State government to modernise public schools
With an aim to provide quality education to the students, the Jharkhand government has decided to modernise state-run schools. The first phase of the project will cover 80 schools located in various parts of the state. As of now, the education department has floated a tender for 27 schools. Another tender for the remaining 53 schools will be floated soon. Eventually, Jharkhand aims to turn about 5,000 schools into ‘Schools of Excellence’. Eighty schools will be revamped by the start of the 2022-23 academic year.
J’khand objects to railway line through Tiger Reserve
The Jharkhand government has objected to the Indian Railways’ proposal to lay an 18-km railway track through the core area of Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR). The state government expressed concerns that the laying of the tracks will adversely affect wildlife in the sanctuary. On February 18, the railways had submitted a proposal to the state forest department, seeking wildlife clearance to lay a stretch of the third broad gauge line inside the PTR. The new line, which is 291-km long, will connect Patratu in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand with Sonnnagar station in Aurangabad district of Bihar. Of the total length, an 18-km stretch will cross through the PTR’s core area.
Private bank extends credit linkages to SHGs
To empower rural women, Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Bank to provide credit linkage to Self Help Groups (Sakhi Mandals) operating in the state. The HDFC Bank is the first private bank to join the initiative. Appreciating the initiative, JSLPS CEO Nancy Sahay said now that HDFC Bank has come forward to help the SHGs through credit linkages, she hopes other private sector lenders too will come forward.
Tata Steel ropes in EVs for transportation
Tata Steel has tied up with an Indian start-up to develop Electric Vehicles (EV) for the transportation of finished steel. It is for the first time a steel producer is venturing into the production of EVs. The contract is for the production of 27 EVs, each having a carrying capacity of 35 tonnes of steel (minimum capacity). The company plans to deploy 15 EVs at its Jamshedpur plant and 12 EVs at Sahibabad plant. The first set of EVs will carry steel from Tata’s Sahibabad Plant to Pilkhuwa stockyard in Uttar Pradesh, covering a distance of 38 km.
Mukesh Ranjan
Our correspondent in Jharkhand mukesh.r@newindianexpress.com