Rajasthan govt orders to paint walls of 20 colleges orange, Cong alleges 'politicising' education
Jaipur (PTI): The Rajasthan College Education Commissionerate has directed 20 government colleges to get the front facade of their buildings and entry halls painted orange under the Kayakalp scheme
According to the Commissionerate, the move is to ensure a positive environment in the education institutes.
The Kayakalp scheme is a national initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to promote cleanliness, hygiene, and infection control in public healthcare facilities in India
The opposition Congress slammed the move as an attempt to politicise educational institutions.
Joint Director (Planning), College Education Vijendra Kumar Sharma issued the order last month regarding the paint of front facade and entry halls of colleges under the scheme.
In the first phase, a total of 20 colleges, two colleges in each division level, have to be painted, the order said.
"The colleges are the main centres of higher education. The educational environment and scenario of the college should be such for the students that they feel positive as soon as they enter the college," the order stated.
A good message about higher education should be sent to the society and therefore, the colleges have to be rejuvenated to create a positive, clean, healthy and educational environment in the colleges.
The joint director further said in the order that in the first phase of the scheme, two government colleges of each division have been included and the front facade and entrance hall of the 20 colleges' buildings should be phase painted with "Asian Paints White Gold 8292 and Asian Paints Orange Crown 7974".
Targeting the BJP government over the matter, PCC general secretary Swarnim Chaturvedi said that it was an attempt to “politicise” education in colleges.
"The BJP government has failed to deliver on promises made to people. The government has nothing to highlight as its achievements and in order to divert attention; it is resorting to such moves," he said.
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Polling underway for 43 seats in first phase of Jharkhand assembly elections, Guv casts vote
Ranchi (PTI): Voting is underway for 43 assembly seats in Jharkhand on Wednesday, with a total of 683 candidates trying their luck, including former CM Champai Soren and ex-MP Geeta Kora.
Polling began around 7 AM in these constituencies across 15 districts and will continue till 5 PM.
However, voting in 950 booths will end at 4 pm, though people standing in the queue at that time will be able to exercise their franchise, an official said.
Long queues were seen before a number of booths in the morning.
Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar casts his vote at the ATI polling booth in Ranchi.
"Today is the first phase of voting for the Jharkhand Assembly elections. I urge all voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote as soon as possible and vote with full enthusiasm in this festival of democracy. Remember, first vote and then refreshment!" Gangwar said.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren sought the backing of the people.
In a post on X, he said, "If you like our work, please support us. I promise that I will do 10 years of work in the next 5 years so that no one can stop our pace of progress."
While the JMM-led coalition is seeking to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, including Maiyan Samman Yojna, the BJP has been campaigning with its aggressive Hindutva agenda, infiltration and alleged corruption by the current dispensation.
Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief JP Nadda, held several rallies where they attacked the JMM-led coalition over alleged corruption and infiltration.
INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, its president Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife and legislator Kalpana Soren highlighted welfare schemes and accused the BJP-led Centre of unleashing all the central agencies, including ED, CBI and I-T, against opposition leaders.
A total of 1.37 crore voters are eligible to participate in the voting on November 13.
Altogether 683 candidates - 609 men, 73 women and a third gender person - are in the fray in the 43 seats.
Out of the 43 assembly seats, 17 are reserved for general, 20 for scheduled tribes and 6 seats for scheduled castes.
A total of 15,344 polling stations have been set up for the first phase of elections.
Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said all preparations for voting have been completed and polling personnel have reached stations.
Mock polls began at 5.30 am, he said.
The responsibility of the entire voting process at 1,152 polling stations will be in the hands of women, Kumar said, adding that 24 booths will be manned by handicapped people.
Since the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, a total of Rs 208.78 crore worth of illegal material and cash has been seized, he said.
Till Tuesday, 58 cases have been registered for violation of the Model Code of Conduct, including a maximum of 29 in Garhwa district.
Both the NDA and INDIA bloc pulled out all the stops to ensure their victories in the elections with BJP focusing on ‘Roti, Beti, Maati’ and the INDIA bloc trying to capitalise on ‘suppression of the voice of a tribal CM”. PM Modi did a mega road show in Ranchi on Sunday which attracted huge crowds.
As far as key seats are concerned - former CM Champai Soren, contesting on the BJP ticket in Seraikela, faces a challenge from JMM’s Ganesh Mahli.
BJP’s Geeta Kora, wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda will lock horns with Congress’ Sona Ram Sinku in Jagannathpur.
Congress veteran Rameshwar Oraon will lock horns with AJSU’ Shanti Bhagat in Lohardaga.
In Jamshedpur (West), JD (U) candidate Saryu Roy locked horns with Congress’ Banna Gupta.
The second phase of elections will be held on November 20 in the state while the counting of votes will be done on November 23.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the contest was close, with the JMM winning 30 seats and the BJP securing 25, down from 37 in 2014.
The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won a comfortable majority with 47 seats.
Currently, the strength of the assembly stands at 74, with the JMM-led ruling alliance comprising 26 from the JMM, 17 from Congress, and one from RJD.
