1. Deoghar ropeway accident: IAF completes rescue operation
Tags: State News
Indian Air Force in coordination with NDRF, local administration and Army completed the rescue operations of stranded people in ropeway service located in Trikut hills in Deoghar district of Jharkhand on 12 April 2022.
The IAF used two Mi-17V5s, one Mi-17, an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and a Cheetah helicopter to fly for more than 26 hours in this mission.
A total of 70 people were trapped when two cable cars collided on Trikut, the highest ropeway in Jharkhand's Deoghar, at around 5 pm on April 10, 2022, bringing operations to a complete halt.
To save the people trapped in this incident, the rescue work continued from the day of 11 April till the morning of 12 April.
However, now the rescue operation has been completed and people were evacuated safely. But during this 3 people died, out of which 2 people fell during the rescue operation.
Drones sent food and water to those trapped in the cable car. The rescue operation had to be called off after dark on Monday.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the Deoghar ropeway accident, the Jharkhand High Court has ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the state government to file a detailed inquiry report before April 26.
NDRF, Indian Army, Air Force and ITBP personnel were involved in this relief and rescue operation which lasted for about 40 hours. Those who safely rescued the people trapped in the cable car.
2. Historic agreement between Assam and Meghalaya to resolve boundary dispute
Tags: State News National News
The Assam and Meghalaya government signed an agreement in New Delhi on 29 March 2022 to resolve the border disputes. The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister Amit Shah.
- A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma to resolve the border dispute between the two states.
The dispute arose when Meghalaya was created a State in 1972 by dividing Assam. Both the States had different perceptions of their borders and soon both the states started claiming certain portion of area as there's, leading to dispute in 12 locations in the border areas.
In August 2021, Assam and Meghalaya had formed three committees each to go into the boundary question,following two rounds of talks between Sarma and Sangma during which the states resolved to settle the border dispute in a phased manner.
The governments of the two states had come up with a draft resolution to resolve their border disputes in six of the 12 “areas of difference” along the 884-kilometre boundary.
In the six places, there are 36 villages, which cover an area of 36.79 square kilometres. Assam will keep 18.51 square kilometres of land, and will give Meghalaya 18.28 square kilometres of land, according to the proposed recommendations for the 36.79 square kilometres of land.
- The six disputed sectors are Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillangkata and Ratacherra under the Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro) and Cachar districts of Assam and the West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya.
- Apart from Meghalaya, Assam has boundary disputes with Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. All these States, two as Union Territories initially, were carved out of Assam between 1963 and 1972.
The two Chief Ministers have expressed hope that the remaining six points on border issues will be resolved soon.
3. Punjab Government launches Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana
Tags: State News
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced on 28 March 2022 that the Punjab Government will start the door step delivery of rations under the Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana with immediate effect.
The Ration Yojana will cater to the beneficiaries of the Atta-Dal Scheme of the state government, which was renamed Smart Ration Card Scheme by the erstwhile Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government.
Mann said that the scheme will be optional for the eligible beneficiaries and if the ration depot is close to a beneficiary’s home, they may fetch the ration from there.
Similar Scheme was announced in Delhi by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal but it was objected to by the Central Government and the matter is in the Delhi High Court.
National Food Security Act (NFSA)
The Public distribution system in India is covered under the National Food Security Act 2013. It was implemented on 10 September 2013.
It covers all the State and Union Territories in India .
The scheme is administered by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution .
The Act provides for coverage of up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the population.
Food Grains are provided to beneficiaries in two categories ,Antodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) and Priority Household (PHH).
The Antodaya Anna Yojana beneficiaries get 35 kg of foodgrains per month and the Priority Household gets 5kg per person per month .
The beneficiary gets rice/wheat or coarse cereals at a highly subsidized price .
4. Horticulture Production increased by 4.4 in 2020-21 : Government of india
Tags: State News
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare released the Final Estimates of 2020-21 and First Advance Estimates of 2021-22 of Area and Production of various Horticultural Crops.
The Estimates are based on the information received from States/ UTs and other Governmental source agencies.
Total Horticulture | 2019-20 (Final Estimates) | 2020-21 (Final Estimates) | 2021-22(First Advance Estimates) |
Area (In Million Hectares) | 26.48 | 27.48 | 27.56 |
Production (In Million tonnes) | 320.47 | 334.60 | 333.25 |
Highlights of 2020-21 (Final Estimates) in comparison to 2019-20 (Final Estimates)
Total Horticulture production in 2020-21 is estimated to a record 334.60 Million Tonne, which is an increase of about 14.13 Million Tonne (4.4%) over that achieved in 2019-20.
Production of Fruits has increased by 0.4 Million Tonne.
There is a 6.5% increase in the production of Vegetables compared to last year.
Production of Onion is reported to have increased by 0.55 Million tonne.
Production of Potato showed a record increase by 7.61 Million Tonne.
Production of Tomato is reported to have increased by 0.63 Million Tonne.
Aromatic & Medicinal crops have registered an increase of 12.4%
Production of Plantation Crops has increased by 0.51 Million Tonne.
Production of Spices has increased by 9.7%.
The first advance estimates of 2021-22 shows a 0.4% decrease in total horticultural production over 2020-21(Final Estimates). An increase in the production of Fruits while a decrease in the production of Vegetables, Spices, Flowers Aromatics & Medicinal Plants and Plantation Crops over the previous year, is envisaged
5. Lok Sabha passes a bill to include Darlong Tribe in the Tripura Scheduled Tribe List
Tags: State News
The Lok Sabha has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
The bill seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 for the inclusion of certain communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State of Tripura.
The Bill proposes to add the "Darlong" community as a sub-tribe of "Kuki" to the list of Scheduled Tribes.
The bill was moved in the Lok Sabha by, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda
Important for Exam-
Article 342 in The Constitution Of India 1949
(1) The President may, with respect to any State or Union territory, specify certain tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities as Scheduled Tribes in relation to that State or Union territory, only after consultation with the Governor of the state.
(2) Parliament may by law include in or exclude, any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community, from the list of Scheduled Tribes.
Important Schedules-
Fifth Schedule(Article 244) - It contains provisions in relation to the administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes
Sixth Schedule (Article 244 and 275) - It contains provisions in relation to the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram
6. Pramod Sawant Sworn in as Goa Chief Minister for the second time
Tags: Popular State News
Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Pramod Sawant was sworn in for the second time as the Chief Minister of Goa on 28 March 2022.
He and 8 other ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by the Goa Governor Mr. PS Sreedharan Pillai at the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Stadium, Panaji.
The event was attended by Prime Minister Modi and other top BJP leaders and Ministers.
Highlights
Pramod Swant became the chief Minister of Goa in 2019 after the death of the incumbent Chief Minister Manhoar Parrikar.
He won his Sanquelim Assembly seat by defeating Dharmesh Saglani of the Congress party in the recently held Goa Legislative Assembly election in 2022.
The election to constitute the 8th Goa Legislative Assembly was held on 14 February 2022.
BJP won 20 seats in the 40 member Goa Assembly .
The party enjoys the support of three Independents and two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) legislators. This is the third consecutive government of the BJP in the coastal state.
Pramod Sawant is the 13 Person to become the Chief Minister of Goa.
- He is an Ayurvedic medical practitioner by profession.
7. UP Government extends free ration scheme
Tags: State News
The first decision taken by the Yogi Adiyanath government after coming to power in Uttar Pradesh was to extend the free ration scheme to 15 crore people of the state by three more months till 30 June, 2022. The scheme was to end in March 2022. The free food scheme was considered to be one of the main reasons for the success of the BJP in the recently concluded state legislative Assembly election.
The Government of India had launched the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) in April 2020 to provide relief to the poor and migrant population suffering due to corona -19 pandemic induced lockdown and the consequent hardship faced by them. The beneficiaries were provided 5 kg of wheat/rice per unit (family member) per month through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
The scheme continued till November 2021, after which the Uttar Pradesh government decided to continue with the scheme on its own.
In addition, the state government also decided to provide 1 kg of whole chana, 1 litre of edible oil and 1 kg of salt once every month to the beneficiaries.
The people of Uttar Pradesh get ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The estimated expenditure of the project is around Rs 4000 crore.
Also see 25 march 2022 post for UP
8. Western Naval Commands conducts security exercise Prasthan
Tags: Defence State News
The Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy conducted an offshore security exercise, ‘Prasthan’ off the coast of Mumbai . The exercise is conducted by the Western Naval Command every six months .
Led by the Navy, the exercise saw participation from the Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, ONGC, Mumbai Port Trust, JawaharLal Nehru Port Trust, Customs, state fisheries department, Mercantile Marine Department and the Marine Police.
Important for exam
Current Chief of Navy : Admiral R.Hari Kumar
Navy Day : 4 December
The Headquarters of the Indian Navy is at New Delhi
Operational Naval Commands Headquarters
Western Naval Command Mumbai
Southern Naval Command Kochi
Eastern Naval Command Visakhapatnam
9. Delhi Per Capita Income is third highest in the country
Tags: State News
According to the Economic Survey 2021-22 presented by the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia,Delhi per capita income was third highest in the country in 2021-22 after Sikkim and Goa.
According to the survey, Delhi's per capita income grew 16.81 per cent to Rs 4,01,982 in 2021-22 as compared to 2019-2020.
According to the first advance estimate of the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) the per capita Income of India at constant price in 2021-22 was Rs 93973.
Per Capita Income is calculated by dividing the total national income of the country by the total population of the country.
In states the total Gross Domestic State Product (GDSP) is divided by the population of the state in a particular time period.
10. Yogi Adityanath sworn in second time as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
Tags: Popular State News
The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP ) leader Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as the 22nd Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh by the Governor Mrs. Anandiben Patel on 25 March 2022. Yogi Aditya nath who was made Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2017 was sworn in for the second time as the Chief Minister.
- The swearing in ceremony was held at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana cricket stadium , Lucknow. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders and Ministers.
- The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the Chief Ministers of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the center . Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ,Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma , Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan , Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Das , Manipur Chief Minister N.Biren Singh, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Prema Khandu, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur were present during the ceremony.
- 52 ministers were sworn in including Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya as Deputy Chief Minister
- The BJP won 255 seats in the 403 Uttar Pradesh legislative Assembly which went to the polls in 2022. The alliance partner Apna Dal won 12 seats and the NISHAD party won 6. The total seats won by BJP and its alliances are 273.
The election to constitute the 18th Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly was held in seven phases from 10 February to 7 March 2022.
About Yogi Aditya Nath
Yogi Adityanath contested the assembly election from Gorakhpur Urban seat and won it by defeating Samajwadi Party candidate Sabhawati Shukla by a margin of 1,03,390 votes.
He is a five time Member of Parliament from Gorakhpur constituencies (in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 )
Yogi Adityanath has become the first chief minister of Uttar Pradesh to return to power after completing a full tenure of five years.
The last chief minister to win consecutive terms in Uttar Pradesh (undivided) was Narayan Dutt Tiwari in 1985. This makes Yogi Adityanath the first chief minister to retain power in 37 years.
He was born as Ajay Singh Bisht in Pauri Garhwal in Uttrakhand .
In 2014 he became the head mahant of the Gorakhnath Math located in Gorakhpur after the death of mahant Aavaidyanath.
The first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh was Gobind Ballabh Pant (1950-1952) of the Congress party.