UTTAR PRADESH
Uttar Pradesh to remove all religious encroachments
The Uttar Pradesh government, in compliance with a high court order, has ordered removal of all religious structures that encroach upon roads, lanes, footpaths or national and state highways, reports Pathikrit Chakraborty.
As per a home department order issued on Tuesday evening, all such constructions which have taken place after January 1, 2011, should be removed immediately. Those structures which were constructed before January 1, 2011 have been given six-month time for a planned removal. “The management of such structures and the followers of the religion it belongs to should plan to shift them to their private land within six months,” the order says.
In its 2016 order, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court had asked the state government ‘to ensure that no religious structure in any form, whatsoever, shall be allowed or permitted to be raised on public roads including highways, streets, pathways and lanes and warned that any violation will be considered as criminal contempt by administration and police officials’.
INTERNATIONAL
Highlights of Food Waste Index Report
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the “Food Waste Index Report 2021”. According to the UNEP report, an estimated 931 million tons of food was wasted worldwide in 2019. The agency also emphasized that this amount of wasted food may cause the earth to orbit the earth 7 times.
The index report is published by UNEP in cooperation with partner organization WRAP. Of the total waste generation, households accounted for 61% of waste, food services accounted for 26% of foo waste, and retail accounted for 13%.
The report also emphasized that 17% of total global food production was wasted. According to the agency, the weight is approximately equal to 23 million full-loaded 40-ton trucks, enough to make the earth circle seven times.
The annual per capita possession is 91,646,213 tons. According to the report, every country that measures food waste basically has nothing to do with income levels.
Technology and Innovation Report 2021 – UNCTAD
According to the latest country readiness index of the “Technology and Innovation Report 2021”, India is the largest “overperform country” in frontier technologies, which is better than the country’s per capita GDP implies. The report was issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The report examines the possibilities of frontier technology to expand existing inequalities and create new inequalities.
It also addresses the national and international policy, instrument and institutional reforms needed to create a more equal opportunity world for all.
World Food Price Index Rises in February
:In February 2021, world food prices rose for the 9th consecutive month. This increase is the highest level since July 2014.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, food prices have risen due to rising sugar and vegetable oil prices. The food price index measures the monthly changes in a basket containing grains, dairy products, oils, meat and sugar. The index averaged 116.0 points in February 2021, compared to 113.3 points in January. FAO also emphasized this point; the world’s cereal harvest remains at a normal level in order to set an annual record in 2020.
NATIONAL
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) – Lakshadweep and Puducherry
:India and Norway agreed to carry out Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
India and Norway have agreed to work together in the field of Marine Space Planning (MSP) in marine space in the next five years.
India and Norway have agreed to work together in the field of marine space planning in the next five years.
This is part of the “India-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative” under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries in 2019.
Lakshadweep and Puducherry have been identified as pilot sites for this project.
The two countries have decided to expand support for the sustainable use of marine resources to promote economic and social development in coastal areas.
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through the National Centre for Coastal Research of India (NCCR) and the Norwegian Environment Agency through the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is worth noting that the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have expressed interest in supporting the Ministry of Education to implement MSP.
Advanced Indigenous Mob Control Vehicle Prototype – CSIR
CSIR-CMERI showed three variants of advanced indigenous design and a prototype of the Mob Control Vehicle with features.
CSIR- Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI-Durgapur) presented three innovative variants ‘Compact, Medium, Heavy’ Mob Control Vehicles (MCV) categories to the Ministry of Home Affairs team headed by IG (RAF) and CRPF.
The purpose is to increase modern technical support for paramilitary forces engaged in maintaining law and order situation; train them and equip them with advanced options.
This is the country’s first advanced indigenous design and characteristic development.
The Heavy category of these MCV prototypes has a payload capacity of 7.5 tons. The Medium category has a payload capacity of 2.5 tons, while the compact is a tractor-based vehicle that is easy to manoeuvring.