27-28.06.21

Lawyer appointed 3rd Lokayukta of Tripura

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TheTripuragovernment appointed veteran lawyer KNBhattacharjeeas the newLokayuktaof the state to deal with the complaints of Corruption against public servants and administrative functionaries under the Tripura Act, 2008.

Bhattacharjee will be the third Lokayukta of the state and the first-ever lawyer to be appointed to the post. Justice Pradip Kumar Sarkar, former judge of Gujarat and Guwahati high courts, was appointed as the first Lokayukta of Tripura in 2012. He was succeeded by former judge of Kolkata andAndhra Pradeshhigh courts, Justice Subal Baidya, in 2017.

In a notification, the general administration (AR) department said that in exercise of the power conferred by section-3 of the Act, the Governor is pleased to appoint KN Bhattacharjee as Lokayukta of Tripura for a three-year term with effect from the date he assumes charge.

Himanta urges ‘Assamese Muslims’ to find ways to control population, uplift community

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Calling the states indigenous Muslims as Assamese Muslims, chief ministerHimanta Biswa Sarmaon Sunday asked members of the minority community to devise ways to rein in Population and prepare a roadmap to expedite welfare measures, including financial well-being and overall development of the community.

The meeting emphasized the need to protect and preserve the uniqueness of indigenous Assamese Muslims. However, in the broader landscape, it has been agreed that population explosion in some parts ofAssamhas been posing a real threat to the states development, more particularly in the economic front.

In order to achieve that goal, Sarma said it has been insisted upon that eight sub-groups be constituted to work on a range of issues Health, Education, population control, cultural identity, , Women Empowerment and Skill development.

Odisha to get 374 crore under Centres special assistance scheme

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Odishais expected to receive Rs 374 crore under the Centres special assistance scheme for the current financial year. The amount is meant for (Investment in Infrastructure) to help in high economic Growth.

The Centre had launched the scheme in the 2020-21 financial year under which financial assistance was provided to state governments in the form of 50-year interest-free loan.
The Centre had earmarked Rs 12,000 crore under the scheme of which Odisha had received around Rs 472 crore. Four major engineering departments of the State Government housing and urban development, pancyayati raj and drinking water, Resources“>Water Resources and works had received the grant last year.

Nearly Rs 10,000 crore has been earmarked under the special assistance scheme for various states in the 2021-22 fiscal. The amount has been allocated in proportion to the states share of central taxes as per the recommendation of the15th Finance Commission.

Tamil Nadu forest department warns against feeding, teasing animals

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Two days after Vazhaithottam residents petitioned forest ministerK Ramachandranabout illegalfeedingofwild elephantsin the area, the forest department on Friday warned of strict action against the people doing so.

To spread awareness on the same, the forest department has stuck notices at Vazhaithottam area stating that teasing or feeding the wild elephants or other animals or attracting them with food items were punishable offences under theWildlife Protection Act. It also warned of stringent action against the people indulging in such activities.

Kerala govt ensures that innovative industries thrive here, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

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Chief ministerPinarayi Vijayanhas said thatKeralais the best industrial-friendly destination in the country. TheLDFgovernment is committed to ensuring an investor-friendly for all those who are showing interest in investing in the state.

The chief minister tweeted this as a reply to the tweet ofRPG Enterpriseschairman Harsh Goenka. In his tweetHarsh Goenkahad said that RPG is the largest employers in Kerala. We find the Local Government very supportive

The reply made by the CM is seen as an apparent response toKitexmanaging director Sabu M Jacob who had levelled serious allegations against thestate governmentfor the continuous raids his company had to face in the last one month. Jacob had come out in open criticizing the Attitude of the State Government in insulting the investors by ordering continuous raids. Meanwhile, Industry ministerP Rajeevecame down heavily against Jacob and said if he had any complaints he should have approached the government first.

Sharp rise in child abuse cases in Karnataka amid Covid

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Childrencontinue to be vulnerable on all fronts. While they may be less susceptible to the virus, the pandemic has unleashed an uptick in cases ofchild abuse.

Data shared by the Karnataka Commission for Protection ofChild Rights(KCPCR) has revealed that children below 18 years faced emotional, physical and online abuses after the lockdown was lifted after the first wave. Experts have suggested a comprehensive action plan to protect kids from these kinds of challenges. Between October 2020 and January 2021, children from the state faced instances of such abuse.

According to the data, in October 2020, 55 children faced were subject to various forms ofemotional abuselike using abusive or foul language, humiliating or threatening them, withholding support etc. November saw 38 such cases, December 42 and January 2021 saw 60, the highest in four months.

Telangana government takes back 1,960 acres land from 65 firms

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Cracking the whip on 65industriesfor not setting up their units even after land was allotted for free many years ago, theTelanganaState Industrial Corporation (TSIIC) has taken back 1,960 acres from them. The government now wants to reallocate the resumed land to industrialists who are ready to set up their units.

The area of the resumed land ranges from one acre to 250 acres. Most of the land resumed was in theHyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority(HMDA) limits such as Fab City SEZ at Raviryala, Hardware Park at Mamidipally, IT Park in Nanakramguda, Automotive Park, IDA Nacharam, Pashamylaram, Patancheru, Biotech Park at Karkapatla, Adibatla SEZ and IT Park, Madikonda in Warangal.

Despite Andhra Pradeshs concerns, power generation on at Pulichintala project

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Not with standingAndhra Pradeshs appeal,Telanganacontinuedpower generationat Pulichintala project for the fourth consecutive day.

Pulichintala project was chiefly built to regulate theKrishnadelta ayucut spread over 14 lakh acres in Krishna, Guntur and West Godavari districts. The project has only around 23tmc wateragainst its full capacity of storage 45 tmc. According to AP officials, the government is utilizing nearly 6,500 cusecs for power generation which would dip existing water reserves. The outflows from the power generation centre has resulted in heavy inflows at Prakasam barrage prompting the AP Irrigation authorities to lift the gates of Prakasam barrage and let out water to downstream.

Goa-based scientists find extreme rainfall link to Arctic melting

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The rapid melting of the frigid Arctic nearly 9,000km away is likely to have caused the extremerainfallwitnessed in the Indian sub-continent over the past few decades, sayscientistsat the Goa-based National Centre for Polar and OceanResearch(NCPOR).

A recentstudyby researchers from India and Norway found that the periods of increasing extreme rainfall events in India during June to September coincide with rapidly declining summer sea ice in the Arctic.

The findings from the study show that the upper atmospheric circulation changes due to Arctic sea ice loss facilitate enhanced moisture supply and convection over the Indian landmass and cause increased extreme rainfall events.

The study has been published in the reputed npj Climate and Atmospheric Science journal.

Maharashtra Bamboo boards Rs 1.12 crore machines lying unused, rusting

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In acolossal waste of government ,Maharashtra Bamboo Development Board(MBDB) procured eightbamboo chemical treatment plantsfor over Rs1.12 crore, but none of these are operational.

Further, the Plants are a safety hazard as they do not meet the quality norms laid down under the Maharashtra Factories Rules, 1963, and Bis. One plant was also procured by the Bamboo Research & Training Centre (BRTC), Chichpalli, which is claimed to be one of the biggest training institutes in the country.

Reply to another RTI query revealed that the MBDB, which is the nodal agency in the state to implement the National Bamboo Mission (NBM), was sanctioned Rs33.12 crore in 2018-19, but it received over Rs16 crore, which was distributed for implementation of various schemes to promote bamboo cultivation under the guidance of experts.