24-25.10.21

National Cross Country Championship Hosted By Nagaland

by

Nagaland will host the National Cross Country Championship on January 15 2022, for the first time.

Highlights:

The 2022 South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships will be held on January 15, 2022, in Kohima, Nagaland.
Besides, the 56th National Cross Country Championships will also be clubbed with the South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships.
This will be the first-ever national athletics event hosted by Nagaland.
Top athletes from the eight South Asian countries will take part in the day-long international Sports event.
The championship will involve running on different types of terrain, including sprint over dirt, jogging downhill and mounting uphill.
Chief Minister of Nagaland is Neiphiu Rio and Governor of Nagaland is Jagdish Mukhi.

Assam witnessed 36.8% more suicides last year than 2019

by

Assamlast year recorded 3,243 suicides, an Average of 8.88 daily, which was an increase of 36.8% over the previous year. More than 50% of those who took their lives were unemployed and daily wage earners, according to the latest data from the Centre.

A total of 974 unemployed people and 789 daily wage earners died by suicide during the pandemic-hit lockdown period accounting for over 54% of the total suicide victims in the state in 2020, the report showed. Out of 3,243 suicides, 2,337 were male and 906 female, it added.

There is also an increase in the number of suicides among students. About 390 committed suicides in 2020 compared to 357 in 2019. According to the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), family problems accounted for 42.7% of the suicides in 2020, while love affairs also claimed 13.38% lives. Assam also saw 10 cases of mass or family suicides where 10 people lost their lives.
The suicide rate (per lakh Population) also increased from 6.9 in 2019 to 9.3 last year, the NCRB, which functions under the Union ministry of Home affairs (MHA), stated on Thursday. The national average of the rate is 11.3.

A total of 2,011 people, whose annual earnings were less than Rs 1 lakh and 998 others, who earned Rs 1 lakh and above but less than Rs 5 lakh, committed suicide. The report shows that of the total number of people who died, 673 had no Education and 505 had studied up to Class V.

Odisha tops in deaths due to accidental fall from moving vehicles

by

The latest report on accidental deaths and suicides in India (ADSI), compiled by theNational Crime Records Bureau(NCRB), shows that Odisha witnessed the highest number of deaths due to fall from moving vehicles in the country in 2020.

A total of 1167 people, including 158 Women, died in the state after accidentally falling from running vehicles last year, the highest in the country, the ADSI report stated.Maharashtrastood second with 1058 such deaths whereas Madhya Pradesh was ranked third with 397 fatalities.

It must be noted that road accident-related deaths have increased by nearly 21% from 3,931 deaths in 2014 to 4,738 in 2020 in the state. This despite theSupreme Courtcommittee on road safety directing the to bring it down by 50% by 2020.

The ADSI finding has also placed Odisha on top when it comes to deaths caused by accidental fire due to electric short circuit. A total of 490 people died by accidental fire following electric short circuits in the state last year, withTamil Naduand Uttar Pradesh reporting 186 and 158 such deaths, respectively. Odisha had also topped with 279 deaths due to accidental fire sparked by electric short circuit in 2019, the report stated.

Labour codes have the key to Tamil Nadus federalism

by

In the past couple of years, the Union Government has been ushering in a change in the rules governing the working conditions of people. But the new labour codes, by amalgamating existing asymmetrical labour laws, not only weaken safeguards for and entitlements of the countrys vast workforce, but also strike at one of the basic structures of theConstitution Federalism.

Since labour falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution, Parliament and state legislatures can make laws on the subject. The government of India has shifted deadlines and not fixed a date to implement theWage Code(enacted in August 2019), the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (enacted in September 2020). The draft rules (by the Centre) for all the codes have been notified. But major industrial states like Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana andWest Bengalare yet to frame and notify them. The rules could make a big difference, especially inTamil Naduwhere the DMK government has all along emphasised federalism and social Justice.

Some of the features of the codes like setting threshold for application of social security schemes, retrenchment and closure, specifying safety standards and working conditions in establishments have been delegated to the government to be framed as rules. Although relegating core components of the legislation to rules is against principles of administrative law, state governments could use the space to ensure workers of their entitlements.
The buzz around federalism has made a comeback with the DMK assuming office and with it the demand for state autonomy. This is apparent especially on subjects like Education (shift from the concurrent to state List); NEET, UDAY scheme, one nation-one ration card, smart city projects and the National Food Security Act, which are perceived to be a push towards homogenisation.

Recently, when the state adopted a special resolution to repeal the three farm laws, on the grounds that they were arbitrarily enacted by the Union government without consulting any of the states, the principle of federalism was reaffirmed.

The codes also attack another basic feature of the Constitution Separation of Powers. It allows an officer not below the rank of an under secretary to the government to be notified with the power to impose a penalty instead of a judicial magistrate. Thereby, a judicial function gets vested with the executive under the Wage Code, and the Industrial Relations Code in contravention of Article 50 of the Constitution that mandates the separation of the judiciary from the executive in public Services.

Earth Heroes Awards 2021 Won By Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation

by

The Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation has seized the Earth Guardian Award gave away by the NatWest Group.

Highlights:

The eight award winners were awarded by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild and Flora by secretary-general Ivonne Higuero through a virtual ceremony.

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve also includes the recent Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, which is spread across 391 square kilometres.

It is a protected area in the Palakkad district of Kerala and was established in 1973.

The sanctuary is in the Sungam range of hills in between Anaimalai Hills and Nelliyampathy Hills.

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a part of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in 2010.

Tiger reserve involves the Participatory Forest Management Scheme (PFMS).

Karnataka ranks 7th in governance ranking: Report

by

Karnatakaranked seventh among 18 large states in Governance performance, according to a report released by Bengaluru-based Public Affairs Centre (PAC) on Thursday. The state was ranked fourth last year.

The states ranking came down from 12th place to 16th place on the pillar score.
States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu andTelanganabagged top three slots. Public Affairs Index (PAI 2021) compiled the list based on scores secured by the states in governance performance across the pillars of equity, Growth and sustainability.

The report is annual assessment of the quality of governance in states and being assessed on the implementation of the centrally sponsored-programmes of rural EMPLOYMENT guarantee scheme, national Health mission, integrated child development service,Samagra Shiksha Abhiyanand mid-day meal scheme.

Telangana colleges ignore NAAC tag, put education quality under lens

by

With only 11% of higher educational institutions inTelanganabeing accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the council has now asked the state higher Education department officials to take up an internal survey to know the reasons for not initiating or accelerating the accreditation process.

The NAAC had conducted a state-wise analysis of accredited higher education institutions in and released a report on October 26 in Bengaluru.

The report indicates that of the 1,976 colleges in Telangana, only 141 have a valid accreditation. Of these, 35 are government colleges, 19 are grant-in-aid colleges and 87 are private or self-financed colleges. Nationally, 21% colleges are NAAC accredited.

The NAAC accreditation assesses institutions on TEACHING, Learning and evaluation, research and innovations, Infrastructure and learning Resources, student support and progression, Governance and management, helping students to gauge quality of education in an institute. Based on the performance in each aspect, institutions are awarded grades A+, A, B++, B+, B, C and D.

While other states such as Maharashtra,Karnatakaand Kerala fare much better, Telangana is yet to make a mark.

As per NAAC figures, more than 200 colleges from Telangana are now at various stages to secure NAAC accreditation.

Andhra Pradesh stands 3rd in number of farmers’ suicides in country

by

Farmer suicidesinAndhra Pradeshcame down by over 13 per cent in 2020 when compared to the 2019.

However, the state stood 3rd in number of farmer suicides in the country. A total of 889 people working in the farm sector (farmers, tenant farmers and others) ended their lives in Andhra Pradesh in 2020 while the number was 1,029 in 2019.

The latest data of NCRBs, accidents and suicides in India-2020, revealed that Andhra Pradesh, with 889 farmer suicides, occupied third place in 2020, behindMaharashtrawith 4,006 farmer suicides, Karnataka (2,016). In 2019, the state stood was third in the country in farmer suicides.
The NCRB data depicts only the profession of persons who have committed suicide and has no linkage whatsoever regarding the cause of suicide.

The Andhra Pradesh government had launched the YSR Rhythu Bharosa scheme in October 2019. The scheme provides Rs 13,500 to the farmers per annum and over 44.92 lakh landowning farmers and 1.58 lakh tenants benefit through the scheme.

Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa Initiative

by

Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa initiative was started by the “YouWeCan Foundation” in Goa.

Highlights

The initiative was started by the YouWeCan foundation, run by international cricket icon and philanthropic Yuvraj Singh.

The foundation has partnered with the SBI and Goa’s state governments and aims to do free breast cancer screening using “iBreast devices”.

Around 1 lakh Women will be screened over two years, and the initiative would guarantee that 50 per cent of the eligible female Population in Goa is screened.

Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa

The Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa initiative is funded by the “Indian Institute of Banking & Finance” and the SBI Foundation.

Under the initiative, free treatment will be provided for all the positive cases. For treating them, the government of Goa will also extend its support.

Breast cancer screening will be conducted across 35 Health Centres in Goa.

For this, 20 iBreast devices will be deployed where 10 will be deployed in North Goa and 10 in South Goa.

iBreast Exam will be used to screen under the initiative.

It is a non-invasive, fully wireless, hand-held, mHealth point-of-care solution to detect breast lesions.

iBE has shown high sensitivity and specificity for detecting non-palpable lesions at the initial stage.

Wildlife Action Plan 2021-30 Passed By Maharashtra

by

The government of Maharashtra approved its own Wildlife Action Plan 2021-2030.

Highlights

The Wildlife Action Plan was passed during the 17th meeting of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL).

Wildlife Action Plan (2021-2030) will be implemented over the next 10 years.

Maharashtra became India’s first state to pass its own Wildlife Action Plan.

The board has also approved the extension of the boundary of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in the Chandrapur district of the Vidarbha region.

It will be extended around 79 sq km.

The plan has suggested uniting https://exam.pscnotes.com/Climate-change”>Climate Change adaptation in wildlife conservation.

It aims to develop a Climate Action Plan for the state’s Coastal Region in sync with the ‘State Climate Change Action Plan’ with particular emphasis on ‘Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and ‘Disaster Risk Reduction (DDR).