22.04.21

Most NE states not testing people from regions recording spike

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As new variants of the novel coronavirus spread across the country, a sense of fear has returned among the people of the northeast as no state, except Manipur, has issued any order regarding mandatory testing for travellers from areas where a spike in cases has been recorded.

Silchar and Lilabari in Assam and Agartala airport in Tripura have already withdrawn mandatory testing orders. The other airports in Assam, too, plan to discontinue with such practices from March 1. As the Airports Authority of India strictly follows the recommendations of the respective state governments and district administrations so far as testing at airports are concerned, the statutory body also remains in a fix.

The Odisha State AIDS Control Society (OSACS) was set up by the State Government with the objective to prevent HIV transmission and control its spread and to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection.

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Besides, it was also supposed to reduce the adverse socio-economic impact resulting from HIV infection and to coordinate and strengthen STD, HIV, AIDS surveillance. But unfortunately, the functioning of OSACS is virtually in a shambles. Prevention is the best strategy of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and NACP-IV focuses on early detection and continued care and support to the high-risk vulnerable communities to prevent further infection in the Society.

These high risk populations includes Women sex workers, intravenous drug users, trans-sexual and transgender (TSTG), men having sex with men (MSM) and bridge Population like migrants and truckers.

In Odisha, high-risk prevalent districts such as Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Jharsuguda and Cuttack where targeted intervention project has failed because of closure of project owing to non-selection of implementation partners since 2015. The Central Government is providing nearly 1 crore annually for these seven districts which are unspent besides crores of other grants. The OSACS sought expression of interest many times but could not materialise it. In 2020 OSACS again invited expression of interest from various NGOs, but no proactive steps have been taken, which has put the fate of vulnerable community in jeopardy.

NABARD grant for 133 rural projects in Cuddalore district

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The National Bank for Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture and Rural Development () has sanctioned funds to the tune of 146.64 crore for the implementation of as many as 133 rural Infrastructure projects in Cuddalore district.

In a press release, NABARD District Development Manager Vijay Neehar said that a sum of 34.15 crore had been released under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) covering various vital infrastructure projects for development of Cuddalore district such as rural roads and bridges, Irrigation, schools and veterinary projects.

According to the release, NABARD has also refinanced 348.20 crore to Cuddalore Cooperative Bank and 155.25 crore to Tamil Nadu Grama Bank for 2020-21. With NABARD grant support, an integrated Watershed Management scheme with Climate mitigation measures is being implemented in Kotteri, Narumanam, Koltankurichi, Thandakaranakuppam and Shri Adivarahanallur in the district.

Salem was one of those districts that exceeded the target of person days last year, generating about 1.24 crore person days against the approved 1.12 crore person days. Kancheepurams performance was said to be impressive in Resources“>Natural Resources management, water conservation and plantation. As many as 174 check-Dams were built.

What was considered significant by the authorities than the increase in the generation of person days was that the MGNREGS ensured the disbursal of 160 crore-185 crore every week to the beneficiaries, proving to be a steady source of support to the rural economy, the official feels.

Private hospitals in Kerala demand 30-50% more than Karunya rates

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Private hospitalshave informed the that they should be allowed to charge 30-50 % more than the existing Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhati (KASP)ratesforCovidtreatment. However, negotiations are on and the government is yet to agree to it.

For poor walk-in patients admitted in the general ward, we are willing to reduce the rates. However, we should be allowed to charge 30 to 50% more than KASP rates from patients who prefer a private room and can afford treatment, said Farhan Yasin, vice-president,Association of Healthcare Providers India(AHPI),Keralachapter.

5 private universities get nod in Karnataka; 6 in pipeline

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Five entrants have joined the growing league ofprivate/deemed universities in Karnataka, with the giving the go-ahead in a notification issued on April 16.

The five universities St Josephs, New Horizon, Sri Jagadguru Murugarajendra, Vidyashilp and Atria will now be allowed to expand their campuses and launch new courses. Murugarajendra University will be based out of Chitradurga, about 200km from here, and the other four will be in Bengaluru.

As per the law, any private/deemed university applicant needs 25 acres of land and at least 3,000 students on its campus. With the newNational Education Policy, these requirements may be diluted due to the growing cost of land and increased need of practical courses.

Expedite report on school education: Cabinet panel

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The Cabinet sub-committee on improving Education and in schools on par with corporate sector met and urged the officials to expedite the preparation of document for speedy implementation.

The committee was constituted as part of the governments efforts to enhance quality education by spending 2,000 crore every year. KTR said the government considered strengthening school education as a solid source for offering quality higher education and the new scheme was aimed at that. He said spending was a part of social obligation on the part of the government.

The new scheme aims at constructing additional classrooms, new buildings and creating digital classrooms apart from facilities like drinking water and toilets. The committee asked officials to submit the final document at the earliest.

Andhra Pradesh sets focus on pumped hydro storage plants: Renewable Energy Corporation MD Ramana Reddy

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TheAndhra Pradeshstate government has set its focus on pumped hydro storage (PHS) Plants.
Since supplies from bothsolar and wind power plantsare unpredictable and not completely reliable, it would result in fluctuations in the grids stability.

The has decided to promote pumped hydro storage (PHS) power projects at all feasible locations both on river and off-river to generate power to balance the variable RENEWABLE ENERGY power and to meet the peak energy demand.

He said that four of the seven locations are near existing reservoirs and three are off-river sites with an estimated potential of 6,300 MW. He said that new projects would come up inGandikota(Kadapa), Chitavati (Ananthapura), Somasila (Nellore) Owk (Kurnool) and two locations-Kurukutti and Karrivalasa (Vizianagaram) and Yerravaram (Visakhapatnam) districts.

Subsidy for e-vehicles in 2 months

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Power ministerNilesh Cabral said that thesubsidyscheme that thegovernmentwould roll out in 2 months time for purchase of electric vehicles will be opened to government employees too.

While the government will give a 20 per cent subsidy, the bike or car company will share another 20per cent subsidyand the 15 percent value would be of the existing vehicle even if scrapped.

IIT Mumbai demonstrated how to solve the widespread oxygen shortage problem by converting a Nitrogen Generator into an Oxygen Generator.

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IIT-Bombays pilot project to convert a PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) Nitrogen Unit to a PSA Oxygen Unit has been successfully tested.

Oxygen can be produced at 3.5 atm pressure, with a purity of 93%-96%.

By providing a continuous supply of oxygen, this gaseous oxygen can be used for COVID-related needs in existing hospitals and upcoming COVID-19 dedicated facilities.

Finished by fine-tuning the existing nitrogen production equipment and changing the molecular sieve from “carbon” to “zeolite”.

The pilot project is a joint effort between Tata Consulting Engineers IIT Mumbai and Spantech engineers in Mumbai, who are responsible for the production of PSA’s nitrogen and oxygen Plants.

NCC to be elective subject in Haryana colleges

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The National Cadet Corps (NCC) would now be considered as a General Elective Credit Course (GECC) in the graduation courses being run in the educational institutes or colleges of Haryana. A decision has been taken in this regard in response to the proposal mooted by the Directorate General National Cadet Corps, New Delhi.

NCC Syllabus for ‘B’ and ‘C’ cert is designed as per choice based credit system of National Education Policy 2020 which grants 24 credit points covering six semesters out of which a student can accrue four credit points covering first two semesters and ten credits in the third and fourth semesters and similarly 10 credits in the fifth and sixth semesters.

The move is in consonance with the National Education Policy 2020 where students can select their choice of subjects rather than being confined to only those being offered by the institutions. This makes the Learning holistic and skill oriented. On the successful completion of the course, students are awarded points which will enable them to qualify for their respective degrees.