‘Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana’ Launched in Jharkhand
- Jharkhand’s Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched the ‘Bhiim*. I Ambedkar Awas Yojana’ for widows on April 14, 2016.
- Under this scheme, a target of 11000 units (houses) set in the I current financial year and Rs 80 crore allocated in the budget for Rs 75000 would be granted to build a house in districts in hilly terrains and 70000 in plains and the amount would be distributed among the beneficiaries in three installments in their bank accounts. The widows would also get pension.
‘Green UP – Clean UP’ Programme
- Uttar Pradesh government on April 11, 2016 directed all the district magistrates for plantation of 5 crore trees at 6500 sites in 24 hours on a date fixed in month of July under the ‘Green UP- Clean UP’ initiative.
- The State Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan notified to DMs that the coding of plantation sites should be done according to IGRS based coding of NIC. All online data of plantation sites should be prepared with the cooperation of NIC to ensure effective district-wise monitoring.
Haryana Government Appointed Inquiry Commission
- Haryana government set-up a two-member Commission of Inquiry on April 10, 2016. It would be headed by Retired Justice SN Jha, former Chief Justice of Jammu to probe the sequence of events leading to violence during the Jat agitation for reservation occurred in February, 2016.
- The commission is formed under the Commissions of Inquiry An, 1952. Another Inquiry Commission, headed by retired IPS officer Parkash Singh, is already probing into the lapses on part of government officials in tackling the Jat agitation and subsequent arson.
- The Commission has given a six-month deadline, from the date of its first sitting, to submit its report. The headquarters of the Commission will be in Chandigarh.
Solar Boat Launched in Andhra Pradesh
- An eco-friendly solar-powered boat was launched on April 8, 2016 in Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh. There are only a few of such boats operating on solar power in the country.
- Solar-powered boats get their energy from the Sun. Using electric motors and storage batteries charged by solar panels fitted to the roof, these boats can significantly reduce or eliminate use of fossil fuels. It has been imported, from China.
- The first solar boat designed in India was named Surya by Kerala in 2008. It operated in the backwaters of Kerala ferrying passengers and in 2010, it was included in the Limca Book of Records as Asia’s largest solar-powered passenger boat.
