Current Affairs - State

The West Bengal government, in collaboration with UNICEF, has launched an initiative to encourage fathers to actively support and promote breastfeeding. This program, facilitated by Anganwadi workers, aims to enhance family involvement in breastfeeding, thereby improving exclusive breastfeeding rates during the first six months of a child's life. The initiative underscores the importance of family support, starting from conception, to ensure the health and well-being of both mother and child.

The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, decided to scrap the two-child norm for contesting local body elections due to the state's declining fertility rate. The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting on August 7, and it repeals amendments made in 1994 to the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act 1955 and the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act 1965. This move reflects the state's efforts to adapt its policies to current demographic trends and ensure broader participation in local governance.

Maharashtra's State Cabinet approved the Prisons and Correctional Services Bill to be enacted as an Ordinance. This new Bill aims to modernize the state's prison operations, replacing the outdated Prisons Act of 1894. The current system suffers from significant overcrowding, housing 40,428 prisoners in facilities designed for only 27,110. The new legislation is based on the Union's Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023, and aims to address these issues comprehensively.

On August 4, 2024, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced that Haryana would become the first state in India to implement a comprehensive MSP policy, covering all crops. This policy expansion, adding nine additional crops to the previously covered 14, aims to provide a robust safety net for farmers, encourage crop diversification, and protect against market price fluctuations, marking a significant shift in agricultural policy ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Coal India Limited (CIL) and GAIL (India) Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a Coal to Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) plant in Raniganj, West Bengal. This plant aims to produce 80,000 Nm3 per hour of SNG by utilizing 1.9 million tonnes of coal annually. This initiative aligns with the National Coal Gasification Mission and supports the Atmanirbhar mission by reducing dependency on natural gas imports.