1. Webinar dwells on NEP 2020

Key points:

1. The Panjab University Alumni Association in collaboration with Swayam Cell of the varsity organised a webinar on “National Education Policy 2020: Joining the dots”. Dr Vishal Sharma, coordinator, Swayam Cell, welcomed speakers and moderated the event. Vinita Arora, Dr Rajiv Khosla and Sanjiv Gupta were the keynote speakers of the event. Vinita, Senior Principal, Bhavan Vidhyala, explained the change from 10+2 to 5+3+3+4 system of the NEP 2020 in school education and its benefits. Khosla, Associate Professor, DAV Institute of Management, discussed countries like England, Canada and Singapore where students wanted to go for higher education. Gupta, Chief GM (Manufacturing), SML Isuzu Ltd, discussed the industry academia aspect of the policy.

(Tribune India, 25 October 2020) News Link

• NEP for maximum benefit of students: Guv

Key points:

1. Governor Anandiben Patel has said that the building structures of the new university should be built high rise. Special efforts should be made by marking the universities of the State for a place in the list of top universities of the country. Stress should be laid on making arrangements for the new projects and innovation with P.P.P.T. Model and CSR fund.
2. Patel was holding discussions with officials and vice-chancellors of Government universities of Indore and Bhopal on various topics related to quality of higher education and development of the universities of the State at Raj Bhavan today. Principal Secretary Higher Education Anupam Rajan and Principal Secretary Raj Bhavan D.P. Ahuja was present in the meeting.
3. Patel said that the universities of the State should make efforts to get a place in the list of top universities of the country. In this work, the universities should not depend on the administration for essential financial resources. Along with utilisation of funds available in the university, financial support should be garnered from industrial establishments under the P.P.P.T. Model and Corporate Responsibility Fund. She said that it is necessary to make efforts with innovative thinking for P.P.P.T. model. (Daily Pioneer, 25 October 2020) News Link

1. दिल्ली : पैसिफिक मॉल में बना अयोध्या राम मंदिर का मॉडल, देखने के लिए लोगों की लगी भारी भीड़

Key points:

1. दिल्ली के सुभाष नगर में पैसिफिक मॉल में अयोध्या राम मंदिर की 25 फुट ऊंची प्रतिकृति स्थापित की गई। राम मंदिर के इस मॉडल को देखने के लिए लोगों में काफी उत्साह नजर आ रहा है। मंदिर के साथ सेल्फी लेने के लिए लोगों में होड़ सी मची हुई है। पेसिफिक मॉल प्रशासन ने इस बार नवरात्रि और दशहरा पर्व के दौरान श्री राम जन्मभूमि मंदिर का शानदार मॉडल तैयार किया है।
2. पैसिफिक मॉल के प्रबंधन का कहना है कि दिवाली से पहले और विजयादशमी को ख्याल में रखकर राम मंदिर की प्रतिकृति बनाई गया है। जिस तरह से कोरोना वायरस की वजह से माहौल में नकारात्मकता फैली है उसे दूर करने के लिए इससे बेहतर आइडिया और क्या हो सकता था। प्रबंधन का यह भी कहना है कि अक्टूबर और नवंबर के महीने में त्यौहारों की वजह से ग्राहकों की आवक ज्यादा रहती है, इसके साथ ही इन दो महीनों में लोग भक्ति भाव में डूबे रहते हैं।

(Live Hindustan, 25 October 2020) News Link

1. Mumbai: Locals fear construction work is muddying 1,000-year-old Banganga

Key points:

1. All is not well at Banganga, the ancient talao or freshwater tank that rests at the southwest corner of Malabar Hill and survived for centuries as a living heritage precinct in the city where pilgrims have found their way since the 12th century Shilahara period.
2. Regarded as sacred, the tank also owes its origin to the legend that a thirsty Lord Rama on his way to Lanka had shot a ‘ban’ or an arrow into the ground that caused this fresh water spring to burst forth from the Bhagwati River, an offshoot of the Ganga believed to be running underground. Over the years, around 118 temples dedicated to various gods have come up around this only stepwell in the city whose natural aquifers continue to spout potable water.
3. That ancient structures are susceptible to stress from development is no surprise but the 1000-year-old structure is facing a “first of its kind” threat, warn locals and members of the Goud Saraswat Brahman (GSB) Temple Trust that owns and manages the Banganga complex after the clear waters of the tank turned murky brown last month, which they believe is a result of heavy piling work for a new multi-storeyed residential project coming up 100 metres northeast from the historic tank. Rutvik Aurangabadkar, executive administrator of the GSB Temple Trust says, “We saw that the water was getting muddy every time piling work was on. We are worried that the construction activity has hindered the underground route and poses a threat of permanent damage to the natural aquifer that might render the tank redundant.”
4. Although the BMC officials had issued temporary stop-work orders in September following a geotechnical investigation of the site and despite the Trust’s letters to the project developers voicing their concerns over the contamination of the water that has never seen any cause for complaint in the past — construction work resumed a fortnight ago prompting the GSB Trust to reach out to the Maharashtra Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. The 143×57 metre tank was listed as a protected monument by the state archaeological department in 1991 and in 1995 the site was notified as a heritage precinct.
5. “Our team of engineers observed that the construction site, located at a higher ground than the water tank, could be the source of the natural water spring from where water flows into the tank. We wrote to the Geological Survey of India last week requesting technical support to locate the underground water source of Banganga and to confirm whether piling work for building construction is threatening the natural water source of the tank. We’ve been asked to consult the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency, which should help us investigate and take proper remedial measures,” explained Tejas Garge, director of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Maharashtra adding that the source had never been scanned in the past “because a problem like this had never been encountered.”
   (Times of India, 25 October 2020) News Link

• POJK

1. Pakistan is at war with itself: PoK activist

Key points:

1. Amid the anti-government movement in the country, a political activist from Mirpur in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) has slammed the Imran Khan government over the state of affairs in the country, saying it is “at war with itself.” Activist Amjad Ayub Mirza wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday that “3 days ago, IG Sindh was abducted. Last night Ali Imran was abducted. Today, MNA Mohsin Dawar has been abducted. The Pakistani state is at war with itself.”
2. Mirza’s statement comes after Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Mohsin Dawar was barred from leaving the airport as soon as he arrived in Quetta on Saturday in a bid to prevent him from participating in the third rally of the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Quetta on Sunday. In a Twitter post, Mohsin said that he will not be intimidated and will not keep mum.
3. Apart from Mohsin Dawar detention, the PoK activist Amjad Mirza also called out the abduction of journalist Ali Imran Syed, who is credited with obtaining footage arrest of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) the leader Captain (retd) Safdar Awan on October 19. Safdar Awan, who is the husband of PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, was arrested from his hotel room after a PMD rally. Thereafter, the IGP Sindh, Mushtaq Mehr, was ‘kidnapped’ by Rangers who forced him to file an FIR for Safdar’s arrest.
4. The development caused extreme bitterness among the police officers who retaliated by submitting leave of absence.
5. Almost the entire top brass of the police, including three Additional IGs, 25 DIGs, 30 SSPs and dozens of SPs, DSPs and SHOs across Sindh, tendered leave applications, as a protest against the “resentment and heartache caused to all ranks of the force” by the unfortunate incident of October 18 and 19. (Times of India,25 October 2020) News Link

Major boost to development: DDCs to have direct funding from Centre

Key points:

1. In some significant measures aimed at empowerment of the District Development Committees (DDCs), the third tier of Panchayati Raj Institutions which are being established for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Government reportedly mulled handsome direct funding for the DDCs which will be in addition to the funds to be provided to them by the Union Territory Government for developmental works.
2. Territorial Constituency Fund is also proposed for the elected members of the DDCs, official sources told the Excelsior.
3. They said the Union Home Ministry which had recently amended Jammu and Kashmir’s Panchayati Raj Act to set up the District Development Committees and Councils in Jammu and Kashmir is planning to keep population of the district (in the areas under the DDCs) as criteria for funding of the Committees as all the DDCs will have equal number of 14 elected members.
4. “Population is likely to be the criteria for direct funding of the District Development Committees. This is being done in view of the fact that certain districts like Jammu, Kathua, Baramulla and Kupwara have much higher population than Samba, Reasi, Bandipora and Kulgam districts,” sources said, adding the population-based criteria of Central funding to the Committees will lead to equal distribution of funds.
5. However, as already reported, each DDCs will have 14 Territorial constituencies and an equal number of elected representatives. Therefore, the Territorial segments in small districts like Samba and Bandipora will be based on fewer numbers of votes as compared to districts like Samba and Srinagar.

(daily excelsior, 25 October 2020) News Link

• Govt finalizes ‘One District One Product’ list for Food Processing Enterprises Scheme

Key points:

1. The list of “One District One Product” under the formalization of Food Processing Enterprises Scheme was today finalized here at a meeting chaired by Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production & Farmers’ Welfare Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary.
2. Taking into account the feedback received from various stakeholders, the Principal Secretary finalized the list of “One District One Product” under the Scheme.
3. The approved list incorporated Jammu for Dairy products; Rajouri for Spices; Poonch for Mutton and Poultry processing; Kishtwar for Walnut processing; Doda for Walnut processing; Ramban for Honey processing; Udhampur for Pickles and Jam; Reasi for Organic vegetables; Kathua for Spices, Samba for Mushroom.
4. For Kashmir division, the approved list incorporated Anantnag for Trout Fish;  Pulwama for Saffron; Shopian for Apple; Kulgam for Apple/Spices; Srinagar for Flowers; Budgam for Exotic vegetables; Baramulla for Dairy products; Kupwara for Walnut; Ganderbal for Honey; Bandipora for Processed Poultry/Mutton.

(Greater Kashmir, 25 October 2020) News Link

• Ladakh after removing 370
  • Efforts being made to expend funds provided by Centre for development of Ladakh: LG

Key points:

1. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur on Saturday said all efforts are being made to expend funds allotted by the central government in a judicious and comprehensive manner for equitable development of all parts of the union territory.Mathur, who arrived here on a two-day visit on Friday, said preparations will be made this winter to execute the maximum number of works next season.”Collective efforts will be made by the UT administration and the hill councils to expend the allotted budget to the maximum possible extent despite limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the LG told reporters.
2. Sharing details of the Ladakh Vision Document 2050, Mathur said the document has been brought in public domain to solicit opinions and inputs from people.Meetings with both the hill councils would also be convened to suggest additions and modifications, he said.
3. He added that a UT-level Planning Board comprising experts from different fields has also been constituted and its suggestions would be sought.”Effort will be made to promulgate the Vision 2050 within the next two months with support and opinions from all stakeholders. The emphasis of the Vision 2050 would be on more practical and workable projects,” Mathur said.
4. He said equitable and area-specific development of Kargil and Leh have been accorded top priority.”MODI (Mission Organic Development Initiative) scheme, Ladakh Green House Initiative scheme and other projects and schemes are already under execution,” he said.
5. On the status of the expansion of Kargil Airport, the LG said it is subject to technical parameters and approval of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India.

(Outlook India, 25 October 2020) News Link