Ministry of Urban Affairs announces ‘Ease of Living’ Index 2020
As per the recently released Ease of Living Index by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA), Bengaluru (in the million-plus category) has been adjudged the most liveable city with rank one. It is followed by Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Surat. The index aims to assess the quality of life by evaluating the impact of various urban development schemes. ong cities with less than a million population, Shimla topped the chart.
The index for the very first time also released the Municipal Performance Index. The Municipal Performance Index looked at how municipal agencies are faring in terms of financial health, human resource, service delivery etc. Indore, Surat and Bhopal were the top three cities in the Municipal Performance Index.
Source: The Indian Express | Press Information Bureau
Bharat Biotech shares interim analysis data for the third phase
Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), has shown an efficacy rate of 81% in its interim analysis. While Covaxin got approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and has been used for vaccination in India, the data for Phase III trial is not available yet, which triggered a controversy in December last year. The trials for the third phase were conducted by ICMR and Bharat Biotech jointly in November 2020 comprising 25,800 participants out of which 2433 were above 60 years of age and 4500 with comorbidities.
At present, there are only two vaccines approved for vaccination in India Covishield and Covaxin.
Source: Free Press Journal
First metro station in Pune nears completion
Construction of the first metro station of the Pune Metro project, Sant Tukaram Nagar, is close to completion. The station is located on the Chinchwad-Swargate corridor. It lies on the priority stretch which is six kilometres long, running from Sant Tukaram Nagar to Phugewadi. According to officials of Pune Metro, about 95% of the work is completed, while work related to electrical and other touch-ups is presently going on.
Read more: A bird sanctuary could disappear as Pune metro speeds ahead
Along with it, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will spend Rs 2 crore in 2021-22 to check carbon emissions in the city. Moreover, it will also work on expanding solar installations and electric vehicle charging stations. Out of the two crores, around Rs 50 lakh will be spent on installing solar panels on civic buildings. The PMC will also be undertaking a study on climate change for the purposes of environmental conservation.
Source: The Indian Express
Andhra Pradesh: Municipal administration prepares a plan for suburban areas
The municipal administration in Andhra Pradesh has prepared a plan to transform suburban areas into smart cities. Moreover, the state government has also decided to offer houses to middle and upper-middle-income groups at reasonable prices. The plan will be released after the municipal elections.
Read more: Amaravati and the many dreams that lie shattered with it
As per the layouts, the administration has divided areas into five categories. The government will also be implementing the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) for acquiring the land. Drinking water, street lights, drainage will be some of the key priorities.
Source: The Times of India
Haryana cities to host Khelo India Youth Games
In a bid to finalize the preparations for the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, the Haryana Sports Department has discussed the plan of action with the Union Government and Sports Authority of India.
According to Sandeep Singh, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, most of the events will be hosted in Panchkula and others will be hosted in the cities of Ambala, Shahbad, Karnal and Kurukshetra. Khelo India Youth Games will be held in November-December this year.
This is the first time Haryana will host a multi-game event. More than ten thousand players and officials participated last year in the third edition of Khelo India Youth Games.
Source: The Indian Express
[Compiled by Rishabh Shrivastava]
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