Online poster competition against drug abuse
Students exhibited their creativity via an online poster making competition to spread the message against drug abuse. The event was organised by St Xavier’s College of Management and Technology (SXCMT) in Patna on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Alok Mohit, the editor of college e-magazine, informed that Father Martin Poras, Father Robert Athickal, and Sister Cynthia Matthew judged the artwork.
NSS volunteers provide psycho-social support
In a first for Bihar, volunteers of the National Service Scheme (NSS) are now providing psycho-social support to people battling the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bihar State Health Society (BSHS) has involved around 1,000 NSS volunteers for this purpose. These volunteers attended an orientation programme on “psycho-social support and prevention of stigma and discrimination against the Covid-19 pandemic” recently. These volunteers are from various educational institutions including Patna University, IIT, NIT, and BIT, said BSHS executive director Manoj Kumar. He said the NSS director talked to these students via zoom during the orientation programme. “These volunteers are educating the people so those testing positive or quarantined for safety don’t face any stigma,” Kumar said.
Programme against child labour
The Railway Protection Force of East Central Railway has joined hands with UNICEF to help and protect child labourers. RPF personnel underwent a 5-day training programme by the UN agency on legal and social aspects of child labour, trafficking and abuse. These RPF cops would work not only to rescue the child labourers but also protect their rights, said IG S Mayank. He said 2,536 boys, 580 girls and 97 women have been rescued by RPF across the ECR jurisdiction from 2017 to May 2020. He said 91 boys and 32 girls were rescued from railway areas in five months.
Drumstick farmers to get govt grant
The farmers engaged in drumstick cultivation in Bihar will now get a financial grant from the state agriculture department. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased the demand for nutritious and immunity strengthening vegetables like drumsticks, better known as “Sahajan” locally. Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar said drumsticks help boost immunity and are high in nutrition with around 300 vitamins and minerals. “The government has approved `3.53 crore for to the farmers cultivating drumsticks under the scheme”, the minister said, adding that farmers in 17 districts are engaged in drumstick farming.
Rajesh K Thakur
Our correspondent in Bihar
rkthajipur@gmail.com