C’garh’s tendu leaves get good response in auctions
A total of 68 percent of the notified quantity of tendu patta procured was sold in Chhattisgarh through two phases of auctions at an average rate of Rs 7,199 per standard bag amounting to Rs 822 crore.
According to the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Co-operative Federation Ltd, a post-bid sale management software has been developed for online auction of tendu patta.
This year, the Federation is paying special attention to the quality of tendu leaves before collection, ensuring that collectors gather high-quality leaves and receive maximum remuneration, a communication said on Friday.
The government has hiked the tendu leaf collection rate from Rs 2,500 per standard bag to Rs 4,000 per standard bag since 2019.
In Chhattisgarh, online tenders were invited for the first phase of advance sale of 954 lots of 902 primary minor forest produce cooperative societies. The notified quantity of 16.72 lakh standard bags of tendu patta was collected in 2022-23.
INTERNATIONAL
India opens Young Professionals Scheme visas for UK graduates
In an effort to provide opportunities to young persons of the UK and India to live and work in either country, the Indian High Commission in London on Tuesday opened its visa application process for UK nationals to apply for the new Young Professionals Scheme (YPS). It coincided with the ballot opened by the British High Commission in New Delhi for Indian graduates.
Under the Young Professionals Scheme, announced about a month ago, young citizens of India and the UK can visit each other for up to two years at a time.
WHO orders global recall of eye drug produced in India
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the recall of an eye drug—manufactured by Indian pharma Galentic Pharma Pvt Ltd — administered on children from global markets.
The Maharashtra based drug company manufactures the tetracycline hydrochloride ophthalmic ointment USP 1% drug. However, there is currently no established evidence of any adverse events from the affected batches of the product. Redness and swollen eyes are common reactions to general use of tetracycline eye ointment.
NATIONAL
First nuclear plant of North India to be built in Haryana… Read more at:
The first nuclear power plant in North India would be built in Gorakhpur, Haryana, according to Union Minister Jitendra Singh. He claimed that one of the major accomplishments under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership would be the installation of nuclear and atomic energy plants across the nation, which had previously been largely restricted to states in the south like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh as well as western Maharashtra.
According to Singh, the Center has unanimously approved the installation of 10 nuclear reactors in an effort to boost India’s nuclear capability.
The Department of Atomic Energy is also allowed to join forces with Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to get funding for the opening of nuclear power plants.
Haryana’s Gorakhpur In the Fatehabad area of Haryana, the Anu Vidyut Pariyojana’s (GHAVP) Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) with two units, each with a capacity of 700 MWe, is currently being built.
Centre to set up 2 Oz varsities in Guj’s ‘GIFT CITY’
As part of the project of establishment of foreign universities in India, the Centre on Wednesday announced for setting up of two Australian universities — Wollongong and Deakin — in Gujarat’s ‘GIFT CITY’. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said both the universities will sign an agreement on setting up their campuses next week during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s maiden visit to India.
The announcement comes just a month after the Centre’s university regulator- University Grants Commission (UGC)- released draft rules to facilitate foreign universities in setting up campuses in India.
Union Government Approved Renaming of Aurangabad & Osmanabad in Maharashtra
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde confirmed that Aurangabad city will be renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Osmanabad city will be called Dharashiv. After a year the proposal to rename Aurangabad and Osmanabad has been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Ministry stated that it has no objection to renaming cities. The initial proposal was made in a cabinet meeting during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in June 2022 before Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the then-chief minister.
After claiming that the decision by the Uddhav government was illegal, On July 16, 2022, a Government Resolution was passed by the two-member cabinet, comprising Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis, for changing the names, and a proposal was then forwarded to the Centre.