PM GatiShakti’s Infrastructure Project Review
- During the 56th Network Planning Group (NPG) meeting, six projects under PM GatiShakti were reviewed.
- The total estimated cost of these projects is approximately Rs. 52,000 Crore.
- Four of these projects are linked to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and two are associated with the Ministry of Railways (MoR).
- MoRTH proposed four road projects with an estimated value of about Rs. 45,000 Crore.
- These projects adhere to the principles of the GatiShakti initiative.
- One of the project proposals includes a Greenfield Road in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
- The proposed road will support industrial hubs in the Navsari, Nashik, and Ahmednagar districts.
- This project will also assist the agriculture sector in the region.
- Tribal districts like Navsari, Valsad, and Nashik are expected to enjoy socio-economic growth due to improved accessibility.
- The project will boost tourism and will link other aspirational districts such as Osmanabad.
- The second Greenfield Road project is in Gujarat, integrating districts like Banaskantha, Patan, Mahesana, Gandhinagar, and Ahmedabad. It will form a connection point between the Amritsar-Jamnagar economic corridor, Ahmedabad, and Vadodara, thereby promoting multi-modality in the region by integrating various forms of transportation.
- The third proposed road project is in Bihar, which includes the construction of a 4-lane corridor from Patna to Arrah-Sasaram under the Bharatmala Pariyojna initiative. The project aims to bring socio-economic development to the Left-wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts, including tribal areas.
- The fourth road project, situated in Uttar Pradesh, is focused on improving interstate connectivity among Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand.
Source: PIB
Cell Broadcast Alert System Testing
- The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) is partnering with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to test the Cell Broadcast Alert System.
- The goal of this project is to improve emergency communication during disasters, prioritising citizen safety.
- The tests are comprehensive and involve several Telecom Service Providers.
- These tests are scheduled in various regions across the country to evaluate the emergency alert broadcasting capabilities of different mobile operators.
- The Cell Broadcast Alert System aims to deliver important disaster management messages to all mobile users in a specified area, irrespective of whether they are residents or visitors.
- The system ensures that emergency information is promptly delivered to a wide audience.
- Government agencies and emergency services utilise Cell Broadcast to communicate potential dangers and provide important updates during emergencies.
- The system can deliver a variety of emergency alerts such as severe weather warnings (e.g., Tsunamis, Flash Floods, Earthquakes), public safety messages, evacuation notices, and other critical information.
Source: PIB
‘CRIIIO 4 GOOD’
- Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, launched ‘CRIIIO 4 GOOD’. This is an online platform for learning life skills.
- The program aims to advocate for gender equality among children and is a collaboration between the International Cricket Council, UNICEF, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India. It was launched at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
- ‘CRIIIO 4 GOOD’ uses the influence of sports and the appeal of cricket to empower girls and elevate awareness of gender equity.
- The initiative comprises eight animated films based on cricket. These are designed to support gender balance, provide life skills to girls, and promote their involvement in sports.
- Leveraging cricket’s popularity among young audiences, ICC and UNICEF have released these modules. The goal is to motivate children and young people to understand vital life skills and the significance of gender equality.
Source: PIB
Assam Promotes Pipe Composting
- Pipe composting is a waste management technique practiced in rural communities, specifically in Biswanath District, Assam during the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign.
- Schools in these areas use pipe composting to manage biodegradable waste generated from midday meals.
- The process involves the use of PVC pipes, 8-10 inches in diameter and 1.25 meters long, inserted 25-30 cm into the ground.
- Only biodegradable waste such as leftover food, fruit and vegetable peels, flowers, dung, and agricultural waste are allowed in the pipes.
- To speed up the composting process, a mixture of cow dung and dry leaves in water is added into the pipes every two weeks.
- The system must be kept closed to avoid rainwater entering the pipes.
- Compost manure can be harvested after 2 months by lifting the pipe.
- Benefits of this system include:
- Rapid conversion of biodegradable waste into manure, helping the environment.
- Maintenance of a clean and hygienic environment within the school campus.
- The system is odourless and fly-proof.
- It is highly space efficient.
- It offers sustainability as pipes can be reused multiple times.
- It offers a learning opportunity for students about decomposition, the role of microorganisms and invertebrates, and the importance of waste management and sustainability.
Source: PIB
CERN Experiment Confirms Antimatter Falls Down
There have been theories proposing that antimatter might defy gravity and move upwards. However, more than a century ago, Albert Einstein, in his General Theory of Relativity, hypothesized that antimatter should behave just like regular matter and be subject to gravitational pull. Now, scientists at CERN have provided strong confirmation that Einstein’s theory was accurate, affirming that antimatter indeed falls downwards.
MS Swaminathan: The Man Behind The Green Revolution Passes Away
M. S. Swaminathan, widely recognised as the architect of India’s Green Revolution, passed away on September 28 at the age of 98. Swaminathan made indelible contributions to agriculture by spearheading the development of high-yielding varieties of paddy. His visionary efforts ensured that low-income farmers in India were able to significantly increase their crop yields.