Ramgarh bypoll to define BJP-AJSU ties
Though the date for the Ramgarh by-election is declared, BJP and AJSU have not reached a consensus on seat-sharing. According to party insiders, being its traditional seat, AJSU wants to field its candidate in Ramgarh, while the BJP is wary of this decision. Observers perceive that if BJP and AJSU fielded a joint candidate in Ramgarh, they will contest 2024 Assembly polls together, but if they fail to reach any consensus now, there are very bleak chances of reaching any consensus in 2024. Notably, BJP-AJSU alliance had contested 2019 Lok Sabha polls together, but they parted their ways after the Assembly polls.
Women participation rises in MGNREGS
Proportion of women workers participating in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has increased in Jharkhand. According to officials, this is helping secure economic independence of women, as most women who benefit under this scheme are single, destitute or abandoned. During 2019-20 the percentage of women workers in MGNREGS was 41.31, which increased to 42.56 per cent in 2020-2021, 45.58 per cent in 2021-22, and currently stands at 47.1 per cent in 2022-23. Notably, this increase was witnessed despite the spate of lockdowns during the pandemic.
Ranchi Met centre judged best in India
The Ranchi Meteorological Centre has been adjudged the country’s best weather facility. The IMD Ranchi station has received the honour for the first time this year – also the occasion of the 148th Foundation Day of the IMD. The performance of the Ranchi centre in disseminating weather-related information to its stakeholders in time with a higher accuracy, has been appreciated by the IMD. Ranchi Meteorological Centre in-charge, Abhishek Anand, received the award from Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences.