Uttarakhand Affairs
Enthused by the good public response the Atal Utkrishta Vidhyalayas (AUV) are evoking, the education department has now decided to open 135 more such schools in the state. In the first phase a total of 189 AUV were opened in different parts of the state.
Informing about the decision of the government, the Education minister Arvind Pandey said that 135 schools in different parts of the state which conform to the norms of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) would be converted to AUV in the second phase.
He claimed that the department had to put a board of no entry in many AUV which was a pleasant surprise. The minister further claimed that the number of students in the government schools of the state increased by 56,172 this year which is a big achievement considering the trend of the last many years where the number of students was decreasing every year. The AUVs are English medium schools having the affiliation of CBSE.
The minister said that there are many examples where people have returned back to their villages after the AUV was opened near their vicinity. The parents want their children to study in a CBSE English medium school and the AUVs with their and other facilities are fitting their requirement. In a way these schools are promoting reverse Migration.
National and International Affairs
Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project Inaugurated In J&K
:In J&K, the “Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project” was inaugurated by the Union Power Minister.
Highlights:
Pakal Dul HE Project (1,000 MW) is being built by Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Limited (CVPPPL) and Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation in Kishtwar, J&K.
Union Power Minister R K Singh virtually inaugurated the diversion of the Marusudar River of Pakal Dul HE Project in Kishtwar, J&K.
The Chenab River is fed by the Marusudar River, which is a major tributary.
“Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project”
The Pakal Dul HE Project has a capacity of 1000 MW. Chenab Valley Power Projects [P] Ltd is constructing it.
JKSPDC (Govt of J&K) and NHPC Ltd have formed a joint venture business (Govt of India Enterprise).
The mentorship programme was launched for Young Innovators for marking 75th Year of Indias independence.
This mentorship programme will help in promoting scientific temper among masses, by strengthening scientific research & innovation efforts in India.
The programme is a pan India Scheme, which envisages Star College in every district supported by Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
This programme will help towards the concept of networking, outreach and hand holding. It seeks to organize workshops, handhold at colleges particularly in rural areas, meetings per month and conduct outreach activities in government schools. These activities will enable new colleges that have started their journey under the scheme to come up in line with the mandate of Star college scheme.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020 Awarded To Priyanka Mohite
The Prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure award 2020 was awarded to Priyanka Mohite, a 28-year-old climber from Maharashtra.
Highlights:
Priyanka Mohite, a 28-year-old climber from Maharashtra, has been nominated for the prestigious ‘Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020’ by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
She was chosen for her excellent contribution to the field of land adventure.
She climbed Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, and Mt. Makalu, the world’s highest peaks.
She is the first Indian woman to summit Mt Annapurna, the world’s tenth highest Himalayan peak.
First Chinese Woman To Walk In Space
Wang Yaping, a Chinese astronaut, has become the first Chinese woman to walk in space.
Highlights:
Wang Yaping’s team performed a six-hour trip outside Tiangong space station as part of ongoing construction.
On November 7, 2021, Wang and her colleague Zhai Zhigang left Tiangong. They added a suspension system as well as transfer connectors.
This was the Shenzhou-13 crew’s first extravehicular activity. They will stay on board the space station for six months.
Tiangong, which translates to “heavenly palace,” is China’s most recent success in its quest to become a significant space force.
China has sent multiple missions to the Moon and has landed a rover on Mars. The Tiangong’s core module was launched into orbit in 2021.
By 2022, this station should be operating. Tiangong is projected to be operational for around 10 years.
A report by the World Food Programme (WFP) has revealed that acute hunger has increased across the world. As a result, 45 million people are living on the edge of famine across 43 countries.
In its earlier report in 2021, WFP had estimated this number at 42 million. But, recent assessment of reveals that another three million people facing famine in Afghanistan.
As per report, fuel prices & food prices are increasing and fertiliser is more expensive. All these factors feed into the new crises of starvation like unfolding in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.
Report highlights that, to curb this situation worldwide, seven billion dollars will be needed, which earlier was estimated as 6.6 billion.
5 million Syrians are witnessing an acute hunger, as per report.
In countries like Haiti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Angola and Burundi, acute hunger has been increasing.