National Means cum Merit Scholarship scheme extended till 15th October, 2022

 The last date for submission of application for ‘NMCMSS for the year 2022-23 extended till 15th October, 2022’ Under the ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme’ scholarships are awarded to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue their education at secondary stage. One lakh fresh scholarships are awarded to selected students from class IX every year and their continuation / renewal in classes X to XII for students studying in State Government, Government-aided and local body schools. The amount of scholarship is Rs. 12000/- per annum.

The National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) is boarded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) – a one stop platform for scholarship schemes given to students. NMMSS scholarships are disbursed directly into the bank accounts of selected students by electronic transfer through Public Financial Management System (PFMS) following DBT mode. This is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme.

Students whose parental income from all sources is not more than Rs. 3,50,000/- per annum are eligible to avail the scholarships. The students must have minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade in Class VII examination for appearing in the selection test for award of scholarship (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).

The last date of INO level (L1) verification is 31st October, 2022 and of DNO level (L2) verification is 15th November, 2022

*****

Take a glance at IMF’s latest report on world economy.

Global economic growth is likely to slow next year more than previously expected, the International Monetary Fund said, warning living conditions will worsen as soaring inflation harms people’s lives around the world.


The IMF attributed the weaker outlook primarily to the effects of inflation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the slowdown in China brought on by frequent Covid-19 lockdowns and problems in its property sector.


Inflation, at the highest rates in decades, poses the most significant immediate threat to the global economy by squeezing incomes and destabilizing economic activities, said IMF economists.


The IMF expects global inflation to peak this year at 8.8%, before cooling to 6.5% in 2023 and 4.1% in 2024. At 7.2%, inflation in advanced economies this year is the highest since 1982.


The U.S. Federal Reserve is raising interest rates at the fastest clip in decades to try to tame inflation by slowing growth. Central banks around the world are rapidly moving in the same direction.


Further, The IMF, citing in its latest World Economic Outlook report, cut its forecast for India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth in financial year 2022-23 (FY23) by 60 basis points (bps) to 6.8 per cent, warning of a long and tough economic winter.

Take a glance at IMF's latest report on world economy.

Global economic growth is likely to slow next year more than previously expected, the International Monetary Fund said, warning living conditions will worsen as soaring inflation harms people’s lives around the world.

The IMF attributed the weaker outlook primarily to the effects of inflation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the slowdown in China brought on by frequent Covid-19 lockdowns and problems in its property sector.

Inflation, at the highest rates in decades, poses the most significant immediate threat to the global economy by squeezing incomes and destabilizing economic activities, said IMF economists.

The IMF expects global inflation to peak this year at 8.8%, before cooling to 6.5% in 2023 and 4.1% in 2024. At 7.2%, inflation in advanced economies this year is the highest since 1982.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is raising interest rates at the fastest clip in decades to try to tame inflation by slowing growth. Central banks around the world are rapidly moving in the same direction.

Further, The IMF, citing in its latest World Economic Outlook report, cut its forecast for India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth in financial year 2022-23 (FY23) by 60 basis points (bps) to 6.8 per cent, warning of a long and tough economic winter.

Kailasagiri of Andhra Pradesh: Place for Pristine Beauty and Mediation

Kailasagiri is a hilltop park within Visakhapatnam city, Andhra Pradesh a wonderful tourist place with pristine beauty. The place was developed by the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (popularly known as VMRDA) and spread over to an area of 380 acres of land covered with exciting landscape gardens consisting of rich flora and tropical trees. Kailasagiri is located around 10 kilometers from the Visakhapatnam Railway Station and around eight kilometers from Visakhapatnam Bus Station. The Government of Andhra Pradesh awarded Kailasagiri as “the Best Tourist Spot” in 2003. The hilltop is well connected by all means of transport. It was reported that on average, three lakh Indian and foreign tourists visit the park every year. To protect the environment, VMRDA has declared the hill a plastic-free zone, a praiseworthy step. A cable car connects to the top of the hill, the first of its kind in Andhra Pradesh which I had the opportunity to enjoy. Also, it is pertinent to mention that Kailasagiri is a favourite location among filmmakers all over India. In addition to the eye-catching and holy statues of Bhagawan Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, the hilltop has many wonderful attractions such as the Titanic viewpoint, floral clock, Shanku-Chakra Namas of Bhagawan Venkateswara of Tirupati, gliding point, delicious food courts, etc. The floral clock one of the biggest in India with a diameter of 10 feet is located here. There is a Shanti Ashram on the top of the hill, where one can get huge peace by spending time in meditation. A number of wonderful viewpoints have been developed all around the hilltop. A capsule lift has been provided to fascinate the visitors to view the beauty of blue seawaters and the city along with the stunning beauties of the hilltop from further heights.

During my Kailasagiri visit in the month of September 2022, apart from watching the natural pristine beauty by the train, I felt happy that the train resolved many issues as many senior citizens can enjoy the beauty by sitting on the train as both sides were open so can watch through the windows. Also, those who had leg/knee/ankle problems or other health problems need not walk for long distances. While moving by train as I was in a non-airconditioned (non-AC) coach, observed beautiful butterflies, a few flying insects through windows entered our coach and came out. I personally felt as if these were well-coming us. It is pertinent to mention that altogether five coaches were attached to the train engine. Out of these, three were non-AC coaches and two were AC coaches but all had only chair cars. Each coach can accommodate 50 people. And the journey period was 20 minutes that is every after 20 minutes new people could board the train. Also, it may be mentioned here that the cost of a ticket per person for an AC coach was Rs. 150 and for a non-AC coach it was Rs.100. The most significant advantage of the running of such a train was that it generated employment for many youths such as ticket sellers, ticket checkers, train maintenance, cleaners, etc. The train was operated under the banner of ‘Sarada Roadways Kailasagiri Hills Tour’. Also, another noteworthy point is that there were many shops in the tourist place selling different items and some shops were owned by minorities (Muslims) which is the beauty of our country depicting religious harmony. Anyway, I suggest to all the State Governments wherever technically feasible and economically viable such a project (train journey of 20 to 30 minutes) may be implemented in the tourist places. 

(The author expresses his gratitude to Dr. P L K Murthy, Proprietor, Visakha Ads; Chairman, Public Relations Society of India, Visakhapatnam Chapter and Sri T. Lakshmi Pathi, former Chief Engineer, Vishakhapatnam Port Authority for arranging the visit to the place as well as in carrying out the study)

Dr. Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

Kailasagiri of Andhra Pradesh: Place for Pristine Beauty and Mediation

Kailasagiri is a hilltop park within Visakhapatnam city, Andhra Pradesh a wonderful tourist place with pristine beauty. The place was developed by the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (popularly known as VMRDA) and spread over to an area of 380 acres of land covered with exciting landscape gardens consisting of rich flora and tropical trees. Kailasagiri is located around 10 kilometers from the Visakhapatnam Railway Station and around eight kilometers from Visakhapatnam Bus Station. The Government of Andhra Pradesh awarded Kailasagiri as “the Best Tourist Spot” in 2003. The hilltop is well connected by all means of transport. It was reported that on average, three lakh Indian and foreign tourists visit the park every year. To protect the environment, VMRDA has declared the hill a plastic-free zone, a praiseworthy step. A cable car connects to the top of the hill, the first of its kind in Andhra Pradesh which I had the opportunity to enjoy. Also, it is pertinent to mention that Kailasagiri is a favourite location among filmmakers all over India. In addition to the eye-catching and holy statues of Bhagawan Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, the hilltop has many wonderful attractions such as the Titanic viewpoint, floral clock, Shanku-Chakra Namas of Bhagawan Venkateswara of Tirupati, gliding point, delicious food courts, etc. The floral clock one of the biggest in India with a diameter of 10 feet is located here. There is a Shanti Ashram on the top of the hill, where one can get huge peace by spending time in meditation. A number of wonderful viewpoints have been developed all around the hilltop. A capsule lift has been provided to fascinate the visitors to view the beauty of blue seawaters and the city along with the stunning beauties of the hilltop from further heights.

During my Kailasagiri visit in the month of September 2022, apart from watching the natural pristine beauty by the train, I felt happy that the train resolved many issues as many senior citizens can enjoy the beauty by sitting on the train as both sides were open so can watch through the windows. Also, those who had leg/knee/ankle problems or other health problems need not walk for long distances. While moving by train as I was in a non-airconditioned (non-AC) coach, observed beautiful butterflies, a few flying insects through windows entered our coach and came out. I personally felt as if these were well-coming us. It is pertinent to mention that altogether five coaches were attached to the train engine. Out of these, three were non-AC coaches and two were AC coaches but all had only chair cars. Each coach can accommodate 50 people. And the journey period was 20 minutes that is every after 20 minutes new people could board the train. Also, it may be mentioned here that the cost of a ticket per person for an AC coach was Rs. 150 and for a non-AC coach it was Rs.100. The most significant advantage of the running of such a train was that it generated employment for many youths such as ticket sellers, ticket checkers, train maintenance, cleaners, etc. The train was operated under the banner of ‘Sarada Roadways Kailasagiri Hills Tour’. Also, another noteworthy point is that there were many shops in the tourist place selling different items and some shops were owned by minorities (Muslims) which is the beauty of our country depicting religious harmony. Anyway, I suggest to all the State Governments wherever technically feasible and economically viable such a project (train journey of 20 to 30 minutes) may be implemented in the tourist places. 

(The author expresses his gratitude to Dr. P L K Murthy, Proprietor, Visakha Ads; Chairman, Public Relations Society of India, Visakhapatnam Chapter and Sri T. Lakshmi Pathi, former Chief Engineer, Vishakhapatnam Port Authority for arranging the visit to the place as well as in carrying out the study)

Dr. Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

Story of Track2Training

Once upon a time, there was a small town nestled in the mountains called Greenview. The town was known for its beautiful landscapes and friendly community, but it lacked resources for youth development. The town only had one school, and the students’ options for extracurricular activities were limited.
One day, a group of young adults from the town decided to start a program to help the youth in their community. They called it “Track2Training,” a program that focused on providing various vocational and skill-based training to students outside of school hours.
The group of young adults worked tirelessly to develop a curriculum and reach out to businesses and organizations that could provide hands-on training opportunities. They were able to secure partnerships with local carpenters, electricians, chefs, and artists who were willing to volunteer their time to teach the students.
The program became an instant hit, and soon, students from neighboring towns began to participate as well. The program’s success attracted attention from the state government, which recognized the initiative’s potential and decided to support it financially.
With the additional funding, Track2Training was able to expand its offerings and hire full-time staff to manage the program. They added courses on coding, graphic design, and marketing, providing students with valuable skills that could help them secure future employment.
The program’s success continued to grow, and many of the students who participated went on to start their own businesses or secure well-paying jobs. The program even attracted the attention of national media, and Track2Training became a model for other communities looking to provide similar opportunities for their youth.
The program’s founders were proud of what they had accomplished, but they knew that their work was not done. They continued to expand the program, offering more courses and resources to ensure that every student in their community had access to the tools and training they needed to succeed.
Years later, the town of Greenview had transformed into a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, and Track2Training played a significant role in that transformation. The program had not only provided students with valuable skills but had also given them the confidence and support they needed to pursue their dreams.

India surpasses Japan in term of metro rail system length to become 4th largest metro system in the world.

India has a new title to boast on an international level. With the newest addition of the Ahmedabad metro, the length of metro projects in India has reached 810 km, surpassing the lines in Japan. India will overtake South Korea and the United States to be the second longest metro line in the world. This ambitious project is expected to be completed within the next one or two years. 

After the inauguration of Ahmedabad metro, the coverage of metrorail in India reaches 810 kilometers. It is a matter of pride, that India is among leading countries with respect to total length of metrorail”, the union minister Puri said during inauguration, adding that India has not only overtaken Japan, but also has 982 kilometers of Metro rail under construction. “Once this (982 kilometers of metro rail) finishes, India will overtake South Korea and United States and will reach the second position in the world. I am expecting this to happen within next 1-2 years,” he added.

India surpasses Japan in term of metro rail system length to become 4th largest metro system in the world.

India has a new title to boast on an international level. With the newest addition of the Ahmedabad metro, the length of metro projects in India has reached 810 km, surpassing the lines in Japan. India will overtake South Korea and the United States to be the second longest metro line in the world. This ambitious project is expected to be completed within the next one or two years. 

After the inauguration of Ahmedabad metro, the coverage of metrorail in India reaches 810 kilometers. It is a matter of pride, that India is among leading countries with respect to total length of metrorail”, the union minister Puri said during inauguration, adding that India has not only overtaken Japan, but also has 982 kilometers of Metro rail under construction. “Once this (982 kilometers of metro rail) finishes, India will overtake South Korea and United States and will reach the second position in the world. I am expecting this to happen within next 1-2 years,” he added.

Village Fair

 India is a land of fairs and
festivals. They provide us a lot of fun and amusement. The urban people have
many sources of attraction and recreation. They can visit the dazzling bazaars,
big restaurants and cinema halls. The weekly bazaars provide them the
facilities of marketing. The poor villagers lack all such facilities. The
bazaars are far off from the villages. The villagers’ life the very hard and
lacks all charm. They have no means of recreation. Their secludes life is cut off
from the urban modernisation.

Many fairs are held every year
in the villages. These fairs generally take place on the occasion of some
festival. The Holi fair, the Rakhi Bandhan fair, the Basant fair and the
Baisakhi fairs are the chief and common ones. The Baba Haridas Mela is the most
prominent one in our area. It is held at village Jharauda Kalan, twice a year.

India and Bangladesh on Farakha

 Despite the claims made by Indian leaders
and the hopes aroused by several rounds of talks on Farakka held in turn at
Dacca and Delhi, no accord has yet been reached. The earlier reports on an
“understanding’ and a package deal, circulated by Indian leaders, have been
denied by Bangladesh Spokesman.

A Bangladesh Government Spokesman said on
September 4, that a verbal understanding had been reached between Indian and
Bangladesh on the Quantum of the share of the Ganga waters at Farakka “only for
the dries period of the year.”

The Spokesman was explaining
the position when his attention was drawn to a reported statement by the Prime
Minister of India and Bangladesh had reached a short-term agreement on sharing
the Ganga waters between the two countries.

Festival of Diwali

 Diwali or Deepawali is one of the most important festivals of the Hindus. It generally falls in the month of October. Fifteenth day of the month of Kartik is the day of its celebration. The festival marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of winter.

A few days before the festival, houses are cleaned, white-washed and painted. The Hindus decorate their houses with pictures and images of gods. Fairs are held on this occasion in all towns and villages. People purchase parched rice, sugar toys, earthen cups and other things for the worship or goddess Luxmi.

In the right time goddess Luxmi is worshipped with parched rice, sugar toys and sweets. Then the Hindus illuminate their houses by means of earthen cups and candlestricks. Rows of lighted lamps are seen everywhere.

Some people gamble the whole night, while others recite Ramayana, hold keertans and read religious book. All want the blessing of goddess Luxmi on the night.

United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC 2022)

 Students from 18 schools across the country presented new ideas on how geospatial technologies can be embedded to address local challenges like protecting the heritage, soil fertility, crop diversity, clean city, water management, women empowerment, waste management, digital India, clean energy, climate change and so on to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Teams from 18 urban and rural schools across India showcased the use of geospatial information and technology in understanding local issues and its use in planning and implementing at a special event titled ‘Geo-enabling the global village with Generation Z and Alpha’ of the Second United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress today (UNWGIC).

Efforts in mapping chemical fertilizer use in farms, as well as their production against organic fertilizer usage along with their production, were showcased. Students also highlighted initiatives of mapping rural biodiversity loss over time, as well as mapping of local recyclable products to source them effectively and increase their usage.

The young teams focused on SDGs of zero hunger, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and life on land. The event could show the way to localize the implementation of the SDGs through geospatial thinking.

In his address, Stefan Schweinfest, Director UN Statistics Division, said that SDGs is not just a document but it is a proper action plan to engage with each other, work together and bring solutions for a better world. “All the projects are truly incredible and great examples for localising the SDGs. Rather than competition, the purpose of this session is to interact with each other, make friends and discuss how to take the ideas forward in the future so that you can be a UN representative for SDGs,” he added.

 Dr. Subha Pandey, Scientist, Department of Science and Technology (DST), who chaired the session, elaborated on the DSTs activities and emphasized on geospatial technology use at school and community levels to localize SDGs.

The Second United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC 2022) is being held at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), India, from 10 to 14 October 2022 with the theme ‘Geo-Enabling the Global Village: No one should be left behind. It has been convened by the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) and organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations and hosted by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) – Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.

 

SNC/RR

Wimbledon 2022 : Djokovic storms into third round with kokkinakis thrashing

Top seed Novak Djokovic looked every bit the dominant player who is the defending champion in the Wimbledon championships. Djokovic beats kokkinakis by 6-1,6-4,6-2 to stay on course for fourth consecutive Wimbledon title to move level with Pete Sampras on seven and within one of men’s record holder Roger Federer, and on this form, it is hard to see anyone stopping him. It was the 23rd straight victory for Djokovic at the grasscourt grand slam. Djokovic dominated rallies with his precise groundstrokes at was eager to step forward for every opportunity, winning 30 out of 38 points at the net. Djokovic brought the crowd to their feet with the incredible drop shots and when kokkinakis chased a few of them down, Djokovic calmly played the overhead lob to keep pressure on the opponent. The only opportunity kokkinakis had when Djokovic was serving but he duly saved most of the breakpoints and closed out the win in two hours on his second match point in the second round. After completing victory in exactly two hours, Djokovic said, I’m happy with my performance today and quite pleased with the way i’ve raised the level of tennis in two days. Hopefully, I can keep that form, just thinking about the next match and hope things will get better as tournament goes on.

Wimbledon 2022 : Djokovic storms into third round with kokkinakis thrashing

Top seed Novak Djokovic looked every bit the dominant player who is the defending champion in the Wimbledon championships. Djokovic beats kokkinakis by 6-1,6-4,6-2 to stay on course for fourth consecutive Wimbledon title to move level with Pete Sampras on seven and within one of men’s record holder Roger Federer, and on this form, it is hard to see anyone stopping him. It was the 23rd straight victory for Djokovic at the grasscourt grand slam. Djokovic dominated rallies with his precise groundstrokes at was eager to step forward for every opportunity, winning 30 out of 38 points at the net. Djokovic brought the crowd to their feet with the incredible drop shots and when kokkinakis chased a few of them down, Djokovic calmly played the overhead lob to keep pressure on the opponent. The only opportunity kokkinakis had when Djokovic was serving but he duly saved most of the breakpoints and closed out the win in two hours on his second match point in the second round. After completing victory in exactly two hours, Djokovic said, I’m happy with my performance today and quite pleased with the way i’ve raised the level of tennis in two days. Hopefully, I can keep that form, just thinking about the next match and hope things will get better as tournament goes on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV0hQ_PDrMc