State PCS

• 21 Sep 2021

First Tribal Museum of Uttar Pradesh

Why in News

• The first tribal museum of Uttar Pradesh would be ready by March 2022.

Key Points

• The Tharu Tribal Museum is being constructed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh in Tharu Pradhan village 'Imilia Kodar' of 'Balrampur' district.
• According to the government, in this museum all the dimensions from the evolution of the Tharu tribe to their culture, traditions, religion, lifestyle etc. will be displayed.
• A college has been established at Lakhimpur Kheri for the purpose of imparting education to the people of Tharu tribe. Along with this, 'Tharu Development Project' was started in the year 1980 for their development.
• Tharu Tribal Group is the third largest tribal group of Uttar Pradesh. The people of this tribe celebrate Deepawali as a mourning festival. A festival called 'Bajhar' is celebrated by the Tharu tribe. Apart from this, 'revenge marriage' is also prevalent among them.

Rajasthan Rural Tourism Promotion Scheme

Why in News

• On September 20, 2021, Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya directed to issue a clear advisory under the 'Rajasthan Rural Tourism Promotion Scheme' and strictly follow all the rules of the Forest and Environment Department on the buildings coming in eco-sensitive areas.

Key Points

• In a meeting organized in the Government Secretariat regarding 'Rajasthan Rural Tourism Promotion Scheme', Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya said that due to promotion of tourism in rural areas, local handicrafts, handicrafts, dances and music would get wide publicity, besides giving wide publicity to the rural people. Chances of getting more and more employment opportunities will increase.
• Gayatri Rathod, Principal Secretary, Tourism Department, said that the main objective of this scheme is to create investment and employment in rural areas as well as to protect and promote handicrafts and local products there.
• Under the 'Rajasthan Rural Tourism Promotion Scheme', four units - guest house, agro-tourism unit, camping site and caravan park will be set up.
• Under the guest house, tourists will get temporary accommodation and food facilities from 6 to 20 rooms in rural areas. Here the housing owner or manager will be required to live with the family.
• Agro-tourism units can be established on agricultural, commercial and industrial land and a minimum 2 hectare area. Construction will be allowed on 20 percent of it, the remaining 80 percent of land can be used for camel-horse farm, cowshed, crop etc. rural environment.
• Camping sites will be allowed on agricultural, commercial and industrial land. Construction will be allowed on 10 percent of the minimum area of 1 hectare and 80 percent can be used for camel farm, horse farm, crop, livestock, garden, rural environment.
• Caraven parks will be set up for tourists to park mobile vans. It can be built on agricultural, commercial and industrial land of minimum 1 hectare area. Here cooking, eating and construction of facilities will be allowed for tourists. The presence of tourists in the van will be required while parking the Caravan vehicle.
• All these tourism units will be allowed only on a road of at least 10 feet wide.

State Level National Service Scheme Award

Why in News

• On September 20, 2021, in the meeting of the selection committee constituted for the Madhya Pradesh State Level National Service Scheme Award under the chairmanship of Higher Education Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, the proposals received for the state level awards for the three years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 were discussed and the best participants were selected for the award.

Key Points

• The objective of the NSS Awards is to recognize and reward the outstanding contribution made by Universities, Senior Secondary (+2) Councils, NSS Units/Program Officers and NSS Volunteers in the field of Voluntary Community Service so as to promote NSS further.
• It has been decided in the meeting that from the next financial year, the number of state level awards will be increased from 18 to 20. It was recommended to increase the prize money of Rs.11 thousand given to the students at the volunteer level to Rs.21,000.
• Under the Madhya Pradesh State Level National Service Scheme Award, there is a provision to provide one every year to the university level program coordinator, two at the district organizer level and 12 citations to the program officer at the number level.
• Apart from this, 18 awards are given at the volunteer level. Of these, there will be 13 college level volunteers, out of which 3 girls are necessary and 5 volunteers will be school level, in which one girl student will be mandatory. In addition, a total of 12 awards are given at the level of National Service Scheme Program Officer.
• The National Service Scheme (NSS) is a central scheme run by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, with the objective of providing opportunities to all young students to participate in community service activities and programs.
• On September 24, 1969, the then Union Education Minister Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao started the NSS program in 37 universities covering all the states. The motto of the National Service Scheme is- 'Not only me, you are also'.

India-Nepal Joint Exercise

Why in News

• On September 20, 2021, the 15^th Indo-Nepal joint battalion level military training exercise 'Surya Kiran' began in Pithoragarh. The exercise will conclude on October 3, 2021.

Key Points

• Earlier on Saturday, a contingent of Nepalese army reached Pithoragarh, which was accorded a traditional military welcome.
• The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the North India Region, Lt Gen S.S. Mahal addressed the gathering and encouraged contingents to train and strengthen mutual trust, interoperability, and share best practices.
• Around 650 defense personnel from both the armies are participating in the event. In the exercise, an infantry battalion each of the Indian Army and the Nepalese Army will train together to develop interoperability and share their experience in counter-insurgency operations and disaster relief operations.

Chhattisgarh Tops in the Collection of Minor Forest Produce

Why in News

• According to the recently released data of 'The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)', during the current financial year 2021-22, during the first quarter month of April to June, Chhattisgarh is the first place in the entire country in the purchase of minor forest produce at minimum support price.

Key Points

• According to the data released by TRIFED, during this period in the state 27,7958 quintals of minor forest produce worth Rs.80 crore 12 lakh have been purchased at the minimum support price, which is 88.36 percent of the total collected minor forest produce worth Rs.93 crore in the country during this period.
• Of these, 113614 quintals of tamarind (including seeds) worth Rs 40.90 crore and 1,37,946 quintals of sal seed worth Rs 27.59 crore have been collected. Similarly, 6,595 quintals of flower tamarind worth Rs 4.15 crore, 2390 quintals of chironji kernels worth Rs 2.92 crore and 10,493 quintals of Bahera worth Rs 1.78 crore are included.
• During this, Mahul Patta, Nagarmotha, Bhelwa, Bahera Kacharia, Dhavai Phool (dry), Harra Kacharia, Puwad (Charota), Bell Pulp, Satavar (Dry), Safflower Seed, Flower Broom, Rangini Lac, Van Tulsi, Flower Tamarind, Jamun Seeds (dry), Van cumin, Tamarind seed, Amla seedless, Kusumi lac, Kullu gum, Mahua seed, Karanj seed and Bybuding have been collected.
• Apart from this, collection of Patal Kumhra (Bedari tuber), Tikhur, Sawai grass, Korea bark, Chhind grass, Amla (raw), thorn broom, Kutz bark, Adusa leaf, Indrajou seed, Safed musli, Palash flower etc. have also been collected.
• It is worth mentioning that at present 52 minor forest produce are being procured in the state at minimum support price. These 52 minor forest produces include Sal seed, Harra, Tamarind seed, Chironji kernels, Mahua seed, Kusumi lac, Rangini lac, Kal Megh, Bahera, Nagarmotha, Kullu gond, Puwad, Bel guda, honey and broom, Mahua flower (dry ), Jamun Beej (dry), Kaunch Beej, Dhavai Phool (dry), Karanj Beej, Baybuding and Amla (with seeds) and Phool Tamarind (seedless), Giloy and Bhelwa, Forest Basil seed, Forest Cumin Seed, Tamarind Seed, Bahera Kacharias, Harra Kacharias and Neem Seeds.
• Similarly, kusumi seed, reetha fruit (dry), shikakai phalli (dry), satavar root (dry), cashew kernels, malkangani seed and mahul leaf, Palas (flower), Safed Musli (dry), Indrajou, Patal Kumhra, and Kutaj (bark), Ashwagandha, Amla raw, Sawai grass, broom, Tikhur, Behan lac-Kusmi, Behan lac-rangini, Bel (raw ), and berries (raw).
• Apart from the support price, additional incentive money is also being given by the state government on procurement of Kusmi Lakh, Rangini Lakh and Kullu Gond.

Goel Science Prize announced

Why in News

Recently, Kurukshetra University has honored four eminent scientists of the country, Prof. NK Mehra (AIIMS, New Delhi), Prof. a. Ajayaghosh (CSIR, NIST, Thiruvananthapuram), Prof. Shyam Sundar (BHU Varanasi) and Prof. Rohini Godbole (IISc, Bangalore) with the Goel Science Award. Each award consists of a medal, a citation and a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

Key Points

• The Vice Chancellor of Kurukshetra University and the chairman of the selection committee, Prof. Somnath Sachdeva said that these scientists have made special contributions in applied science, chemistry, biology and physical science respectively.
• Pro. Mehra in the field of transplant immunology and immunogenetics and Prof. Ajayaghosh has done distinguished work on the use of material chemistry in biology. Besides this Prof. Shyam Sundar has developed the drug Miltefastin for the treatment of Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) i.e. liver and bone marrow, which is being used by many countries. While Panshri Prof. Rohini Godbole has made special contributions to High Energy Physics.
• In the history of 30 years of the Goyal Science Awards given by the university, this time the third woman scientist, Prof. Rohini Godbole has been selected for the Goel Award.
• Earlier in 1992, Padma Vibhushan Ashima Chatterjee was awarded for the first time in the Goyal Science Award and in 2019 Prof. Laxmikant was honored with the Goel Award.
• Co-Chairman of the Selection Committee Prof. SP Singh said that in the 30-year history of the Goyal Science Awards, only four scientists have been selected from the medical science field, including Dr. Venugopal of AIIMS in 1995 and Dr. KK Talwar of AIIMS in 2003. At the same time, two scientists Prof. NK Mehra and Prof. Shyam Sundar will be given the Goyal Award in the field of Medical Science.
• The Goel Science Prize was established in 1992 by Ramswaroop Goyal, an Indian based in America. So far, this award has been given to more than a hundred eminent scientists, including Dr. C.N.R. Rao, Dr. R.A. Mashelkar and Dr. Kasturirangan etc. are prominent.

Coal India Limited's First Commercial Extraction of Coal Bed Methane

Why in News

• On September 20, 2021, a contract was signed between Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India and Prabha Energy Pvt Ltd (PEPL) in Dhanbad, Jharkhand for the extraction of the first commercial coal bed methane.

Key Points

• Under the contract, PEPL will act as the developer of Jharia Coal Bed Methane Block-1 of Jharia Coal Fields.
• Central Mine Planning Design Institute (CMPDI) is the lead implementing agency (PIA) for the implementation of this project.
• This extraction is part of Coal India's efforts to reduce methane emissions. In addition, CBM (coal bed methane) extraction prior to coal mining will reduce the incidence of explosions and arson during mining in coal mines, thereby increasing the safety of workers working in underground coal mines.
• In addition, the extraction of CBM will also enable the use of energy, which is wasted during mining.
• It is noteworthy that CBM is a form of natural gas, which is obtained from coal deposits. It is a non-conventional source of energy, which is being used in various countries in industries like cement, rolling mills, steel plants etc.