Current Affairs in Short: 27 August 2021

Madhya Pradesh becomes 2^nd state to implement National Education Policy 2020

•Madhya Pradesh on August 26, 2021, became the 2^nd state after Karnataka to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the implementation of the Policy in the presence of Governor Mangubhai Patel.

•Higher Education Minister Mohan Yadav during the launch said the government plans to implement NEP 2020 within four years in all the regions of the state, including 16 government universities and 40 private universities.

•The government will also introduce agricultural science as a subject in Vikram University and Rani Durgavati University, Yadav added.

•The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was launched by the Centre on July 29, 2020.

Uttarakhand: Maldevta Sahastradhara Link road submerges in river due to heavy rains

•Maldevta Sahastradhara Link road on August 27, 2021, submerged in the river due to heavy rains in Dehradun for the last 48 hours. The Dehradun district administration stated that the incident occurred in Kheri village.

•Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an on-site inspection of the road and directed Dehradhun DM R Rajesh Kumar to channelize the river as well as get the road repaired.

•Dehradun DM Kumar also informed that the Ranipokhari Rishikesh road has also been closed to traffic due to the collapse of the bridge amid heavy rains.

•The Meteorological Department has predicted that heavy rains may occur over Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, and Champawat.

India’s priority to evacuate Indians, Afghans allies from Afghanistan who stood by us: MEA

•The Ministry of External Affairs on August 27, 2021, announced that India’s priority will evacuate the Indian citizens from Afghanistan and Afghan nationals ‘who stood by us’.

•In a weekly press statement, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has evacuated over 550 people in 6 separate flights, either from Kabul or Dushanbe. Of these, over 260 were Indians.

•Under Operation Devi Shakti, the government will evacuate Indians from Afghanistan.

Delhi schools to reopen in a phased manner from September 1

•Delhi Deputy CM and Education Minister Manish Sisodia in a press conference said that Delhi schools will reopen in a phased manner from September 1, 2021.

•Students of classes 9 to 12 will attend physical classes from September 1 while students of classes 6 to 8 will be allowed from a week later.

•He added that Delhi schools will reopen in a blended mode of learning therefore no student will be forced to attend school and not without the consent of their parents. Those students can continue with their online classes.

India, China to hold 13^th military commander-level talks for Hot Springs

•India and China will be holding the 13^th round of military commander-level talks to resolve the Hot Springs dispute amid the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ladakh. This would be the last of the friction points that had come up post-Chinese aggression.

•Both countries have already held 12 rounds of the commander-level talks since May 2020 after the Chinese aggression that began in Eastern Ladakh. They have resolved issues relating to friction points across Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake, and Gogra Heights.

•The China Study Group including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, and Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane have been leading the military commander-level talks with China under the leadership of the Prime Minister Office.