03 February 2019: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam

Special Workshop for Victims of Communal Violence in Bengaluru under Know My India Programme

Context:

The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) is organizing a special workshop for 42 Youth in the age group of 15 to 22 years, who have been victims of communal violence in the past, under the Know My India Programme beginning in Bengaluru.

The Youth come from 6 states including Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Gujarat along with 10 official mentors.

Details of the workshop:

• Its objectives is to help the children deal with the post-traumatic stress, provide them life tools to manage their emotions and eliminate disturbing impressions of the past events, to have them experience deep relaxation and peace, give them a broader and more inclusive view of the world and how each individual is connected with the others beyond social identities, the participants, through fun interactive processes, will be taught various body-breath mechanisms, and practical tools of wisdom.
• The cornerstone is the powerful rhythmic breathing practice called Sudarshan Kriya, whose regular practice is known to significantly reduce stress hormones, improve clarity of mind and increase one’s happiness quotient.

About know My India programme:

• It is a unique programme initiated by the NFCH to bring together financially assisted children of the Foundation from different States/Regions of the country to promote oneness, fraternity and national integration.
• The programme is all about familiarization with the environment, family life, social customs, etc. of the people living in different parts of the country; developing understanding of the common historical and cultural heritage of the country.

About NFCH:

• The NFCH is an autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The main objective of the Foundation is to provide assistance to the children/youth rendered orphan/destitute in communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence for their rehabilitation besides promoting communal harmony and national integration through various activities.
• The NFCH sponsors/conducts different activities for the promotion of communal harmony and strengthening of national integration.

30^th National Road Safety Week

Context:

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is all set to launch the 30th National Road Safety Week, with a host of initiatives planned for generating awareness and sensitizing people about safe road usage.

Theme for this year campaign: Sadak Suraksha – Jeevan Raksha

Details of the event:

• Minister of Road Transport and Highways will flag off a motor car rally to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The rally will travel through places historically associated with Gandhiji, both in India, as well as in Bangladesh and Myanmar, and will pass through Sabarmati, Porbandar, Dandi, Yerwada, Sewagram, Jabalpur, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, ChauriChaura, Champaran, Shantiniketan and Kolkata in India before travelling to Dhaka in Bangladesh. It will conclude at Yangon in Myanmar.
• During the event MoRTH also launch the dashboard for Road Accident Data of India and its states.
• The Society of Indian Automobile Industry will also declare 2019 as the Year of Road Safety on the occasion, to underline its commitment and support for promoting safety on Indian roads.
• Amar Chitra Katha will release a set of comic books on road safety that it has published. This is aimed at creating awareness on the issue among children in an informal format that they can relate to.
• In addition to the above, Retro Reflective Stickers on Sadak Suraksha Jeevan Raksha will be launched on the occasion. These will be put on vehicles to improve their conspicuity.

220 KV Srinagar- Alusteng – Drass- Kargil – Leh Transmission Line to the Nation

Context:

The Prime Minister dedicated the 220 kV Srinagar- Alusteng – Drass- Kargil – Leh Transmission System to the Nation today, a step that would ensure quality power supply to Ladakh round the year.

About Srinagar- Alusteng – Drass- Kargil – Leh transmission line:

• Built at a height of around 3000-4000 meters, this approx. 335 km long transmission line has been constructed by POWERGRID.
• In this project, the four new State-of-the-Art 220/66 kV Gas Insulated Sub-stations built at Drass, Kargil, Khaltsi and Leh will help to ensure 24×7 quality power in all weather conditions.
• Funding provisions have been in the ratio of 95:05 (95% Govt. of India share and 5% J&K state share).

Benefits to the region:

• The implementation of this project was also aimed to supply power to the people of Ladakh in harsh winters and evacuation of surplus power of Kargil & Leh Hydel stations of NHPC in summers.
• It is a flagship project of Government of India, under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan for J&K ( PMRP J&K) scheme which was aimed to improve reliability & quality of power supply in Ladakh region of J&K by connecting with National Grid.
• The project will meet the power demand of Ladakh region at economical rates.
• This would give huge boost to the tourism sector and enhance socio-economic development of Ladakh.

About Powergrid:

POWERGRID is one of the World’s Largest Power Transmission Utility, and has a wide network of 150,874 circuit kilometers transmission lines, with 238 Sub-stations and transformation capacity of 351,106 MVA.

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