Punjab Affairs
Punjabs 99.94 percent of households that is 34.24 lakhs out of the total of 34.26 lakh are getting potable piped water supply. Noting this, the state Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua on Wednesday directed the Water Supply and Sanitation Department to cover the remaining 2,230 households in quality-affected villages on priority within the current financial year to ensure potable piped water supply in all rural households across the State.
Janjua, chairing the third meeting of Apex Committee of State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM), reviewed the progress of ongoing Water supply and sanitation projects, and directed the concerned officials to ensure 100 percent coverage of rural households with Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) at the earliest.
He also directed the Rural Development and Water Supply and Sanitation Departments officials to submit a road map within a week for the achievement of targets under Swachh Bharat-Gramin.
During the meeting, it was apprised that the State has already covered 99.94 percent of households with piped water supply. All the remaining 2230 households in quality affected villages will be provided with potable water supply in 2022-23. The Department has already ensured 100 percent saturation of households in terms of piped water supply through FHTCs in 11,931 villages, 146 blocks, and 20 districts of the State besides ensuring Har Ghar Jal certification through special in 11,867 saturated villages, 133 blocks, and in 16 districts, he added.
National and International Affairs
Fertiliser min may seek 2.5L crore subsidy for FY24
The fertiliser ministry may seek budgetary support of around Rs 2.5 lakh crore subsidy for 2023-24, considering the current trend of international prices. While the government had provisioned for only Rs 1.05 lakh crore fertiliser subsidy for 2022-23, the outgo has already surpassed Rs 2 lakh crore.
Though fertiliser ministry officials did not give the exact number, they said the government will provide adequate funds to ensure that farmers don’t face any additional burden due to fluctuation of prices in the international market.
IFFI 53 Film Personality of the Year Award goes to Megastar Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi.the IFFI Indian Film Personality of the Year Award for 2022 goes to megastar and actor-producer Chiranjeevi Konidela. The announcement has been made by the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur, at the grand opening of the 53rdedition of IFFI, the International Film Festival of India.
In an illustrious film career spanning more than four decades, Chiranjeevi starred in more than 150 feature films in , as well as some films in Hindi, Tamil and Kannada. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential actors of Telugu cinema.
In 2006, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, for his contributions to Indian Cinema.
According to the report on annual consumption of antibiotics published in the latest issue of the scientific publication, Journal of Antimicrobial Resistance, Telangana recorded the third highest consumption of antibiotics in the country between 2011 and 2019. While Delhi stood first, Punjab occupied the second position.
Delhi recorded the highest Median consumption rate (daily dose per 1,000 people) of 23.5 followed by Punjab 22.9 and Telangana 15.3. The lowest rates were reported in Madhya Pradesh 7.2, Bihar 8.1, Rajasthan 8.3, Jharkhand 8.5 and Odisha 8.9.
During the study period, the rates increased in six states including Telangana. Rates According to the study, states with high per-capita income like Telangana reported the highest median consumption rates.
However, the annual consumption rate at the all-India level decreased by 3.6% between 2011 and 2019. The share of access antibiotics (essential and widely available) decreased 13.1% and the access/watch (watch antibiotics are those given to treat select diseases) ratio declined from 0.59 to 0.49.
The team gathered data from a panel of 9,000 stockists (60% of total stockists across country), representing data from 5,000 pharmaceutical companies, 18,000 small distributors and sub-stockists, and 5lakh retailers.
Saudi Arabia commits $2.5 billion to Middle East green initiative
Saudi Arabia‘s Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salmansaid on Monday the kingdom would contribute $2.5 billion to a green initiative in theMiddle Eastover the next 10 years, and host its headquarters.
TheMiddle East Green Initiativewas launched by thecrown princelast year as part of efforts to reduce regional carbon emissions.
Saudi Arabia had said last year it aimed to contribute 15% of the $10.4 billion required for the fund’s clean energy projects.
It also plans to plant 50 billion trees across the Middle EAst and restore an area equivalent to 200 million hectares of degraded land. The initiative will help reduce global carbon levels by 2.5%.
Saudi Arabia plans to rely on renewables for 50% of its electricity generation by 2030, the prince said, removing 44 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2035.
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