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By admin: Sept. 25, 2023

Union Minister launches UDAN 5.2 and HeliSeva App at 5th Heli Summit in Khajuraho

Tags: Government Schemes

On July 25, 2023, Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the 5th Heli Summit (Helicopter and Small Aircraft Summit) in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, in which he introduced UDAN 5.2 and HeliSeva App.

An Overview of the News

• The 5th Helicopter and Small Aircraft Summit was jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Pawan Hans Limited and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

• The central theme of the 5th Helicopter and Small Aircraft Summit was "Reaching the Last Mile: Regional Connectivity throughHelicopters and Small Aircraft."

Udaan 5.2 and HeliSeva App:

• During the 5th Heli Summit, Jyotiraditya Scindia unveiled the next phase of the "Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik" scheme.

• UDAN 5.2 aims to establish air connectivity to remote areas of the country using aircraft with a seating capacity of less than 20 passengers.

• Jyotiraditya Scindia also introduced the Heliseva mobile application, which is designed to simplify the approval process for helicopter operators by providing a single-window service platform for government officials.

Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Scheme:

• The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) known as UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) was launched by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation on 21 October 2016.

• The inaugural flight under the UDAN scheme took place in April 2017, connecting Shimla to Delhi.

• The primary objective of UDAN is to increase access to air travel by capping airfares on regional routes, with the government also providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to compensate airline operators for losses incurred due to low fares.

• As of now, the UDAN scheme covers 148 airports across India.

About Khajuraho:

• Khajuraho, located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, is famous for its Hindu and Jain temples.

• Built by the Chandela rulers between 950-1050 AD, these temples are known for the grandeur of their architecture.

• UNESCO granted the temples of Khajuraho World Heritage Site status in 1986 due to their remarkable architectural beauty.

About Madhya Pradesh

• Governor - Mangubhai Patel

• Chief Minister - Shivraj Singh Chauhan

• Capital - Bhopal

Gandhi Vatika inaugurated: Tribute to the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi in Jaipur's Central Park

Tags: State News

On September 23, “Gandhi Vatika”, a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, was officially opened in Jaipur's Central Park.

An Overview of the News

• Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot attended the inauguration ceremony.

• Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) invested Rs 87 crore in the construction of this museum.

Initiative and Guidance:

• The Rajasthan government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, played a key role in initiating and overseeing the construction of the innovative museum named Gandhi Vatika.

• The construction of Gandhi Vatika was made possible with the funds allocated in the state government budget for the financial year 2021-22.

Museum Layout:

• The museum is built over three floors and includes a basement, with each floor dedicated to highlighting different aspects of Mahatma Gandhi's life and teachings.

• The basement section of the museum focuses on major historical events such as the colonial era, the early stages of the freedom struggle, the Rebellion of 1857 and Gandhi's experiences in South Africa.

• The ground floor of the museum houses exhibitions related to Gandhi's return to India, his vision for the nation, the various movements he led and the events leading up to his last days.

• The first floor of Gandhi Vatika is dedicated to showcasing Gandhi's visits to Rajasthan and his deep impact on the global stage.

About Rajasthan

• It is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the northeast; Madhya Pradesh in the southeast; and Gujarat in the southwest.

• Rajasthan is also home to three national tiger reserves, Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota.

• Formation - 30 March 1949

• Capital - Jaipur

• Districts - 33 (7 divisions)

• Governor - Kalraj Mishra

• Chief Minister - Ashok Gehlot (INC)

• Assembly - Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (200 seats)

• Rajya Sabha - 10 seats

• Lok Sabha - 25 seats

Indian shooting trio creates world record and wins first gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou

Tags: Sports News

India's first gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China was won by the men's 10m air rifle shooting team of Divyansh Panwar, Rudraksh Patil, and Aishwarya Pratap.

An Overview of the News

• India's men's 10m air rifle shooting team also set a new world record with a score of 1893.7 points, surpassing China's previous record set in August.

• The 19th Asian Games officially began on September 23, 2023, and will end on October 8, 2023.

India's First Gold in Cricket:

• India women's cricket team won the gold medal by defeating Sri Lanka in the final match held at the Pingfeng Cricket Ground in Hangzhou on the third day of the Asian Games on September 25, 2023.

• This was India's first gold medal in cricket at the Asian Games, which used the T20 format.

• The team was led by Harmanpreet Kaur, who played her 100th match as T20 captain. Bangladesh won the bronze medal.

Elephant Festival begins in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

Tags: Festivals National State News

Elephant Mahotsav began in Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and will continue for seven days.

An Overview of the News

• Elephants play an important role in protecting the tigers in the reserve and keeping out wild elephants.

• The Elephant Festival gives villagers and nearby families a chance to interact with elephants.

• The primary goal of the festival in 2023 is to educate villagers about elephants and remove misconceptions about the wild animals.

• The festivities will end on September 26, after which the elephants will return to their patrolling camps.

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve:

• Located in the Eastern Satpura hill range of Umaria and Katni districts in Madhya Pradesh.

• Boasts a healthy population of tigers and a diverse range of herbivorous animals.

• It has diverse topography, including hills, valleys, rivers, swamps and grasslands supporting diverse vegetation.

Other tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh:

1. Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve:

• Located in the Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh.

• Established in 1975

• Known for saving the world-famous white tiger "Mohan".

• Forms a wildlife corridor connecting Bandhavgarh and Palamu Tiger Reserve.

• Sometimes wild elephants keep coming from the neighboring Chhattisgarh region.

2. Panna Tiger Reserve:

• Located in the Vindhya hill region of northern Madhya Pradesh.

• Characterized by dry deciduous forests, plateaus, and valleys.

• The Ken River flows through the reserve.

• It is surrounded by teak forests in the north and teak-Kardhai mixed forests in the east.

• The Vindhya hill ranges connect wildlife populations in the east and west.

3. Pench Tiger Reserve:

• Inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book".

• Known for natural beauty and historical importance.

• Awarded the "Best Maintained Tourist Friendly National Park" award in 2006-07.

4. Kanha Tiger Reserve:

• Home to the hard ground Barasingha, the state animal of Madhya Pradesh.

• Conservation efforts have led to an increase in the population of this emblematic deer.

• The forests are mainly composed of Sal (Shorea robusta) and mixed forest trees.

5. Satpura Tiger Reserve:

• Home to arboreal mammals such as flying squirrels, Indian giant squirrels, and leaf-nosed bats.

• The Eurasian otter and smooth-coated otter are also found here.

• Allows pollution-free activities like cycling, canoeing, and trekking.

Prime Minister inaugurates nine new Vande Bharat trains

Tags: National News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off nine new Vande Bharat trains, enhancing India's rail connectivity and passenger experience, through video conferencing on September 24, 2023.

An Overview of the News

• These trains are part of the government's efforts to improve connectivity across India and provide world-class facilities to rail passengers.

• With these nine new trains, the total number of Vande Bharat trains in operation across India has reached 34. This includes 25 trains that were already serving in various states and union territories.

List of New Vande Bharat Trains:

1. Udaipur-Jaipur Vande Bharat Express

2. Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express

3. Hyderabad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express

4. Vijayawada-Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express

5. Patna-Howrah Vande Bharat Express

6. Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express

7. Rourkela-Bhubaneswar-Puri Vande Bharat Express

8. Ranchi-Howrah Vande Bharat Express

9. Jamnagar-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express

Important facts about Vande Bharat trains:

• These nine trains will increase connectivity in 11 states: Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand and Gujarat.

• Vande Bharat trains will run at the fastest speed on its routes, reducing travel time compared to existing trains.

• They will facilitate connectivity to important religious pilgrimage sites.

• Equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features, these trains aim to provide modern, fast and comfortable travel options for a wide range of passengers including professionals, businessmen, students and tourists.

Indian women's shooters won India's first medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games

Tags: Sports News

India's women's shooting team comprising Ramita, Mehuli Ghosh, and Ashi Chowksey won a silver medal in the women's 10m air rifle event at the 19th Asian Games on September 23, 2023.

An Overview of the News

• The 19th Asian Games officially began on September 23, 2023, and will end on October 8, 2023.

India's medal table of the first day in the Asian Games:-

• India's second medal in Hangzhou was won by Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind in the men's lightweight double sculls event and a silver medal.

• The men's eight-rowing team also won a silver medal.

• Babu Lal Yadav and Lekh Ram won bronze medals in the men's pair rowing event.

• Ramita won the bronze medal in the 10-meter air rifle event.

• India finished the first day with a total of five medals: three silver medals and two bronze medals.

First gold medal in Hangzhou

• The first gold medal of the Hangzhou Asian Games was won by China's Zhou Jiaqi and Qiu Xinping in the women's lightweight double sculls event.

The remarkable performance of India and China in Jakarta 2018

• At the 18th Jakarta Asian Games held in 2018, China won notable medals with a total of 289 medals including 132 gold medals, 92 silver medals and 65 bronze medals and India won a total of 70 medals including 16 gold, 23 silver and 31 bronze medals.

China's continued dominance

• China has consistently topped the medal tally at the Asian Games since the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games.

China's President inaugurates the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games 2023

Tags: Sports News

Chinese President Xi Jinping officially opened the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on September 23, 2023.

An Overview of the News

• The Games take place every four years but were postponed from 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions in China.

• The last 18th Asian Games were hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018.

China hosting for the third time

• China has hosted the Asian Games twice before, in 1990 (Beijing) and 2010 (Guangzhou).

• The 19th Hangzhou Asian Games will be held from 23 September to 8 October 2023.

Opening Ceremony

• The opening ceremony was held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, also known as the Big Lotus.

Hangzhou Games mascot and slogan

• During the flag-raising ceremony, the mascots of the Hangzhou Games, Chenchen, Congcong and Lianlian, were introduced. They are a trio of robots.

• On the game's official website, these robots are called "Memories of Jiangnan", taking their name from a Chinese poem.

• The slogan of the Games is 'Heart to Heart, @Future.'

Participating teams and events

• Nearly 12,500 athletes from 45 countries and territories in Asia are competing in 61 disciplines across 40 sports.

• India has sent a strong delegation of 665 members to these games.

• During the opening ceremony, the Indian team flag was raised by Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and Olympic bronze medalist in boxing Lovlina Borgohain.

• India will compete in 41 out of 61 disciplines, with both men's and women's cricket teams participating for the first time.

New Games Launched

• E-sports, breakdancing and sport climbing have been introduced for the first time in the Asian Games.

Next Asian Games

• The inaugural Asian Games were held in New Delhi in 1951.

• The 2026 Asian Games will be hosted in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, while the 2030 Games are scheduled for Doha, Qatar.

• Similar to the Olympics, the right to host the Asian Games is awarded to a city rather than a country.