12.01.22

Intl folklore film festival begins

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The fifth edition of the International folklore film festival began here on Saturday with the screening of Mizo Soundscapes produced by Joshy Joseph. The festival will continue till January 5. Even though this is projected as a documentary, the film powerfully brings out several concealed aspects of the HISTORY of the ordinary people ofMizoram. A Flowering Tree produced byMeera Krishnamoorthyand Gone Mens Bride Robabehrouhi from Iran were also screened.

The festival is expected to showcase 275 films from 72 countries. The Life Time Achievement Award was presented to C R Rajagopal for his outstanding contributions to the field of folklore. The award was presented to Rajagopal, who is ailing, at his house by higher Education ministerR Bindu. Revenue ministerK Rajaninaugurated the festival.

Expansion of Orang National Park

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The State is to add 200.32 square kilometre to the Orang . The area to be added consists of Brahmaputra river. It also includes sandbars and islands of the river.
Tigers and Rhinos are using the islands and sandbars that are being included. Orang region in the northern bank of Brahmaputra is essential to Kaziranga Orang Riverine Landscape. This is because animals move between the Orang and Kaziranga stretch through these lands. This stretch is 180 km. It is a corridor connecting two habitats.

Future plans for Kaziranga Orang

Gharials became extinct in the region six decades ago. The Assam Government is planning to reintroduce gharial here.

Significance

The rhinos and Gangetic Dolphins are to be benefitted greatly with the addition of this extra land. It will also benefit 16 species of turtles.

About Orang

Orang is a major rhino habitat. It became a tiger reserve in 2016. The other seven national parks in Assam are Dehing Patkai, Dibru Saikhowa, Manas, Kaziranga, Nameri, Raimona.

Odisha: Rise in Upper age limit for Govt jobs

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The Odisha Government recently increased the upper age limit of candidates to enter into State Civil Services exams. The age was increased from 32 years to 38 years. This was done by amending the State Civil Services Rules, 1989.

The increase in age limit has been made for 2021, 2022 and 2023 exams only. Odisha government relaxed the age limit for people belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Socially and Educationally backward classes, persons with disabilities and for Women.

The Labour Force Participation rate in Odisha is 48.3%. This mirrors national rate of 48.3%. The worker Population ratio is 44.9%. And the National worker population ratio is 46.8%. The Unemployment rate in the urban areas is higher than that of the EMPLOYMENT rate.

Demographic dividend

In Odisha, 56% are engaged in Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture. 18% in construction and 7.8% in other services. Around 30% are engaged in other services. Informal sector is the largest job provider in Odisha. With such conditions, it is essential to increase the employment window in the state. The extension of age limit will help achieve this.

Tamil Nadu Regional Plan Rules, 2021

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Government of Nadu notified the Regional Plan (Preparation, Publication and Sanction) Rules, 2021 in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971.

As per notification, the Regional Planning Authority (RPA) should prepare a land-and building-use map for regional planning areas as well as for different parts of regional area, within 18 months of its constitution.

RPA should further prepare a draft regional plan for regional planning area in association with the development & local planning authorities, within two years of preparation of map for land- and building- use.

What are the components of Draft plan

The draft regional plan comprises of following components, pertaining to the region:

Location

Historic evolution

Topography, geology and geomorphology

Hydrology (surface and ground water)

Climate

Administrative profile

Functional areas and

Ratio of urban and rural development.

Extent of land use for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and recreational purpose

Extent of land use for forest or for mineral exploitation

Tentative land requirement projections for various zones.

Regional Planning

In the year 1955, the Housing & Regional Planning Panel had highlighted the significance of regional planning. The objectives of balanced regional development were attempted to be achieved through industrial location policy because region based balanced and coordinated development of industrial & agricultural economy would help India in attaining higher standard of living.

Regional Planning in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has been divided into eight regions by considering factors like geographical boundary, market potential & facilities, resource base, Population threshold etc.

What other plans are prepared?

Master Plans (MPs):Master plan is prepared for town and cities by emphasizing on zoning regulation for judicious use of urban land. Apart from suggesting broader land use restrictions, it also identify the problem areas in traffic and transport, recreation sites, location for Education, etc.

Detailed Development Plans (DDPs):DDPs are prepared in conformity with Master Plan proposals. It is prepared for smaller areas within the urban area. Under these action plans, development projects and programmes are envisaged. It is a micro-level plan comprising of detailed road Network.

New Town Development Plans (NTDPs):Areas are developed by completely utilizing their potential into new towns, by taking into account the special features of the area like industries, education, HISTORY & heritage and tourism. There are 10 notified NTDAs in Tamil Nadu, as of now.

Tamil Nadu to get back three more of its idols soon

India would soon get back three more of itsstolen idols, all Chola-era bronzes from Tamil Nadu. They include aShiva Chandrasekharaidol stolen from Sripuranthan temple in Ariyalur district by jailed idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor, an exquisitely carved Nataraja and his consortSivakamasundari. Kapoor is now lodged inTrichyprison in Tamil Nadu.

Busting yet another major idol smuggling racket, the US attorney for the southern district of New York and an acting special agent of the Department of Homeland Security announced on January 11 the filing of a civil complaint seeking forfeiture of 35 Cambodian and Southeast Asian antiquities from a private American collection for the purpose of returning them to their countries of origin.

Isro must become self-sustainable: S Somanath

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The immediate challenge beforeIndian Space Research Organisation(Isro) will be to expand its horizons and metamorphose into a self-sustainable organization, said the newly-appointed chairmanS Somanath.

Somanath said the space sector in India was funded by the government and the scene is different in other countries. “Though we are a technical organization and not a commercial one, we should also be able to exploit its commercial side. Though the space programme is funded by the government, end users of the achievements of the organization are many, like television networks, weather forecasting,” he said.

With regards to Isro’s various missions, he said that the earth observation mission that failed, when it was carried out last year (GSLV F10 mission), will have another launch. “Each mission is being carried out as a success-oriented mission and not a trial and error one, as each of them are costly affairs. Some may have a second chance while some of them would end with just one chance. The earth observation mission will get a second chance,” he said.

Belagavi records lowest temp in state

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A cold wave has gripped parts of NorthKarnatakaas mercury in several districts dropped below 12 degrees Celsius. The border district ofBelagavihas recorded the lowest temperature in the state at 8.6 degrees Celsius.

The chill weather in Belagavi continued even during the day with people wearing skull caps, scarfs and sweaters while outside. In the early hours the residents were sitting around fire for heat, while the city was engulfed in thick fog. In the city, the temperature was 10.5 degrees C and the lowest was recorded at Belagavi airport in Sambra, about 18km from here. The data is sourced from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Bifurcation blues: Telangana tells Andhra Pradesh to pay up Rs 12,111 crore power dues

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has demanded a quick resolution of all pending bifurcation issues with neighbour Andhra Pradesh and urged the Centre to settle them at the earliest.
At a joint meeting on the bifurcation issues between the two states on Wednesday, Telangana slammed AP for dragging its feet on resolving the issues and demanded payment of dues from AP and Centre to the state immediately.

On the power bills issue, Telangana said it should get dues of Rs 12,111 crore from AP. Telangana insisted it should get Money spent on common institutions and higher Education institutes. Since some issues were pending with the High Court, Telangana suggested to AP to withdraw cases for an amicable settlement of the pending issues.

Telangana said it had taken a firm stand that unless court cases were withdrawn, it cannot go ahead with bifurcation of Schedule IX and X institutions.

Jagananna Smart Townships

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Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, launched the Jagananna Smart website on January 11, 2022. The website was launched from the Tadepalli Camp office.

The website was launched because most middle-class families attempt to buy a house or land for building their dream Home, but they fall prey toreal estate agentssometimes and end up into a deal which isnt economically Sound. The website would help the citizens in completing their dream of owning a house. The website will provide land with clear and litigation-free titles in a transparent manner as well as provide reasonable price below non-profit market.

Goas beaches filled with liquor bottles, footwear, other waste post-Covid, finds GU study

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Goas popular beaches were besieged by glass and other waste after easing of Covid-19 norms, as post-lockdown, tourists and others hit the bottle with vengeance. Palolem topped with a 3,103% increase in glass waste while Calangute had a 559% increase in litter.
These are findings of a two-phased study byGoa University(GU) researchers and others to assess the quantum and composition of waste on eight beaches in May 2020 during thelockdownand in January 2021, after easing of restrictions.

The survey found an exponential increase inbeachlitter. A part of it may have come from the sea or rivers. After Goas beaches became notorious as the most littered ones, recently implemented initiatives for better beach management have made a difference.

Maharashtra: Marathi signboard to be mandatory for small shops too

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TheMaharashtragovernment on Wednesday decided to make it mandatory for shops with fewer than ten employees to useMarathisignboards, a senior minister said in Mumbai.
The Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of EMPLOYMENT and Conditions of Service) Act will be amended for this, industries ministerSubhash Desaitold reporters.
The decision was taken at the weekly cabinet meeting, said Desai who also holds the Marathi language portfolio.

The objective was to close a legal loophole that the owners of small shops exploit to avoid putting up Marathi signboards (already required for bigger establishments).