Current Affairs July 2020 - Regional

1 - Maharashtra launched Project Platina

The Maharashtra government has launched "Project Platina". It is considered to be the world’s largest plasma therapy trial for treatment of coronavirus patients with severe symptoms. The project aims to boost the chances of survival of serious COVID-19 patients by providing free plasma therapy at 21 government-run centres in Maharashtra.

Convalescent plasma therapy involves injecting a COVID-19 patient with the convalescent sera of recovered patients. Antibodies in the blood of recovered patients can help fight the virus.

2 - MP Government launched Kill Corona campaign

The Madhya Pradesh state government has launched Kill Corona campaign from July 1, to control the spread of coronavirus in the state. Under the campaign, a door-to-door survey will be conducted and tests would also be done on citizens for other diseases.

During the 15-day 'Kill Corona' campaign in MP, 2.5 lakh tests were carried out and 15,000 to 20,000 samples collected daily. The government used SARTHAK app developed by the state to document the survey.

3 - Government declared entire Nagaland ‘disturbed area’ for six more months

The Union Government has declared the whole of Nagaland as a "disturbed" area under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for a further period of six months till December-end. Nagaland has been under the coverage of the AFSPA for almost six decades.

The AFSPA gives the military sweeping powers to search and arrest, and to open fire if they deem it necessary for "the maintenance of public order", and to do so with a degree of immunity from prosecution.

4 - Government of Maharashtra signed MoU with UKIBC

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and the UK India Business Council signed a MoU to proactively better its business environment and strengthen its collaboration with British business. The MoU establishes a broad-based understanding between the MIDC and UKIBC on the areas of collaboration and mutual interest.

Maharashtra is regarded as the top destination for improved business environment in India and, relatedly, the most common state that UK companies are looking to expand in. 30% of UK companies running operations in India are based in Maharashtra.

5 - Odisha state government launched ‘Balaram Yojana’

Odisha state government launched 'Balaram Yojana' to provide crop loans to landless farmers.

Features are explained below:

Landless cultivators will get credit facility on 'social collateral' model through joint liability groups (JLGs).
Government has set a target to provide farm loans of Rs 1,040 crore to 7 lakh landless farmers in the next two years.
It is sub scheme of Odisha's Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme.
The scheme designed in collaboration with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, is implemented by Agricultural Technology Management Agency.

6 - Karnataka government launched “Nekara Samman Yojane”

Karnataka government launched a relief scheme “Nekara Samman Yojane” for weavers of silk, cotton, wool and other handloom weavers. Funds of Rs. 10.96 crore has been allocated under this scheme to benefit 19,744 handloom weavers through Direct Benefit Transfer. Beneficiaries will receive financial aid of Rs 2,000 each.

Under Nekara Samman Yojane, workers employed in the powerloom sector would also get a one-time payment of Rs. 2,000 each. Karnataka has a significant presence of powerlooms with 1,20,000 looms engaged in weaving of silk and cotton. Power looms are mainly concentrated in Belagavi, Bagalkote, Tumkur, Bangalore Urban and Rural Districts.

7 - Madhya Pradesh tourism board launched “Intzaar Aap Ka” campaign

Madhya Pradesh Tourism board launched a tourist campaign "Intzaar Aap Ka" on social media platforms to attract tourists. It means ‘waiting for you campaign’. Madhya Pradesh Tourism board is inviting tourists for safe outing during the monsoon season at various religious, natural and archaeological tourist places of the state.

Different tour packages have been prepared which include safe travel, stay and excursions, keeping in mind all the safety standards in the prevention of Corona infection.

8 - State Finance Commission of Odisha recommended Rs. 23,848 crore for PRIs and ULBs

State Finance Commission of Odisha recommended Rs. 23,848 crore for state's civic bodies. As per the recommendation of the fifth State Finance Commission, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Odisha will receive funds for over a period of six years.

The funds may also be spent on maintenance of health sub-centres, Anganwadi centres, livestock centres, roads, culverts, creation of water bodies in urban areas etc. Under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary AsitTripathy, the decision was taken into account.

9 - Tamil Nadu topped market borrowings among States

According to data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Tamil Nadu raised ₹30,500 crores in the fiscal 2020-21 and topped market borrowings among States in the country. Tamil Nadu raised ₹1,250 crores at the low-interest rate of 6.63% for the 35-year bonds and ₹1,250 crores at the rate of 4.54% for the three-year bonds in the auction conducted by RBI.

Other states include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, in the top four list. Tamil Nadu accounted for 17% of the borrowings through the issue of bonds (known as state development loans). Maharashtra accounted for 14% (₹25,500 crores).

10 - IIT Alumni Council & CSIR-IGIB partnered for joint research

The IIT Alumni Council signed an agreement with the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) to jointly conduct research on COVID-19 and patient data analysis. The council is setting up the world's largest molecular diagnostic lab 'Mega Lab Mumbai'.

In order to expand research, the council handed over imaging data of over 8,500 patients, who were admitted at the COVID Care Facility at Worli’s National Sports Club of India. The IIT Alumni Council is the largest body of alumni, students and faculty from all the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology.

11 - IIT-H & NVIDIA ties-up to establish joint AI research centre

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) united with a multinational technology company, NVIDIA to establish India’s 1^st ‘NVIDIA AI Technology Centre’ (NVAITC). NVAITC with the help of 220 faculty at IITH, aims to focus on improving AI research in the aspects of agriculture, smart cities and language understanding, support safe transportation systems, traffic management etc.

Nvidia Corporation, is an American multinational technology company that designs graphics processing units for the gaming and professional markets.

12 - Cabinet of state approved Uttar Pradesh ‘Startup Policy 2020’

The state cabinet approved Uttar Pradesh Startup Policy 2020 to nurture fresh business ideas. Policy will be applicable for 5 years.

Highlights of Uttar Pradesh Startup Policy 2020 are as follows:

To establish at least one incubator in each district and 100 incubators across the state.
To create an ecosystem for establishment of 10,000 staround artups etc.
Policy will generate 1,50,000 employment and self-employment opportunities, including 50,000 direct jobs.
It will help in the corporatisation of more than 10,000 startups.
For setting up of state-of-art centres of excellence, apart from instituting the country’s largest incubation hub in Lucknow.

13 - Chhattisgarh organised India's first e-Lok Adalat

Chhattisgarh organised the first e-Lok Adalat of the country amid restricted judicial functioning owing to Covid-19 outbreak. The virtual hearings were conducted through video conferencing. About 195 benches were constituted at different places of the state.

The High Court and Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority decided to organise e-Lok Adalat for resolving the pending cases. The session was inaugurated by the Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court, Justice P R Ramachandra Menon.

14 - Andhra Pradesh started online registration of crops

Officials of the Revenue and Agriculture Departments in Andhra pradesh started to register crops online (e-Crop) in the State. The village revenue officers (VROs) and the village agriculture assistants (VAAs) will enumerate the crops at village level.

The data will be utilised by the governmeent for preparing action plans, supplying seeds, fertilizers and pesticides and in procuring the yield. Welfare schemes of the government like interest-free loans, Rythu Bharosa, crop insurance and Minimum Support Price (MSP) will also be based on e-crop data.

15 - Hyderabad airport gets India's first complete contactless parking using FASTags

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) became the first and only airport in India to provide completely contactless car parking amid COVID-19. The NETC (National Electronic Toll Collection) FASTag Car Parking facility was introduced by GHIAL in collaboration with NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India).

The facility was implemented by traffic and transport technology solutions provider Comvision. Comvision is one of the few NPCI-certified companies for issuer as well as acquirer services of FASTag in India.

16 - Andhra Pradesh unveiled Renewable Energy Export Policy

The government of Andhra Pradesh has notified the Andhra Pradesh Renewable Energy Export Policy, 2020. The policy will be applicable to solar, wind and wind-soalr hybrid projects up to 120 Giga Watts (GW) and will be in force for the five years.

The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd, (NREDCAP) shall be the nodal agency for implementing the policy. The projects will be exempted from obtaining any NOC/Consent for establishment from AP Pollution Control Board.

17 - Zoram Mega Food Park inaugurated in Mizoram

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the Zoram Mega Food Park Ltd. at Kolasib in Mizoram through virtual conference. The Food Park built at a cost of Rs. 75 crore and spread over 55 Acres of land will directly benefit over 25,000 farmers and will provide employment opportunities to over 5,000 people in the region.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has initiated 88 projects for the entire North-Eastern Region including 7 in Mizoram with an outlay of Rs. 1,000 crore. It will directly benefit 3 lakh farmers and will provide job opportunities to 50,000 youth from the region.

18 - Delhi Cabinet approved “Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana”

The Delhi State Government has approved the "Mukhyamantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana" aimed for doorstep delivery of ration that will be synced with the Centre's 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme.

Under the scheme, beneficiaries would be delivered ration in packets and would get aata instead of wheat. It is expected to bring relief to the poor, who are struggling to meet their daily needs due to covid-19 pandemic.

19 - UP Government launched “Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana” for Scheduled Castes

The Uttar Pradesh Government launched “Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana” for the Scheduled Castes (SC). It is an all-round development scheme to provide financial assistant to support people to become self-dependent.

The scheme targets to benefit around 7.5 lakh families in 2020-2021. The government has transferred financial assistance to around 1,77,491 beneficiaries. The government also transferred Rs. 17.42 crore, as subsidy to around 3,484 people under the "Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Swarojgar Yojana".

20 - Punjab signed MoUs with IIT Ropar for skill development

The Punjab state government has signed MoUs with IIT Ropar in the area of skill development. The MoUs provide for IIT’s Technical Education Department to become academic mentor for the state’s engineering colleges at Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, as well as for Sri Guru Gobind Singh Skill Institute at Shri Chamkaur Sahib, five government polytechnics and 10 government ITIs.

The institute will also help the state in developing a model ITI and a model polytechnic. Indian Institute of Management, Amritsar also extended support to the state government in promoting skill development.

21 - Tamil Nadu Government inked 8 MoUs of Rs 10,399 crores

Tamil Nadu government signed eight new MoUs worth Rs. 10,399 crore, to bring in an investment worth over Rs. 10 crore into the state. A Special Investment Promotion Task Force will be set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, to speed up various clearances.

These projects will be implemented in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipettai, Coimbatore, Viluppuram and Erode Districts for manufacture of solar cells and modules, establish an industrial park project, cashew nut processing project, manufacturing air compressors etc.