River Cities Alliance

 The River Cities Alliance (RCA) has been launched with the objective to provide the member cities with a platform to discuss and exchange information on aspects that are vital for sustainable management of urban rivers, sharing best practices and supporting innovation. The alliance has been launched initially with 30 cities namely Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Srinagar, Varanasi, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Farrukhabad, Mirzapur, Mathura, Bijnor, Ayodhya, Patna, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Munger, Sahibganj, Rajmahal, Howrah, Jangipur, Hugli-Chinsurah, Behrampore, Maheshtala, Aurangabad, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Pune, Udaipur and Vijaywada.

 

The Alliance is open to all river cities of India. Any river city can join the Alliance at any time.

 

 State Governments are implementing Action Plans for restoration of water quality of the identified polluted river stretches. The implementation is being monitored regularly at State level by Chief Secretary of the respective State/UT and at Central level by the Central Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

 

In addition, under Namami Gange Programme, the progress and activities are reviewed regularly by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), State Governments and District Ganga Committees.

 

RCA is envisaged as a facilitatory platform for initiating river-sensitive planning and development. Namami Gange through its integrated and comprehensive framework has been working towards rejuvenating Ganga river basin. As cities start to implement the river-sensitive development agenda, the River Cities Alliance will support them to learn from each other and inspire others to take up progressive action on this front.

 

 For adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers and river valley thereof, the Parliament has enacted the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956. When any request under the said Act is received from any State Government in respect of any water dispute on the inter-State rivers and the Central Government is of the opinion that the water dispute cannot be settled by negotiations, the Central Government constitutes a Water Disputes Tribunal for the adjudication of the said water dispute. Currently, 5 such water disputes Tribunals are active, the details of which are given at Annexure. In addition, Inter State Water disputes has been raised by Government of Bihar in respect of Tilaiya-Dhadhar Diversion scheme concerning States of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal and by Government of Tamil Nadu (TN) in respect of use, distribution and control of Pennaiyar river and its tributaries concerning States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and UT of Puducherry.

 

This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written  reply in Lok Sabha today.

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BY

ANNEXURE

Status of active Inter-State Water Disputes Tribunals relating to the sharing of
river water

 

S. No

Name of Tribunal

States concerned

Date of constitution

Present Status

1.

Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal – II(KWDT-II)

Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra

April, 2004

Report and decision given on 30.12.2010. Further report given by the Tribunal on 29.11.2013.

 

However, as per Supreme Court Order dated 16.9.2011, till further order, decision taken by the Tribunal on references filed by States and Central Government shall not be published in the official Gazette. As such, matter is sub-judice. Term of the Tribunal was extended for a period of two years w.e.f. 1st August, 2014 to address the terms of reference as contained in section 89 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Thereafter, the term of the Tribunal has been extended six times for period of one year latest being w.e.f. 01.08.2021.

2.

Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal

Odisha and Chhattisgarh

12th March, 2018

The Government of Odisha had filed a complaint dated 19.11.2016 with the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under Section 3 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 read with Inter-State River Water Dispute Rules, 1959.

 

The Central Government has constituted Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal vide Notification dated 12.03.2018. Subsequently, the reference was made to the Tribunal under Section 5(1) of the ISRWD Act, 1956 on 17.04.2018. The matter is thus under adjudication in the Tribunal. The Central Government, vide Notification dated 3rd June, 2021 has extended the tenure of the Tribunal for a period of two years upto 11th March, 2023 or till the submission of report, whichever is earlier.

3.

Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal

(MW DT)

Goa, Karnataka

and Maharashtra

16th November, 2010 However, vide notification dated 13.11.2014 date of reckoning of the constitution of the Tribunal is w.e.f. 21.08.2013

The MWDT submitted its report under Section 5(2) of the ISRWD Act, 1956 to the Central Government on 14.08.2018. Further references under Section 5(3) have been filed by the party States and the Central Government before the Tribunal. The matter is subjudice. The term of the Tribunal has been extended for a further period of one year w.e.f. 20.08.2021 to submit its Further Report under Section 5(3) of ISRWD Act, 1956.

 

The Central Government has notified the Award and Final Decision of the MWDT given on 14.08.2018 in the Gazette of India vide notification No. S.O. 888(E). dated 27.02.2020.

4.

Ravi & Beas Water Tribunal

(RB WT)

Punjab, Haryana

and Rajasthan

April, 1986

Report and decision under section 5(2) given in April, 1987. Clarification/explanation sought from the Tribunal under File No.H-11016/134/2021-BM Section-MOWR I/53475/2021 25 Section 5(3) of the said Act by the party States. Presidential Reference 1 of 2004 was made on the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has pronounced the judgement on Presidential Reference in negative. Further, Government of Haryana has filed IA No. 6 of 2016 in OS No. 6 of 1996 in the matter. The matter is subjudice.

 

5.

Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal

(VW DT)

Andhra Pradesh &

Odisha

February, 2010 However, as per the Supreme Court order the date of reckoning of the constitution of the Tribunal is w.e.f. 17.9.2012

The Tribunal has submitted its report to the Central Government under Section 5(2) of the ISRWD Act, 1956 on 13.09.2017. Further, State of Odisha and the Central Government filed reference under Section 5(3) of the ISRWD Act, 1956 on 11.12.2017 and 12.12.2017 respectively. The State of Odisha has also filed I.A. No.1 of 2019 before the Tribunal and the Tribunal gave its judgement in the matter on 23.09.2019. Subsequently, the State of Odisha has filed SLPC(C) No.27930/2019 before the Supreme Court against Order dated 23.09.2019 which is subjudice. Now, the Tribunal has furnished its Further Report dated 21.06.2021 under section 5(3) of the ISRWD Act.

 

 

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Toycathon aims to tapIndia’s one billion USD toy market

 Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Union Minister WCD and Textiles Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani jointly launched Toycathon-2021 today. Shri Praveen Kumar, Secretary, Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE and Dr Abhay Jere, Chief Innovation Officer, MoEwere present on the launch event of Toycathon-2021. The Union Ministers also jointly launched the Toycathon Portal on the occasion. This Toycathon is aimed to conceptualize innovative toys based on the Indian value system which will inculcate the positive behaviour and good value among the children.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pokhriyalsaid that Toycathon is being organized to develop India as the global Toy manufacturing hub. He said size of toy market in India is about one billion USD but unfortunately 80% of the toys are imported. The launch of Toycathon today, is an endeavor by the government to create an ecosystem for the domestic Toy industry and the local manufacturers, tapping the untapped resources and utilizing theirpotential. Recalling the vision of Prime MinisterShri Narendra Modi of 5 trillion-dollar economy and considering the huge potential of our toy market, he exhorted all to make India ‘Atmanirbhar’ in Toy industry. He further stated that National Education Policy-2020also lays emphasis on innovation and research in learning, starting from the primary education. Aligned with the goals of National Education Policy, the Toycathonaims to capture innovative prowess of 33 crores students across the country, he added.

Addressing a press conference Smt. Smriti Z Irani stated that India imports 80 per cent of toys and the government is working towards promoting the indigenous toy industry for making the country self-reliant in this sector. She said that the collaboration with Ministry of Education paves the way for the students, faculties from all schools, colleges and universities of the country to answer to the clarion call of Atmanirbhar Bharat though this Toycathon. Appreciating the initiative, the Minister said, “This is the first time when school children will innovate, design and conceptualize toys also for especially abled ‘divyang children’. The Minister informed that students and faculty members participating in Toycathon can get prizes upto 50 lakhs.Commerce Ministry and MSME Ministry have taken various steps to protect the toy manufacturing industry and to make it competitive and to create awareness about safe toys which are not harmful chemically, Ministry of Education and Ministry of WCD will adopt special measures, she said.

 

About Toycathon 2021:

Taking a giant leap in the path of becoming ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Ministry of Textile, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of I&B and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have jointly launched Toycathon-2021.

This is a special kind of hackathon where students and teachers from schools and colleges, design experts, toy experts and startups will get together to crowd source ideas for developing toys and games that are based on Indian culture and ethos, local folklore and heroes, and Indian value systems.While this will greatly help India develop into a global hub for toys and games, it will also help our children to understand the ethos and values of Indian culture as envisaged in the National Education Policy 2020. 

The Toycathon is based on nine themes viz. Indian Culture, History, Knowledge of India and Ethos; Learning, Education and Schooling; Social and human values; Occupations & specific fields; Environment; Divyang ; Fitness and sport; Out of the box, creative and logical thinking and Rediscovering/redesigning traditional Indian toys

The Toycathon will have 3 variants of tracks of Junior Level, Senior Level and Start up Leveland will allow participation of students and teachers from schools, colleges and universitiesapart from startups and toy experts. Participants will have two options for ideasubmission; they can either submit ideas for the published problem statements or undernovel toy concepts category. This is the high time we utilize brightest creative minds andcarve out games based on our Indian culture, tradition and heritage and stories of ancientIndia showcasingthe beliefs and traditions of people.

For participation in Toycathon 2021, please visit https://toycathon.mic.gov.in.The Proposals can be submitted online from 5th January to 20th January, 2021.

Click here to access the PPT on Toycathon-2021

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Cycling for Health and Fitness

Physical activity is required to be fit and healthy. Obesity, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, diabetes, and arthritis are all diseases that can be prevented by regular physical activity. One of the most effective strategies to lower your risk of health problems related with a sedentary life is to ride your bicycle on a regular basis.

Cycling is a low-impact, healthy activity that may be enjoyed by people of all ages, from toddlers to seniors. It’s also enjoyable, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly.

Riding to work or the shops is one of the most time-efficient ways to combine regular exercise with your everyday routine. An estimated one billion people ride bicycles every day – for transport, recreation and sport. It only takes two to four hours a week to achieve a general improvement to your health.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Health benefits of regular cycling

Cycling is mostly an aerobic activity, which means that your heart, blood vessels and lungs all get a workout. You will breathe deeper, sweat more, and have a higher body temperature, all of which will improve your overall fitness.

The health benefits of regular cycling include:

  • increased cardiovascular fitness
  • increased muscle strength and flexibility
  • improved joint mobility
  • decreased stress levels
  • improved posture and coordination
  • strengthened bones
  • decreased body fat levels
  • prevention or management of disease
  • reduced anxiety and depression.

Cycling and specific health issues

Cycling can improve both physical and mental health, and can reduce the chances of experiencing many health problems.

1) Obesity and weight control

Cycling is a good way to control or reduce weight, as it raises your metabolic rate, builds muscle and burns body fat. If you’re trying to lose weight, cycling must be combined with a healthy eating plan. Cycling is a comfortable form of exercise and you can change the time and intensity – it can be built up slowly and varied to suit you.

2) Cardiovascular disease and cycling

Cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure and heart attack. Regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cycling strengthens your heart muscles, lowers resting pulse and reduces blood fat levels.

3) Cancer and cycling

Many researchers have studied the relationship between exercise and cancer, especially colon and breast cancer. Research has shown that if you cycle, the chance of bowel cancer is reduced. Some evidence suggests that regular cycling reduces the risk of breast cancer.

4) Diabetes and cycling

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is rising, posing a severe threat to public health. Physical inactivity is known to be a primary factor in the development of this condition. Large-scale research in Finland found that people who cycled for more than 30 minutes each day had a 40% decreased chance of acquiring diabetes.

5) Bone injuries, arthritis and cycling

Cycling improves strength, balance and coordination. It may also help to prevent falls and fractures. Riding a bike is an ideal form of exercise if you have osteoarthritis, because it is a low-impact exercise that places little stress on joints.

Cycling does not specifically help osteoporosis (bone-thinning disease) because it is not a weight-bearing exercise.

6) Mental illness and cycling

Regular bike riding can help with mental health issues like sadness, stress, and anxiety. This is due to the effects of the exercise itself and because of the enjoyment that riding a bike can bring.

7) Hand cycling and health

Hand cycles are similar to recumbent tricycles, but instead of using foot pedals, they use hand power. If necessary, Velcro straps can be used to hold the hands to the pedals.

This style of tricycle allows amputees, people with spinal injuries and those recovering from certain conditions such as stroke to cycle as a form of exercise and recreation. Hand cyclists get the same cardiovascular and aerobic benefits as normal bicycles.

SOULMATE AND ITS ELEMENTS

A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are.”

Ah, soulmates. The epitome of love and partnership. In our fast-paced chaotic world, which boasts all sorts of different people, we find ourselves skimming through more relationships than we’d like in order to find that one person who can truly open our locks. 

Not just anyone can fulfill you the way your soulmate can. There’s a world of a difference between your soulmate, your heart’s other half and a life partner — a person who lacks the elements to mould perfectly to you. Your soulmate makes you feel entirely whole, healed and intact, like no piece is missing from the puzzle. A life partner, on the other hand, can be a great supporter and long-time companion, but is limited in his or her capacity to enrich your spirit. 

Most of us remain in life-partner relationships because we “settle,” for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, we may have a real subconscious fear of being alone. And since we’re biologically designed to fall in love, it’s only natural that we pair up in this world. But we sometimes prolong what are meant to be temporary relationships and mistakenly settle into them for good. There are relationships which must last for a certain period of time to close out a karmic chapter of life, relationships in which we’re meant to have children with our partner but not necessarily remain with them, and relationships which are just plain confusing because a melting pot of emotions doesn’t allow us to see our predestined path. 

Most of us fall somewhere between these two extremes, meaning that we experienced several relationships before finding the person we believe to be our perfect pairing. Whether you’re currently married, in a relationship, or contemplating entering a relationship with a new love interest, it is crucial that you know what role this person will play in your life. After all, there’s no avoiding the inevitable, often uncomfortable question we must ask ourselves: Is this the person I was bound by destiny to share my life with? Or did I settle too quickly into a relationship with someone who can never complete me?

ELEMENTS OF A SOULMATE:

1. It’s something inside: Describing how a soulmate makes you feel is difficult. It’s a tenacious, profound and lingering emotion which no words can encompass.

2. Flashbacks: If your partner is your soulmate, chances are he or she has been present in your past lives. Soulmates often choose to come back together during the same lifetime and scope each other out in the big world. You might suddenly and briefly experience flashbacks of your soulmate. You might even feel an odd sense of déjà vu, as if the moment in time has already taken place, perhaps a long time ago, perhaps in a different setting. 

3. You just get each other: Ever met two people who finsh each other’s sentences? Some people call that spending too much time together, but I call it a soulmate connection. You might experience this with your best friend or your mother, but it is the telltale sign of a soulmate when you experience it with your partner. 

4. You fall in love with his (or her) flaws: No relationship is perfect, and even soulmate relationships will experience ups and downs. Still, that bond will be much harder to break. Soulmates have an easier time of accepting, even learning to love, each other’s imperfections. Your relationship is more likely to be a soulmate match if you both love each other exactly as you each are, accepting both the great and awful tendencies we all have. 

5. It’s intense: A soulmate relationship may be more intense than normal relationships, in both good and sometimes bad ways. The most important thing is that, even during negative episodes, you’re focused on resolving the problem and can see beyond the bad moment.

6. You two against the world: Soulmates often see their relationship as “us against the world.” They feel so linked together that they’re ready and willing to take on any feat of life, so long as they have their soulmate by their side. Soulmate relationships are founded on compromise and unity above all else.

7. You’re mentally inseparable: Soulmates often have a mental connection similar to twins. They might pick up the phone to call each other at the exact same time. Though life may keep you apart at times, your minds will always be in tune if you are soulmates.

8. You feel secure and protected: Regardless of the gender of your partner, he or she should always make you feel secure and protected. This means that if you’re a man, yes, your woman should make you feel protected, too! Your soulmate will make you feel like you have a guardian angel by your side. A person who plays on your insecurities, whether consciously or subconsciously, is not your soulmate. 

9. You can’t imagine your life without him (or her): A soulmate is not someone you can walk away from that easily. It is someone you can’t imagine being without, a person you believe is worth sticking with and fighting for.

10. You look each other in the eye: Soulmates have a tendency to look into each other’s eyes when speaking more often than ordinary couples. It comes naturally from the deep-seated connection between them. Looking a person in the eye when speaking denotes a high level of comfort and confidence.

CONCLUSION:

Whether you’re designed by the universe to be soulmates or two loving people who have settled for each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the decision is yours. The beauty of free will is that you can remain in or change any relationship as you see fit. To be with your soulmate is one of the precious treasures of life. And if you feel you’ve found your heart’s other half, I wish you endless days of joy and laughter, and countless nights of deep embrace, unraveling the mysteries of the universe one by one. 

STRESSED YOUNG WOMEN

Women face special stresses and have unique needs when it comes to stress relievers and healthy lifestyle choices. The following are different ways women can make lifestyle changes to promote their health.

Social support can be a great stress reliever. Friends can help us in many ways, from offering a supportive ear to lending a helping hand. Studies have shown that those who have strong social support tend to be healthier, happier and less stressed. For women, especially, this is an important part of life to nurture, as women tend to deal with stress more often by sharing feelings and forming supportive networks.

Male comforting to a sad depressed female who needs help in a coffee shop. Break up or best friend concept

One stumbling block to friendships for women is that we find ourselves so much busier these days. Demands of work, children, or other commitments can take over the time that was previously free to pursue friendships, so it’s important for women to make an effort to develop social support in their lives.

STRESS AND HEALTH:

Women are often the caretakers of others. We care for men and children, friends and family, but don’t always care for our own bodies.

Here are some stress relievers that are great for your body:

  • Exercise: Getting out and getting active has numerous health, beauty, and stress management benefits, including a leaner body, greater energy levels, improved overall health, the opportunity to blow off steam, a change of scenery, and a catalyst to take your mind off of what’s stressing you, among other things.
  • Spa Treatments: Whether you’re going to a top spa or setting up a home spa experience, pampering your body on the outside can melt away the stress that you’re feeling inside, and leave you feeling more refreshed and beautiful afterward. Read more about setting up a spa at home, and make a habit of using it.
  • Healthy Eating: A healthy diet has more benefits than just making you thin; because healthy eating can leave you with more energy, thinking more clearly, and reacting in a more even-tempered way to stress.

ADEQUATE SLEEP AND REST:

According to research and a poll on this site, too many of us don’t get adequate sleep and operate in a sleep deficit. This leaves us less productive and more prone to stress, among other things. Women, because of their busy schedules and multiple roles, often find themselves getting less sleep than they need, or are unable to get a good night’s sleep due to stress. If you find yourself getting too little sleep, the following resources can help you get the quality sleep you need to function well.

  • Stress and Sleep: Learn about the physical and emotional damage that can result from getting too little sleep, and how it all affects your stress levels.
  • The benefits of the Power nap: Read about how to use power napping as a stress management tool and increase your productivity and improve your health in the process.
  • Sleep Aids: If you’re having trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, or achieving quality sleep every night, these are some all-natural ways you can get better sleep from now on.

VALUE ME TIME:

It’s important for women, including mothers, to take regular time to do things that nurture our souls and keep us feeling alive; if we don’t, we could face burnout, and we won’t be as helpful to others in our lives anyway. A regular stress management practice is a must, and it can come in the form of a hobby, a type of exercise, a tension-taming practice, or some other habit, but it’s important to make time for such things that can keep you feeling your best. The following are some important resources to help you find a regular stress relief practice:

  • Choosing a healthy new habit: Perhaps the easiest way to stick with a new stress relief habit is to pick one that best fits your personality and lifestyle. This test will point you to the stress relievers that are best for you.
  • Sticking with a said habit: Once you’ve chosen a stress management technique to incorporate into your lifestyle, these tips will help you make it a habit.
  • Self-care strategies: These ideas will help you pamper yourself for a change.

Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP)

 Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) (erstwhile IFLADP) has been approved for continuation from 2021-22 with an approved financial outlay of Rs. 1700 crore. IFLDP has been approved by the Union Cabinet on 19.01.2022 as continuation of the erstwhile IFLADP till 31.03.2026 or till further review, whichever is earlier.

Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme(IFLDP) aims at development of infrastructure for the leather sector, address environmental concerns specific to the leather sector, facilitate additional investments, employment generation and increase in production.

1. The following sub-schemes have been approved under IFLDP during 2021-26:-

(i) Sustainable Technology and Environmental Promotion (proposed outlay Rs.500 crore):- Special Purpose Vehicle constituted for each CETP would be provided assistance @ 80% of the total project cost for Northeastern Areas with industry’s/beneficiary share to be 20% of the project cost and @ 70%  of the total project cost for other areas with industry’s/beneficiary share to be 30% of the project cost with a limit of Rs.200 crore.

(ii) Integrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS) sub-scheme (proposed outlay Rs.500 crore):- Assistance would be provided to the sectoral units for their modernization/capacity expansion/technology up-gradation on or after 01.01.2020 @30% to MSME units and 20% to other units. Financial assistance is being proposed to North Eastern Areas also @40% of cost of plant & machinery to MSME units and 30% of the same to other units with additional 5% financial assistance for the domestically manufactured plant and machinery. Maximum assistance will be provided upto Rs.15 crore per product line keeping in view 5 times increase in upper limit of investment in Plant and Machinery by MSME 

(iii) Establishment of Institutional Facilities (proposed outlay Rs.200 crore):- Setting up of International Testing Centre, Sports Complex, replacement of conventional light fixtures with LED lights and construction of girls hostel in FDDI campuses are planned.   

(iv) Mega Leather Footwear and Accessories Cluster Development (MLFACD) sub-scheme (proposed outlay Rs.300 crore):- The sub-scheme aims at world-class infrastructure and to integrate the production chain in a manner that caters to the business needs of the leather and footwear industry so as to cater to the domestic market and exports. 

Graded assistance is proposed to be provided @50% of the project cost or @70% of the project cost in Northeastern areas, for land development, core infrastructure, HRD and social infrastructure, production facilities including ready to use sheds with plug and play facility, R&D support and export services  excluding cost of land with maximum Government assistance being limited to Rs. 125 crore.

(v) Brand Promotion of Indian Brands in Leather and Footwear Sector (proposed outlay Rs.100 crore):- The GoI assistance is proposed to be 50% of total project cost subject to limit of Rs 10 crore for each brand in next three year to promote 10 Indian brands in the International Market in 3 years. The designated agency to implement the sub-scheme is being proposed to be selected amongst institutes like NID, NIFT, IBEF, IIFT or Institutes of similar standing.

(vi) Development of Design Studios (proposed outlay Rs.100 crore):- This is a new sub-scheme. Assistance would be provided to develop 10 Indian design studio. The studios will promote marketing/export linkages, facilitates buyer- seller meets, display designs to international buyers and work as interface for the trade fairs.  Design Studios will be kind of ‘one-stop- shop’ providing a wide range of services: design, technical support, quality control etc. Institutes like FDDI, CLRI, NID, NIFT, IBEF, IIFT or institutes of similar standing or any large units of the industry or group of industry would be the implementing agencies.

2. Total approved outlay (Component –wise and Year-wise)

(Rs. In crore)

Sl. No. Name of Sub-scheme 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25

2025-26 Total (upto 2021-26)

1 Mega Leather Footwear and Accessories Cluster Development(MLFACD) 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 100.00 300.00

2. Integrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 500.00

3. Sustainable Technologyand Environmental Promotion (STEP) 140.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 60.00 500.00

4. Promotion of Indian Brands in Leather and Footwear Sector 16.00 24.00 33.00 18.00 9.00 100.00

5. Development of Design Studios 16.00 24.00 33.00 18.00 9.00 100.00

6. Establishment of Institutional Facilities 90.00 25.00 25.00 30.00 30.00 200.00

  Total 412.00 323.00 341.00 316.00 308.00 1700.00

4. Achievements of erstwhile IFLADP 2017-21 

The sub-scheme wise details of activities undertaken under erstwhile IFLADP (as on date) is summarized as below:-

(a) Human Resource Development sub-scheme-During the period 2017-18 to 2019-20, primary skill development training has been provided to 3,24,722 unemployed persons and 2,60,880 trainees provided placement in leather & footwear sector. 12947 workers were provided skill upgradation training in 2019-20.No training could be conducted during 2020-21 due to COVID-19 Pandemic.

(b) Integrated Development of Leather Sector-During the period 2017-18 to 2020-21, financial assistance amounting to Rs. 307.84 crore provided for modernization and technology up-gradation of 714 units in leather & footwear sector. 

(C ) Mega Leather Footwear and Accessories Clusters sub-scheme-The Department has approved the project for setting up of MLFAC at Calcutta Leather Complex, Bantala, Kolkata with project cost of Rs. 178.84 crore and GoI assistance of Rs. 89.42 crore. ‘In-principle’ approval has been accorded for the proposal for setting up of MLFAC at Ramaipur, Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh with tentative proposed cost of Rs. 451 crore.

(d) Leather Technology Innovation and Environmental Issues sub-scheme- Approval has been accorded for upgradation of twelve Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) at Dindigul, Ranipet, Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Vellore, Pallavaram, Trichy, Erode districts of Tamil Nadu, Jalandhar (Punjab) and Bantala (Kolkata). As on date, financial assistance amounting to Rs. 132 crore has been released in respect of ten CETP projects with total GOI assistance of Rs.284 crore. Rs.152 crore is the committed liability which would be released in the coming years. 

(e) Establishment of Institutional Facilities sub-scheme- Approval has been granted for up-gradation of seven Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) campuses located at Noida, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Patna, Kolkata and Rohtak into Centres for Excellence (CoEs) with total project cost of Rs. 129.62 crore. First installment of funds amounting to Rs 38.88 crore (30% of total project cost) has been released to Footwear Design and Development Institute. Rs.90.76 crore is the committed liability which would be released in the coming years. 

(f) Promotion of Indian Brands in Leather and Footwear Sector- Five applications for financial assistance were received by the Department. The ‘Designated Agency’ for evaluation of proposals could not be appointed as no specific criteria were mentioned in the guidelines and hence the scheme could not take off.

(g) Additional Employment Incentive in Leather, Footwear and Accessories sector

An online portal has been implemented for receiving applications. Total 48 applications have been received under the sub-scheme by the implementing agency i.e. Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI). After physical inspection and financial vetting, reimbursement of Rs. 92,27,971/- in respect of eligible 48 units/applications has been released to FDDI.

5.  Impact of erstwhile IFLADP 

The programme has a direct benefit towards quality employment generation especially for women, skill development, decent work, making the industry more environment friendly and prompting sustainable production system. The leather clusters located in different parts of the country have accrued benefit in terms of reduction of poverty, gender equality, sector specific skill/education, etc., thus touching many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Most of the National Development Plans (NDP) also align with the SDGs. NDPs such as economic growth, reduction in poverty, generation of employment, quality education/skills, gender equality, good health and well-being, infrastructure development, affordable and clean energy and other environmental benefits are well-served by the IFLAD Programme.

 

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50th Anniversary Celebrations of ICRISAT

 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi visited the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) campus in Patancheru, Hyderabad and kickstarted the 50th Anniversary celebrations of ICRISAT. The Prime Minister also inaugurated ICRISAT’s Climate Change Research Facility on Plant Protection and ICRISAT’s Rapid Generation Advancement Facility. These two facilities are dedicated to the smallholder farmers of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Prime Minister also unveiled a specially designed logo of ICRISAT and launched a commemorative stamp issued on the occasion. Governor Telangana  Smt Tamilisai Soundararajan, Union Ministers Shri Narendra Singh Tomar and Shri G. Kishan Reddy were among those present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister noted the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami and congratulated ICRISAT for 50 years. Underlining the importance of next 25 years for both the country and also for ICRISAT, the Prime Minister stressed the need for new goals and working for them. The Prime Minister lauded ICRISAT for their contribution in helping agriculture in large part of the world including India. He appreciated their contribution in water and soil management, improvement in crop variety, on-farm diversity and livestock integration. He also praised their holistic approach in integrating farmers with their markets and promoting pulses and chick pea production in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “Your research and technology have helped making agriculture easy and sustainable”, Shri Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that the worst affected by climate change are the people on the last rung of development with little resources. That is why, the Prime Minister reiterated India’s request to the world to pay special attention to the climate changes. He talked of LIFE- Lifestyle for Environment; P3 – Pro planet people movements and India’s net zero target by 2070. “Pro planet people is a movement that connects every community, every individual with climate responsibility to tackle the climate challenge. This is not limited to just words, but is also reflected in the actions of the Government of India”, he added.

Referring to 15 Agro-Climatic Zones and 6 seasons of the country, the Prime Minister highlighted the depth of ancient experience of Indian agriculture. He pointed out that India’s focus is on the fusion of ‘back to basic’ and ‘march to future’ to protect its farmers from climate challenge.  “Our focus is on our more than 80 per cent farmers who are small and  needs us the most”, the Prime Minister said.

He mentioned another dimension of changing India i.e. digital agriculture which he termed as India’s future and stressed that talented Indian youth can contribute a great deal in this. He listed areas like crop assessment, land records digitization, spraying insecticides and nutrients by drones which are witnessing increased use of technology and artificial intelligence. “India’s efforts are increasing relentlessly for empowering farmers through digital technology”, he said.

The Prime Minister emphasized that in the Amrit Kaal, India is focussing on inclusive growth along with higher agriculture growth. Women in agri-sector, are being supported through self-help groups. “Agriculture has the potential to take a large chunk of population out of poverty  and take them towards better life-style. This Amrit Kaal will also provide new means to the farmers of geographically difficult areas”, he said.

The Prime Minister said that India is working on a dual strategy. On the one hand, a large part of the land is being brought under irrigation through water conservation and connecting of rivers. Water use efficiency through micro irrigation is being encouraged in areas with limited irrigation, on the other.

The Prime Minister said that National Mission for self-reliance in edible oils indicates India’s new approach. The Mission aims to increase palm oil area by 6 lakh hectare. “This will help Indian farmers at every level and will prove very beneficial for the famers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana”, the Prime Minister pointed out.  He also dwelled on the steps taken to strengthen post-harvest infrastructure like creating cold chain storage capacity of 35 million tonnes and creation of 1 lakh crore rupees Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.

India is also focusing on establishing FPOs and Agriculture value chain. “We wish to create an alert and potent market force out of small farmer by organizing them into thousands of FPOs”, he said.

The Prime Minister said that India’s goal is not just increasing food grain production. India has enough surplus food grain to run one of the world’s big food security programme. “We are focusing on food security as well as nutrition security. With this vision, we have developed many bio-fortified varieties in the last 7 years”.

ICRISAT is an international organisation that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia & sub-Saharan Africa. It helps farmers by providing improved crop varieties and hybrids and also helps smallholder farmers in the drylands fight climate change.

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Child Marriage in India: The Problem and The Cure

Child Marriage in India

Introduction

Our country India has always been known to the world for its diverse cultural enrichments. But, the legacies from our past beliefs also bore with it some evil practices to the society that we are still dealing with. And one of those practices is the child marriage. The seeds of the problem are still buried so deep in the society and the mind of its people, that it stands alone as a huge socio-cultural challenge till today.

Historic Background

The Vedic history of India dated back to from 200 BC to 700 AD, scribes the marriage as a freedom of choosing desired partner for both men and women. But, with the formation of Government and political modification due to multiple invasions in Medieval India, the women lost their rights to education and choosing their partner and rather were subjected to obey rules and the code of behaviour. Though, age at which the girl was to be married differed and it was rare for girls younger than 12 to be married in antiquity however it became increasingly common for girls as young as six or eight to be married as young brides or “Valika Vadhu”. The parents decided on the marriages of their children at a very early age although the daughter stayed with her parents until she attained the age of puberty. Reaching to which she was bid off to her in-laws through ‘Gehna’ ceremony, in Rajasthan. While in Bengal, this practice was known as ‘Koulinya Pratha’ where a girl child was often married off to an old ‘Kulin Brahmin’ which later on led her to be ‘Sati’ after his husband’s death.

Laws against Child Marriage

The Child Marriage problem in India was first addressed during the British Era. The Child Marriage Restraint act was established in 1929 and come to force in 1930, which defined the minimum ages of marriage for men and women as 18 and 14 years respectively. However, after India’s independence, the minimum age of marriage for women was increased to 15 years. In 1978, the ages of both men and women were revised again to 21 and 18 years. In 2006, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act came in force, though it was Inapplicable to the Muslim community. Recently in December 2021, Union Cabinet approved to raise the minimum age of marriage for women to 21 years.

The plea is getting stronger.

The Situation in Current Times and the Consequences

Though there are active laws against Child Marriage, but this practice is still ghostly being performed in various parts of India. According to a survey by UNICEF in 1998, the Child Marriage rate in India is 47%, while by UN reports it to be 30% in 2005. Jharkhand has been found to hold the highest rate while Kerala possess the lowest rate in India. Rural Child Marriage cases were found 3 times higher than Urban ares in India in 2009. The consequences of the evil practice, leave many young women shattered for their entire life. Child Marriages have reported a large number of non-consensual marital rapes, physical abuse and domestic violence, low rates of women literary, deaths during childbirth and post natal problems of both underage mothers and newborns.

Our Take: Fighting for a Social Cause

In this modern Era, India is emerging fast as an United country, with largely powered new age youths. And the present generation can give a tremendous change from the society. The situation is already getting better with more to children and giving equal opportunity to both in order to eradicate the practice completely citizens showing their responsibility male and female children. Bachao,Beti Padhao” movement The Government’s “Beti has stirred up the thoughts of young Indian people With many small initiatives, in every state, for a better future. the idea of going along with everyone with equal opportunities are being accepted by Indian parents for marrying their sons and daughters age. The priorities are being given to qualify for a good education and career build up at a matured before getting married.

The youths’ take is most important.

Conclusion

The citizens are the pillars of society and the future lies on the hand responsibility to work together to effort gets counted when we should try our best to improve of every citizen. It is our make our society even better and free from any evil practices. Every work together for a larger cause. more for a better India. The progress so far is appreciable and we

Scholarship Schemes

 The Ministry of Minority Affairs implements three Scholarship Schemes viz. Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Schemes for the educational empowerment of students belonging to economically weaker sections of the six notified minority communities i.e. Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Muslim, Parsi and Sikh in all States/UTs across the country. A total of thirty (30) lakh Pre-Matric, 5 lakh Post Matric and 60,000 Merit-cum-Means scholarships are targeted to be distributed as ‘Fresh’ Scholarships every year, besides, Renewal scholarships. The  three  scholarship  schemes are  being  implemented  through  the  National  Scholarship  Portal  (NSP)  and are  being  disbursed  under  direct  benefit  transfer (DBT)  mode  to  improve  the  efficiency  and  bring  transparency  by  removing duplicity  and  stopping  pilferages.  

 

The details of number of applications received, verified by States/UTs and sanctioned by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under the above mentioned schemes during 2016-17 to 2021-22 are as under:

 

Year

Pre-Matric Scholarship

 

Number of verified applications received

Number of applications Sanctioned

 

2016-17

74,25,553

41,53,524

 

2017-18

85,70,708

53,11,257

 

2018-19

86,88,465

56,91,854

 

2019-20

70,84,410

55,68,025

 

2020-21*

60,38,248

52,29,148

 

2021-22**

78,29,283

24,05,498

 

Total

4,56,36,667

2,83,59,306

 

Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme

 

 

2016-17

13,65,838

6,24,990

 

2017-18

14,07,780

6,98,069

 

2018-19

12,80,958

6,84,265

 

2019-20

11,24,202

7,43,141

 

2020-21*

11,61,252

6,62,912

 

2021-22**

9,91,534

1,38,105

 

Total

73,31,564

35,51,482

 

Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme

 

2016-17

189584

121937

 

2017-18

180421

119472

 

2018-19

180274

117771

 

2019-20

145398

118359

 

2020-21*

137340

120208

 

2021-22**

118351

52720

 

Total

9,51,368

6,50,467
             

   *   Disbursement of Scholarships for 2020-21 continues in 2021-22.

** It includes sanction for finally verified renewal applications of 2021-22 only. Disbursement for fresh application 2021-22 is yet to begin.

(d):  The details of budget allocated and released under the above mentioned schemes from 2016-17 to 2021-22 are as under:-

(In ₹ Crore)

Scheme

Pre-Matric

Post Matric

Merit-Cum-Means

Year

Budget Allocated

Amount Released

Budget Allocated

Amount Released

Budget Allocated

Amount Released

2016-17

931.00

585.94

550.00

287.11

335.00

220.54

2017-18

950.00

1108.13

550.00

479.72

393.54

388.79

2018-19

980.00

1176.19

692.00

354.89

522.00

261.17

2019-20

1220.30

1324.84

496.01

428.77

366.43

285.63

2020-21

1330.00

1325.54

535.00

512.81

400.00

396.34

2021-22

1378.00

474.52*

468.00

80.58*

325.00

134.09*

Total

6789.30

5995.16

3291.01

2143.88

2341.97

1686.56

*Expenditure as on 31.01.2022.

CONSTRUCTION OF DAM AT MEKEDATU

 The Feasibility Report (FR) of Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water Project was submitted to Central Water Commission (CWC) by Government of Karnataka for according “in principle” clearance for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project. The Screening Committee of Central Water Commission in its meeting held on 24.10.2018 accorded “in-principle” clearance for preparation of DPR by project authority (Government of Karnataka) subject to certain conditions including that: “As the main objective of this scheme as stated in the FR is to implement the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal(CWDT) Award as modified by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, acceptance of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) would be a pre-requisite for consideration of the DPR by the Advisory Committee of MoWR, RD & GR”.

Subsequently, DPR of Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water Project was submitted to CWC by Government of Karnataka in January 2019 and copies of the same were forwarded to Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

The State of Tamil Nadu has requested the Central Government to advise the Government of Karnataka not to take up the Mekedatu project.

Discussion on the DPR of the above project was included as an agenda item during various meetings of CWMA. However, discussion on this issue could not take place due to lack of consensus among party States on this agenda item.

School of Engineering and AtalBihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship at J.N.U

 Union Education Minister of India, ShriRameshPokhriyal ‘Nishank’ laid the foundation stone of the buildings for School of Engineering and Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship at Jawaharlal Nehru University today through a virtual program.Vice Chancellor, JNU, Prof. M. Jagdish Kumar,Rector I Prof.ChintamaniMahapatra, Rector II Prof. Satish Chandra Garkoti, Rector III Prof. Rana Pratap Singh and the deans of the new schools, Prof. UnnatPandit and Prof. SatyavratPatnaik were present on the occasion.

ShriPokhriyal expressed his delight at the  naming the School of Management on the name of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was not only an efficient and visionary Prime Minister of India, but an inspiring author too. The Minister mentioned that engineering and management education will complement each other and willinspire the youth to become entrepreneurs and self-reliant.He hoped that the proposed building with world-class facilities will be endowed with technology-based pedagogy and development of learners.

ShriPokhriyalalso congratulated Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar for taking the University to new heights of progress and initiating realization of National Education Policy 2020 with new initiatives.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby, third novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1925 by Charles Scribner’s Sons. Set in Jazz Age New York, the novel tells the tragic story of Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young woman whom he loved in his youth. Unsuccessful upon publication, the book is now considered a classic of American fiction and has often been called the Great American Novel.

Summary

This is the story of a man named Nick who lives in America in the 1920s. He moved to New York to work as a bond trader and discovers that he lives next to a large mansion occupied by a mysterious man named Gatsby.

Gatsby throws huge parties every night, along with loads of women and alcohol, and when Nick is invited, he learns that Gatsby served in the army as well. However, no one knows how Gatsby became so rich.

Nick reunites with his cousin, Daisy, a flirty young woman who is married to Tom, a wealthy businessman. Tom, on the other hand, is having an affair with Myrtle, the wife of a mechanic.

Nick meets Daisy’s friend Jordan, a young professional golfer, and the two fall in love. In the meantime, Nick and Gatsby become friends, and Gatsby tells Nick about how he inherited his wealth from a yacht owner.

Gatsby also reveals that he knew Daisy when they were younger and that he is still in love with her. In fact, Gatsby secretly watches Daisy from across the lake, where she lives with Tom and her daughter.

When Gatsby and Daisy finally reunite, a flood of emotions returns. They acknowledge their love for each other. To escape the heat, they all drive into town.  When Tom finds that Daisy wants to leave him, he gets upset and tells Daisy and Gatsby to drive back home and talk about it. However, Daisy, driving Gatsby’s yellow car, accidentally runs over Myrtle.

Tom then tells the mechanic that it was Gatsby who ran over Myrtle. The mechanic shows up and shoots Gatsby when he is swimming at home. Unfortunately, no one attends Gatsby’s funeral, and Nick, confused and saddened, sells everything and returns to the Midwest.

Analysis

First of all, this novel provides a historical perspective on the 1920s, a fascinating period in American history.  We get the vividness of the time, with the lights and glitz that saturated the people. Drinking and parties were to be encouraged rather than discouraged.

It should also be highlighted that expressing this energy and culture through writing  is a difficult task. It’s not only saying that there were bright lights and cocktails, but also engaging the reader in a world with subtle reminders of the culture.

Identity is another major theme, as the characters, like real people, have complicated identities that frequently involve deceit. People aren’t who they say they are, as seen by Tom and Myrtle’s affair and Gatsby’s ambiguous history, as Gatsby’s name isn’t even his real name. And as readers, we are reminded of this when Gatsby’s father shows up and corrects Nick, saying his name was “James Gatz.”

There are various theories of how Gatsby became wealthy. Readers learn early on how he had gained his wealth , but are still wondering how he kept it over the years. Even after Gatsby’s death, ambiguous phone calls seem to be coming to the house, which hints at illegal gambling as a source of income for Gatsby.

Nick makes an interesting point regarding parties that may still be relevant today. That, despite the fact that parties happen every weekend, there is a sense of emptiness experienced at parties.  This emptiness stems from how easily people may be replaced. That if you go to enough parties, they all start to look the same.

Gatsby also wishes he could travel back in time to when he first met Daisy. And any character who wishes the present were the past, that things were the way they used to be, is doomed.  This is a strong literary strategy that many of the best stories use in their tragic characters. So be forewarned, living in the past is dangerous.

LOVE

WHAT IS LOVE? 

Love is a set of emotions and behaviors characterized by intimacy, passion, and commitment. It involves care, closeness, protectiveness, attraction, affection, and trust. Love can vary in intensity and can change over time. It is associated with a range of positive emotions, including happiness, excitement, life satisfaction, and euphoria, but it can also result in negative emotions such as jealousy and stress.

When it comes to love, some people would say it is one of the most important human emotions. Yet despite being one of the most studied behaviors, it is still the least understood. For example, researchers debate whether love is a biological or cultural phenomenon.

Love is most likely influenced by both biological drives and cultural influences. While hormones and biology are important, the way we express and experience love is also influenced by our personal conceptions of love.

HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT LOVE? 

What are some of the signs of love?

Researchers have made distinctions between feelings of “liking” and “loving” another person. According to psychologists, romantic love is made up of three elements:

  • Attachment: Needing to be with another person and desiring physical contact and approval
  • Caring: Valuing the other person’s happiness and needs as much as your own
  • Intimacy: Sharing private thoughts, feelings, and desires with the other person

Based on this view of romantic love, Rubin developed two questionnaires to measure these variables, known as Rubin’s Scales of Liking and Loving. While people tend to view people they like as pleasant, love is marked by being devoted, possessive, and confiding in one another. 

Types of Love 

Not all forms of love are the same, and psychologists have identified a number of different types of love that people may experience.

These types of love include:

  • Friendship: This type of love involves liking someone and sharing a certain degree of intimacy.
  • Infatuation: This is a form of love that often involves intense feelings of attraction without a sense of commitment; it often takes place early in a relationship and may deepen into a more lasting love.
  • Passionate love: This type of love is marked by intense feelings of longing and attraction; it often involves an idealisation of the other person and a need to maintain constant physical closeness.
  • Compassionate Love: This form of love is marked by trust, affection, intimacy, and commitment.
  • Unrequited love: This form of love happens when one person loves another who does not return those feelings.

IS LOVE BIOLOGICAL OR CULTURAL? 

Some researchers suggest that love is a basic human emotion just like happiness or anger, while others believe that it is a cultural phenomenon that arises partly due to social pressures and expectations. 

Research has found that romantic love exists in all cultures, which suggests that love has a strong biological component. It is a part of human nature to seek out and find love. However, culture can significantly affect how individuals think about, experience, and display romantic love.

HOW TO PRACTICE LOVE: 

There is no single way to practice love. Every relationship is unique, and each person brings their own history and needs. Some things that you can do to show love to the people you care about include:

  • Be willing to be vulnerable
  • Be willing to forgive
  • Do your best and be willing to apologize when you make mistakes
  • Let them know that you care
  • Listen to what they have to say
  • Prioritize spending time with the other person
  • Reciprocate loving gestures and acts of kindness
  • Recognize and acknowledge their good qualities
  • Share things about yourself
  • Show affection
  • Show unconditional love

IMPACT OF LOVE :

Love, attachment, and affection have an important impact on well-being and quality of life. Loving relationships have been linked to:

  • Lower risk of heart disease
  • Decreased risk of dying after a heart attack
  • Better health habits
  • Increased longevity
  • Lower stress levels
  • Less depression
  • Lower risk of diabetes

TIPS FOR CULTIVATING LOVE :

Lasting relationships are marked by deep levels of trust, commitment, and intimacy. Some things that you can do to help cultivate loving relationships include:

  • Try loving-kindness meditation: Loving-kindness meditation is a technique often used to promote self-acceptance and reduce stress, but it has also been shown to promote a variety of positive emotions and improve interpersonal relationships. LKM involves meditating while thinking about a person you love or care about, concentrating on warm feelings and your desire for their well-being and happiness.
  • Communicate: Everyone’s needs are different. The best way to ensure that your needs and your loved one’s needs are met is to talk about them. Helping another person feel loved involves communicating that love to them through words and deeds. Some ways to do this include showing that you care, making them feel special, telling them they are loved, and doing things for them.
  • Tackle conflict in a healthy way: Never arguing is not necessarily a sign of a healthy relationship—more often than not, it means that people are avoiding an issue rather than discussing it. Rather than avoid conflict, focus on hashing out issues in ways that are healthy in order to move a relationship forward in a positive way. 

Top 10 Urban planning tools

As an urban planner, you know the importance of legibility and comprehensibility in communicating plans for the built environment. Developing an understanding of the tools and techniques of urban design is a crucial benefit to the implementation of effective plans.
Urban Planners are often required use urban planning software which bridges the various disciplines involved in city planning. While not always the case, the softwares and tools used within the urban planning can be quite expensive. Especially when you are self employed. Fortunately, there are free urban planning software alternatives available, which does well in completing the necessary tasks. However, unfortunately some of the paid software do not have alternative free and open source software.
We have attempted to summarise the key urban planning software and tools used today, both free and paid. This list has been made in an effort to make it easy to understand the software that exists and is used today. Although, the list is currently not fully comprehensive it gives an overview. The list will moreover be updated once in a while to reflect software not listed here. 
We hope this list is useful and provides some help in finding urban planning software and tools that can support your work. \
Whether you’re a professional in the urban planning field or an urban planning student, learning basic design principles doesn’t require a graphic design degree. Thankfully, there are a number of free software tools available to take your plans to the next level, here are some of the urban planning tools that every planners need to know:

1. GIMP
GNU Image Manipulation Program, commonly known as GIMP, is a raster-based image manipulation software. If you’re familiar with Adobe Photoshop, you will find GIMP to be an effective (and free!) alternative with similar capabilities. In the context of urban design, GIMP is used to edit images, add text to images, and overlay graphic content on maps. Additionally, GIMP offers some great free educational resources and tutorials.
SketchUp is an indispensable tool to urban planners and urban designers alike. Unique in its ability to quickly and accurately render 3-dimensional forms, Sketchup provides users with an effective tool to visualize buildings, neighborhoods, and even cities. There are some limitations to the freeware version as opposed to SketchUp Pro, but there are workarounds you can learn in the Urban Design for Planners: Software Tools. What’s more, SketchUp integrates easily with Google Earth (read on to learn more!).
Inkscape is vector-based, open graphic manipulation tool often used as a counterpart to GIMP. For the urban designer, Inkscape is used to draw and manipulate shapes and lines on maps. Comparable to Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape offers a user-friendly alternative for planners and designers.
4. QGIS
QGIS is a free, open source Geographic Information System with powerful capabilities. Compatible with Esri (the industry standard maker of ArcGIS), QGIS is perfect for the planner looking to expand their design capabilities. Use QGIS to view multiple layers of mapped data relative to one another, group locations or elements with sets of criteria, determine distance calculations, examine proximities, and quickly create figure ground maps. QGIS makes it simple to quickly get up to speed with the program with an extremely active support community.
Google Earth is a crucial tool that lends itself to a variety of professional applications. Particularly useful to urban planners and urban designers alike is the ability to explore cities from an axonometric view (from the perspective of a low flying plane). Other settings provide the ability to experience a 3D perspective, accurately measure distance, and integrate with GIMP and SketchUp. Beyond these practical aspects, the potential to explore cities and landscapes around the world makes Google Earth a ground-breaking resource.
6. ESRI ArcGIS is the most widely used GIS software in the world. It allows 
The ArcGIS software have allowed planning agencies to carry out both traditional and previously impossible tasks more efficiently and easier. With the various functions the GIS programs offer, urban planners can create and assess different development scenarios and test the potential impacts they will have on future land use, demographics and employment options. Consequently, ArcGIS has created a spatial tool that provides more informed planning decisions.
7. ArcGIS CityEngine is another 3D modelling software. It is used by urban planners, urban designers and architects to create a large city without the need to model each building separately. The software allows you to measure areas, distances and paths, and compare various development proposals and analyse design solutions.
8. ArcGIS Urban is another ESRI application focused on the urban planning and design professions. The ArcGIS Urban software provides an 3D experience allowing for better understanding of potential land use and development. Thereby decision-making is better formed by visualising and understanding how development projects will fit into the local surroundings.
9. Modelur is a simple and inexpensive SketchUp extension that is somewhat similar to CityEngine. While Modelur is lacking rendering options and extensive functionality as included in CityEngine, it provides a powerful 3D tool to quickly create conceptual urban massing. It calculates your design’s urban planning parameters in realtime, such as Floor Area Ratio (FAR), Gross Floor Area (GFA), Built-up Area (BUA), Site Coverage, recommended parking lots and green area. Therefore you can easily adjust your design to be aligned with the requirements for the site in question. Furthermore, the software tool provides well informed decisions.
Modelur offers free student licenses, but you need to provide proof of university enrollment.
10. Streetmix is an online open source street design tool. It provides a user-friendly and fun way to create fast proposals for street and public space improvements. The tool was created for city planners, public and private companies, pedestrian and bike advocates to make street-making accessible for everyone.

PEER PRESSURE

Peer pressure is the process in which individuals within the same group influence others in the group to engage in a behaviour or activity that they may not otherwise engage in. A peer can be any individual who belongs to the same social groups or circles as you and has some type of influence over you.

Peer pressure can be avoided by thinking about your actions and if you would participate in the behavior if your social circle was not influencing or pressuring you to do so. Also, if the idea of engaging in that activity makes you uncomfortable, it’s best to listen to your inner voice and not engage in such activities.

Who Experiences Peer Pressure?

Anyone regardless of age can have peers as peers usually come from a common social circle. Our peers tend to be those individuals with whom we identify the most with. As children and adolescents, our peers are our classmates and friends. As teens and young adults, our classmates, coworkers and even family members can be our peers.

As adults, our coworkers, spouses, friends of spouses can all be peers. Our peers can change as we get older and our definition of what constitutes a social circle can also change. Likewise, peer pressure can also be experienced at any age and in any situation. As children grow up, we often think about peer pressure on a continuum from childhood to young-adulthood.

Children and adolescents of any age can experience peer pressure in the form of engaging in risky behavior, name calling or bullying other children or breaking rules. The pressure these children face to conform to their social circle is often the only way they feel they can belong to that group. As we get older, these feelings of needing to conform can persist.

Adults of any age are not immune to experiencing peer pressure. Peer pressure in this age group can also include risky behavior, however the consequences are more grave than those of childhood risky behaviors. Adults can experience peer pressure at work as many adults spend a great deal of time at work and interacting with coworkers. This type of pressure can look like working the same long hours as others, persuading others to do something you wouldn’t want to do yourself and anything in between.

Types of Peer Pressure:

There are many types of peer pressure which can be experienced at any age. Since peer pressure involves communicating some type of message, the way in which that message is communicated can be varied. You may experience very direct and clear peer pressure, at times it may be only a strong feeling, sometimes it might sound fun and other times it can sound scary and even illegal.

There are many types of peer pressure, including:

1. Spoken Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure involves one individual or a group asking another individual to participate in some type of behavior. In a group setting, the pressure felt is much stronger as there is power in numbers.

2. Unspoken Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure involves an individual being exposed to certain behaviors, trends or choices of others and feeling a pressure to conform.

3. Direct Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure is challenging as it is very specific to behavior-based conformity and can be spoken or unspoken. Direct peer pressure can often feel heightened because of our own discomfort of the environment we’re in at that time of experiencing direct peer pressure.

4. Indirect Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure is less invasive on our internal voice to behave a certain way, however, it can validate a behaviour or activity we want to try but haven’t tried yet. It can be unspoken but also influence how we feel about ourselves.

5. Positive Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure can be direct, indirect, spoken and/or unspoken. This is pressure felt in one-on-one situations or groups that yields positive results and healthier lifestyle choices.

6. Negative Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure can also be direct, indirect, spoken and/or unspoken. This pressure can challenge individuals to do things they may not usually do and engage in such behaviours because others are doing so and it’s a way to belong.

How to Deal With Peer Pressure

There are many ways to deal with the various types of peer pressure you can experience. Some ways to handle it include first being aware of how you feel about the situation and environment you’re in when the peer pressure is happening. If you can pay attention to your emotions, you can often find yourself leaving a situation before you may be peer pressured into doing something you may not actually want to do.

Talking about these feelings and setting boundaries is another way to ensure you can stay comfortable in an environment. If your boundaries are not respected and the pressure continues, it can be a sign that your environment isn’t a place where you may be respected. This may help you think about the company you keep and help you start making choices where you’re in a company that respects you, your value system and boundaries.