15.10.22

80% pupils in 3 northeast states walk to school; in Goa, only 20% do

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About 80% of the school students in Nagaland, Meghalaya andMizoram, characterised by difficult terrains and remoteness, walk to school while nearly same the Percentage of students in Goa either take the bus, family vehicle or ride bicycles to school.
The Foundational Learning Study report 2022 compiled by theUnion ministry of educationand National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) show that against the national Average of 55% of students walking to school, 84% walk to school in Nagaland, followed by 80% each in Meghalaya and Mizoram. On the other side of the spectrum, only a little over 20% students in Goa walk to school. In the national capital, 50% go to school on foot.

In Nagaland, 9% of students travel to and from school in private four-wheelers or two or three-wheelers while 3% go in school buses, 2% use public transport and the 1% go to school on bicycles.

In Mizoram and Meghalaya, the report said schools are able to provide transportation facility to only 1% and 2% students respectively, while 3% and 4% students respectively avail public transport to attend school.

At 52%,Tripurahas the lowest percentage of students in the region who need to go to the school on foot. In other categories too, Tripura is better or on a par with the national average while travelling to school in own transport.

Assam wants all depts to seek CSR funds, tie-up with international groups

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In a move to involve charitable organisations in all key government sectors, theAssamgovernment wants all its departments to seekCSR fundsand international fundings for state projects, top government sources said.

Highlighting Health and Education departments in particular, the government wants these two departments to approach the likes of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Seattle-based worlds second largest charitable foundation, for funds.

Assam wants to create a platform for corporates to make more contribution to the state considering their footprints and markets in the state, which is a part of the roadmap for pushing the states GDP to Rs 6 lakh crore in the next four years and move to the bracket of top five states.

The state had adopted a CSR policy in 2019 with an aim to harness the CSR funds optimally.

Bhubaneswar: Tele consultations to help mentally-ill inmates in jails

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The prisons directorate is planning to launch telehealth and video consultations for mentally-ill jail inmates. A panel of psychiatrists from Bhubaneswar andCuttackwill be roped in for the service.

The prisons directorate has requested the Health department to consider the proposal on a priority basis as theOrissahigh court earlier asked the jail authorities to immediately address the issues of mental illness of prisoners.

The number of prisoners, suffering from mental illness, has been rising steadily in the state. This was revealed in the Prison Statistics India-2020 released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Tamil Nadu government to deliver books at doorsteps

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After the delivery of medicines at the doorsteps inTamil Nadu, the State Government will now deliver books at the doorsteps of readers.
The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Libraries will launch the Noolangam Nanbaragal or Friends of Library scheme in 2,500 libraries across the state.

Tamil Nadu school Education minister, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi in the 2022-23 Budget announced that the Noolangam Nanbaragal scheme would be implemented in the state.

The Directorate of Public Libraries will select five volunteers for each library and the volunteers will deliver books at the doorsteps of readers and create awareness among the public on the importance of books and reading. A meeting of the librarians would be held at the district level next week and then the notification for the selection of volunteers would be issued.

Adani Group seeks Kerala government’s urgent intervention

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TheAdani Grouphas written to the stategovernmentseeking its urgentinterventionin ending the ongoing protest before the Vizhinjam port construction site. Thecompanyhas written to the chief secretary stating that they have been incurring a loss to the tune of Rs 2 crore per day ever since the protest began on August 16. They said they have suffered a total loss of Rs 100 crore due to the ongoing agitation.

The Adani Group also has made it clear that if the government does not intervene now, the company won’t be able to keep up the promise of completing the first phase of the project in September 2023.

As per the agreement with the , the Adani Group was supposed to complete the first phase in December 2019. However, it got delayed due to certain adverse climatic conditions and hence it was decided to commission the first phase by September 2023. The Adani Ports CEO Karan Adani had said in July this year that the first vessel will reach Vizhinjam port in March 2023.

Karnataka cabinet nod for SC & ST quota hike

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Karnataka decided to issue a government order to implement its decision to increase reservation for SC & ST by 2% and 4% respectively.

The government will mount pressure on the Centre to amend the Constitution based on the cabinet decision and insert the amended legislation into the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to give it protection from legal scrutiny.

The Nagamohan Das and Subhash Adi committees also established with data that SCs and STs have less reservation in Karnataka compared to their Population and opined that the decision meets all requirements The Supreme Court has prescribed.

Johnson & Johnson sells its largest India plant

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Johnson & Johnson (J&J), which is struggling with slowdown of demand for its consumer products in India, has sold its largest manufacturing plant in the country atPenjerlain toHeteroon a slump sale basis, according to a report in ET. The financial details of the sale were not disclosed, the report said. A J&J spokesperson did not comment on the matter.

J&Js manufacturing plant (55.3 acres) was completed in 2016 to make consumer Health products, including babycare range, beauty, earbuds, electrolyte drinks, oral and skincare. The plant, however, has been idle ever since. The company had to take an impairment charge of about Rs 310 crore and put up the plant for sale, according to the report.

According to the companys annual report, J&J had valued its land asset at Rs 33.1 crore in 2020-21.

This is the second plant sold by J&J in India. In 2021-22, it sold its medical division unit inBaddi, Himachal Pradesh, as part of its strategic management decision, according to the report.

Now, 3 capitals supporters plan a reverse padayatra

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In a bid to counter the agitation ofAmaravatifarmers, a reverse padayatra from Arasavalli to Amaravati is now being planned by some organisations in north Andhra districts by involving intellectuals, students, and farmers in support of the governments three capitals move. The walkathon, which has the backing of the ruling party, is likely to begin after the completion of the ongoing padayatra by Amaravati farmers.

Joint action committees (JACs) would be formed in all six north Andhra districts by the end of this month, sources said. The JACs plan to start signature campaigns, round table and street corner meetings across the north Andhra region in coming days.

Goa: Forest department to use rainwater to revive degraded forest patches

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The forest department will construct and water conservation structures at an estimated cost of Rs 70 lakh, to revive a few hundred hectares of degraded forest patches in the state.

As per the Union Environment ministrys instructions, the degraded forest patches have already been identified for the state by the Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS), India.

The detailed project report for Goa submitted by the WAPCOS has already been forwarded to Goa forest officials for implementation and the centrally-funded project has to be implemented in nine months.

WAPCOS has used the Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology to identify major ridge areas inside forest areas of Goa. LiDAR is an active remote sensing system used to measure vegetation height across wide areas.

To conserve water under the project, ridge-to-valley approach of Watershed Management will be used. The ridge-to-valley approach detains, diverts, stores and uses available rainwater.

Nashik: Switch to green fuel for furnaces

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TheNashikunit of theMaharashtra Pollution Control Board(MPCB) has directed the industries to use either CNG or LPG for operating the furnaces.

So far, only five units have started using green fuel for operating the furnaces that were earlier run on oil. The order is part of the measures undertaken by the MPCB to improve the air quality in industrial areas.