G20 Research Ministers’ Meeting virtually

 The Minister of State for Education Shri Subhas Sarkar participated in the G20 Research Ministers’ meeting today. The meeting was hosted in blended mode by Italy. G20 Education Ministers exchanged views on enhancing research collaborations and sharing digital space among G20 Countries for a strong, sustainable, resilient and inclusive recovery. MoS, Education, Smt. Annpurna Devi; MoS, Education, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Secretary Higher Education Shri Amit Khare and senior officials of the Ministry were also present during the meeting..

Representing India, Shri Subhas Sarkar reiterated the country’s commitment to promote research and to skill, reskill and upskill the youth and collaborating with other G-20 countries to achieve this objective. He said that India attaches great importance to work with G20 partners and find evidence-based solutions to common problems.

Speaking on National Education Policy, 2020, the Minister said India’s National Education Policy launched in 2020 under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, seeks to strengthen the research ecosystem of the country by establishing a National Research Foundation.

The Minister informed that India has introduced AI in the school curriculum from grade 6 onwards and also started engineering courses in regional languages to ensure that language does not pose a hurdle to higher learning and research. The Minister further informed that the Government of India supports diverse schemes like SPARC and GIAN to promote academic and research collaboration between India and other countries. Indian institutions are entering into twinning arrangements with foreign universities. We have set up an Academic Bank of Credit that will facilitate such arrangements, he added.

He highlighted that during the pandemic, Indian Higher Educational institutions worked on research projects and developed vaccines against Covid 19, low-cost ventilators and many other medical equipments.

The Minister stated that India emphasizes leveraging relevant technologies for maximum gain in the education sector, for which a National Education Technology Forum as an umbrella body is launched.

India acknowledges the concerted efforts being made by countries to mitigate the effects of the pandemic and build back a more resilient education system.

Regarding ensuring educational continuity during the pandemic, the Minister shared that India has promoted blended learning extensively.  India launched PM eVidya programme under which we ensured continuity of education across the country with a mix of online, television and radio modes, through our initiatives SWAYAM, DIKSHA, SWAYAM PRABHA and many more. 

The Minister reaffirmed the support of the Government of India to the collective efforts of the G-20 countries in building a resilient education system and said he look forward to work with partner countries to fulfill the shared priorities in this area. 

Later, a Declaration of G20 Ministers on Leveraging Research, Higher Education and Digitalisation for a Strong, Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Recovery was adopted at the end of the meeting.

HOW THE BLOGS CHANGE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE?

“ Creativity is Intelligence having fun.” 

This quotation is indeed suitable for people who think to begin a career as a blogger. Firstly let us understand what exactly blogging is. A blog is an online journal or an informational website displaying information in reverse chronological order. It is a platform where writers or group of writers share their views on a particular subject. It was first started in the year 1994 when people used to share bits of their lives online and hence it became a great market of ‘Blogging’. Nowadays, there is also a new form of blogging called ‘Vlog’, which certainly means a ‘Video Blog’. Now, it is largely used by companies to promote their website and products. The main purpose of blogging is to reach the targeted audience. The more frequent your blog posts are, the more are the chances for the growth of your website. 

Now, here comes the question regarding the earnings of a blogger. So, let me tell you that bloggers do earn money but it is not that easy process that will make you rich overnight. It requires a lot of planning with patience and skills that catch the eye of the reader. 

A career in blogging demands a lot of patience as it is not to accomplish a feat within too short a time. Let me introduce you to the most famous blog. “ ZenHabits.net ” was founded by Leo Babauta and quickly became one of the most popular motivational blogs in the world. The blog covers topics like motivation, inspiration, finding happiness in the little things, being productive, and practicing mindfulness. A blog does not succeed overnight. It requires consistency towards your skills such as reading and gaining knowledge, learning new things and working on the ability to convert your beliefs and thoughts into words. If you become consistent and good at your work then with time you will start receiving offers from various companies which will kick start your career. 

Below is the list of the top ten highest-earning bloggers :

1. HuffPost: $500 million per year

2. Engadget: $47.5 million per year

3. Moz: $44.9 million per year

4. PerezHilton: $41.3 million per year

5. Copyblogger: $33.1 million per year

6. Mashable: $30 million per year

7. TechCrunch: $22.5 million per year

8. Envato Tuts+: $10 million per year

9. Smashing Magazine: $5.2 million per year

10. Gizmodo: $4.8 million per year

These blogs have not become successful overnight. It took great efforts and compromises from them to be at this level today. Indeed, blogging can change lives. A person who belongs to a middle-class family, where not many amenities are provided because of financial issues, develops an interest in content writing and finds out that he/she is good at it. One can make a career in this field as it is emerging nowadays. People who used to blog are now calling themselves influencers which is the same thing. They promote brands, put their thoughts into them and earn a great amount of money for their creativity which is also fun for them. 

Blogs not only change the lives of people who write or create them. It also changes the lives of people who read and follow them. Bloggers try to connect with the audience for their attention. The audience feels the connection between them and therefore tries to follow their words which creates a great impact on their lives. That is why content writers should also keep in their mind to bring out positive thoughts because there are millions of people whose lives are impacted.

In the end, I would quote that, “It’s not the life you are creating, it’s the lives you are impacting” 

Importance Of Effective Communication Skills

Contemporary World
People feel generally competent and confident when discussing matters of communication. Some perceive communication as one of the fundamental differences between human and other animal species, and as the very element that led to human change, development, adaptation, and domination. But to try and define such a broad term is a difficult task – one that many scholars have undertaken. The essence of communication though can be expressed in simple words: communication is the transfer of thoughts, feelings, ideas, and opinions from one person to another (or to a group of others) through specific channels.

The Virtual Scenario
Virtual communication clearly has many advantages including increased productivity, reduced business costs and a better work/life balance of the workforce. However, virtual communication also entails numerous challenges and obstacles which are often neglected in light of the benefits.

When communication is effective, it leaves all parties involved satisfied and feeling accomplished. By delivering messages clearly, there is no room for misunderstanding or alteration of messages, which decreases the potential for conflict. In situations where conflict does arise, effective communication is a key factor to ensure that the situation is resolved in a respectful manner. How one communicates can be a make or break factor in securing a job, maintaining a healthy relationship, and healthy self-expression.

In contemporary virtual scenario, effective communication fosters trust with others. Your ability to listen attentively and embrace different points of view helps others trust that you are making optimal decisions for everyone in the group. The ability to communicate effectively plays a large role in resolving conflicts and preventing potential ones from arising. The key is to remain calm, make sure all parties are heard and find a solution that is ideal for everyone involved. With people feeling more confident in their work and in their understanding of what they need to do, they become more engaged with their work as a whole. To cite a day-to-day example, video-conference with clients on another continent or even replying to a flood of emails for that matter, can be two of the very prominent instances, one may come across quite frequently.


A video-conference with clients on another continent, can be best accomplished only with one’s spontaneous communication skills, virtually. It is definitely not as easy as it may seem in an authentic face-to-face scenario.

The same holds true for online classes as well. Communicating with teachers, and students, virtually, isn’t as fun as it used to be in the past in a non-virtual scenario. To make situations like these more welcoming. One must have good communication skills and must know the right way to make use of it too. Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important life skills to learn.

Realism

Realism has been the most important approach of international relations over the years. It has been the dominant way of explaining international behaviour. Realism emphasizes relations among nations, as they have been and as they are. It is not concerned with the ideal world. It is the international interpretation of human behaviour. Individuals are essentially selfish, and they seek power to serve their interests and to prevail over others. As Morgenthau wrote in the 20th century, power is the control of men over the minds and actions of other men. And, there is constant strife leading to conflicts and clashes between individuals having divergent interests and seeking to acquire power. Thus, there is an ever-present struggle for power in the society. The same is the tone of nations that are guided by the same considerations as individuals.

Political Realism
Realism, or political realism, as an approach of international relations has evolved over the centuries. Prominent among its earlier advocates were Indian scholar Kautilya, Chinese strategist Sun Tzu, and Greek scholar Thucydides. Much later, Italian scholar Nicolo Machiavelli and English philosopher Thomas Hobbes also contributed to the evolution of realism. Their ideas may be called classical realism, though Morgenthau is now considered the principal classical realist. However, according to the view expressed by Robert Jackson and George Sorensen (1999) and many others, Morgenthau’s theory may be described as neo-classical realism. But, Morgenthau was the most systematic advocate of realism. However, British Professor E.H. Carr, who wrote The Twenty Years’ Crisis (1919-39) had prepared the ground on which Morgenthau developed his theory of realism.

Carr criticized democracies like the UK and France for their failure in defeating the designs of dictators. He blamed the democratic countries for failing to recognize the power realities in the world. Carr divided the scholars of international relations into two groups. These were ‘utopians’, or ‘idealists’, and the ‘realists’. He described the utopians as optimists- children of enlightenment and liberalism. The liberals held the view that reason and morality could structure international behaviour of the states towards peace. Wilson and (his) League of Nations were cited as main examples of utopians. Carr, who himself was a a realist, described realists as pessimists, or children of darkness, who emphasize power and national interest. Commenting on Carr’s views on power, Michael G Roskin and Nicholas O Berry wrote, ‘This does not necessarily mean perpetual war, for if statesmen are clever and willing to build and apply power, both economic and military, they can make the aggressors back down…’

Political realism is a significant theory in the field of international relations that seeks to explain state behavior under a set of specific and rigid assumptions. At its core, political realism is guided by three S’s: statism, survival, and self-help.

Statism asserts that states are the only entity on the international stage that matter and that they are unitary (acting alone) and rational (acting in its best interests) actors. Survival identifies the state’s primary goal is to survive in an international system characterized by anarchy. The final S, self-help, conveys the assumption that states cannot trust others in their pursuit of survival and must secure their security.

Political realism is further delineated into sub-theoretical frameworks, including:

Classical realism
Liberal realism
Neorealism
Neoclassical realism
While each sub-framework has its own nuance within the broader political realist theory, all forms of political realism fundamentally believe world politics is a field of conflict among states pursuing power.

Structural Realism
Structural realism, also referred to as neorealism in the academic community, is a major branch of political realism derived from classical realism. While the latter incorporates analysis of human behavior within state decision-making, structural realism focuses predominantly on the anarchic structure of the international system. In other words, structural realists see global conflict as inevitable because there is no supranational body that could prevent or mediate conflict between individual states. Therefore, structural realists assume that states must always be preparing for conflict because war could break out at any time.

Structural realists believe that understanding the international system is guided by the three S’s of political realism. However, they do incorporate analysis of inter-relationships between distinct state entities, particularly regarding power relationships. A key concept in structural realism is polarity, the balance of power within the international system. Today, international theorists often describe the world as unipolar, with the United States acting as the sole superpower endowed with the ability to dominate international relations via their economic, political, and military supremacy.

What Is a Shakespearean Tragedy?

A Shakespearean tragedy is a play penned by Shakespeare himself or a play written in the style of Shakespeare by a different author. Shakespearean tragedy has got its own specific features, which distinguish it from other kinds of tragedies. Traditionally Shakespeare play types are categorized as Comedy, History, and Tragedy, with some additional play categories proposed over the years. The plays grouped as Shakespeare tragedies follow the Aristotelian model of a noble, flawed protagonist who makes a mistake and suffers a fall from his position before the normal order is somehow resumed. It must be kept in mind that Shakespeare is mostly indebted to Aristotle’s theory of tragedy in his works.

Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy
A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language; in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.”
— Aristotle

What Is a Tragedy?

A tragedy is a play which when adequately acted before an audience can produce a complete cleansing of the emotions. To effect such a catharsis the dramatist much move the audience; he must have a capacity to feel the patho of human suffering, a strong moral sense, and great craftsmanship. The word tragedy was derived from the Greek word tragoidia, which means ‘the song of the goat.’ It is called “the song of the goat” because in ancient Greece the theater performers used to wear goatskin costumes to represent satyrs. Today in theater and literature a tragedy is a work that has an unhappy ending. The ending must include the main character’s downfall.

List of Shakespeare Tragedy Plays

Shakespeare wrote eleven tragedies beginning with ‘Titus Andronicus’. They include the four great tragedies ‘Hamlet’, ‘Othello’, ‘Macbeth’ and ‘king Lear’, the two great Roman tragedies ‘Julius Caesar’, and ‘Antony Cleopatra’ and the lyrical tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

The Origin of Shakespearean Tragedy

One of the main features of Renaissance art is that it was inspired by classical art and philosophy. This is evident in the work of such artists as Michelangelo who, caught up in the spirit of Humanism that was sweeping across Europe, focused on the human form. Focusing on the human form during Mediaeval times would have been impossible as it would have been a distraction from the necessary focus on God.

The essence of Humanistic art was that human beings were created in God’s image so it was possible for Michelangelo even to portray God – as a beautiful and physically powerful man with realistic human features, presented as perfection – in fact, the human form at its most beautiful. Artists became anatomists, going as far as buying human bodies for dissection. The result was a new realism in the representation of human beings in art.

Shakespeare is, in a way, the Michelangelo of literature. That he could, in one play, Othello, written four hundred years ago, represent what we can recognize as a modern psychopath and a modern alcoholic, in Iago and Cassio respectively, is incredible. Iago is a fully realized psychological character just as David is a fully realized man physically.

Greek drama was an important model for Renaissance drama after the flat, unrealistic morality plays of the medieval centuries. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, defined tragedy and asserted that it was the noblest and most serious, dignified, and important form of drama. Many of the plays of the Renaissance resembled those Greek tragedies. In several of Shakespeare’s plays, there is a central protagonist who undergoes a harrowing experience as he is brought down from his lofty height, ending up dead.

There is also a special feeling created in an observer of those Shakespeare dramas, similar to the feeling described by Aristotle as the effect of tragedy on an observer. Critics thus thought of those Shakespeare plays as tragedies and that notion has remained with us to this day, although many of those interested in Shakespeare are now thinking differently about the plays from this ‘Shakespearean tragedy’ label. There are still teachers, though, who teach the ‘tragedies’ as though they were Aristotelian tragedies and miss a great deal of what those plays are doing.

EXAMPLES OF SHAKESPEARE’S TRAGIC CHARACTERS

Using the term ‘Shakespeare tragedy’ about any of Shakespeare’s plays invites attempts to fit them to the Aristotelian pattern but none of them fits exactly. Othello seems to conform to the pattern but when one thinks about it, Othello, superficially resembling a tragic hero, doesn’t even seem to be the main character in the play. It can be seen as a modern psychological drama about a psychopath who manipulates every one around him just for fun – just because he has nothing better to do – and destroying other human beings gives him pleasure or is necessary because they get in his way.
Othello may seem to have a fatal flaw – too trusting, gullible – but so do all the other characters, because Iago has deceived them all with his psychopathic charm and a deliberate effort of making himself appear trustworthy. Every misjudgment Othello makes is the hard work of Iago. Easily manipulated? Jealous? Does he have all those ‘tragic flaws’ as well? The feeling at the end is not quite Aristotle either. Perhaps it is more of disgust for Iago than pity for Othello, who comes across as more stupid than tragic. And to make things more complicated, our feeling of pity is directed more to, Desdemona. And yet some teachers miss the meaning of this play by their insistence on teaching it as an Aristotelian tragedy.
Antony and Cleopatra are sometimes called a ‘double tragedy’. While Othello appears to fit the Aristotelian pattern because of the huge charisma of Othello at the beginning of the play Antony and Cleopatra cannot fit it in any shape or form. In tragedy, the focus is on the mind and inner struggle of the protagonist. The emotional information comes to the audience from that source. In comedy the information comes from a variety of sources and the comic effect is produced by a display of many different points of view, coming at the audience from different angles. That is exactly what happens in Antony and Cleopatra, so we have something very different from a Greek tragedy. What we have is a miracle – a tragic feeling coming out of a comic structure.
So what is Shakespearean tragedy? Perhaps there is no such thing. And yet we can identify tragic moments, feelings, and even a cathartic effect in some of the plays. We must be very careful not to insist on fitting them to any pattern because that wouldn’t help us understand the plays. We must look elsewhere for our understanding of them. Moreover, all of Shakespeare’s plays have elements of both tragedy and comedy, sometimes very finely balanced, creating effects that Aristotle could never have dreamt of.

Entire spectrum of oxygen infrastructure including PSA Plants, Oxygen Concentrators and Oxygen Cylinders,Ventilators

 Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary chaired a high-level meeting today to review preparednessstatus of the entire spectrum of oxygen equipment including ventilators, PSA/Oxygen plants, oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylindersfor timely and effective management of the COVID19 pandemic,with States and UTs through a Video Conference today.

Underlining the challenge posed by increasing number of COVID cases across the country, with focus on Omicron, Union Health Secretary emphasized that it is the primary and critical responsibility of States and UTs to ensure all oxygen equipment, till the field level at all health facilities is tested and kept in a functional state to meet any emergent situation.

States/UTs were urged to ensure full and optimal utilization of ECRP-II funds, through daily reviews, and to upload the expenditure on the dedicated NHM PMS portal so that they are eligible for release of further funds in order to strengthen the healthcare facilities till the sub-district levels. Under ECRP-II, funds are also made available for installing Liquid Medical Oxygen [LMO] tanks and Medical Gas Pipeline Systems [MGPS]. States are required to make them operational and secure approval from Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization [PESO] in respect of LMO tanks.

Union Health Secretary also urged the concerned States to commission PSA plants being set up under state’s own funds and CSR funds on a war-footing through daily reviews. States were requestedto also ensure that mock drill of the PSA plants are carried out to ensure that oxygen flow at the patient bedside adheres to adequate purity, recommended outlet pressure with no leakages. In addition, flowmeters must be tested and remain in functional state. States were exhorted to also monitor installation of PSA plants in private hospital facilities and Medical College Hospitals.

Union Health Secretary emphasized that States need to ensure that the delivered ventilators are quickly installed and commissioned at the designated field health facilities. They were urged to address the large gaps that continue to exist between delivered and installed ventilators, provide consignee details of hospitals for requirement of additional ventilators and expedite the issuing of Final Acceptance Certificates for installed ventilators. States/UTs were further reminded to expedite finalizing maintenance contracts with manufacturers. States/UTs were also advised to lodge any complaint related to ventilators in the online Complaint Management System which was launched on 30 August 2021.

It was pointed out that the Union Health Ministry has started the National Oxygen Stewardship Program from 22ndDecember 2021. States need to ensure that Technical Training of the operators is completed across the country.  More than 1600 candidates joined the said training programme covering 738 districts. An online PSA training program is also being carried out by Directorate General of Training [DGT] through 24 regional centres across the country.So far, 4690 candidates have been trained under the 180-hour training program, while 6,825 candidates have received their training under the 10-hour training program.

States to also maintain a state of alertness to ensure adequate buffer stock of drugs.They were urged to update buffer stock details with Government hospitals as well as with Medical Colleges on the Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System [DVDMS] portal. States/UTs which have not frozen their buffer requirement of drugs on DVDMS portal were urged to timely update them along with the details of stocks available and purchase orders placed.

Purvanchal region emerges as new hub for India’s Agri-export

 Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has taken several initiatives in making landlocked Purvanchal region as a new destination of agri-export activities through development of Varanasi Agri – Export Hub (VAEH).

APEDA has identified potential districts of Uttar Pradesh to be covered under the VAEH. The Purvanchal division covers districts of Varanasi, Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Chandauli and Sant Ravidas Nagar.

The Varanasi region, where there are negligible agri-exports used to take place because of lack of basic infrastructure, is now abuzz with activities which has given a boost to exports. After the intervention of APEDA, Varanasi region has recorded exemplary changes in the export scenario and registered many first-of-its-kind achievements in a very short span of time.

With the active intervention of APEDA, about 20,000 Metric Tonne (MT) of agri- produce have been exported from Purvanchal region in the last six months. Out of these shipments, about 5,000 MT fresh fruits and vegetables and 15,000 MT of cereals have been exported to Vietnam, Gulf nations, Nepal and Bangladesh by all modes of transportation.

Varanasi and nearby areas witnessed an export of around 12 MT, 22 MT and 45 MT in the months of October, November, December respectively in the year 2021. Also, around 125 MT have been exported from Varanasi and nearby areas.

As Varanasi is a territory based in the plains of river Ganges, it has rich nutritional composition of soil with ample amount of fertility which leads to production of good quality agri-produce. Varanasi region also has reputed institutions of central and international level such as Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

Currently, the Varanasi region has a number of exporters and exports of agricultural products is being undertaken through air route due to establishment of robust quarantine as well as custom clearance facilitation centre at Lal Bahadur Shastri International (LBSI) Airport. APEDA has organised more than 30 capacity building programmes in the entire Varanasi region followed by eight international buyer-seller meets, which has provided a platform to the exporters to market their food products in the global marketplace.

To monitor the product and production, a project of AI tech is also being considered for approval. APEDA is also planning to take member Farmer Producer Organization to different successful territories for unveiling the agri-supply chain and market linkage.

The government is also considering replicating the Varanasi model in the Gorakhpur region of Purvanchal as the geography, demography and few other parameters are common in both the places. The newly established international airport in Kushinagar may play a vital role in triggering the export. The DDU Gorakhpur University, Indian Institute of Seed Science, Mau are the institutions actively working towards promotion of agri- activities in the region.

APEDA has also approved three projects for comprehensive grain and nutritional quality profiling of non-Basmati Rice, value added products from Rice and rice-based food systems. An APEDA-funded project for integrated IT solutions to enhance Agri Export in Varanasi Region is under process.

The export of the first trial shipment of 14 MT green chilly was facilitated by APEDA from Varanasi to Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port in December 2019.

For the first time, from Varanasi 3 MT fresh vegetables was exported to London, 3 MT fresh mangoes to Dubai, 1.2 MT fresh mangoes to London, 520 MT regional rice to Qatar and 80 MT regional rice to Australia during the Covid pandemic in 2020, after APEDA’s intervention.

Meanwhile, Trisagar Farmer Producer Company Ltd, which is based in Sant Ravidas Nagar district, has started sending shipments on a daily basis to the international market after the intervention of APEDA. In another success story, Gazipur district-based Shivansh Krishak Producer Company Ltd with a base of 1,500 progressive farmers has managed to get a decent realisation for its commodities after exporting a good volume of agri-produce.

Similarly, Varanasi-based FPO Jaya Seed Farmer Producer Company Ltd, which grows mangoes in around 50 acres, is getting higher price as compared to average price of the market after the intervention of APEDA. Prior to the initiative taken by APEDA, the FPC used to sell mangoes at an average price of Rs 25/kg, but in recent season they have sold it at Rs 50/kg to a Netherland-based company named Super Plum having few outlets in Bangalore and Mumbai.

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REMEDIAL TEACHING

Remedial Teaching is a kind of teaching method or instructional work carried out to provide remedial measure to students. The word “ remedy” means “to rectify” or “to improve” something. So, Remedial teaching is carried out to provide remedial measures to get rid of common or specific weakness of students. The major objective of remedial teaching is to provide learning support and additional help to pupils who are not good as their peers in performance. Students with learning difficulties have some psychological needs. Some have less ability to comprehend abstract ideas and concepts. Others may have poor memory. So it is integral in remedial teaching to identify the specific weakness of pupils.

The learning difficulties in students are various. They may include poor memory, weak in problem solving power, short attention span, lack of learning motivation, lack of self confidence and self expectation, difficulty in understanding new or abstract concepts. So assessment is the first step in remedial teaching. Assessment is also the important factor, because through this the teacher gets a knowledge about the skills and weaknesses of a student. The capacity of students should be assessed by the teacher through survey testing. This will help the teacher to find the present level of achievement and difficult areas of a student. This will also aid the teacher in preparing suitable individual teaching materials. The survey testing reveals the strength and weakness of the class as a whole and the levels of discrepancies in the various basic skills of each student. So the test will help in classifying the students into groups for works like reading, spelling etc.

Teachers use various methods in remedial teaching. There must be diverse learning activities with the same teaching objective to develop abilities and skills of students. Quizzing is the most common method used in remedial teaching. Analyzing the progress of students will help in regrouping them if necessary. Designing meaningful learning situation is important. Suitable language environment is very important in second language classes. Games and activities also stimulate the interest and initiative in learning. Different teaching methods should be adapted by the teacher to improve the learning capacity of students. For example, the teacher should give valuable examples before proceeding to abstract concepts, which will help in easy understanding. Providing clear instructions is also important for students who are less competent in understanding written language. There must be short and clear instruction to avoid confusion among students. Summarising main points is another method which enhances the audio visual memories. Teachers can also guide the students to link up classroom knowledge with life experiences. This will enhance effectiveness of learning. Enhancing learning interest is important in remedial teaching. Teachers can design interesting activities coupled with reward scheme to stimulate the interest of students, for example role play, debate, narrating incidents and games related to language learning initiate learning. Remedial teaching should enhance the active participation of students to enhance their self confidence. Concern for individual performance is important. If individualized remedial teaching is necessary it should be done before or after the class, so the students can remove learning obstacles as soon as possible. Teachers should also note common errors made by these students

Thus remedial teaching is a very significant method . This provides correct foundation to rectify mistakes and for future learning. It hastens the process of learning. Underachievers are promoted to update learning and other students are promoted to expand learning. Remedial teaching also creates confidence in students and it help them to realize their full potential.

Magical Words For The Sign Of Birth

zodiac | Symbols, Dates, Facts, & Signs | Britannica

We all have seen or read fictional movies or books where people can go into the future or be able to see the future and so many more things like that. Just imagining this coming true in the real world makes us go into our imaginary dream world or brings a big smile to our faces. What if I told you that we do something similar like this then how would you react? Wondering how with a feeling of excitement? The answer is the topic that I am going to discuss is zodiac signs. Though it is a casual topic, it has a lot of depth and understanding. I feel it has a sense of mystery, myths, and stories, histories that we can learn and enjoy at the same time. Let me ask all the readers out there how many times have you looked into the newspaper or sites that speak about zodiac signs? We all have done it at some point in time that piques our interest and puts a sense of mark in our heads.

Types of zodiac signs readers

Many might know this but there are different ways people read their zodiac signs. These are some observations I have made.

  1. True Believer: These zodiac sign readers make it a point to check their horoscope every single day without fail. They make it a point to read the different interpretations that people have made about their day according to their zodiac signs. Their ideas, perspectives, action, and activities influence whatever they have read about their zodiac sign to some extent. If you are wondering that, only a few people do this. Then you might want to think again. Many people whether rich or poor have made it a habit to read their zodiac signs and go about their day.
  • Special and Important Days: These zodiac signs readers are a little different from the first one. These people make it a point to read their horoscope according to their zodiac signs only on important days or special days such as job interviews, birthdays, difficult exams, etc. People under this category might or might not believe the interpretation. However, the influence is not as high as the true believer is.
  • Just for fun: These zodiac sign readers just read their horoscope about their zodiac sign just for fun and have the interest of reading about it casually. They do not have a specific time, date, month, or year. They just read if it comes on their search page, or while scrolling through their social sites, and so on. The influence of the interpretation is very little on the readers. However, there are high chances that these readers may slowly become true believers or special or important day’s kind of readers.
  • Sense of Identity: These zodiac sign readers feel a sense of connection with the things that tell about their zodiac signs. They see what it tells here is right or wrong about them. They usually tend to have the quality of reading different sites like a true believer and at the same time have the quality of believing or not believing about the things that tell about them in their horoscope. These readers are very intriguing because they show a sense of influence and at the same time, they show very little influence.
  • Do Not Care: Some people might consider them as part of zodiac sign readers and some might not. The reason is that these people do not care about zodiac sign interpretation and horoscopes at all. The reason I do include them in this category is my idea of inclusion. Just because one is not part of the main different types of the group does not mean they cannot be a part of it at all. These people do not search for things or even read about their zodiac sign for fun. Either if someone around them reads about their zodiac signs or they happen to see or read a post regarding it, they skip it, or even if they read a few lines there are no effects on their actions, thinking, etc. I find these people interesting because I wonder how things like these do not have an effect on them or do not bother them.

These are just a very few important ones that seem to be present in large numbers during my observation. There are many more types of zodiac sign readers that I have not mentioned. Who knows maybe in a few more years more people will start reading about their zodiac signs and many more types will show up that are not there now. 

Horoscope Today, Dec 28, 2021: Check astrological predictions for Aries, Scorpio, Libra, Cancer and other zodiac signs here

Kinds of Zodiac Signs

The most common zodiac sign horoscope is the American version of the horoscope. Many people might not know this but there are several other cultures, ethnicity, religion, and country that have their different horoscopes and zodiac signs. The Chinese have separate zodiac signs and horoscopes. In India, there are so many different religions, cultures, and ethnic groups and each has unique and different zodiac signs and horoscopes. Not just India and China there are so many more countries that have different zodiac signs and horoscopes. This is because they celebrate New Year on a different date and not on 31 December. Though they might be different in names or dates they all are similar and are connected in some sense.

This is also a gentle reminder that please read your zodiac signs and horoscopes; there is no harm or problem in that. Nevertheless, do not let these interpretations or sayings harm you personally so much that it creates an imbalance in your mental and emotional health. The way prediction of zodiac signs is done has many factors playing in it. Some might be true some might be not. Therefore, we must read and look into the source of these zodiac signs or horoscope interpretation in detail before we dive into it completely.

To conclude, I would like to say that whatever we do in the end we should make sure that there is peace, harmony, and contentment not just with ourselves but also with the society, environment, and world so that we can reduce the number of negative things that we will have to deal with.

References

  1. Google searches for images and quotes.

A Non – Negotiable Protection

Data privacy expectations in 2021: Trends to watch | 2020-12-28 | Security Magazine

Just a few days back, I decided to open a Facebook account. To my surprise the moment I created my account, it showed my personal information. Information that I had not even filled. To everyone reading this it might sound very scary. Being scared of such things especially when you hear them from people it becomes even more truthful and genuine. Today the topic that I am going to cover is something that has been a problem and issue for people all around the world. With this article, I hope to speak about the existence or non-existence of privacy in one’s life and the role of social media tech giants in it.

The word “Privacy” creates a mix of feelings. Gary Kovacs rightfully says, and quotes “Privacy is not an option. Therefore, it should not be the price we accept for just getting on the internet.” The reason I am stating this quote is that the world is slowly moving from the real to the virtual world at an uncontrollable pace. At the same time at a much faster rate, we tend to provide or give out all our information into the virtual world while also losing a sense of identity of oneself in the real world. It is a fact that, in the real world people do many things to protect their privacy and personal information but unconsciously tend to do very little about their privacy in the virtual world. The reason for this may be that people cannot see each other physically. This, therefore, brings in a sense of feeling in an individual that the person is not around me and hence they do not know things about me.

Does privacy exist or not?

I think that this question needs to be taken into consideration and find answers for it as we are moving constantly ahead in the field of technology every single day. When I question myself about the existence of privacy, there is only one answer that I get. Privacy does exist but not with the intensity that needs to be present in the 21st Century. Privacy is such an important thing in everyone’s life. People get to decide what information about themselves they want to put out to the world and what they do not want. Any other person regardless of what kind of money, power, influence, etc they have cannot decide this. In recent years, privacy is slowly losing its importance and value. Therefore, we must decide what kind of information we want to put in the virtual world.

Cyber crime seems to increase every day. Let me as you this, how many times have you or people around you have had an experience of your fake account being opened, which you have asked people to report and block? I am sure we can think of one or two instances in our head, which stand as proof of how our personal information is lost and later seen for the use of wrong things. This is just one of the incidents that I have brought out. There are many more incidents whose intensity of danger and trouble is at a much higher rate.  Through various ways, we give out our information that we would think twice before doing it. We would not tell everyone where we stay or where we are going to be all the time. Often we tend to let go of our location in the virtual world without even realizing it. Our privacy happens to be the invisible protective shield that will protect us from uncalled dangers. This shield cannot be negotiated for anything else whether it is the real world or the virtual world.

Social Media and The Power of Big Tech Companies | Shift - Living in the Digital Age | DW | 15.01.2021

Role of Social Media Tech Giants concerning Privacy.

I think we all are aware of the recent incidents taking place in the social media world. We all remember the controversies of Whatsapp, Facebook, and other social media platforms regarding their privacy policy and the threat of information of common people. Talking about the incident in a few lines, these social media tech giants want to make our personal information more public to gain more productivity and revenue. We all remember Whatsapp putting out on different newspapers on the front page saying that their privacy policy is completely secure and nothing will go wrong. A lot of governments and the public itself were not okay with the new privacy policy that has questionable statements that had to be accepted by the people if they wanted to continue as members of the app. The reason many people agreed to the policy even though they were not okay with it was that a lot of people’s daily lives and activities whether they were students or people working had a lot of reliance and dependency on being an active member of Whatsapp. The most shocking part was that when that the US Senator asked the CEOs of these Social Media Tech giants about their work towards privacy and protection they did not have an answer to the question and rather kept revolving around how it is not that simple. These CEOs have been made to come to court several times to answer and provide an explanation in the lapses of their app but they just do not do enough to make things better for people and it is the people who face the consequences of these lapses.

Yes, I completely agree when people say that online or the virtual mode whether it is social media or any other apps that we use brings people together, increases production and economy,  continuous learning and communication, progress, development and so much more. However, what we tend to forget is that with advantages there are disadvantages that need to be looked into or else will result in grave loss of privacy. How many times have we heard on the news that Facebook, Instagram, or even food apps like Swiggy or Zomato have been hacked and information of different accounts has been accessed? It is high time we take such matters seriously and take some action towards them rather than leaving them as incidents that keeps happening every other day.

During the same time, we also had seen incidents regarding government-running apps such as the Aarogya Setu app in India. The justification provided by the different governments around the world was that the privacy of the people matters but the security of the people is also more important and the responsibility of the government. My question to this perspective is how privacy can and security is two different things? Only when the privacy rights of the people are taken into proper consideration only then will bring about the proper security of the people.

To conclude, the protection of privacy of every individual should come from themselves, the community, the governments, and the world. Only when we work together as a whole will be able to make the virtual world a safe place for every individual using it in any form. As Bruce Schneler rightly says, “Privacy is an inherent human right and, a requirement for maintaining the human condition. With dignity and with respect.”

References

  1. Google searches for images and quotes.

WHAT IS A SONNET?

The sonnet is a popular classical form that has compelled poets for centuries. Traditionally, the Sonnet is a lyric in fourteen lines in iambic pentameter governed by certain prescribed rules in general and in the arrangement of the rhymes. It aims at concentrated expression, but fairly complex development of a single theme also is possible. It derives its name from the Italian ‘sonnetto’ which means ‘a little song’ or sound sung to the strain of music. It has only one leading thought or emotion as in Milton’s ‘On His Blindness’ or Keats’s ‘On first looking into Chapman’s homer.

Primary Types of Sonnets:

In English literature, there are two basic sonnet patterns:

Petrarchan Sonnet:

The first and most common sonnet is the Petrarchan, or Italian. Named after one of its greatest practitioners, the Italian poet Petrarch, the Petrarchan sonnet is divided into two stanzas, the octave has two rhymes ‘a’ and ‘b’ arranged in ab ab, ab ab scheme. The sestet has three rhymes arranged in various forms as abba, abba, cdecde or cdcdcd is suited for the rhyme-rich Italian language, though there are many fine examples in English. The octave may be divided into two stanzas of four lines each called tercets. Since the Petrarchan presents an argument, observation, question, or some other answerable charge in the octave, a turn, or volta, occurs between the eighth and ninth lines. This turn marks a shift in the direction of the foregoing argument or narrative, turning the sestet into the vehicle for the counterargument, clarification, or whatever answer the octave demands.

Sir Thomas Wyatt introduced the Petrarchan sonnet to England in the early sixteenth century. His famed translations of Petrarch’s sonnets, as well as his own sonnets, drew fast attention to the form. Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, a contemporary of Wyatt’s, whose own translations of Petrarch are considered more faithful to the original though less fine to the ear, modified the Petrarchan, thus establishing the structure that became known as the Shakespearean sonnet. This structure has been noted to lend itself much better to the comparatively rhyme-poor English language.

Shakespearean Sonnet:

The second major type of sonnet, the Shakespearean, or English sonnet, follows a different set of rules. Here, three quatrains and a couplet follow this rhyme scheme: abab, cdcd, efef, gg. The couplet plays a pivotal role, usually arriving in the form of a conclusion, amplification, or even refutation of the previous three stanzas, often creating an epiphanic quality to the end. In sonnet 130 of William Shakespeare’s epic sonnet cycle, the first twelve lines compare the speaker’s mistress unfavorably with nature’s beauties, but the concluding couplet swerves in a surprising direction.
 

Shakespeare Sonnet 130: My Mistress’ eyes

Variations on the Sonnet Form

John Milton’s Italian-patterned sonnets (later known as “Miltonic” sonnets) added several important refinements to the form. Milton freed the sonnet from its typical incarnation in a sequence of sonnets, writing the occasional sonnet that often expressed interior, self-directed concerns. He also took liberties with the turn, allowing the octave to run into the sestet as needed. Both of these qualities can be seen in “When I Consider How My Ligth is Spent”.

The Spenserian sonnet, invented by sixteenth-century English poet Edmund Spenser, cribs its structure from the Shakespearean—three quatrains and a couplet—but employs a series of “couplet links” between quatrains, as revealed in the rhyme scheme: abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee. The Spenserian sonnet, through the interweaving of the quatrains, implicitly reorganized the Shakespearean sonnet into couplets, reminiscent of the Petrarchan. One reason was to reduce the often excessive final couplet of the Shakespearean sonnet, putting less pressure on it to resolve the foregoing argument, observation, or question.

THe Theme:

The common theme of a sonnet is love as in the sonnets of Shakespeare, Philip Sidney, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. However several poets have used other themes also in their sonnets. Milton’s sonnet ‘On His Blindness ‘,Wordsworth’s sonnet addressed to Milton, Keat’s sonnet ‘On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer and Arnold’s sonnet on Shakespeare are examples.

Examples of Famous Fisrt Lines in Shakespeare’s Sonnet:

William Shakespeare is credited with writing 154 sonnets, collected and published a few years after his death. Shakespeare featured many themes and subjects in his sonnets, and his works in this poetic form are arguably the most famous in English literature. Most of Shakespeare’s sonnets are known by their first-line rather than their number. Here are some examples of famous first lines in Shakespeare’s sonnets:

  • Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war
  • Those lines that I before have writ do lie
  • To me, fair friend, you never can be old
  • My love is as a fever longing still
  • Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
  • So are you to my thoughts as food to life
  • My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun
  • No longer mourn for me when I am dead
  • Love is too young to know what conscience is
  • Then let not winter’s ragged hand deface

Sonnet Sequences:

There are several types of sonnet groupings, including the sonnet sequence, which is a series of linked sonnets dealing with a unified subject. Examples include Elizabeth Barrett Brownings’s Sonnet from the Portuguese and Lady Mary Wroth’s The Countess of Montgomery’s Urania, published in 1621, the first sonnet sequence by an English woman.

Within the sonnet sequence, several formal constraints have been employed by various poets, including the corona (crown) and sonnet redoublé. In the corona, the last line of the initial sonnet acts as the first line of the next, and the ultimate sonnet’s final line repeats the first line of the initial sonnet. La Corona by John Donne  is comprised of seven sonnets structured this way. The sonnet redoublé is formed of 15 sonnets, the first 14 forming a perfect corona, followed by the final sonnet, which is comprised of the 14 linking lines in order.

Single window portal for doing robust common KYC system for Stock Brokers, Mutual Fund and depositories etc

 Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal today called for transparency and the highest level of integrity in the stock markets. Addressing the National Stock Exchange (NSE) function today to mark the Silver Jubilee Celebration of 25 Years of Nifty Index and 20 Years of Launching of Derivatives Markets in India, he said this will empower households to look at greater incomes through investment besides encourage foreign investors.

“I think perception matters in the financial world, & therefore it is imperative we must put in place a strong system to maintain the highest level of integrity & transparency, which will encourage every Indian to invest in the stock market & empower households to look at greater incomes through investment besides encourage foreign investors,”

Shri Goyal said the NSE has been able to eliminate a lot of bad practices and brought in more transparency in the working of the exchange.

“On a lighter note, many people are missing the charm and the excitement of trading in the ring as it used to happen earlier, but I think given the current market dynamics & the size of the markets, I’m sure the ring could not handle this level of trade volumes” he said.

Shri Goyal said India has earned respect globally, with its robust technical solutions for handling large trade volumes. “It is equally pertinent that all financial products pass through the prism of ‘Trust, Transparency & Accountability’ so that they can turn into a rainbow of colours for the investors,” he said.

Shri Goyal said Stock Exchanges play a pivotal role in providing capital both to industry and service sector and you channelize household savings & institutional flows for capital formation.

Shri Goyal quoted the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, “Wealth creation is good, but for me the real value of our securities market lies in their contribution to the development of the nation, to the improvement of all sectors and to the welfare of the vast majority of citizens.”

“In this spirit, capital markets can become a source of finance for productive purposes like Infrastructure & Agriculture, which can benefit a very large majority of our population. Also, commodity derivative markets can be used to eliminate risks of farmers,” he said.

Shri Goyal said India is on the path of unprecedented economic growth. The rising economic indicators have showcased India and its true potential and capacity. “We have had the highest ever exports in the history of India. During Dec’21, goods exports stood at $37 bn, up by about 37% over last year. Exports have exceeded $ 30 bn for 9 months in a row consecutively setting a record every month since April 2021,” he said, adding, “Moody’s recently upgraded India’s rating, we recorded the highest ever FDI, we see a robust GST collection, Vibrant Startup ecosystem, Record Mfg & Services PMI – just to name a few indicators!”

Shri Goyal said the Government under the leadership of PM Modi has worked in a mission mode to reduce compliance burden. He called upon the NSE to create a single KYC system for all trading and financial transactions like the NSWS.

“Recently we have launched the National Single Window System, one stop portal, has been launched on a pilot basis created which is a one-stop portal for approvals & clearances needed by businesses,” said Shri Goyal, adding, “Is it possible to implement a Single window portal for doing robust common KYC system for Stock Brokers, Mutual Fund and depositories etc.?”

Lauding NSE for being recognised as the largest derivatives exchange globally for 2019 & 2020, Shri Goyal hoped it will contribute strongly to India’s growth story.

“As we celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, PM said the next 25 yrs will be ‘Amrit Kaal’ for both India & the NSE also, in a way defining the future of India and the future of investing in India. NSE is adding to this momentum with its Nifty 50 index, which in a way has become the ‘Stock of the Nation.’ The Index has grown by 15 times in the last 25 yrs symbolizing the growth potential of the Indian economy. It has made the common man a part of India’s growth story. I’m sure the Nifty 50 will continue to play a very important role in making GIFT City an international financial hub. NSE symbolizes New India’s commitment for strong economic growth.”

Shri Goyal gave a Seven Sutra mantra for the growth of stock exchange market:

i. Safeguarding interests of Small Retail Investors & the MSMEs by improving their financial literacy, launching financial products suitable to their risk appetite & meeting their investment needs

ii. Strong need for participants to be well informed about products that they are investing into; amplify campaigns which would keep the eyes of investors open.

iii. Encourage sentiment shift from Speculation to Diversification, from Momentary gains to building long-term portfolios

iv. Bringing Ease & Simplicity to products which includes launching products in Regional languages

v. Collaborating with schools and colleges to imbibe investment & trading skills at a young age

vi. Reduce volatility & the sudden spikes to enlarge investor base & induce robust capital formation, &

vii. It’s important that we follow the International Best Practices (Wall Street, NASDAQ, etc.) and aim to be among the top 3 exchanges in the world.

Shri Goyal said let us all make a New Year Resolution to help in making Stock Exchanges a frontier to achieve target of $5 tn economy. “India cannot become a developed country without world class securities & commodities market,” he said quoting PM Modi.

“Let us work together to deepen our markets & make an “Aatmanirbhar Financial Market” so that Indian corporates do not have to look at other markets for funding & risk management requirements,” he said.

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Designing a New Town

 A new town built on land strongly controlled under unified public or semi public ownership, should be distinguished by combination of town and country life style and of environment, an uninterrupted greenbelt encircling and intersecting the town. A planned urban community that combines residential, commercial and recreational areas. Due to increasing population, we provide new town for reducing the burden of the city. Designing a new town for self-sufficient and providing housing, commercial, basic facilities and recreational area . 

New towns are playing in the economic development of the countries they are emerging in, it is clear that economic motives are the dominant factor behind most new town initiatives. The present new towns are populated by the middle and upper classes, while the lower income groups live in the old city or in self organized cities and slums.

The New Town Movement 

The new town movement refers to towns that were built after World War II and that have been purposefully planned, developed and built as a remedy to overcrowding and congestion in some instances and to scattered and settlements in others. The main reason for it was to decongest larger industrialized cities, rehousing people in freshly built, new and fully planned towns that were completely self-sufficient and provided for the community. 
Records exist of plans for new towns back as far as the ancient Egyptians. Most of the “planned towns” in history were based on providing for military, trade or harbor needs. The idea of planning a city for the needs of the people who would live there didn’t crystallize until the end of the 19th century when Sir Ebenezer Howard, first suggested a series of “garden cities” north of London. However, it was another 50 years, at the end of World War II, when these garden cities really began to flourish. 
The world was moving into a new era of rapid urbanization. The problems of pollution, traffic congestion and the impersonalized isolation of urban sprawl were growing. The concept of creating new towns spread across Europe with the creation of planned communities to deal with these problems. These “new towns” sought to plan in advance the design and growth of cities. Some of the key features were: 

  • Pedestrian friendly walkways separated from vehicle traffic to promote the safe movement of people between neighborhoods, schools and shopping 
  • Architecturally innovative housing 
  • Community owned land to create activity areas and a sense of openness 
  • Community works of art 
  • Close proximity of commercial and industrial parks for people to live close to where they work 
  • A development philosophy to respect the land 

Need For New Towns 

Developing new towns for various purposes, such as, to exploit natural resources, to provide raw material to industries, to serve nuclei and act as catalytic agents for stimulating economic growth in backward areas, for administration and for special purposes. Although in most cases new towns are expensive to build and they take several years to develop fully, still they offer several benefits. Building of new towns does not mean that, we should stop the growth of major cities. Major cities develop, but new towns reduce the rate of growth of metropolitan cities. In this regard it is necessary to prepare national and state physical plans. The national physical plan should be the physical and ecological guide of the policies, programmes and strategies relating to population changes and distribution. 

Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR orders for immediate closure of 228 numbers of units / sites

 Rigorous inspections in units in the NCR, across air pollution contributing sectors, continue through 40 Flying Squads constituted by the Commission. Enforcement Task Force (ETF) of the Commission is reviewing the field level action and inspection reports of the Flying Squads on a daily basis.

Flying Squads particularly check for compliance in respect of various directions and orders issued by the Commission from time to time towards abatement of air pollution, particularly for measures to be taken for the critical winter months, including related statutory environmental rules / regulations and guidelines issued by the agencies concerned in the Central and State Governments. 

General compliance levels reported to be satisfactory and improving over the days.  However, serious violations still being reported across sectors; majorly in Industrial units, Construction & Demolition project sites, use of Diesel Generator Sets in industrial installation/ commercial complexes and residential set ups.

In geographical terms, such gross violations have been reported across the respective jurisdictions in the National Capital Region, with 38, 48, 104 and 38 cases reported from NCT of Delhi and NCR Districts of Haryana, UP and Rajasthan respectively. 

The Enforcement Task Force (ETF) after deliberations and detailed screening of the non-conformities / non compliances recorded in the inspection reports, decide for immediate closure of such units, to prevent any further deterioration of air quality, as also a signal to act as a strong deterrent for violators of environmental norms.

In respect of 1215 no. of cumulative inspections carried out till 7th December, 2021, gross violations of Directions/ Orders of the Commission and non-adherence of prescribed norms has been reported from 228 number of units / sites across various sectors. Of these, closures have been identified for 128 No. of Industries, 58 C&D Project sites and 42 Commercial / residential complexes operating on DG Sets.

Not only the closure orders have been issued in respect of the grossly violating units, the Flying Squads have further verified physical closure of operations and 111 No. of such units have so far been physically closed down, till further orders from the Commission.

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