1. Government to organise Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi
Tags: place in news Summits State News
The government of India will organize ‘Kashi-Tamil Sangamam’ from 16th November to 19th December 2022 in Varanasi (Kashi). This was announced by the Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with the Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting , Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying L. Murugan in New Delhi
Aim of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam’
The main aim of the ‘Kashi-Tamil Sangamam is to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil culture and Kashi that have existed since centuries.
The broader objective is to bring the two Knowledge and Cultural traditions closer, create an understanding of our shared heritage and deepen the people-to-people bond between the regions.
The Sangamam to be organised under the overall framework and spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat” will create a bridge between ancient India and contemporary generation.
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
It has been launched by the Government of India to enhance interaction & promote mutual understanding between people of different states/UTs through the concept of state/UT pairing.
The states carry out activities to promote a sustained and structured cultural connection in the areas of language learning, culture, traditions & music, tourism & cuisine, sports and sharing of best practices, etc.
The Union Ministry of Education is the nodal ministry for the programme.
2. Prime Minister Modi lays the foundation stone of the strategic Deesa Air Base in Gujarat
Tags: place in news Defence State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a new air base at Deesa in Banaskantha district of north Gujarat near the India-Pakistan border. The air base is of strategic importance as it will reduce the strategic gap of 355 Kms between the Air Force station in Bhuj and Uttarlai. The air base is expected to be completed by 2024.
Deesa Air Force Base
The project was approved by the Vajpayee government in 2000 but the project actually took off in 2017 when Modi became the Prime Minister. Deesa is a Greenfield air base spread over an area of 4,519 acres being developed in the Banaskantha region.
It is 130 km away from the Pakistan border.
Strategic significance of the Deesa Airbase
Gujarat is economically very important for India and Pakistan is expected to hit the state during a conflict situation. The Deesa base will provide the Indian Air force the capability to take down the Pakistani planes launched from Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad, Shahbaz F-16 airbase in Jacobabad.
Deesa will also make Pakistani cities of Hyderabad, Karachi, and Sukkur vulnerable with its deep penetration strike aircraft.
The airbase can also be used to retaliate against Pakistan in case of a major terror strike in Gujarat or along the south-western sector apart from giving support to any land offensive in future.
The Indian fighter plane can cross the international border in mere two minutes at Mach 2.0 speed if there is an emergency.
Indian Air Force Chief: Air Marshal Vivek Ram Choudhary
3. PM launches Gujarat government’s Mission Schools of Excellence at Trimandir, Adalaj, Gujarat
Tags: place in news Government Schemes State News
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched Mission Schools of Excellence at Trimandir, Adalaj, Gujarat on 19 October 2022.The Mission will help strengthen education infrastructure in Gujarat by setting up new classrooms, smart classrooms, computer labs and overall upgradation of the infrastructure of schools in the State. During the event at Trimandir, the Prime Minister also launched projects worth around Rs 4260 crores.
Mission Schools of Excellence
It is a five year Gujarat government project that aims to improve the quality of education in the state. It is a World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) funded project.
Budget of the project
The total budget for the mission is Rs 10,000 crore. World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide a loan of Rs 7,500 crore for the Gujarat government's Mission School of Excellence project.
Aim of the Project
- It will cover all 35,133 government and 5,847 grant-in-aid schools in the state.
- The funds will be spent on building 50,000 new classrooms, creating 1.5 lakh smart classrooms, 20,000 new computer labs and 5,000 Atal tinkering labs in 41,000-odd government and grant-in-aid schools across the state.
- It is estimated that nearly one crore school students will benefit directly from this ambitious project in the next five years.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
- It is a multilateral development bank which was set up in 2016.
- Its area of operation is in Asia and it provides loans to build Infrastructure of tomorrow -green infrastructure with sustainability, innovation and connectivity at its core.
- However its members are from around the world. At present it has 104 member countries.
- China is the majority shareholder of the bank and India is the second largest shareholder of the bank
- The United States and Japan are not the members of the bank
- AIIB has given maximum loans to India
Current President of the Bank: Jin Liqun of China.
Headquarters: Beijing, China
4. Madhya Pradesh to develop Meghdoot forest in Ujjain
Tags: Environment place in news State News
Madhya Pradesh government will develop land freed from illegal encroachments in and around Mahakal temple in Ujjain as an urban forest called as Meghdoot. It is being built under the second phase of Shri Mahakal Lok project.
The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan performed bhoomipujan for the proposed Meghdoot forest in Ujjain on 18 October 2022.
Mahakal Lok project has been launched by the Madhya Pradesh Government to develop the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain on the model of Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi. The first phase of the Mahakal Lok project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 October 2022.
Meghdoot forest
The Madhya Pradesh government has freed about 7 acres of land around the temple area which was under illegal encroachment. This area will be developed by the Ujjain Smart City as an urban forest named Meghdoot, at a cost of Rs 11.36 crore.
In the Meghdoot forest, there will be a beautiful entrance area, greenery area, walkways, along with seating, restaurant and a beautiful environment on the river banks.
Madhya Pradesh
It is the second largest state area wise in India after Rajasthan.
According to the Indian State of Forest Report -2021, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country area wise.
25.14 % of its area is under forest cover.
5. ‘Samajik Adhikarita Shivir’ for Divyangjan organised in Alwar, Rajasthan
Tags: State News
A ‘Samajik Adhikarita Shivir’ for the distribution of resources and aids to ‘Divyangjan’ was organised in Alwar, Rajasthan on 17 October, 2022.
Important facts
It was organised under the ADIP scheme by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in association with ALIMCO, Social Justice and Empowerment Department and District Administration.
The chief guest of the function, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Pratima Bhowmik, inaugurated it.
A total of 2933 accessories of different categories worth about Rs 2 crore will be distributed free of cost among 1564 pre-identified Divyangjans.
These Divyangjans were registered during the camps organized at the block level.
Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADP) Scheme
The Scheme for Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for purchase/fitting of assistive devices/devices-APID was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The scheme was implemented with effect from 1st April, 2017.
It aims to assist the needy persons with disabilities in purchasing durable, sophisticated and scientifically made, modern equipment for the disabled.
6. PM Modi distributed PMJAY-MA Yojana Ayushman cards in Gujarat
Tags: Government Schemes State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed Ayushman cards to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana- Chief Minister Amrutam (PMJAY-MA) in Gujarat on October 17.
Important facts
The Prime Minister distributed Ayushman cards through video conference in a program organised in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat.
Ayushman PVC cards will be distributed to more than 50 lakh beneficiaries under PMJAY-MA scheme in Gujarat.
This card is made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) material.
The Centre's PMJAY scheme, which provides health care facilities to the economically weaker sections, was linked to Gujarat's Chief Minister Amrutam and Mukhyamantri Amrutam Vatsalya (MAV) health schemes in 2019.
Now all the beneficiaries of state schemes are eligible to get PMJAY-MA card.
- The “Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA)” scheme was launched in 2012 by the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi to protect poor citizens from the cost of medical treatment and illness.
Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
It is the world's largest health insurance scheme which is fully funded by the government.
It was launched in February 2018.
Under this scheme a sum insured of Rs.5 lakh per family is provided for secondary care (which does not include specialist) as well as tertiary care (which include specialist).
Under this, the health benefit package includes surgery, medicine and daily treatment, cost of medicines and diagnosis.
7. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches Hindi version of MBBS book in Bhopal
Tags: place in news Science and Technology State News
Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a day-long visit to Madhya Pradesh launched India’s first Hindi version of MBBS course books in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 16 October 2022. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was also present during the launch event.
First medical college to offer bilingual MBBS course
Gandhi Medical College Bhopal became the first medical college in Madhya Pradesh and India to offer MBBS courses in both Hindi as well as in English medium, starting 2022-23 session. The book which has been launched in will be first used in the Gandhi Medical College.
Initially, three subjects have been selected to be studied in Hindi which includes anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.
First State to offer bilingual MMBS course
Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to start the MBBS course in Hindi language. The state government intends to extend the bilingual medium of education in the medical field to all the medical colleges in the state.
In 2021 on a visit to Assam Prime Minister Modi has called to establish at least one medical college and one technical college in every Indian state which would impart higher education in regional languages.
Madhya Pradesh State
- Madhya Pradesh, with an area of 3, 08, 000 sq.km. Is the second largest state in India after Rajasthan.
- After Independence 25 princely states were merged to create a Madhya Bharat State on May 28, 1948.
- After the reorganization of states in 1956 it was renamed as Madhya Pradesh on 1 November 1956.
- On 1 November 2000, Chhattisgarh state was formed by dividing the state of Madhya Pradesh
- It is bounded by the states of Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the southeast, Maharashtra to the south, Gujarat to the southwest, and Rajasthan to the northwest.
Capital: Bhopal
- State Symbol of the Madhya Pradesh
- The State bird of Madhya Pradesh is “Dhudraj” the Asian Paradise Flycatcher.
- The State tree of Madhya Pradesh is the “Banyan”.
- The State animal of Madhya Pradesh in the “Barasingha” also called swamp deer.
- The State fish of Madhya Pradesh is “Mahasheer”, locally known as Mahasheer Baudas.
8. NGT impose a fine of Rs 2900 crore on Karnataka government for damaging the environment
Tags: Environment Science and Technology State News
A National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has held the Karnataka government guilty of causing harm to the environment by its failure in management of solid and liquid waste.
The bench has fined the government Rs 2,856 crore for its failure in liquid waste/sewage management and Rs 540 crore for its failure in solid waste management.
The NGT said that the state government having already deposited Rs 500 crore the state will have to deposit Rs 2900 crore as fine in a separate fund within two months.
The fund will be under the Chief Secretary of the Karnataka government and will be utilized for the restoration of the environment.
The NGT in recent months has imposed fines on a number of states like Telangana, Punjab, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Delhi for their mismanagement of municipal waste.
The NGT is monitoring compliance with the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and other environmental aspects by the states and Union territories.
The National Green Tribunal was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010. It deals with matters related to environmental protection and conservation of forest.
Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
Chairperson of NGT : Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel
9. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer facility at IIT Guwahati
Tags: Science and Technology State News
President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer facility and a high-power active and passive component laboratory of at Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati on 13 October, 2022.
Important facts
The President inaugurated the Dhubri Medical College and Hospital, and laid the foundation stone of regional institutes of the National Institute of Virology at Dibrugarh in Assam and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
She urged the science and technology institutions to lay emphasis on research and technology.
The program was also addressed by Assam Governor Professor Jagdish Mukhi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Praveen Pawar.
About ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer
PARAM Kamrup, a one of its kind supercomputer in the North East region, has been set up under the National Supercomputing Mission.
National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
It will provide advanced computing, healthcare techniques along with solutions for many issues to this region.
Many components of this supercomputer are indigenously developed.
Such technological development will make India a world leader in super computing and enhance India's capability in solving the challenges of the country as well as the world.
The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) has deployed Supercomputer PARAM Ganga at IIT Roorkee in March 2022.
What are supercomputers?
A supercomputer can perform high-level processing at a faster rate than a normal computer.
They work together to perform complex operations that are not possible with normal computing systems.
Fast speed and fast memory are the characteristics of supercomputers.
The performance of a supercomputer is generally evaluated in petaflops.
National Supercomputing Mission
The National Supercomputing Mission was launched In 2015.
The aim of the mission was to enhance the research capacities in the country to form a Supercomputing grid.
It supports the government's vision of 'Digital India' and 'Make in India' initiatives.
The mission is being jointly operated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
It is implemented by Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and IISc, Bengaluru.
Some important facts about supercomputer
China has the maximum number of supercomputers followed by the US, Japan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom..
India’s first supercomputer - PARAM 8000
first supercomputer assembled indigenously - PARAM Shivay, installed in IIT (BHU)
PARAM Shakti, PARAM Brahma, PARAM Yukti, PARAM Sanganak are some name of india's supercomputers
India's PARAM-Siddhi AI, has been ranked 63rd in the Top 500 list of most powerful supercomputers in the world.
10. 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention 2023 website launched to start online registration
Tags: National Summits State News
The website for the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention was jointly launched on 13 October 2022 by the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The launch of the PBD website (pbdindia.gov.in) marks the commencement of online registration for participation in the PBD Convention 2023.
Pravasi refers to the Indians who are working abroad (Non Resident Indians) or persons of Indian origin who have taken up the citizenship of other countries.
17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention
- The 17th PBD Convention is being organized from 08-10 January 2023 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh, in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
- The 17th PBD Convention will be held in a physical format after a gap of four years. The last PBD Convention in 2021 was held virtually during the Covid pandemic.
- The theme of PBD Convention 2023 is "Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal”.
- The PBD Convention 2023 will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 09 January 2023.
- The Youth PBD will be held on 08 January 2023, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
- On 10 January 2023, President Droupadi Murmu will confer Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards and preside over the Valedictory Session.
Who organizes the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with a state government and an Industry body, either Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) or Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FICCI) . It is normally organised on 9 January.
Significance of 9 January
- On this day in 1915 the greatest pravasi of India , Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa in 1915 from South Africa to India .
- His ship SS Arabia docked in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 9 January 1915.To honour and celebrate the occasion the government of India decided to start Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in 2003.
