Polls: BJP to focus on young voters
With the Assembly polls due later this year, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh urged BJP leaders and cadres to concentrate on 25 lakh new voters who he believes can swing the poll again in the party’s favour. The BJP with 41.06 per cent vote share fetched just 0.77 per cent more votes than the Congress in the 2013 state elections to win 49 seats in the 90-member House. Accusing the Opposition Congress of pursuing “anti development” approach, the ruling party said that it will fight the next year election on issues of development and growth, focussing on the farmers, youths and villages.
State to have 2,000 less engg seats this year
Given the dwindling interest on the field of engineering, Chhattisgarh will see a reduction of around 2,000 seats in various technical institutions. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has approved cutting back of 2,000 seats under Chhattisgarh-based Swami Vivekanand Technical University to which various engineering institutions are affiliated. During the past five years, over 30 per cent seats remained vacant in several engineering colleges. However, it also gave sanction to open two new pharmacy colleges in the state.
Cloth bags to replace plastic ones
Women through self-help groups (SHGs) have begun making cloth bags and took pledge to make Raipur free of plastic bags. Various cloth bags of different sizes and colours are made available at different outlets of the SHGs. They are being guided by Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner and CEO Raipur Smart City Ltd, Rajat Bansal, who deliberated on ‘why’ and ‘how’ should Raipur go plastic bag free at the training camps for the SHGs and awareness camps organised for the people. The planning and preparation is expected to witness change in the habit and choice of the masses to turn the state capital into a plastic-free city. Bansal began the campaign with a bang, attracting attention of media and residents alike.
Oxy-reading zone for youth
The Raipur district administration judiciously designed a focal point on educational, recreational and spiritual activities for the young population. Identified as ‘oxy-reading zone’, which will be a reality from June, the area is spread over 6 acre. The idea is to pave way for a competitive and learning environment where students and professionals can read, study and innovate towards better scope and opening in life. ‘We need to tap the dynamism of youths who should be given the facility to access healthy and interactive environment for studying and excelling,’ said Raipur collector OP Choudhary.