18.11.21

Wangala Festival Begins In Meghalaya

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The 44th edition of ‘Wangala,’ the festival of 100 Drums, began in the state of Meghalaya.

Highlights:

It is a Garos tribal post-harvest festival that takes place every year to honour ‘Saljong,’ the Garos Sun God, and to celebrate the conclusion of the harvest season.

It is the most important celebration of the Garo tribe, and it attracts a large number of tourists. It has been celebrated since 1976.

Tribes give sacrifices to their deity Saljong, the Sun God, during the Wangala.

The first day of the celebration is marked by a ceremony known as Ragula, which is held in the village chief’s Home.

On the second day of the celebration, Kakkat, people dress up in colourful costumes with feathered headdresses and dance to the sounds of long oval-shaped drums.

Smartphones at home but not for studies in rural Assam: Survey

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Smartphone availability at Home for schoolchildren has doubled to 71% during the Covid pandemic in Assam and for the two northeastern states of Manipur and Nagaland it went up to 92% this year. But their access to smartphones for purposes of study remains a concern. For more than half of the schoolchildren, smartphones are available sometimes or not accessible at all.

This was revealed in the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021 published on Wednesday, covering 581 districts across 25 states and three Union Territories in the country.

In the five northeastern states, where the survey was conducted, the smartphones were available at homes of 36.1% of the surveyed children of Assam in 2018. The corresponding figure in Manipur went up to 92.9% in 2021 from 53.4% in 2018. In Nagaland also smartphones were available with 92.9% children at home in 2021, though the same was 50% in 2018. For Meghalaya, the corresponding figures were 41.3% (2018) and 77.9% (2021) respectively.

In Assam, 51.4% of the surveyed children got access to smartphones for purposes of study sometimes, whereas for 22.9% it was not accessible despite being available at home. In Manipur, 39.9% got access only sometimes and for 24.5% it was not accessible. The corresponding figures for Meghalaya were 34.2% and 30.7% respectively.

ASER 2021 was a household rural survey conducted via phone. At an all India level, 67.6% children were found to have a smartphone at home.

Odisha government asks industries to install flow meter at water intake points

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All industries depending on for requirement of water will have to install sensor-based flow meter, a water measuring device at their intake points.

The state Resources“>Water Resources department has directed the office of engineer-in-chief (EIC), planning and design to co-ordinate with the state industries department, industrial promotion and Investment corporation ofOdisha Limited(IPICOL) and other agencies to finalize a standard specification of flow meter and ensure its timely installation in all industries.
The decision to install the meter in all industries has been taken after success of two pilot projects–one atIFFCO, Paradeep and other atIMFAsChoudwarunit.

The water flow meter is an instrument used to measure the volume of water passing through a particular channel (pipe). With installation of the meter, the state government can keep a tab on actual use of water by various industries vis–vis their demand.

The department has asked the EICs office to communicate to all industries to install flow meter at their intake points, failing which penalty will be charged by the department. After installation of the flow meters, the industries will have to calibrate it periodically with legal metrology.

Tamil Nadu seeks Rs 2,629 crore relief, Centre to assess damage

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Union Home ministerAmit Shah assuredTamil Naduthat a six-member inter-ministerial team would visit the state to assess flood damage, said DMK parliamentary party leaderT R Baalu. Nadu government has sought central assistance of 2,629 crore towards flood relief.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with Shah in New Delhi, Baalu said he had submitted the State Government‘s memorandum to the Union minister on the directions of the chief minister, seeking a central aid of 2,079 crore towards permanent restoration and 550 crore to take up interim relief and restoration.

Tamil Nadu received 52% excess rainfall in October and 49% excess rain in November, affecting 12 districts heavily. The state has reported 54 rain-related deaths. Another 52 people are injured. As per the assessment of the administration, 701 huts were fully damaged and 8,846 huts were partially damaged, 67 houses were fully damaged and 2,022 houses were partially damaged.

Kerala to launch Mobile app for Waste Disposal

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Kerala government is set to launch a mobile application to improve and track the collection of inorganic waste across local self-governing bodies.

Smart garbage mobile app will be launched across all six municipal corporations, 300 village bodies and 70-odd municipalities in the initial phase.

Launch of the mobile app will make waste disposal more efficient.

App will be deployed to manage and realise the quantity of inorganic waste collected from household.

It will also and explain how waste has to be treated.

Each household will be given QR codes, which will be used to obtain details of waste being generated.

This app will enable all local bodies and department to track waste collection.

Number of children out of schools in Karnataka plummets to 1.6%

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In a positive sign forKarnataka, the number of children in the 6-14 age group, who are not enrolled in school, dropped to 1.6% in 2021 from 6.2% in 2020. However, the number is still much higher than pre-Covid days when only 0.7% of children were out of school.

Data from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021, shows 1.6% boys and 1.7% girls in Karnataka are not enrolled in school. The figure was 6.4% and 5.9%, respectively in 2020. Nationally, there is no change in Percentage terms in the number (4.6%) who are not in school.

he report specifically highlights Migration of children from private to government schools. The report says 8.3% children moved to government schools in Karnataka, taking the total to 77% the seventh highest among states. The largest migration was inUttarPradesh (13.2%),Kerala(12%), Nadu(10%) andRajasthan(9%).

The increase is most striking in the lowest grades. For example, admissions in government schools rose by more than 10% points from 2020 to 2021 among boys in classes 1 and 2. Boys are more likely to be enrolled in private schools than girls. TOI had reported the trend in mid-2020.

Now, drones to survey high tension lines in Telangana

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Technicians may be spared of the dangers of manual inspection ofextra high tension(EHT)transmission towersand lines inTelangana. It will now bedronesthat will be taking up the job of inspecting these towers and lines.

The government on Tuesday said the emerging technologies wing of its ITE&C department along with Hyderabad-based startup Centillion Networks has concluded the pilot of an aerialsurveyof EHT transmission towers & lines using drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In the pilot project, that commenced in August 2020, Centillion Networks drones inspected, monitored and patrolled EHT transmission towers, lines, and substations with a 4K resolution camera and AI image recognition system in around 20 minutes.

Student enrollment in Andhra Pradesh govt schools jumps

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Andhra Pradeshis one of the few states that have witnessed an increase in the student enrollment in government schools over the years as per the sixteenth ‘Annual Status of Education Report(Rural) 2021′ released on Wednesday. For children in the age group of 6-14, enrollment in the government schools has increased to 71% in 2021 from 62% in 2018 in AP. This shift is seen in all grades and among both boys and girls.

The maximum increase in governmentschoolenrollment is seen in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. Other than , all southern states have witnessed an 8% increase in student enrollment in government schools between 2018 and 2021. If parental education is taken as a factor, only 56% of the highly educated parents are sending their wards to government schools in Andhra Pradesh. This is almost 91% for the parents in the ‘low’ education category.

As per the ASER, the school education report facilitated by non-profit Pratham, the availability of smartphones in households has almost doubled since 2018. About 72% of the total pupils in Andhra Pradesh currently have smartphones available at homes compared to a mere 42% in 2018. However, 18% of them do not have access to these smartphones for their studies. This means only some 60% ofstudentshave full-time or partial access to smartphones for studies.

The study identified digital divide among the students with children from families having low education and no Resources like smartphones had less access to Learning opportunities. There is evidence of effort even in these households. Parents have been purchasing smartphones specifically for their children’s education.

In 2020, about 4% children had taken private tuition classes in Andhra Pradesh. This proportion jumped to almost 23% in 2021. About 96% of the enrolled children have textbooks of their current grade. ASER 2021 was conducted in 25 states and 3 Union Territories during September and October, 2021.

State hopes to clear 5,000 forest claims by Dec 19: CM

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Chief ministerPramod Sawant said that at least 50% of the 10,136 pendingclaimsunder theForestRights Act, 2006, and land ownership rights can be expedited and processed by December 19. He, however, put the onus of delay on traditional forest dwellers saying that poor attendance at meetings convened for scrutiny and verification of the claims has delayed the process.

Sawant said that at least5,000 claims, which have been pending for around 10-12 years, can be cleared if the tribals and forest dwellers participate in the meetings being held by November-end at the panchayat-level.

Forest right cases, as per provisions of The Scheduled Tribes And Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition Of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 are being sped up.

Mumbai: Indian Railways opens first Pod retiring rooms

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Indian Railways has opened the first Pod retiring rooms for passengers of Indian Railways as well as common people, at the Mumbai Central station.

As per senior Western RAILWAY (WR) official, one is required to pay Rs 999 for 12 hours and Rs 1,999 for 24 hours to stay in this pod hotel.

It will also provide facilities like Wi-Fi, TV, adjustable mirror, small locker, and reading lights.

The pod hotel was inaugurated virtually by Union minister of state for Railways Raosaheb Danve.

Pod hotels are a significant feature of international tourism in Japan. It allows travellers to find accommodation at cheaper rates as compared to conventional hotels.

Japanese-style pod hotel in Mumbai comprise of building with multiple small capsules, which will offer overnight stay for the passengers.

These pods will provide facilities like Wi-Fi, key card access, air conditioning, CCTV surveillance, washrooms and other basic amenities.

Waiting rooms have been constructed on first floor of the station. The cheapest pod will cost Rs 999 for 12 hours. For 24 hours, it will cost Rs 1,999.

For private pod, passengers will require to pay Rs 1249 for 12 hours, and Rs 2499 for 24 hours.