1. PM launches Gujarat government’s Mission Schools of Excellence at Trimandir, Adalaj, Gujarat
Tags: place in news Government Schemes State News
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched Mission Schools of Excellence at Trimandir, Adalaj, Gujarat on 19 October 2022.The Mission will help strengthen education infrastructure in Gujarat by setting up new classrooms, smart classrooms, computer labs and overall upgradation of the infrastructure of schools in the State. During the event at Trimandir, the Prime Minister also launched projects worth around Rs 4260 crores.
Mission Schools of Excellence
It is a five year Gujarat government project that aims to improve the quality of education in the state. It is a World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) funded project.
Budget of the project
The total budget for the mission is Rs 10,000 crore. World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide a loan of Rs 7,500 crore for the Gujarat government's Mission School of Excellence project.
Aim of the Project
- It will cover all 35,133 government and 5,847 grant-in-aid schools in the state.
- The funds will be spent on building 50,000 new classrooms, creating 1.5 lakh smart classrooms, 20,000 new computer labs and 5,000 Atal tinkering labs in 41,000-odd government and grant-in-aid schools across the state.
- It is estimated that nearly one crore school students will benefit directly from this ambitious project in the next five years.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
- It is a multilateral development bank which was set up in 2016.
- Its area of operation is in Asia and it provides loans to build Infrastructure of tomorrow -green infrastructure with sustainability, innovation and connectivity at its core.
- However its members are from around the world. At present it has 104 member countries.
- China is the majority shareholder of the bank and India is the second largest shareholder of the bank
- The United States and Japan are not the members of the bank
- AIIB has given maximum loans to India
Current President of the Bank: Jin Liqun of China.
Headquarters: Beijing, China
2. Prime Minister Inaugurates 600 Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras
Tags: Government Schemes National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 at Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi on 17 October, 2022.
Important facts
The Prime Minister also inaugurated 600 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.
The Prime Minister also launched the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Fertilizer Project - One Nation One Fertilizer.
One Nation, One Fertilizer will free the farmer from all kinds of confusion regarding the quality and availability of manure.
During the event, the Prime Minister also released the 12th instalment of Rs 16,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through Direct Benefit Transfer.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Agriculture Startup Conclave and Exhibition.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also launched an e-magazine on fertilisers, 'Indian Age'.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras
3.25 lakh fertilizer shops will be developed across the country as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendra (PMKSK).
These will be the centres where farmers can not only buy fertilizers and seeds but also conduct soil tests and get useful information about farming techniques.
Under this scheme, retail fertilizer shops in the country will be converted into PMKSK in a phased manner.
3. PM Modi distributed PMJAY-MA Yojana Ayushman cards in Gujarat
Tags: Government Schemes State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed Ayushman cards to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana- Chief Minister Amrutam (PMJAY-MA) in Gujarat on October 17.
Important facts
The Prime Minister distributed Ayushman cards through video conference in a program organised in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat.
Ayushman PVC cards will be distributed to more than 50 lakh beneficiaries under PMJAY-MA scheme in Gujarat.
This card is made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) material.
The Centre's PMJAY scheme, which provides health care facilities to the economically weaker sections, was linked to Gujarat's Chief Minister Amrutam and Mukhyamantri Amrutam Vatsalya (MAV) health schemes in 2019.
Now all the beneficiaries of state schemes are eligible to get PMJAY-MA card.
- The “Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA)” scheme was launched in 2012 by the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi to protect poor citizens from the cost of medical treatment and illness.
Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
It is the world's largest health insurance scheme which is fully funded by the government.
It was launched in February 2018.
Under this scheme a sum insured of Rs.5 lakh per family is provided for secondary care (which does not include specialist) as well as tertiary care (which include specialist).
Under this, the health benefit package includes surgery, medicine and daily treatment, cost of medicines and diagnosis.
4. Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 on October 17
Tags: Economy/Finance Government Schemes National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 on 17th October, 2022 at Mela Ground, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Pusa in New Delhi.
Important facts
On this occasion, the Prime Minister will release Rs 16,000 Crores under the PM-KISAN flagship scheme as 12th instalment through Direct Benefit Transfer.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Agri Start-up Conclave and Exhibition.
He will also inaugurate 600 PM Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PM-KSKs) of the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
On this occasion he will also launch Bharat Urea Bags, India’s biggest move in fertilizers-One Nation One Fertilizer Scheme for Farmers.
During this event, the Prime Minister will launch an international weekly fertilizer e-magazine Indian Age.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
It was launched on 24 February, 2019 by PM Modi to supplement financial needs of land holding farmers.
Under the scheme financial benefit of Rs 6000 per year in three equal instalments, every four month is transferred into the bank accounts of farmers’ families across the country through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
It is a central sector scheme with 100% funding by the Government of India.
It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
So far, eligible farmer families have received benefits of more than Rs 2 lakh crore under PM-KISAN through 11 instalments.
5. IMF lauds DBT scheme, calls it 'logistic marvel'
Tags: Economy/Finance Government Schemes
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 12 October 2022 lauded the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme in India and described it as a "logistical miracle" considering the country's sheer size.
Important facts
The International Monetary Fund's deputy director, Paolo Mauro, said India's plan is a "logistic marvel that has helped hundreds of millions of low-income people".
He said that countries across the world should learn from the DBT scheme as it is very impressive.
He said that this program is specially targeted towards women, elderly and farmers and the technological innovation involved is commendable.
IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinches said that India has emerged as a bright light at a time when the world is facing imminent prospects of recession.
Gourinchas said that India needs some significant structural reforms to achieve the ambitious target of a $10 trillion economy.
The Chief Economist lauded India's digitization efforts and termed it as a game changer.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme
The process of transferring the subsidy amount directly into the account of the beneficiaries instead of providing it directly to the government offices is known as DBT.
In this context, transfer can be defined as the payment that the government makes directly to the beneficiary without receiving any return. Scholarships and subsidies are some examples.
The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme was introduced on 1 January 2013.
Its main objective was to reform the government's distribution system and redesign the existing process in welfare schemes by making the flow of money and information faster, safer and fraud-free.
6. Center approves ‘Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) Scheme’
Tags: National Economy/Finance Government Schemes
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To boost economic and social development in the North Eastern region the central government has decided to launch a 100% centrally funded scheme Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE). The scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in a meeting held on 12 October 2022 and chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM-DevINE, was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 to address development gaps in the North Eastern Region.
Duration of the Scheme
The scheme will be of four year duration from 2022-23 to 2025-26, which will coincide with the remaining period of the 15th Finance Commission.
Outlay on the scheme
The scheme is 100% centrally funded and the outlay for the scheme is Rs 6,600 crore for the next four years.
Who will implement the scheme?
The Scheme will be implemented by the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) through North Eastern Council or Central Ministries/ agencies.
Objectives of the new Scheme
PM-DevINE will provide support to infrastructure and social development projects which may be larger in size and will also provide an end-to-end development solution instead of isolated projects.
PM-DevINE will lead to creation of infrastructure, support industries, social development projects and create livelihood activities for youth and women, thus leading to employment generation.
The objectives of PM-DevINE are to:
(a) Fund infrastructure convergent, in the spirit of PM Gati Shakti;
(b) Support social development projects based on felt needs of the NER;
(c) Enable livelihood activities for youth and women;
(d) Fill the development gaps in various sectors.
North Eastern States in India
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim.
Union Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region: Kishan Reddy
7. Inter- Ministerial meeting held in Delhi to review Parali management
Tags: place in news National Government Schemes
With the onset of the harvesting season for Kharif crops an Inter-Ministerial meeting under the co-chairmanship of Union Minister of Power R.K Singh and Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, was held on 3 October 2022, in New Delhi to review the progress of biomass co-firing in thermal power plants along with Parali management in National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining states.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh along with senior officers.
Background to the meeting
Farmers in Haryana, Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh burn their Parali in order to clear their harvested paddy fields and prepare for the Rabi season.
This burning of fields usually leads to heavy air pollution and toxic air in and around NCR during the winter season.
The meeting was held to take stock of the situation and the preparedness of the concerned government.
To encourage the farmers not to burn the parali and provide them an incentive, the government of India launched the SAMARTH mission.
Sustainable Agrarian Mission on use of Agro Residue in Thermal Power Plants (SAMARTH)
Sustainable Agrarian Mission on use of Agro Residue in Thermal Power Plants (SAMARTH) was launched by the Government of India in 2021.
Under SAMARTH the Union Ministry of power launched the National Mission on Use of Biomass in coal based thermal Power Plants.
AIM of the Scheme :
- It was launched by the Government of India to reduce stubble (parali) burning and to reduce carbon footprint of Thermal Power Plants while increasing the income of farmers.
- The farmers are encouraged to sell their crop residues, stubble to the power plants and earn extra income instead of burning in the field which increases pollution.
- Thermal power plants are encouraged to use crop residue along with coal for production of power. It will reduce the use of coal for power generation and consequently lesser amounts of carbon will be produced.
- The Ministry of Power's policy on “Biomass Utilization for Power Generation through Co-firing in Coal based Power Plants” issued in October 2021 mandates all thermal power plants in the country to use 5 to 10% biomass along with coal for power production.
Present Status of the SAMARTH mission
- Giving the achievement of the SAMARTH mission the government said that at present 39 thermal power plants had co-fired biomass pellets.
- In the NCR region, 10 thermal power plants have started co-firing.
- As on date, 83066 MT of biomass has been co-fired in 39 thermal power plants across the country totalling to a capacity of 55390 MW.
- In the NCR region, the biomass co-fired is 22,696 MT out of which 95% has been done by NTPC.
8. Bhupesh Baghel launches 'Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park Scheme'
Tags: Government Schemes Person in news State News
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has launched 'Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park Scheme' on 2 October 2022 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. The state government is developing village Gauthans as Rural Industrial Parks to provide employment and means of income to the rural poor families.
Government of Chhattisgarh has established Gauthans in 8048 villages where cattles are kept and provided free of cost fodder, waters etc.
'Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park Scheme'
Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park is being set up in the selected rural areas of the state to develop them as livelihood centers. These parks are being developed as rural production and service centers.
In the first phase 300 Rural Industrial Parks are being developed and for this purpose one to three acres of land has been reserved for the park in Gauthans.
Budget allocation
A provision of Rs 600 crore has been made for this scheme in the budget of the state government.
An amount of Rs.1 crore each has been provided to all the approved Rural Industrial Parks.
Features of the Industrial Park
The amount will be used to develop infrastructure like electricity, roads etc. and provide training to the youths.
Units for the manufacture of vermicomposting, poultry, goat rearing, agricultural and horticultural crops and processing of minor forest produce will be set up in the Gauthans developed under the Suraji Gaon Yojana. Along with this, flour-mill, pulse mill, oil mill are also being established.
Chhattisgarh
The modern state of Chhattisgarh was created on 1 November 2000 by splitting Madhya Pradesh.
Governor of Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey
Capital: Raipur
9. Union Education ministry launches PM’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors – YUVA 2.0
Tags: National Government Schemes
The Union Ministry of Education has launched YUVA 2.0 - Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors on 2 October 2022. The YUVA (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) , is an Author Mentorship programme to train young and budding authors (below 30 years of age) in order to promote reading, writing and book culture in the country, and project India and Indian writings globally.
The YUVA scheme was initially launched by the ministry on 29 May 2021.After the success of the YUVA 1.0 the ministry has launched YUVA 2.0
YUVA 2.0 is a part of India@75 Project (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav) to bring to the fore the perspectives of the young generation of writers on the THEME : ‘Democracy (institutions, events, people, constitutional values – past, present, future)’ in an innovative and creative manner.
The National Book Trust, India, under the Ministry of Education is the Implementing Agency of the YUVA programme.
10. Indore adjudged the cleanest city in India for the consecutive sixth time: Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022
Tags: place in news National Government Schemes
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs announced Indore as the cleanest city of India for the consecutive sixth time in its 7th Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022’ ,announced on 1 October 2022.
The award was presented to the winner State and the cities by the President Droupadi Murmu at a function held in New Delhi on 1 October 2022.
The Madhya Pradesh City of Indore was followed by Surat of Gujarat and Navi Mumbai of Maharashtra,who were ranked second and third respectively.
Best Clean State
Madhya Pradesh was ranked the cleanest State followed by Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra at the second and third place respectively.
Cities having a population of less than one lakh
In the category of cities having a population of less than one lakh, Maharashtra’s Panchgani was ranked number one, followed by Chhattisgarh’s Patan (NP) and Maharashtra’s Karhad.
Cities having a population of more than one lakh along Ganga River
Haridwar was adjudged the cleanest Ganga town in the category of more than 1 lakh population, followed by Varanasi and Rishikesh.
Cities having a population of less than one lakh along Ganga River
Bijnor of Uttar Pradesh adjudged the cleanest Ganga town in the category of less than 1 lakh population, followed by Kannauj and Garhmukhteshwar, all of Uttar Pradesh.
Cleanest cantonment board.
Deolali in Maharashtra was adjudged the cleanest cantonment board.
Cleanest State having fewer than 100 urban local bodies.
Tripura has bagged the top rank among the states having fewer than 100 urban local bodies.
SWACHH SURVEKSHAN
Swachh Survekshan is the world’s largest urban sanitation and cleanliness survey which has been conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs since 2016. The aim of the Swachh Survekshan is to foster a spirit of healthy competition among towns and cities so as to improve their service delivery to citizens and towards creating cleaner cities.
In the first Swachh Survekshan 2016, 73 major cities were surveyed. However in the 7th edition of Swachh Survekshan 2022, 4,355 cities were surveyed making it the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey
This year’s survey with a “People First” theme received over an unprecedented 9 crores, feedback, a marked increase from last year’s 5 crores.
Union Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri
