Day: May 28, 2020

5 Steps to Become a Dental Assistant

Dental assistants play an important role in every dental practice, working closely with dental hygienists and dentists to treat patients.

Dental assistants play an important role in every dental practice, working closely with dental hygienists and dentists to treat patients. For many, a career in dental assisting serves as a stepping stone to more highly-skilled and higher-paying jobs, such as a dental hygienist.

If you’re looking for a fast-growing career in healthcare with ample opportunities for advancement, dental assisting could be the right path for you.

What does a dental assistant do?

While the day-to-day responsibilities for dental assistants can vary by state and practice, they are generally responsible for the following:

  • Sterilize dental instruments and equipment
  • Prepare patients for treatments/procedures
  • Educate patients on proper oral hygiene and oral care following dental procedures
  • Assist dentists during procedures
  • Take and develop x-rays
  • Complete lab tasks (i.e. taking impressions of a patient’s teeth)
  • Perform office management tasks (i.e. billing and payment)

The working environment for dental assistants can include a dentist’s office, nursing home, school and health departments and more.

How much does a dental assistant make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for dental assistants in May 2018 was $38,660, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $54,800.

Minnesota has the highest annual mean wage for dental assistants in the country, due in part to the critical dental assistant shortage in the state. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, state-wide employment for dental assistants is expected to grow by 8 percent through 2028, adding nearly 7,000 new jobs.

Nationally, employment for dental assistants is expected to grow 11 percent from 2018 to 2028 – faster than the average for all occupations. Due to high demand and the possibility for career advancement, dental assistants ranked among the Best Health Care Support Jobs in America for 2019 by U.S. News & World Report.

5 steps to become a dental assistant

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a dental assistant, follow these five steps:

1. Build the necessary skillset

Just like any occupation, dental assistants require a certain set of skills to excel in the field. One of those important qualities is interpersonal skills. As a dental assistant, you’ll be working closely not only with dentists, but also with patients who might be in pain and need help navigating the treatment process. Other necessary skills for a career as a dental assistant include good dexterity, organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail. It also helps to have an interest in oral health and helping others.

2. Select the right program for you

There are several paths available to become a dental assistant, and it’s all about what works best for your lifestyle and career goals. With Herzing University-Minneapolis, you can earn dental assisting credentials and work your way toward a dental hygiene career at the same time. Through our unique Dental Pathway, you can start your dental assisting career in as few as 24 months, while you continue to study for your dental hygiene degree. 

3. Get hands-on training

Internships are a great way to preview a career as a dental assistant while earning your degree. As an intern, you can gain hands-on experience with all aspects of the job, ranging from office-related skills to clinical practices and radiography. At Herzing, your dental assisting coursework also includes a laboratory component, allowing you to practice clinical tasks, such as teeth cleaning and polishing techniques.

4. Earn state certifications and licenses

Licensing and certification requirements to become a dental assistant vary by state. In Minnesota, for example, you must:

  • Obtain and maintain a CPR certification
  • Pass the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam
  • Complete a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) dental assisting program
  • Pass the Minnesota Dental Assistant State Licensure exam
  • Pass the Minnesota Jurisprudence exam
  • Apply to the Minnesota Board of Dentistry for licensure

5. Work toward an advanced degree

Open the door for career growth and increase your earning potential by pursuing an advanced degree. With a bachelor’s degree, dental assistants can become dental hygienists. Demand for dental hygienists is also strong, with employment expected to grow 11 percent from 2018 to 2028. Hygienists typically earn a higher salary than dental assistants, making an average of $74,820 per year.

At Herzing University’s Minneapolis campus, students can choose from several CODA-accredited programs to help reach their career goals of becoming a dental assistant or a dental hygienist. The campus also offers a low-cost Dental Clinic, allowing dental hygiene students to receive hands-on training while providing basic dental services to patients in need.

Criteria for Evaluating Web Tools and Apps

I’m often getting asked what my criteria are for choosing the tools, apps and resources that I feature on my blogs and in my teaching and do be honest I don’t really think about it that much. I look at so many sites and apps that I just get a feeling when I see something that I think will work.

As that isn’t a very satisfactory answer to give people I decided to start exploring my own criteria for what influences my choice. I ran a workshop on this topic at IATEFL 2013 on looking at apps and how we can evaluate them.


I came up with a number of ‘first impression’ criteria that I think I apply before even thinking about ‘how’ I will use the app / tool.

Here is the presentation / workshop recording



You can download a copy of the presentation from here: Evaluating Web-based Tools

Please feel free to browse the list and add any ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ for anything you think I’ve missed.


powered by tricider



I hope you find these criteria useful as a starting point for your own reflections on why you choose to use certain apps and not others.

Related links

Content Writing Internship

About Eduindex News (https://eduindexnews.com/)

Eduindex News – is an Educational News publisher and news portal for benefits of scholars and students.
Eduindex News is a news media platform dedicated to showcasing stories of a new generation through online news, print news, videos & live events. We document the struggles, triumphs, trends, issues & experiences that define the Indian millennial today. We focus on the education and start up business to promote among the youth of the nation.
https://eduindexnews.com/

Intern’s responsibilities

Selected intern’s day-to-day responsibilities include:

  1. Daily write at least one article on provide topic or topic of your choice which should fits in https://eduindexnews.com/news-categories/
    2.Research and write original content
    3.Post directly on Eduindex News Portal. (Good articles will be approved and based on number of approved articles, stipend amount will vary.

Stipend & perks

Certificate, Letter of recommendation, Flexible work hours, 5 days a week.

# of jobs/internships available: 10
Skill(s) required

WordPress, Creative Writing and Report Writing

Who can apply

Only those candidates can apply who:

  1. are available for the work from home job/internship
  2. can start the work from home job/internship between 28th May’20 and 2nd Jul’20
  3. are available for duration of 1 month
  4. have relevant skills and interests

** Women willing to start/restart their career can also apply.

FLLinNZer visit 24 March 2006

It was great to have a 3005/2006 Flexible Learning Leader in New Zealand visit on 24 March. Cathy Gunn from Auckland university spent an afternoon with several of us from Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin College of Education and the University of Otago. We gathered at HEDC at University of Otago.

We were a small group of seven, gathered to share our enthusiasm about flexible learning. Cathy facilitated the session really well, making sure she found out what we wanted to share with the group right from the start.

My interest was in how people found working on collaborative projects, and I made the point that there were two groups of people when the ECDF funding was announced by TEC. Those who were already working together collaboratively e.g. Jenny, Dawn and I at UoE, DCE and OP, and those who scurried together into consortia so they could get the funding.

My question was why everyone was reinventing the wheel instead of working together, for example on flexible learning and eLearning strategies.

The afternoon included a mix of show and tell – essay writing information literacy module, Cathy\’s online assessment module, Leigh\’s open networking sites. There was lots of discussion and the time flew by very quickly. we had a good talk about the pros and cons of SCORM, and Jenny explained about the pitfalls they had discovered on the information literacy project. SCORM actually inhibits reusability features by imposing stringent standards. I should have recorded what she said because its feeling vague right now.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Types of Internships for Communications Majors

With their ability to communicate effectively in almost any situation, communications majors are some of the most sought after candidates in all sorts of professional fields. With so many opportunities available, you might be wondering how to find a job that’s a good fit for you. The best way to do that is through an internship where you can get exposure to a specific field or position.

Here are some of the best internships for communications majors:

Marketing intern

As a marketing intern, you’ll assist the marketing team with projects and find out how marketers help brands connect with their audience. During your internship, you’ll be taking on a number of tasks such as collaborating on blog post ideas, developing social media strategy and writing email copy. As a result, you’ll be gaining lots of hands-on experience and also getting exposed to all of the different elements involved in crafting a successful marketing campaign.

Editorial intern

From sharpening your SEO skills to shadowing an editorial meeting, an editorial internship can be a great and enriching experience. Depending on the type of company you intern with, you could be writing blog or news articles, learning how to research and fact-check news stories, or learning the ins and outs of copy editing and AP style.

Public relations intern

As a public relations intern, you’ll assist the PR team with campaign strategy, pitches and handling client relationships. You’ll also likely get to attend publicity events including sporting events and product launches. Best of all, you’ll learn the basics of writing a press release and assisting in the development of a full-scale PR campaign.

Content marketing intern

Content marketing internships give you direct exposure to drafting content for the company website, as well as copy for ads and blog posts. In addition, you’re likely to also get hands-on experience with other things such as managing social media accounts. Best of all, you’ll get to sit in meetings where ideas for new content are developed.

Social media intern

As a social media intern, you’ll engage your company’s followers, commenters and readers, while also attempting to grow the community. From coming up with funny memes to post on Instagram to crafting a great Snapchat story, a social media internship is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about engagement and about how to use social media as a powerful tool for business.

Copywriting Intern

As a copywriting intern, you’ll be trained in researching, drafting and editing copy for all types of content including blog posts, news articles and email campaigns. You’ll also learn how to match your writing style to a specific brand and fine-tune your copywriting skills. This internship is a great opportunity to get a feel for what’s required to thrive as a full-time copywriter.

Broadcast intern

A broadcast internship is a wonderful opportunity to learn the ins and out of working for a TV or radio station. From shadowing staff to fact-checking, researching and assisting with different aspects of production, you’ll be getting exposure to the whole world of broadcasting. Best of all, internship experience in broadcasting is essential and valued when it comes to applying for full-time jobs in the field after graduation.

In addition to the critical skills communications majors develop during college, they also benefit from the more specialized hands-on experience that can only result from an internship. By taking on one or more internships during your time in college, you’ll be able to learn more about your options and find a career path that’s right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Communications Major and is it Right for Me? 

If you are looking for internship in above categories then Eduindex News will welcome you. Write mail to career@eduindex.org or visit job opening page at https://eduindexnews.com/tag/work-with-eduindex-news/

What is a Communications Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you enjoy talking to people and figuring out what makes them tick? Are you an outgoing person who is comfortable connecting with diverse groups of people and getting your message across effectively? If you answered yes to these questions, then being a communications major might just be for you.

The modern age and future in journalism and mass communication is about use of communication and information technology. With the digital onslaught suddenly the power has landed in the hands of a media person. The overall perception of a media person in a khadi kurta, black rimmed thick glasses and a loose bag with a pen has blown. Now emerges a person who is young, savvy, smart and up to date and has an access to a load of gadgets that will give an IT person a run for its money. 

What is a communications major?

A communications major is a major designed to teach you about effective communication and how to apply it to fields like media, law and business. Coursework for this major is very similar to coursework for related majors such as public relations, advertising and journalism. As a communications major, you’ll be taking a broad range of classes including marketing, sociology and business as well as more traditional communications classes like media studies and journalism.

Is it right for me?

Majoring in communications means having a broad understanding of how this field impacts others such as business and media. Here are some key questions to ask yourself before embarking on this major:

Do I feel confident in my writing and communication skills?
Do I like studying a broad range of subjects including sociology, psychology and media studies?
Am I able to handle and incorporate criticism and feedback from my professors and peers?
Am I good at multitasking and working on multiple projects and subjects at once?
Will I dedicate myself to getting internships and jobs through college that will further my level of experience?

What can I do with a communications major?

Since communications is a broad major with significant overlap to other majors, there are plenty of available career options. Some of the most common ones include:

  • public relations
  • journalism
  • law
  • marketing
  • copywriting
  • … and more

What do communications majors earn?

Salaries for communications majors are as varied as the career paths they take after graduation. While public relations specialists can expect to earn starting salaries between ₹40,000-₹45,000, entry-level salaries for attorneys start at ₹55,000-₹60,000 and quickly go up from there.

Digital Media Marketing Internship

EDUindex News invites job application for the post of Associate- Digital media for the year 2020. As a part of the Eduindex News Communications team, your involvement will focus on digital media planning, strategy, management, monitoring and optimisation.

Other support activities will include internal communication with relevant team members for Newsletters, Community Engagement Programmes, events at IIHS, and representing the institution for different forms of outreach.

Eligibility
  • A graduate degree with a major in Communication or English, Social Sciences or Management or an equivalent Post Graduate degree with graduate degree pursuing students will also be considered;
  • Excellent command over English, and proficiency at writing for digital media;
  • The ability to write with precision and attention to detail. Knowledge of the local language will be an added advantage;
  • Experience working with digital platforms for content management, social media management, analytics and serving online ads. The list includes but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Hootsuite, Google Analytics, Search Console, WordPress and Google Ads;
  • An understanding of the basic analytics of each digital marketing platform to create meaningful reports for stakeholders;
  • The ability to establish Key Performance Indicators and track them through commonly used tools;
  • The ability to learn and adapt in the ever-evolving world of digital media is a must for this role.
Responsibilities
  • Planning and strategising for social media
  • Managing paid online promotions – such as, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Search, Google Display, Content platforms like Taboola and affiliate websites and groups;
  • Deriving budget from stakeholders and ensuring alignment to campaign goals;
  • Liaising with different teams to obtain content as per the campaign requirements in a timely manner;
  • Creating analytics reports
  • Supporting activities for website optimization;
  • Travelling to other locations for live social media activity to support institutional events as and when required;
  • Providing digital media training
How to apply?

If you are interested to explore this opportunity with us, please fill the online application form by clicking here. (You can also click on the “Apply Now” button at the end of the Job Description displayed on the website).

Contact

Email: career@eduindex.org

Eduindex News, New Delhi, India

Virtual Marketing and Communication Intern

Description

Virtual Marketing and Communication Intern

Job Employer Name: Eduindex News, New Delhi

Category: Marketing

Number Of Openings: 2

Job Description:

This internship is now virtual, and work can be done from a remote location. Preference is given to those with an academic requirement for an internship.

Eligibility:

You must be a college graduate, enrolled in an Undergraduate or Graduate degree program at the time of the internship.

Preferred Majors:

Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, Film/Video, Social Media Studies or Digital Communications Preferred Grade Levels: Undergraduate Junior, Undergraduate Senior and Graduate level but all college levels will be considered.

Duration: Our Internship Program typically runs for a specified 4-to-24-week duration

This is a part-time position, 20 hour per week.

You’ll directly support the mission of the organization, which is to share information, protect the brands reputation, and engage in conversations that inspire people to participate in Eduindex News events.

Your projects may include: Learning how to develop communications and media relations strategies. Being exposed to various facets of communications including social media, public relations, media relations, video, and photography. Developing, writing, editing and proofing press releases, web stories, and event scripts.

Special Skills Required: Strong writing skills with experience writing, formatting, and posting clear content.

You’ll support the effective use of marketing intelligence to better communicate with our supporters, raise more money/revenue, and more. Your projects may include: Creating, monitoring, and curating interesting and effective content for social media platforms.

Developing Marketing Strategies to advance the mission of EDUindex News. Learning the policies and procedures of working with social media in a professional collaborative environment. Creating and designing flyers for advertising. Special Skills Required:

Marketing statistics, data targeting, and experience with HTML or any data programming language is preferred but not required. Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills. Familiarity with Web Analytics and data interpretation preferred.

You’ll serve an integral role conveying the work of Eduindex News to the organizations constituents by assisting in social media management, tracking, and community engagement with multiple social media accounts. Your projects may include: Creating, monitoring, and curating interesting and effective content for social media platforms. Producing digital content to promote and raise awareness of EDUindex News values, content, and activities on social media.

Special Skills Required: Strong writing skills, with experience writing, formatting, and posting clear content. Strong Photography/Videography skills with intermediate to advanced proficiency in Photoshop, iMovie, and Adobe Premiere Pro strongly preferred. What You’ll Learn You will enjoy a collaborative work culture committed to the diversity of our people, programs, and services.

You’re learning and development will include: Leadership Teamwork Relationship Building Organizational Management Volunteer Engagement, Management & Administration Cultivation of Cultural Competence and Inclusion Being involved in projects critical to the day-to-day work of our organization. Access to subject matter experts in the fields of Nonprofit Management, Nonprofit Fundraising, Organizational Management, Communications, Social Media, and much more.

Skills

public relations, press releases, imovie, media relations, social media management, social media, writing, editing, web content, adobe premiere pro, advertising, journalism, communication, adobe photoshop, community engagement.

How to Apply

Send your application to career@eduindex.org

Criteria for Evaluating Web Tools and Apps

I\’m often getting asked what my criteria are for choosing the tools, apps and resources that I feature on my blogs and in my teaching and do be honest I don\’t really think about it that much. I look at so many sites and apps that I just get a feeling when I see something that I think will work.

As that isn\’t a very satisfactory answer to give people I decided to start exploring my own criteria for what influences my choice. I ran a workshop on this topic at IATEFL 2013 on looking at apps and how we can evaluate them.


I came up with a number of \’first impression\’ criteria that I think I apply before even thinking about \’how\’ I will use the app / tool.

Here is the presentation / workshop recording



You can download a copy of the presentation from here: Evaluating Web-based Tools

Please feel free to browse the list and add any \’pros\’ and \’cons\’ for anything you think I\’ve missed.


powered by tricider



I hope you find these criteria useful as a starting point for your own reflections on why you choose to use certain apps and not others.

Related links

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Aatamnirbhar Bharat implies a confident, self-reliant and caring nation

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal today held meeting, through Video conference, with the industry and trade associations. This was the fifth such meeting since the lockdown with the associations, to assess the impact of Covid-19 lockdown and subsequent relaxations on their activities, and take note of their suggestions to put the economy back on tracks.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Som Parkash and Shri H.S.Puri, and Officers of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Among the Associations, the meeting was attended today, by CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, PHDCI, CAIT, FISME, Laghu Udyog Bharati, SIAM, ACMA, IMTMA, SICCI, FAMT, ICC and IEEMA.

Addressing the associations, Shri Goyal said that Futures is ours to choose- it would be better to be ready and start working for the Post-Covid period, with good ideas, firm implementation plans, and to make India a world power. Talking about the Prime Minister’s adage of ‘Jaan Bhi, jahan bhi’, the Minister said that worst for the economy is over. Things are looking up, and revival is in the air. He said that the steps taken by the Government under the Aatmanirbhar campaign will help the Nation fight the economy.

The Minister said that Aatamnirbhar Bharat will not be inward-looking, closed or anti-foreigner. Rather, the concept entails a confident, self-reliant, caring nation which takes care of all the strata of the society and nurtures development of all parts of the country. Shri Piyush Goyal said that in the last three decades post-liberalization, the country progressed but the focus was city-centric. The rural and backward areas remained deprived, forcing millions of people from there to migrate to cities for employment and opportunities. He said that Aatamnirbhar Bharat will inculcate the spirit of oneness among 130 crore citizens of India. It will support Indian companies He said that it is very anguishing to note that even for several routine items like furniture, toys, sports shoes, we are importing. This is despite the fact that the country has technical prowess as well skilled manpower. These things need to change.

Shri Goyal called upon the industry to make efforts in this regard, by thinking about sustainable, out-of-the-box ideas. He said the fight against the Covid-19 can’t be undertaken by the Government alone, it is the nation’s fight and all stakeholders have to play an important positive role. The Minister assured the Associations that their suggestions are duly examined, and due and timely action is taken on the rational, genuine demands.

Locust swarms sweeping across northern India, control operations stepped up

Amidst a wave of locust swarms sweeping across western and northwestern India, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DAC&FW) has stepped up locust control operations in the affected States of Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. As of today, there are active swarms of immature locust in Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Sikar, Jaipur Districts in Rajasthan and Satna, Gwalior, Seedhi, Rajgarh, Baitul, Devas, Agar Malwa district of Madhya Pradesh.

crop field under rainbow and cloudy skies at dayime

At present 200 Locust Circle Offices (LCO) are conducting survey & control operations in close coordination with District Administration and agriculture field machinery of the affected States. Locust control operations are in full swing in coordination with State Agriculture Departments and Local Administration. In Rajasthan 21 districts, in Madhya Pradesh 18 districts, in Punjab one district and in Gujarat 2 districts have undertaken Locust control till now. For effective control of locusts beyond Scheduled Desert Areas, temporary control camps have been established in Ajmer, Chittorgarh and Dausa in Rajasthan; Mandsaur, Ujjain and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.

So far (till 26.05.2020), control operations against Locusts have been done in 47,308 hectare area in total 303 places in Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh by LCOs in coordination with District Administration and State Agriculture Department. 89 fire brigades for pesticide spray; 120 survey vehicles; 47 control vehicles with spray equipments and 810 tractor mounted sprayers have been deployed for effective locust control, as per requirement during different days.

Usually, the locust swarms enter the Scheduled Desert Area of India through Pakistan for summer breeding in the month of June/July with the advent of monsoon. This year, however the incursions of locust hoppers and pink swarms have been reported much earlier because of presence of residual population of Locusts in Pakistan which they couldn’t control last season. Since 11th April 2020, locust hoppers and from 30th April, 2020, the incursion of pink immature adults has been reported in bordering districts of Rajasthan and Punjab, which are being controlled. Pink immature adults fly high and cover long distances during day hours from one place to another along with the westerly winds coming from the Pakistan side. Most of these pink immature adults settle on the trees during night and mostly fly during day.

Concerned over the early attack of locust swarms this year, the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar chaired a meeting with the pesticide manufacturers and all related stakeholders on 6th May, 2020 to review the preparedness for locust control in the affected States. Following directions of the Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar, a video conference was conducted under the chairmanship of Secretary (DAC&FW) Shri Sanjay Agarwal was conducted on 22nd May, 2020 with the District Administration and District Agriculture Officers of locust threatened districts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh along with the representatives of NDMA.  Locust awareness literature, SOPs, approved pesticides and awareness videos were shared with the States in the meeting. Earlier, a video Conference was held on 5th May, 2020 with the Principal Secretary (Agriculture) and DMs of the locust prone districts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab under the chairmanship of Secretary, DAC&FW to review the preparedness and further coordination with the locust States for taking necessary action.

On 11th March, 2020 a High- Level virtual meeting on Desert Locust in South-West Asian countries was held at the office of the FAO representative in India. Representatives of four member countries (Afghanistan, India, Iran and Pakistan) and the Plant Protection Division of FAO, Rome also participated in the meeting. The MoS (Agriculture & FW) Shri Kailash Choudhury and Secretary DAC&FW attended the meeting. It was decided to hold the virtual meetings of technical officers of member countries every Monday via Skype and nine meetings have so far been held. Advisories have been issued to the States of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab regarding the locust attack and necessary measures to be taken for effective control and pesticides that are to be used for effective Locust control in the cropped area.

Currently Locust Control Offices have 21 Micronair and 26 Ulvamast (47 spray equipments) which are being utilized for locust control. On approval of the Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar, supply order for additional 60 sprayers has been placed to M/s. Micron, United Kingdom. e-Tender has been invited for the empanelling agencies to provide services of drones for aerial spraying of insecticides for effective control over tall trees and inaccessible areas. Ministry of Civil Aviation has approved “Conditional exemption to Government entity (DPPQS) for use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System for anti-locust operations” on 21st May, 2020 and in accordance with this order, two firms have been finalized through tender for use of the drones for spray of pesticides for Locust control.

Meanwhile, supply order for procurement of additional 55 vehicles has been placed to strengthen the control potential. Adequate stock of Pesticide is being maintained (53,000 litres Malathion) with Locust Control Organizations. Under Sub-mission on Agriculture Mechanization, assistance for 800 tractors mounted spray equipments has been sanctioned for Rajasthan costing Rs. 2.86 crores. Also, under RKVY sanction for hiring of vehicles, tractors and for purchase of pesticides has been issued for Rajasthan worth Rs. 14 crores. Under RKVY sanction for purchase of vehicles, spray equipments, safety uniform, android application and training has also been issued for Gujarat at a cost of Rs. 1.80 crores.

As per FAO’s Locust Status Update of 21st May, 2020, the current situation remains extremely alarming in East Africa where it is an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods. New swarms will migrate to the summer breeding areas along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border as well as to Sudan and West Africa. As vegetation dries out, more groups and swarms will form and move from these areas to the summer breeding areas along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. Good rains are predicted during the first half of June along the Indo-Pakistan border that would allow egg-laying to occur.

 

During 2019-20, India witnessed a massive locust attack which was successfully controlled. Starting from 21st May, 2019 till 17th February 2020, a total of 4,03,488 ha area was treated and locust was controlled. Along with this, the State Agriculture Department of Rajasthan and Gujarat coordinated Locust control in cropped areas of the State. During 2019-20, Control operations were done in 3,93,933 ha area of  11 districts of Rajasthan; 9,505 ha area in 2 districts of Gujarat and 50 ha area in 1 district of Punjab. Senior Locust Forecasting Officer of FAO who visited India on 16-17 January 2019 also appreciated the efforts of India in Locust control.

Everyday Locust Control Organizations and District Authorities and State Agriculture Department officials with control spray vehicles of LCOs, tractor mounted with sprayers and fire tenders, are undertaking Locust control operations in early morning hours. The immature locust is very active and their mobility makes it difficult to control the swarm at one location and it takes 4 to 5 days of control at different locations to control a particular locust swarm.

Locust is an omnivorous and migratory pest and has the ability to fly hundreds of kilometers collectively. It is a trans-border pest and attacks the crop in large swarm. Found in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, they inhabit some 60 countries and can cover one-fifth of Earth’s land surface. Desert locust plagues may threaten the economic livelihood of one-tenth of the world’s human population. Swarms of locusts in the desert come to India from Africa/ Gulf/ South West Asia during the summer monsoon season and go back towards Iran, Gulf & African countries for spring breeding.

In India more than 2 lakh square kilometers area comes under Scheduled Desert Area. Locust Warning Organization and 10 Locust Circle Offices (LCO) of Government of India are situated in Rajasthan (Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Phalodi, Barmer, Jalore, Churu, Nagaur, Suratgarh) and Gujarat (Palanpur and Bhuj) are responsible for monitoring, survey and control of Desert Locust in Scheduled Desert Area in coordination with State Governments.