1.
Indian Railways begins operating the eighteenth Vande Bharat Express on Monday, 29 May.
This will be the first Vande Bharat Express to operate in Assam and also in India’s Northeast part.
The train will operate from Guwahati in Assam to New Jalpaiguri(NJP) in West Bengal.
This will be West Bengal’s third Vande Bharat, following the Howrah-NJP Vande Bharat Express and the Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express.
Except on Tuesday, the train will run six days a week.
The Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express will travel from Guwahati to New Jalpaiguri in 5 hours and 30 minutes, while the current fastest train (Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express) takes 6 hours and 30 minutes.
The cutting-edge Vande Bharat Express will allow residents in the region to travel quickly and comfortably. It will also increase tourism in the area. When compared to the present quickest train linking the two cities, the railway between Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri will save around an hour of travel time. Vande Bharat will complete the voyage in 5 hours and 30 minutes, whereas the present fastest train takes 6 hours and 30 minutes.
However, at the time of publication, the fare chart was still unavailable on the IRCTC website.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi used video conferencing to officially launch Assam’s first Vande Bharat Express.
Timings of Guwahati-NJP Vande Bharat Express:
The Guwahati-NJP Vande Bharat Express (Train No-22228) will depart Guwahati at 16:30 and arrive in NJP at 22.00 after travelling 409 miles. The train will make stops in Kamakhya, New Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, New Alipurduar, and New Coochbehar before arriving at NJP. The train will arrive at Kamakhya at 16.40 and depart at 16.42, New Bongaigaon at 18.35 and depart at 18.36, Kokrajhar at 18.56 and depart at 18.57, New Alipurduar at 19.48 and depart at 19.49, New Cooch Behar at 20.02 and depart at 20.03, and NJP at 22.00.
Meanwhile, the NJP-Guwahati Vande Bharat Express (Train No-22227) will depart NJP at 06:10 and arrive in Guwahati at 11.40 after travelling 409 miles. The train will make stops at New Coochbehar, New Alipurduar, Kokrajhar, New Bongaigaon, Kamakhya, and Guwahati before concluding in Guwahati.
The train will arrive in New Cooch Behar at 07.35 and depart at 07.36, New Alipurduar at 07.50 and depart at 07.51, Kokrajhar at 08.40 and depart at 08.41, New Bongaigaon at 09.13 and depart at 09.14, Kamakhya at 11.18 and depart at 11.20, and Guwahati at 11.40.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the other hand, will dedicate 182 Route km of freshly electrified sections. This will contribute to pollution-free transportation by increasing train speed and decreasing train operating time. It would also allow trains powered by electric propulsion to reach Meghalaya.
2.
The Assam government have asked all the teachers of government schools to provide 360-degree information about their staff and students.
The Siksha Setu Axom portal is a comprehensive digital platform designed to serve as a single source of information for the day-to-day administrative operations of schools so that the Education Department can take timely and data-driven decisions for the optimization of resources and improve the overall performance of schools.
3.
More than 500 ‘illegal squatters’ were removed from Assam’s Orang National Park as the authorities cleared land to make space for a wildlife corridor.
Officials stated this was part of a four-day eviction effort that began this morning in Sonitpur district to remove “encroached land,” affecting almost 800 households.
The Orang National Park has an area of 89 square kilometres in the districts of Sonitpur and Darrang, and the eviction is being carried out to remove “encroached land for an animal corridor” to Kaziranga National Park.
all the areas to be covered by the eviction drive are ‘char’ (land which crops up because of siltation of the river) areas in the district.
most of the citizens were from the adjoining districts of Nagaon and Morigaon and had already evacuated their houses. About 13,000 acres of the National Park are expected to be cleared during the project, with more than 6,800 acres in Sonitpur.
Earlier this year, in one of the largest eviction efforts in Assam, the administration removed 2,099 hectares of Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining revenue villages in Sonitpur district during a three-day period beginning February 14 and affected about 12,800 people.
When accused encroachers of railway land flung stones to obstruct an eviction effort in Digboi, Tinsukia district, upper Assam, security officers resorted to the lathi charge on February 15.
On the same day, the Barpeta district government conducted an eviction campaign in the Bhabanipur region, clearing roughly 300 hectares of land belonging to the Gopal Dev Aata Satra (Vaishnavite monastery).
4.
the Assam State Zoo Cum Botanical Garden in Guwahati welcomed five new inmates in its premises on Monday. Two zebras, two mandarin ducks and a female giraffe were the five new animals brought to the zoo after a long gap of around 30 years. According to sources, while the zebra and mandarin ducks were brought from Mysore, the female giraffe was brought from Patna.
The names of the two zebras were given as Jay and Jaya, while the giraffe has been named Bijaya. It may be mentioned that the Patna Zoo or Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park reportedly received four new inmates earlier this month from the Assam Zoo under the animal exchange programme between the zoos at Patna and Guwahati. A pair of hoolock gibbons, one male black panther and a female rhinoceros were given to the Patna Zoo by Assam Zoo in exchange for one female giraffe. An Assam zoo team of officials and veterinarians had visited the Patna zoo to complete the formalities for the animal exchange.
These exotic animals, which include various exotic species of tortoises and monkeys, among others, are alleged to have been transferred to Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom in Gujarat’s Jamnagar owned by billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani. These animals were seized by the state’s forest department in the last several years from smugglers.
5.
The Chief Executive Officer of Kanyaka Multipurpose Agricultural Farm, Niraj Hazarika has played a special role in beekeeping, honey purification, extraction, packaging and opening it for sale to market in association with the students of THB College, a leading higher educational institution in the Sonitpur district. The students of the institute have become one of the partners in this productive journey. The students of Tyagbir Hem Baruah College were recently seen busy in honey purification, extraction, packaging and other activities in their spare time soon after the students participated in the workshop organized in collaboration with Kanyaka Multipurpose Agricultural Farm and hosted by Tyagbir Hem Baruah College at the conference hall of the college. At the end of the workshop, a practical session about honey packaging took place. Earlier, Vijay Kataki, supervisor of beekeeping at Kanyaka Multipurpose Agricultural Farm, gave them training on the need for beekeeping and the possibility of self-reliance through beekeeping at the workshop held at the conference hall of the college. He has trained under Hermomd Bishop, the specialist of beekeeping from Netherlands. The workshop was organized by Tyagbir Hem Baruah College with the objective of improving work skills and guiding self-employment. The workshop was considered to be a positive aspect for the younger generation as the students became aware about beekeeping and related activities.
6.
Speaking in a public talk on the theme ‘Diversity, Inclusion and Mutual Respect’ under C 20 (Civil 20) – which is one of the Official Engagement Groups of G 20, Dr Protim Sharma, Associate Professor of Dikhowmukh College and the appointed speaker, said that there cannot be one-size-fit-all model for handling all challenges.
What is Civil Twenty (C20) Under Group Of Twenty(G20)?: Civil 20, an engagement group of G20, recently released its logo and tagline. While the tagline of Civil 20 is ‘You are the Light’, the logo depicts a beam of light, implying society moves with its autonomous power and creates its own path. Further the logo of C20 symbolize the flame of hope, self-motivation and selfless services.
Why C20 Is Significant For APSC?
India is holding the presidency of G20 this year and has planned the C20 group inception conference at Nagpur, Maharashtra on 21-22 March 2023.
Moreover, the C20 Summit is to take place in Jaipur, Rajasthan on 30-31 July 2023
7.
An endangered species of bird was recovered from the house of one Sabitri Benarjee, a resident of Jangalbasti, Itakhola on Saturday morning. According to information, some of the residents had spotted the rare species of bird sitting on the roof of the house. Chandan Saha, an environment friendly fellow of the village immediately informed the matter to the local reporters who later on informed Diplonga Forest Range Office. A team of foresters visited the area immediately and recovered the bird and took it into their possession. The bird has sustained injury. The team of foresters took the injured bird for medical treatment. While contacted with Dr Sanjib Upadhyaya, assistant professor of Zoology department of THB College, Jamugurihat, he said that the bird is commonly known as Darter or Snake Bird which is a near-threatened species and its scientific name is Anhinga melanogaster.
Anhinga melanogaster
It has a long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like the cormorant, it hunts for fish while its body submerged is in water. It spears a fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and juggling it before swallowing the fish head first. The body remains submerged as it swims, and the slender neck alone is visible above the water, which accounts for the colloquial name of snakebird. Like the cormorants, it has wettable feathers and it is often found perched on a rock or branch with its wings held open to dry.
8.
The Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Sandeep Mehta, pointed out the significance of customary laws in the modern judicial setup. He released the digital version of the six books. The Law Research Institute, Eastern Region, Gauhati High Court, under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, organized a day-long dissemination workshop and seminar on the significance of documentation of customary laws here today.
Participating in the event, Justice Lanusungkum Jamir said customary laws still play an important role as a conflict resolution mechanism. Justice KR Surana pointed out the nexus between customary laws and modern laws. Chairing the working session, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi pointed out the relevance of customary laws.
the workshop-cum-seminar is a part of their ongoing work on the documentation of customary laws prevailing among the different tribal groups of this region.
a key part of the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the institute, which was established in 1973 as a part of celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the Gauhati High Court. The institute has been accomplishing important tasks of research in the field of law in general and customary law in particular. The institute has documented the customary laws of 53 groups in the northeastern region, apart from tribal administration of justice and the land holding systems of different states in the region. Six books on the customary laws of the Boro, Rabha, Tiwa, Zeme Naga, Halam, and Nyishi communities were released during the Platinum Jubilee Celebration of the Gauhati High Court.
9.
As per directive of the State government, the district administration of Nagaon on Saturday ceremonially inaugurated the distribution of health cards under PM Jan Arogya Yojana – Ayushmaan Bharat and CM Jan Arogya Yojana – Ayushmaan Asom among the beneficiaries of National Food Security Act
Ayushman Asom: Ensuring Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage
Ayushman Asom is a family-floater health assurance scheme designed to provide families in Assam with access to cashless medical treatment up to Rs.5 lakh per year. This progressive step aims to break down financial barriers and ensure that quality healthcare services are available to all residents, irrespective of their economic standing.
Responsibility of the Department of Medical Education & Research
The Department of Medical Education & Research, operating under the Government of Assam, assumes the crucial responsibility of implementing Ayushman Asom. This department plays a pivotal role in overseeing the smooth execution and management of the scheme, ensuring its success in reaching the intended beneficiaries.
Wide-ranging Coverage and Beneficiary Families
Ayushman Asom offers an extensive range of healthcare procedures, encompassing a total of 1578 medical treatments within its ambit. During its initial phase, the scheme is expected to cover around 26 lakh beneficiary families, thereby ensuring that a substantial portion of the population gains access to superior healthcare services.
The Influence of Antyodaya and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay
The launch of Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is strongly influenced by the concept of Antyodaya, emphasizing the upliftment of the most marginalized sections of society. This idea, coined by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, aligns with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inclusive governance. Ayushman Asom addresses the limitations faced by economically disadvantaged families previously excluded from the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, thereby extending healthcare benefits to these vulnerable groups.
The Crucial Role of Atal Amrit Abhiyan Society
The Atal Amrit Abhiyan Society assumes the responsibility of overseeing the day-to-day operations of Ayushman Asom. This society plays a pivotal role in ensuring seamless implementation and functioning of the scheme, working diligently towards the goal of fostering inclusive growth and development by providing accessible healthcare services.
Ayushman Bharat: Ensuring Nationwide Comprehensive Coverage
Ayushman Asom aligns with the broader goals of Ayushman Bharat, a national program that aims to ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage for economically vulnerable families across India. By initially covering approximately 26 lakh families and gradually expanding to 32 lakh families, Ayushman Asom seeks to bridge the gap in healthcare coverage, ensuring the protection of vulnerable sections of society.
Mukhya Mantri Lok Seva Arogya Yojana: Healthcare Benefits for Government Employees
In addition to Ayushman Asom, the Government of Assam has introduced the Mukhya Mantri Lok Seva Arogya Yojana, a healthcare benefit scheme specifically catering to government employees. This scheme, scheduled to roll out from August 15, eliminates the cumbersome reimbursement process for medical expenses incurred by employees and their dependents. It ensures comprehensive healthcare coverage, enabling government employees to access quality medical services conveniently.
10.
A public meeting was held to discuss several developmental schemes of State and Central Government on Friday under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia Swapneel Paul.
The discussion featured schemes like Nikshay Mitra-a programme under TB free India, Vidyanjali 2.0 and adoption of Anganwadi Centres. The DC while elaborating schemes in detail exhorted the public to support in successful implementation of the schemes in the district. He appealed citizens of Tinsukia district as well as organisations to adopt each Anganwadi centre in order to facilitate additional benefit to the children. He also stated that the prospective donors have to register themselves in respective portals of the Government like awcadoption-assam.in/vidyanjali. education.gov.in/reports. nikshay.in
The public meeting also discussed the beautification of Tinsukia town while emphasizing on traffic congestion, car parking issues, illegal encroachment on roads. In order to solve these problems, the public should come with support.
What is Vidyanjali 2.0 scheme?
About the Vidyanjali 2.0 Program
A portal to connect community/volunteers directly to schools: To connect the Government and Government aided schools through a community/volunteer management program, the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education has revamped the Vidyanjali web portal.
Course Purchase Query 