Only 35% children have access to online classes
As per the data available with the government, over 65 per cent students enrolled with government schools have no access to the online classes in Jharkhand. According to official, only 33 per cent of 42 lakh students are connected through WhatsApp for online classes in the state while rest of the 67 per cent students are still deprived of it as they do have access to smart phones. To facilitate educational activities for students at their homes during lockdown, digital classes were started, which uses WhatsApp as a platform for imparting lessons to students online during the lockdown.
CCL contributes `20 crore to fight Covid-19
Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, making its contribution to the State Disaster Management Authority to fight against Covid-19, handed over a cheque of `20 crore to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. In addition to that, more than `1.3 crore has been given to district administrations of all the 8 districts in CCL command areas under corporate social responsibility programme. Expressing gratitude at the ‘social initiative’ taken by the coal company, Soren said that everyone has a responsibility towards the society and the need of the hour was to work in tandem among all government and voluntary institutions to fight against the infection. CCL is a Category-I Mini-Ratna Company since October 2007.
‘Magic collars’ to protect stray animals
Dogs and cattle stray animals are being tagged with reflective collars in Jamshedpur for avoiding road mishaps. Jharkhand Animal Welfare Society, in collaboration with Ranchi-based animal welfare organisation Mission Fast (Feed a Stray) and Pawsitivity of Indore has come up with this initiative. Society president Arun Kumar Jha said, with the increasing number of accidents with stray animals, they decided to come to the rescue of the stray animals. According to Jha, they wanted streets to be safer for the four-legged ones as the rate of accidents is high during hours of poor visibility.
Home delivery of liquor to be discontinued
Jharkhand, which was the first state to introduce home delivery of liquor through Zomato and Swiggy, is likely to discontinue the facility as it is not getting much response. Officials in Excise department informed that consumption of liquor still being a taboo in Indian society and the people are reluctant to place on-line orders in front of their family members and prefer to get it directly from the retail wine shops. Notably, to avoid unwanted crowding at liquor shops, Jharkhand government has roped in food start-ups like Swiggy and Zomato to deliver liquor at people’s doorsteps in some big cities like Ranchi.
Mukesh Ranjan
Our correspondent in Jharkhand mukesh.r@newindianexpress.com