Indian Railways through its 21 Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) is organizing mega recruitment drive in three phases starting today for filling up about 1.4 lakh vacancies. According to the Ministry of Railways, more than 2.44 crore candidates will be appearing in different cities across the country. The Ministry said, the first phase of the Exam will commence from 15th to 18th of this month for Isolated and Ministerial categories. This will be followed by NTPC categories from 28th of December to tentatively till March, 2021 and the third phase recruitment for Level-1 from tentatively April  onwards till June, 2021.

RRBs have made extensive preparations for conducting examinations of this large scale in COVID-19 pandemic times following SOPs as laid down by Government ensuring social distancing, compulsory use of masks, sanitizers, curtailing shifts for conducting Exams to only two shifts per day.

The Ministry said, candidates will be checked for temperature at entry using thermo guns and candidates having temperature more than prescribed limits will not be allowed inside the exam venue. Intimation in this regard will also be sent to their registered email and mobile number regarding re-scheduling of such candidates. Candidate will have to produce COVID-19 self-declaration in prescribed format at the entry and in absence of the same he or she will not be allowed into the exam venue. Proper arrangement of crowd management will be made as per COVID-19 protocol from the Main Gate to the Exam Halls. After each shift the exam centre will be sanitized before starting next shift. 

Higher education institutions will open in Uttarakhand today. State government has issued the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in this regard. According to Chief Secretary Om Prakash, the students coming from outside the state will have to get an RT-PCR Covid test done. Only those will be permitted to join the institution who will test negative. Students will also have to submit consent letter from their parents. The SOP further states that nodal officers authorized by the respective institution and district authorities will ensure smooth functioning of the entire procedure.

Both students and staff will have to compulsarily put on masks, maintain 6 feet distance in the classroom. The respective institution will see if required classes could be run in additional shifts to accommodate students as per SOP.

The government has emphasized that preference should be given on conducting online mode of education. The institutes have been asked to ensure that students are provided with E resource for studying. The colleges will continue to run online mode of classes as well. 

Centre has issued guidelines for mass Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country. Health and Family Welfare Ministry is planning to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people during the first phase. Pfizer, Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech have applied for market authorisation for their vaccines. The vaccination drive will start once government approves emergency use of COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine will be offered first to healthcare workers, frontline workers and to persons above 50 years of age. It will be followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities and finally to the remaining population. The priority group of above 50 years may be further subdivided into those above 60 years of age and those between 50 to 60 years of age for purposes of phasing of rollout. All together 20 ministries will be handling the entire process.

The COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) system — a digitalised platform — will be used to track enlisted beneficiaries for the vaccination and anti-coronavirus vaccines on a real-time basis. At the vaccination site, only pre-registered beneficiaries will be vaccinated in accordance with the prioritisation. There will be no provision for on the-spot registrations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat today to lay foundation stones for several development projects in the state. These projects include world’s biggest Renewable Energy Park, being set up close to Indo Pak border, near Khavda village in Kutch district, a desalination plant, a fully automated milk processing of Sarhad dairy and a packing plant.

Gujarat Tourism Minister Vasanbhai Ahir has said that Hybrid Renewable Energy Park will produce 30 Giga watt solar and wind energy on a vast expanse of waste land situated beyond India bridge from Khavda village to Vighakot, where civilian access is not permitted and area is controlled by BSF and Indian Army. He further said that Gujarat government has allotted huge parcel of barren land for this world class, one of its kind, green energy project.

Green energy generating corporates from private and public sector are being given land allotment to establish solar photovoltaic panels and wind mills. Power Grid Corporation of India would be the nodal agency to channelize electricity generated here in to power grid. 

The PM will also lay foundation stone virtually for a desalination plant coming up at Gundiyali village near Mandvi in Kutch dist. This plant aims to convert sea water for potable purposes for a  population 8 lakh of 300 villages.

Mr Ahir also said that the desalination plant assumes great importance for Kutch peninsula which is perennial rain-deficit area with no other source of water.

Prime Minister Modi will also lay foundation stone, virtually, for 130 crore rupees milk processing plant of Sarhad dairy, an apex dairy cooperative entity. This massive 2 lakh liter per day milk processing and packaging facility will come up under Rashtriya Kisan Vikas Yojna. 

Mr Ahir also informed that the Prime Minister will also interact with people from different walks of rural life in a tent city area in  Dhordo village in white desert.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the decision to open up India’s space sector has heralded a new age of public-private partnership. Mr Modi expressed confidence that Indian talent will achieve worldwide fame in space sector in the same way it did in the IT sector. Prime Minister was interacting with key industries, start-ups and academia from the space sector via video conferencing to encourage their participation in space activities yesterday. Mr Modi said, professionalism and transparency in policies as well as the decision-making process of the government will prove beneficial for the companies joining the field.

Prime Minister assured the participants of complete and wholehearted support of the government in their efforts. Mr Modi said, India is making remarkable strides in space sector which has witnessed path-breaking reforms this year. Prime minister spoke of the space sector’s significance in communication and navigation and expressed hope that the country will soon become the manufacturing hub of space assets. Taking note of the plans of companies to make rockets and satellites, Mr Modi said this marks a big change that will further strengthen India’s foray into the space sector. He said private investment in the sector will lead to the creation of hi-tech jobs, which will provide a host of opportunities to the talent pool in IITs and NITs and other technical institutions.