Rajasthan Current Affairs
January 2021- December 2020
PERSONS IN NEWS
Padma Awardee from Rajasthan for 2021
The Centre named three people from Rajasthan for the prestigious Padma Shri award, on the eve of 72nd Republic Day.
Lakha Khan
• The 75-year-old Sarangi player was born in Raneri village in Jodhpur.
• Pie was trained since childhood in rendering the compositions of the Multan school of Manganiyars.
Shyam Sundar Paliwal
• Pie belongs to Piplantri village in Rajsamand District.
• Pie has dedicated his life planting trees and encourage the wellbeing of girl child.
• Pie is famously known for his Kiran Nidhi Yojana by planting 111 trees for every girl child born in his village along with a financial scheme.
• His initiative resulted results and sex ratio in his village improved drastically.
Arjun Singh Shekhawat
• Arjun Singh Shekhawat hails from Pali.
• He is a retired principal of Government College and a post-graduate in Rajasthani and Hindi.
• He has written and edited over 50 books.
• His work “Bhakar Ra Bhomiya”, earned a wide acclaim for its immaculate peek into the lives of tribals.
• Other books, which earned acclaim include Sanskriti ri Vasiyat, Sanskriti ra Badera, Adawal Ardayo etc. which are completely dedicated to the life and culture of tribal people.
Dr Sudhir Bhandari
• Dr Sudhir Bhandari, the principal and controller of SMS medical college, Jaipur to be first beneficiary to get vaccinated for Covid-19 in Rajasthan.
Dr. Subodh Agarwal
• Dr. Subodh Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, was awarded at national level for outstanding contribution to national development.
3 Policemen of Rajasthan Police awarded
• National Crime Records Bureau, New Delhi has awarded 3 Policemen of Rajasthan Police for excellence in CCTNS/ICJS Project implementation.
• They are SCRB Police Inspector Manish Mathur, SCRB Constable Kishanlal, Constable Bhimrao of Jaisalmer District.
Dr. Satya Prakash Mehra
• Advisor of Rajputana Society of Natural Plistory and Principal of Agarwal Girls College, Gangapur City, environmentalist and ornithologist Dr. Satya Prakash Mehra has been awarded Chris Freeman Distinguished Scientist Award for his notable contributions in the field of environmental science.
Dr. Vishwas Mehta
• Chief Secretary of Kerala and a native of Dungarpur – Dr Vishwas Mehta has been awarded “Pride of India Award” by the the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) for excellent work during the Covid- 19 management.
Swati Rathore
• Swati Rathore, daughter of Rajasthan’s Nagaur district and Flight Lieutenant in the Indian Air Force, created history when shed led the fly past held on 26 January 2021 at Rajpath. This was the first time in Republic India that a women officer led the fly past.
Ranjit Singh Gurjar
• Ranjit Singh Gurjar led the NCC Squad Parade on the Republic Day at Rajpath.
Hari Prasad Sharma
• On 30 January 2021, Retired IPS officer Plari Prasad Sharma was appointed as the chairman of Rajasthan Staff Selection Board (RSMSSB).
G K Vyas
• Former Rajasthan high court judge Justice Gopal Krishan Vyas has been appointed to post of the chairman of the State Human Rights Commission.
• Additonally, former IPS officer Mahesh Goyal has been appointed as the member of the commission. The post of chairperson of the commission fell vacant after Justice Prakash Tatia resigned from the post in November 2019. Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma, the only member of the commission, has been officiating as the acting chairman of the commission.
Banwari Lai Sharma
• The State Government has appointed Retired Judge of Rajasthan High Court, Shri Banwari Lai Sharma on the post of chairman of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
DB Gupta
• On 4h December 2020,Governor of Rajasthan Shri Kalraj Mishra has appointed former chief secretary DB Gupta as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC).
• Additionally, senior journalist Narayan Bareth; and Sheetal Dhankar have been appointed as Information Commissioners.
Sh.Bishnu Charan Mallick
• IAS Sh.Bishnu Charan Mallick has been appointed as the Director of Census Operations, Rajasthan. The Director of Census Operations, appointed for each Census in the states, conduct the Census operations in their respective state under the guidelines and supervision of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India.
• The 2021 Census will be 16th decennial Census of India since 1872 when the first systematic Census was conducted throughout the country as per uniform pattern. The Census Operation is a manifestation of the obligation upon the Government of India under Article 246 of the Constitution. The Census data provides a mirror to the socio demographic shifts and economic growth pattern from the National, State, District and Gram Panchayat upto the Village level.
Manisha Rajput
• Manisha Rajput of Karauli district hoisted the flag at the peak of Chandrashila and Tungnath in Uttarakhand.
Dr Renuka Vyas
• On 10th January 2021, Dr. Renuka Vyas (Neelam)’s work राजसानी उपनास ‘धंगाणैधिणयाप’ और काव संगह ‘कं वळी कूं पळ पीत री were released by Mukti Organisation in Bikaner.
PLACES IN NEWS
75 EV Stations to come up at Jaipur
• Electric vehicles’ (EVs) charging infrastructure will soon be available at 75 locations in Jaipur. A total of 54 stations will be established by the Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Ltd (REIL) and remaining 21 stations will be set up by the Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL).
• The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) will identify locations for setting up these EV stations.
More than 400 relics found in excavations at Kalibangan
• Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) excavation that started in 2019 on the outskirts of Kalibangan site has collected over 400 relics which date back to 1700 BC to 2500 BC.
• The relics can be categorised into kilns, the structure of mud bricks, beads of semi-precious stones, etched carnelian beads, terracotta bangles, fragment of seal, figurine and pottery.
• Earlier, excavations were limited to the well-defined limits of the city. This is for the first time that existence of settlement was found outside the city.
Why Gadisar not declared as lake: HC Question Government
• In December 2020, the Rajasthan High Court has asked State government over delay in declaring Jaisalmer’s Gadisar pond as lake under Rajasthan Lake Authority Act, 2015.
• Rajasthan Lakes Development Authority, Jaipur, is empowered to take steps for protection of Gadisar lake as per Rajasthan Lakes (Protection and Development) Authority Act, 2015.
• Gadisar pond is an ancient drinking water source in Jaisalmer.
Jaipur Literature Festival 2021
• The 10-day the Jaipur Literature Festival 2021 (JIT 2021) to take place between 19-28 February 2021. The 14th edition of the festival will be an Online Event.
Rajasthan Police Academy, Jaipur
• The Centre has ranked Jaipur-based Rajasthan Police Academy (RPA) as the best institution for training gazetted officers in the country for the year 2019-20.
• Earlier in 2015-16, the RPA was declared the country’s best academy for training non-gazetted officers and in 2016-17, for training gazetted officers.
New Sainik School in Alwar
• After Chittorgarh and Jhunjhunu, a third Sainik School will be set up in Alwar district soon.
Knight 21 in Jodhpur
• Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force conducted a five-day bilateral air drill involving Rafale fighter jets near Rajasthan’s Jodhpur Air Force Station.
• The exercise has been named as Desert Knight-21.
Rajsamand District
• Rajsamand district has got the first place in the country for its outstanding performance in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Rural.
• 14 districts of Rajasthan have secured a position among the first 100 districts of the country.
ENVIRONMENT
Longest recorded flight of a demoiselle crane
• A demoiselle crane tagged in Mongolia’s Khurkh Valley has reached Khichan in Jodhpur after covering a distance of 4,032km in 151 days. As per the experts, this is the longest recorded flight of a demoiselle crane (identified as T-54).
• The bird was tagged under the 1,000-Crane Project, a multi-country initiative that extends over years, tracking multiple migrations and species and populations of cranes, following routes, resting sites, the impact of climate change and even social structures among birds.
Control rooms to curb wildlife crime
• Control rooms have been set up in Ranthambore National Park (RNP) and Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) to control the wildlife crime in the state’s tiger reserves. The villagers and wildlife lovers can contact these control rooms to report crimes or illegal activities occurring in forest areas.
NGT orders to relocated electricity wires underground in GIB habitat
• Taking serious note of the Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) getting killed after hitting electricity wires, the NGT Delhi has ordered that the power lines of renewable energy schemes be laid underground in the GIB habitat.
• The order applies to five states (Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh).
Pilot Project to reduce GIB mortality in Jaisalmer
• Following Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal’s directions to either put electric wires underground or bird diverters in the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitat area, a pilot project is being planned to put bird diverters in Jaisalmer’s Khetolai and Dholia areas in Jaisalmer.
• In a recent hearing, the Supreme Court of India, directed the power lines in the GIB landscape to be laid underground.
Firefly Bird Diverters
• The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) India has come up with a new initiative of “firefly bird diverter” for overhead power lines in areas where Great Indian Bustard (GIB) populations are found in the wild.
What are Firefly Bird diverters?
• Firefly bird diverters are flaps installed on power lines. They work as reflectors for bird species like the GIB. Birds can spot them from a distance of about 50 meters and change their path of flight to avoid collision with power lines.
• The diverters are called fireflies because they look like fireflies from a distance, shining on power lines in the night.
Expert team to review GIB breeding
• A special team of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will be visiting Jaisalmer from February 8 to 10 to review the ongoing Great Indian Bustard conservation breeding programme.
• The team will again identify the bird’s habitat area along with to check the possibility to put the electricity wires that are passing from breeding area underground on the guidelines of the government of India.
• A hatchery centre has been made for GIB breeding in DNP in Sam area of Jaisalmer, which has led to increase in population of GIB.
Animal Science Centers
• Veterinary University Training and Research Centre (VUTRC) in Rajasthan will be now called as Animal Science Centers.
Leopards Status Report 2018
• On 21st December 2020, Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, released the Summary Report of Status of Leopards in India, 2018.
• As per this new report, India now has 12,852 leopards as compared to the previous estimate of 7,910 conducted 2014.
• More than 60% increase in population has been recorded; with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra recorded the highest leopard estimates at 3,421, 1,783 and 1,690 respectively.
• Leopard (Panthera pardus) is the most widely distributed and adaptable member of the family Felidae. The Indian subspecies, Panthera pardus fusca, is found in all forested habitats in the country, absent only in the arid deserts and above the timber line in the Himalayas.
• However, their current distribution and numbers have significantly decreased across the range due to habitat loss, prey depletion, conflict and poaching over the last century. Consequently, the species has been classified has ‘Vulnerable’ by IUCN.
Number of Leopards in Rajasthan
• As per the report, there are 476 leopards in Rajasthan. The report has recorded leopard populations only in tiger-occupied protected areas in the state, including Ranthambore and Sariska tiger reserve areas. The study, conducted across 18 states has put Rajasthan in the 10th position in the category.
• Rajasthan has five national parks, 25 wildlife sanctuaries and 11 conservation reserves which constitute the protected area network, covering 2.92% of the geographical area of the state and so the total leopard population in the state could be above 700, including the 476 in tiger reserves.
ECONOMY
HDR Ranking 2020
• India has ranked at 131st Position in the Human Development Index, released by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as part of the Human Development Report 2020 (HDR 2020).
• India slipped two ranks from 2019, where it ranked 129 in HDR 2019. The HDR 2020 is based on data collected in 2019.
• This is the 30th edition of the report, which ranks the world’s countries by their development, instead of using growth in GDP as the sole measure of development.
What is Human Development Index?
• The Human Development Report, ranks countries based on Human Development Index (HDI) values. The index is based on the human development approach, developed by Mahbub ul Haq. HDI is geometric mean of normalised indices of three dimensions, which are:
• A long and healthy life: based on Tife expectancy at birth
• Being knowledgeable: based on Mean years of schooling and Expected years of schooling
• Have a decent standard of living: based on per capita Gross National Income (GNI)
Rajasthan Tourism Advisory Committee
• The State Government has constituted a Rajasthan Tourism Advisory Committee for implementation of State Tourism Policy 2020.
• The Committee will also discuss proposals and suggestions received for innovation and improvement in the field of tourism from various individuals and trade organizations.
The Committee includes:
• Chairman – Chief Minister
• Vice-Chairman – Tourism Minister
• Commissioner and Director – Tourism Department Member Secretary
• The committee also includes Finance Minister, Revenue Minister, Urban Development and Housing Minister, Industry Minister, Arts and Culture Minister and Forest Minister as members.
• Chief Secretary, Secretary of Forest, Industry, Revenue, Urban Development and Housing and Tourism, Local Self-Government, Arts & Culture Department are also its members.
• The Committee will also include 4 members nominated by the Chief Minister.
GOVERNANCE
Covid-19 Vaccination in Rajasthan
• The Covid-19 vaccination drive began across the country on 16th January, 2021. Only the United States and the United Kingdom are currently ahead of India in vaccination.
• Till 8th February 2021, 8% of the country’s vaccination has been done in Rajasthan. It is the 3rd State after Uttar Pradesh & Maharashtra to have vaccinated more than 2 lakh beneficiaries.
School Health & Wellness Program
• The school health & wellness programme was launched in seven districts across Rajasthan on 3rd February 2021. The seven districts include all the five aspirational districts identified by NITI Aayog in the State.
• The program has been launched with an objective to enhance knowledge and encourage positive health behaviours among schoolchildren and adolescents. It aims to provide awareness on mental and physical health of schoolchildren and adolescents.
• Under the program, in each school two teachers will be identified as health and wellness ambassadors and two children will be identified as health and wellness messengers. These teachers will talk to children over 11 points of health every week and make them aware about health.
• The programme will be initiated in Baran, Dhaulpur, Jaisalmer, Karauli, Sirohi (Aspirational Districts) and two additional districts – Bundi and Udaipur.
• The programme is being implemented in coordination with health and education departments and with the technical support of United Nations Population Fund.
District-wise ranking in Jaipur Division
• Recently Jaipur divisional commissioner Samit Sharma introduced a district-wise monthly assessment and ranking system based on the performance of 10 key departments.
• The districts falling under Jaipur division are evaluated on 53 different parameters. In this evaluation, Sikar has secured first position followed by Jhunjhunu, Alwar, Jaipur & Dausa in order.
UID for Real Estate Properties
• Property holders across the state will soon get an UID for their real estate, which will be required for carrying land-related work online including name transfer, map approvals and others.
• The urban development and housing (UDH) department has started an exercise to provide unique identification number (UID) to properties falling under development authorities, urban improvement trusts and other local bodies.
• Till start of February 2021, the department has a data of 9.5 lakh properties across the state and process is ongoing.
Gandhi Darshan Corners
• Gandhi Darshan corners will be set up in higher secondary schools of the state to introduce the new generation to Gandhi’s ideals. Additionally, Gandhi Study Centres that have already been established in the universities of the state, will be revived.
Rajasthan high court order on sexual abuse at workplace
• In January 2021, the single bench of Justice SP Sharma of Rajasthan high court ordered that obscene messages sent to an employee posted in another state even after office hours will come under the category of sexual harassment at workplace.
Kishanbagh in Jaipur to be inaugurated soon
• Kishanbagh, Jaipur city’s first desert park project initiated in August 2016, is expected to be thrown open to the public soon as work by Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) and forest department has reached the final stages.
• The park falls in the Vidhyadhar Nagar region, which is nearly 15 km away from the main city. The area is all set to get a new landmark, officials believe that this will be an added feature in the city’s eco-tourism.
GPS tracking to monitor supply of food grains soon
• The food and civil supplies department will create a Grains Accounting Receipt Deposit (CARD) system to strictly monitor the whole process of distribution of wheat to NFSA beneficiaries starting with lifting of foodgrains from food corporation godowns.
E-Kaksha Initiative by Rajasthan Government
• Directorate of Education, Bikaner, along with Mission Cyan, a private organisation, started e-Kaksha initiative in which government teachers record videos and upload them online. At present, around 40 government teachers who were shortlisted in an interview process are creating videos at the office of Mission Cyan in Jaipur.
• Now the school students in rural areas of the state are getting the benefit of recorded content uploaded on social media. Queries are answered in the comments section of YouTube. Very soon, the government is planning to have live classes from the studio as well.
Task Force Constituted for Mines Development
• In January 2021, Chief minister Ashok Gehlot constituted a task force comprising officers of forest, mines and revenue departments for speedy disposal of issues related to mining sector.
• The State the government will also come out with a mineral and mines policy to provide a favourable environment for investment in this sector.
University of Rajasthan celebrated 75th foundation day
• University of Rajasthan celebrated its 75th foundation day on 8th January 2021. University of Rajasthan was the state’s first university and the last to be established before Independence.
Now online Permission for film shooting in Rajasthan
• In January 2021, the Rajasthan tourism department introduced an online service for film shooting permits in the state. The permission for movie and other commercial video shoots is granted under Rajasthan Film Shooting (Amendment) Regulations 2016.
• To improve ease of doing business in the tourism sector, the department has also introduced online process for registration of travel agencies, excursion agencies, and safari operators.
Integrated Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) launched in Rajasthan
• The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) seeks to merge all the existing emergency toll-free numbers with 112. In other words, all the existing emergency toll-free numbers including – 100 (police), 101 (fire), 108 (ambulances), 1098 (child helpline), 1090 (women helpline) and others – will be integrated into 112.
• The integrated ERSS system has been launched at the division level (seven divisions) in a decentralised manner.
• In the first phase, it will be launched in all the seven police range headquarters, two police commissionerate, Alwar, Bhiwadi and Bharatpur.
• In the second phase, the system will be launched in 25 district police headquarters and in the third phase, it will be launched in the remaining 145 urban bodies. The system will be made effective in coordination with department of information and technology (DOIT).
CAZRI innovates STP Plant
• The Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) has innovated an environment-friendly sewage treatment plant (STP) based on the principle of plant-microbe interactions, to recycle 90% of the waste water in the arid and semiarid regions of the country.
Banknote Processing Centre (ABPC) to come up in Jaipur
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up an Automated Banknote Processing Centre (ABPC) in Jaipur for receipt, storage and dispatch of currency notes. The functions of the ABPC will also include processing of banknotes received from currency chests (CCs) and bank branches, and destruction of soiled banknotes in an automated manner.
Embryo technology for Rajasthan cows
• In December 2020, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner has signed an MoU with the National Dairy Development Board for the production of calves using embryo implantation techniques in native cows.
• The embryo implantation technique is an important step towards improved germ plasm cultivation in four indigenous cows of the state — Gir, Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Rathi breeds.
Rajasthan HC stays RAS 2018 Interviews
• On 4th December 2020, the Rajasthan High Court restrained the RPSC from conducting interview for RAS and allied services recruitment 2018 beginning on December 7.
• The court will hear the case on December 10. The single bench of Justice S P Sharma gave the direction on a petition by Amit Sharma and others who alleged that the RPSC had included ineligible candidates in the quota of departmental candidates as they had not verified the documents of candidates before publishing the merit list for interview but only during interview.
Jodhpur implements “Corona-Free Ward” Strategy
• Jodhpur’s district collector Inderjeet Singh is spearheading the ‘corona-free ward’ campaign. Teams of auxiliary nurse midwives, ASHA and Anganwadi workers along with sanitation inspectors, police beat constables and public representatives will reach out to each and every household in Jodhpur.
• Under the campaign, super-spreader and high-risk patients will be identified, focus will be on contact tracing, identifying the areas where containment zones will be created, regular monitoring of patients under home isolation, municipal ward-wise surveillance committees will be formed and corona-free ward strategy will be implemented with the help of public representatives.
e-file tracking system
• Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya has given directions to implement e-file tracking system in all departments to enhance transparency and accountability.
Facebook Page to Help Consumers
• On the National Consumers Rights’ Day (24 December), chairman of the state consumer disputes redressal commission Kamal Kumar Bagdi inaugurated a Facebook page for redressal of grievances and problems of the consumers. Through this page, notices can be issued for the complaints that are registered.
Pura Kaam, Pura Daam
• Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched ‘Pura Kaam, Pura Daam’ campaign under MGNREGA, that seeks to motivate and mobilise MGNREGA workers to complete work assigned to them so that they can get full wages.
• It will be ensured by improving worksite management. The campaign will continue in the state for two months, which started on the field on December 16.
5 new Abhay Command Control Centers launched
• In December 2020, Rajasthan Chief Minister has launched five new Abhay command control centres in five districts – Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Churu, Chittorgarh and Rajsamand.
Twitter Handle & Whatsapp number launched to seek Police Help
• In December 2020, Chief minister Ashok Gehlot launched the Twitter handle of Rajasthan police help desk on social media and also initiated a WhatsApp helpline number on his which complainant can send their grievances.
• The Twitter handle is ©RajPoliceHelp while the Whatsapp number is +91-1412922272 on which the complainants can get in touch with police for redressal of their complaints.
Maharishi Valmiki Bhawan inaugurated in Tribal University
• In December 2020, CM Ashok Gehlot virtually inaugurated the Maharishi Valmiki Bhawan in Govind Guru Tribal University in Banswara.
• Govind Guru Tribal University is the first state university in the heart of the tribal area covering three districts — Banswara, Dungarpur and Pratapgarh. It has 150 colleges affiliated with it with 1.50 lakh students enrolled in the three districts.
Top Ranking Police Station
• In December 2020, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released best performing Police Stations across the country. Accordingly, 16,671 police station across the nation were surveyed and MHA shortlisted 75 police stations.
• Nongpok Sekmai, Police station from Thoubal district in Manipur ranked first across the country. From Rajasthan, Mahajan Police Station from Bikaner came in first position.
New email-ID for Citizens to Write to CM
• A new e-mail ID has been created to facilitate public access to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
• Through this email ID people can communicate to CM directly in relation to their problems, suggestions and serious criminal cases.
• The new E-Mail ID is writetocm@rajasthan.gov.in
Mobile App of JDA
• Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has launched its own mobile App with an intent to serve the people of Jaipur conveniently.
State Government increases cash prize for winners of Olympic and Asian Games
• In order to promote sports activities and motivate athletes, the Rajasthan government has decided to increase the prize amount by three-to-four-fold for the winners of Olympic and Asian Games.
Olympic Prize Money
Medal Earlier Prize Money New Prize Money
Gold 75 lac 3 crore
Silver 50 lac 2 crore
Bronze 30 lac 1 crore
Commonwealth Prize Money
Medal Earlier Prize Money New Prize Money
Gold 30 lac 1 crore
Silver 20 lac 60 lac
Bronze 10 lac 30 lac
Ummeed Helpline
• The Rajasthan State Child Rights Protection Commission in collaboration with the NGO -Save the Children, Mind Piper and Indus Action, has started the state-level helpline ‘Ummeed’.
• This helpline has been started to alleviate mental stress in children, to file complaints of child crimes, and to provide information about laws made for the protection of child rights.
• The Mental Help and Sico-Social Serpent Plus (MHPSS +) toll-free number 0141-4932233 will be active from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am By 7:00 pm.
NEW SCHEMES & POLICIES
Rajasthan Excise & Temperance Policy for the year 2021-22
• The State Excise department is second largest tax revenue earning department of state government. In February 2021, the department has released the Excise & Temperance Policy for the year 2021-22.
Important points include:
• There is no change in the number of liquor outlets in the state. Currently, there are 7,665 liquor shops in the state including IMFE and country liquor.
• The liquor shops will be allocated through e-auction instead of lottery.
• Composite liquor stores (where IMFE and country liquor will be sold) will be allotted to the highest bidder.
• A person will not be allotted more than five shops in the state and not more than two shops in a district.
• From April 1, beer will be cheaper as the department has reduced additional excise duty by 10%.
• To reduce the burden on traders, annual license fee has been abolished on IMFE and beer shops in urban areas.
• Advance deposit provision has been reduced from 14.5% to 8%.
• For the first time, the state government has allowed setting up of micro-breweries in hotels, bars and other establishment.
RERC releases Electricity Supply Code Regulations 2021
In February 2021, Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) has released Electricity Supply Code Regulations 2021. As per the new regulations:
• Discoms have to provide connection, replacement of faulty meters and other services in a time- bound manner.
• The faulty meters have to be replaced within 24 hours in city areas while in rural areas it is 72 hours.
• All applications are online and hard copy is not mandatory.
• A single application form will replace multiple forms for various categories.
• Disconnected connections for non-payment had to be restored within six hours on payment of dues.
• The time limit for new connection has been reduced from 30 days to 7 days.
• The voltage demand limit for 11 KV increased from 1,500 KVA to 2,500 KVA while for 33 KV voltage demand limit has been raised from 5,000 KVA to 8,000 KVA which will reduce the cost of the consumer.
• Similarly, the new code has attempted to simplify the procedure for power connection to new colonies, township, group housing, multi storey, farm house and industrial areas.
Ayushman Bharat Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Swasthya Bima Yojana (AB-MGRSBY)
• On 30th January 2021, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ash ok Gehlot launched new phase of Ayushman Bharat Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Swasthya Bima Yojana (AB-MGRSBY) to provide free treatment to the poor of the state at government as well as private hospitals.
• The State Government had launched the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in Rajasthan on September 1, 2019 by combining the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) of the Center and the state’s Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana (BSBY).
• The combined new scheme was named the Ayushman Bharat-Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Health Insurance Scheme (AB-MGRSBY).
What’s new in 2nd Phase:
• The number of healthcare packages has been increased from 1,401 to 1,576.
• Treatment of COVID-19 and hemodialysis has also been included in the list of packages of this scheme
• Earlier, an eligible family was getting coverage of Rs. 3.3 lakh per year, which has now been increased to Rs 5 lakh under AB-MGRSBY.
• Earlier, the patients were getting a cover of Rs 20,000 for general illness and Rs 3 lakh for serious ailments but that has also been increased to Rs 50,000 and 4.5 lakh lakh, respectively.
• Earlier, 98 lakh families were covered under the scheme, but now 1.1 crore families will be benefitted, which accounts for about two third population of the state.
• Under this scheme, amount spent on OPD and tests before 5 days of admission to the hospital and 15 days after the discharge can also be reimbursed.
• The AB-MGJAY will be implemented by the state health Assurance agency (SHAA), Jaipur.
• Cashless treatment facilities at empanelled private and government-run hospitals
Cost to State
• The State Government would bear 100% of the premium of NFSA beneficiaries and the Central would pay 60% of the premium pre-fixed by the Union Government, which is Rs. 1052 per family, that too only for the families under the SECC category.
• In Rajasthan, the actual premium amount paid would be Rs. 1662 per family. Thus, the state government will pay the difference of the total of pre-fixed premium of Rs. 1052 and the actual premium of Rs. 1662 for the SECC category beneficiaries as well.
• The scheme is estimated to cost INR 1800 crore annually and the state government will bear 80 per cent of the cost which amounts to INR 1400 crore. The remaining INR 400 crore will be provided by the Central Government.
Identification of Beneficiaries AB-MGRSBY
• There are 60 lakh families who are listed in Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 in the state. Besides, there are 1 crore families covered under NFSA.
• But, 80% of 60 lakh families listed in SECC 2011 are also covered under NFSA and they were already getting BSBY benefits. Now, the remaining 20% of the families listed in SECC, which is around 10 lakh, who were not getting benefits of BSBY earlier, will now start getting the cashless insurance scheme (AB-MGRSBY). Hence, total number of families getting benefits will be increased from 1 crore to 1.1 crore.
3 schemes launched to give jobs to youths
• In February 2021, Minister of State for Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Ashok Chandna launched three schemes to provide skill development training and employment to 1 lakh youths every year.
• The Schemes are:
Samarth Scheme
• Under the Samarth scheme, the entrepreneurship skills of women, people belonging to backward and marginalised classes and specially-abled persons will be enhanced.
• It is a 100% state government funded scheme, which will provide free training facilities to those belonging to 15 to 50 years of age.
• The training programme will be from 2 to 8 hours a day.
Saksham Scheme
• Under the Saksham scheme, the youths and women will get skill development training so that they could prepare themselves to set up their own businesses or become self-employed.
• The age limit under the training programme is 15 to 45 years.
• The training will be provided free of cost.
• The registration fee for the programme is Rs 400 for general men category and Rs 200 for all other categories including women, SC, ST, OBC.
Rajvik Scheme
• Rajvik scheme aims to provide job opportunities to unemployed youths by providing them market- oriented skill training.
• There will be skill-training programs under 328 courses in 36 economic sectors.
• The age limit is 15 to 35 years. The maximum age limit for women and specially-abled persons is 45 years.
Rajasthan M-Sand Policy 2020 Summary
• On 25h January 2021, Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot released Rajasthan M-Sand Policy 2021. The policy aims to fulfil the demand of river sand for construction works across the state.
• The M-Sand policy will reduce dependency on the river sand and boost the use and production of M-Sand in Rajasthan. Besides this, M-Sand will resolve the problem of waste coming out from the mines in the state and will also create employment opportunities at the local level with the setting up of a large number of M-Sand production units.
• There is a demand of around 70 million tonnes of river sand for various construction works in the state. Currently, 20 M-Sand units are operational in Rajasthan, majorly in Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Jaipur and Bharatpur districts, which are producing 20,000 tonnes of M-Sand per day. New policy would give boost to setting up of more sand production units.
What is M Sand ?
• As per this policy, M-Sand is manufactured sand produced by crushing of mineral or overburden that confirm to IS Code 383: 2016 standards.
• In Simple terms, M-Sand is derived from locally available materials in abundance like granite, quartile, basalt, silica and sandstone in different regions of the state.
How is M-Sand Manufactured:
• Sand is produced by crushing of rocks, quarry stones into a size of 150 microns. The crushed material is segregated and can be used into the different use on the basis of its size and composition.
• The sand obtained through this process is washed to remove impurities making it a durable and ideal for all forms of construction purposes.
Rajasthan M-Sand Policy 2020 Objectives:
• To provide an easy and cost-effective alternate of river sand to people of Rajasthan
• To Use overburden available in mining areas to make efficient use of mineral resources and conserve environment in mining areas.
• To reduce dependency on the river sand
• Promote mineral based industries in Rajasthan and create employment opportunities at the local level.
Policy Highlights
• Through this policy the M-Sand units were given the status of industry.
• The new production units to be set-up under this policy would be eligible for benefits of the RIPS-2019.
• The Rajasthan Government has also notified Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules, 2021
• The policy will be reviewed after 6 months.
ePIC – Digital Voter ID Card
• On the occasion of 11th National Voter’s Day (25th January), the Election Commission of India launched e-EPIC (Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card) programme where you can generate & download a Digital Voter ID Card.
What is Digital Voter ID Card or ePIC Card ?
• Digital Voter ID Card is an e-EPIC (Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card). The e-EPIC is a non- editable secure portable document format (PDF) version of the EPIC (approx. 250 KB) which can be downloaded on mobile or in a self-printable form on the computer.
• A voter can thus store the card on his mobile, upload it on Digi locker or print it and self-laminate it. This is in addition to physical IDs known as PVC EPIC being issued for fresh registration.
• The e-EPIC will also have a secured QR code with the serial number, part number, date of poll, etc along with the image of the voter for identification.
• This will be the first time that the government will issue voter identity cards in digital formats. Other identity proofs like the Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving licence are already available in the digital format.
What is e-PIC Initiative ?
• The Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card (ePIC) programme was officially launched on January 25 and allows voters to download a soft copy of their voter cards from the website of the Election Commission.
The e-EPIC initiative would be launched in two phases:-
• First phase– It will start from From January 25 to 31, 2021. Only new voters can apply for the voter-ID card and register their mobile numbers in Form-6 to download the e-EPIC by authenticating their mobile number. The mobile numbers should be unique and not be previously registered.
• Second phase– It will start from February 1, 2021 and will be open for the general voters. People who have given their mobile numbers (linked one) they can also download their e-EPIC.
• Voters who do not have their phone numbers linked with the Commission will have to reverify their details with the EC and get their mobile number linked to avail of the download feature.
Digital Voter ID Card in Rajasthan
• On 25th January, the digital voter ID card facility was also launched in Rajasthan and the ePIC card was presented to Governor Kalraj Mishra, who was the chief guest at the National Voters’ Day function. The e-EPIC cards were issued to Chief Secretary Niranjan Ary a and State Election Commissioner P S Mehra as well.
• In the first phase across State, by January 31, 2021, 2.64 lakh newly registered voters will be able to download e-EPIC cards whose unique mobile numbers are available in the voter list database.
• Currently, mobile numbers of around 44 lakh voters in the state are available in the voter list database.
Science & Technology
KNHPI, Jaipur develops paint from Cow Dung
• Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute (KNHPI), a unit under KVIC in Jaipur, has developed low-cost distemper and emulsion paint from cow dung. On 12th January 2020, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways & MSME Sh. Nitin Gadkari launched the Cow Dung Paint.
• Khadi Prakritik Paint is an eco-friendly, non-toxic paint with anti-fungal, anti-bacterial properties. The paint is cost-effective, odourless and has been certified by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The speciality of the paint is that cow dung is the main ingredient.
• The project was conceptualized by KVIC in March 2020 and later developed by Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute, Jaipur (a KVIC unit).
HOPE
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has put a probe called Hope in the orbit around the MARS. By doing so, UAE has become the fifth country to launch the spacecraft into the orbit of MARS after United States, Soviet Union, Europe and India.
Ghaznavi
• Pakistan successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile called Ghaznavi.
Stardust 1.0
• Stardust 1.0 became the first-ever commercial space launch powered entirely by biofuel. Stardust 1.0 was launched from Loring Commerce Centre in Maine, United States.
• The launch vehicle Stardust 1.0 is suitable for student and budget payloads. It is 20 feet in height and approximately 250 kg in weight. The rocket is manufactured by Maine-based aerospace company bluShift.
Inspiration 4 – SpaceX
• SpaceX has recently announced to launch its first all civilian mission to the space. The SpaceX is planning for the launch of Inspiration4 on Falcon 9.
• This would be the first all-commercial astronaut mission in the world.
Jarosite
• A rare maritime mineral, Jarosite, has been found in the Antarctica ice. It was discovered after drilling deep into Antarctic ice.
SpaceX new Record
• SpaceX has created a new world record. It has launched 143 satellites on a single rocket called Falcon 9 rocket.
• With the new record, SpaceX has broken the record of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) that has deployed 104 satellites on a single launch in February 2017.
Blue Jet Lightning
• The Scientists from the International Space Station (ISS) have observed a bright-blue lightning bolt that is shooting upward from the thunderclouds.
• Such blue jets are hard to observe from the ground because the electrical discharges emerge from the tops of thunderclouds. But from space, one can easily observe the phenomenon.
Largest Solar Power Plant of Europe
• Spain and France have recently signed an agreement to build 590 MW of solar power plant. This will be the largest solar power plant in Europe. The agreement was signed between Iberdola of Spain and Donone of France.
Sudden Stratospheric Warming?
• The Southern India received excessively heavy rainfall (ten times the normal) between January 1, 2021 and January 17, 2021. This winter rain, according to the scientists, is due to sudden stratospheric warming that occurred in Arctic region.
• The Sudden Stratospheric Warming is an event where the polar stratospheric temperature increases up to fifty degrees Celsius. It is preceded by a situation where the polar jet stream of westerly winds in the northern hemisphere is disturbed by natural weather patterns.
MEITY
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has entered into a partnership with the Amazon Web Services is to establish Quantum Computing Applications Tab.
CollabCAD
• The National Informatics centre and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) jointly launched the CollabCAD software. The software provides engineering solution for students and Faculty of Engineering Graphics curriculum. It aims to provide a platform to students across the country to create and modify digital designs.
National Atomic Time Scale
• In January 2021, PM Modi recently inaugurated the National Atomic Scale at the National Meteorology Conclave. With the newly inaugurated National Atomic Time, India has become self-reliant in measuring time within the range of nanosecond. It has now achieved the accuracy level of 2.8 Nanosecond matching the International Standard Time.
• The International System of Units (SI unit) defines one second (in atomic time) as the time taken by the Cesium-133 atom in the ground state to oscillate 9,192,631,770 times. In simple words, the atomic clocks count one second after the Cesium-133 atom has oscillated 9,192,631,770 times.
Largest Floating Solar Power Plant
• The Government of India is to construct the largest floating solar energy project in the world. The project is to be constructed at Omkareshwar Dam on Narmada river.
• The project will begin its power generation by 2022 to 2023.
Covid-19 Vaccines:
The Drug Controller General of India recently announced that it has authorised two COVID-19 vaccines for restricted Emergency Use in India. The two Vaccines are:
• COVAXIN
• COVISHIELD
The COVAXIN is developed by Bharat Biotech and ICMR (Indian council of Medical Research). It is the first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine to be developed in the country. The COVISHIELD vaccine is developed by Oxford University and Astra Zeneca, a pharmaceutical company.
Apart from COVAXIN and COVSHIELD the following are the other COVID-19 vaccines in India
• ZyCoV-D
• Sputnik V
• NVX-Cov 2373
• Biological E Limited Vaccine
• HGC019
Pneumosil
• In December 2020, the Serum Institute of India unveiled the first indigenously developed Pneumococcal Vaccine called Pneumosil for Pneumonia.
DigiBoxx
• DigiBoxx is a file sharing and cloud storage platform. It was announced by the NITI Aayog CEO Aitabh Kant.
• It provides 20 GB of free cloud storage and 100 GB free space per month. It charges only 30 rupees per month for such large storages.
Narrow Band loT Network
• On December 10, 2020, BSNL in partnership with the Skylo announced the world’s first satellite based Narrow Band Internet of Things network in India.
• This is to bring a breakthrough in satellite based narrowband internet of things technology. It will also help in in achieving the targets of Digital India mission helping farmers, fishermen, meaning, construction and Logistic Enterprises in India.
Plant Nine
• Planet Nine is a hypothetical planet that is said to be 10 times the size of the Earth and orbits far beyond Neptune a highly eccentric orbit around the Sun.
Bids Invited for Green Ammonia Projects
• The Government of India is recently inviting bids for Green Ammonia Projects to reduce the import dependence of the country. To produce fertilisers, India is importing a significant volume of ammonia every year.
• In 2019, the total imports of ammonia amounted to 478 billion USD. The main segments that consume ammonia are Urea and Ammonium phosphate. These segments account to 93.8% of ammonia consumption in the country.
CMS-01
• In December 2020, India launched the CMS-01 communication satellite into the Geostationary Transfer Orbit. It was earlier called the GSAT-12R. The satellite was launched on a PSEV-C50 launch vehicle.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Wetlands Day 2021
• Wetlands are some of the world’s most fragile and sensitive ecosystems supporting unique habitats for plants and animals, and providing livelihoods to millions of people across the world. World Wetlands Day 2021 was celebrated across the globe on 2nd February 2021.
What are Wetlands
• Wetlands are land areas that are saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally. Inland wetlands include marshes, ponds, lakes, fens, rivers, floodplains, and swamps.
• Coastal wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons and even coral reefs. Fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans are human-made wetlands.
Protection of Wetlands
• Wetlands are protected places under UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). There are over 2,400 protected wetlands across the world.
Ramsar Convention:
• In 1962, MAR Conference called for an International Treaty for Wetlands.
• In 1971, Ramsar Conference was held (2-3 February 1971) where 18 nations agreed to Convention on Wetlands of International importance.
• On 8th May 1974, the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia was declared the first Ramsar site in the world.
• On 1st December 1975, Ramsar convention came into force.
• India signed the Ramsar Convention on 1st February 1982. Now, there are 171 contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention.
World Wetlands Day
• World Wetlands Day is celebrated across the globe on 2nd February every year to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet.
• This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2nd February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
World Wetlands Day 2021
• We are facing a growing freshwater crisis that threatens people and our planet. We use more freshwater than nature can replenish, and we are destroying the ecosystem that water and all life depend on most – Wetlands.
• This year’s theme shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss. The 2021 campaign highlights the contribution of wetlands to the quantity and quality of freshwater on our planet.
• The year 2021 also commemorates the 50h anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• Government of India announced the establishment of a Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM), as a part of the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management(NCSCM), Chennai, an institution under the MOEFCC.
Why is Protecting Wetlands Necessary?
• The health of people on our planet depends on healthy wetlands. “40% of the world’s species live or breed in wetlands, yet they are disappearing three times faster than forests,” says the UN Development.
• Water and wetlands are connected in an inseparable co-existence that is vital to life, our wellbeing and the health of our planet.
Significance of wetlands:
1. Wetlands are “nurseries of life” – 40% of animals breed in wetlands
2. Wetlands are “kidneys of the earth” – they clean the environment of pollutants
3. Wetlands “matter for climate change” – they store 30% of land based carbon
4. Wetlands “minimize disaster risks” – they absorb storm surge
5. Wetlands “provide livelihood to one billion people” – their ecosystems are worth USD 47 trillion annually
Wetlands of India
• India has nearly 4.6% of its land as wetlands, covering an area of 15.26 million hectares.
• The nation has 42 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 1.08 million hectares Among India States, Gujarat has the maximum area under wetlands (about 23% of India’s Wetland area).
Parakram Divas
• To inspire people of the country, Government of India has decided to celebrate birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose every year as “PARAKRAM DIVAS”.
• Netaji Subash Chandra Bose was born on 23rd January 1897 and hence, 2021 is the 125th birth anniversary year. Consequently, the Ministry of Culture has proposed a number of activities and projects for this year-long commemoration.
• The inaugural function of the commemoration will be held at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata on 23rd January 2021 presided over by the Prime Minister. Additionally, the Union Government has appointed a panel headed by home minister Amit Shah to celebrate Bose’s 125th birth anniversary.
• On 19th January 2021, the Ministry of Culture issued a notification stating that in “order to honour and remember Netaji’s indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation, Government of India has decided to celebrate his birthday on the 23rd day of January every year as Parakram Diwas”.
• A cultural program “Amra Nuton Jouboneri Doot” will also be held based on the theme of Netaji. Ministry of Education has proposed to establish five chairs on Netaji in five Indian Universities, organize online Tectures and Webinars on teachings of Netaji.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: Brief Life Journey & Contribution to Indian Freedom Struggle
• Subhas Chandra Bose was born on 23rd January 1897, in Cuttack, Orissa Division, Bengal Province, to Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose.
• After his early schooling, he joined Ravenshaw Collegiate School. From there he went to join Presidency College, Calcutta and was expelled due to his nationalist activities. Later, he went to University of Cambridge, U.K.
• In 1919, Bose headed to London to give the Indian Civil Services (ICS) examination and he was selected. Bose, however, resigned from Civil Services as he believed he could not side with the British.
• He was highly influenced by Vivekananda’s teachings and considered him as his spiritual Guru. His political mentor was Chittaranjan Das.
• In 1921, Bose worked under Chittaranjan Das, as the editor for the newspaper, Forward.
• Bose joined the Indian National Congress in 1921 and later started a newspaper called ‘Swaraj’.
• In 1923, Bose was elected the President of the All India Youth Congress and also the Secretary of Bengal State Congress.
• He was the President of the All India Youth Congress and also the Secretary of the Bengal State Congress.
• Bose authored the book ‘The Indian Struggle’ which covers the Indian independence movement from 1920 to 1942.
• When C.R. Das was elected Mayor of Calcutta Cooperation, he nominated Bose as the chief executive.
• Netaji was sent to prison in Mandalay for nationalist activities in 1925. He was released in 1927 and became the INC’s general secretary.
• In 1930, he was elected Mayor of Calcutta, the same year he was elected the President of All India Trade Union Congress.
• Netaji won the congress presidential elections at Haripura in 1938.
• Next year at Tripuri, Netaji was re-elected against Pattabhi Sitarammayya but soon resigned from the presidency.
• On 22nd June 1939 Bose organised the All India Forward Bloc as a faction within the Indian National Congress.
• When World War II began, he was again imprisoned for participation in civil disobedience and was put under house arrest.
• Bose managed to escape to Berlin by way of Peshawar and Afghanistan.
• Bose founded the free India centre in Berlin and created the Indian Legion out of the Indian prisoners of war who had previously fought for the British in North Africa prior to their capture by Axis forces.
• In Europe, Bose sought help from Hitler and Mussolini for the liberation of India.
• In Germany, he was attached to the special bureau for India which was responsible for the broadcasting on the German sponsored Azad Hind Radio.
• He reached Japanese-controlled Singapore from Germany in July 1943, issued from there his famous call, ‘Delhi Chalo’, and announced the formation of the Azad Hind Government and the Indian National Army on 21st October 1943.
• The INA was first formed under Mohan Singh and Japanese Major Iwaichi Fujiwara and comprised Indian prisoners of war of the British-Indian Army captured by Japan in the Malayan (present-day Malaysia) campaign and at Singapore.
• On 6th July 1944, Bose addressed Mahatma Gandhi as the ‘Father of the Nation’.
• The INA supported the Japanese army in its invasion of northeast India and also took control of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, they were forced to retreat by the British forces following the Battles of Kohima and Imphal in 1944.
• In November 1945 a British move to put the INA men on trial immediately sparked massive demonstration all over the country.
• The I.N.A. experience created the wave of disaffection in the British Indian army during the 1945-46, which culminated in the great Bombay naval strike of February 1946 and was one of the most decisive reasons behind the British decision to make a quick withdrawal.
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