1. Social Justice Ministry launches SMILE-75 initiative
Tags: Government Schemes
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the 'SMILE-75' initiative for comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in begging in 75 municipalities on the occasion of 75th year of independence on 12th August.
About SMILE -75 Scheme
Full name of SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise
The scheme is a sub-scheme under the 'Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons engaged in begging'.
This scheme also focuses on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities and intervention, counselling, education, skill development, economic linkages to transgender persons.
Under this, many comprehensive welfare measures have been included for the persons engaged in begging.
A total budget of Rs 100 crore has been allocated for the SMILE scheme for the period 2025-26 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Under the scheme, a target has been set to develop a support system for the holistic rehabilitation of the people engaged in begging.
Implementation of the Scheme
The scheme will be implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
It will be implemented with the support of State/UT Governments/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations, Community Based Organizations, institutions and others.
Status of begging in India
According to the 2011 census, the total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670 (including 2,21,673 males and 1,91,997 females).
West Bengal has the highest number of beggars, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at number two and third place respectively.
According to the 2011 census, there are only two beggars in Lakshadweep.
The Union Territory of New Delhi has the highest number of beggars, followed by Chandigarh.
Among the northeastern states, Assam tops the number of beggars, while Mizoram is at the bottom.
2. New Guidelines of ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0'
Tags: Government Schemes
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has issued operational guidelines regarding the implementation of 'Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0'.
About Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
The scheme was approved by the Government of India for implementation during the 15th Finance Commission period 202l-22 to 2025-26.
It is an Integrated Nutrition Support Programme.
It has been implemented to address the challenges of malnutrition among children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
The restructured scheme consists of ICDS, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) and National Creche Scheme.
What are the new Guidelines?
The scheme is open to all eligible beneficiaries.
The beneficiary has to be registered at the nearest Anganwadi centre with Aadhaar identification.
The beneficiaries for the scheme would be adolescent girls in the age group of 14-18 years.
AYUSH will propagate the campaigns of 'Yoga at Home, Yoga with Family'.
The Ministry of AYUSH will provide technical support for the scheme implementation.
Objectives of Poshan 2.0
Address challenges of malnutrition
Contribute to the development of human capital of the country
Promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for better health
Addressing nutritional deficiencies through key strategies
3. Assam CM launches digital process of issuance of caste certificate for students
Tags: Government Schemes State News
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 1 launched 'Mission Bhumiputra', a digital way to issue digital caste certificates to students.
Important facts
The Chief Minister inaugurated the Bhumiputra Portal in a program organized at Shrimant Sankardev Kalakshetra.
This mission is being implemented by the Department of Tribal Affairs and Social Justice and Empowerment.
Now the manual system of issuing caste certificates will be abolished.
The Deputy Commissioner will give the format of applications for caste certificates to the headmasters of educational institutions from August 8.
The Headmaster will fill the application forms and send it to the Deputy Commissioners, after which the application will be forwarded to the respective caste or tribe boards.
Thereafter, the Deputy Commissioner will hold a meeting with the boards to decide on the protocol for issuance of caste certificates to the students.
If any doubts arise in the process, the application may be sent for further verification.
The certificates will be available in Digi Locker under the IT Act, digitally signed by the respective Deputy Commissioners.
With the launch of Mission Bhumiputra, the problems people faced earlier regarding securing documents will be solved.
4. Govt formulates NAMASTE scheme for cleaning of sewers, septic tank
Tags: National Government Schemes
Government has formulated a National Action Plan for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem- NAMASTE scheme for cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
What is the NAMASTE Scheme?
The scheme is a joint venture of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The Ministry has prepared a list of essential safety machinery and main equipment to be used by Safai Mitras.
This step has been taken by the government to end the practice of manual scavenging in India.
Manual scavenging is the practice of removing human feces by hand from a sewer or septic tank.
Aims of the scheme
Achieving zero mortality in sanitation works in India.
Preventing any sanitation worker from coming in direct contact with human faecal matter
Ensuring all sewer and septic tank sanitation workers have access to alternative livelihoods
5. Centre releases guidelines for Mission Vatsalya
Tags: Government Schemes National News
The Centre has issued certain guidelines for getting access to central funds and benefits under Mission Vatsalya. Mission Vatsalya is an umbrella scheme for child protection services in the country.
What are the new guidelines?
The states will have to retain the official name given by the Centre.
Only correct translation in the local language will be allowed.
Funds to the states will be sanctioned through Mission Vatsalya Project Approval Board (PAB), which will be headed by the Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development.
States/UTs have also been directed to focus on special needs of children with physical or mental disabilities.
Institutions will now have to provide specialized teachers, doctors and nurses to provide occupational therapy, speech therapy, verbal therapy and other remedial classes.
The employees of these special units will have to know sign language, braille etc. as per the new guidelines.
Mission Vatsalya, in partnership with states and districts, will implement a 24×7 helpline service for children.
Mission Vatsalya
It promotes family-based non-institutional care of children in difficult situations based on the 'principle of institutionalization of children' as a last resort.
Before the year 2009, three schemes were implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development for children in need of protection -
Juvenile justice programs for children as well as children in need of care and protection
Integrated Program for Street Children
Child Home Assistance Scheme
In the year 2010, these three schemes were merged into a single scheme which is known as Integrated Child Protection Scheme.
In the year 2017 its name was changed to "Child Protection Services Scheme" and in the year 2021-22 it was also changed to Mission Vatsalya.
It aims to ensure a healthy and happy childhood for every child in the country.
6. 'Nari Ko Naman' scheme launched by Himachal Pradesh government for women
Tags: Government Schemes State News
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched the “Nari Ko Naman” scheme for the women of the state.
This scheme has been started in line with the announcement made before the state assembly elections.
Under the scheme, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced a 50% discount on ticket prices to women in state government buses.
The Himachal Pradesh government will spend Rs 60 crore annually to provide a 50% discount on ticket prices to women in the state.
According to an estimate, 1.25 lakh women travel in HRTC buses daily.
Minimum fare reduction / other announcements
Apart from giving concessions to women in tickets to women, the government also announced reduction of minimum fare in HRTC buses from Rs 7 to Rs 5.
In addition, 25 posts of women drivers will be filled in HRTC 'Ride with Pride' taxis.
In HRTC, 265 posts of Motor Mechanic, Electrician etc. will also be recruited.
About Himachal Pradesh
It was made the eighteenth state of India on 25 January 1971 under the Himachal Pradesh State Act, 1971.
Himachal Pradesh is also called the Land of Gods.
Himachal Pradesh is part of the Shivalik range of the Himalaya Mountains.
Major rivers and dams- Sutlej (Bhakra Dam, Gobind Sagar Reservoir, Koldam Dam), Vyas (Pandoh Dam, Maharana Pratap Sagar Reservoir), Ravi (Chamera Dam), Parvati
Major Lakes- Renuka, Revalsar, Khajjiar, Dal, Beas Kund, Dasaur, Brighu, Parashar, Mani Mahesh, Chander Tal, Suraj Tal, Kareri, Sarolsar, Govind Sagar, Nako Lake
National Parks- Great Himalayan National Park, Pin Valley National Park, Khirganga, Inderkilla and Simbalbara National Parks
Capital- Shimla
Governor- Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
Chief Minister- Jai Ram Thakur
Legislative Assembly seats- 68
Rajya Sabha seats- 3
Lok Sabha seats - 4
7. PM Modi launches 'Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance' scheme
Tags: Economy/Finance Government Schemes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance' (RAMP) scheme under the Entrepreneur India Program at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
RAMP Scheme
The scheme was announced by the Finance Minister in the Union Budget 2022-23.
Recommendations for RAMP Scheme KV Kamath Committee, UK Sinha Committee and the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC).
It is a World Bank assisted central sector scheme under which the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) is providing necessary support to address the challenges related to COVID-19.
The total financial outlay for the RAMP scheme is Rs 6,062.45 crore ($808 million).
The World Bank will provide a loan of Rs 3750 crore ($500 million) for this program and the remaining Rs 2312.45 crore ($308 million) is being funded by the central government.
Program Objective
The objective of the scheme is to improve access to credit and markets, as well as strengthen institutions and governance in the state and at the Centre.
It will also look at improving Centre and State partnerships as well as resolving issues related to delayed payments.
MSME capacity will also be increased through this program and MSME coverage will also be increased in the states and union territories.
The scheme will promote skill development, capacity building, technology up-gradation, quality enhancement, outreach, digitization, marketing promotion etc.
Plan implementation and monitoring
Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs) will be prepared for the implementation of RAMP and all the States and Union Territories of the country will be invited to provide inputs.
An outreach plan will be made to mobilise and identify MSMEs through SIPs.
The National MSME Council, which will be chaired by the Minister of MSME and comprising representatives from other ministries as well as a Secretariat, will monitor and evaluate the scheme.
8. Himachal Pradesh government will start single use plastic buy back scheme
Tags: Government Schemes
In line with the decision of the Central Government to ban the use of single-use plastic, Himachal Pradesh has launched the “Single-Use Plastic Buy Back Scheme”.
Under the Single Use Plastic Buy Back Scheme, the Himachal Pradesh government will buy single use plastic items from students of schools and colleges.
Under this, students will be encouraged to bring single-use plastic items from home and deposit them in schools.
For this, the government will pay Rs 75 per kg to the students.
The scheme has been started with the aim of inculcating the habit of environmental protection among the youth.
Single use plastic ban
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.
These rules were notified to prohibit specific single-use plastic items.
There will be a ban on the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale and use of single-use plastics as per the rules from July 1, 2022.
This ban will not apply to items made of compostable plastic.
The permissible thickness of plastic bags has been increased from 50 microns to 75 microns with effect from September 30, 2021 and to 120 microns with effect from December 31, 2022.
Single use plastic
Single use plastic is also known as disposable plastic.
They are used only once.
This plastic is so convenient and cheap that it has replaced other materials in the packaging industry.
India produces 9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, of which 43 per cent is single-use plastic.
9. Kerala government will start medical insurance scheme-Medicep from July 1
Tags: Government Schemes
Kerala government is going to start the MEDISEP scheme from July 1, 2022.
It is a medical insurance scheme for state government employees, pensioners and their eligible family members.
It will provide cashless medical assistance with comprehensive coverage up to Rs 3 lakh per year.
Under this State Employees and Pensioners Medical Insurance Scheme (Medicep), the annual premium for 2022-24 will be Rs 4800 and 'GST'.
Monthly premium of insurance will be Rs.500.
The much-awaited 'cashless' medical assistance has been approved to be implemented through Oriental Insurance Company Limited.
About Kerala State -
Formation - 1 November 1956
It is the world's first child harmony state recognized by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.
Kerala is the most literate state in India.
Capital- Thiruvananthapuram
Governor- Arif Mohammad Khan
Chief Minister- Pinarayi Vijayan
Assembly seats- 140
Rajya Sabha seats - 9
Lok Sabha seats - 20
10. 'Chief Minister Bal Gopal Yojana' will be implemented in Rajasthan
Tags: Government Schemes Latest
On the initiative of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the 'Mukhyamantri Bal Gopal Yojana' has been approved for the children of class 1 to 8 in the state.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Under the scheme, milk will be provided to the children of class 1 to 8 in the state two days a week.
Under the scheme, about 69 lakh 21 thousand children studying in government schools will be provided milk prepared from powder, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
If these days are a holiday, milk will be made available on the next academic day. 150 ml milk will be distributed to children of classes 1 to 5 and 200 ml to children of classes 6 to 8.
The scheme was announced in the state budget for the financial year 2022-23.
With the implementation of this scheme, there will be an improvement in the nutritional level of children from class 1 to 8, enrollment and attendance in government schools will increase and dropout of students will also be stopped.
For this, powder milk will be procured from Rajasthan Co-operative Dairy Federation and district wise allocation of powder milk will be done through Mid-Day Meal Commissionerate.
Doorstep delivery of powdered milk will be done to the schools as per the allocation by RCDF itself.
Other major schemes of Rajasthan -
Prashasan gaon ke sang abhiyan
Chief Minister Anupriti Coaching Scheme
Chief Minister Kisan Mitra Energy Scheme
Smile on Wheels Project
Ghar Ghar Aushadhi Scheme
Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Yojana
