Rajasthan State PCS

• 30 Mar 2023

57th Meeting of State Geological Programming Board

Why in News?

The 57th meeting of the State Geological Programming Board was held at the Jaipur Secretariat on 29 March 2023, which was presided over by Dr. Subodh Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary, State Mines Department.

Key Points

• Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Subodh Aggarwal said in the meeting that, with the discovery and exploitation of petroleum-natural gas as a result of planned mineral exploration and auction of mineral blocks in the state, now the country is going to develop as Jaisalmer Cement Hub on the world map.
• Apart from this, new deposits of uranium, rare earth elements, limestone, lignite, iron ore, copper, zinc, garnet etc. are being discovered daily in the state.
• Dr. Subodh Aggarwal said that in the year 2023-24, work will be done through 31 different projects for the exploration of mineral limestone, ferrous metal, decorative stone, industrial mineral and other minerals and the work of reserves of semi-precious stone is also to be speeded up.
• In the meeting, the works of the Geology Wing were underlined in the work of exploration and preparation of major and minor blocks. The aim of the state is to study the best practices of Odisha and adopt a practical process for the state, so that it can become the country's leading state in revenue generation in the mining sector.
• The department is also progressing year by year in revenue generation; more and more auctions of major and minor blocks have encouraged legal mining and increased revenue and employment.
• Mr. Sandesh Nayak, Director of Mines said that along with the economic and industrial development of the state, the mineral sector is playing an important role in the agriculture sector. Along with abundant reserves of rock phosphate, mineral fertilisers are being prepared from gypsum etc., while now the search work of potash has been given more pace, so that the dependence on import from abroad can be reduced by starting the mining of potash in a planned manner.
• Commendable work is being done in the mineral sector in the state. Geophysical, geochemical, ground geophysical and aero geophysical work is also being done by GSI. Reserves of valuable minerals have been discovered in the state and the search work is going on and with the help of RSMET, exploration work is getting accelerated in the state.

Increase in Honorarium of Anganwadi Workers and Crèche Workers of ICDS Department

Why in News?

On 29 March 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the proposal to increase the state's share of honorarium by 15 percent to the honorarium workers working at Anganwadi Centers and childcare homes of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in the state.

Key Points 

• The honorarium of workers working at Anganwadi centres of ICDS department – Anganwadi workers, mini Anganwadi workers, helpers and crèche workers has been increased by 15 percent.
• Presently the honorarium to these personnel is being paid by the Central and State Governments in the ratio of 60:40. This increase will be 15 percent of the total honorarium being given by the state government to these personnel. Every year, the state government will bear a budgetary of Rs 70 crore.
• It is notable that the announcement was made by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the Fiscal year 2023-24 for the increase in honorarium.

Announcement of Awards of Rajasthani Language, Literature and Culture Academy

Why in News?

On 29 March 2023, Shivraj Chhangani, President of Rajasthani Language, Literature and Culture Academy, announced the Academy Awards and Honors for the year 2022-23.

Key Points

• In the meeting of the Academy Working Committee, President Shivraj Chhangani informed about the decision based on the recommendations of the judges of various awards.
• Various awards & honours and selected persons-
  • Suryamall Meesan Shikhar Puraskar (Poetry) (Rs. 71,000) - Bikaner's senior litterateur Madhu Acharya Ashavadi for his book 'Peed Aadi Pal Baadh'.
  • Ganeshilal Vyas Ustad Poetry Award (51 thousand rupees) - Om Naagar, resident of Baran, for his book 'Bapu: Ek Kavi Ki Chitar'.
  • Shivchand Bhartia Prose Award (51 thousand rupees) - Kamal Ranga of Bikaner for the book 'Alochana Rai Aabhai Solah Kalawaan'.
  • Muralidhar Vyas Rajasthani Katha Sahitya Puraskar (Rs 51,000) – Alwar District Collector and famous writer of Rajasthani and Hindi Dr. Jitendra Kumar Soni for his book 'Bharkhma'.
  • Bavji Chatar Singh Translation Award (Rs 31,000) - Rajuram Bijaaraniyan of Lunkaransar for his book 'Jhokdi Khawto Bagat'.
  • Saanwar Daiya Paili Pothi Award (31 thousand rupees) - Mohan Puri of Bhilwara for his book 'Achpali Baatan'
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Rajasthani Children's Literature Award (31 thousand rupees) - Kiran Badal of Raisinghnagar for her book 'Taabaraan Ri Duniyaan'.
  • Premji Prem Rajasthani Youth Writing Award (Rs 31,000) – Devilal Mahiya of Lunkaransar for his book 'Antas Ro Olmo'.
  • Rajasthani Women's Writing Award (Rs 31,000) - Dr. Krishna Acharya of Bikaner for his book 'Naahar Sirkhi Naariyaan'.
  • Rawat Saraswat Rajasthani Literary Journalism Award (Rs 31,000) - will be given to 'Rajasthali' magazine Shridungargarh.
• Secretary Sharad Kewalia told that Yogesh Vyas, a student of Government Dungar College, Bikaner, who got the first position under the Bhatmal Joshi College Award, received Rs 11,000 for his story 'Gari Needa' and Abhimanyu Singh Inda, a student of Jaynarayan Vyas University and a resident of Falna, who got the second position, will be given a prize of Rs. 7,100 for his satire 'Thanro-Mharo Bhavishya'.
• Arman Nadeem, a student of Government Sardul Higher Secondary School, Bikaner, who got the first position under the Manuj Depawat Award, received Rs 7,100 for his short story 'Khokho ni Hatsi'; and a student of Ekkis Academy for Excellence Gopaalyan & a resident of Mahajan, Kalpana Ranga, who got the second position, will be given a prize of Rs 5,100 for her story 'Kanwalai Man Ri Dungi Peed'.
• They will be Awarded-
  • Rajasthani Language Award (51 thousand rupees) - Senior litterateur Dr. Chandraprakash Deval (Ajmer)
  • Rajasthani Sahitya Samman (51 thousand rupees) - Senior writer Dr. Arjun Dev Charan (Jodhpur)
  • Rajasthani Culture Award (51 thousand rupees) - Brajratan Joshi (Bikaner)
  • Rajasthani Pravasi Literary Award (51 thousand rupees) - Rambakhsh (Mumbai)
• Academy’s Aagivan Samman of Rs 31,000 each will be given to 14 senior litterateurs of the state. These include Nandkishore Sharma (Jaisalmer), Meharchand Dhamu (Parlika, Hanumangarh), Chandkaur Joshi (Jodhpur), Deendayal Ojha (Jaisalmer), Sohandan Charan (Jodhpur), Bhogilal Patidar (Dungarpur), Bhanwarlal Bhramar (Bikaner), Gaurishankar Bhavuk (Talchhapar, Sujangarh), Purushottam Pallav (Udaipur), Shyam Jangid (Chidawa, Jhunjhunu), Gopal Vyas (Bikaner), Mukat Maniraj (Kota), Bishan Matwala (Bikaner), Upendra Anu (Rishabhdev, Udaipur).