State Current Affairs March 2017
Union Government Modified Scheduled Castes List in Odisha
- The Union Cabinet approved the amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, to modify the list of Scheduled Castes in Odisha on January 31, 2017.
- The proposal of Sualgiri/Swalgiri caste was eligible for inclusion as a synonym of Sabakhia caste in the list of Scheduled Castes in Odisha.
- The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also approved amending the Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964, to change the name of the union territory from Pondicherry to Puducherry.
Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign Launched
- Along with rest of the country, ‘Sparsh’ leprosy awareness campaign was launched in Arunachal Pradesh on January 30, 2017.
- The programme aims at intensifying leprosy detection through community participation and treatment of the disease at early stages besides eradicating the social stigma associated with it.
- Leprosy is an infectious disease that causes severe, disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage in the arms and legs.
- Although, the disease has been eliminated at the national level, there are still some districts and blocks which are continuously reporting Leprosy cases with PR (Prevalence Rate >1/10000 population).
The First Investors* Summit for the North-East Held in Shillong
- The Union Ministry of textiles organised the first investors’ summit for the North-East in Shillong on January 28, 2017.
- Summit aims to showcase the region as a global dbstination and explore the possibility of convergence of efforts of various ministries and northeastern States to attract investment.
- The two-day summit, to be held in association with the DoNER Ministry, Ficd and CII, will begin on January 30.
MP Chief Minister Announced Total Ban on Polythene Bags
- Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a total ban on polythene cany bags from May 1 in Madhya Pradesh in a bid to conserve environment, protect cows and promote cleanliness on January 25, 2017.
- Three months is being given to polythene manufacturers before the ban.
Arunachal Pradesh Launched Scheme to Check Infant Mortality
- Arunachal Pradesh launched ‘Dulari Kanya’, a special scheme to check infant mortality in the State, on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day on January 25, 2017.
- Under which the government will deposit Rs 20000 in the bank account of a girl child, bom in any government hospital. It would be paid along with the accrued interest after she attains 18 years of her age.
Goa became First State to Send Postal Ballots Via Electronic Mode
- Goa became the first State in the country to opt for electronic transmission of postal ballot to service voters in the upcoming assembly polls on January 23, 2017.
- The returning officers will transfer the postal ballots to service voters by electronic means so that the service voters can download it, fill it and send it via e-mail to returning officer. Goa has 822 service voters who are either in the defence, para-military forces or on diplomatic missions.
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Jallikattu Ordinance got Tamil Nadu Governor’s Nod
- A day after the Law Ministry cleared a draft ordinance to allow Jallikattu, Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao promulgated the ordinance on January 20, 2017.
- Jallikattu is a traditional spectacle in which a Bos indicus bull, commonly the Kangayam breed, is released into a crowd of people and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump of the bull with both armband hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape.
- Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull’s horns. Jallikattu is typically practiced in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day.
