Rajasthan

Appearance

Chief Secretary Appointments ​

  • Maharashtra Chief Secretary: Rajesh Meena (1988 batch IAS, from Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan).
  • Kerala Chief Secretary (past): Tikaram Meena (also from Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan).
  • Bihar Chief Secretary: Amrit Lal Meena (from Karauli, Rajasthan).
  • Chief Secretary Position Background:
    • A legacy of British rule, created in 1799 by Governor-General Lord Wellesley.
    • Serves as the administrative head of the secretariat, chief advisor to the Chief Minister, head of public servants, principal coordinator, and crisis administrator.
  • Rajasthan Chief Secretaries:
    • First: K. Radhakrishnan.
    • First Woman: Kushaal Singh.
    • Second Woman: Usha Sharma.
    • Current: Sudhansh Pant.
  • Other Appointments: Utkal Ranjan Sahu (U.R. Sahu) appointed as Chairman of RPSC.

Wildlife Overpass Corridor ​

  • Location: India's first wildlife overpass corridor built in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
  • Ranthambore Tiger Project:
    • Rajasthan's first tiger project, initiated in 1973.
    • Site of India's first tiger transfer (Ranthambore to Sariska) in June 2008, involving tigress Babli and tiger Sultan.
    • Project's territorial expansion includes Sawai Madhopur, Bundi, Karauli, and Tonk districts.
  • Delhi-Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway (NH 148N):
    • Constructed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.
    • Passes through Alwar, Bharatpur, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Bundi, and Kota districts in Rajasthan.
    • The corridor, approximately 12 km long, features overpasses and underpasses to facilitate safe wildlife movement across the expressway within the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve area (Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Bundi districts).
    • The expressway's inauguration by the Prime Minister took place in Dausa.

Agricultural Research & Crop Varieties ​

  • CAZRI (Central Arid Zone Research Institute), Jodhpur:
    • Established in 1959 (evolved from Maru Vanikaran (1952) and Maru Vanikaran & Mrida Sanrakshan (1957)).
    • Developed the ADPI One variety of date palm, yielding up to 150 kg per tree. This variety was brought from Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat, in 2015.
    • Developed 'Maru Samriddhi' (Gunda variety) and 'Diana' (Anjeer variety).
    • Developed 'Maru Sena' organic fertilizer.
    • Produces value-added products from millets, such as 'Bajra Kurkure' and 'Bajra Biscuits'.
  • AFRI (Arid Forest Research Institute), Jodhpur:
    • Established in 1988 under the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
  • SKNAU (Shri Karan Narendra Agriculture University), Jaipur:
    • Developed 'RF 290' fennel (saunf) variety.
    • Hosts Rajasthan's second Veterinary University.
  • MPUAT (Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology), Udaipur:
    • Developed 'Pratap Shankar Six' maize variety.
    • Developed 'Chetak' opium variety.

Tourism Promotion ​

  • Sri Lanka Tourism Roadshow: Held in Jaipur to promote tourism to Sri Lanka among Indian visitors.
  • Jaipur's Tourism Milestones:
    • In 2027, Jaipur will celebrate 300 years of its establishment with the "Govind Dev Ji Kala Mahotsav" focusing on tourism development.
  • US Vice President JD Vance's Visit (2024):
    • Visited Jaipur to explore tourism opportunities.
    • Toured Amber Fort, where he was welcomed by elephants Chanda and Pushpa.
    • Presented with a Blue Pottery conch (artist: Gopal Saini).
    • His wife received a Tarakasi (silver wire work) artifact (artist: Yogesh).

Art & Culture ​

  • Ramnath Chaudhary (Algoza Player):
    • World's only artist known for playing the Algoza (a double-flute instrument) with his nose.
    • Hails from Bara Padampura, Jaipur.
    • Recently set an India Book of Records entry by playing the Algoza with his nose for 5 minutes and 5 seconds. His name is also in the World Book of Records.

State-Level Statistics Day ​

  • Event: State-level Statistics Day ceremony (19th edition).
  • Location: Rajasthan International Centre (RIC), Jaipur.
  • National Statistics Day: Celebrated annually on June 29, commemorating the birth anniversary of P.C. Mahalanobis, considered the 'Father of Statistics in India'.
  • Key Launches/Releases:
    • Rajasthan Chief Minister unveiled the "Statistical Year Book 2025" and the "Rajasthan SDG State Portal 2025".
    • Launched the "SDG Portal 2.0".
  • Other Related Events:
    • State-level Yoga Day was organized at Khudi Sand Dunes.
    • Hawala Gram in Udaipur is recognized as the state's first craft village.

Sports Achievements ​

  • Riya Kanwar (Powerlifting):
    • Won four medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze) in the 26th National Powerlifting Championship held in Karnataka.
    • Competed in the 76 kg sub-junior category.

Other Significant Developments ​

  • Lignite Mining Impact in Barmer: In the Kapurdi area of Barmer, 100-foot-high hills have formed from the waste generated by lignite mining. The topsoil, rich in Multani mitti (Fuller's Earth), also generates revenue for the state.
  • Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla: Currently researching algae (शैवाल) aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Nahargarh Biological Park: Baghini (tigress) Rani gave birth to five cubs simultaneously for the first time in India at the Nahargarh Biological Park. The cubs, previously in captivity, have now been released into the open enclosure after vaccination.
  • Tiger Translocation: Ramgarh Vishdhari and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserves received approval for the translocation of tigers, potentially from Ranthambore.
  • Sandalwood Protection in Udaipur: To prevent illegal felling and smuggling, sandalwood trees in Udaipur have been encased in iron cages.