21st, August, 2022

 

Topic: Reforms Initiated in Education Sector in Punjab

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Major reforms have been initiated in the higher education sector in order to make the youth of Punjab employable within the country.

 

Reform initiatives:

• The reforms initiated by the State Government, not only will the exploitation of teachers end, but higher education will be made affordable, and skill-based thus making the teachers employable in the country with provision of jobs.
• Career oriented higher education is the great need of the present time, said the Minister adding that a committee will be formed to identify and resolve the issues of higher education institutions of Punjab.

 

Higher Education Minister, Punjab shared:

• Higher Education Minister, Punjab, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer called upon the students of colleges and universities to actively participate in the ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Deya’ a two day sporting extravaganza being organized by the state government from August 29th.
• The minister was speaking during a state-level seminar on Higher Education in Punjab and New State Government: Hopes, Aspirations, Visions, and the Road Ahead at Rayat Bahra University, Mohali organised by Association of Unaided College Teachers (AUCT), Punjab and Chandigarh.

 

Objective of Seminar:

• The objective of the seminar was to bring the academia, intelligentsia and the government on a common platform to discuss and deliberate upon the burning issues concerning higher education in Punjab and devise a roadmap for its upliftment.

(Source: Punjab Government)

 

 

Topic: Innovation Mission, Punjab

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Innovation Mission, Punjab is coming to GNDU College, Amritsar for its Monthly Innovation Challenge!
• Come and give us your best original ‘idea’ for a startup, win immediate funding and a chance to connect with incubators and more.

Objective:

• This open-to-all ideathon is in the collaboration Golden Jubilee Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Incubation Centre & Institute Innovation Council to create young entrepreneurs and boost the startup ecosystem in Punjab.

(Source: Punjab Government)

 

 

Topic: Naming of Chandigarh International Airport

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• A decade-old tussle came to an end today as Punjab and Haryana agreed to name the Chandigarh International Airport after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
• An announcement in this regard was made after a joint meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala. Mann informed about the development through his Twitter handle.

 

Background:

• The Punjab Government wanted to rename the civil air terminal complex at the Chandigarh airport as ‘Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali’, the Haryana Government had objected to the word ‘Mohali’.
• Earlier, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha had also passed a resolution to name the airport as Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali.
• Similarly, the Haryana Vidhan Sabha passed a resolution on renaming the terminal, but with the use of ‘Chandigarh’.
• After Saturday’s meeting, Dushyant said Bhagat Singh was a martyr who has inspired the youth of every generation. He said the collective contribution of the Haryana Government, Punjab Government and Chandigarh Administration was involved in the construction and modernisation of the Chandigarh airport.

Sources said in his letter to the Punjab CM, Dushyant said the name of the airport should be Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh-Mohali-Panchkula. The Deputy CM also said insisting on mentioning just Mohali in the name would be neglecting the contribution of the Chandigarh Administration and Haryana Government.

(Source: The Tribune)

 

 

Topic: Rain Deficit in Punjab

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Punjab 55% rain deficient in August so far: IMD
• The western end of the monsoon trough at mean sea level continues to run along the foothills of the Himalayas and its eastern end runs south of the normal position, the bulletin added.
• The weather office has also predicted widespread moderate to heavy rainfall over many other parts of the country in the coming week.
• Data compiled by the IMD reveals that in August so far, Punjab has received less than half the rainfall it is generally supposed to get during this period. From August 1 to 20, the state received 47.2 mm rain against the normal of 106.1 mm, accounting for a deficiency of 55 per cent.
• During the preceding week, only five districts in Punjab, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Bathinda received above average rain. Most other parts of the state remained severely deficient.

 

About IMD:

The India Meteorological Department established in 1875. It is the National Meteorological Service of the country and the principal government agency in all matters relating to meteorology and allied subjects.

• To take meteorological observations and to provide current and forecast meteorological information for optimum operation of weather-sensitive activities like agriculture, irrigation, shipping, aviation, offshore oil explorations, etc.
• To warn against severe weather phenomena like tropical cyclones, norwesters, dust storms, heavy rains and snow, cold and heat waves, etc., which cause destruction of life and property.
• To provide meteorological statistics required for agriculture, water resource management, industries, oil exploration and other nation-building activities.
• To conduct and promote research in meteorology and allied disciplines.

(Source: The Tribune)