Revamp mode, Railways to maximise utility of its prime land near major stations (GS Paper 3, Infrastructure)
Why in news?
- The Indian Railways has decided to maximise the utility of its prime lands abutting railway stations by replacing decades-old sparsely distributed buildings with multi-storey structures.
- The initiative is part of the mission to develop major railway stations and surrounding areas as city centres.
Key Highlights:
- The circulating area and parking would be designed in such a manner that the valuation of commercial space in the station building does not get adversely affected on account of access and parking of vehicles.
- The development plan would include an adequate number of elevators/escalators, electric vehicle charging points and other infrastructure keeping in view future growth and expansion.
- Entire master plan should be well-designed for utilities and inter-connectivity between different components so that the station becomes the ‘City Centre’.
Way Forward:
- In view of the prime location of the station with respect to the city, it provides an opportunity to go for dense utilisation and redevelop the entire area in such a manner that the whole place becomes much more useful for the citizens and in turn brings value to railways.
Apple country gets ground ready for cannabis cultivation
(GS Paper 2, Health)
Why in news?
- The Himachal Pradesh government is taking steps to legalise cannabis (hemp) cultivation in the State.
Details:
- A committee comprising lawmakers that explored the possibility of legal cultivation of cannabis recently recommended cultivation of cannabis for “non-narcotic use of cannabis for medicinal, industrial, and scientific use”.
- The State Cabinet approval is awaited after which a policy is expected to be framed soon by the State government on cannabis cultivation, keeping in view the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985, and the NDPS Rules, 1989.
Concerns:
- However, there are social concerns, especially of adolescents and youth being drawn towards the use and abuse of cannabis, the nexus between illegal producers and suppliers of cannabis getting stronger, the risk of pilferage, and the occurrence of amotivational syndrome.
About Hemp:
- Hemp is a botanical class of Cannabis sativa cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use.
- It is produced in parts of Himachal Pradesh, though it is illegal under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Revenue for farmers:
- Allowing cannabis cultivation would reaffirm the government’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of the farmers, who have been long demanding to lift the ban on cultivation.
Cannabis cultivation in other states:
- The NDPS Act of 1985, imposes a ban on extracting the resin and flowers from the plant, but the law determines the method and extent of its cultivation for medicinal and scientific purposes.
- Section 10 (a) (iii) of the Act empowers the States to make rules regarding the cultivation of any cannabis plant, production, possession, transport, consumption, use and purchase and sale, and consumption of cannabis (except charas).
- The States are empowered to permit, by general or special order, the cultivation of hemp only for obtaining fibre or seeds or for horticultural purposes.
- In 2017, Himachal Pradesh’s neighbour Uttarakhand became the first State in the country to legalise cannabis cultivation.
