Guides knowing foreign languages to help tourists in Allahabad Magh Mela

There is a demand for tour guides with knowledge of foreign languages to help foreign tourists who will be arriving to participate in the in Allahabad Magh Mela which will start on January 12, 2017. It will be a special Magh Mela for the foreign tourists because the administration has decided to rope in guides with multi-language skills. They will brief foreign tourists on history, tradition, culture and importance of the mela.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 14 December 2016.

It is understood that tour operators from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Austria, Greece, Poland, and Switzerland have expressed their desire to have a glimpse of Indian culture and tradition on the banks of Ganga during the month-long religious fair. Hence the need for guides who are fluent in foreign languages.
They would be inducted from Agra, Mathura and Varanasi - these are locations where there usually is a sizeable chunk of foreign tourists who arrive all through the year.


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Allahabad Magh Mela assured of smooth flow of water in the Ganges

The Allahabad Magh Mela will begin from January 12 and over three crore of devotees, pilgrims and seers are expected to be arriving to participate in the annual ritual. Hence, there is a need to have adequate quantity of clean and flowing water in Ganga for holy dip at Sangam.
Saints and seers have demanded aviral dhara (smooth flow of water) during the entire mela period and have expressed their satisfaction over the measures that are being initiated by the Magh Mela administration.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 30 November 2016.

The Magh Mela authorities have arranged for water to be released from Tehri and Narora dams from December 15 and 22, respectively till the end of the mela period on February 24. In order to do this, water would be released every from December 15 onwards - the amount of water would be around 1,000 cu-sec from Tehri Dam. Subsequently, from December 22, another 4,000 cusec would be released from Narora dam. In addition, there would be water from the Ganga barrage for the main bathing days.
It normally takes 10 to 12 days for the water to reach Allahabad from Narora dam.
The continuous flow of water is expected to improve the quality of Ganga water during the mela period.


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Charkha weaving course to start in UP as part of skill development program

The Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU) will start a new certificate course on weaving through charkha aimed at developing the skills of those who do not have any educational qualifications. It will be a six-month certificate course on weaving using charkha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always focused on skill development, hence the decision was taken to start charkha weaving course from January next year. UPRTOU will be the only university to run this course.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 9 November 2016.

The UPRTOU is a state open university with its head office in Allahabad. Therefore, the regional offices will only provide study material.
There is a charkha laboratory in Allahabad where students can attend classes from Monday to Saturday for practical lessons. The laboratory is equipped with 40 charkhas on which students can learn on how to run and weave on the spinning wheel. Teachers come from Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Gram Udyog.
While no educational qualification is needed to pursue this course and there is no age bar, it will benefit students belonging to rural areas. On completion of the course, students can get many employment opportunities since the demand for khadi clothes is increasing.


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Pre-paid boats to ferry tourists to Sangam

Plans are being worked out by Allahabad administration to introduce pre-paid boats on the line of pre-paid cabs to ferry tourists to Triveni Sangam - the confluence of the three rivers in Allahabad. Visitors who plan such trips are always apprehensive of being overcharged and that the boatmen might fleece them. Pre-paid boats will get rid of that menace.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 20 April 2016.

It is understood that the process of fitness verification of the boats and licenses for operating them would be completed by April 30 so that the scheme can be implemented by the end of next month.
The plan envisages two computerized booking counters at Daraganj and Jal police outpost in Sangam area. The visitor would have to buy the ticket and hand it over to the boatman - the boat number would be mentioned on the ticket. Obviously, only registered boats would operate at Sangam or adjoining ghats. Each of the boats will have codes and will have to be equipped with life jackets.
The money collected as fare would be distributed in three parts - one for the boatman, the second part towards meeting the expenses of operating the computerized counters and the third part as a corpus fund, to be used for the welfare of boatmen.


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