The North East Indian states of Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya have begun an educational resurgence geared towards building a system that works not just for the people of India, but for anyone across the globe seeking the requisite skill and international exposure required to function in today’s world.
31.08.21
The Assamcabinet decided to give a one-time grant of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of poor people who have died due to Covid-19 and were not government employees or were not getting government pension.
Cabinet ministerPijush Hazarikasaid, UnderPrarthanascheme, so far there are around 6,000 such beneficiaries (next of kin). The grant will be provided under this scheme. The amount will be handed over to beneficiaries onGandhi Jayanti. The state government has already rolled out two other schemes for children orphaned due to Covid and women who have lost their husbands to the pandemic. Each child, who has lost both parents, has been given a fixed deposit certificate of principal amount ofRs 7,81,200, a cheque of Rs 3,500 as the first monthly assistance which will continue till they attain the age of 24 years. On completion of 24 years of age, the principal amount parked as fixed deposit against each beneficiary would be credited to their bank accounts.
Under the scheme, for children below 10 years and adolescent girls with no guardian, the state government is taking steps to house such children in childcare institutions and provide funding towards their upkeep, including educational expenditure. Women who have lost their husbands have been given Rs 2.5 lakh as one-time support from theCMs relief fund and will also be entitled to the benefits of Arunodoi scheme along with a monthly widow pension under the ongoingIndira Miri Universal Widow PensionScheme.
To achieve adoption of at least 20% battery electric vehicles in all vehicle registrations by 2025, the state cabinet headed by chief ministerNaveen Patnaikon Friday approved theOdisha Electric Vehicle(EV) Policy, 2021.The policy also aims to promote manufacturing of electric vehicles and its components including battery in the state, promote innovation and facilitate research and development in the areas relating to EVs and battery.
As per provision of the policy, the state government offers purchase incentive of around 15% on different categories of EVs which will be up to Rs 5,000 for two wheelers, Rs 12,000 for three wheelers and up to Rs 1lakhfor four wheelers.
The state government would also provide 100% interest-free loan to the state government employees for purchase of EVs. Similarly, government departments, offices, public sector undertakings will now give preference to hire and purchase EVs for official use.
The policy said that the state government will provide appropriate incentives and other support to ensure that pure electric buses constitute at least 50% of all new stage carriages procured for the city buses in the next five years.
As availability of charging infrastructure is key for adoption of EVs, the state government assures to provide environment to enable for establishment of private as well as public charging infrastructure.
Tamil Naduchief minister M K Stalin on Wednesday announced that a statue of late chief minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi would be re-installed on Anna Salai in Chennai. A statue of the leader installed on the arterial road earlier was vandalised on December 24, 1987, hours after thenCM M G Ramachandrandied at his residence in Ramavaram Gardens. The statue was damaged in the ensuing violence.
It was installed by theDravidar Kazhagamin 1975 to fulfill the dream of party founder E V Ramasamy (Periyar) at the junction ofGeneral Patters Roadand Anna Salai in Chennai. It was unveiled by religious leader Kundrakudi Adigal.
Kerala: Tribal department recommends opening hostels for students in Idukki
In the absence of proper online education facilities for tribal students in Idukki, thetribal departmentrecommended opening all tribal hostels in the district to ensure proper education for tribal students.
As per the final estimate of over 2,000 tribal students in the district, there is no proper device to continue their online education. On a trial basis, the tribal department agreed to open tribal hostels and provide entry toSSLCand Plus Two students.
As per the estimate, 13,517 students are having no facility for online education. According to sources, after three months of digital education, most students are out of online education.
The Chamarajanagar district administration has taken steps to set up coffee- and pepper-processing units. It has granted 1acre land at BR Hills in Yelandur taluk for the same.
In 2020-21, the tribals recorded a turnover of Rs 1.56 crore by selling over 75 tonnes of coffee and pepper. Moved by their success, Chamarajanagar DC M R Ravi has announced land to set up these units to encourage the products.
There is a huge demand for organically coffee and black pepper grown in this region at national and international markets, and the produce is sold through the Coffee Board and Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED). TRIFED is a national-level cooperative body under the administrative control of ministry of tribal affairs (GoI). They also sell honey, bamboo products and other minor forest products through these organisations.
Over 650 Soliga tribals from region, who own land measuring a few cents to 2-3acre, have been cultivating coffee and black pepper since 2015. They had been selling their products after forming their own body Bilirangana Hills Soliga Farmers Producers Association.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), which owns and operatesHyderabad airport, is set to invest over Rs 500 crore towards metro connectivity at the airport. As per the company, theTelangana governmenthad sought financial contribution fromGHIALfor the metro project.
Considering the importance of providing metro rail connectivity for passengers, the board of GHIAL has recommended that it provides support up to 10% of the project cost.
The project cost of metro line would be around Rs 5000 crore and the company will be investing Rs 519.52 crore in the project, as per the report Application for determination of aeronautical tariffs for the third control period (April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026) submitted to the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA).
GHIAL is also investing Rs 300 crore towards airfield pavement enhancement and Rs 75 crore on airfield ground lighting upgrade. The company has awarded the contract and works are in full swing to complete the same while air traffic movement is contained due toCovidand said it expects to complete it in the next 10 months, as per the report.
Industries and IT ministerMekapati Gautam Reddy said the capital of a state is where the chief minister of that state stayed, and can be located anywhere.
It could bePulivendula, or Vijayawada, or any other place. In fact, the word capital does not exist in the Constitution at all. As per the 1937Sribagh Pact, it was agreed to have three capitals for the state ofAndhra Pradesh.
In fact, the word capital does not exist in the Constitution at all. The government has been executing its decision in line with the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh.
MonumentsatOld Goas worldheritagecomplex, as well as other heritage sites across Goa, are vulnerable to the dire impact ofclimatechange. And this isnt a distant threat increased extreme weather events are already wrecking damage, soaking and triggering decay in the heritage buildings walls and foundations.
A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) has raised alarm over extreme weather, and the possibility of urbanisation amplifying some aspects of climatechange.
At Old Goa, in a heritage landscape already devastated by haphazard development, the climate crisis has already started unfolding. The historic monuments are caught on lowlevel ground between massive runoffs and a swelling river.
Perhaps Goas most famous church, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, is at the lowest level in the core zone, and has been the worst hit after recent floods.
Conservationists and others suggest various measures as part of preparedness for the climate crisis. The conservation of water bodies and paddy fields, which are sinks for runoffs from the hills, is considered vital in extreme weather.
The Maharashtra government is going to study the effect of the likely increase in the height of the Almatti dam across the Krishna river.
Recently, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said he was considering a visit to Delhi with the proposal to increase the height of the dam from 519m to 524m. He also said that since Maharashtra is also a party to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, leaders from Maharashtra have been consulted. Bommai said preliminary discussions on the issue have been held with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra irrigation minister Jayant Patil. He even said that Pawar has suggested a meeting with the Centre to discuss the matter. The tribunal had given a verdict in favour of the Karnataka government to increase Almattis height.
Karnataka also needs to consult with other states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana before it initiates steps to increase the height of the dam as both these states too are party to the tribunal. These states have maintained that the increase in the dam height will obstruct the flow of water and may leave their states dry.