Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], March 18 : In the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Nayara Energy signed two MoUs with the Forest Environment Department of the State Government and the Vidya Samiksha Kendra under the Education Department in Gandhinagar, an official statement said on Tuesday.
As per the MoU, Nayara Energy will provide financial support for the conservation and restoration project of Khijdia Bird Sanctuary in Jamnagar district.
Under this project, which will be undertaken for a total of three years at a total cost of Rs12 crore, the environmental conditions of the wetlands (wetlands) will be improved, local biodiversity will be enhanced, and local stakeholders will be encouraged to participate in the management of wetlands and its associated activities, the statement stated.
It further added that it will also help improve the ecological and hydrological health of the wetlands, which is beneficial to the local communities in the sanctuary's catchment area, and reduce the pressure on biodiversity.
This project mainly covers the promotion of eco-tourism, wetland restoration conservation infrastructure development and capacity building.
It is important to point out that due to the diversity of the geographical areas surrounding the Khirjadiya Bird Sanctuary (KRS) and its Ramsar (Wetland of International Importance) site, a variety of species are found. 185 species of plants, 23 species of butterflies, 21 species of dragonflies, 9 species of fish and shrimp, and 321 species of birds (including 125 aquatic and 9 mammalian species). The Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature also includes 29 species of significant importance, as per the statement.
Khirjadiya plays a major role in regulating local hydrology and in maintaining local economy and cultural values. Rain and runoff recharge the groundwater, which prevents salinity from entering the soil.
The Khijdia Bird Sanctuary is surrounded by five villages (eco-sensitive zones), including Khijdia, Dhuvav, Jambuda, Sachana and Vibhapar, which are located at a distance of 1 to 3 kilometres.
The MOU also states that the Forest Department will act as the implementing agency and Nayara Energy will be the financial and other resource-supporting agency in this project to conserve and restore the Khijdia Bird Sanctuary.
The MoU will boost reading activity in 1300 government schools and Anganwadis of Jamnagar and Devbhoomi Dwarka.
For this purpose, Nayara Energy is going to undertake this project for three years, i.e. from April 2025 to March 2028 in the next academic year. More than 150 books in English and Gujarati will be provided per school in government schools in Jamnagar and Devbhoomi Dwarka. 90 books in a language that children can understand will be available in 1900 Anganwadis, which will develop early literacy in children. In total, a strong foundation for reading and new learning will be created by the implementation of this project by distributing about 3,75,000 books, it further stated.
In addition, teachers and librarians will be trained in library management and reading engagement, which will ensure the effective use of resources and sustainable impact.
In addition, to strengthen the availability of digital reading and digital infrastructure, this initiative will also focus on using digital platforms and integrating digital reading sessions into the curriculum of schools using smart classrooms, computer labs, or tablets.
In addition, teachers will be trained on using open-source digital libraries in education and using technology to integrate digital reading into the classroom.
This entire initiative will give a new impetus to Gujarat's efforts to build a strong reading culture, expand quality multilingual reading materials for children at different levels of education, strengthen literacy in Anganwadi children from childhood, empower teachers through training on physical and digital literacy resources, use technology and open-source platforms to increase accessibility and inclusion in reading, etc. This MOU will give a new direction to holistic issues like.
Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister MK Das, Principal Secretary Education Mukesh Kumar, Principal Secretary Forest Environment Sanjeev Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jaipal Singh, State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Ranjith Kumar, and senior officials of Nayara Energy were present at the signing of this MOU.