1. Government of India to set up Land Monetisation Corporation
Tags: National News
The Union cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the creation of National Land Monetisation Corporation (NLMC). It will pool together and monetise the land owned by the government of India and its companies/corporations.
The NMLC will be owned by the government of India and under the Ministry of Finance. The Corporation will have a paid-up capital of Rs 150 crores and authorised capital of Rs 5000 crore.
In the 2021-22 Union Budget, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the setting up of a special purpose vehicle for this purpose.
Last September, the Government had put out a four-year National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) worth an estimated Rs 6 lakh crore. Roads, Railways and power sector assets will comprise over 66 per cent of the total estimated value of assets to be monetised.
Concept Clearing
What is Monetisation
It refers to the process of turning non-revenue generating assets into cash.
The Government of India and its various companies like railways, defence, telecommunications etc have surplus lands, buildings which are not being used or are generating less revenue than it is capable of.
Under the monetisation plan these land or buildings can be sold, or used for commercial purposes in partnership with private companies so that optimum revenue can be generated.
2. 4 million students shifted to government school during Covid
Tags: National News
Around 40 lakh students shifted to government school during the 2020-21 academic season due to the corona pandemic which made millions of people jobless and teaching shifted to online mode.
According to the government‘s Unified District Information System for Education (UIDSE+), overall enrollment in the pre-primary to higher secondary schools declined by 77,585.
The UDISE+ 2020-21 report covers data reported by private and government schools.
According to the data , nearly 75% of schools in India still did not have internet facilities and 59% had no computer facilities in the year 2020-21.
The overall enrolment of students from the pre-primary grades to class 12 in more than 15 lakhs schools across the country was 2645 lakhs in 2019-20, declining to 264 lakhs in 2020-21.
The data shows that the number of students enrolled in private schools decreased from 9.80 crore in 2019-20 to 9.5 crore in 2020-21 while enrolment in government schools rose by 39.7lakhs during the same period.
The Unified District Information System for Education (UIDSE+) report is released by the Union Ministry of Education.
Important for Exam
Union Education Minister : Dharmendra Pradhan
3. Government removes upper age limit for NEET-UG
Tags: Popular National News
In a major decision the government of India has decided to remove the upper age limit for aspirants appearing for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) for Undergraduates medical courses.
The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), formerly the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is the qualifying test for MBBS and BDS programmes in Indian medical and dental colleges. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
As per the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 the upper-age limit for candidates appearing for National Eligibility Entrance Test and seeking admission to MBBS programme shall be 25 years as on the date of examination and 30 years for SC/ST/OBC category and persons entitled for reservation under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
There is no change in the minimum age criteria of 17 years for appearing in the exam.
According to the government of India there were 51,348 MBBS seats in India in 2014 and now it is 88,120 seats. Nearly half of these seats are in government medical colleges.
This move of the government can be seen as a response to the fact that many Indian students go to places like Ukraine for medical study and one of the reasons cited was the low number of medical seats in India, high fees in private medical colleges in India and also NEET. Increasing the age limit will offer more chances to the candidate to clear the medical exam for MBBS.
4. WHO Global centre for Traditional medicine in India .
Tags: National
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has signed an agreement with the government of India to set up a WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The WHO centre will be under the Ministry of AYUSH.
It is the only such centre on traditional medicine of WHO in the world.
Traditional Medicine
According to the WHO, Traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.
AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy)
The Ministry of AYUSH was set up on the 9th of November 2014 to revive the knowledge of traditional Indian systems of medicine.
It focuses on education and research in the fields of Ayurveda, Yoga Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy.
Minister of AYUSH: Sarbananda Sonowal
World Health Organisation (WHO)
The World Health Organisation is a specialised agency of the United Nations which was founded on 7 April , 1948.
Every year 7 April is celebrated as “World Health Day”.
Headquarters of WHO : Geneva ,Switzerland
Director General of WHO : Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia .
He was elected as WHO director General in 2017 and later re-elected in 2022 for a period of 5 years .
5. Union Rural Development Ministry to focus on rural women contribution for its Iconic week celebration
Tags: National News
The Union Rural Development Ministry is celebrating its Iconic week under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav from 7th to 13th March, 2022.
The theme of the Iconic week is “Naye Bharat ki Naari”. It will focus on the contribution of rural women in India .
Union Minister of Rural Development : Giriraj Singh
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.
The official journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced on 12th March 2021 which started a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of independence and will end post a year on 15th August 2023.
Following are the five themes of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Freedom Struggle
Idea at @75
Resolve @75
Action @75
Achievement @75
6. Union Minister Narayan Rane launches “SAMARTH” for women entrepreneur
Tags: National News
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, Union Minister for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Shri Narayan Rane, launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women -"SAMARTH" on 7th March 2022 at New Delhi.
The Scheme will provide Skill Development and Market Development Assistance to women and more than 7500 women candidates from rural and sub- urban areas in 2022-23.
The aim of the scheme is to provide them an opportunity to be self-reliant and independent by undertaking self-employment opportunities.
Under the Samarth initiative of the Ministry, following benefits will be available to aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs:
20% Seats in free Skill Development Programs organised under skill development schemes of the Ministry will be allocated for Women. More than 7500 women will be benefitted.
20% of MSME Business Delegations sent to domestic & international exhibitions under the schemes for Marketing Assistance implemented by the Ministry will be dedicated to women-owned MSMEs.
20% Discount on annual processing fee on National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Commercial Schemes.
Special Drive for registration of women-owned MSMEs under Udyam Registration.
For Understanding the concept of MSME kindly see our 26 February 2022 post
7. Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav launched to bring girls to formal education
Tags: National News
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), in partnership with the Union Ministry of Education and United Nations Children Funds,(UNICEF), has launched a campaign Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav to bring back out of school adolescent girls in India to the formal education or skilling system at New Delhi on 7 march 2022.
The main aim of the campaign is to increase the enrolment and retention of girls between 11-14 years of age in school.
The Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav campaign will be under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiatives of the Ministry of Women and Child Development , targeting more than 400,000 out of school adolescent girls as primary beneficiaries.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
The scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Panipat, Haryana on 22 January 2015.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a joint scheme of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, Union Ministry of Education and Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare .
The main aim of the scheme is to ;
Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination
Ensuring survival and protection of the girl child
Ensuring education and participation of the girl child
UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is a successor to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, which was set up on 11 December , 1946 by the United Nation .
It was later renamed as United Nation Children Funds in 1953 but the acronym is still UNICEF.
It works for the welfare of women and children's especially in developing countries .
Headquarters : New York, United States of America
Head : Catherine Russel of the United States of America
Important for Exam
Union Minister of Women and Child Development : Smt Smriti Irani
Union Minister of Education : Dharmendra Pradhan
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare : Mansukh Mandviya
8. Hansa-NG completes its sea trial successfully
Tags: National
The country’s first indigenous Flying Trainer HANSA-NG (New Generation) designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, has successfully completed the sea level trials at Puducherry from 19th February to 5th March. Hansa-NG is said to be one of the most advanced flying trainers.
Hansa-NG is designed to meet the Indian flying club needs and it is an ideal aircraft for Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) due to its low cost and low fuel consumption.
Full Form for Exam
CSIR : Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Headquarters of CSIR : New Delhi
9. Coal Ministry to celebrate “Iconic Week” from 7th March, 2022
Tags: National News
The Union Minister of State for Coal, Mines and Railways, Shri Raosaheb Patil Danveon inaugurated the “Iconic Week” celebration organised by the Union Ministry of Coal on 7 March 2022 at New Delhi.
The Union Ministry of Coal is celebrating “7 to 11 March 2022” as an”Iconic Week”, to celebrate and commemorate the 75 years of Independence, as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
The Government of India is celebrating 75 years of Indian Independence “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” to mark 75 years of progressive India and its elegant history.
The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was started on 12th March, 2021 and will end on 15 August 2023.
10. Prime Minister Inaugurates Pune Metro
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 12 Km stretch of the 32.2 km Pune metro rail project on 6 March 2022. The Foundation stone of the project was laid down by the Prime Minister on December 24, 2016.
The Rs 11,420-crore-31.25 km Pune Metro Phase 1 comprises a 16.58-km Corridor-1 from Pimpri Chinchwad to Swargate with 14 stations and a 14.66-km Corridor-2 from Vanaz to Ramwadi with 16 stations.
Pune Metro project is a joint venture between Government of India and Maharashtra government. The project is funded through a loan of 600 million euro from European Investment Bank and 245 million euro from AFD (French Development Agency) of France.
Mula-Mutha River Projects
PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of rejuvenation and pollution abatement of Mula-Mutha river projects in Pune.
Rejuvenation would be done in a 9 km stretch of the river at a project cost of more than Rs 1,080 crore.
(for detail about this project kindly see 23 February 2022 post)
RK Laxman Art Gallery
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the R K Laxman Art Gallery-Museum constructed at Balewadi, Pune.
The main attraction of the Museum is a miniature model based on the village of Malgudi which will be made alive through the audio-visual effects. Cartoons drawn by cartoonist R K Laxman will be showcased in the Museum.
R K Laxman was a famous cartoonist who created a character of common man which was published daily in the Times of India newspaper “You Said It” column.
Malgudi Days was a short story collection written by his brother R.K.Narayan, which was made into a famous TV serial on Doordarshan .
Important for Exams
The first metro rail system in the world was started in London on 10 January 1863 .
First metro in India; Kolkata Metro which started its operation 24 October 1984 between Dum Dam to Tollygunge . It was started with the help of the Soviet Union .
Largest metro rail in operation in India : Delhi Metro (390.14 km:Source DMRC as on 7 March 2022). It started operation on 24 December 2002.
Smallest Metro: Ahmedabad metro, 6 km;
The metro rail systems in operation in India are in the cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru,Chennai, Delhi,Gurugram,Hyderabad, Jaipur,Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai,Nagpur, Noida ,Pune. (total 14 cities )
