30-31.10.21

In a bid to further strengthen diplomatic connections and bilateral relations, Ambassadors, senior embassy officials from 12 African nations and Ministers and bureaucrats from Haryana came together here on Thursday with the beginning of a two-day long Haryana-Africa Conclave, series-1.

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Focused to boost bilateral trade and connectivity between two regions, the conclave titled Transforming Haryana through a Go Global Approach is being organized by Foreign Cooperation Department, Haryana under the aegis of Haryana Government in consultation with the Union Ministry of External Affairs, said an official spokesman.

The conclave on Thursday saw the participation of Ambassadors, senior embassy officials from 12 African nations namely Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, Nigeria, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ghana as a part of series 1.

The two-day-long conclave will also witness the participation of Haryana Governor, Chief Minister, Minister of State- MEA, Deputy Chief Minister and delegations from African countries, and dignitaries from Union Ministry of External Affairs, the spokesman said. The spokesman said that the first Haryana Africa Conclave aims to boost economic and cultural ties, as not only will this create a framework and opportunities to collaborate but will also increase people-to-people engagement between the two regions. This conclave is a major step in this long-standing friendship, one that will reap benefits for both regions on their road to development.

Innovation Mission Punjab invites entries for startup idea hunt

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Innovation Mission Punjab, a public-private PARTNERSHIP programme to promote the spirit of , has invited actionable business ideas for Roar- Punjabs Biggest Idea Hunt by November 15.

The Mission has partnered with many renowned institutions in Punjab, including the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), Indian School of Business (ISB), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Punjab Agricultural University, and Centre for Innovation and Business Design.

The idea hunt will serve as an opportunity for the participants to interact with successful startups and Industry leaders and gain mentorship from global experts. Winners of this open ended contest will be entitled to cash Awards, including a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each for the top three winners in the idea stage, cash prizes of Rs 1 lakh each for the best Women-led and social impact ideas and a cash award of Rs 2 lakh for each of the top three winners in the early stage startup category.

All winners will be provided free co-working space for three months at the new office and accelerator coming up at Kalkat Bhawan as a major incentive. The best early stage startups will get a jump-start to the final screening round for the Accelerator Program and the best startup ideas can also directly compete for the Pre-Accelerator Program. The Accelerator and Pre-Accelerator programs will serve as platforms to support early stage and idea stage entrepreneurs, respectively.

Himachals highest polling booth sees 100% voting

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The highest polling booth in Himachal Pradeshs Mandi parliamentary bypoll, which saw a low of minus 16 degrees, on Saturday recorded 100 per cent polling, election officials said here.

The polling booth in Tashigang village in Lahaul-Spiti district had 47 voters, including 18 Women. Donning traditional dresses, most of the electorate reached the booth to cast their votes.

Tashi Chojam, who was the first to cast her vote, said: We must exercise our franchise. I am happy to be part of the democratic process. Seventy-year-old Sakya Dolma said she exercised her right to vote every time. Today also I did it. The had set up the model polling booth with a selfie point with the Himalayas in the background.

Uttarakhand: Rains change course of four major rivers; IIT-Roorkee asked to study event

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Heavyrainsthat lashedUttarakhandlast week have led to four prominentriversin the state to alter their course, prompting the forest department to rope in IIT-Roorkee to conduct a study on the river channels and the impact of this change.

An analysis by the forest department following devastating rains since October 17 found that swollen rivers in Kumaon -Kosi, Gaula, Nandhaur and Dabka – have changed their course. In some areas, they have started flowing towards human habitations while in others, the change has adversely affected works of the forest department such as mining and patrolling.

Environmentalists said encroachments on riverbanks have compounded the problem. “The rivers have not changed their course or taken up new channels, they are simply flowing in their own space – the riverbed – which humans have encroached upon.

After bringing record investment in the electronics manufacturing sector in Uttar Pradesh, now the state government is determined to make the state a hub of pharmaceutical business. For this, the government has decided to bring a new Pharmaceutical Policy by amending the existing one drafted in 2018.

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With the amendments, the new policy will rule out several reliefs to companies manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) as raw materials. Due to this, big pharmaceutical majors from India and abroad engaged in manufacturing will be interested in investing in UP.

It is worth noting that every year, more than Rs 40,000 crores of medicines and medical equipment are used in Uttar Pradesh but the state and its consumers are dependent on other states for medicines. In view of this, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had rolled out a Pharmaceutical Policy in 2018 which aimed at providing necessary to big pharmaceutical companies for manufacturing medicines in the state.

Along with this, it was decided to set up a Medical Device Park and a Bulk Drug Park across the state.

After the introduction of the said policy and backed by government efforts, approval for setting up of Medical Device Park in Noida was received from the Central government last month. Now, North India’s largest Medical Device Park will be built on 350 acres of land in Sector 28 of Yamuna Expressway Development Authority (YEIDA). An Investment of Rs 5,250 crore is expected to be made through the MDP and more than 20,000 people are expected to get EMPLOYMENT.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren, while addressing a humongous gathering at the inaugural function of Tribal Dance Festival and Rajyotsava 2021 organised in Raipur, Chhattisgarh as the Chief Guest said, This is not just a dance festival, but an honour to those who have been educationally, socially and economically deprived. This is a message to the whole country that if we want, this class can walk with us. Departments are created in their name, but the community is deprived of its rights & facilities leveraged to them.

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The CM said the Tribal Society lives around nature. Their fields, barns, cattle and forest produce are their wealth. It is commendable to see that the Chhattisgarh government is helping these communities by giving MSP in forest produce. I believe that the country and the State can develop only when the villages will prosper. Work should be done in the direction of increasing the purchasing power of the villagers and uplift of the underprivileged, backward, poor & marginalized section of the country, he added.

Five states, 80% Indians most vulnerable to climate extremes: CEEW

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Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Bihar are most vulnerable to extreme Climate events such as floods, droughts, and in India, according to a first of its kind Climate Vulnerability Index released on Tuesday by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).

Overall, 27 Indian states and Union Territories are vulnerable to extreme climate events, which often disrupt the local economy and displace weaker communities. A total of 463 out of 640 districts in India – where more than 80 per cent Indians live – are vulnerable to extreme floods, droughts, and cyclones.

More than 45 per cent of these districts have undergone unsustainable landscape and Infrastructure changes. Further, 183 hotspot districts are highly vulnerable to more than one extreme climate event, the CEEW study found out and also that more than 60 per cent of Indian districts have medium to low adaptive capacity.

Dhemaji and Nagaon in Assam, Khammam in Telangana, Gajapati in Odisha, Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh, Sangli in Maharashtra, and Chennai in Tamil Nadu are among India’s most climate vulnerable districts.

The study is an important documentation in view of the annual Climate Change conference – COP26 – to be held at the UK’s Glasgow from October 31. Developing countries such as India are expected to demand at the COP that developed countries ramp up and deliver climate finance timely to help the former strengthen adaptation mechanisms against extreme climate events.

The CEEW study, supported by the India Climate Collaborative and Edelgive Foundation, also highlighted that the states in India’s northeast are more vulnerable to floods, while the ones in the south and central are most vulnerable to extreme droughts. Further, 59 per cent and 41 per cent of the total districts in the eastern and western states, respectively, are highly vulnerable to extreme cyclones.

The CEEW study also indicated that only 63 per cent of Indian districts have a District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP). While these plans need to be updated every year, only 32 per cent of them had updated plans until 2019. Highly vulnerable, states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, and Gujarat have improved their respective DDMPs and climate-proofed critical infrastructures in the recent years.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched the online dashboard of Chief Minister Slum Health Scheme (CMSHS) and a gift pack of the traditional cuisine Joran gift pack on the occasion of State Foundation Day.

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The event was held at the official residence of the Chief Minister here.

With the launch of the dashboard, people will be able to take advance appointments for free treatment. They can also track the arrival of mobile medical unit vehicles in their area.

The medical prescription and test report of the patients will be available online.

The scheme was launched on November 1, 2020. The aim was to provide free and better Health facilities to people in slums. The facility is extended through 60 mobile medical units in 14 municipal areas.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the State Government has taken a historic decision and decided that such houses in which more than one family lives (family means husband, wife and children) and if they do not have any plot of land to live in then the Government will provide them free plots. This will also open the way for the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the benefits of other schemes will also be available.

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Chouhan said that the one who has taken birth on this earth has the right that at least a piece of land should be in his name to live in, on which he could build a house and live with his family. This is a historic decision in favor of the poor. In a message issued to the media at his residence, Chouhan said that under the Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu-adhikar Yojna, the has issued guidelines for allotment of plots on Abadi (populated) land in rural areas.

The Chief Minister said that this scheme has been implemented with the objective of ensuring that every family has the right to a dignified life with minimum basic necessities. On getting the residential plot, it will help in getting loans from government schemes and banks. Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu-adhikar Yojna has been started by the State Government to provide residential plots to the eligible families on the Abadi land in each Gram Panchayat in the rural areas.

In the scheme, the District Collector has been empowered with respect to the availability of Abadi land. The maximum area of ??the plot for allotment will be 60 square meters. Family means husband and wife and their unmarried sons and daughters. Only those applicant families will be eligible to apply who are residents of the respective village. For getting residential plot, application has to be submitted online through SAARA portal.

Dholka industries need to revive lake: Gujarat high court

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The Gujarat has said that it wants five industrial units near Dholka town to save and revive a lake near Bhetavda village and sought response from the industries on this issue.

The villagers complained that apart from the discharge from STP, the water gets contaminated by chemical waste. This has not only contaminated waterbody but also ground water and it has become difficult for them to use water for drinking and Irrigation purposes.