07.10.21

Centre exploring new technologies to overcome geographical barrier in NE, expand telecom network: Minister

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Union minister Devusinh Chauhan on Saturday said the Centre is exploring new technologies to overcome challenges of geographical barrier in northeastern states to strengthen Telecommunication Services in the region.

Chauhan, the minister of state for communications, said the government is keen to bring all villages under the telecom Network.

There is no dearth of funds for strengthening the telecom sector. Coverage of the telecom network will be enhanced in the state and also in the northeast region.

Assam govt schools to record flora, fauna for biodiversity study

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Every government-run school, even those in the remotest parts of Assam, will henceforth have to document the and Fauna found in the area as this would help in mapping and recording the states rich Biodiversity with the help of experts and enhance knowledge.

With an objective of promoting the flora and fauna and rich biodiversity of the state, Education minister Ranoj Pegu on Thursday launched the School Biodiversity Register (SBR) at the State Mission Office of Samagra Shiksha in the presence of principal secretary to the education department, B Kalyan Chakravarthy, and mission director, Samagra Shiksha, Assam, Roshni Aparanji Korati. The register will also empower to develop a baseline Database for biodiversity so that proper assessment on various parameters such as endangered and extinct species can be done.

The SBR, a brainchild of Chakravarthy, has been designed as a record of knowledge, perception and Attitude of people about Resources“>Natural Resources, Plants and animals, their utilization and conservation in a village or a panchayat which would further form a database in every school where all common species of flora and fauna would be available.

Slum youths to be engaged as police mitra in Bhubaneswar

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The commissionerate of Police has decided to designate at least 1,000 youths from different slums in the state capital as police mitras (friends), who, in turn, will assist the cops in controlling crowds and regulating traffic on major festive occasions in the city.

This apart, the police are planning to organise a mega talent hunt programme in the slums to give the youths there a platform to showcase their talent. The broader objective is to make the slums free of crimes and drug smuggling.

As part of the Basti Ku Chala initiative, the police commissioner and his deputy have been holding regular interactions with the slum dwellers. Nodal police officers (basti mitras) have been asked to conduct bike and foot patrolling, engage with slum residents and keep tabs on the movement of suspicious people. The police personnel have been giving pleasant surprises to many slum children by celebrating their birthdays and offering them cakes, sweets and bouquets.

The state brought down the health outlay by Rs 487 crore for the 2021 budget from the former AIADMK governments Rs 19,420 crore in the interim budget by slashing needless expenses such as allocation of salaries for nurses who havent been appointed and judicious spending in purchase of medical supplies for government hospitals, health minister Ma Subramanian said.

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The state also cut down on spending towards PPE kits, masks, boarding and lodging charges for doctors, nurses and Health workers, he said. The state has been sanctioned more than Rs 800 crore as Covid recovery package by the Union Government and has proposed to add 4,900 nurses for various health schemes. All these allocations will appear in the revised estimate, he said.

Kerala: Flood led to 28% loss in land use in Achankovil basin

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A study on the impact of the flood in 2018 on land use in Achankovil river basin shows that the flood has damaged a total of 28.15% land use of the area fully or partially.

By comparing land use maps before and after the flood, the study said the mixed crops faced the highest damage of 61.81%, paddy fields 14.79%, fallow lands 14.76% and settlements with mixed tree crops 5.92% loss.

Loss of land use occurred from upstream Achankovil to downstream Veeyapuram area. Proper protection of river bank by vegetation like bamboo is needed for the sustainability of the ecosystem as they support the river bank by preventing the landslide and bank erosion.

Telangana passes resolution for caste-wise BC census

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The legislative council and assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the central government to take up caste-wise census of Backward Classes in the general Census for 2021.

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao moved the resolution in the assembly stating that it was necessary to maintain accurate statistics to take up welfare measures for the poorest of poor. The CM also mentioned how several state assemblies and Political Parties across the country have started requesting the central government to take up the BC caste census and urged the Centre to take it up along with the 2021 Census.

The CM said that BCs comprised 50% of total Population in Telangana and that there was a general opinion to ensure that Justice was delivered to them. Subsequently, speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy announced that the resolution was adopted unanimously.

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launches Swechha scheme for adolescent girl students

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Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the Swechha programme, which aims to improve Health and hygiene of adolescent girls studying in government schools and colleges by providing quality sanitary napkins free of cost.

Speaking on the occasion, Jagan said many reports have revealed that almost 23 per cent of young girls in the country stay away from schools and colleges during menstruation. In order to change this, the is taking measures right from improving toilets in all government institutions under Nadu-Nedu initiative to launching Swechha programme.

He said under the Swechha initiative, awareness on menstruation will be spread among the students studying in classes 7 to 12 once a month by Women teachers and women cops. Apart from this, awareness on Disha App and Disha Act will also be created by women Police, and joint collector (Aasara) will be monitoring the orientation programmes. A woman teacher will be appointed as a nodal officer. The state government will provide quality sanitary napkins to over 10 lakh students studying in classes 7 to 12, at a cost of Rs 32 crore. Each girl student will receive 120 napkins every year. The students will also be taught on proper disposal of sanitary pads in places where separate dustbins and 6,417 incinerators have been set up under clean AP programme.

Goa gets Rs 213 crore GST compensation

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Goa received Rs 213 crore from the Centre as compensation for GST shortfall, as part of the Rs 40,000 crore released to various states under the Centres back-to-back loan facility to meet the shortfall in GST collection and compensation. A similar amount was released in mid-July as the Centre helps states and union territories meet the shortfall in tax revenues.

This is in addition to the normal GST compensation being released every two months out of the actual GST cess collection. The Centre advised states to used the funds to meet their public expenditure particularly improvement of Health and completion of infrastructure projects through proper planning.

Goas GST collections have improved over the last two months. Aided by resumption in tourism and industrial activity, the tax collections in September hit pre-Covid levels.

Goa has agreed to the Centres funding arrangements to meet the GST compensation shortfall. The Centre has borrowed the funds through five-year and two-year Bonds. No additional market borrowing by the Central Government is envisaged on account of this release.

Memorial pillar for Shahu Maharaj to come up in Mumbai

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A memorial pillar in remberance of Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj will soon be installed in Mumbais Girgaon area, where the legendary king and social reformer had died.

Shahu Maharaj passed away on May 6, 1922, at the Panhala Lodge palace. Several attempts were made to erect the memorial at the said place. However, the land was sold to a trust that has now built a high-rise building at the same spot.