STATES
Dress Code For Devotees Visiting Tamil Nadu Shrines From January
Devotees entering temples in Tamil Nadu will have to follow a new dress code from January 1 as several important shrines have put up notice boards highlighting this.The dress code for entering the temples was being followed on the orders of the Madras High court on December 1. According to a notice board outside the Palani temple, male devotees have been advised to wear dhoti, shirt, pyjama or pant and shirt while women and girls should wear saris or churidhar or ‘pavadai’ with half-sari. Devotees wearing lungi, bermudas, jeans and tight-leggings would not be allowed.
Jharkhand first state to sign MoU with Centre for power scheme UDAY
Jharkhand state become first state in country to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme with Union Government on 5 January 2016. In this regard a tripartite MoU was signed between the state government, Union Ministry of Power and state power distributor Jharkhand Bijli Vitaran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL). With this, the total number of states that would be joining UDAY become 15. The other states that are on board UDAY are Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu&Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Besides, four major states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Odisha — have already given their in-principle approval to join UDAY.
Kerala became first State to achieve 100% primary education
Kerala became the first state in the country to achieve 100 percent primary education.This was declared by the Vice President of India Hamid Ansari on 12 January 2016 at a special ceremony organised at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The success of Kerala in achieving total primary education can be attributed to various initiatives undertaken by the Kerala Literacy Mission in the last two decades. Especially, the Athulyam Scheme, which was implemented in two stages, played a key role in addressing the educational needs of illiterate adults. The second stage of the scheme, namely Mission 676, targeted those between ages 15 and 50 who, for one reason or the other, dropped out of the formal education process. Prior to the Athulyam Scheme, the fourth standard equivalency programme was started in 2000 in association with local bodies. As a result, Kannur became the first district in the country to achieve total primary education in 2001.
Maharashtra Government inks MoU with Tata Trust for skill training of youth
The Maharashtra Government and Tata Trust on 19 January 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a skill training programme for the youth in the state. The programme has been undertaken under the Maharashtra Government’s Kushal Maharashtra, Rojgaryukt Maharashtra initiative.
Bihar Government announced 35% reservation for women in all govt jobs
Bihar government on 19 January 2016 announced 35% reservation to women in government jobs in the state at all levels.The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet presided over by chief minister Nitish Kumar. The state government which had provided 35% reservation to women in police job extended it in all other jobs.Other important decisions approved by the cabinet included a proposal to increase entry tax on electronic items, bidi and tobacco items, ready made garments and footwear among others in the range of 5% to 12%.