28.04.23

Cyclone Mocha may impact entire NE: IMD

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the entire northeastern region may be impacted byCyclone Mochawhich is expected to hit the Myanmar-Bangladesh coast.

IMD officials told TOI that heavy to very heavy rainfall will occur in Mizoram, Tripura and south Manipur as an effect of Mocha. The Met office said several parts of southern northeast will be swept by gusty winds on Sunday even as southAssam’s three Barak Valley districts are also likely to experience rain.

Expecting damage in Mizoram, Tripura, and South Manipur, the IMD has suggested Disaster Management agencies to take action to minimize losses likely to be caused by possible landslides and uprooting of trees.


Assam govt for ban on polygamy by state law

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The BJP-ledAssamgovernment has decided to set up an expert committe to examine whether polygamy can be banned in the state by a legislation to provide a major push for empowering Women as it steps into its third year.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on theeveof completion of second year in office, on Tuesday said the prevalence of the practice of polygamy, both formal and informal, was found to be high during the crackdown on child marriages since January last.

Polygamy is generally prohibited in all religious communities in India, except the Muslim community. Practising polygamy is an offence punishable under Section 494 and 495 of the IPC, except for the Muslim community, where Section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 governs the law pertaining to marriage which allows it.

Agri trade: MNI to be implemented in state

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The ministry of Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture and farmers welfare has decided to implement the market yard of national importance (MNI) concept in six states, including Odisha, to promote inter-mandi and inter-state trade of agricultural produce in a seamless manner.

The decision was taken at the first meeting of the expert committee on MNI in Bengaluru. Besides Odisha, the other states where MNI will be implemented are Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh,Rajasthan,Telanganaand Bihar. The experts committee has also been asked to come up with a detail framework for the MNI to be implemented in these states. Sources said that the recommendations will be based on locations and seasons of particular market yards.

Saint-Gobain to invest Rs 6,000 cr to Rs 8,000 crore by CY 2025

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French glass major Saint-Gobain will invest 6,000 to 8,000 crore for expansion of Indian operations in the next two years, as the global glass and building materials manufacturer is targeting revenue at 36,000 crore from India by CY2032. The company generated an annual revenue of 12,300 crore in CY2022 and aims at 40% YoY Growth.

It comes in the backdrop of India emerging as the third largest profitable market after the US and France for Saint-Gobain, which has operations in 75 countries.

With 60 manufacturing lines in 30 locations spread over nine states fromRajasthantoTamil Nadu, 14% of the turnover from the Indian operations is generated through exports. While 50% of the turnover is from glass related businesses, 30% is contributed by gypsum and construction chemicals and the rest by abrasives, ceramics and life sciences.

AI cameras ready but no fines for now in Kerala

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CM Pinarayi Vijayan launched 726 road surveillance cameras powered by , envisaged to reduce road accidents and prevent traffic violations, in the state. The penalties for rule violations, however, will not be levied for a month and instead, awareness programmes will be conducted.

Transport ministerAntony Rajusaid the AI cameras would bring transparency in levying of fines. The speed limit for vehicles will be revised in the event of road conditions improving in the state, he said. The CM said government was looking to improve road safety by installing these camer-as. The intention behind using modern technology for vehicle inspection is to reduce difficulties for the public.

T achieves 100% institutional deliveries in 22

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is the only state in the country to have 100 percent institutional deliveries for the year 2021-2022, as per the latest Health Management Information System (HMIS) report 2020-21 and 2021-22. Among union territories Lakshadweep has also achieved 100 percent institutional deliveries. Meanwhile states and union territories like Punjab, Sikkim,Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Dadar andNagar Haveliand Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa,PuducherryandTamil Nadu, all scored over 99 percent.

Andhra Pradesh: Rajahmundry municipal corporation to rejuvenate Kambala Cheruvu into recreational spot

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In a major move to create a landmark leisure space in Rajahmundry, the authorities of municipal administration have decided to renovateKambala Cheruvu, a major pond in the city.
The pond will be developed as one of the best tourist attractions along with providing arecreational spotto the citizens.

In fact, the catchment area for this pond has become a collection point for storm water drainage, sewage, and contaminated waste due to its lower elevation. The primary object of the project is to rejuvenate the water body and provide a Park with recreational facilities and leisure spaces.

Goa enrolment in higher edu 33.8%, govt eyes 50% by 2035

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Even as the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in institutes of higher Education has touched 33.8%, the has set out to take it to 50% by 2035.

From 2016 to 2021, the male student’s Average GER was around 28.8, while for girls, it was 34.2.

Education secretary Prasad Lolayekar told TOI that the state’s target is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), which mandates that enrolment in higher education should touch 50% by 2035.

Unesco defines GER as the “total enrolment in a specific level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a Percentage of the eligible official school-age Population corresponding to the same level of education in a given school year”.

He said that BITS-Pilani’s Goa campus in Zuarinagar has 4,200 students, and if these are added to Goa’s GER, it would be 36.2%. “As of date, BITS-Pilani shows their enrolment in Rajasthan, which is not correct. As per the rules, it should be shown in the state (Goa) number,” he said. The education secretary said that the directorate of higher education has written to the all-India higher education survey authority to include BITS-Pilani’s enrolment in the state GER.

Meanwhile, the gender parity index for Goa stands at 1.2% in higher educational institutes. Explaining this, Lolayekar said 1.2% means that for every 100 males enrolled in higher education institutes, there are 120 females.

Feeble growth in Maharashtra healthcare spend

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The share of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) allocated by Maharashtra government to healthcare has grown only marginally over the past few years, underlining how political regimes have failed to make it a priority.

Data fromthe NationalHealth Accounts (NHA) Estimates for India 2019-20 indicates Maharashtra’s spending on healthcare was barely 0.8% of its GSDP, a slight increase from the previous four-year Average of 0.7%. Data showed total healthcare expenditure was Rs 77,501 crore of which government’s contribution was just 27% (Rs 20,606 crore).

The state has done poorly compared to the national average, which showed an upward trend in government expenditure as a proportion of total Health expenditurefrom 29% in 2014-2015 to 41.4% in 2019-20. The Centre is spending 1.35% of the GDP on health.

The data shows that bigger states like Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat are all spending in the range of 0.8-0.9% of their GDP on health, whereas smaller ones like Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim have managed to take it to around 1.2-1.4%. Northeastern statesMizoramand Arunachal Pradesh spend the most, almost 3.4% of their GSDP in health. Dr Abhay Shukla of the public health movement Jan Arogya Abhiyan said despite being ranked seventh on per capita income among states, Maharashtra is at the bottom in terms of state spending on healthcare. “Hence, the high degree of privatisation and out-of-pocket expenses remain, he said.

As per the NHA report, the state spent Rs 1,675 per capita on healthcare in 2019-20, only a slight increase from the Rs 1,120 spent in 2015-2016. By comparison, Himachal Pradesh spent Rs 3,829, Kerala Rs 2,590, Uttarakhand Rs 2,273 and Tamil Nadu Rs 2039.Biharand UP were among the poorest spenders, allocating Rs 701 and 951 per capita.

Govt to make efforts to boost Rugby in Punjab

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Punjab Government has decided to make special efforts to boost the game of Rugby in the State. Taking the first step in this direction, Rugby sport will be included in Khedan Watan Punjab Deya for this year, said the state Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer during a meeting with Indian Rugby Football Union president Rahul Bose at his official residence.

Hayer, during discussions with Rahul Bose a former international Rugby player and an acclaimed film actor and director to promote rugby in Punjab, said that the is making continuous efforts to revive the sports culture in Punjab.

The State Government had organized the first-ever Khedan Watan Punjab Deya in 2022 in which more than three lakh sportsmen participated in 30 sports competitions. This time, Rugby will also be included, he said.

Hayer said that Rugby is a combination of athletics, kabaddi, football, and handball, which suits the nature of Punjabis. There is every possibility that Punjabis will perform better in this game. Rugby Seven is a short form of this game which is included in the Olympic, Asian or Commonwealth Games, so efforts will be made to find acceptance for this form of the game in Punjab, he said.