Express News Service
State seeks GST compensation from Centre
CM Bhupesh Baghel during a pre-budget meeting held in New Delhi reiterated the state’s demand of GST compensation, reimbursement of Rs 15,000 crore incurred by the state for the Central forces engaged in anti-Maoist operations and transfer of the amount collected as ‘additional levy’ from coal block companies.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and finance ministers of other states were present at the meeting. While claiming that Chhattisgarh received lesser share of central taxes, Baghel suggested the Centre should compensate the loss of revenue of about Rs 5,000 crore in the coming years.
Registration for jabs to 16.4 lakh teens starts today
Chhattisgarh will commence a new leg of the anti-COVID vaccination drive from January 3 to vaccinate 16.39 lakh children between 15 and 18 years in the state. Besides getting jabs at vaccination centres, children can get vaccinated at schools and homes.
The registration on CoWIN app for this category of beneficiaries will start from January 1. The state at present has a stock of 30.56 lakh doses and the vaccination drive will begin simultaneously in all 28 districts, health department officials said.
Meanwhile, about 3,40,000 health workers, 3,19,000 frontline workers, 5,16,000 people having co-morbidities and people above 60 years will be given the third dose (booster) of the vaccine from January 10. Priority will be given to those who completed 39 weeks or 9 months after receiving the second dose.
State’s tableau to roll on Rajpath
A tableau of Godhan Nyay Yojana, the flagship scheme of the state government, would be showcased at New Delhi’s Rajpath on the Republic Day. An expert committee of the Defence Ministry approved the Chhattisgarh tableau for the event, after the state successfully made it through a rigorous two-month scrutiny.
“The committee has selected the state’s concept under the theme ‘India@75 New Idea’, on the occasion of 75th year of Independence. Only 12 states have secured the opportunity to display their tableaux,” PR commissioner said Dipanshu Kaabra.
10 years of RTE in Chhattisgarh
The implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in Chhattisgarh has boosted enrollment of students in schools. Since the launch of online MIS portal, in 2017, for streamlining the admissions process, the rate of seats getting filled up has been going up by 14.5 per cent in the last three academic sessions.
A report titled ’10 years of RTE in Chhattisgarh’ released by state education minister Premsai Singh Tekam claimed that students in elementary classes are scoring better grades than those in higher classes. Around 54 per cent students are studying their curriculum in Hindi, 44 per cent in English and the remaining 2 per cent in bilingual across the state.
