1. Union Cabinet Approves National Quantum Mission
Tags: Government Schemes National News
Union Cabineton 19th April approved the National Quantum Mission to nurture and scale up scientific and industrial research and development in quantum technology.
An overview of the news
The Union Cabinet approved Rs 6,003.65 crore for the mission from 2023-24 to 2030-31.
The Mission will accelerate quantum technology-led economic growth and nurture the ecosystem in the country.
The Mission will be implemented by the Department of Science and Technology in partnership with other departments.
India will be the sixth country to have a dedicated quantum mission after the US, Austria, Finland, France and China.
The mission will help develop high-sensitivity magnetometers in nuclear systems and atomic clocks for precise timing, communication and navigation.
The mission envisages developing an intermediate-scale quantum computer with a capacity of 50-1000 physical qubits in eight years on various platforms such as superconducting and photonic techniques.
What is Quantum Technology?
Quantum technology is based on quantum theory, which explains the nature of energy and matter at the atomic and sub-atomic level.
With the help of this technology, data and information can be processed in minimum time.
2. Namami Gange: 8 Projects Worth Rs 638 Crores Approved
Tags: Government Schemes National News
The 48th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was held on 18th April under the chairmanship of Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) G. Asok Kumar.
An overview of the news
Eight projects worth around Rs. 638 crore were approved in the meeting.
In an attempt to clean River Hindon, which is a tributary of River Yamuna, four projects worth Rs 407.39 crore were approved for pollution abatement in the Shamli district.
These projects are part of the comprehensive Hindon Rejuvenation Plan.
Hindon river is identified as Priority 1 polluted river stretch.
The projects which were sanctioned are to prevent theflow of polluted water into Krishna River.
Krishni is one of the major tributaries of Hindon which discharges pollution from Shamli district into River Hindon.
Two more sewerage management projects were approved in the meeting, one each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
In Bihar, a project for construction of 3 STPs (7 MLD, 3.5 MLD and 6 MLD in Zone 1 and 2 respectively) along with other works was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 77.39 crore.
These projects will arrest the flow of polluted water into theKiul River, a tributary of the Ganges.
About Namami Gange
It was approved as a 'Flagship Programme' by the Central Government in June 2014.
It was launched to serve the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of the national river Ganga.
It is being operated under the Ministry of Water Resources, Department of River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The program is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its State Program Management Groups (SPMGs).
3. Govt launches 'Sangathan se Samriddhi' scheme to bring marginalised rural women into SHGs network
Tags: Government Schemes National News
Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh launched the 'Organization to Prosperity' campaign on 18 April.
An overview of the news
It will empower marginal rural households by bringing all eligible rural women into Self Help Groups (SHGs).
The government is targeting to bring the existing 9 crore to 10 crore women under the ambit of SHGs.
The number of members, which was only 2.35 crore in May 2014, has now crossed nine crore.
The government has set a target that every woman associated with self-help groups should be able to earn one lakh rupees annually.
What are SHGs?
Self-help groups (SHGs) are informal associations of people who choose to come together to find ways to improve their living conditions.
It can be defined as a self-governing, peer-controlled information group of people having a similar socio-economic background and desiring to collectively serve a common purpose.
SHGs rely on the concept of "self-help" to encourage self-employment and poverty alleviation.
Its objective is to build the functional capacity of the poor and the marginalized in the field of employment and income generating activities.
4. Minister Purushottam Rupala launches Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI)
Tags: Government Schemes National News
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On 14 April, the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Purushottam Rupala launched the Animal pandemic Preparedness Initiative to holistically address animal pandemics.
An Overview of the News
The initiative aims to enhance the country's preparedness and response to animal pandemics with a focus on zoonotic diseases that pose a threat to both animal and human health.
The initiative will help in improving veterinary services and infrastructure, disease surveillance capabilities and awareness among farmers through community outreach.
World Bank funded Animal Health Systems Support for One Health has also been launched, which aims to create an ecosystem for an improved animal health management system, covering five states.
India is home to a diverse animal species and the livestock sector plays an important role in the country's economy and food security.
The Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative is a proactive step to protect animal resources and ensure the safety and health of people.
About Zoonotic Diseases
Definition: Zoonotic diseases are infections that can be transmitted from animals to humans through various means such as direct contact, consumption of contaminated food or water, inhalation of droplets, or bites from infected animals.
Examples: include rabies, anthrax, Ebola virus, salmonella, Lyme disease, and avian influenza.
Causes: Can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites that are found in the environment or spread by animals.
Symptoms: May include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, diarrhoea, and respiratory symptoms.
5. Government organises National Apprenticeship Mela in Udhampur under Skill India Mission
Tags: Government Schemes
Prime Minister's National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM) was organised under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10th April at ITI College, Udhampur.
An Overviews of the News
- It was organised by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) under the Skill India Mission to promote career opportunities for the youth of India.
- The main objective of PMNAM was to provide relevant apprenticeship training to the local youth of Udhampur and surrounding areas, thus providing them better career opportunities.
- Several local business organisations participated in the Apprenticeship Mela to provide employment to youth in the region, thus boosting local employment and economic growth.
- The apprenticeship training provided by these organisations is aimed at equipping youth with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their chosen fields.
- PMNAM also served as a platform for the youth to interact with industry experts and gain a better understanding of the current trends and demands of the job market.
- Through this initiative, the government aims to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of skilled workforce in the country and provide better career prospects for the youth of India.
About Udhampur
- It is a city in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and was founded in the 8th century.
- It houses Krimchi Temple, Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Patnitop Hill Station.
- Its economy is mainly based on agriculture, horticulture and small scale industries.
- The annual Latti Mela is a famous event that is celebrated on it.
Founder - Raja Udham Singh
6. Over Rs 23.2 lakh crore loans sanctioned in eight years under Mudra Yojana
Tags: Government Schemes National News
Since the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) eight years ago, more than 40.82 crore loans worth Rs 23.2 lakh crore have been sanctioned so far.
An overview of the news
According to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, since the launch of the scheme on April 8, 2015, till March 24, 2023, about Rs 23.2 lakh crore has been sanctioned in 40.82 crore loan accounts.
About 68 per cent accounts under the scheme are for women entrepreneurs and 51 per cent accounts are for SC, ST and OBC categories of entrepreneurs.
This shows that easy availability of credit to budding entrepreneurs of the country has encouraged innovation and sustained growth in per capita income.
He said that Mudra Yojana has helped in generating massive employment opportunities at the grassroots level and proved to be a game changer along with boosting the Indian economy.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana
It was launched on 8 April 2015.
Under the scheme, the people of the country are given loans up to a maximum of 10 lakhs to start their own small business.
Any person who wants to further his business can take a loan under this scheme.
Mudra card is issued to the people for taking loans under this scheme.
Loans are provided through banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), micro financial institutions (MFIs) and other financial intermediaries.
More than 64 per cent of the loan accounts opened under the scheme are of women.
Three types of loans under Mudra Yojana
Shishu- Loan up to Rs.50,000.
Kishor - Loan above Rs.50,000 and less than Rs.5 lakh.
Tarun – Rs. 5 lakhs and above Rs. Loan up to 10 lakhs.
7. Govt sanctions loans of more than 40,600 crore to over 1.8 lakh women entrepreneurs
Tags: National Government Schemes National News
The Government has sanctioned loans of more than 40,600 crore rupees to over 1.8 lakh women entrepreneurs under the Stand Up India Scheme.
An overview of the news
Speaking on the 7th anniversary of the Stand-up India scheme, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that over 1.8 lakh women and SC/ST entrepreneurs received loans under the scheme.
The scheme has created an eco-system which provides a supportive environment for setting up green field enterprises by availing loans from bank branches of all scheduled commercial banks.
About Stand Up India Scheme
It was launched on April 5, 2016, to promote entrepreneurship among women, Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories.
It has been launched to help them start a greenfield venture in manufacturing, services or business sector and agriculture allied activities.
The objective is to encourage all bank branches to extend loans to SC, ST and women for setting up their own greenfield enterprises.
- The Stand-up India scheme is based on the third pillar of the National Mission for Financial Inclusion namely "Funding the Unfunded".
More than 80 per cent of the loans given under the scheme have been given to women.
Eligibility for the scheme
SC/ST women entrepreneurs above 18 years of age.
Loans under the scheme are available only for greenfield projects.
Borrower should not be in default to any bank or financial institution.
8. Launch of 'Captive Employment' initiative under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana
Tags: Government Schemes National News
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Union Minister for Rural Development Giriraj Singh initiates ‘Captive Employment’ initiative under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) on 28 March.
An overview of the news
19 captive employers have been included in the unique initiative.
19 captive employers signed MoU with the Ministry of Rural Development to train and place over 31,000 rural youth in subsidiary companies under the DDU-GKY scheme.
Captive employers will train rural poor youth and provide employment to the trained youth in their company or subsidiary.
10 candidates being trained under the DDU-GKY program and undergoing on-the-job training were handed over the appointment letters during the event.
Two candidates were awarded with appreciation letters for their performance during their current tenure of employment.
About Captive Employment
It aims to create a dynamic and demand-driven skilling ecosystem that caters to the needs of industry partners ensuring sustainable placements for rural poor youth.
The initiative is an initiative for the DDU-GKY scheme, which assures placement after training the candidates for at least six months with a minimum CTC of Rs 10,000.
Captive Employer
A captive employer is any employer or industry which offers employment to candidates in its own company or its subsidiaries and provides suitable in-house training facilities.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana
DDU-GKY is a placement linked skilling program of the Ministry of Rural Development under the aegis of National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
It was launched on 25 September 2014.
It is funded by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRG), Government of India.
The scheme is currently being implemented in 27 States and 4 Union Territories with emphasis on placement for rural poor youth.
Under this, demand based skill training is provided to rural poor youth in the age group of 15 to 35 years.
The upper age limit for female candidates is 45 years.
It is mandatory that one-third of the total candidates to be trained under this scheme should be women.
The emphasis is on career progression rather than just training.
9. Government identified 1275 railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
Tags: Government Schemes National News
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The government has identified 1275 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for the development of railway stations in India.
An overview of the news
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav gave this information in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on March 29.
The scheme envisages development of stations on a sustained basis with a long term approach.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was introduced by the Ministry of Railways in December 2022
The objective of the scheme is to prepare a master plan for railway stations and implement the master plan in a phased manner to enhance facilities.
Facilities Planned under this Scheme
Provision for creation of Roof Plaza in future
Free Wi-Fi, 5G Mobile Tower
Widening of roads, removal of unwanted structures, properly designed signage, dedicated walkways, well planned parking areas, access to better lighting etc.
High level platforms at all stations with a length of 600 meters
Special facilities for the disabled.
10. New India Literacy Program
Tags: Government Schemes National News
The government has recently launched a new centrally sponsored scheme named 'New India Literacy Programme' with a financial outlay of over Rs 1000 crore for implementation during the financial years 2022-23 to 2026-27.
An overview of the news
The scheme aims to cover five crore illiterates in the age group of 15 years and above.
Beneficiaries under this scheme are identified through door to door survey on mobile app by the surveyors in the States and Union Territories.
Illiterate can also avail the benefits of the scheme through direct registration from any place through mobile app.
About New India Literacy Program
The program has been launched for the period FY 2022-2027 to align with the National Education Policy 2020 and cover all aspects of adult education.
The scheme has been approved with a financial outlay of Rs 1037.90 crore, which includes central share of Rs 700.00 crore and state share of Rs 337.90 crore.
The center and state share for all states is in the ratio of 60:40 while for North Eastern Region (NER) and Himalayan states the share between center and state is in the ratio of 90:10.
The scheme will cover non-literates in the age group of 15 years and above in all the States/UTs of the country.
It aims to cover 1 crore learners per year (total target of 5 crore) using "Online Teaching, Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS)" in collaboration with National Informatics Centre, NCERT and NIOS.
Five components of the scheme
Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
Critical Life Skills
Vocational Skills Development
Basic Education
Continuing Education
Objectives of the Scheme
To impart basic literacy and numeracy.
Promoting important life skills such as financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care and awareness, child care and education and family welfare.
