19.07.23

Tripura’s unity mall to display Indo-Bangla products: CM Dr Saha

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Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said that the proposed unity mall in Agartala shall showcase the unique products of different states of India as well as Bangladesh. He said, “Bangladesh has shown interest in displaying their products and sought our cooperation. We have also assured them that a dedicated space will be kept in the Unity mall of Tripura for Bangladesh products”.

According to the Chief Minister, this mega project will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 26, 2025. “The Prime Minister has said that he would inaugurate all the Unity malls to be set up in all the state headquarters of the country on January 26, 2025. These Malls are unique in the sense that the local products of India will be displayed for sale in these malls. This project is nothing but a manifestation of the slogan of vocal for local”, said Dr Saha.

It is also worthy to be mentioned here that the mall would be set up at Jute Mill complex located in the outskirts of Agartala city. “We have thought that the mall will be set up at the TRTC complex here in Agartala but the land requirement is on the higher side. This place is quite suitable for carrying out the construction works. The Chief Secretary and other higher officials are here for inspection of the land. Very soon the construction will be started here”, the Chief Minister added during a visit to the Jute Mill area.

The Chief Minister also informed the media persons that the Unity Mall would also have separate spaces for each of the districts of Tripura showcasing the unique products and cultural diversity of the land.


3-fold rise in Assam HIV cases in 3 yrs, 43% through needles

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Assamhas recorded a three-time rise in HIV-positive cases in the last three years, with an increasing trend of injecting drug users (IDUs) spreading the virus, officials inAssam State AIDS Control Society(ASACS) said.

Data assessed from ASACS said from 1,288 HIV-positive cases detected in 2020-21, the corresponding figure has gone up to 4,018 by 2022-23.
On an Average, 335 cases were detected per month last year (total 4,020 in 2022-23), but since April this year, the detection of positive cases per month has gone up to 445 (1,334 so far).

Around 50% (669 of the 1,334 HIV positive) cases detected in the last three months are IDUs, which officials said is unusually high if compared to the HIV scenario three years ago. Of the 1,288 positive cases detected in 2020-21, only 76 cases or 6% were IDUs.

The concerning trend of IDUs started becoming evident from 2021-22 when 26.54% (628 cases) of the 2,366 HIV-positive cases detected in the state in 2021-22, were IDUs. The corresponding figure further went up to 43.7% in 2022-23 when of the total 4,018 positive cases, 1,756 were IDUs.

In 2022-23, the highest 816 HIV-positive cases were detected in Kamrup (Metro) district, under which falls the Guwahati city areas on an average, it was 68 cases per month.

But in the last three months, 275 cases (an average of 92 cases per month) have been detected in Kamrup (Metro). Kamrup (Metro) district has always reported the highest number of positive cases in the state as the city is a vital transit route for truckers.

But of late, drug users have carried the threat to districts like Nagaon which act as a junction for northern, upper and hill districts of the state. After Kamrup (Metro), the highest 707 cases have been detected from Nagaon district in 2022-23.

Govt mulls portal to overseestate disaster response system

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The has decided to create a web portal to monitor and manage the disaster response system in districts during emergencies and rescue operations.

Since ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) andOFES(Odisha Fire&Emergency Service) are the first responders during emergency, rescue and evacuation operations, we want to further streamline their Services. A web portal will be developed for inventory of all disaster response equipment, vehicles and accessories available at ODRAF units and fire stations in districts for proper tracking, timely repair and maintenance. This will ensure functionality of the emergency equipment for optimum utilization at the time of disaster, a senior government official said.

While ODRAF has 20 units in the state, OFES has around 345 stations across Odisha.

L&T projects aim to STEM the tide in Tamil Nadu classrooms

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Earlier this year, 25 kids from Chennai schools made it to the prestigious Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023. This project brought together 5,000 schoolchildren from Classes VI to XII from all over India to learn about designing and developing 150 PICO satellites, which were launched by the sounding rocket on February 19, 2023, from a coastal hamlet near Chennai.

Cracking a major national programme like this one was a breakthrough for the 25 Chennai schoolchildren who were part of engineering major Larsen & Toubros engineering futures (EF)programme. For the company, it was validation that its back-to-school projects are in a class of their own.

The EF programme (launched in 2019) is one of two major CSR projects L&T has inTamil Nadu the other being Every Child A Scientist or ECAS (since 2020). The aim: To kindle scientific temper and critical thinking among students of government schools. Both programmes aim to bridge educational gaps by helping students use technology and work with cutting-edge TEACHING and Learning Resources. The EFprogramme integrates the four disciplines of STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) into a learning paradigm based on real-world applications. The ECAS program me helps children improve their academic scores and provides them opportunities to learn about the earth and atmospheric sciences, biology, Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, Health and Nutrition, physics, chemistry.
So far, nearly 16,000 students from 50 schools in Nadu have been covered in the last threeand-a-half years. L&T officials say the aim is to ensure students do not get spooked by science and maths. The EF programme strives to ignite childrens innate creativity and curiosity. By offering experiential learning, complex concepts become more accessible and maths and science become less daunting, says Mabel Abraham, head-CSR, L&T. For the EF project, L&T has partnered with the NGO American India Foundation to cover Classes VI to VIII in government schools in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpet, and Tiruvallur districts.

Forum supports govts SOP on midday meals

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Karnataka School DevelopmentandMonitoring Committee(SDMC)Coordinating Forumhas welcomed the governments order on the standard operating procedure (SOP) and following of ISO norms by those involved in cooking midday meals.

This, they said, would ensure the good Health and safety of children and cleanliness in preparation and serving of the meals in schools.
The rule applies to kitchens that are preparing the meals, theforumsaid, condemning the politicising of the issue. The government should implement the SOP and not give in to any pressure, it added.

81% domestic helps in state do not get minimum wages

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Apart from lowly paid wages and lack of weekly-offs, domestic workers in andAndhra Pradeshalso face abuse from employers and do not get PF,ESIbenefits.

A survey by city-basedMontfort Social Institutehas revealed that 81% of domestic workers receive much below government-approved minimum wages.

Varghese Theckanath, director of Montfort, said: “Out of 1,600 workers who were part of the survey, 96% did not have weekly- offs, 68% did not get increment in their wages after many years of EMPLOYMENT and 13% faced verbal abuse at their workplaces.”

He said domestic workers continue to be amongst the most vulnerable groups in the unorganised sector in India. “There is no form of legislation that recognises and protects the rights of these workers and safeguards them against violence and discrimination,” he added.

The Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, enacted by the government of India ensures safe workspaces, both in the organised and unorganised sector, for all Women. “Through the inclusion of ‘dwelling place or house’ in its definition of a workplace, the Act covers domestic workers within this purview,” said Verghese.

Unity Mall to come up in Vizag soon

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The will soon set upUnity Mallin the proposed executive capital of the state as the government authorities had already identified suitable land on the beach road.

The government is to focus on the promotion and sale of the states own district, one product (ODOPs), GI products, and other handicraft products, and for providing space for such products of all other states, in Visakhapatnam. The authorities had identified a 10-acre land parcel near Rama Naidu Studios on the beach road near the Rushikonda area.
It is recalled that finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during the union budget this year, said that the Centre would encourage state governments to start Unity Malls in the capitals of the states or in other major cities. The ODOP is an initiative by the Union Government to promote district-wise special products.

Maha ranks 10th in legislative business, states Praja report

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The states legislators elected in 2019 seem to be busy coping up with the political upheavals that are shaking their parties and aspirations rather than focusing on citizens.

Maharashtrastands 10th among states in India in terms of Average duration of legislative business it has carried out during assembly sessions held between 2020 and 2022, stated a Praja Foundation report. The southern states of Kerala, Karnataka andTamil Nadutop the list in terms of duration of assembly sessions.

The analysis suggests that average duration per assembly session has decreased by 60% from 15 days in 12th assembly (winter session 2011-12) to only six days in the current 14th assembly (winter session 2021-22). The report has also found a 34% decline in duration of assembly sessions from 58 days in the 12th assembly to 38 days in the 14th assembly.

The constituencies with MLAs who rank in the top 10 are Borivli, Dahisar, Versova, Andheri (W), Dindoshi, Vile Parle, Bandra (W), Ghatkopar (E), Mankhurd (Shivaji Nagar), and Malabar Hill. The constituencies which ranked lower in terms of performance are Magathane, Goregaon, Vikhroli,Bhandup(W), Chandivli, Bandra (E), and Mahim.