26.10.21

Focusing on bringing various information and technology reforms in its functioning, Haryana Government has now planned to distribute GPS-enabled wrist watches to its employees to keep track of their real-time location during office hours.

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An announcement in this regard was made by the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday during Vikas rally held at Sarmathla village of Sohna in Gurugram district.

The objective of giving GPS-enabled wrist watches to the employees include recording attendance of staff, prevention and control of misuse of manual attendance system, maintaining transparency, accountability in operations and weeding out of the fake, duplicate, and false system of marking attendance.

The is chalking out a detailed plan on how the proposed system of smartwatches will be introduced for over 2.5 lakh employees in its departments, boards and corporations.

Apart from this, many digital reforms have been brought in by the State Government since 2015 to bring transparency in its functioning. All the Services of all the departments were made online on the Saral portal. As many as 547 schemes and services of 42 departments are now given through the Saral and Antyodaya portal.

To provide relief to the farmers and laborers of the cotton belt, the Punjab Government has announced to release the grant of over Rs. 416 crore to compensate for the damage of crops due to pink ballworm attack.

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The announcement was made by Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister Aruna Chaudhary and Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture Minister Randeep Singh Nabha in a joint press conference here at Punjab Bhawan. Both the Cabinet Ministers said that the pink ballworm had caused severe damage to crops in Mansa, Sangrur, Bathinda, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Barnala districts and to compensate these farmers their government is releasing this amount of Rs 416 crore. They said that 10 percent of the amount would be provided to the cotton picking workers as relief and the compensation amount will be sent in the accounts of Deputy Commissioners before Diwali and the District Administration will directly transfer the aid in the bank accounts of farmers.

The two ministers said that the Punjab Government is standing firmly with the farmers and every step would be taken for their welfare.

According to the Cabinet Ministers, 151335 acre crop in Mansa district has been damaged from 76 to 100 percent an amount of Rs.181,60,21,050 is being released for this district. Similarly, in Sangrur 145 acres suffered loss from 26 to 32 per cent, 3693 acres 33 to 75 per cent and 180 acres 76 to 100 per cent loss and provision of Rs. 224,01,328 has been made for this. He said that in Bathinda district, 683 acres have suffered loss from 26 to 32 percent, 85 acres 33 to 75 percent and 188308 acres 76 to 100 percent loss for which compensation of Rs. 226,15,23,700 is being paid for Bathinda. In Sri Muktsar Sahib district, 1906 acres crop have been damaged by 26 to 32 per cent, 7922 acres by 33 to 75 per cent and 50 acres by 76 to 100 per cent for which an amount of Rs. 4,71,90,800 is being released.

Frame policy for inauguration of small projects: HC to Himachal government

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The HP has asked the State Government to consider framing a policy for the inauguration of small projects, the cost of which is not very high and which are comparatively not of much public importance. It has said that such projects need not be inaugurated and instead may be put to public use immediately on the completion of the construction work to save unnecessary expenses.

While passing the order, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Sabina said, In our considered view, it is essentially a policy matter, and the government ought to consider framing a policy.

The High Court said that the government may also consider to allow the pradhans or up-pradhans of gram panchayats to inaugurate projects of up to a particular value.

India’s biggest aromatic garden, opens in Nainital

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Anaromatic garden, with over 140 fragrant plant species from all over India, like Chandan, Tulsi, Parijat, etc., planted across 3 acres of land, was opened in Lalkuan,Nainital. The garden is the countrys biggest such facility, forest officials claimed. The project has been developed by the research wing ofUttarakhand forest departmentwith Centre’s compensatory afforestation (CAMPA) funds.

The idea is to conserve, promote research of and create awareness around various aromatic species, officials said. The aroma has huge scope. Villagers can look forward to a promising livelihood from nurturing these Plants. Also, it will prevent these species from dying out. In the coming years, the garden will be spread to 113 acres, said Veena Rao, aroma plant consultant fromMaharashtra.

Work on the garden started in 2018, forest officials involved in the project said. They added that aromatic species from all over the country were brought to Nainital and conserved here, like Chandan from South India, Agarwood from North East, Kewada from coastal regions and Parijat from Terai zone.

The aromatic grass section has Java, Khas and Lemon plants while the aromatic bulbs section has Red Ginger (also called Pink Cone Ginger) and sand ginger plants. The aromatic roots section has Patharchur and Vach plants.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stressed that the state government was committed to ensuring that no one died for lack of health facilities in future.

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Yogi added, Before 1947, there were only 3-4 medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh, despite the fact that todays Uttarakhand was then part of the state. It was followed by the opening of merely 12 medical colleges in the last 70 years. In contrast, our government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is opening 30 medical colleges in UP in just four and a half years under the Prime Minister Health Insurance Scheme. In 2019, MBBS course was started in seven medical colleges of the state and today nine new state medical colleges are being opened. Besides, construction of 14 new medical colleges is currently underway with the cooperation of the Government of India.

The chief minister said that the prime minister also provided EMPLOYMENT and distributed free rations to people other than free vaccination against COVID-19 throughout because of his sensitivity towards people at large.

A roadmap on Energy Transition in Agriculture sector was unveiled by Minister for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperative Department Badal here on Friday, which posits a visionary policy approach for the next 15 years in the agriculture sector and clearly demarcates the path breaking role of renewable energy in ensuring a low carbon development pathway in the state.

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The roadmap has been prepared by Jharkhand Development Agency (JREDA) and Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED) in association with Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ), which meticulously maps out the infusion and projections of renewable energy in the entire agro value chain. The conference set out policy level discussion with the key aim to address the structural problems in the agro sector by altering the age-old subsistence nature of farming and accelerating the Growth trajectory in the state.

Lauding the initiative of preparing the much needed roadmap, Badal said, Indeed this is an important document as it chalks out a strategic path for increasing agro productivity and promoting enterprising activities through sustainable means. The State Government is committed to uplift the morale of farmers and keen to strengthen the Farming practices through suitable programs and schemes. We look forward to the key recommendations of the report and will try to incorporate them in our programmes, Badal further added.

This report emphatically notes that by solarising the Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture process, the state government will be able to save around Rs 12,465 crores along with adding a solar capacity of 4250 MW. In the distressing times of Climate impacts, cleaner energy sources like renewables can bring several environmental co-benefits; similarly solarisation can be instrumental in avoiding CO2 emissions of more than 36.4 million tonnes in next 15 years. Furthermore, solarisation of 234000 grid connected pumps and installation of 405447 standalone off-grid solar pumps can cater to the demand of around 700 MW. For augmenting the logistic Infrastructure in the rural regions, installation of 8343 micro cold storages can create a cumulative storage capacity of 3.64 lakh metric tonne during 2021-22 to 2037-38. The report also notes that development of 81000 warehouses facilities in villages can lead to a solar rooftop potential of 160 MWp in the state.

Nalanda can play a critical role in promoting mindfulness: Bihar minister

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Union minister of state for external affairs and Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh inaugurated the TEACHING block ofNalanda University.

The minister said can play a critical role in promoting understanding and mindfulness. Nalanda University stands as a symbol of inclusion, harmony, peace, knowledge, inspiration, creativity and innovation, he said.

Singh stated that the participation of students from various countries enriches the Nalanda experience, that can be used to create a knowledge ecosystem to contribute to the betterment of humanity.

A cultural programme was also organised by the students, showcasing the vibrant multicultural diversity on the campus. The university has students from over 30 nationalities.

Chhattisgarh: 21 lakh farmers received third installment of Rs 1,500 cr under govt’s flagship scheme

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A day after Congress hinted at the possibility of promising increase inminimum support price(MSP) for paddy in poll-boundUttar Pradesh,Chhattisgarhchief ministerBhupesh Baghel released Rs 1,500 crore to the states farmers underRajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay YojanaandGodhan Nyay Yojana.

This is the third instalment of states flagship scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana and Rs 10.81 crore as dividend to farmers, who sold cow dung to the state under the states unique Godhan Nyay Yojna under which the state procures cow dung from people at a price of Rs two per kilogram.

Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana was launched in the year 2020 with an objective of providing a fair price to the farmers for their produce, promoting the productivity ofKharif cropsand crop diversification, with a retrospective effect, its benefits from the Kharif Marketing year.
Hence in this year in 2021-22, an amount of around Rs 1,525 crore was paid to the farmers on May 22 as the first installment in their account. Second installment of Rs 1,522 was transferred on August 20 on the occasion of birth anniversary of late Rajiv Gandhi under the scheme.

Half of Madhya Pradeshs thermal power units shut, low demand saves day

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Eight of the 16 thermal power units owned byMadhya PradeshPower Generating Company Limited (MPGENCO) are shut down, with Diwali just four days away.

However, the state is managing to meet its power needs, thanks to a rather surprising drop in demand despite it being Irrigation season. On October 30 last year, 25.76 crore units of energy were supplied across the state as peak demand was 12,537 MW.

Strict Covid restrictions were on then. On the same date this year, peak demand touched 10,658 MW and 21.03 crore units of energy were supplied. This, when Covid restrictions have been eased, the buzz is back in business, there is the glitter of festivals, and Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture season is on full swing.

Gujarat gets 14,963MW from non-conventional sources

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Projects with the capacity of generating 14,963MW of electricity from non-conventional sources are currently operational inGujarat.

The government said the state accounts for 15% of the countrys installed capacity for power generation from non-conventional energy sources.

A government release said that Gujarat stands first in the country with 1,444MW installed capacity in relation to solar rooftop projects.

These include residential, commercial, and industrial solar rooftop projects.
The government said that in terms of setting up solar rooftop systems on private residential properties, Gujarat is the first in the country.

Solar rooftop systems have been installed on 2.84 lakh houses and 1,081MW electricity is being generated.

This project was introduced in the state in 2016-17. The release added that Gujarat announced its solar power policy in 2008-09. The installed capacity of solar power in the state today is 5,947MW, the government said.

Gujarat stands third in the country in terms of solar power generation.
The installed capacity of wind power projects in the state is 8,860MW, the government said.