1.

In an effort to create awareness about creating a plastic free environment, the Assam Government has decided to organize a street play on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5, 2923, under the initiative of the Department of Environment and Forest of the Government of India in association with the Directorate of Culture Affairs.

On the occasion of World Environment Day on 5 June 2023, Street play titled “প্লাষ্টিক এৰো পৃথিবী গঢ়ো” will be organised under the initiative of the Department of Environment and Forest of the GoA in association with the Directorate of Culture Affairs to create awareness among the people about creating a plastic free environment. The play will be performed on the same day in all the districts. Such events and initiatives play a crucial role in fostering environmental consciousness and promoting sustainable practices.

2.

The state of Assam is soon going to face the brunt of price hike as the oil companies have increased the price of petrol and diesel by 50 paise beginning June 3.

The revised rate of petrol in Assam after the hike is Rs 97.54 per litre while diesel will cost Rs 90.23 per litre.
India TodayNE while speaking to one of the petrol pump owners in Guwahati found that the prices usually fluctuate. The fuel prices are based on the dynamic fuel pricing system and are revised regularly.

Diesel prices in Assam closed at an average price of Rs 89.84 per litre last month on May 31, 2023, rising by 0.57 per cent in the month. While petrol continues to dominate the price radar with an all time high at Rs 97.54 litre from its previous rate of Rs 97.04 per litre.

9 Factors affecting fuel prices in India

The rising prices of petrol and diesel have been a major concern for the citizens of the country. There are a number of factors that affect the fuel prices in India. Some of the most important factors that affect the prices of fossil fuels in India can be summed up as follows:

Cost of crude oil

Crude oil or unrefined oil is a commodity of the international market. The changes in the price of this commodity directly affect the price of petrol and diesel in our country. Whenever there is a change in the demand and supply of crude oil, the prices vary. In addition to that, international political relations and future reserves and supplies also have direct effects on the price of crude oil.

Price charged to dealers

The crude oil is acquired and distributed by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). The price charged by the OMCs to the dealers is an important deciding factor of the price of the fossil fuels. This price is also based on a number of factors which include the freight charges, the refining cost, and so on.

Commission for dealers

The Oil Marketing Companies or OMCs pay a commission to the fuel dealers. The petrol pump owners have their earnings, cost, and profit covered in this commission. This is one of the components which makes up the price of the fuel.

Central excise duty

The central government levies the excise duty on petrol and diesel. It should be kept in mind that the central excise duty is a pre-defined amount of money and not a percentage. Thus, the duty does not fluctuate with the price of the fuels. Over the past few years, the Government of India has increased the excise duty manifold. The current duty charged on petrol is Rs.32.98 per litre and that for diesel is Rs.31.83 per litre. This amount is constant irrespective of the rise or fall in the price of the crude oil.

Sales Tax or Value Added Tax (VAT)

This tax is imposed by the respective state governments. The VAT or sales tax is calculated after taking a few other factors into consideration such as the excise duty charged by the centre, the commission of the dealers, and so on.

Taxes imposed by the government

The Government of India imposes a tax on both petrol and diesel. There are certain policies on the basis of which, the centre might change the tax structure. The change in this structure is mainly base on the marginal returns from the fossil fuels and the recovery of losses. The price of the fuels also changes on the basis of these taxes.

Demand for fuel

With the number of two-wheelers and four-wheelers steadily increasing on the Indian roads, the demand for both petrol and diesel have been increasing as well. As the oil refinery companies in India have to acquire crude oil from the international market in order to process the same into petrol and diesel, the supply cannot be always fulfilled. When the supply is less and the demand is more, as per the laws of economics, the price of both the fuel is bound to increase.

Consumption ratio of refineries

The crude oil imported to India are sent across to the refineries for processing. If the number of refineries is lower, then the overall quantity of petrol or diesel which will be available for sale will also be lower. This would also mean that the supply will be lower, which in turn, will make the price of the fuel higher.

Valuation of INR against USD

One major factor that is responsible for the alteration of prices of petrol and diesel in India is the value of the Indian Rupee against the American Dollar. The crude oil which is refined for petrol and diesel is bought from the international market and the transaction is done in dollars. Thus, the strength of the USD against INR is a direct factor. If the American Dollar is stronger, the cost of purchasing crude oil will be higher. This will mean that the price of the finished products will also be higher.

3.

The Fulkatari Gaon Panchayat Office in Dhubri district, Assam, played host to the “Farmers for Millets in Assam” program on June 3rd, 2023, as part of the Assam Millet Mission to celebrate the International Year of Millets.

Millets, often referred to as Shree Anna in India, have long been an essential part of Assam’s food system. However, with the passage of time and shifting agricultural trends, the cultivation and consumption of millets have declined. Recognizing the nutritional value and ecological benefits of millets, the Assam Millet Mission was launched in 2022 and will continue until 2029, spanning a seven-year period.

The mission focuses on enhancing local production and consumption of millets, increasing farmers’ income, boosting productivity, and diversifying crops. It was officially inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, on November 16th, 2022. The mission aligns with the United Nations’ designation of 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYoM), further underscoring the global efforts to promote the numerous advantages of millet cultivation.

4.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 3, 2023, launched the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 in all State Universities and colleges. 

Assam is one of the first states across the country to implement NEP 2020. 

From now on, all Higher education institutions across the state will be offering a 4-year UG programme. 

The courses are based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to revolutionize the Indian education system. 

The GU-FYUGP program will be implemented on the University campus and all affiliated colleges of Gauhati University.

The University will offer two types of degrees – a Bachelor’s Degree in a Stream and a Bachelor’s Degree in a Discipline. Under the stream-wise category, GU will offer 39 Bachelor’s Degrees, and under various disciplines, GU will offer 28 standalone degrees, including Bachelor’s Degree in Vocational Studies.

To ensure the successful implementation of the new program, the university has already discussed the matter and received approval from various committees and forums. The Academic Council under the chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University, also approved the syllabi for the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP).

The Regulations of FYUGP of Gauhati University, in line with NEP 2020, provide options for multiple entries/exits, including a Certificate or a Diploma or Degree with or without a Major or a Degree (Honours) or a Degree (Honours) with Research at various levels in all affiliated colleges under Gauhati University and at Gauhati University campus.

5.

Assam Sports & Youth Welfare Minister Nandita Gorlosa interacted with sports organizations and veteran sports personalities of Dima Hasao at District library auditorium in Haflong on Saturday. The interactive session was held for the first time in Dima Hasao where many sports enthusiasts, sport veterans and many sports organizations were felicitated by the minister for their huge contribution towards the field of sports for the name and fame brought to the district.

During the programme many sports associations and clubs submitted their memorandum which mostly addressed about the limited scopes and lack of infrastructure. Taking into note of many budding sports persons in the district for proper guidance demand for coaches and instructors were placed by the District Sports Office as well as the District Sports Association, Haflong.

6.

A male Hoolock Gibbon was suspected to be killed due to electrocution at Kachijan village in Doomdooma Reserved Frest under Doomdooma Forest Division in Tinsukia district on Saturday.

Hoolock Gibbon is the only species of ape to be found in India and the evergreen and semi-evergreen forests of the seven states of Northeast served as the natural habitats of this endangered species. Hoolocks are the second-largest of the gibbons, after the Siamang. They reach a size of 60 to 90cm and weight 6 to 9 kg. In Northeast India, the Hoolock are found in south of Brahmaputra and North Bank areas and East of Dibang rivers. Its range extends into seven states covering Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. It has been suspected that the Hoolock Gibbon died after coming in contact with high power electric wires of APDCL.

7.

National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, organized a review-cum-orientation workshop entitled Swasthya Manthan-8 on Saturday at the Assam Water Centre in Guwahati

The one-day event saw participants from all the districts. SDM and HO, sectoral medical officers, district programme managers, district quality consultants, district urban health coordinators, hospital administrators, and block programme managers were also present. A district-wise review was done of the health performance of each district, with a special focus on quality assurance in public health facilities. In the meeting, facility-wise gaps were identified, and in accordance with that, a facility-wise improvement plan was presented and discussed in detail towards determining any further course correction that may be required by the districts and any handholding required to improve the health indicators. The best performers from the state, district, and development partners were also felicitated by the mission director for their dedication towards improving the health system in their respective districts. It may be noted that Swasthya Manthan 1 was held on June 8, 2022; Swasthya Manthan 2 was held on August 2, 2022; Swasthya Manthan 3 was held on September 27, 2022; Swasthya Manthan 4 was held on October 31, 2022; Swasthya Manthan 5 was held on December 28, 2022; Swasthya Manthan 6 was held on March 4, 2023; and Swasthya Manthan 7 was held on April 26, 2023.

8.

For the first time in Northeast India, Allied Gas Services flagged off two Electrical Vehicles (EV) for LPG Refill Delivery on Friday from its godown at Azad Road. It is in keeping with zero carbon emission target of India for which Indane Division of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Tinsukia Divisional office took this maiden venture through its most reputed Star Distributor Messrs Allied Gas Services of Doomdooma

What is the meaning of Net Zero?

Net zero refers to a state in which the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere are balanced by removal out of the atmosphere. It means that whatever carbon emissions have been added to the atmosphere through various processes are removed, thus stabilizing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This will limit the global warming, and hence crucial to limit climate change.

The Paris Agreement underlines the need for net zero. It requires Nations to ‘achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century’. Net Zero is necessary to achieve as the carbon budget

The ‘net’ in net zero is important because it will be very difficult to reduce all emissions to zero e.g., it is hard to reduce emissions to zero in hard-to-abate sectors like aviation or agriculture. As well as deep and widespread cuts in emissions, there is a need to scale up removals.

In order for net zero to be effective, it must be permanent. Permanence means that removed greenhouse gas does not return into the atmosphere over time, for example through the destruction of forests or improper carbon storage.

Net Zero is closely linked with Carbon Budget. As the carbon budget for a 1.5°C or 2.0°C rise in global temperature is getting exhausted, the imperative to achieve Net Zero becomes more urgent.

9.

Chirang district administration has called upon the farmers of the district to sell their paddy only in registered Paddy Procurement Centres.

paddy procurement in Chirang district had reached 4,004.32 MT (89%) against the target of 4,500 MT till May 31.

the district administration had capacity to procure 500 more MT of paddy from the farmers.

Note:

Assam scripted history when it procured record quantity of over 5.65 lakh MT of paddy during 2021-22 and this has boosted the confidence of the state government to set procurement target again at 10 Lakh MT (LMT) for 2022-23. Achievement of target will benefit more farmers and will help the state government set ambitious procurement targets matching its paddy production. Scaling up awareness drive among farmers will prevent distress selling and they will be motivated to hold back their stocks till official paddy procurement process starts. Assurance of procurement reaching the farmers well ahead of harvesting can help them negotiate higher prices with local rice traders and prevent selling of paddy much below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Across the country, 759 LMT MT paddy (510 LMT in terms of rice) were procured in 2021-21. Assam being one of the ten rice producing states, procurement figures are a reminder that farmers in the state can benefit from paddy procurement at MSP if procurement is increased to the optimum level. The central government has increased the MSP for paddy to Rs 2040 a quintal for 2022-23 from Rs 1940 in 2021-22. Following introduction of mechanized threshing at paddy fields many farmers in the state can be seen availing the option of selling their paddies to traders on the spot as transporting paddy bags filled with threshed paddy back home to granaries involves a cost cutting down which help them save some money. In the process, the price negotiation takes a backseat and paddy procurement not coinciding with harvesting periods in most areas. This problem can be overcome by motivating farmers to take home their produce and government activating the paddy procurement system well ahead of the harvesting season. In traditional practice, which is still prevalent in some areas, farmers bring home harvested paddy for threshing and stocking in their granaries which involves hard manual labour and time consuming. Those having surplus paddy at home either sell it to traders or take milled rice to local markets for selling to traders or retail buyers. Besides, distribution of rice free of cost under the Prime Minister’s Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana also led to erosion of motivation for farmers to stock paddies which unscrupulous traders exploit to purchase paddy from them at much less price than MSP. Early harvesters are often seen selling their produce on the spot instead of waiting for paddy procurement process to start. The procurement centres being located in places far away from villages is another key factor for procurement at MSP much less than potential. The primary objective of the government procurement is to absorb the marketable surplus of paddy and delivering it to the central pool through Food Corporation of India (FCI) for distribution amongst the public through various welfare schemes through public distribution system. Assam government offering 30% subsidy to set up rice mills and 1000 mini-trucks at subsidized rate have created opportunities for growth of rural entrepreneurs in agriculture sector but road connectivity and access to markets are crucial factors. The record quantity of paddy procurement in 2021-22 Kharif Market Season benefitted 43,000 farmers in the state while the achievement was about 56.35% of target set. The state having 27.50 lakh farm families with more than 85% of them belonging to small and marginal categories, paddy procurement covering maximum number of farm families can be a game changer for state economy. Drawing parallel with Haryana which produces less paddy than Assam but MSP benefitting 3.10 lakh farmers in Haryana compared to 43,000 in Assam presents a paradoxical situation which can be changed only by strengthening procurement system in the state. The central procurement agencies including the FCI scaling up procurement in the state is a critical factor that will determine if the target of 10 lakh MT would be achieved in 2022-23. The state government improving monitoring mechanism and periodic review at more frequent interval will make a difference. The central government instructing its agencies to increase procurement will support the state government’s initiative to bolster paddy procurement in the state which is also crucial for achieving doubling farmers’ income. The central government estimates that with the inclusion of Rabi paddy, it is expected that around 900 LMT paddy is going to be procured during the entire KMS 2022-23. The central government setting ambitious targets for procurement in Assam can boost procurement by its agencies. The state government taking initiatives for addressing post- harvest management issues raised by central agencies, including the FCI, is also equally important. While administrative deficiencies can be addressed by reviewing the procurement system and seeking suggestions of domain experts, building awareness among farmers about announcement of MSP support is key to motivating them to prevent distress selling and selling paddy at remunerative price. Farmers getting remunerative price is critical to sustainability of paddy cultivation.

10.

The Guwahati Jal Board confirmed the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) water delivery would resume on June 5

Notes on JICA:

As globalization accelerates in the 21st century, we are faced with a range of issues that cannot be solved by individual countries, but must be addressed by the whole
human race. Notable scientific advances and industrial development have brought
many improvements to the lives of those in developing countries, but seen as a whole,
an overwhelming number of people have been unable to benefit and remain cut off
from hopes of prosperity. In reality, there is an ever-widening gap between the world’
s wealthy and impoverished countries. Various problems in developing countries are
intricately interrelated, and solving these problems is becoming more diffi cult and serious.
As a member of international community, Japan is actively involved in helping to
resolve these problems by promoting socio-economic development in the developing
countries through its Offi cial Development Assistance (ODA). The Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) undertakes an important role in the implementation of
ODA.
JICA’s assistance focuses on capacity development, which includes systems building, organization strengthening and human resource development. To maintain the
benefi ts of JICA projects over the long term and encourage those benefi ts to spread
widely rather than be restricted to one region or sector, we believe it’s important to offer support to bodies at all levels, from central government to local communities.
In addition, JICA strives to uphold the efficiency and quality of its projects by
maintaining close links with NGOs, universities, research institutes, private sector,
and other bilateral and multilateral aid organizations.