that lack internet connectivity to take classes of the State-run school students near their houses by following Covid-19-appropriate behaviour, Dash said.

75,000 people get benefits under Ungal Thokuthiyil Muthalamaichar scheme in TN

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Tamil Naduchief minister M K Stalin on Friday handed over orders and various benefits to 13 beneficiaries of government welfare schemes, who submitted petitions under ‘Ungal Thokuthiyil Muthalamaichar’ scheme.

They were among the 75,818 people who benefited through the scheme (CMin your constituency) in the last 70 days, said a statement from the government.

So far, 3,51, 486 petitions have been received under the scheme and the same have been forwarded to the respective departments. Of these, 1,76, 268 have been accepted and as many as 75,818 have already been addressed. It was higher than the number of petitions (1.10lakh) received and redressed by theCM Special Cellin the last 10 years, added the release.
Out of 1.76lakh petitions, as many as 52,434 petitions were submitted seeking patta and pension under the welfare schemes implemented by the revenue and social welfare departments. A total of 35,670 petitioned, seeking allotment under the government housing schemes and basic amenities.

Kerala: Commission soon to review university laws, says Higher education minister R Bindu

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The higher education department will set up a university law reform commission to study and report the changes required in the statutes and rules governing the university education system in the state, said higher education minister R Bindu.

Presently, the university education system in the state is being governed by statutes and rules framed about 60 years ago. Many of them have become outdated and have been found to be inadequate to address the challenges being thrown up by the drastic changes like digital education systems taking place in the field. The commission, to be announced soon, will be tasked to frame legal and regulatory frameworks, factoring in the transformations that have taken place in the educational ecosystem, Bindu said.

The minister said another commission will be appointed to suggest reforms to be implemented in the examination systems in universities so that the students will undergo a more effective and authentic evaluation process. She said that 30 centres of excellence would be set up across the state to conduct in-depth and focussed research. These centres will have inter-university links and will be undertaking interdisciplinary research. Efforts will be made to woo the best talents available in the country to these centres. They will also strive to inculcate research aptitude among the students at the degree and postgraduate levels, she said.

Karnataka: 100 police stations to get their own buildings

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The government of Karnataka has approved the construction of 100 buildings for police stations in various parts of Karnataka at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

The government intended to complete the establishment of police stations in their own buildings in two years. Of 1,054 police stations in the state, 60 are functioning in rented buildings, 83 stations are in government buildings of various departments, and 76 police stations are in buildings which are in a dilapidated state.

MA Saleem, additional director general of police (administration), said on priority, in the first phase, the police stations functioning in rented buildings will be taken up for under initiative, and a new building constructed for them, where they have adequate land.

According sources, since many years, the police department was submitting proposals for the construction of new buildings for police stations across the state. In many districts, police stations are working from rented buildings and also dilapidated buildings, because of which the department didnt have adequate space to accommodate personnel, park seized vehicles, to conduct investigations, and interrogate accused as well as for other purposes.

All Telangana post offices to run on solar power by 2023

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British-era post offices that have been revamped with latest technology are also adopting alternative energy sources to ensure uninterrupted services to lakhs of customers across Telangana.

Officials say that the shift to solar power will be implemented in over 6,000 post offices, in a phased manner. The postal departments target is to run all post offices in Telangana on solar power by the end of 2023, a senior official said.

Andhra Pradesh government buys more mobile medical units to bring medical services to doorstep

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The Andhra Pradesh government is purchasing 539 new mobile medical units (MMUs), in addition to the existing 676, at a cost of Rs 89.72 crore to drive the family physician concept in conjunction with the 1,145 primary health centres (PHCs).

Till July last year, there was one MMU for every 2.27 mandals in the state, covering a population of 1,30,136.

With the addition of 539 new vehicles, every mandal will have a mobile medical unit to cover a population of 56,213.

Each PHC has two doctors, both of whom will tour villages under their jurisdiction in turns, in the MMUs and render medical services to villagers.

Goa finally notifies rules to streamline medical services

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After two years of enacting the Goa Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, the government on Monday finally notified the rules for its implementation. The rules broadly lay down minimum standards that registered clinical establishments in the state should maintain in terms of infrastructure and qualified manpower.

The old legislation Goa Medical Practitioners Act that was repealed after the new legislation came into force, lacked in many aspects.

Under the new rules, every clinical establishment requires to maintain certain minimum standards of facilities and services. The rules have also specified minimum personnel doctors, paramedics and technical staff that a registered unit will have to appoint. Trainee staff in nursing, paramedical and medical fields will not be considered as such.

Maharashtra cabinet clears Adventure Tourism Policy; Aaditya Thackeray says tourists safety topmost priority

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The Maharashtra cabinet cleared the Adventure Tourism Policy for the state, under which a regulatory framework will be drafted for such activities keeping in mind the safety of the tourists.

According to the policy, operators in the state who want to conduct these activities will have to register themselves with the state tourism department by fulfilling several criteria. We want these activities to be conducted legally by registered operators with all the safety guidelines in place. The safety of the tourists is the topmost priority, said Aaditya Thackeray, tourism minister.