06.10.22

In a first, Punjab crosses Rs 10k cr GST collection

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Punjab has collected Rs 10,604 crore as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) during the first six months of the current financial year crossing the 10,000-mark for the first time since the implementation of the GST regime.

Sharing the same, Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the State has seen a Growth of 22.6 percent in GST collection in the current financial year as against the same period the previous year.

He further added that during the first six months of the previous financial year, the GST collection stood at Rs 8,650 crore; whereas during the current year, the State has earned Rs 1,954 crore more, taking the total GST collection to Rs 10,604 crore.

Disclosing the GST figures for the month of September 2022, Cheema said that the State has registered a growth rate of 22 percent. He said that the GST collection for September this year was Rs 1710 crore as compared to the collection of Rs 1402 in September 2021.

HP approves draft MoU for flights in 2 sectors

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To boost tourism and provide better connectivity to the residents ofHimachal Pradesh, the state cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval to the draft MoU with Alliance Air Aviation Limited to start flights in two sectors that is Shimla-Kullu-Shimla(4 times a week) and Shimla-Dharamshala-Shimla (3 times a week).

The cabinet meeting in Shimla was chaired by chief ministerJai Ram Thakur. A decision was taken to create and fill 104 posts of medical officer (dental) on contract basis for giving specialized dental care the people closer to Home. Of these posts 50% will be filled throughHPPSCand 50% on batch-wise basis.

It also decided to open 22 homeopathic Health centres under Ayush department in various parts of the state along with creation and filling up of 22 posts of homeopathic medical officers to manage these centres. Approval was also given to fill up 164 (newly created and vacant) posts of technical assistant in department throughHimachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission, Hamirpur.

Ayushman scheme- Patients to give feedback on treatment, hospitals

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In a step towards making the Ayushman Yojana more transparent the State Health Agency (SHA) has decided to provide the information regarding the expenses incurred in the treatment of the beneficiaries of the scheme. The beneficiaries would also give feedback on their treatment. The SHA has issued a directive to all the hospitals in this regard.

It is pertinent to mention here that in the recent programme organised to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Ayushman Yojana, the Health minister Dhan Singh Rawat had directed the officers of the SHA to make the scheme more transparent and effective for public welfare.

The SHA has asked the hospitals to submit a proof that they have done free treatment of the patient under the scheme and no was taken from the patient for tests, surgery and medicines during his stay in the hospital. The patients would be informed about the money remaining out of the five lakh per year in their card.

Uttar Pradesh: Bundelkhand to get its first tiger reserve

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In a landmark decision, the state cabinet on Tuesday approved the first tiger reserve of Bundelkhand to promote tiger conservation in the state.
At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the cabinet approved to notify Ranipur Tiger Reserve, under section 38(v) of the Wildlife protection act 1972, spanning across 52,989.863 hectares (around 530 sqkm) including 29,958.863 hectares of buffer area and 23,031.00 hectares of core area which was already notified as Ranipur wildlife sanctuary in Chitrakoot.

This will be UP’s fourth tiger reserve after Dudhwa in Lakhimpur, Pilibhit reserve in Pilibhit and Amangarh in Bijnor. The cabinet also decided to establish Ranipur Tiger Conservation Foundation along with sanctioning of requisite posts.

The Ranipur Tiger Reserve area covered by Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests is Home to megafauna comprising tigers, leopards, bears, spotted deers, sambhar, chinkaras and diverse avifauna, reptilians and other mammals.
The establishment of Ranipur reserve will be a turning point for the conservation of wildlife in Bundelkhand along with opening of eco tourism potential of the area creating immense EMPLOYMENT opportunities.

The approval for the reserve from the (NTCA) had come long back, but it was kept waiting for one or the other reason, said sources in the forest department.

New solar policy to light up more villages: Hemant Soren

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Jharkhandchief minister HemantSorenunveiled the Jharkhand State Solar Policy of 2022 at a hotel here. The chief minister said with https://exam.pscnotes.com/Climate-change”>Climate Change now knocking on our doors, Jharkhand has made an effort to replace thermal power by clean energy and ensure reduction of emission of greenhouse gasses.

Many of the villages atop the hilly tracts are inaccessible and could not be fully lit up. The Solar Policy 2022 will lay the foundation for lighting up all inaccessible villages by encouraging villages to set up solar power Plants. Thermal power costs anything between Rs 4 and Rs 5 per unit, while solar power comes cheap at Rs 2 to Rs 2.50 per unit. One MW of solar power can be generated from a plant on a 5 acre plot. Hence, an entire district can be fully lit up with the help of solar plants on 400 to 500 acres, he added.

Under this policy, the Soren government aims to produce 4,000 MW of solar power in the next five years by providing incentives and supporting entrepreneurs who are willing to invest in utility scale solar projects, distributed solar projects and off-grid solar projects, officials said. The policy document envisages a cumulative solar power generation of 3,000 MW through solar parks, non-solar parks, floating solar power plans and canal top units. That apart, Jharkhand aims to produce 720 MW power through rooftop solar units, captive solar units, and solar power Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, the policy states.

Under the new policy, households with annual income less than Rs 3 lakh will be provided subsidies to the tune of 60%-80% if they commission rooftop solar units on their residential places between 3KW and 10KW. Solar agriculture projects will draw subsidies to the tune of 30% of the total cost while solar pumps will be provided with subsidies up to 67%.

Bihar to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2040

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Bihargovernment is actively pursuing the target of net zero carbon level a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the by the year 2040. Significant progress has been made so far in this direction through field visits, data collection and assessment, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) chairman Ashok Kumar Ghosh said.

A final report comprising policy-level recommendations for achieving the desired results will be submitted to the State Government by March next year.

Later, several other agencies working in the Environment conservation sector, includingShakti Foundation, WRI-India and CEEW were also associated with the project as partner organisations.

Chhattisgarh has again topped the country with the lowest unemployment rate for September. A whopping 99.9 percent of the adult population is more or less associated with livelihood option and just 0.1 percent are unemployed in the state.

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The Bhupesh Baghel governments pro-farmer policies contributed to the feat. The welfare schemes it launched has boosted the rural economy, the communiqu said.

The government’sambitious Godhan Nyay Yojana aims to strengthen the Cottage industries in villages to provide income-generating opportunities.

Under the scheme, Gauthans (cow sheds) have been set up in the rural areas.

Some of the livelihood-related activities in rural industrial parks include producing vermi-compost, goat farming, producing incense sticks and dona-pattal (leaf plate), fish farming and egg and mushroom production.

Village lights and pumps will run with solar energy under Surya Shakti drive

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Surya Shakti Abhiyan has been launched in Madhya Pradesh for supply of electricity from to make villages self-reliant. Madhya Pradesh is the first state to launch such a unique campaign in the country.

This is an important step towards fulfilling the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the country self-reliant in the field of solar energy. Solar electricity will be used in village street lights, tap-water supply, offices and other works while promoting solar energy in village panchayats.

Under the Jal-Jeevan Mission, the target is to provide one crore household water connections in rural areas, which were only 15 lakh two years ago.

With this, the expenditure on electricity of village Panchayats, which was about 450 crores, is likely to increase to 2 thousand crores. With the help of solar energy, the expenditure of about Rs. 2000 crore on electricity bills in future in the village panchayats of the state can be reduced. This amount can be used for other development works of the village. Along with this, the benefit of Carbon Credit will also be available to the panchayats.

Gujarat: Production of non-woven fabric up 15% since SUP ban

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Since the ban on single-use-plastics (SUP) came into force on July 1, manufacturers of non-woven fabric have seen an uptick in demand. Three weeks after the ban was implemented, estimates byIndinonManufacturers Association of Non-wovens (INDINON) show that production of non-woven fabric makers is up 15%, backed by greater demand for non-woven bags that are reusable and recyclable, to replace plastic bags.

Most players in the FMCG sector, electronics, showrooms, grocery stores and other retail outlets have switched to using non-woven bags.

Since the pandemic began two years ago, demand for non-woven fabrics has increased for use in manufacture of disposable bags, masks,PPEkits and coveralls, disposable bedsheets and pillow covers and applications in the Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture sector as well.

Film tourism policy to be launched at Rajasthan travel mart

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RajasthanFilm Tourism Promotion Policy will be launched at the inaugural session of Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM). Principal secretary tourismGayatri Rathoreon Tuesday said that as part of the policy, the government will give subsidies and incentives up to 2 crore for all kinds of films, be it regional, Bollywood, Hollywood or OTT.

She said Rajasthan Calling roadshows will also be organized in many cities across the country including Bangalore, Lucknow, Gurugram, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad, among others.

Rajasthan has immense potential for in the tourism sector. The State Government has made many initiatives like Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020,Rajasthan Home Stay(Paying Guest Scheme) 2021, Rajasthan Tourism Guest House Scheme 2021, etc. which will all go a long way in accelerating investment in the tourism sector. I hope for pro-active participation from all stakeholders at RDTM.