The Prime Minister tweeted;

“On his birth anniversary, I bow to Mahatma Phule and recall his towering contribution to social justice and empowering the downtrodden. His thoughts give hope and strength to millions.”

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The Cyclothon was flagged off by Hon’ble Secretary, MNRE, Shri Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, IAS (1990 Batch) from India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Bhalla complemented IREDA for spearheading the development of Clean and Renewable Energy (RE) in India since last 36 years. He further mentioned that IREDA is the largest RE financing agency amongst all the domestic funding arms. Shri Bhalla congratulated IREDA for organizing the Cyclothon Event, not only from the health perspective, but also promoting the significance of a green energy for a clean environment.

Gracing the occasion, Shri Dinesh Dayanand Jagdale, Joint Secretary, MNRE applauded IREDA over conducting such events from time to time and praised IREDA’s major contribution towards advancing RE development in India.

CMD, IREDA, Shri Pradip Kumar Das stressed upon the fact thatIREDA being the largest RE funding agency in the country, stands fully committed towards achieving the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s ‘Panchamrita’ targets and to be an integral part in achievingthe 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based capacity by 2030.IREDA has cumulatively sanctioned RE loans amounting to more than Rs. 1.45 Lakh Crores and financed RE loans exceeding Rs. 92,000 Crores as on datewith a loan book size exceeding Rs. 40,000 crores, ensuring Best Corporate Governance practices, which have become benchmark to others. This has led to IREDA being upgraded to AAA (Outlook: Stable) Rating from the earlier AA (Outlook: Positive) Rating by ICRA due to the complete turnaround in IREDA’s performance in the last three years through best quality governance.

Shri Das added that while this event is an effort towards propagating the importance of clean energy in the society at large, it also shows IREDA’s commitment towards health and fitness of human assets.

The Cyclothon event was attended by Shri M Nagaraj, Director (Corporate Planning), HUDCO and Shri Lokesh Kumar Aggarwal, Director Finance & CFO, ITDC along with officials from the MNRE, DPE, C&AG, PFC, REC, BHEL, MMTC, AIIMS, and also private firms like HCL, AMAZON etc. The event was also graced by participants from Germany who shared their experiences of cycling in India and expressed their delight to be participating in this event.

Mr. Vijay Sharma, International Badminton player, also joined and graced the occasion.

Shri Awanish Kumar Bharati, General Manager, REC anchored the event and performances.

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For a long time, the passengers travelling from Delhi to Meerut have been waiting for this rapid train. For the trial, the first railway coach has reached Duhai. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is all set to run the train on time. The trial from Sahibabad to Duhai will start soon, while passengers will be able to travel through this train from 2023.

The work of laying a one-km long trial track and 12 running tracks at Duhai depot is almost complete. This train is being manufactured in Gujarat’s Savli, and has been made by the multinational company Alstom.

According to the Indian Railways, this train can travel from Delhi to Meerut within 50 to 55 minutes. This is the first system in the country’s rail network under which a 180 kmph train will cover a distance of 100 km in one hour during the first phase.

The journey of 82-km from Delhi to Meerut through Ghaziabad will be completed in 55 minutes. During the journey, 25 stations are being prepared from Delhi to Meerut. The train will stop for 30 seconds at every station and will be available every 5-10 minutes.

The unique feature of this train is that a stretcher has been arranged in the last compartment of the train coach. If a patient is referred from Meerut to Delhi, a separate train coach has been arranged so that he/she can reach at a cheaper cost.

A separate train coach has also been arranged for women as well as for the differently-abled persons and can be easily folded if they are unused during the train journey. The general seats have been made extremely comfortable.

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Delhi  continued to report over 1,000 daily Covid-19 cases and recorded 1,011 fresh infections. The national capital also witnessed one coronavirus-related death, while the positivity rate has now increased to 6.42 per cent, according to the health department.

Delhi on Sunday had seen 1,083 Covid-19 cases with a positivity rate of 4.48 per cent, while on Saturday, the city had registered 1,094 coronavirus infections, the highest since February 10, with a positivity rate of 4.82 per cent.

187.95 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive

India’s Active caseload currently stands at 15,636

Active cases stand at 0.04%

Recovery Rate currently at 98.75%

1,970 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 4,25,23,311

2,483 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours

Daily positivity rate (0.55%)

Weekly Positivity Rate (0.58%)

83.54 cr Total Tests conducted so far; 4,49,197 tests conducted in the last 24 hours

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ठेकेदार को लगाया सिर्फ 4.07 करोड़ का जुर्माना

जिम्मेदार अधिकारियों पर कौन कारवाई करेगा ?

कोरोना समय में विवादित ऑक्सिजन प्लांट के टेंडर में हुई अनियमितता और अधिक मूल्य देने का आरोप लगाया गया था। बड़ा दावा कर मुंबई में बिठाया गया 267 करोड़ के मूल्य के 19 में से 17 ऑक्सिजन प्लांट का काम समय अवधि तक पूर्ण करने में ठेकेदार और उनके सरंक्षक अधिकारी फेल होने की जानकारी आरटीआई कार्यकर्ता अनिल गलगली को उपलब्ध हुए जवाब से सामने आई हैं वही दूसरीओर कुछ कार्रवाई करने के नाम पर ठेकेदारों को सिर्फ 4.07 करोड़ का नाममात्र जुर्माना लगाकर अभय देने का काम हुआ हैं।

आरटीआई कार्यकर्ता अनिल गलगली ने मुंबई मनपा से मुंबई में बिठाए गए ऑक्सिजन प्लांट की जानकारी मांगी थी। मनपा के यांत्रिकी व विद्युत विभाग के कार्यकारी अभियंता शाम भारती ने अनिल गलगली को 19 प्लांट की जानकारी दी हैं इसमें से 17 ऑक्सिजन प्लांट का निर्माण काम समय पर पूर्ण नहीं किया गया। इस 19 में से 12 काम मेसर्स हायवे कन्स्ट्रक्शन कंपनी को वहीं 7 काम यह मेसर्स जीएसएन असोसिएट को दिया गया हैं।

पहिले चरण में 77.15 करोड़ का काम

मुंबई महानगरपालिका ने पहिले चरण में मेसर्स हायवे कन्स्ट्रक्शन कंपनी को 9 स्थानों पर 22,790 एलपीएम प्लांट का निर्माण करने के लिए 25 जून 2021 को कार्यादेश जारी किया गया जिसकी किंमत 77.15 करोड़ इतनी हैं। सभी काम की अवधि 30 दिन की थी। वीएन देसाई, बीडीबीए, कस्तुरबा, नायर, कूपर और केईएम में प्लांट 19 अगस्त 2021 को पूर्ण किया गया और 20 अगस्त 2021 को कुर्ला भाभा, 25 अगस्त 2021 को सायन वहीं 26 अगस्त 2021 को जीटीबी में काम पूर्ण किया गया। इसमें 3.06 करोड़ का जुर्माना लगाया गया। इस कारवाई को ठेकेदार ने चुनौती दी हैं।

दूसरा चरण 59.36 करोड़ का

पहिले चरण में पूरी तरह फेल होने के बाद असफल साबित हुए मेसर्स हायवे कन्स्ट्रक्शन कंपनी को ब्लैक लिस्ट करने के बजाय मनपा ने मेहरबान होकर दूसरे चरण में और 59.36 करोड़ का नया काम का कार्यादेश 27 सप्टेंबर 2021 को जारी किया गया। इसमें 19,760 एलपीएम प्लांट निर्माण का काम था। दहिसर और ऑक्टय नाके का काम समय पर पूरा किया गया लेकिन केजे सोमय्या स्थित काम 12 दिन की देरी से पूरा किया गया।

तीसरे चरण 130.86 करोड़ का

तीसरा चरण इसलिए महत्वपूर्ण हैं क्योंकि प्रोजेक्ट की किंमत यह 130.86 करोड़ इतनी हैं जिसमें 43,500 एलपीएम प्लांट का निर्माण करने का काम यह मेसर्स जीएसएन असोसिएटस को दिया गया। कार्यादेश 27 सितंबर 2021 को जारी किया गया लेकिन एक भी काम निश्चित अवधि में पूरा नहीं किया गया। 12 से 86 दिन की देरी से हुई लेकिन इसमें ठेकेदार को मनपा अधिकारियों ने बचाने का काम करते हुए सिर्फ 1.04 करोड़ का जुर्माना लगाया गया। इसमें बीकेसी फेज 1, बीकेसी फेज 2, नेस्को, दहिसर चेकनाका, भायखला और मुलुंड का रिचर्डसन अँड कृडस वहीं कांजूरमार्ग को लेकर 7 स्थान हैं।

काम की समय अवधि कैसे बढाई?

पहिले चरण में 30 दिन यह काम को पूरा करने की समय अवधि थी जिसे दुसरे और तीसरे चरण में बढ़ाकर 45 दिन किया गया। इस खेल में ठेकेदार को मदद करने के बावजूद 8 काम यह अवधि बढ़ाकर देने के बाद भी समय पर पूरे नहीं हो पाए। काम जो समय में पूरे नहीं हो पाए उसके लिए जो खुलासा किया गया वह समझ से परे हैं। इसमें बड़ी बारिश और बिजली आपूर्ति को आगे किया गया है। एक स्थान पर प्लांट निर्माण के लिए मौजूदा घरों का निष्कासन न होने का कारण दिया गया हैं।

अनिल गलगली का कहना हैं कि ऑक्सिजन प्लांट टेंडर तैयार करते वक्त बाजारमूल्य से अधिक किंमत उल्लेखित करने से मनपा को 100 करोड़ से अधिक का घाटा हुआ हैं। अनुभव न होते हुए भी जिन ठेकेदारों को काम दिया गया उनपर मामूली जुर्माना लगाकर मनपा अधिकारी अपनी गलतियों को छिपाने का काम कर रहे हैं। इसलिए बाद में ठेकेदार को मदद करने के लिए पहले जो समय अवधि 30 दिन की थी उसे बढ़ाकर 45 दिन किया गया इसके बाद भी काम समय पर पूरा नहीं हो पाया। इस काम में जूनियर से लेकर सीनियर अधिकारियों ने किस उद्देश्य से नजरअंदाजी की इसकी जांच होनी चाहिए। जुर्माना सिर्फ ठेकेदार को लगाया गया हैं जबकी सभी अधिकारियों की जिम्मेदारी निश्चित कर कारवाई करने की मांग अनिल गलगली ने मुख्यमंत्री उद्धव ठाकरे और मनपा आयुक्त को भेजे हुए पत्र में की हैं।

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Under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, Ministry of Culture, Government of India is organizing a two-day event for 21^st – 22^nd February 2022 at Indira Gandhi National Center of Arts, New Delhi.

International Mother Language Day is observed worldwide on 21^st February every year to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. The Day is part of a broader initiative to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people of the world. The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day first came from Bangladesh. The general conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to celebrate February 21 as International Mother Language Day in 2000. Every year a unique theme is chosen by UNESCO to celebrate this special day. The theme of 2022 is: “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”, it focuses on potential role of technology to advance multilingual education and support the development of quality teaching and learning for all.

To mark the day, Ministry of Culture is organising two-day programme in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts IGNCA and UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office in physical and virtual format.

The key note address at the event will be delivered by Culture Secretary, Shri Govind Mohan, followed by the address of Mr. Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO Cluster Office, New Delhi and renowned lyricist and poet Prasoon Joshi. With a line-up of exemplary speakers from India and abroad, the event will also witness Poetry recitation in mother tongue, Group Song & Dance in different languages, webinar on ‘Using Technology for Multilingual Learning: Challenges and Opportunities’, launch of book ‘Tribal and Indigenous Languages of India’ written by Prof. Ramesh C Gaur, Dean IGNCA.

Later in the evening, the event ‘Ekam Bharatam’ will witness distinguish presence of Minister of State for Culture & External Affairs Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi to formally release the ‘Vande Bharatam’ soundtrack. The song which has been co-created by Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej along with tabla maestro Bikram Ghosh  was a part of the dance presentations by Ministry of Culture on Republic Day event 2022. The event will also witness music virtuosos perform together live.

Furthermore, there will be an interaction session among the group of writers, thinkers, humanitarians, politicians, journalists and experts on one stage. The unmatched celebration will be followed by cultural performances.

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A couple- Mr and Mrs Srivastava- is still stuck in the rubble, Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav said adding that only Mr Srivastava’s leg is still stuck. He is being treated for injuries as his leg is being pulled out and is expected to make a recovery, Mr Yadav apprised.

Mrs Srivastava has still not been found and it is feared that she may be dead, he further said.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force, or NDRF, is working to rescue the trapped people. Visuals show rescuers in bright orange jackets installing a ladder to reach the upper floors of the building.

“A drawing room on the sixth collapsed till the first floor,” Kaushal Kumar, a resident of the building, told ANI, adding the incident happened in “Tower D” of the high-rise.

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Patil said all cases were “breakthrough infections”, meaning the patients had received both doses of a vaccine. At the same time, 33 students below the age of 18 and a staffer have tested positive at a private boarding school in Dommasandra in Whitefield.

Karnataka logged 402 fresh Covid-19 cases and six deaths on Friday, taking the total number of infections to 29,94,963 and the toll to 38,193. Bengaluru Urban continued to top the list of cases (224), as the city saw 129 discharges and one death. Total number of active cases in the state is now 6,611.

result of 66 fully vaccinated students and staff of the college had turned out to be positive following testing of over 300 students. More people from the college are being tested today.

The samples of the infected people will be sent for genome sequencing. “The students were fully vaccinated… We will be sending a few samples for genome sequencing to check if there’s a new variant,” state health commissioner D Randeep said.

The health commissioner said a freshers’ party at the college on November 17 is responsible for the outbreak.

Chairman of Manipal Hospital and member of Covid task force team in Karnataka Dr Sudarshan Ballal said the Covid cluster is a cause of concern.

“There was a large cluster that has turned to be positive and all of them were at an event. This means the variant of this virus is infectious. Second concern, all the students were fully vaccinated which means there is a immune escape phenomena,” he said.

However, he said, the disease is not severe. “But happening at this juncture is certainly concerning to us… We should go back to stringent Covid behavior,” he added.

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The capacity building workshop follows the launch of ‘NITI Aayog-UNDP Handbook on Sustainable Urban Plastic Waste Management’, released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, CEO Shri Amitabh Kant, Shri. Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, Secretary Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, Special Secretary Dr K. Rajeswara Rao, and Ms. Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP India last month.

Special Secretary Dr K. Rajeswara Rao, NITI, and Ms Nadia Rasheed, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP inaugurated the workshop which was attended by 40 governmentofficials from Urban Local Bodies, Urban Development Departments, and State Pollution Control Boardsin person and 100+ officials online.

“With the launch of Swachh Bharat 2.0, the Government of India is geared to make cities garbage free. Managing plastic waste better is critical to realise the goals of clean India. Through the workshop our aim is to provide practical solutions to the ULB’s to manage plastic waste more efficiently. The decentralized model for plastic waste management detailed in the handbook has been adapted globally and has shown potential of plastic recycling,” said Dr Rao.

“Maharashtra and Goa present before us numerous best examples to manage plastic waste and we are happy to launch our first workshop here. Learnings and solutions from this workshop will help in scaling up the workshops to other states in the coming months,” he added.

The Handbook has been jointly developed by UNDP India and NITI Aayog, in consultation with eminent experts and leading organizations in the domain of plastic waste. The discussion for the Handbook was initiated in February 2021. This was followed by over 20 virtual stakeholder consultations including Urban Local Bodies, Recyclers, Corporates, Civil Society Organizations, Academia. The format included expert interviews, focussed group discussions, and technical workshops covering 14 Indian cities and 4 South East Asian cities. The handbook presents best practices and examples from cities in India and Southeast Asia which face similar infrastructure and plastic waste challenges.

“UNDP’s Plastic Waste Management initiative promotes a sustainable model by collecting, separating, and recycling all types of plastic waste.It also ensures that SafaiSathis (waste pickers) are recognized and paid for their work. These workshops reflect our commitment to promote, scale up and replicate a sustainable model for waste management across cities to achieve the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0. We are proud to partner and work together with the Government of India, NITI Aayog, and urban local bodies in this endeavour,” said Nadia Rasheed, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP India.

The Handbook details plastic waste management through decentralized dry waste management. There are various waste management models in the country, and some of the important ones, such as the UNDP Plastic Waste Management Programme, have been captured here to help ULBs understand the process in a step-by-step manner. The Handbook also details different financial models which can be adopted for the economic inclusion and livelihood enhancement of waste pickers.

“Mumbai ranks high on the list of regions vulnerable to impacts of climate change. Sustainable plastic waste management is critical to managing climate change and the environment.The Mumbai Climate Action Plan to develop climate-resilient mitigation and adaptation already prioritizes waste management. We are already working with partners like UNDP to set up Swachhta Kendra to manage plastic waste and promote innovations that will help sustainably dispose of waste, create value, and help in mitigating climate change. We are thankful to NITI Aayog for this workshop and for providing a platform to urban local bodies of Maharashtra to share best practices,” said Shri Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

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