25th, August, 2022

 

Topic: Khedan Watan Punjab Dian

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Punjab Finance Department has given approval for the release of Rs. 25 crore for ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Dian’.

About ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Dian’:

• A two month long sports extravaganza being organized by the Sports Department.

 

Minister shared:

• All the Ministries, Departments and district administrations are working in tandem under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant mann to ensure that the grand success this state level sports festival as it would be another step towards the making of ‘Rangla Punjab’ and restoring its pristine glory in the field of sports.
• The ‘’Khedan Watan Punjab Dian’ would be kick started by the Punjab CM on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand on August 29 (National Sports Day) at Jalandhar.

 

• Contingents of a sportsperson’s from each district would be part of the inaugural ceremony by carrying out a march past and students from schools and colleges would also participate in cultural activities to be organized in the stadium.
• The torch-relay will also mark the beginning of this mega sports event, which is to be organized at block and district-level and concluded after two-month sports activities across Punjab.

 

When it will start?

• The ‘’Khedan Watan Punjab Dian’ would be kick started by the Punjab CM on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand on August 29 (National Sports Day) at Jalandhar.

(Source: Punjab Government)

 

 

 

Topic: Dr Hira Singh, PAU scientist, shines at the biggest international horticultural conference in France.

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Dr Hira Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of Vegetable Science, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has brought laurels to the University by attending and presenting his research work during the 31st International Horticultural Congress (IHC 2022).

Where did this happen?

• In Angers, France from August 14 to 20, 2022.

 

Why important?

• Dr Hira Singh was among the five Indian scientists that attended this Congress and the only one from Punjab.

 

Regarding his research:

• During the conference, he gave two oral presentations on the hybridization of Indian onions.
• He pointed out that hybridization in Indian onion should be done on a large scale for the development of new hybrids possessing higher productivity and tolerant to various biotic and abiotic stresses rapidly changing climate.
• For this, the marker-assisted breeding strategy is the best option for this breeding program, he stressed.
• His presentations received immense appreciation and in return, he was appointed as a member of the scientific committee of the upcoming European Symposium on Vegetables and Potato, scheduled to be held in 2023.
• In addition, Dr Hira Singh chaired two scientific and technical sessions on genomic selection and markers, and resistance and metabolites where world-leading researchers presented their innovative ideas and research. During these science sessions, he interacted actively with scientists in France, Japan, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Italy and the United Kingdom.

 

About IHC:

• The International Horticultural Congress (IHC) is the most important scientific event organized every four years since 1959 in the fields related to Horticulture* under the auspices of ISHS (International Society for Horticultural Science). ISHS is a truly global network comprising over 6,000 members.
• Since 1959, the IHC has been the largest scientific event held every four years under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science in Belgium.

(News Source: yespunjab)

 

 

 

Topic: Aspirational District Program

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Under the aspirational district program NITI Aayog has declared 112 districts of different states all over India as aspirational districts.

There are 2 such districts in Punjab i.e.

• Ferozepur and Moga.
• Aspirational districts are those whose basic parameters such as education, health and nutrition, financial inclusion and skills development, agriculture and water resources, basic infrastructure are below national average.

 

NITI Aayog classifies these 112 districts on a monthly basis on the above parameters because of the tireless efforts of various departments under district administration:

• Ferozepur has achieved top ranking several times and won Reward Money for the same. 2.74 crore of this Reward Money was sanctioned for installing Off-Grid Solar panel system in 183 government schools in the district. This decision was undertaken with the view to move away from traditional power sources towards renewable and clean sources of energy. Today, solar power systems are being initiated in four schools of districts namely Government Primary Model School Ferozepur City, Government Primary School Ferozeshah, Government Primary School Karma, and Government Primary School Behak Gujra.
• The remaining 179 shall become operational within 3 months. This will drastically cut down costs to the Education Department as 183 out of 841 schools shall be operational via solar power. It is an important step towards preventing air pollution and also a necessary requirement for operationalizing smart/digitalized classrooms for children in Schools.

 

 

About Aspirational District Program:

 

• The Government of India has launched the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ initiative in January, 2018 with a vision of a New India by 2022 where the focus is to improve India’s ranking under the Human Development Index, raising living standards of its citizens and ensuring inclusive growth of all.
• A total of 117 Aspirational districts has been identified by NITI Aayog based upon composite indicators from Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development and Basic Infrastructure which have an impact on the Human development Index.

 

Weightage has been accorded to these districts as below:

• Health & Nutrition (30%)
• Education (30%)
• Agriculture & Water Resources (20%)
• Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10%)
• Basic Infrastructure (10%)

 

Overall Key Performance Indicators: 49 indicators have been identified from the above sectors

Key Performance indicators (Health): 13 core indicators along with 31 sub indicator have been identified from the Health sector.

Health Atlas: A “Health Atlas” as a diagnostic tool, developed by MoHFW, was launched by the Hon’ble Prime minister on 14th April 2018 from Bijapur in Chhattisgarh.

Operational Guidelines for Health & Nutrition: To guide the districts in effective implementation of programs, an Operational Guidelines for improving the Health and Nutrition status in Aspirational districts along with a Supportive supervision checklist was launched by MoHFW on 22nd October, 2018 at New Delhi.

E-Mitra (Mobile Integrated Toolkit RMNCH+A): This app offers one stop solution to access RMNCH+A related statistics from different sources like SRS, NFHS, DLHS, AHS, HMIS and was also launched by MoHFW on 22nd October, 2018 at New Delhi.

(News Source: Punjabnewsexpress)

 

 

 

Topic: Punjab and Haryana High Court Decision

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• The Punjab and Haryana High Court have ruled that a gazetted police officer can carry out a lawful search of enclosed spaces ‘whether by day or night’ in drug cases.

Justice Sureshwar Thakur of the High Court also made it clear that:

• Section 42 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was applicable to the search of buildings, conveyance and enclosed space upon receipt of prior information by the investigating officer concerned when the search was conducted between sunset and sunrise.

 

About Section 42 of the NDPS Act:

• Section 42 of the NDPS Act deals with the power of entry, search, seizure and arrest without warrant or authorization.
• Justice Thakur held that search in between sunset and sunrise should be made by a gazetted rank officer and/or in his presence or under his authorization by officials specified in subsection 1 of Section 42 of the Act.

 

Justice Thakur asserted:

“To summarize the provisions of Section 42 of the Act are applicable to search of buildings, conveyance, and, enclosed space, but the above may apply upon any prior information being received by the investigating officer concerned, and, also when searches’ thereof, become conducted in the interregnum inter-se sunset, and, sunrise”.

Referring to sub-Section 2 of Section 41, Justice Thakur observed that a gazetted rank officer of the police or the Excise Department, either personally or by authorizing an officer subordinate to him could make the lawful arrest of the offender at the crime site. He could also make a lawful search of the building or conveyance or place “whether by day or by night and, the above valid actions may ensue even from a prior intimation”.

Justice Thakur added a perusal of Section 42(1) of the NDPS Act applied to officers, superior in rank to a peon, Sepoy or constable, but not co-equal to or equivalent in rank to a gazetted officer. But prior information leading to search of and seizure from a conveyance in between sunset and sunrise carried out by an officer of a gazetted rank, of the excise or police or other departments of the Central or the State Government was in consonance with the mandate carried in sub-Section 1 of Section 42 of the Act.

(Source: The Tribune)

 

 

 

Topic: Clean Drinking Water Project in Punjab

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is committed to provide clean drinking water to the residents of urban areas of the state and save ground water.

Steps taken:

• Taking a step forward in this direction, the Punjab Government has already approved a 526 crore canal water supply project for Jalandhar City residents.
• Local Government Minister, Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar reviewed the progress of this project and issued strict directions to the officials to complete this project at the earliest.

 

Dr. Nijjar said that:

• People of Jalandhar City will start getting canal water supply with the implementation of this project which will be rich in essential minerals. Apart from this, the pressure of water supply in the city will also improve. The Minister further said that there will be no need to spend money on submersible pumps and RO.
• The Local Government Minister further disclosed that Jalandhar City residents will also witness big relief from the problem of mixing of dirty water with the drinking water.
• Minister also said that under this project, portable canal water will be provided to approximately two lakh houses of Jalandhar city, which will directly benefit ten lakh people.

 

Under this project:

• One water treatment plant with capacity of 275 MLD will be installed and five underground water storage tanks will be constructed, which will provide clean canal water to Jalandhar City residents.

(Source: Punjab Government)