Performance Grading Index: The Union Ministry of Education released a report on Performance Grading Index 2.0 for States/UTs for the year 2021-22. It was first released for the year 2017-18 and so far it has been released up to the year 2020-21. It assesses the performance of the school education system at the State/UT level by creating an index for comprehensive analysis. The aim is to propel States & UTs towards undertaking multi-pronged interventions that will bring about the much-desired optimal education outcomes covering all dimensions. The PGI 2.0 structure comprises 1000 points across 73 indicators grouped into 2 categories viz., Outcomes, Governance Management (GM). These categories are further divided into 6 domains, Learning Outcomes (LO), Access (A), Infrastructure & Facilities (IF), Equity (E), Governance Process (GP) & Teacher’s Education and Training (TE&T).PGI 2.0 for 2021-22 classified the States/UTs into ten grades viz., the highest achievable Grade is Daksh, which is for State/UT scoring more than 940 points out of a total of 1000 points. The lowest grade is Akanshi-3 which is for a score up to 460.
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project: The USBRL Project involves the construction of a railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla joining the Kashmir valley with the Indian Railways.Aim: To connect Kashmir to the rest of the country and give a push to development in the Valley. The Project was declared a “National Project” in 2002.
The alignment of USBRL involves the construction of a large number of Tunnels and Bridges in highly rugged and mountainous terrain with the most difficult and complex Himalayan geology.
This Project involves 38 Tunnels, the longest Tunnel (T-49) having a length of 12.75 Km and is the country’s longest transportation tunnel. These bridges include the iconic Chenab Bridge which will be the highest railway bridge in the world. Indian railway’s first cable-stayed bridge is also being constructed on Anji Khad.
NeSDA Portal: NeSDA framework, launched in August 2018 was conceptualized with an overall objective to measure the depth and effectiveness of existing e-Governance service delivery mechanisms. This framework is based on the Online Service Index (OSI) of the UN eGovernment Survey. The framework covers six sectors, Finance, Labour & Employment, Education, Local Government & Utilities, Social Welfare (including Agriculture & Health) and Environment (including Fire) sectors. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances undertakes the NeSDA study biennially. This study assesses States, Union Territories (UTs), and focuses Central Ministries on the effectiveness of e-Governance service delivery.NeSDA helps the respective governments improve their delivery of citizen-centric services and shares best practices across the country for all States, UTs and Central Ministries to emulate.
EXERCISE – SALVEX: Indian Navy – US Navy have been participating in joint Salvage and EOD exercises since 2005. It is the Seventh edition of SALVEX. The exercise saw participation from both the navies which included the ships – INS Nireekshak and USNS Salvor in addition to Specialist Diving and EOD teams.
Other exercises between India and US:
Malabar Exercise: It is a quadrilateral naval exercise of India, USA, Japan and Australia
Exercise Tiger Triumph: It is a humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise.
Yudh Abhyas: It is a joint military exercise.
