By: D.K Choudhary
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Launches Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana (CMSGUY) in Assam
i. Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, launched Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana (CMSGUY) in a function held at Sri Sri Madhavdev International Auditorium of Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati on February 5, 2017 with an aim to develop all the villages to Assam in the next five years.
ii. Aim: The CMSGUY scheme aims to bring a revolutionary change in the state by doubling the farm income by 2022 which also marks the 75 anniversary of India’s Independence.
iii. The total financial outlay of the CMSGUY scheme is Rs. 30,000 crore. It will be implemented in phased manner in the villages of Assam till 2021-22.
iv. For the propoer implementation of the scheme a Mega Mission Society has been constituted under the chairmanship of Sarbananda Sonowal.
HRD Ministry to set up NTA to Conduct Exams for Higher & Secondary Education
i. The Union Human Resource Development Ministry led by under Prakash Javadekar is set to constitute a National Testing Agency (NTA) which will be responsible for conducting examinations for higher and secondary education.
ii .The announcement was made in the Union Budget 2017-18 by the Finance Minister who proposed to
set up NTA as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing agency to conduct all entrance exams to higher education.
iii. The main aim of setting NTA is to ease the work of the bodies like CBSE, AICTE, from the responsibilities of conducting exams, and eventually enable them to focus more on academics.
iv. Initially NTA would conduct examinations for IIT, NIT and even university exams and later on it will also get the responsibility of conducting secondary school exams.
v .Similarly, initially, CBSE staff will be deployed in NTA and later on the specialized people will be hired in the NTA.
vi. The Agency will have its own independent experts, preparing their own question papers, and conducting exams.
vii. The National Testing aims to bring professionalism, competence and transparency in the field of conducting tests for higher educational institutions and benefit students as well.
Andhra Pradesh Gets its First Smart Police Station
i. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurates the State’s first Smart Police Station at Nagarampalem in Guntur city in Amaravati on February 6, 2017.
ii. The Smart station has been built within two months at a cost of Rs 91 lakh as a pilot project. The Andhra Police administration has formulated plans to build another 100 Smart Police Stations across the state.
iii. The main motive behind such smart police station is to bring a sense of pride among the officers and satisfaction among the public.
iv. The smart police stations are fully air-conditioned with a staff room, dormitory, mini control room, a reception chamber and individual enclosures for the Station House Officer and three Sub-Inspectors.
v. Besides, the daily uniform of the staff has been changed from the usual khaki uniform to a navy blue trouser and a light blue shirt for men and a light blue sarifor women constables with additional blue blazer for lady receptionist
vi. Instead of lock-up for detainees, a custody room with a double bed has been deployed.
vii .Above all, a closed circuit television cameras have been installed in and around the station for closer surveillance of staff behaviour and movement of visitors.
Andhra Pradesh
♦ Capitals: Amaravati, Hyderabad
♦ Governor: E. S. L. Narasimhan
Railways Approves Rail Project in Andaman and Nicobar
i. The Railway Ministry is set to develop the first ever railway line in Andaman and Nicobar Island that currently has no rail network.
ii .The Ministry of Railway is set to approve the project that will construct 240-km broad gauge railway line connecting Port Blair with Diglipur, the largest town on Andaman Island. It will connect the two islands with bridges and stations along the coast.
iii .Currently the Island are connected to each other through a 350-km bus service taking above 14 hours and ship taking over 24 hours. Besides, the island do not have air connectivity.
iv. According to the ministry, the cost of laying the line would be nearly Rs 2,413.68 crore.
Tripartite MoU signed among M/o of Tourism, M/s NPCC & NBCC and Govt of J&K for Implementation of Tourism Projects In J&K
i. A Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed among the Ministry of Tourism, M/s NPCC & NBCC and Government of J&K on February 6, 2017 for the implementation of Tourism projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
ii. As a part of the new initiative, Development of Tourism in the State– New Projects, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned two projects, one each to NPCC and NBCC in the J&K which will be implemented by September 2017.
iii. The first project sanctioned to M/s NBCC includes Integrated Development of Tourist facilities at Gulmarg – Baramulla – Kupwara – Leh. The total outlay of the project is Rs. 96.62 Crore.
iv. The project under M/s NPCC includes Integrated Development of Tourist facilities at Mantalai – Sudhmahadev – Patnitop in Jammu & Kashmir. The total outlay of the project is Rs. 97.82 Crore.
v. The main focus of these projects includes developments of Yoga centre, wellness SPA, Log Huts, heliports, Open air theatre, walking trail, landscaping, solar lighting, solid waste management & public amenities etc.
Supreme Court Directs Centre to Link Mobile Numbers to Aadhaar within a Year
i. The Supreme Court has directed the central government on February 6, 2017 to link the phone numbers of the entire mobile users, with their Aadhaar Number within a period of one year.
ii. The verification decision by bench of Judges including Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice NV Ramana was needed as mobile phones are being used for banking purposes.
iii. The court has proposed the government to frame rules and regulations so that SIM cards, including pre-paid, are not misused.
iv .Central government has been asked to make necessary arrangements wherein a pre-paid user while recharging phone, needs to fill and deposit a form with their Aadhaar Number.
