Scheme for Pension and Medical Aid to artistes’ to improve financial and socio-economic status

 The Ministry of Culture administers a Scheme by the name of ‘Scheme for Pension and Medical Aid to artistes’.  The objective of the Scheme is to improve financial and socio-economic status of the old aged artistes and scholars who have contributed significantly in their specialized fields of arts, letters etc. but are in penury condition.  The amount is being given to eligible beneficiaries (both professional and non-professional artists) who are above 60 years and whose annual income is less than Rs.48000/-. Further, Ministry of Culture also administers a Scheme namely ‘Scheme of Scholarship & Fellowship for promotion of art and culture’ having following three components: –

  1. ‘Award of Scholarships to Young Artists in Different Cultural Fields (SYA)’–  Scholarship of Rs.5000/- per month is provided to selected beneficiaries in the age group of 18 -25 years, in four equal six monthly installments for a period of 2 years. The candidates should have undergone training under any Guru or Institution for a minimum period of five years. The scholars are selected on the basis of their performance in a personal interview/interaction before an Expert Committee for Scholarship constituted by the Ministry;
  2. Award of Senior/Junior Fellowships to outstanding persons in different cultural fields – Senior Fellowship is provided to selected Fellows in the age group of forty years and above in four equal 6 monthly instalments @ Rs.20,000/- per month for 02 years for cultural research. Junior Fellowship is provided to selected Fellows in the age group of twenty five to forty years in four equal 6 monthly installments @ Rs. 10,000/- per month for 02 years.  Upto 400 Senior & Junior Fellowships are awarded in one batch year. The Fellows are selected by an Expert Committee for Sr/Jr Fellowship constituted by the Ministry.
  3. Award of Tagore National Fellowship for cultural research – The candidates are selected under two categories viz. Tagore National Fellowship and Tagore Research Scholarship to work on cultural research by affiliation under different participating institutions in 4 different groups.  The final selection is made by the National Selection Committee (NSC) specially constituted by the Ministry.

Apart from the above, financial assistance is also provided to professional and non-professional artists through other schemes such as Repertory Grant, Cultural Function Production Grant, etc.

Employment opportunities in Drone sector

 As per Drone Rules, 2021, any person who intends to obtain the authorisation to establish a Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) shall submit an application to the Director General of Civil Aviation in Form D5 on the Digital Sky Platform, along with the specified fees. As on 31 December 2021, nine remote pilot training organisations have been set up by entities under Government or private ownership. The State-wise list of RPTOs is attached as Annexure –I.

Any person between 18-65 years of age and with a class tenth certificate from a recognised Board can obtain a remote pilot licence after successful completion of training from authorised remote pilot training organisation. Students passing out of drone schools can look for employment opportunities in drone operations, maintenance, design, manufacturing and data analytics, etc. depending on the courses successfully completed by them.

An authorised remote pilot training organisation is free to have collaboration with foreign entities while ensuring strict compliance with the requirements specified by the Director General of Civil Aviation in respect of training syllabus, infrastructure, instructors, equipment and infrastructure etc.

Annexure- I

State-wise list of remote pilot training organisations

 

S No

State

Name of the remote pilot training organisation

1

Jharkhand

Alchemist Aviation Pvt. Ltd.

2

Maharashtra

Redbird Flight Training Academy Pvt. Ltd.

3

Maharashtra

The Bombay Flying Club

4

Tamil Nadu

CASR Anna University

5

Telangana

Flytech Aviation Academy

6

Telangana

Telangana State Aviation Academy

7

Uttar Pradesh

Ambitions Flying Club Pvt. Ltd.

8

Uttar Pradesh

Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademy

9

Uttar Pradesh

Pioneer Flying Academy Pvt. Ltd.

Steps taken to address the shortage of pilots

 The Government has taken several steps to address the shortage of pilots in the country. These include the following:

  1. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has brought out a liberalised Flying Training Organisation (FTO) policy wherein the concept of airport royalty (revenue share payment by FTOs to AAI) has been abolished and land rentals have been significantly rationalised.
  2. AAI issued award letters on 31 May 2021 and 29 October 2021 for nine FTOs to be established at five airports i.e. two at Belagavi (Karnataka), two at Jalgaon (Maharashtra), two at Kalaburagi (Karnataka), two at Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh) and one at Lilabari (Assam).
  3. DGCA has introduced Online-On Demand Examination (OLODE) for the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) and Flying Crew (FC) candidates with effect from November 2021. This facility allows candidates to choose the date and time from the available exam slots.
  4. DGCA has modified its regulations to empower Flying Instructors with the right to authorise flight operations at FTOs. This was hitherto restricted to the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) or Deputy CFIs only.
  5. India’s largest flying academy – Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademi (IGRUA) at Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) – has been permitted to carry out pilot training in Gondia (Maharashtra) and Kalaburagi (Karnataka) to enhance its flying hours and aircraft utilisation, which get severely affected during winter months due to low visibility. IGRUA has commenced operating on weekends and all holidays. It completed 19,019 flying hours during the year 2021 as compared to 15,137 hours in the pre-Covid year 2019, an increase of over 25%.

The number of CPL holders produced by Indian FTOs in 2021 is 504 which is higher than the 430 CPLs holders produced by Indian FTOs in the pre-Covid year 2019.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry Of Civil Aviation (Gen. (Dr) V. K.Singh (Retd) in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

***

Civil Aviation urges various ministries to promote use of drones.

 Ministry of Civil Aviation has requested several Ministries including Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to encourage various entities under their administrative control to promote use of drones.

Drones offer tremendous benefits to almost all sectors of the economy like -agriculture, medicine delivery, mining, infrastructure, surveillance, emergency response, transportation, geo-spatial mapping, defence and law enforcement etc. An illustrative list of drone applications under different Ministries is attached herewith as Annexure- I.

As per Drone Rules, 2021, operation of drones in zones marked red and yellow on the drone airspace map zones requires permission from the Central Government and the Air Traffic Control (ATC) authority respectively. No permission is required to operate a drone in a green zone which is where most of the drone operations currently happen.

Annexure -I

Illustrative list of drone applications under different Union Ministries

S No

Ministry

Illustrative drone applications
  1.  

Agriculture & Farmers

Welfare
  1. Crop and soil health monitoring
  2. Irrigation estimation and scheduling
  3. Requirement and efficacy assessment of fertilizer and pesticide spraying
  4. Anti-locust operations
  5. Crop output estimates
  6. River and canal erosion; restoration tracking
  7. Insurance claim surveys
  1.  

Health & Family Welfare
  1. Delivery of medicines, equipment and other
  2. supplies
  3. Pathology tests – sample collection from remote or epidemic/ pandemic affected areas
  1.  

Panchayati Raj
  1. Land records and property rights (SVAMITVA Scheme)
  1.  

Defence
  1. Surveillance
  2. Combat          
  3. Communication in remote areas
  4. Swarm drone solutions
  5. Counter drone solutions
  1.  

Home Affairs

Surveillance, situational analysis, public

announcements and evidence gathering for:

  1. Security of sensitive installations
  2. Raids and counter-terror operations
  3. Crowd management
  4. Crime control
  5. VVIP security
  6. Disaster management; search and rescue; transportation of food, medicines and essentials
  7. Traffic management
  1.  

Housing and Urban Affairs
  1. Urban planning and management
  2. Construction planning and monitoring
  3. Incident reporting
  4. Prevention of encroachment and land-use alteration
  1.  

Transportation: Road Transport and Highways; Railways; Ports, Shipping and Waterways
  1. Surveillance
  2. Incident response
  3. Inspection and maintenance
  4. Project monitoring
  5. Disaster management
  1.  

Mining
  1. Monitoring and Inspection
  2. Automatic surveying and mapping
  3. Stockpile assessment and management
  4. Haulage road optimisation
  1.  

Power
  1. Real-time surveillance of assets and transmission lines
  2. Theft prevention and incident response
  3. Visual inspection and maintenance
  4. Construction plannlng and management
  1.  

Petroleum and Natural

Gas
  1. Real-time surveillance of assets and pipelines
  2. Theft prevention and incident response
  3. Visual inspection and maintenance
  4. Construction planning and management
  1.  

Environment, Forests

and Climate Change
  1. Monitoring of forests and wildlife
  2. Afforestation through seed-balls, irrigation and real-time monitoring
  3. Anti-poaching actions
  4. Pollution assessment and evidence-gathering
  1.  

Information and Broadcasting
  1. High quality videography of events and
  2. difficult-to-reach-places at a fraction of the cost and approvals required
  3. Low altitude shooting without noise and-dust  pollution and risk of accidents
  4. Complete replacement of costly helicopter- based videography

 

Note:

  1. The above list is illustrative and not exhaustive. New applications may evolve with time, usage and further innovations.
  2. The above list has been prepared in consultation with academia, drone startups and industry bodies.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry Of Civil Aviation (Gen. (Dr) V. K.Singh (Retd) in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

***

216-feet tall ‘Statue of Equality’

 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Hyderabad on 5th February 2022. At around 2:45 PM, Prime Minister will visit the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) campus in Patancheru, Hyderabad and kickstart the 50th Anniversary celebrations of ICRISAT. At around 5 PM, Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the ‘Statue of Equality’ in Hyderabad.

The 216-feet tall Statue of Equality commemorates the 11th century Bhakti Saint Sri Ramanujacharya, who promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of living including faith, caste and creed. The Statue is made of ‘panchaloha’, a combination of five metals: gold, silver, copper, brass, and zync and is among one of the tallest metallic statues in sitting position, in the world. It is mounted on a 54-ft high base building, named ‘Bhadra Vedi’, has floors devoted for a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, an educational gallery detailing many works of Sri Ramanujacharya. The statue has been conceptualised by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram.

During the programme, 3D Presentation Mapping on the life journey and teaching of Sri Ramanujacharya will also be showcased. Prime Minister will also visit the identical recreations of 108 Divya Desams (ornately carved temples) that surround the Statue of Equality.

Sri Ramanujacharya worked tirelessly for the upliftment of people with the spirit of every human being equal regardless of nationality, gender, race, caste or creed. The inauguration of the Statue of Equality is a part of the 12-day Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham, the ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Ramanujacharya.

Earlier during the visit, Prime Minister will kickstart the 50th Anniversary celebrations of ICRISAT. Prime Minister will also inaugurate 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 will also unveil a specially designed logo of ICRISAT and launch a commemorative stamp issued on the occasion.

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.

***


Exhorts IIM students to align their careers with the aspiration of the country

 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur today via video conferencing. Governor and Chief Minister of Odisha, along with Union Ministers Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the permanent campus of the IIM Sambalpur will not only showcase the culture and resources of Odisha but will also give Odisha a global recognition in the field of management. He said that recently the country witnessed a trend of Indian multi-nationals as opposed to the earlier trend of outside multi-national coming to India. Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are seeing startups and India has seen more ‘unicorns’ in recent troubled times, rapid reforms are taking place in agriculture field. In such a scenario the Prime Minister asked the students to align their career with the aspiration of the country. In this new decade, it is your responsibility to give Brand India a global recognition, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister dwelled at length on the students’ role in making the local rise up to the global level. He asked students to work on the ideas of improving tourism in the light of the immense local potential in the Sambalpur area. He asked them to work on the local products which have great potential such as local handicraft, textiles and tribal art. He also asked them to work on the better management of abundant minerals and other resources of the region as all this will contribute to the Aatamnirbhar Bharat Campaign. IIM students will need to find innovative solutions for making local global as they can work as a bridge between Aatamnirbharta Mission, local products and international collaboration.  “You have to show your management skills with the mantra of Innovation Integrity and Inclusiveness”, Shri Modi said.

The Prime Minister talked about the new management challenges in the light of new technologies like additive printing, changing production techniques, logistics, and supply chain management. These technologies coupled with digital connectivity, and work from anywhere concept have turned the world into a global village. India has undertaken rapid reforms in recent months and has tried not only to keep pace with the changes but also tried to anticipate and surpass them, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister said that that the changing work styles are impacting demands on management skills and top-down or top-heavy management skills are being replaced by collaborative, innovative and transformative management. With bots and algorithms in picture, technological management is equally important as human management.

Shri Modi asked the student to research the way Covid crisis was handled in India with innovation and collaboration at such a big scale. He asked them to study how capacity and capability was expanded in such a short time. He expressed happiness that the country is coming out of the short-term approach of problem solving and how the focus now is on long term solutions. He gave example of Jan Dhan accounts and how LPG connection coverage in the country improved from 55 per cent in 2014 to 98 per cent today, to illustrate his point of mass scale innovation, planning and implementation. “Management is not just handling big companies but management also means taking care of lives”, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister added that it is important to understand the challenges before the country to become good managers. For this, it is essential that higher educational institutions have a wider scope and are not focused merely on their expertise. The National Education Policy, the Prime Minister said, emphasizes on broad-based, multi-disciplinary and holistic approach to remove silos in the professional education that have emerged over a period of time. 

Congratulating everyone on the occasion of foundation laying today, Shri Pokhriyal said IIM Sambalpur will strongly contribute to the growth and development of the country. He expressed confidence that Institution will definitely be recognized globally for its remarkable contribution in providing quality education. He highlighted that under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Government has given utmost priority to the development and upgradation of educational facilities. In this context, he mentioned about the significant increase in the number of seats across institions and in the number of engineering, medical and management institutions in over last 6 years.

Urging students to invest in team building, he said this will strengthen the bond and enhance the spirit of association. He also urged to stress on value addition at every level by leveraging technique, skill and innovation. Calling upon everyone to stay alert towards the global developments and changes, He emphasized on the need to up-skill, update and upgrade oneself to face the global challenges. He called upon students to move ahead following the motto of ‘nation first – character must’ for success and for establishing India as a Vishwaguru. He said that the country is moving steadfast on the path of progress. He also spoke about New Education Policy and reiterated that it is built on the strong foundational pillars of equity, quality and accessibility.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan remarked that today is the historic day for everyone. Highlighting Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call for an Atmanirbhar bharat, he urged students to walk in the direction given by Prime Minister to achieve the goals of self reliant India. Saying that the Sambalpur region is rich in minerals and surrounded by lot of economic activities, He hoped that IIM Sambalpur will endeavour to develop a new entrepreneurial ecosystem and emerge as a focal point of Atmanirbhar Bharat.  He hoped that institution will strive to implement the spirit of New Education Policy.

*****

FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451, dystopian novel, first published in 1953, that is regarded as perhaps the greatest work by American author Ray Bradbury and has been praised for its stance against censorship and its defense of literature as necessary both to the humanity of individuals and to civilization.

In 1954, Fahrenheit 451 won the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature and the Commonwealth Club of California Gold Medal. It later won the Prometheus “Hall of Fame” Award in 1984 and a “Retro” Hugo Award in 2004. Bradbury was honoured with a Spoken WordGrammy nomination for his 1976 audiobook version.

Summary

This is a story about a man named Guy Montag who is a fireman.  However, by today’s standards, he is not a fireman. Rather than putting out fires, he starts them by burning books, which are outlawed by the government.

After talking to his neighbour, Clarisse, Guy begins to doubt his work. When he looks around, he sees a wife who doesn’t love him and a world wrapped in technology and war. Every day, people kill each other and  no one seems to care.

After learning that Clarisse died, Guy further begins to question himself whether or not he is doing the right thing by burning books. He is so enraged that he steals a book before burning a lady and a pile of books.

Beatty, his fire captain, notices changes in Guy and keeps a close eye on him. Guy tells his wife that he has a small book collection at home, and they try to read them together, but his wife seems disinterested.

Guy meets Faber, an old English professor, and the two decide to fight the government together.

Meanwhile, when Guy is at work, they receive a notification that books have been found. Surprisingly, the firemen arrive at Guy’s residence.

Guy is forced to burn all of his books with a flamethrower, but when provoked, he kills Beatty. He grabs what books he can and rushes over to Faber’s house for a final farewell. 

The government has launched a full-fledged broadcast hunt for Guy, which includes the use of a mechanical search dog. Guy escapes the city and walks down the river, where he encounters a group of runaways. There, he discovers that they have all memorized books, thus creating a human library of literature.

Finally, the runaways watch the city being destroyed by enemy bombs and prepare themselves for a grim future.

Analysis

So, why does this society dislike books? What did books ever do to humans?  In this society, people have chosen not to read books. The majority of people quit reading and instead found entertainment in the form of bite-sized  portions of educational information. 

The administration then decided that books should be forbidden because they contained contradictory views that caused debates and conflicts. Rather than creating a marketplace of ideas, the government wanted to streamline thinking so that everyone had the same viewpoint. What’s even scarier is that this doesn’t seem too farfetched to occur in real life.

Most importantly, this story tries to answer the question: Why are books so important?  As Faber discusses with Guy, books are important for three reasons.  The first is that books are excellent sources of information. The second reason is that reading books takes time and dedication. The third reason is that we have the power to react to our surroundings based on what we learn from reading. That the words in books aren’t just meaningless words, but have practical applications in our lives.

It’s not just because this old dead guy wrote some things for me to read hundreds of years later, but also because how do those words apply to our society today? 

Despite the fact that technology has progressed our society, we still tent to see the same human problems as in the past, so it seems that technology makes our life simpler but does not solve many of our most basic problems, such as war, disease, and poverty.

It’s quite scary to think that the author may have imagined some of the technology that we use presently. Fast cars, mechanical dogs, large TV screens, reality TV, bluetooth, and a variety of other technologies are included in the novel. It makes you question how far we are from a world without books.

97th Annual Convocation of Delhi University

 Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ addressed the 97th Annual Convocation of the University of Delhi, held today at the Multi-purpose hall, Indoor Stadium Sports Complex, Delhi. The Minister also inaugurated the Maharishi Kanad Bhawan. First time in the history of the University, 1,78,719 digital degrees were distributed online by the Union Minister of Education.

In his address to the august gathering , the Minister asserted that the duty of a University was to patronize, promote, support, & guide other educational institutions. He observed that the University was supporting and promoting institutions located in remote areas under the Vidya Vistar Yojna.

Emphasizing the need for reforms in the education sector, Shri Pokhriyal said that the University of Delhi can further contribute to nation-building by advancing Center of Excellence on National Education Policy. The efforts will not only strengthen Indian education system but also make India a global knowledge superpower, he added. Shri Pokhriyal congratulated the students and parents on this important day of their lives and motivated them to face the future challenges with hard work and determination.

He appreciated the efforts of the University of Delhi for ensuring no disruption in the holistic development of its students during this pandemic year.

Dean Examinations, Prof. D. S. Rawat congratulated all the award holders – 670 doctoral degrees, 44 DM/M.Ch degrees, 156 medals and 36 prizes from multidisciplinary fields. The University’s Brochure was released which has a dedicated section on Resilience to Covid -19. The biggest achievement has been to become the first University in the Country to conduct Open Book Examination (OBE) for such a large number of students keeping health and safety of the students as the top most priority as instructed by the Ministry of Education.

The Vice Chancellor (Acting) shared with immense pride that the University has launched Vidya Vistar scheme to support institutions in the remote areas. Under V2 scheme, this University will offer expertise of the faculty members, library resources and other academic facilities to the partner institute. The initiatives of the University in terms of establishment of new Centres of learning – Delhi School of Public Health, the Delhi School of Climate Change & Sustainability, the Delhi School of Skill Enhancement & Entrepreneurship Development to provide education in new concepts were also announced.

*****

PARENTING

From encouraging schoolwork and sports to modelling values as a child grows parents exert influence over their children’s lives. They are, however, not the only-on-the -ground influencers especially after children enter school and begin interacting with the world at large.

Most parents work to give children the best part possible, but it’s also important for parents to recognise that kids come into the world with their own temperament, personalities and goals.

In a rapidly changing world, parenting can be subject to changing styles and parenting in some privileged circles has become a competitive sport. But the needs of child development as delineated by science remain relatively stable: safety, structure, support and love.

PARENTING TEENAGERS:

Adolescences is a challenging time for young people, not only because of the physical changes or puberty but ij the emotional aspect as well and in some cases, the emergence of serious mental health conditions. For parents, it can sometimes seem like their affectionate, adoring child has become a different, distant person and their teen friends have become important to them than their family. But some of these changes are part of the essential process of moving toward independence and parents who are able to offer more empathy than judgement can continue to be a source of kids guidance for their kids.

PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PARENTING

1.WHAT YOU DO MATTERS:

Whether it’s anger or being affectionate towards someone or reacting to a situation always remember you child is watching you and learning from you the most. Therefore, it’s very important you learn to react the right way and use the right words around your kids because kids learn things before anybody else whether it’s eating to a certain situation or a way of dealing with someone.

2.YOU CANNOT BE TOO LOVING:

We often tend to think that more love can never spoil a child while the reality is they tend to take it for granted at times and it’s only human. Therefore, always maintain a balance in the love you show towards your kids.

3.BE INVOLVED IN YOUR KIDS LIFE:

To be an involved parent, one should have their priorities set because it involves putting in a lot of time and effort and hard work. It often means sacrificing a lot of things or what you want to di at certain times .

4.ESTABLISH AND SET RULES:

When a Childs behaviour is not watched from the beginning, he or she fails to manage himself or herself when he or she is older and you aren’t around. Anytime of the day as a parent you should be able to answer these three questions: Where is my child? Who is my child with? What is my child doing?

5.FOSTER YOUR CHILDS INDEPENDENCE:

Setting limits helps your child develop self control towards a lot of things in life. Encouraging independence helps them to give a direction to their life. Therefore for the right kind of parent g here has to be a balance of setting limits and encouraging independence.

6.TREAT YOUR CHILD WITH RESPECT:

The best way to get a respectful treatment for your child is to treat them with respect too. You should give your child the same courtesies that you would give anybody else. Speak to him politely. Respect his opinion. Pay attention when he’s speaking to you. Treat him kindly. Children treat others the way their parents treat them therefore you should know your relationship with your child is the foundation of all the relationships he will grow in his life.

Benefits of Surya Namaskar

In Surya Namaskar, Surya refers to “the sun,” and Namaskar means “bowing down in respect.” This has been the most popular yogic kriyas for many decades now, as it combines 12 yoga asanas in a yogic sequence. Practicing Surya Namaskar daily helps in balancing three constituents of your body, i.e., Kapha, Pitta, and Vata, which will help you lead your life in a greater way and influence your creativity and intuitive abilities. It’s simple yet powerful poses are what make it possible for people of all age groups and all sizes to perform it, anytime, anywhere.

Benefits of Surya Namaskar

1) Helps lose weight

Surya namaskar at a fast pace serves as an effective cardiovascular workout. It includes poses that stretch the abdominal region which is helpful in burning the extra fat layer around the belly. Hence, it is effective in losing weight.

2) Improves overall flexibility

Along with the spine, the entire body experiences deep stretches while performing Surya Namaskar. It expands and contracts most of the muscles and keeps the body flexible and agile.

3) Relieves gastrointestinal issues

Surya Namaskar stimulates the digestive tract due to alternate stretching and contraction of abdominal muscles and organs. It keeps the digestive and gastrointestinal issues at bay.

4) Cures insomnia

Surya Namaskar includes a set of 12 poses along with synchronized breath that calms the mind and ensures sound sleep.

5) Regulates and eases the menstrual cycle

Females experiencing irregularity in their menses or pain or discomfort before or during menstruation find Surya namaskar quite relieving.

6) Lowers blood sugar levels

Surya namaskar involves poses that stimulate heart muscles and act as a natural remedy for controlling blood pressure. It regulates the blood sugar level keeping the heart healthy.

7) Helps getting rid of anxiety, stress, and depression

The deep breathing involved in Surya namaskar poses draws oxygen to the brain which brings the state of calm. Along with the nervous system, it benefits the endocrine system, especially the thyroid gland which uplifts the mood and fights against anxiety and depression.

8) Increases the focus and concentration power

As already mentioned that the benefits of Surya Namaskar are not limited to physical health as it also relaxes the mind. Therefore, the physical postures along with breath regulation in Surya Namaskar are helpful in increasing awareness levels along with enhancing the concentration power of the brain.

Conclusion

Various studies have shown how beneficial Surya Namaskar is for uplifting the overall health. Therefore, doing few rounds of Surya Namaskar before starting your hectic regular routine is a must if you want to live life to the fullest.

So, next time you wake up to start your day, consider how much productive you could be if you added Surya Namaskar to your daily routine.

AATMNIRBHAR BHARAT

Aatmnirbhar is a Hindi word which in English means self-sufficient and no one should depend on others for their success in life. In other words, one should neither depend nor expect help from others in order to run their livelihood. One must be self dependent and self reliant as the person who depends on others never succeeds in life.

Post independence, India was still dependent on others for various resources but today India is becoming self dependent in every field. In May 2020, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India announced a Rs 20 crore economic package under the Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan in order to avert the probable economic decline during the global Covid-19 pandemic and to spin the catastrophe into opportunity. The self sufficient mission was launched in pursuance to address the pandemic crises and the economy falloff due to subsequent lockdown in India.

The Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan was promulgated with the aim to make India self-dependent and also apportioned boost to the economy that had slowed down by the pandemic. This package is approximated to be GDP’s 10 percent.

Five Pillars of Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

  • Economy: An economy that guarantees a huge bounce instead of gradual change.
  • Infrastructure: It is postulated on the 21st century systems driven by technology.
  • Technology: Such infrastructure would be assisted that would become the cotemporary age’s recognition.
  • Demography which is vibrant: A remarkable Constitution, well-developed democratic institutions and true participation by the people in social governance is the source of our energy for India to be self-sufficient.
  • Demand: The chain of demand-supply will be utilized at its complete potential.

Benefits of Aatmnirbhar Bharat

It aims at aiding India to a become self-reliant nation. The unemployment in the nation will be terminated and growth will be seen in the industries. Thus, ensuring decline in the rate of poverty and will also result in strengthening the economy of the nation. Every citizen of the country will be benefitted by the self reliance. The dependency of India on other countries for different resources will also decreases rapidly. It also aims at making and promoting local products and providing assistance to Indian companies to compete in supply chains globally. Thus, focusing on the idea of ‘ Vocal for Local’. The foreign exchange will also be saved by the import reduction and by exporting additional goods, more foreign exchange could be earned. In order to provide employment and shelter to the migrants, an additional Rs 40,000 crore was allotted to the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005). More number of labs and health institutions will be instituted. The industry of Indian Space will also be benefitted by the opening of space exploration for the private sector. The needs and requirements of various sections such as industries, small business, laborers, etc. will all be catered by this economic package.

Criticism

The Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is mainly criticized for being somewhat similar to the ‘ Make in India’ campaign. It is argued by the critics that it is the same plan, just implemented with a different name. The fundings allocated are mostly in the same way as the budget in general. The critics believe that the package will not be beneficial enough to rejuvenate the economy of the nation. The employment in the Urban region is seemingly ignored in this package.

It can be concluded that there are a number of challenges before the Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan but its approach of the target postulates growth inclusively including development in every field and promoting equality and being ready to face all the problems coming ahead.

NDMA Guidelines

 

S No. Title Release Date Download
1 National Guidelines For Preparation of Action plan – Prevention and Management of Cold Wave and Frost 2021 Oct 2021 Download(7 MB)
2 Simplified Guideline for Earthquake Safety of Building from National Building Code of India 2016 May 2021 Download(10 MB)
3 Cool Roof : House Owners’ Guide to alternate roof cooling solutions May 2021 Download(8.30 MB)
4 Guidelines on Management of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) Oct 2020 Download(11.21 MB)
4.a Compendium of Task Force Report on NDMA Guidelines on Management of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) Oct 2020 Download(12.70 MB)
4.b Summary for Policy Makers on NDMA Guidelines on Management of GLOFs Oct 2020 Download(04.01 MB)
5 Guidelines for Preparation of Action Plan – Prevention and Management of Heat Wave Oct 2019 Download(45.74 MB) 
6 Landslide Risk Management Strategy Sept 2019 Download(12.48 MB) 
7 Guidelines on Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Sept 2019 Download(64.63 MB) 
8 Guidelines on Temporary Shelters for Disaster-Affected Families Sept 2019 Download(09.86 MB)
9 Guidelines on Prevention & Management of Thunderstorm & Lightning/Squall/Dust/Hailstorm & Strong Winds March 2019 Download(09.55 MB)
10 Guidelines on Boat Safety Sept 2017 Download(04.40 MB)
11 Guidelines on Cultural Heritage Sites and Precincts Sept 2017 Download(21.45 MB)
12 Guidelines on Museums May 2017 Download(02.12 MB)
13 Guidelines on Minimum Standards of Relief Feb 2016 Download(03.00 MB)
14 Guidelines on Hospital Safety Feb 2016 Download(03.22 MB)
15 Guidelines on School Safety Policy Feb 2016 Download(02.50 MB)
16 Guidelines on Seismic Retrofitting of Deficient Buildings and Structures. June 2014 Download(01.25 MB)
17 Guidelines on Scaling, Type of Equipment and Training of Fire Services April 2012 Download(02.61 MB)
18 Guidelines on National Disaster Management Information and Communication System Feb 2012 Download(06.00 MB)
19 Guidelines on Management of Drought Sept 2010 Download(01.40 MB)
20 Guidelines on Management of Urban Flooding Sept 2010 Download(14.35 MB)
21 Guidelines on Management of Dead in the Aftermath of Disaster Aug 2010 Download(01.40 MB)
22 Guidelines on Management of Tsunamis Aug 2010 Download(01.40 MB)
23 Guidelines on Incident Response System  July 2010 Download(08.97 MB)
24 Guidelines on Psycho-Social Support and Mental Health Services in Disasters Dec 2009 Download(0748 KB)
25 Guidelines on Management of Landslides and Snow Avalanches June 2009 Download(03.39 MB)
26 Guidelines on Management of Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies Feb 2009 Download(01.65 MB)
27 Guidelines on Management of Biological Disasters July 2008 Download(03.23 MB)
28 Guidelines on Management of Cyclones April 2008  Download(04.52 MB)
29 Guidelines on Management of Floods Jan 2008 Download(05.84 MB)
30 Guidelines on Medical Preparedness and Mass Casualty Management Oct 2007 Download(60.24 MB)
31 Guidelines on Preparation of State Disaster Management Plans July 2007 Download(05.84 MB)
32 Guidelines on Chemical Disasters April 2007 Download(01.67 MB)
33 Guidelines on Management of Earthquakes April 2007 Download(03.16 MB)

16th FICCI Higher Education Summit 2021

 Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ delivered the inaugural address at the 16th FICCI Higher Education Summit 2021 today. The 16th edition of FICCI higher Education Summit is being organised virtually by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with Ministry of Education and Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The theme of the summit is ‘‘Higher Education @ 2030: R.I.S.E. – Resilience. Innovation. Sustainability. Enterprise.’

Addressing on the occasion, Shri Pokhriyal said that National Education Policy 2020 lays out the path for transforming Indian education landscape suited to 21st century needs. He further said while the government has formulated the policy, private sector participation will play a key role in implementing the same.

Shri Pokhriyal said, “Built on the foundational pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability, NEP 2020 is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and a global knowledge superpower”.

The Minister remarked that in the next 20-30 years, the energy and talent of young India will be used in advancing the world as 21st century belongs to Young India. India is poised to become the R & D capital of the world not because of the cost advantage but due to the rich and intelligent human capital that the country is bestowed with.

Lauding the FICCI Higher Education Summit, Shri Pokhriyal said that over the years, the Summit has evolved into a thought leadership forum and brings together key stakeholders including, policymakers, academicians, industry and students for deliberations and knowledge sharing at both national and international levels.

The Inaugural session also witnessed the release of FICCI- EY report ‘Higher Education in India: Vision 2040. The report, while defining Education 4.0 in the current context, has highlighted the significant emerging trends within the higher education sector and drawn learnings and highlighted global best practices. 

Dr R A Mashelkar, National Research Professor and Chancellor of Institute of Chemical Technology, Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, Chair-FICCI Higher Education Committee Mr Uday Shankar, President, FICCI and Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI and other dignitaries graced the occasion.

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IMPORTANCE OF SEX EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION:

Knowing about our own body is our right and parents have the responsibility to provide them the knowledge and awareness a young mind needs to know. Access to comprehensive sex education is a human right. The society can longer passively leave it to streets or the internet to brainwash the kids mind with incomplete knowledge or set sexual standard values.

MEANING:

Sex Education is a comprehensive set of knowledge and process of learning the emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. Sex education should include information about puberty, menstruation, condoms, contraceptives, sexual violence prevention, sexual orientation, gender identity and body image. Sex education will provide the importance of self well being and health to one and others.People have so many different conceptions about sex education.

Many people think teaching children sex education is equivalent to permitting them to engage in sexual intercourse which is not true. Engaging in sexual intercourse is a personal choice nevertheless one should always be clear about the consequences and be aware on how to prevent diseases and unintended pregnancy. Sex education should treat sexual development as a normal human development.Sex education will help kids to adopt healthy decisions. But this is not enough, Children are perplexed and demand honest answers. Comprehensive sex education should provide honest, age appropriate informations.

IMPORTANCE OF SEX EDUCATION:

  • It is important in consideration of health and well being and dignity of not only themselves but also others. Health related problems and teenage unintentional pregnancy leads to absenteeism and dropping out of studies.
  • Developing respectful social relationships and sexual relationships will enhance quality of life. Some people choose to be in a relationship while some don’t. Some people feel an attraction towards somebody who could also be of the same gender as theirs and that’s okay.
  • Sexual health can affects the academic development of a student. Reportedly a student who has not engaged in sexual activities tends to be better at studies.
  • Good sex education helps students differentiate between intentions and also knows about sexual violence.

ROLE OF PARENTS IN SEX EDUCATION:

Sex is already taught all over internet in a very poor manner. Children are curious about gathering information about sex much before parents can even imagine. Therefore, parents should take the initiative of education their children about sex from a younger age and educate them further with the growth in their minds and age. It also creates a secure relationship between the child and the parents. Parents need to ensure right information is given to their kids. Parents remaining silent about sex can lead to children trying to figure it out on their own from internet or from their peers.

Sex education helps the kids understand their bodies and feel optimistic about the body. Many parents prepare their daughter for menstrual periods and son for his nocturnal emission. Therefore, parents should be the first source of information to the kids. Boys should also be taught about periods as later on in life it helps to deal with their wife’s mood swings or pain.

RULES TO BE FOLLOWED:

Sex education works best when there is mutual trust and comfort and safety among themselves. Sex education should be taught according to the Childs age and development stage.

Here are some ground rules which are to be followed:

  • Asking questions indicates the want to gather knowledge
  • Respect for each other
  • Correct use of body terms and activities
  • It is possible for the teacher to not know all the answers
  • Gender equality should be taught
  • Students should be given right and primitive information
  • Students should be open to discuss any issue in the class related to sexuality
  • Listen to what the teacher has to say because it might be of use in the future
  • Always speak for yourself

CURRENT PERSPECTIVE:

Looking at the current situation of India, sex education has a far more distance to cover in terms of Indian society understanding and accepting its importance in every Childs life. Sex education is still not to be seen in many schools. Currently many organisations have taken the responsibility to personally approach the school for teaching girls about menstrual or personal hygiene. Boys are still left to collect information the streets and internet.

Many parents believe that with age their child will learn about it anyway therefore they don’t bother to talk about it at all. Some parents are shy to even pronounce the word in front of their kids. Parents refer to ignorance as assurance but now the times have changed, somehow children acquire inaccurate knowledge about sexuality. It is the responsibility of parents and teachers to make sure the kids are socially and sexually aware.

CONCLUSION:

Sex education should be made compulsory in school curriculum. Comprehensive sex education is important for young people to prepare themselves for any bodily changes and maintain their healthy and hygienic being. Sex education doesn’t promote having sex, which should be realised by parents. Knowing about your sexuality gives altogether a better and productive mindset and relationship in the future.

The Pros and Cons of Drones (UAVs)

What is Drone technology ? 

By definition, drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that are operated and navigated by a smartphone or a remote control.

As per records, the earliest version of drones was launched in 1849. Since then, drones have primarily been used for military purposes. Only a few years ago, the miniaturization of drones allowed different businesses to start utilizing drone technology.

Now, the drone industry is rapidly expanding. Drone technology is increasingly being used by organizations to manage their business and deliver services. In the near future drones may be used to deliver items and services. With this new technology, drones have their own set of benefits and drawbacks.

Pros of drone technology

  • Drones are used in a various sectors. They go to places that people find difficult to get.  For example, they can be used to quickly deliver medicines in hilly areas.
  • During natural disasters, drones can be used to deliver food. Not only can drones be used to distribute food, but they may also be used to locate and rescue those who are stuck. Drones can thereby save lives.
  • They can also be used in agriculture to disperse seeds, pollinate flowers, and identify crop diseases, and so on.
  • They can reduce human workload by performing monotonous chores such as delivering goods, sowing seeds, and so on.
  • Drones are extremely useful in substituting humans  for working in dangerous places such as mining.
  • Drones are being used in the military. By replacing humans, they can prevent or reduce the loss of life during wars.
  • They can also be used to provide internet access in remote areas.
  • Drones can replace various jobs, especially those that are monotonous. However, the good news is that drone technology is generating a lot more jobs in different sectors.
  • Drones are cost-effective. Many people who buy drones for personal use, for example, use them to take aerial shots. Taking aerial pictures used to be quite expensive before drones were affordable to the general people.

Cons of drone technology

  • Drones are vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
  • It’s possible that they’ll crash with flights.
  • Drones can be misused to stalk people, vandalize homes and  engage in a variety of other anti-social behaviour. There have been numerous instances where drones have posed a security threat.

Conclusion

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have a wide range of applications. Drones have the potential to transform a variety of industries. Many industries, including agriculture, construction, mining, and filmmaking, are already using them.