22.06.23

Skilling In Northeast India Empowering The Youth For A Vibrant FutureIndia may be the most populous country in the world, but more than 60% of its population is aged less than 35 – a young, growing nation. With such a large portion of the population in the employment bracket, the size and age of the workforce is expected to play a significant role in propelling economic growth. Consequently, skilling this young generation for gainful and sustainable employment is among the top priorities of the government, evident through a plethora of initiatives and schemes to achieve this.In a country so diverse in almost every context, a one-size-fits-all approach to skilling may not be as effective- regional differences due to various factors such as natural resources, geography, native trades, the literacy rate, skill training infrastructure, self-employment, and regular wage/salaried employment potential must be considered to ensure effective and targeted development. As per a report, the countrys Northeast region- comprising the 8 states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim – accounts for more than 5% of the population aged 1535(mind you, dont be fooled by the small percentage because this translates to crores of individuals in absolute numbers). Subsequently, the skilling pool is large and related initiatives must address key issues in the region,which include a declining percentage of women in the labour force, supply – demand imbalances at the sectoral and geographic level, and a high level of employment in the unorganised, non-farm sector.Skill development has gradually improved across the country, including the Northeast: while some states are following the larger nation-wide objectives for skilling, a few are modifying these with more state-focused considerations. On one hand, the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission Society aims to empower the states rural poor by promoting self-help groups (SHGs), providing skill development and placement for youth in wage-based occupations across private/business organizations, and imparting training centred on self-employment.This program is being executed under the larger country-wide DeenDayalAntyodaya Yojana, which aims to mobilize disadvantaged communities by enhancing sustainable livelihood opportunities through skilling. The state also recently set up a skill development department to lead progress in this area.Through the Start-up India Initiative, which aims to promote entrepreneurship and innovation by creating and enabling a robust start-upecosystem, 408 start-ups have already been recognized in the region. The Northeast Development Finance Institution (NEDFI) has also extended financial assistance to nearly 7,000 projects. Additionally, organizations such as the Northeast Handicrafts &Handloom Corporation and Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India have launched e-commerce portals that enable entrepreneurs to reach out to a wider market, helping them sustain their crafts and livelihood. The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship in Guwahati has also been providing training, research, and consultancy activities to small and micro enterprisesmore than 2.5 lakh people have been trained through more than 6,700 programs conducted by the institute. To develop skill development infrastructure, short-term training and polytechnic centres, and industrial training institutes (ITIs) have been set up; more than 22 ITIs have been upgraded; and other infrastructure shortages are being addressed by constructing more hostels and special project centres. Further, with the central government relaunching its Skill India program through PMKVY 4.0, it aims to train nearly 145,050 youth in the region with future-ready skills with industry-backed job opportunities. Under PMKVY 4.0, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship targets to skill around 60,000 youth in Tripura and 35,000 in Nagaland across several approved courses. With digitalisation gaining traction at an unprecedented rate, a 10-acre state-of-the-art facility is also expected to be established in Shillong under the National Institute of Electronics and IT to provide training on cutting-edge digital skills for the local youths.

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Flood situation grim in Assam; nearly 1.2 lakh hit

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The flood situation in Assam remained grim with incessant rain across several parts of the state inundating new areas even as nearly 1.2 lakh people were hit due to the deluge in 10 districts, an official bulletin said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange alert’ and predicted ‘very heavy’ to ‘extremely heavy’ rainfall across several districts of Assam over the next few days.

According to a flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), over 1,19,800 people are affected by the deluge in Baksa, Barpeta, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, Sonitpur and Udalguri districts.

The Brahmaputra River’s tributary Beki is flowing above the danger mark at three places, the ASDMA report pointed

Brahmani natural arch a natl geo heritage site

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The Geological Survey of India (GSI) recently declaredBrahmani Natural Archin Hemgir forest range of Sundargarh district as a National Geo Heritage site believed to be belonging to the Jurassic period.
After the bill is passed in Parliament, it will be one of the biggest Natural Arches of the country to have the geo heritage tag.

The arch is on top of Chengapahad in Chengapahad reserve forest on the way to Kanika from Hemgir, nearBrahmanivillage and 2.5 km from Kamalgra village. It is present within ferruginous sandstone of Upper Kamthi Formation, which is supposed to have taken place in lower to middle Jurassic age. The development of Arch morphology probably took place after 66 million years.

According to geologists, the oval-shaped arch is 30 metres long at the base and 12 metres in height. The alcove is 7 metres high and 15 metres wide.

Ola starts construction of gigafactory in Tamil Nadu

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OlaElectric has announced the commencement of construction of Indias biggest Gigafactory. The company has installed the first pillar of its cell factory in Krishnagiri,Tamil Nadu.

Spread across 115 acres, the Ola Gigafactory will begin operations by early next year with an initial capacity of 5 GWh which will be further expanded in phases to 100 GWh at full capacity. Upon commencement of operations, this would be Indias biggest cell factory, and at full capacity, will be one of the worlds largest cell manufacturing facilities, said the company in a statement.

The company has also recently signed anMoUwith the Government of Tamil Nadu to expand its manufacturing capabilities across two wheelers, four wheelers and cells.

KU launches startup for tribal community members

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The department of sociology of theKeralaUniversity in a first-of-its-kind initiative has launched a startup for Manithookki Kani tribe members based in Vithura panchayat in the district.

Named KU Life, the startup registered with the Kerala University Business Innovation and Incubation Centre was inaugurated by minister for welfare of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes KRadhakrishnan.

The tribal members should also be further trained in modern technology in order to make other products like chairs and swings. The plan is to also expand the workshops to other tribal settlements beyond Manithookki.

Indi 2nd Indian lime variety to earn GI tag

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Indi lime, belonging to the Kagzi variety, has earned a geographical indication (GI) tag for eight years from the Union government. This is the second lime after theAssamlime to be accorded this recognition.

TheKarnatakaState Lime Development Board (KSLDB), University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkot (UHSB) and the Horticulture Department Vijayapura had worked relentlessly for the last five years to get this tag, with which growers can now expect exports of lime to about 25 countries.
Vijayapura district accounts for 58% of all lime produced in Karnataka, which ranks fourth among the states in lime cultivation.

Over 1k schools renovated under Mana Ooru, Mana Badi opened

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Over 1,000 renovated government schools were inaugurated as part of Education Day in the ongoingTelanganaformation decennial celebrations. These schools were renovated under the Mana Ooru, Mana Badi scheme.
Education ministerSabitha Indra Reddyinaugurated Jillelguda Zilla Parishad School in Meerpet municipality.

She also commenced distribution of two pairs of uniforms (136 crore), free textbooks (190 crore) and Ragi java weekly once (at an annual cost of 35 crore) to about 25 lakh students studying in government schools across the state. She also started the distribution of notebooks worth 56 crore for 12 lakh students and tabs worth 34 crore to 20,000 teachers.

The minister also launched 25 civic reading centres in Rangareddy district. These reading centres have been set up in areas with a population of 2,500 approx and Rangareddy district has been selected for a pilot project. A total of 5,000 reading centres will be established in the state.

AP CM Jagan calls for expeditious completion of prioritised irrigation projects

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Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the state water resources department to expedite the completion of priority irrigation projects like Polavaram, Veligonda and Vamsadhara in a time-bound manner.

Chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the department here on Monday, the CM asked them to come up with an action plan and fix the schedule for completion. Hold regular review of the progress in their execution every 15 days, he advised them.

On the Polavaram irrigation project, the officials briefed the CM that works were at a brisk pace. At ECRF dam gap-1, works related to sand filling and vibro compaction were on while at gap-2, the same works were being taken up.

Experts from Union Jal Sakthi ministry and the Central Water Commision inspected the partial sinking of a portion of the guide bund, recently, and veered round the view that this was caused by the nature of the soil. They advised the irrigation officials to fill up the damaged portion with rock dump and cement slurry, and give support with gaboons.

CM bats for using MPA for tourism activities as well

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Chief ministerPramod Sawantsaid that the Goa roadmap declaration for G20 will be announced at theUnited Nations(UN), which will boost tourism in the state.

Sawant demanded that the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) should be used for tourism activities and not be restricted only to import and export. He urged investors at G20 to invest in Goa’s tourism sector.

Goa is known as the Pearl of Orient. It attracts millions of domestic and international tourists, annually. The state is known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife, thrilling adventure sports, mesmerizing waterfalls, scenic backwaters, yoga and wellness retreats, delicious cuisine, rich culture and heritage. It is an all-season tourism destination where there is something for everyone.

MahaRERA to start grading of real estate projects soon

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TheMaharashtraReal Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) would soon set up a grading system for all real estate projects registered with it since January this year.

Officials said that this initiative would help homebuyers make an informed decision before investing in such projects. The grading system would consider factors such as financial, legal, technical and timely completion risks, stated the order issued by the MahaRERA on June 16. The grading system would be made available on the MahaRERA website from April 2024.

The authority said that several grading mechanisms are followed globally. A grading system for projects will benefit consumers, allowing homebuyers to get a sense of projects that best fit their needs and budget.