Six monuments / historical sites in North Eastern States identified for listing under World Heritage Site
Details of monuments/sites identified/placed under tentative list for listing under world heritage in the north eastern states are given below:
- Apatani Cultural Landscape, Arunachal Pradesh
- Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India
- Moidams – the Mound – Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, Assam
- Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh
- River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam
- Thembang Fortified Village, Arunachal Pradesh
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The following Central Universities have been identified to start the Yoga Department from the academic session 2016-17:
1. Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University,
2. Visva Bharati,
3. Central University of Rajasthan,
4. Central University of Kerala,
5. Indira Gandhi National Tribal University and
6. Manipur University
………………………………………………..change in RTE act
The Goal-4 of Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The major emphasis is on access, equity and quality of education. All the major schemes of the Ministry viz. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan (RMSA), Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme, Shakshar Bharat and Rashtritya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyaan (RUSA) are being implemented with the objectives of development of educational Infrastructure, emphasis on equal opportunities for all and ensuring quality & standard of education.A number of corrective steps have been taken by the Government to further improve the quality of education in the country. Some important measures are:
- Focusing on quality education, the Central RTE Rules have been amended on 20thFebruary, 2017 to include reference on class-wise, subject-wise Learning Outcomes. These would serve as a guideline for States and UTs to ensure that all children acquire appropriate learning level. For the first time in November, 2017 National Achievement Surveys (NAS) was conducted for classes III, V and VIII to assess the learning outcomes of students in government and government aided schools on all subjects.
- The RTE Act, 2009 was amended in 2017 to ensure that all teachers acquire the minimum qualifications prescribed under the Act by 31st March, 2019. This would ensure an improvement in the overall quality of teachers and teaching processes, and consequently learning outcomes of children. Further, it reinforces the Government’s emphasis on improvement of quality of elementary education.
- The Department is placing a lot of emphasis on the development and provision of e-content for students and also training of teachers, head masters and Principals.
- Government is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme namely RashtriyaUchatterShikshaAbhiyaan (RUSA) with the aim of promoting access, equity and quality in higher education. Under RUSA, inter-alia, central assistance is provided to States for creation of model degree colleges, infrastructure grants to colleges and Universities, creation of Universities either through up gradationof existing autonomous colleges or clustering of colleges. Further, Higher Education FinancingAgency (HEFA) has been set up by the Government to mobilize funds from the market as perrequirements of the centrally funded higher educational institutions.
- The University Grants Commission (UGC) has been constantly striving to develop a system of higher education of quality, appropriate to the national needs and aspirations and in tune with global trends. The Commission is committed to constant improvement of the quality of higher education and defining excellence in the processes of teaching, learning and research. In order to ensure quality of higher education is further streamlined, UGC has notified a number of regulations which are mandatory for every institution of higher education across the country.
BS-VI fuel will bring down sulphur level by 80 percent
The Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that we decided to proactively advance the roll-out of BS-VI fuel in Delhi from April 2018, instead of April 2020 after taking stock of the alarming pollution situation in Delhi in winters.BS-VI fuel will bring down sulphur by 5 times from the current BS-IV levels – this is an 80 percent reductionwhich makes it extremely clean. It will improve emissions from the existing fleet, even from the older vehicles on road. BS-VI is as clean as CNG or even cleaner than CNG in some respects Pradhan said today at the launch of BS-VI compliant automotive fuels in Delhi and addedwe plan to extend the availability of these fuels across the country by 1st April 2020.
According to a Centre for Science & Environment study, air pollution takes 10,000-30,000 lives in Delhi every year. We believe that early migration to BS-VI fuels in the National Capital of Delhi will help in saving thousands of precious lives by bringing down vehicular pollution significantly.
However, to take full advantage of the availability of such superior fuels, the vehicle technology has to move to BS-VI. Introduction of BS VI fuel will only give partial benefits if BS VI compliant vehicles are not put on the road. I am told that our auto-companies are already making BS VI cars in India and exporting them to developed countries. I am sure they can also do so for our own country. Pradhan appealed to all automobile manufacturers to start selling BS VI vehicles, wherever BS VI fuel is available.
Our Ministry is trying to contribute towards solving the problem of pollution due to agricultural stubble burning and other causes by implementing 2G Ethanol plants,increasing share of gas in primary energy basket from 6% to 15%, initiating 9th Gas Development Bidding Round,Unbundling of Gas sector to promote Gas-based Economy and other measures for Cleaner Fuel.
With the introduction of BSVI, India joins the small list of Asia – Pacific nations -Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and China. And China he said is using it only for heavy vehicles