Initiative to promote STEM education in T.N. government schools from Monday
- In a bid to encourage scientific thinking and to increase interest in science and mathematics among students, government schools across the State will form ‘Vanavil Mandrams’ with a focus on STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) education.
- The School Education Department said that all 13,210-government middle, high, and higher secondary schools would initiate the forming of these STEM clubs from 2 p.m. for students of classes 6 to 8.
- To mark the beginning of this initiative, the teachers are asked to demonstrate some simple experiments in class.
- Every school has been allocated ₹1,200 initially to buy materials for these experiments.
Permanent Walkway for the differently abled
- The country’s first Permanent Walkway for Differently Abled was inaugurated at a cost of Rs 1 crore 14 lakhs under Singara Chennai 2.0 project at Chennai Marina beach.
- Paved with eco-friendly wooden planks. The track is 263 m long and 3 m wide.
- 11 meters long and 6 meters wide ramps have been set up for the disabled to stand in between.
Small Grain Scheme Policy
- NABARD Bank has finalized the report for Tamil Nadu regarding Small Grain Scheme Policy.
- Till the last 25 years in Tamil Nadu, small grains such as millet, varaku, samaai, sorghum and sorghum and small grain crops like corn, rye and ragi were grown extensively. These were the traditional food items of Tamils.
- In recent years, the lack of acceptance of these food items among the people has decreased and the nutritional deficiencies have started to increase in the people and diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure have started to increase.
- Thus, the general public is reverting back to small grain foods.
- The Department of Agriculture has taken forward a scheme to implement the Small Grains Scheme with the financial support of Central and State Governments at Rs.12.44 crores.
- The Central Government entrusted NABARD Bank with the task of preparing the thesis for implementation of Tamil Nadu Small Grains Movement.
