Chhattisgarh govt quiz draws huge response

Raipur, Aug 16 (UNI) Rajkumar, Vijay Lakma and Sukhram -- who hail from Chhattisgarh's interior tribal areas -- are among several youth who are these days busily hunting for answers to the state government's 61-question quiz competition coinciding with the anniversary of independence.

The excitement of receiving a certificate from Chief Minister Raman Singh and, of course, the cash prize is making them turn the pages of old newspapers and look up general knowledge books.

Libraries are witnessing more visitors while scribes, officials and teachers are being approached.

The competition 'Hamar Chhattisgarh' is being organised simultaneously in every block, the last date was extended by about a week and entries may be submitted by August 20.

''I did not expect so many participants in tribal regions. People in the state capital are also taking part enthusiastically. Several persons are even approaching me for the answers,'' Commissioner (Public Relations) N Baijendra Kumar told UNI.

Questions include: When was freedom-fighter Vir Narayan Singh executed? When did Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi visit Chhattisgarh? Where did poet Makhanlal Chaturvedi pen his famous poem 'Pushp ki Abhilasha'? Where in Chhattisgarh is Tata setting up a steel plant? Where did undivided Madhya Pradesh's first chief minister Pandit Ravishankar Shukla first work as a government servant? Queries have also been asked about the Raman Singh government's welfare schemes, the names of the works written by Raja Chakradhar Singh and Chhattisgarh's Gandhi Pt Sundarlal Sharma. Other subjects include the Chawal Utsav, New Raipur, Saraswati Cycle Yojana, Amrit salt and reservation percentage for women in panchayats.

''The objective is to acquaint people with this state's history and culture besides generating awareness about current development schemes. Each multiple-choice question has four answers provided and one of them is the right one. Newspaper clippings and photocopies are admissible. A post box number has been arranged and drop boxes placed in the Public Relations Directorate for entries,'' said Mr Kumar.

Ten best entries would be selected from every block. If the number of fully-correct entries is higher than ten in a certain block then a lottery would take place. Sums of Rs 1,000 would be given to fully-correct entries and even those scoring 60 per cent correct responses would receive certificates and gifts.

UNI AS-AC 1750