Government Schemes and Initiatives and Various Government Bodies Yearly Current Affairs 2024

Electronics Repair Services Outsourcing (ERSO)

• Recently, the Union Ministry of Electronics & IT launched the ERSO Pilot initiative to validate certain transformational policy and process changes to make India the Repair Capital of the World.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Electronics & IT
• It aims to promote India as a hub for repairing electronic goods and to assess the feasibility and potential of capturing 20% of the global repair service market within five years.
• The pilot is being held in Bengaluru and will be run for three months.
• The repaired goods will not be permitted to be sold in the domestic market. 
• New provisions will be made to allow their exportation to regions other than their country of origin.
• Outsourcing refers to the practice of contracting or delegating certain business functions or tasks to external third-party organizations or individuals. It involves transferring the responsibility for specific activities to an external provider rather than handling them in-house.

CITIIS 2.0 Program

• CITIIS 2.0 means City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 programme.
• Agencies incloved: It is a program conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). 
• Period: The program will run for four years, i.e., from 2023 to 2027.
• Objective: The program envisages supporting competitively selected projects promoting a circular economy with a focus on integrated waste management at the city level, climate-oriented reform actions at the State level, and institutional strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the National level.
• Funding: The funding for this program would include a loan from AFD and KfW and a technical assistance grant of Rs.106 cr from the EU.
• Components: 
  • It has three major components:
  • Component 1:   
    • Financial and technical support for developing projects focused on building climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation in up to 18 smart cities through a selection of competitively selected projects promoting a circular economy with a focus on integrated waste management.
  • Component 2:   
    • All States and UTs will be eligible for support on-demand basis.
    • The States will be provided support to
      • set up/strengthen their existing State climate centres/ Climate cells/ equivalents
      • create State and city-level Climate Data Observatories
      • facilitate climate-data-driven planning, develop climate action plans and 
      • build capacities of municipal functionaries.
    • To achieve these objectives, the PMU at NIUA will coordinate the provision of technical assistance and strategic support to State Governments.
  • Component 3:   
    • Interventions at all three levels; Centre, State and City to further climate governance in urban India through institutional strengthening, knowledge dissemination, partnerships, building capacity, research and development to support scale-up across all States and Cities.

Mission Vatsalya

• Mission Vatsalya Scheme is a roadmap to achieve development and child protection priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• It lays emphasis on child rights, advocacy and awareness along with strengthening of the juvenile justice care and protection system with the motto to 'leave no child behind'.
• The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 provisions and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 form the basic framework for implementation of the Mission.
• Components:
  • Improve functioning of statutory bodies;
  • Strengthen service delivery structures;
  • Upscale institutional care/services;
  • Encourage non-institutional community-based care; 
  • emergency outreach services;
  • Training and capacity building.
• The Scheme is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme since 2021-22.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Women and Child Development. 

National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD):

• It is an autonomous organisation with its Headquarters in New Delhi.
• It functions under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• The objectives of the Institute are:
  • To develop and promote voluntary action in social development.
  • To take a comprehensive view of child development and develop and promote programmes in pursuance of the National Policy for Children.
  • To develop measures for coordination of governmental and voluntary action in social development.
  • To evolve a framework and perspective for organising children's programmes through governmental and voluntary efforts.

Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan Scheme

• Union Minister for Jal Shakti has launched the Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan.
• This portal will serve as a centralized repository for assessing investment and participation in the Biogas/CBG (Compressed Biogas) sector at a pan India level.
• Its main objective is to streamline the process of setting up CBG/Biogas plants in the country.
• The Unified Registration Portal allows any government, cooperative or private entity operating or intending to set up a Biogas/CBG/Bio-CNG plant in India to obtain a registration number by enrolling in the portal.
• This registration number will enable them to avail a multitude of benefits and support from the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India.
• GOBARdhan Scheme:
  • The government launched the Gobardhan scheme in 2018 as a national priority project under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen-Phase II program.
  • Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan, is a crucial umbrella initiative of the Government of India.
  • Nodal Ministry: The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
  • Its objective is to generate wealth and energy by converting cattle dung, agricultural residue, and other organic waste into Biogas, CBG and bio-fertilizers.
  • It adopts a whole-of-government approach and aims to convert waste into wealth, thereby promoting a circular economy.

National Startup Awards 2023

• They are given by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• They were launched in 2020.
• The National Startup Awards 2023 awards will focus on celebrating innovation from across the country, in line with Vision India @2047.
• DPIIT has invited applications across 20 different categories including aerospace, retail and emerging technologies etc.
• Its objective is to reward and recognise outstanding startups and enablers in the ecosystem building innovative products and demonstrating measurable social impact.
• The Award includes the cash prize of Rs 10 lakh to one winning startup in each category.
• The Winners and finalists will also be given exclusive government support, including investor and government connect, mentorship, international market access, and corporate and unicorn connect.
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry:
  • It is a central government department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in India.
  • It is responsible for formulation and implementation of promotional and developmental measures for growth of the industrial sector, keeping in view the national priorities and socio-economic objectives.
  • While individual administrative ministries look after the production, distribution, development and planning aspects of specific industries allocated to them, DPIIT is responsible for the overall industrial policy.
  • It is also responsible for facilitating and increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to the country.
  • The department in its current form came into being on 27 January 2019, when the erstwhile Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion was renamed to Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) after internal trade was added to its mandate.

EIACP Programme

• Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme (EIACP)
• It is one of the Central Sector sub-scheme being implemented in alignment with Mission LiFE.
• The Environmental Information System (ENVIS) is renamed as EIACP (Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme).
• ENVIS came into existence as a planned programme in 1983.
• It has been subsumed within the revamped scheme of Environment Education, Awareness, Research and Skill Development.
• ENVIS EIACP serves as a one-stop platform for the dissemination of environmental information, informed policy formulation on various facets of the environment and facilitation of alternate livelihoods through green skilling.
• It is under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Wildlife Institute of India: Established in 1982, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an internationally acclaimed Institution, which offers training program, academic courses and advisory in wildlife research and management. The Institute is actively engaged in research across the breadth of the country on biodiversity related issues.

Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment)

• It was first proposed by the Prime Minister of India at COP 26.
• It is envisioned as an India-led global mass movement that will nudge individual and collective action to protect and preserve the environment.
• The global movement will showcase sustainable goals and climate actions taken by countries and individuals around the world.
• It makes the fight against climate change democratic, in which everyone can contribute with their respective capacities.
• It emboldens the spirit of the P3 model, i.e. Pro Planet People.
• It functions on the basic principles of ‘Lifestyle of the planet, for the planet and by the planet’.

Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY)

• Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) or Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (VDVY) is a scheme launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, (in 2018) with the aim of improving the livelihood of tribal communities in India.
• The scheme focuses on developing value chains for forest-based products and enhancing the income of tribal communities by providing them with skill training and capacity building.
• Under the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana, tribal communities are encouraged to form clusters and take up the processing of forest produce to increase their value. These clusters are provided with necessary infrastructure, such as tools and equipment, and training in value addition and entrepreneurship. The scheme also provides market linkages to the tribal communities for their products through various channels, including online platforms.
• The scheme has a three-tiered implementation process that involves the formation of
  • Van Dhan Vikas Kendras at the village level,
  • Van Dhan Vikas Sanrakshan Samitis at the cluster level, and
  • Van Dhan Vikas Samuh at the district level.
• The scheme has a target of establishing 50,000 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras across the country, which will benefit around 10 lakh tribal entrepreneurs.
• The Van Dhan Vikas Yojana has the potential to transform the lives of tribal communities in India by providing them with alternative livelihood opportunities and improving their socio-economic status.
• The scheme not only promotes entrepreneurship but also helps in the conservation of forests and the protection of biodiversity.
• The TRIFED spearheads implementation of the Van Dhan programme in 27 States and 307 Districts.
• Tribal Co-Operative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED, )Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India:
  • TRIFED was established in August 1987 under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984 by the Government of India as a National level Cooperative body under the administrative control of the then Ministry of Welfare of India, with the basic mandate of bringing about socio-economic development of tribals of the country by institutionalizing the trade of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) & Surplus Agricultural Produce (SAP) collected/ cultivated by them.
  • TRIFED's MSP for MFP & VanDhan program is in line with the “The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers ( Forest Rights Act, 2006 )”, a key forest legislation passed for securing protection & livelihood of poor tribals and concerns with the rights of forest-dwelling communities to land and other natural resources.

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023

• The National Institutional Ranking Framework is a methodology adopted by the Ministry of Education, to rank institutions of higher education in India.
• NIRF was approved by the Ministry of Education (Erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource Development) and launched on 29th September 2015.
• Currently, the NIRF releases rankings across various categories: ‘Overall’, ‘Research Institutions’, ‘Universities’, and ‘Colleges’, and specific disciplines like engineering, management, pharmacy, law, etc.
• The ranking framework judges these educational institutions under five broad generic groups of parameters of:
  • Teaching, Learning and Resources (TLR) (30% weightage),
  • Research and Professional Practice (RP) (30% weightage),
  • Graduation Outcomes (GO) (20% weightage),
  • Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) (10% weightage) and
  • Perception (PR) (10% weightage).
• Key Highlights of NIRF 2023:
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras retains its 1st position in Overall Category and Engineering.
  • Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru tops the Universities Category and stood first in Research Institutions Category
  • IIM Ahmedabad tops in Management subject retaining its first position.
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi occupies the top slot in Medical.
  • National Law School of India University, Bengaluru retains its first position 
  • Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi takes the top slot in Agriculture and Allied Sectors.
  • Three distinct additions to the 2023 edition of India Rankings are as follows:
    • Introduction of a new subject namely Agriculture & Allied Sectors.
    • Integration of the “Innovation” ranking previously executed by the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) into the India Rankings to reduce the burden on institutions of providing similar data to two different agencies.
    • Expansion of scope of “Architecture” to “Architecture and Planning” to include institutions imparting courses in Urban and Town Planning.
  • With the addition of these the existing portfolio of India Rankings has increased to 13 categories and subject domains that have been ranked in India Rankings 2023.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra

• These are set up under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, which was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in November 2008.
• Its objective is to provide quality medicines at affordable prices for all, particularly the poor, to reduce out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare.
• These Jan Aushadhi Kendras provide generic drugs, which are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy to expensive branded drugs.
• Jan Aushadhi stores also sell allied medical products commonly sold in chemist shops to improve the viability of running the Jan Aushadhi store.
• Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) has been established under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. of India, with the support of all the CPSUs for co-coordinating procurement, supply, and marketing of generic drugs through the PMBKs.
• The incentive amount of Rs.5 lakh will be provided to set up Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra.
• Recently, the Government of India has decided to allow 2000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to open Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country.
• Eligibility to open Jan Aushadhi Kendra:
  • State Governments or any organization / reputed NGOs / Trusts / Private hospitals / charitable institutions / Doctors / Unemployed pharmacists/ individual entrepreneurs are eligible to apply for the new Jan Aushadhi Kendra.
  • The applicants shall have to employ one B Pharma / D Pharma degree holder as Pharmacist in their proposed store.

Nyaya Vikas Portal

• The Nyaya Vikas Portal has been created for monitoring the implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, Nyay Vikas.
• This portal helps in empowering stakeholders with seamless access to information about funding, documentation, project monitoring and approval.
• The Department of Justice has been implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Districts and Subordinate Judiciary since 1993-94.
• Under the Scheme,  central assistance is provided to the State Government / UT Administrations for construction of court halls and residential units for Judicial Officers / Judges of District and Subordinate Courts.
• With further extension of the scheme beyond 31.03.2021, some new features like Lawyers Hall, Toilet complexes and Digital computer rooms have been added to the scheme for the convenience of lawyers and litigants, besides court halls and residential units.
• The funds sharing pattern under the Scheme for Center and State is 60:40 in respect of States other than North Eastern and Himalayan States.
• The funds sharing pattern is 90:10 in respect of North Eastern and Himalayan States; and 100% in respect of Union Territories. This portal has been created for monitoring the implementation of this Scheme.

Price Support Scheme (PSS)

• It is being implemented by the Government of India in the state.
• It is one of the components of the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (AASA) scheme.
• Implemented by: The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation implements this scheme for procurement of oil seeds, pulses and cotton, through NAFED which is the Central nodal agency, at the MSP declared by the government.
• Main crops covered: Bajra, Jowar, Maize, Paddy, Cotton, Tur, Moong, Urad, Groundnut, Sesamum Wheat, Gram, Mustard, Sugarcane etc.
• Farmers get the benefit of the scheme through the sale of their produce at support price in APMC centres opened by the Nodal procurement agency.
• When prices of commodities fall below the MSP, State and central notified procurement nodal agencies purchase commodities directly from the farmers at MSP, Under specified FAQ (fair Average Quality).
• In this way, prices of the main commodities are procured and protect the farmers against economic loss in farming.
• PSS, PDPS and Pilot PPSS will be implemented by Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare.

Food Safety Index

• The Index is an annual assessment released by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• It was started in 2018-19 and serves as a tool to propel States and Union Territories to enhance their performance and establish robust food safety ecosystems within their jurisdictions
• This index is based on the performance of the State/ UT on five significant parameters, namely, Human Resources and Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing – Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training & Capacity Building and Consumer Empowerment.
• The Index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model that provides an objective framework for evaluating food safety across all States/UTs.
• Highlights of the 2022 -23 Report:
  • Among the large state category:  Kerala is the top-ranking state followed by Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
  • Among the small states category: Goa is the top-ranking state followed by Manipur, and Sikkim in the Small States category.
  • Among the Union Territories category: Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, and Delhi
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): It is the apex regulatory body responsible for ensuring food safety and regulating the food industry in India. It was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which consolidates various food-related laws and regulations in the country.

Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR)

• It is jointly launched by Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy have  a National Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research in 2023.
• It aims to quickly identify emerging technologies in the power sector and develop them indigenously, at scale, for deployment within and outside India. 
• The Mission will be funded by pooling financial resources of the Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Central Public Sector Enterprises under the two Ministries. Additional funding will be mobilized from the Government of India's budgetary resources.
• The mission is Planned for an initial period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
• The Mission will have a two-tier structure:
  • A Technical Scoping Committee:  It will be chaired by the Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority. It will identify ongoing and emerging research areas globally and recommend potential technologies for development under the Mission.
  • Apex Committee: It will be chaired by the Union Minister for Power & New and Renewable Energy. It will deliberate on the technology and products to be developed and approve the research proposal.
• Areas Identified for research includes alternatives to Lithium-Ion storage batteries, Modifying electric cookers/pans to suit Indian cooking methods, Green hydrogen for mobility (High-Efficiency Fuel Cell), Carbon capture etc.

Antardrishti Dashboard

• It is launched by the Reserve Bank of India. 
• It is a financial inclusion dashboard.
• It provides the necessary knowledge to evaluate and track the development of financial inclusion by recording relevant data.
• It will also make it possible to assess the degree of financial exclusion at a local level across the nation so that such places may be addressed.

Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) Platform

• It is an electronic platform for facilitating the financing/discounting of trade receivables of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through multiple financiers. 
• These receivables can be due from corporates and other buyers, including Government Departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
• Its objective is to allow MSME sellers to discount invoices raised against major corporations, which helps them manage their working capital demands. The platform enables MSMEs to receive payments more quickly.

Working of the TReDS: Creation of a Factoring Unit (FU) – standard nomenclature used in TReDS for invoice(s) or bill(s) of exchange – containing details of invoices/bills of exchange. Acceptance of the FU by the counterparty – buyer or the seller, as the case may be; Bidding by financiers; Selection of best bid by the seller or the buyer, as the case may be; Payment made by the financier (of the selected bid) to the MSME seller at the agreed rate of financing/discounting; Payment by the buyer to the financier on the due date.

• RBI has not made it compulsory for any buyer, seller, or financier to participate in TReDS. 
• The Government has made it compulsory for certain segments of companies to mandatorily register as buyers on the TReDS platform(s). The government directive, however, does not make it compulsory for these entities to perform transactions in TReDS.
• Participants:
  • Sellers, buyers, and financiers are the participants on a TReDS platform.
  • Only MSMEs can participate as sellers in TReDS.
  • Corporates, Government Departments, PSUs, and any other entity can participate as buyers in TReDS.
  • Banks, NBFC – Factors, and other financial institutions, as permitted by the RBI, can participate as financiers in TReDS.

National Pension System (NPS)

• It is a government-sponsored pension scheme launched in January 2004 for government employees.
• It was opened to all sections in 2009.
• NPS is mandatorily applicable to Central Government employees (except Armed Forces) recruited on or after 01.01.2004.
• Under NPS, a subscriber can contribute regularly to a pension account during her working life, withdraw a part of the corpus in a lumpsum and use the remaining corpus to buy an annuity to secure a regular income after retirement.
• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA):
  • It is a statutory regulatory body set up under PFRDA Act enacted in 2014.
  • Its objective is to 
  • promote old age income security by establishing, developing, and regulating pension funds and to protect the interests of subscribers to schemes of pension funds and related matters.
  • It  comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.
  • It consists of a Chairperson and not more than six members, of whom at least three shall be Whole-Time Members, to be appointed by the Central Government.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi

Exploration of Coal and Lignite Scheme

• The union government of India approved the continuation of the central sector plan 'Exploration of Coal and Lignite scheme' with an estimated expenditure of ₹2,980 crore.
• The period for the extension is from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Under this scheme, exploration for coal and lignite is conducted in two broad stages: (i) Promotional (Regional) Exploration and (ii) Detailed Exploration in non-Coal India Limited blocks.
• This scheme is required to prove and estimate coal resources available in the country, which helps in preparing detailed project reports to start coal mining. 
• The geological reports prepared through these explorations are used for auctioning new coal blocks, and the cost is thereafter recovered from successful allocatee.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)

• It was launched in 2015 by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to improve farm productivity and ensure better utilization of the resources in the country.
• Its objective includes:
  • Convergence of investment in irrigation at the field level
  • Expand cultivable area under irrigation
  • Improve On-farm water use efficiency to reduce the wastage of water
  • Enhance the adoption of being precise in irrigation and other water-saving technologies (more crop per drop)
• It consists of two major and two additional components:
  • Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)
  • Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP): It consists of four sub-components, being Command Area Development & Water Management (CAD&WM), Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI), Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies, and Ground Water (GW) Development component.
  • Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • The Watershed Development component (WDC) is being implemented by the Department of Land Resources
• The nodal agency for PMKSY projects would be the state agriculture department, and a periodic review of all sanctioned projects will be done by the National Steering Committee (NSC).

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)

• It was established to fix and revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs, and formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995.
• It is an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
• It is an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.
• Its functions includes:
  • To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order in accordance with the powers delegated to it.
  • To deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the Authority.
  • To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps
  • To collect/ maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and formulations
  • To undertake and/ or sponsor relevant studies in respect of pricing of drugs/ pharmaceuticals
  • To recruit/ appoint the officers and other staff members of the Authority, as per rules and procedures laid down by the GovernmentTo render advice to the Central Government on changes/ revisions in the drug policy
  • To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to the drugs.

Sagar Samriddhi

• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways launched an online dredging monitoring system called “Sagar Samriddhi”.
• It is an online dredging monitoring system.
• The new system aims to tighten the monitoring regime for dredging contracts and also focus on monetising dredged material.
• It is part of the government’s efforts to expedite the ‘Waste to Wealth’ initiative.
• This system has been developed by National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) the technological arm of MoPSW. 
• The new technology brings marked improvement against the old system of the Draft and Loading Monitor (DLM) system.
• All future monitoring at the major ports in the country will be done through the Sagar Samriddhi monitoring system that will help in project implementation and cut cost.
• The system will aid daily and monthly progress visualisation, monitor dredger performance and downtime monitoring, and keep track of location data.
• The system will bring in synergy among multiple input reports like daily dredging reports, and the pre and post-dredging survey data before processing and producing real-time dredging reports.

Jal Jeevan Mission

• Launched in 2019, it envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024.
• It is based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education and communication as a key component of the mission.
• The nodal agency for the mission is Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Jal Shakti Mantralaya.
• Paani Samitis plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain village water supply systems. These consist of 10-15 members, with at least 50% women members and other members from Self-Help Groups, Accredited Social and Health Workers, Anganwadi teachers, etc.
• This Mission focus on integrated demand and supply side management of water at the local level, including creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse in agriculture.
• The Mission will converge with other Central and State Government Schemes to achieve its objectives of sustainable water supply management across the country.
• Funding Pattern:
  • 50:50 between Centre and States
  • 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States.
  • In case of UTs, 100% funding is provided by the Central government.

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)

• These are village-level cooperative credit societies that serve as the last link in a three-tier cooperative credit structure.
• These are headed by the State Cooperative Banks (SCB) at the state level.
• Credit from the SCBs is transferred to the district central cooperative banks, or DCCBs, that operate at the district level.
• These DCCBs work with PACS, which deals directly with farmers.
• Individual farmers are members of the PACS, and office-bearers are elected from within them. A village can have multiple PACS.
• Functions:
• The main function of the PACS is to provide short and medium-term purpose loans to its members.
• Supplying of agricultural inputs including seeds, fertilizers, insecticides, etc.
• Maintaining the supply of the light machinery for the agricultural purpose.
• Providing marketing facilities that could enhance the sale of their agricultural products.
• Promote savings habits among its members.

National Training Conclave

• The the first National Training Conclave  were opened at the International Exhibition and Convention Centre Pragati Maidan, New Delhi by the PM of India.
• It is part of the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) – ‘Mission Karmayogi’.
• Its objective is to foster collaboration among civil services training institutes and strengthen the training infrastructure for civil servants across the country.
• The Conclave is being hosted by the Capacity Building Commission. 
• More than one thousand 500 representatives from various training institutes, including Central Training Institutes, State Administrative Training Institutes, Regional and Zonal Training Institutes, and Research institutes, will participate in the conclave. 
• Civil Servants from the Central government departments, State governments, and local governments, as well as experts from the private sector, will take part in the deliberations.
• The Conclave will have eight-panel discussions, each focusing on key concerns related to Civil services training institutes such as faculty development, training impact assessment, and content digitisation.

Mission Karmayogi

• Mission Karmyogi, or National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), aims to prepare Civil Servants for the future by making them more creative, constructive & innovative through transparency and technology.
• It was launched in 2020  with the objective of enhancing governance through Civil Service Capacity Building.
• This unique programme will help to lay the foundation for civil servants in the country.
• There will be more focus on 'on-site learning' in complementing “off-site learning”.
• Mission Karmayogi will have the following six pillars: 
  • Policy Framework,
  • Institutional Framework,
  • Competency Framework,
  • Digital Learning Framework (Integrated Government Online Training Karmayogi Platform (iGOT-Karmayogi),
  • electronic Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS), and
  • Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
• It will cover all civil servants (including contractual employees) across different ministries, departments, organisations and agencies of the Union Government.
• The willing state governments will also be enabled to align their capacity building plans on similar lines.

Operation Amanat

• Under the Operation Amanat initiative, the Railway Protection Force  has taken a novel initiative to make it easier for the passengers to get back their lost luggage.
• It helps to track lost belongings of passengers.
• The details of lost luggage along with photos are uploaded by RPF personnel of the respective Divisions.
• The details are uploaded in the web portal https://wr.indianrailways.gov.in/ in the tab of divisions under the link “Mission Amanat – RPF”.
• Passengers can check whether their luggage which went missing or was lost in railway premises or trains is available at the Lost Property Office centres at stations. 
• Railway Protection Force (RPF):
  • RPF is a security force of India entrusted with protecting railway passengers, passenger area and railway property of the Indian Railways.
  • It was established by the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957.
  • This is only central armed police force (CAPF, commonly known as Para-Military force) which has power to arrest, investigate and prosecute criminals.
  • It is under the authority of Ministry of Railways (India).

Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme

• It is being implemented in 2010 by the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
• A fixed amount of subsidy decided on annual basis, is provided on each grade of subsidized Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) fertilizers depending on its Nutrient Content.
• In case of phosphate (P) and potassic (K)fertilisers, subsidy is fixed under this scheme by an inter-ministerial committee taking into account the benchmark international prices of finished fertilisers as well as raw materials. 
• The subsidy is given to registered to P&K fertiliser manufacturers/importers which provides these fertilisers at subsidised rates to farmers.
• The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has recommended the Centre to bring urea under the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime to address the problem of imbalanced use of nutrients.

Poshan Tracker App

• It was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD).
• This application provides a 360-degree view of the activities of the Anganwadi Centre (child care centres), service deliveries of Anganwadi Workers and complete beneficiary management for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under six.
• It also digitizes and automates physical registers used by workers to help improve the quality of their work.
• The Anganwadi workers are being provided smartphones procured through Government e-Market (GeM) for efficient service delivery.
• A nodal person has also been appointed for providing technical support and resolving any issue with downloading the new Poshan Tracker application and its functioning in each state.
• The sources that each migrant worker who had registered in their original state could go to the nearest Anganwadi in their current place of residence and avail of the schemes and services offered.
• Poshan Abhiyaan:
  • It was launched by the Prime Minister of India on 8th March 2018 and has been instrumental in ensuring people’s participation and bringing the discourse on nutrition to the forefront.
  • It was launched to improve nutritional outcomes holistically.
  • The focus of Abhiyaan is to emphasize the nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers and children from 0-6 years of age. 
  • The programme, through the use of technology, convergence and community involvement with a targeted approach strives to reduce the level of stunning, undernutrition, Anemia and low birth weight in children.
• The Poshan app allows migrant workers to access nurseries wherever they live.

JATAN Virtual Museum Builder

• It is a digital collection management system for Indian museums.
• It has been designed and developed by the Human Centres Design and Computing Group, Centre for Development of Smart Computing, Pune. (under C-DAC)
• It is a client-server application with features such as image cropping, watermarking, unique numbering, and management of digital objects with multimedia representations.
• It can create 3D virtual galleries and provide public access through web, mobile or touchscreen kiosks.
• C-DAC:
  • It is the apex research and development wing of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
  • It was established in the year 1988.
  • Its main purpose was to carry out research and development in Electronics, IT and other associated areas.
  • It was setup to build Supercomputers in the context of the denial of the import of Supercomputers by the USA.
  • C-DAC build India’s first indigenously built supercomputer Param 8000 in 1991. It is used for  long-range weather forecasting, remote sensing, drug design and molecular modelling apploications.

PM Matru Vandana Yojana

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, launched in 2017.
• Objectives:
  • Providing partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentive, so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first child
  • To improve health-seeking behaviour amongst Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers (PW&LM).
• The scheme is to provide maternity benefits to women belonging to socially and economically disadvantaged sections of society.
• The maternity benefit is to be provided to a woman for the first two living children provided the second child is a girl
• Under this scheme monetary benefit of Rs. 5,000 is given to the expecting mothers from the time of the initial stage of pregnancy to till the time the child is born.
• Additionally, Rs. 1,000 is provided under the Janani Suraksha Yojana post-institutional delivery.
• The Rs. 5,000 is provided in three installments.
• The first installment of Rs. 1,000 is paid at the time of registration of the pregnancy.
• The second installment of Rs. 2,000 is paid at the time of completing 6 months of pregnancy and receiving at least one antenatal checkup.
• The third installment of Rs. 2,000 is received after the birth and registration of birth of such child and after such child receives the first cycle of immunization for BCG, OPV, DPT and Hepatitis-B.
• Cases of miscarriage/stillbirths are to be treated as fresh cases for providing maternity benefits under the scheme.

SANKALP Programme

• The Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) programme was launched in 2018.
• The Nodal Ministry is Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
• It is a World Bank loan-assisted project and is aligned with the overall objectives of the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).
• The project focuses on transforming the overall skilling ecosystem of India, covering both central and state-level agencies for improved outcomes.
• It also encourages innovative best practices at the local level, resulting in enhanced access, quality and capacity in the skilling ecosystem and improved access to and completion of skills training for female trainees and other disadvantaged groups.
• Under SANKALP four key result areas have been identified:
  • Institutional Strengthening (at National, State & District level)
  • Quality Assurance Quality Assurance of skill development programs;
  • Inclusion of marginalised population in skill development; and
  • Expanding Skills through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav

• It was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), in partnership with the Ministry of Education and UNICEF
• Its objective is to enhance the  enrolment and retention of girls between 11-14 years of age in school.
• The initiative intends to build on the existing schemes and programmes like Schemes for Adolescent Girls (SAG), BetiBachaoBetiPadhao (BBBP) and National Education Policy (NEP) to work on a comprehensive system for out-of-school girls.
• Now Ministry of Women and Child Development has decided to club together three programmes under a new scheme — Anganwadi services, poshan Abhiyan and scheme for adolescent girls — since all these had the same nutritional targets.”
• In the new scheme, a new category is created in which adolescent girls between 14 and 18 years are covered. 
• Under this inititives, as of 2023, officials from the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) have brought back 1 lakh girls into the mainstream education system.

Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS)

• Under OMSS, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) sells surplus stocks of wheat and rice at pre-determined prices through e-auction in the open market.
• Its objective is to enhance the supply of food grains, especially wheat, during the lean season and thereby moderate the open market prices, specially in the deficit regions.
• The FCI conducts a weekly auction to conduct this scheme in the open market using the platform of commodity exchange NCDEX (National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited).
• The State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations are also allowed to participate in the e-auction, if they require wheat and rice outside the Targeted Public Distribution Scheme (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).
• The reserve price is fixed by the government. In the tenders floated by the FCI, the bidders can not quote less than the reserve price.
• The present form of OMSS comprises 3 schemes:
  • Sale of wheat to bulk consumers/private traders through e-auction.
  • Sale of wheat to bulk consumers/private traders through e-auction by dedicated movement.
  • Sale of Raw Rice Grade ‘A’ to bulk consumers/private traders through e-auction.
• Food Corporation of India (FCI):
  • It is a statutory body set up in 1965 (under the Food Corporation Act, 1964) against the backdrop of major shortage of grains, especially wheat, in the country.
  • It comes under the ownership of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
  • Objectives of FCI includes:
    • to provide effective price support to farmers;
    • to procure and supply grains to PDS for distributing subsidized staples to economically vulnerable sections of society; 
    • keep a strategic reserve to stabilize markets for basic foodgrains;
  • Its hedaquaters is in New Delhi.

India Infrastructure Project Development Funding (IIPDF) Scheme

• It is a Central Sector Scheme which will aid the development of quality PPP projects by providing necessary funding support to the project sponsoring authorities, both in the Central and State Governments.
• The corpus of the IIPDF shall comprise of initial budgetary outlay of Rs. 100 Crore by the Ministry of Finance.
• Funding under IIPDF Scheme is in addition to the already operational Scheme for Financial Support to PPPs in Infrastructure (VGF Scheme).
• Composition of the IIPDF approval committee:
  • Chairperson:  Joint secretory, DEA
  • Representative of NITI Aayog
  • Member Secretary: Deputy Secretory/Private Investment Unit, DEA
• The approval committee will:
  • Select projects for which project development costs will be funded.
  • Set the terms and conditions under which the funding will be provided and recovered.
  • Set milestones for disbursing and recovering (where appropriate) the funding.
• The Public-Private Partnership Cell of the DEA will provide support functions to examine the applications received for assistance under IIPDF.
• Recently, to promote the Digital India initiative of the Government of India, the Infrastructure Finance Secretariat has launched the IIPDF Portal for submitting applications for consideration under IIPDF Scheme.

VAIBHAV fellowships Programme

• The Government of India has launched a new fellowship programme to connect the Indian Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM)diaspora with Indian academic and R&D institutions.
• It is implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Objective: Improving the research ecosystem of India’s Higher Educational Institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian Institutions and the best institutions in the world.
• The fellowship would be awarded to outstanding scientists/technologists of Indian origin (NRI/OCI/PIO) who are engaged in research activities in their respective countries.
• The VAIBHAV Fellow would identify an Indian Institution for collaboration and may spend up to two months in a year for a maximum of 3 years.
• The government offers the researchers an amount of INR 4,00,000 per month for the entire period.
• This is done through the mobility of faculty/researchers from overseas institutions to India.
• Eligibility: Researchers from institutions featuring in the top 500 QS World University Rankings will be eligible for the fellowship.
• The applicant must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University.
• The 75 selected fellows would be invited to work in 18 identified knowledge verticals including quantum technology, health, pharma, electronics, agriculture, energy, computer sciences, and material sciences amongst others.

National Water Awards

• The first edition of the National Water Awards was introduced by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in 2018.
• The National Water Awards are organized by the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• They have provided a good opportunity for start-ups as well as leading organizations to engage and deliberate with senior policymakers on how to adopt the best water resources management practices in India.
• These awards have been instituted to recognize and encourage exemplary work and efforts made by States, Districts, individuals, organizations, etc across the country in attaining the vision of a ‘Jal Samriddh Bharat’.
• It covers 11 categories Best State’, ‘Best District’, ‘Best Village Panchayat’, ‘Best Urban Local Body’ etc.
• The award winners in different categories will be given a citation, trophy and cash prize.
• The cash prizes for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rank winners are Rs.2 lakhs, Rs.1.5 lakhs, and Rs.1 lakh, respectively.
• 4th National Water Awards were awareded by the Vice President of India on 17th June 2023 in New Delhi.
  • A total of 41 winners, including joint winners, have been chosen for the 4th National Water Awards, 2022, which encompasses 11 categories.
  • These categories include ‘Best State,’ ‘Best District,’ ‘Best Village Panchayat,’ ‘Best Urban Local Body,’ ‘Best School,’ ‘Best Media,’ ‘Best Institution for campus usage,’ ‘Best water user association,’ ‘Best Industry,’ ‘Best Industry for CSR activities,’ and ‘Best NGO.’

National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2023 Report

• It is released by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
• It is a performance measurement tool.
• It aims to present a quantitative measure of the cargo release time at the Customs station.
• It also measures the domestic clearance in case of imports and the arrival of the cargo at the Customs station to the eventual departure of the carrier in case of exports.
• The study included seaports, air cargo complexes (ACCs), inland container depot (ICDs) and integrated check posts (ICPs) which handles the maximum per cent of bills of entry in the country.
• Key highlights:
  • It reaffirms the ‘Path to promptness’ i.e. comprising advance filing of import documents enabling pre-arrival processing, risk-based facilitation of cargo and benefits of trusted client programme.
  • Cargoes wherein all the three features under the Path to Promptness are combined, achieve the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) release time target across all port categories.
  • It has placed a much greater focus on the measurement of export release time.
  • It recognises the distinction between regulatory clearance (also referred to as customs release), which gets completed with the grant of Let Export Order (LEO) and the wider aspect of physical clearance which occurs on completion of logistics processes with the departure of the carrier with the good.

Gandhi Peace Prize

• It is an annual award instituted by the Government of India in 1995,
• It was instituted on the occasion of the 125th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Mahatma Gandhi.
• The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender.
• The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item.
• The prize can be given to institutions, individuals and organisations.
• Recent awardees include Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, Oman (2019) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (2020), Bangladesh.
• The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 is conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur.
• It was established in 1923, Gita Press is one of the world’s largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Shrimad Bhagvad Gita.

National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE)

• t is one of the eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• Its objective is to strengthen the market for energy efficiency by creating a conducive regulatory and policy regimes and envisage fostering innovative and sustainable business models in the energy efficiency sector.
• The Mission is implemented since 2011.
• It consists of four initiatives to enhance energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries, which are as follows:
  • Perform Achieve and Trade Scheme (PAT): Implementing a market-assisted compliance mechanism to accelerate the implementation of cost-effective improvements in energy efficiency in large energy-intensive industries.
  • Market Transformation for Energy Efficiency (MTEE): Accelerating the shift to energy-efficient appliances in specific applications through innovative measures to make the products more affordable.
  • Energy Efficiency Financing Platform (EEFP): Facilitating Financial Institutions to invest in Energy Efficiency Projects and Programmes.
  • Framework for Energy Efficient Economic Development (FEEED): Developing fiscal instruments to leverage financing for Energy Efficiency through risk mitigation.
• Implementation agencies: Bureau of Energy Efficiency and Energy Efficiency Services Limited

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)

• EESL is promoted by the Ministry of Power, Government of India, as a Joint Venture of four reputed public-sector undertakings NTPC Limited, Power Finance Corporation Limited, REC Limited and POWERGRID Corporation of India Limited.
• It is registered under the Companies Act, 1956 on 10th December 2009.
• EESL was formed to create and sustain market access to energy efficient technologies, particularly in public facilities like municipalities, buildings, agriculture, industry etc. and to implement several schemes of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India.
• EESL is also leading the market-related activities of the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE).

National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)

• The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 20th Foundation Day (2023).
• It was established in 2003 as a not-for-profit organization under the Companies Act 2013.
• It is tasked to increase Internet penetration and adoption in India by facilitating the various infrastructure aspects to enable the Internet ecosystem to be managed and used by the masses.
• The four services which come under the NIXI are as follows:
  • Setting IXPs, towards Building Internet Exchange Points
  • .IN Registry towards building the .in domain digital identity
  • Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN) towards Internet Protocol (IPv4 and IPv6) addresses adoption.
  • Data Centre services under NIXI-CSC towards data storage services.
• Some of the initiatives luanched by the NIXI includes:
  • IPv6 Expert Panel (IP Guru): IP Guru is a group to extend support to all the Indian entities that are finding it technically challenging to migrate and adopt IPv6. It’s a joint effort of DOT, MeitY & community to promote IPv6.
  • NIXI Academy: NIXI Academy is created to educate technical/non-technical people in India to learn and relearn technologies like IPv6 which are normally not taught in Educational Institutes.
  • NIXI-IP-INDEX: NIXI has developed an IPv6 index portal for the Internet community. This portal will showcase the IPv6 adoption rate in India and across the world.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and  Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) Collaborative Partnership

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) entered into a collaborative partnership.
• Its objective is to empower women to make well-informed career choices in the field of entrepreneurship.
• It will provide support for women looking to start and expand their enterprises such as the care economy, digital economy, electric mobility, waste management, food packaging and more.
• Focused on fostering entrepreneurship development and accelerating enterprise growth.
• It is a three-year project, extendable beyond 2025 which will cover eight cities in the initial phase.
• UNDP will offer national-level capacity-building support to DAY-NULM.
• This support will focus on knowledge generation and management, such as compiling compendiums of best practices related to urban poverty, to enhance the implementation of national-level schemes.
• UNDP will also contribute to the initiative by developing community business mentors called Biz-Sakhis in selected project locations.
• These mentors, who possess valuable business knowledge, can support new and existing enterprises, and serve as a resource for DAY-NULM at a later stage.
• DAY-NULM:
  • It is a flagship mission under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  • It has the aim to uplift the urban poor by enhancing sustainable livelihood opportunities through skill development.
  • The funding for the scheme is shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25. For North Eastern and Special Categories – the ratio will be 90:10.

PM KISAN App

• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India has rolled out Face Authentication Feature in the PM-Kisan app to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of welfare schemes.
• The face authentication feature utilizes the iris data available with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which maintains Aadhaar-related information.
• From this app farmers can complete e-KYC remotely, sitting at home easily by scanning their face without OTP or fingerprint.
• The app was designed and developed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN):
  • It is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
  • Its objective is to supplement the financial needs of the farmers in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income.
  • Benefits and Eligibility Conditions:
    • Under the scheme an income support of 6,000/- per year in three equal instalments will be provided to all land-holding farmer families.
    • The definition of family for the scheme is husband, wife and minor children.
  • The following categories of beneficiaries shall not be eligible for benefits under the scheme:
    • All Institutional Landholders.
    • Farmer families which belong to one or more of the following categories:
    • Former and present holders of constitutional posts.
    • Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers and former/present Members of LokSabha/ RajyaSabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils, former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
    • All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is Rs.10,000/-or more (Excluding Multi Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of the above category
    • All Persons who paid Income Tax in the last assessment year
    • Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carry out profession by undertaking practices
  • State Government and UT administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
  • The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

• It is a quasi-judicial commission in India which was set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
• Its head office is in New Delhi.
• The Commission is headed by a sitting or a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India or a sitting or retired Chief Justice of the High Court.
• The Act mandates the establishment of Consumer Protection Councils at the Centre as well as in each State and District, to promote consumer awareness.
• The Central Council is headed by the Minister In-charge of the Department of Consumer Affairs in the Central Government and the State Councils by the Minister In-charge of Consumer Affairs in the State Governments.
• It also provides for a 3-tier structure of the National Commission, the State Commissions and the District Commissions for speedy resolution of consumer disputes.

Grievance Redressal Assessment and Index (GRAI) 2022

• It was conceptualised and designed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Govt. of India.
• Objective: To present an organisation-wise comparative picture and provide valuable insights about strengths and areas of improvement regarding the grievance redressal mechanism.
• Eighty-nine Central Ministries and Departments were assessed and ranked based on a comprehensive index in the dimensions of (1) Efficiency, (2) Feedback, (3) Domain and (4) Organisational Commitment and corresponding 12 indicators.
• To compute the index, data between January and December 2022, was used from the Centralised Public Grievance Redressal and Management System (CPGRAMS).
• CPGRAMS:
  • It is an online platform available to the citizens 24×7 to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery.
  • It is a single portal connected to all the Ministries/Departments of the Government of India and States.
  • Every Ministry and State have role-based access to this system.
  • It is also accessible to the citizens through a standalone mobile application.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

• BIS is the National Standards Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016.
• Objective: Harmonious development of the activities of standardisation, and quality assurance of goods and articles.
• It works under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
• BIS represents India in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• Recently, it notified 31 Indian standards related to Ayush, which includes 30 herbs and 1 product (stainless steel neti pot). These standards were recently published through gazette notification.
• ISO:
  • It is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 167 national standard bodies.
  • Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market-relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.
• IEC:
  • The IEC is a global, not-for-profit membership organization, whose work underpins quality infrastructure and international trade in electrical and electronic goods.
  • The IEC brings together more than 170 countries and provides a global, neutral and independent standardization platform to 20 000 experts globally.
  • It administers 4 Conformity assessment systems whose members.

Liberalised Remittances Scheme (LRS) 

• LRS allows Indian residents to freely remit up to USD $250,000 per financial year for current or capital account transactions or a combination of both. Any remittance exceeding this limit requires prior permission from the RBI.
• The scheme was introduced by RBI on February 4, 2004.
• Eligible persons under the LRS Scheme:
  • Only individual Indian residents, including minors, are permitted to remit funds under LRS.
  • Corporates, partnership firms, HUF, trusts, etc., are excluded from its ambit.
• There are no restrictions on the frequency of remittances under LRS. 
• Once a remittance is made for an amount up to USD 2,50,000 during the financial year, a resident individual would not be eligible to make any further remittances under this scheme.
• Types of transactions permitted:
  • Opening of foreign currency account abroad with a bank;
  •  Acquisition of immovable property abroad, overseas direct investment (ODI), and overseas portfolio investment (OPI);
  • Extending loans, including loans in Indian Rupees to non-resident Indians (NRIs) who are relatives as defined in the Companies Act, 2013;
  • Private visits abroad (excluding Nepal and Bhutan);
  •  Maintenance of relatives abroad;
  • Medical treatment abroad;
  • Pursuing studies abroad;
• The Union Budget 2023 introduced a Tax Collection at Source (TCS) for outward foreign remittance under LRS (other than for Education and medical purpose) of 20% on the entire value.
• If any profit is made on foreign investments made under LRS, it is taxable in India based on how long the investment was held.

NANDI Portal

• It is launched by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying for treamlining the regulatory approval process for veterinary drugs and vaccines.
• NANDI stands for NOC Approval for New Drug and Inoculation System.
• It is developed by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) in collaboration with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) through the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing CDAC.
• It will streamline the regulatory approval process for veterinary products.
• It will enhance transparency and efficiency in assessing and examining proposals for veterinary drugs and vaccines.
• It will be more streamlined through seamless integration with the SUGAM portal of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization.
• It will promote the well-being of livestock and the livestock industry.
• It will bring about growth and innovation by enabling quick and easy coordination between various Government Departments, Institutes.
• Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO):
  • It is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India for the medical devices industry under the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules.
  • It works under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
  • Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is the head of the CDSCO.
  • Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is responsible for:
    • Approval of New Drugs;
    • Conduct Clinical Trials;
    • Laying down the standards for Drugs;
    • Control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country;
  • Its Headquarters is located in New Delhi.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

• t is a statutory body that came into existence under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, of 1952.
• The EPFO is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
• The Act and Schemes framed there under are administered by a tri-partite Board known as the Central Board of Trustees, Employees' Provident Fund, consisting of representatives of Government (Both Central and State), Employers, and Employees.
• The Board administers a contributory provident fund, a pension scheme and an insurance scheme for the workforce engaged in the organized sector in India.
• It is one of the world’s largest organizations in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken by it.
• The Board is assisted by the Employees’ PF Organization (EPFO), consisting of offices at 122 locations across the country.
• The Board operates three schemes as follows:
  • Employees' Provident Funds Scheme 1952 (EPF):
    • Accumulation plus interest upon retirement and death.
    • Partial withdrawals allowed for education, marriage, illness and house construction.
    • Housing scheme for EPFO members to achieve the Prime Minister’s vision of Housing for all by 2022
  • Employees' Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS):
    • The monthly benefit for superannuation/benefit, disability, survivor, widow(er) and children.
    • Minimum pension of disablement.
    • Past service benefit to participants of the erstwhile Family Pension Scheme, 1971.
  • Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI):
    • The benefit is provided in case of the death of an employee who was a member of the scheme at the time of death.
    • The benefit amount is 20 times the wages, a maximum benefit of 6 Lakh.

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

• It was announced as part of the Union Budget 2023.
• Its objective is to eliminate sickle cell disease (SCD) as a public health problem in India before 2047.
• The overall aim is to enable access to affordable and quality health care to all SCD patients, and to lower the prevalence through awareness, change of practices and screening interventions.
• The mission will entail awareness creation, universal screening of seven crore people in the 0-40 years age group in affected tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments.
• Initially, the focus shall be on 17 states with higher prevalence of SCD viz., Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Uttarakhand.
• Sickle Cell Anaemia:
  • It is an inherited blood disorder.
  • It affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. 
  • People with this disease have atypical hemoglobin molecules called hemoglobin S, which can distort red blood cells into a sickle, or crescent, shape.
  • These sickle cells also become rigid and sticky, which can slow or block blood flow
  • The cause of Sickle cell disease is a defective gene, called a sickle cell gene.
  • A person will be born with sickle cell disease only if two genes are inherited—one from the mother and one from the father.
  • The only cure for this disease is bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. However, there are treatments that can help relieve symptoms, lessen complications, and prolong life.

CHAMPIONS 2.0 Portal

• On the occasion of International MSME Day, the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, MSME launched ‘CHAMPIONS 2.0 Portal.
• CHAMPIONS stands here for the Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing Output and National Strength. Accordingly, the name of the system is CHAMPIONS.
• Champions portal is a single-window grievance redressal portal for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises.
• It was launched on June 1, 2020, by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises.
• It is created in a Hub & Spoke Model.
• The Hub is situated in New Delhi in the Secretary MSME’s office. The spokes will be in the States in various offices and institutions of the Ministry.
• As per the operational requirements, the MSME Ministry had earlier expanded the scope of the portal by onboarding 25 ministries/departments/ government institutions, 32 state governments, 58 banks.
• 2.0 Features:
  • The revamped portal will now incorporate AI-driven chatbots and will be available in 11 languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, and Kannada.
  • The portal will also have a real-time feedback mechanism for its analysis.
• International MSME Day:
  • International MSME Day is observed on 27th June annually to recognize the significance of MSMEs and their contribution to the economy. MSMEs are recognized as the backbone of the country's economy.

Report Fish Disease App

• It will be launched by the Ministery for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• It has been developed by ICAR-NBFGR under National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD). 
• It will strengthen the farmer-based disease reporting system and for improving the reporting of aquatic animal diseases in the country.
• It will help the farmers in reporting the incidence of diseases in finfish, shrimps, and molluscs on their farms with the field-level officers and fish health experts.
• This shall help farmers in getting scientific advice for the efficient management of the disease.
• The data regarding the diseases will be stored on temporal & spatial scales and can be used for mapping the disease cases.
• It is funded under the Pradhan Mantri MatsyaSampadaYojana by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.
• Pradhan Mantri MatsyaSampada Yojana:
  • It is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the country with an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crores for its implementation during a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories.
  • It aims at enhancing fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonnes by 2024-25.
  • Increasing fisheries export earnings to Rs.1,00,000 crore by 2024-25.
  • Doubling of incomes of fishers and fish farmers, reducing post-harvest losses from 20-25%.

UTPRERAK

• The Unnat Takniki Pradarshan Kendra (UTPRERAK) is the Centre of Excellence to Accelerate Adoption of Energy Efficient Technologies and seeks to play a catalytic role in improving the energy efficiency of the Indian industry.
• It is also named as Advanced Industrial Technology Demonstration Centre (AITDC)
• It has been set up by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power.
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE):
  • It is a statutory body under the Union Ministry of Power.
  • It was set up under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, of 2001.
  • Mission: Develop policy and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act (EC Act), 2001.
  • Its Primary objective is to reduce energy intensity in the Indian economy.

PM-PRANAM Scheme

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth (PM-PRANAM) scheme.
• It aims to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers by incentivising the state.
• Under the scheme, the states, which will adopt alternative fertilisers will be incentivised with the subsidy that is saved by reducing the use of chemical fertilisers.
• The main objective of the scheme is to encourage the balanced use of fertilisers in conjunction with bio fertilisers and organic fertilisers. 
• It will not have a separate budget.
• It will be financed by the savings of existing fertiliser subsidies under schemes.
• Half of the subsidy savings will be passed on to the state that saves the money as a grant.
• Out of this grant, 70% can be used to create assets related to the technological adoption of alternate fertilisers and alternate fertiliser production units at the village block, and district levels.
• The remaining 30% of grant money can be used to reward and encourage farmers, panchayats, and other stakeholders involved in fertiliser reduction and awareness generation.
• The government will evaluate the utilisation of fertilisers in terms of increase or decrease in overall consumption in a year vis-a-vis consumption over the past three years.
• The Integrated Fertilisers Management System (iFMS) is the platform envisaged to track the use of fertilisers.

SIGHT Programme

• The union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued scheme guidelines for implementation of strategic interventions for green hydrogen transition (SIGHT) programme.
• The Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Programme is a sub component under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• It has two components:
  • Component I: It aims at providing electrolyzer manufacturing incentives with a total outlay of INR 4440 crore
  • Component II: It focuses on green hydrogen production with financial outlay of INR 13050 crore. 
• The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) would be the implementing agency responsible for the scheme’s execution. (The SECI is explained in upcoming sections.)
• National Green Hydrogen Mission:
  • It was launched in 2022, with the goal of making India energy independent and decarbonising major sectors of the economy.
  • It was first announced by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech in 2021.
  • The mission has a stated aim of making India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen.
  • The mission is also aimed at:
    • Creation of export opportunities for green hydrogen and its derivatives;
    • Decarbonisation of the energy sector and use in mobility applications in a bid to lower the dependence on fossil fuels;
    • Development of indigenous manufacturing capacities.
  • Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Target Olympic Podium Scheme

• It is a flagship program of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports which is an attempt to provide assistance to India’s top athletes.
• In order to improve India’s performance at Olympics and Paralympics it was started the September 2014. 
• It was revamped in 2018 to include a technical support team to manage the TOPS athletes and offer comprehensive assistance. 
• The Ministry prioritises the selection of TOPS members, with an emphasis on ensuring representation from high-priority sports such as Archery, Badminton, Boxing, Hockey, Shooting, and Wrestling.
• The sports persons are selected mainly in two categories namely; the Core Group and the Development Group.
• Out of Pocket Allowance’ of Rs 50,000 per month is given to the selected Athletes in Core Group and Rs 25,000 per month to athletes in Development Group for meeting contingent and miscellaneous expenses.
• To provide assistance to athletes selected under the Scheme, a dedicated body called the Mission Olympic Cell was established. 
• This body operates under the leadership of the Director General of the Sports Authority of India.

Gender Inclusion Fund (GIF)

• The Minister of State for Education informed the Lok Sabha about the Gender Inclusion Fund (GIF), mentioned in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
• The fund will be utilised to ensure that all kids receive a high-quality education.
• It will also be used to guarantee that amenities such as secure and sanitary vending machines are included on GIF’s infrastructure checklist. 
• The NEP focuses on ‘Equitable and Inclusive Education’ which reverberates the idea that no child should be left behind in terms of educational opportunity because of their background and socio-cultural identities.
• It has taken into account the concerns of the Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) which includes female and transgender individuals.
• NEP prescribes to approach gender as a cross-cutting priority to achieve gender equality in education with the partnership of states and local community organizations.
• The objectives of NEP for equitable and quality education for girl children are being met through specific provisions under Samagra Shiksha 2.0 by allocating dedicated resources for Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs).

Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS)

• IPRS was launched by DPIIT in 2018 with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) is an extension of the India Industrial Land Bank (IILB) platform which features more than 4,500 industrial parks.
• It is a GIS-enabled database to facilitate investors to identify their preferred location for investment.
• Aim: To rate the country’s industrial parks and special economic zones (SEZ).
• It rates industrial parks across four pillars: internal infrastructure and utilities, external infrastructure and facilities, business support services, and environmental and safety management.
• Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZS) are classified into 3 categories: Leaders, Challengers and Aspirants.
• This particular portal is integrated with the industry-based GIS system of the states and Union territories and plot-wise information in these are updated on a real-time basis.
• Based on the findings of the pilot and review of the global approaches, frameworks, and guidelines DPIIT introduced ‘IPRS 2.0’ in Oct, 2021 as a key enabler for identifying additional measures to enhance industrial competitiveness.
• The Globally known frameworks were referred for developing the initial concept of IPRS 2.0 viz. the International Guidelines for Industrial Park (IGIP) developed by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) framework developed by UNIDO, World Bank.

Jal Jeevan Mission (Water Mission)

• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched in 2019 and is planned to have Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) installed in every rural household, supplying each household with 55 litres of water per person per day.
• It comes under the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Jal Shakti Ministry.
• The fund ratio shared between the Centre and the State:
  • for Himalayan (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) and the North-Eastern States is 90:10; 
  • for Union-Territories, it is 100:0; and 
  • for the rest of the states, it is 50:50.
• It is mainly concentrated on areas such as substantial information, education, and communication, focused on a community-based approach.
• This mission will also concentrate on source sustainability measures, such as recharge and reuse through greywater management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting.
• As per the survey reports, Only 5% of the total, about one crore households out of nearly 19.5 crore households where work hasn’t even begun, are targeted under the scheme. 
• There is a system of ‘certification’ wherein the gram panchayats in a village which district and block level authorities report as fully connected call a quorum, and upload a video attesting to the veracity of the claim.
• There are two mechanisms for independent verification:
  • Independent audit agency that conducts a survey by preparing a representative sample and interviewing respondents on whether the installed water connections are actually delivering water to their satisfaction. 
  • National WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) experts who appraise a section of villages on the quality of services provided.
• States like Punjab (99.9%), Himachal Pradesh (97.2%), and Bihar (96%) are nearing to fulfil the Har Ghar Jal motto.

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

• It is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India to combat organized wildlife crime in the country.
• It was constituted by amending  the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Its Headquarters is located in New Delhi.
• Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972it is mandated to:
  • To collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same to State and other enforcement agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals.
  • To establish a centralized wildlife crime data bank.
  • To assist foreign authorities and international organization concerned to facilitate co-ordination and universal action for wildlife crime control.
  • In capacity building of the wildlife crime enforcement agencies for scientific and professional investigation into wildlife crimes and assist State Governments to ensure success in prosecutions related to wildlife crimes;
  • It advises the Government of India on issues relating to wildlife crimes having national and international ramifications, relevant policy and laws.
  • It also assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES and EXIM Policy governing such an item.
• It has developed an online Wildlife Crime Database Management System to get real time data in order to help analyze trends in crime and devise effective measures to prevent and detect wildlife crimes across India.
• This system has been successfully used to analyse trends, helping put in preventive measures as well as for successfully carrying out operations such as Operation SAVE KURMA, THUNDERBIRD, WILDNET, LESKNOW, BIRBIL, THUNDERSTORM, LESKNOW-II.

Bharat 6G Alliance

• The Indian government has launched the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) to spearhead the development of 6G technology in the country.
• It is a collaborative platform which aims to achieve universal and affordable connectivity, promote indigenous technology, and establish India as a global leader in the telecom sector.
• This platform consist of public and private companies, academia, research institutions, and standards development organizations, aims to lead the development and deployment of 6G technology in India.
• It will forge coalitions and synergies with other 6G Global Alliances, fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
• It aims to bring together Indian startups, companies, and the manufacturing ecosystem to establish consortia that drive the design, development and deployment of 6G technologies in India.
• One of the key goals of B6GA is to facilitate market access for Indian telecom technology products and services, enabling the country to emerge as a global leader in 6G technology.
• To support the advancement of 6G technology, the government has allocated a grant of 240.51 crores through the Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme. 
• Telecom Technology Development Fund:
  • It was launched in 2022.
  • Under this 5% of annual collections from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) will be available for TTDF Scheme for funding research & development of technologies, products, and services.
  • The scheme is envisaged to bridge digital divide by developing and manufacturing state-of-the-art technologies and to form synergies among academia, start-ups, research institutes, and the industry to build and develop the telecom ecosystem.

eSARAS App

• It is an initiative conceptualized by the DAY-NRLM, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), towards the marketing of the best, authentic handicrafts and hand-looms.
• It is an e-commerce mobile app which will be used as a more effective platform for marketing of the products made by women of self-help groups.
• This initiative promotes the spirit of Vocal for Local even further with easier marketing of products prepared by SHGs.
• Along with that eSARAS Fulfillment Centre was also inaugurated.
• These centres  will be managed by the Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chains (FDRVC – a Not for Profit Company constituted jointly by Ministry of Rural Development and Tata Trust).
• This centre will be used for processing, packaging and shipping of products that customers purchase through the eSARAS Portal and eSARAS mobile App.
• It will handle the logistics required to bring an online order to a customer's doorstep.
• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM):
  • It is the flagship program of the Ministry of Rural Development.
  • Its aim is promoting poverty reduction through building strong institutions for the poor, particularly women, and enabling these institutions to access a range of financial services and livelihoods.
  • Key Features of the schemes includes:
    • Universal Social Mobilisation: At least one woman member from each identified rural poor household, is to be brought under the Self Help Group (SHG) network in a time bound manner.
    • Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP): All households identified as poor through the PIP process is the NRLM Target Group and is eligible for all the benefits under the programme.
    • Community Funds as Resources in Perpetuity: NRLM provides Revolving Fund (RF) and Community Investment Fund (CIF) as resources in perpetuity to the institutions of the poor, to strengthen their institutional and financial management capacity.

SWAMIH Fund

• The Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment Fund I is a social impact fund specifically formed for completing stressed and stalled residential projects.
• The Fund is sponsored by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• It is managed by SBICAP Ventures Ltd., a State Bank Group company.
• It  has one of the largest domestic real estate private equity teams focused only on funding and monitoring the completion of stressed housing projects.
• It is a Category-II AIF (Alternate Investment Fund)debt fund registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
• Eligibility criteria for funding:
  • Real estate project must be registered under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) 2016.
  • Project must be classified as a non-performing asset (NPA) or be under insolvency proceedings.
  • The project should have been declared as a “stalled” or “delayed” project by a competent authority.
  • The fund is available only for projects that fall under the affordable and mid-income housing categories.

Bhashini Platform

• Digital India BHASHINI, is India's Artificial Intelligence (AI)-led language translation platform.
• It seeks to enable easy access to the internet and digital services in Indian languages, including voice-based access, and help the creation of content in Indian languages.
• It aims to make Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing (NLP) resources available in the public domain to be used by — Indian MSMEs, startups and individual innovators.
• This will help developers to offer all Indians easy access to the internet and digital services in their native languages.
• This online platform also has a separate ‘Bhasadaan’ section which allows individuals to contribute to multiple crowdsourcing initiatives, and it is also accessible via respective Android and iOS apps.
• The project is available on this website: https://www.bhashini.gov.in/en/ and it is aimed to build and develop an ecosystem where various stakeholders like institutions, industry players, research groups, academia and individuals can unite to maintain an ‘ever-evolving repository of data, training and benchmark datasets, open models, tools and technologies.
• The contribution can be done in four ways — Suno India, Likho India, Bolo India and Dekho India — where users have to type what they hear or have to validate texts transcribed by others.

Central Water Commission

• It is a premier Technical Organization of India in the field of Water Resources.
• It is presently functioning as an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.
• It is headed by a Chairman, with the status of Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India.
• The Commission is entrusted with the general responsibilities of initiating, coordinating and furthering in consultation of the State Governments concerned, schemes for control, conservation and utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply and Water Power Development.
• It also undertakes the investigations, construction and execution of any such schemes as required.

Gramodyog Vikas Yojana

• It is one of the two components of Khadi Gramodyog Vikas Yojana which aims to promote and develop the village industries through common facilities, technological modernization, training etc.
• It includes the activities carried out under different village industries. 
• Components:
  • Research & Development and Product Innovation: R&D support would be given to the institutions that intend to carry product development, new innovations, design development, product diversification processes etc.
  • Capacity Building: Under the Human Resource Development and Skill Training components, exclusive capacity building of staff as well as the artisans would be adequately addressed through the existing MDTCs and institutions of excellence.
  • Marketing & Publicity: The V.I. institutions will be provided market support by way of preparation of product catalogue, Industry directory, market research, new marketing techniques, buyer seller meet, arranging exhibitions etc.
• The nodal authority is the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
• KVIC:
  • It is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, of 1956.
  • The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programmes for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.

National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) Portal

• eSDA framework, launched in August 2018 was conceptualized with an overall objective to measure the depth and effectiveness of existing e-Governance service delivery mechanisms.
• The Department has successfully released 2 editions of NeSDA study, viz., NeSDA 2019 and NeSDA 2021.
• This framework is based on the Online Service Index (OSI) of UN eGovernment Survey.
• The framework covers six sectors, viz. Finance, Labour & Employment, Education, Local Government & Utilities, Social Welfare (including Agriculture & Health) and Environment (including Fire) sectors.
• The department undertakes NeSDA study biennially.
• This study assesses States, Union Territories (UTs), and focus Central Ministries on the effectiveness of e-Governance service delivery.
• NeSDA helps the respective governments improve their delivery of citizen centric services and shares best practices across the country for all States, UTs and Central Ministries to emulate.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

• It is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country and was set up in 2016.
• Objective: To create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country at school, university, research institutions, MSME and industry levels.
• All the initiatives of AIM are currently monitored and managed systematically using real-time MIS systems and dynamic dashboards.
• Implementing Agency is the NITI Aayog
• AIM has multiple programs to encourage and support innovation in the country.
• Some of the components of AIM: Atal Tinkering Labs, Atal Incubation Centres, Atal New India Challenge, Mentor of Change Program, Atal Community Innovation Center and Atal Research & Innovation for Small Enterprises (ARISE).
• The Atal Tinkering Labs are state-of-the-art space established in a school with a goal to foster curiosity and innovation in young minds, between grade 6th to 12th across the country through tools and technologies such as Internet of Things, 3D printing, rapid prototyping tools, robotics etc.

Performance Grading Index (PGI)

• The Union Ministry of Education released a report on Performance Grading Index 2.0 for States/UTs for the year 2021-22.
• It was first released for the year 2017-18 and so far it has been released up to the year 2020-21.
• It assesses the performance of school education system at the State/UT level by creating an index for comprehensive analysis. 
• The objective of PGI 2.0: To propel States & UTs towards undertaking multi-pronged interventions that will bring about the much-desired optimal education outcomes covering all dimensions.
• The PGI 2.0 structure comprises of 1000 points across 73 indicators grouped into 2 categories viz., Outcomes, Governance Management (GM).
• These categories are further divided into 6 domains, viz., Learning Outcomes (LO), Access (A), Infrastructure & Facilities (IF), Equity (E), Governance Process (GP) & Teachers Education and Training (TE&T).
• PGI 2.0 for 2021-22 classified the States/UTs into ten grades viz., highest achievable Grade is Daksh, which is for State/UT scoring more than 940 points out of total of 1000 points. 
• The lowest grade is Akanshi-3 which is for score up to 460. 
• Indicators of PGI 2.0 have been aligned to policy initiatives and interventions introduced post implementation of National Education policy (NEP) 2020 for proper tracking the progress. 
• The PGI 2.0 is expected to help States and UTs to pinpoint the gaps and accordingly prioritize areas for intervention to ensure that the school education system is robust at every level.

Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D)

• The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education released the Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D) combined report for 2020-21 & 2021-22.
• It assesses the performance of the school education system at the district level by creating an index for comprehensive analysis.
• Based on the success of State PGI, 83-indicator based PGI for District (PGI-D) has been designed to grade the performance of all districts in school education.
• The data is filled by districts through online portal.
• It is expected to help the state education departments to identify gaps at the district level and improve their performance in a decentralized manner.
• The indicator-wise PGI score shows the areas where a district needs to improve.
• PGI-D report for 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been released so far, the current one is combined report for 2020-21 & 2021-22.
• The PGI-D structure comprises of total weightage of 600 points across 83 indicators, which are grouped under 6 categories viz., Outcomes, Effective Classroom Transaction, Infrastructure Facilities & Student’s Entitlements, School Safety & Child Protection, Digital Learning and Governance Process.
• These categories are further divided into 12 domains.
• PGI-D grades the districts into ten grades viz., Highest achievable Grade is Daksh, which is for Districts scoring more than 90% of the total points in that category or overall.
• The lowest grade in PGI-D is called Akanshi-3 which is for scores upto10% of the total points. Ultimate objective of PGI-D is to help the districts to priorities areas for intervention in school education and thus improve to reach the highest grade.

One District One Product (ODOP) Programme

• The One District One Product (ODOP) program, an initiative under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• It aims to make the country and its people self-reliant by fostering balanced regional development across all districts of the country.
• The program selects, brands, and promotes one unique product from each district, showcasing the diverse range of products across the country which encompasses various sectors, including handlooms and handicrafts.
• The concept of ODOP was first launched by the Uttar Pradesh government in January 2018.
• Implementation:
  • The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements the scheme for the food processing sector.
  • The Ministry of Textile inaugurated the ‘Lota Shop’ at National Crafts Museum, New Delhi under the Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Limited (CCIC) to showcase and sell the products of ODOP scheme.
  • The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) also aligned its Districts as an Export Hub initiative with ODOP to boost exports.

eDAR Project

• The Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) / e-Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) Project is an initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India and is funded by World Bank.
• The project aims to develop an Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD), to enrich the accident databases from every parts of the country.
• The project would generate various types of insights by analyzing the collected road accident data across the country through implementation of data analytics technique.
• Data thus collected will be analysed by a team at IIT-M, which will then suggest if corrective measures in road design need to be taken.

Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS)

• Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) is a government-backed investment option for senior citizens in India who want to secure a regular income after they reach 60 years of age.
• SCSS was launched in 2004 by the Ministry of Finance as a retirement benefit program for senior citizens.
• The scheme aims to provide a safe and reliable source of income for senior citizens who have limited or no pension or other sources of income.
• The scheme is available at post offices and authorized banks across India.
• Eligibility:
  • Indian citizens above the age of 60 years.
  • Retirees in the age bracket of 55-60 years who have opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) or Superannuation.
  • Retired defence personnel above 50 years and below 60 years of age.
• It has a maturity period of five years. But, a depositor can extend one's maturity period for another three years.
• Individuals are allowed to operate more than one account by themselves or open a joint account with their spouse.
• Investors can make a one-time deposit in SCSS, subject to the following limits:
  • Minimum deposit: 1,000 (and in multiples thereof)
  • Maximum deposit: 30 lahks or the amount received on retirement, whichever is lower.
• Investors can withdraw their deposits from SCSS before maturity, subject to certain conditions and penalties. Premature withdrawal is allowed after one year of opening the account, but with a penalty of 1.5% of the deposit amount. After two years of opening the account, the penalty is reduced to 1% of the deposit amount.
• Deposits in SCSS are eligible for tax deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, up to a limit of Rs. 1.5 lakh per year. However, the interest earned from SCSS is taxable as per the investor's income tax slab.

SAMARTH Scheme

• Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector (SAMARTH) is a demand-driven and placement-oriented umbrella skilling programme.
• It aims to incentivize and supplement the efforts of the industry in creating jobs in the organized textile and related sectors, covering the entire value chain of textiles, excluding Spinning and Weaving.
• In addition to the entry-level skilling, a special provision for upskilling/ re-skilling programme has also been operationalized under the scheme towards improving the productivity of the existing workers in the Apparel & Garmenting segments.
• The implementation period of the scheme is up to March 2024.
• The nodal ministry is Ministry of Textiles.

National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021

• It aims to lower the high cost of treatment for rare diseases with increased focus on indigenous research.
• It offers financial support for one-time treatment of up to Rs. 20 lakh, introduces a crowd funding mechanism, creates a registry of rare diseases and provides for early detection.
• The rare diseases have been identified and categorized into 3 groups:
  • Group 1:  Disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment.
  • Group-2: Diseases requiring long term/lifelong treatment having relatively lower cost of treatment and benefit has been documented in literature and annual or more frequent surveillance is required.
  • Group 3: Diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.
• In order to receive financial assistance for treatment of rare disease, the patient of the nearby area may approach the nearest Centre of Excellence to get him assessed and avail the benefits.
• Eight (08) Centres of Excellence (CoEs) have been identified for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of rare diseases.
• The Centres of Excellence would be provided a one-time grant to a maximum of Rs. 5 crore each for infrastructure development for screening, tests, treatment.

SAGAR SAMPARK

• It is an indigenous Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS).
• The Differential Global Navigation Satellite System is a terrestrial based enhancement system which corrects the errors and inaccuracies in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) allowing for more accurate positioning information.
• It is now able to transmit corrections of GPS and GLONASS.
• Sagar Sampark at six locations will assist the Director General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) to provide radio aids to ships for marine navigation.
• The system will provide accurate information to the ships for safe navigation and will reduce the risk of collisions, groundings, and accidents in the port and harbour areas.
• This will lead to the safe and efficient movement of vessels.
• It will significantly improve the accuracy of GPS positioning and reduce errors caused by atmospheric inferences, satellite clock drift, and other factors.
• The error correction accuracy has been improved from 5 to 10 meters to less than 5 meters for 100 Nautical Miles (NM) from Indian coastlines.
• The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways of India.

BHARAT Campaign

• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare launched a new campaign for banks under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund titled BHARAT (Banks Heralding Accelerated Rural & Agriculture Transformation).
• It is a one month-long Campaign with a target of Rs 7200 crore.
• It aims to get active involvement and support of members of commercial Banks in the public and private sector, Regional Rural Banks, Small Finance Banks, NBFCs and select cooperative Banks in promoting the Scheme of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF):
  • It is a Central Sector Scheme which was launched in 2020
  • The scheme shall provide a medium – long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
  • The duration of the Scheme shall be from FY2020 to FY2032 (10 years).
  • All loans under this financing facility will have interest subvention of 3% per annum up to a limit of Rs. 2 crores. This subvention will be available for a maximum period of seven years.

Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS)

• The Ministry of Railways has launched the 'Amrit Bharat Station scheme' for the development of stations on the Indian Railways network. This scheme aims to develop stations continuously with a long-term perspective.
• The policy is based on Master Planning for long term and implementation of the same as per needs and demand of the station to station.
• This is in line with the government’s vision of ‘Naya Bharat’.
• he scheme will subsume all previous redevelopment projects where work is yet to begin.
• The scheme aims at preparation of Master Plans of the Railway stations and implementation of the Master Plan in phases to enhance the facilities including and beyond the Minimum Essential Amenities.
• However, plans and consequent budgets will only be approved on the basis of factors such as footfall and inputs from stakeholders. 
• Zonal railways have been given the responsibility of selecting stations, which will then be approved by a committee of senior railway officials.
• The model envisages low-cost redevelopment of stations which can be executed timely.
• The scheme shall cater for introduction of new amenities as well as upgradation and replacement of existing amenities.

PM-MITRA Scheme

• Recently, the Prime Minister of India has lauded the foundation stone laying of 2 mega textile parks in Maharashtra and Gujarat under the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme.
• The Union Budget for 2021-22 introduced the PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) scheme, which is inspired by the 5F vision: Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
• Under the schem, the PM MITRA Parks are being set up in the different states/UTs of India.
• The PM MITRA Parks will be developed as Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) by the state government and Government of India in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• The purpose of establishing PM MITRA Parks is to boost the Indian textile industry by providing world-class industrial infrastructure, attracting cutting-edge technology, and increasing both foreign and local investments in the sector.
• Funding support:
  • The government has allocated a maximum Development Capital Support (DCS) of Rs. 200 crores for the creation of shared infrastructure in all Brownfield PM MITRA Parks.
  • A maximum Development Capital Support (DCS) of Rs. 500 crores will be made available for the creation of shared infrastructure for all Greenfield PM MITRA Parks.
• Government of India has planned to establish these parks in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. (this indicative list, modify it as per news).

Logistics Data Bank Project

• It was aunched on 2016 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai.
• It was launched to make India’s logistics sector more efficient through the use of Information Technology.
• It is being implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle called Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Logistics Data Services Ltd. (DLDSL) – that is jointly (50:50) owned by the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Trust and Japanese IT services major NEC Corporation.
• Features:
  • Every container is attached to a Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFID) tag and then tracked through RFID readers – aids importers and exporters in tracking their goods in transit.
  • This has, in turn, cut the overall lead time of container movement as well as reduced transaction costs that consignees and shippers incur.
  • The project covers “the entire movement (of containers) through rail or road till the Inland Container Depot and Container Freight Station.
  • The service integrates information available with the agencies across the supply chain to provide detailed, real-time information within a single window.
• The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) Academy

• It is an initiative of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) initiative to create a facilitative model to help small retailers take advantage of digital commerce.
• It was launched by ONDC in collaboration with NSE Academy Ltd, a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange.
• It is not an application, platform, intermediary, or software but a set of specifications designed to foster open, unbundled, and interoperable open networks.
• The academy is a repository of educational and informative textual and video content programmes in multiple Indian languages.
• It will provide a curated learning experience providing guidance and best practices for a successful e-commerce journey.
• Anyone without any knowledge of e-commerce can learn how to make a seller app with a technology service provider to aggregate all sellers from a nearby marketplace to make these products available online.
• It would also enable certification issued by NSE Academy to individuals completing an assessment developed by the institute.
• ONDC:
  • It is a Section 8 company, under the initiative of DPIIT with a mission to democratize digital commerce.
  • It develops and maintains the ONDC Protocol, an open technical standard similar to UPI, HTTP and   SMTP. 
  • It comprises of buyer-side apps where consumers can place orders, seller-side apps that on board merchants and display their listings, and logistics platforms that handle deliveries.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

• It was launched in 2016 and replaced all the prevailing yield insurance schemes in India. 
• This scheme is being administered by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture, along with empanelled general insurance companies.
• Its objective is to support production in agriculture by providing affordable crop insurance to ensure comprehensive risk cover for crops of farmers against all non-preventable natural risks.
• The scheme provides coverage for the entire cropping cycle, from pre-sowing to post-harvest and midseason adversities.
• Eligibility criteria:
  • The scheme is compulsory for loanee farmers availing Crop Loan /KCC account for notified crops.
  • The Scheme would be optional for non-loanee farmers.
• Insurance Coverage:
  • Under this scheme, the insurance cover is limited to specific crops and agricultural risks related to crop yield.
  • The list of notified crops includes food crops (i.e., cereals, millets, and pulses), oilseeds, annual commercial crops, and annual horticultural crops.
• Losses arising out of war and nuclear risks, malicious damage and other preventable risks shall be excluded.
• Premiums:
  • There will be a uniform premium of only 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all Rabi crops.
  • In the case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium to be paid by farmers will be only 5%.
  • 95-98.5% actuarial premium is fulfilled by the state and central governments and shared on a 1:1 ratio.

Tele MANAS

• Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele MANAS) has been launched during October 2022.
• Its objective is to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the clock, particularly catering to people in remote or under-served areas.
• There are 42 active Tele Manas cells across 31 states and Union Territories.
• The service is accessible through the toll-free numbers with options to choose preferred languages (20 languages included till now).
• Tele-MANAS will be organised in two tier system:
  • Tier 1: It comprises of state Tele-MANAS cells which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists.
  • Tier 2: It will comprise of specialists at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio visual consultation.
• National Mental Health Programme (NMHP):
  • The Government of India has launched the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in 1982.
  • Its objective is to ensure the availability and accessibility of minimum mental healthcare for all in the foreseeable future, particularly to the most vulnerable and underprivileged sections of the population.
  • The District Mental Health Program (DMHP) was launched under NMHP in the year 1996. The DMHP was based on ‘Bellary Model’.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)

• It is the world’s largest health insurance/ assurance scheme fully financed by the government.
• The households included are based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas respectively.
• It provides a cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empanelled hospitals in India.
• It provides cashless access to health care services for the beneficiary at the point of service, that is, the hospital.
• There is no restriction on the family size, age or gender.
• Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country i.e. a beneficiary can visit any empanelled public or private hospital in India to avail cashless treatment.
• The scheme is being implemented by the National Health Authority.

Meri Maati Mera Desh Campaign

• Recently, the Union government of India has launched the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ campaign, envisaged as a culminating event of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration of 75 years of Indian Independence.
• Under this campaign soil collected from different parts of the country in August will be used to develop a garden along the Kartavya Path in Delhi.
• Events have been planned at the panchayat, village, block, urban local body, and State and national levels, respectively.
• The five-point agenda includes the installation of a shilaphalakam (memorial plaque), as per specifications, bearing the “names of those who have made the supreme sacrifice”.
• Work for the shilaphalakam may be executed through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), leveraging local materials and resources.
• ‘Vasudha Vandhan’ envisages every gram panchayat or village renewing “Mother Earth by planting 75 saplings of indigenous species and developing an Amrit Vatika”.
• ‘Veeron Ka Vandan’ will felicitate freedom fighters, and the families of deceased freedom fighters.
•  Young volunteers and others will collect soil from every panchayat/village and bring it to the block, from where the ‘Mitti Kalash’ will be transported to Delhi.
•  In urban areas, events will be organised at local bodies, notified area councils, Cantonment Boards, and town panchayats from August 9 and 15, and in bigger municipalities and municipal corporations from August 16 to 20.
• The ‘Mitti Kalash’ are to be brought ceremoniously to the larger municipalities/corporations and transported to Kartavya Path.

INDIAai

• It is the National artificial intelligence Portal of India which was launched on 28th May 2020.
• It is a knowledge portal, research organisation, and an ecosystem-building initiative.
• It stands to unite and promote collaborations with various entities in India’s AI ecosystem.
• It is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and NASSCOM.
• It is the single central knowledge hub on artificial intelligence and allied fields for aspiring entrepreneurs, students, professionals, academics, and everyone else.
• Recently, the INDIAai and Meta India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for collaboration and cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies.
• NeGD: It was created in 2009 as an Independent Business Division under the Digital India Corporation (a not-for-profit company set up by MeitY).
• NASSCOM: It is a not-for-profit industry association and the apex body for the IT and IT-enabled products and services sector in India.

Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme

• It is a Centrally Sponsored scheme announced in 2022.
• Its objectives icludes the development of more than 14500 schools across the country by strengthening selected existing schools being managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies.
• The duration of the scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27, after which it shall be the responsibility of the States/UTs to continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools.
• The nodal authority is the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education, Government of India
• The PM SHRI Schools will be developed as Green Schools, incorporating environment-friendly aspects.
• The pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly in the foundational years), inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centric, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable.
• The focus will be on the learning outcomes of every child in every grade.
• Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real-life situations and will be competency-based.
• Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored.
• A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) is being developed, specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. Quality evaluation of these schools at regular intervals will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards.

National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF)

• It was established on 16th October 1965 to function as the apex body of consumer cooperatives in the country. 
• It is an organization to promote consumer cooperative movement in the country, aspires to facilitate the voluntary formation and democratic functioning of cooperatives, based on self-reliance and mutual aid for overall economic betterment and financial autonomy.
• It is registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002.
• NCCF functions under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
• Its Headquarters is located in New Delhi.

GOBARdhan Scheme

• alvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan is a crucial umbrella initiative of the Government of India.
• The government launched the Gobardhan scheme in 2018 as a national priority project under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen-Phase II program.
• The nodal authority is the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Objectives:
  • To generate wealth and energy by converting cattle dung, agricultural residue, and other organic waste into Biogas, CBG and bio-fertilizers.
  • It adopts a whole-of-government approach and aims to convert waste into wealth, thereby promoting a circular economy.
• Gobardhan portal:
  • It serves as a centralized repository for assessing investment and participation in the Biogas/CBG (Compressed Biogas) sector at a pan-India level.
  • Primary objective: To streamline the process of setting up CBG/Biogas plants in the country.
  • It allows any government, cooperative or private entity operating or intending to set up a Biogas/CBG/Bio-CNG   in India to obtain a registration number by enrolling in the portal.
  • This registration number will enable them to avail a multitude of benefits and support from the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India.
  • Over 1,200 biogas plants have registered on the Gobardhan portal since it was launched, according to an official release.

ULLAS: Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram Initiative

• The Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) initiative is poised to revolutionise education and literacy across the nation.
• It is done by fostering a learning ecosystem that reaches every individual, bridging the gaps in basic literacy and critical life skills.
• It imparts basic education, digital and financial literacy and critical life skills to citizens aged 15 and above who lost on the opportunity to go to school. It is being implemented through volunteerism.
• Slogan of the Initiative: ULLAS: Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram.
• For this purpose ULLAS app was launched which is user-friendly and interactive app available both on android and ios.
• It will serve as a digital gateway for learners to engage in diverse learning resources through the DIKSHA portal of NCERT.
• The ULLAS app can be used for registration of learners and volunteers either through self-registration or by surveyors.

India Stack

• India Stack is a set of APIs (Application programming interface) that allows governments, businesses, startups, and developers to utilize a unique digital Infrastructure to solve India’s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery.
• India Stack is a government-led initiative that focuses on building a robust digital infrastructure to enable various digital services across different sectors.
• The components of this collection are owned and maintained by different agencies.
• India Stack consists of three layers of open APIs: identity, payments, and data.
• Although the name of this project bears the word India, the vision of India Stack is not limited to one country.
• It can be applied to any nation, be it a developed one or an emerging one.
• The four distinct technology layers provided are:
  • Presenceless layer: Where a universal biometric digital identity allows people to participate in any service from anywhere in the country.
  • Paperless layer: Where digital records move with an individual's digital identity, eliminating the need for massive amount of paper collection and storage.
  • Cashless layer: Where a single interface to all the country's bank accounts and wallets to democratise payments.
  • Consent layer: Which allows data to move freely and securely to democratize the market for data?
• Some of the APIs that are a central part of India Stack: Aadhaar Proof, Aadhaar e-KYC, e-Sign, Digital Locker, Unified Payment Interface.
• Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) of Papua New Guinea signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for sharing India Stack.

PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme

• It was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on June 01, 2020.
• Its objective is to provide affordable Working Capital loans to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
• The implementation agency is the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
• It is a micro-credit facility that provides street vendors with a collateral-free loan of Rs 10,000 with low rates of interest (below 12%) for a period of one year, aiding the vendors in getting back on their feet financially.
• The duration of the scheme initially was until March 2022. It has been extended till December 2024, with a focus on enhanced collateral-free affordable loan corpus, increased adoption of digital transactions and holistic socio-economic development of the Street Vendors and their families. 
• Eligibility for the scheme:
  • All vendors who have been vending from or before (March 24, 2020) and with a certificate of vending can avail the loan.
  • As per the Street Vendors Act 2014, the Town Vending Committees (which comprises the local authorities and vendors from an area) issue a certificate of vending after a survey has been conducted of all the vendors.
• Benefits of the scheme:
  • Vendors can avail of a working capital loan of up to Rs. 10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments in the tenure of one year.
  • On timely/ early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy @ 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer on a quarterly basis.
  • here will be no penalty on early repayment of loan.
  • The scheme promotes digital transactions through cash back incentives up to an amount of Rs. 100 per month.
  • The vendors can avail the facility of escalation of the credit limit on timely/ early repayment of loan.

MASI Portal

• Monitoring App for Seamless Inspection (MASI) was developed for synchronous monitoring of the Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and their inspection mechanism across the country.
• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has developed this application.
• The effective and efficient functioning of the mechanism for inspection of CCIs provided under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021).
• The app is linked to the monitoring Portal where the automatic reports are generated.
• This App enables unified inspections by Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), State Inspection Committees, District Inspection Committees, Members of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) and State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs) as laid down under the JJ Act, 2015.
• It serves as a single platform for inspections of all the CCIs across the country by any of the above stated authorities.
• Regular follow-up is done before and after the completion of cycle of inspection.
• The complete reports are automatically generated on the Portal as soon as the questionnaire is filled and submitted by the authority. 
• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR):
  • It is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament, the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
  • It works under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Study in India (SII) Portal

• The Education Ministry recently launched the Study In India (SII) portal with a vision to promote Indian education to foreign students.
• It is a dedicated website to provide information about higher education institutions (HEIs) in India.
• Aim: Establishing India as a global hub for education by welcoming students from diverse backgrounds.
• It will showcase the academic programmes in the HEIs covering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes as well courses in Indian Knowledge System (IKS) such as Yoga, Ayurveda, classical arts and more. 
• The portal will have information about the academic facilities, research support and related information available in the institutes.
• It will be a one-stop spot for student registration, the visa application process, choosing the desired courses and receiving offer letters from the institute.
• It will have the provision for students to apply in more than one institute or course of their choice.
• It will offer a streamlined and well-organised application process for international students seeking higher education opportunities in India.
• Study in India (SII) Programme:
  • It is a flagship project launched by the education ministry in 2018.
  • Its objective is to endorse India as a prime education hub for international students by inviting them to pursue higher education in the country and explore valuable educational opportunities enabled by top Indian universities.

Rajmargyatra Application

• It ia launched by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
• It empowers travelers with comprehensive information on Indian National Highways while also offering an efficient complaint redressal system.
• This is a user-friendly app which is now available for download on both Google Play Store and iOS App Store.
• The app is currently available in Hindi and English.

Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS)

• The DHIS was launched with effect from 1st January, 2023 as part of the ABDM.
• The scheme aims to give a further boost to digital health transactions in the country under the ABDM.
• The incentives under this scheme would be provided to hospitals and diagnostic labs and also to the providers of digital health solutions such as Hospital/ Health Management Information System (HMIS) and Laboratory Management Information System (LMIS).
• Under the DHIS, the eligible health facilities and digital solutions companies shall be able to earn financial incentives of up to Rs. 4 crores based on the number of digital health records they create and link to ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account). 
• Incentives would be provided to the following entities:
  • Health Facilities having 10 or more beds;
  • Laboratory/radiology diagnostics centres;
  • Digital Solution Companies (entities providing ABDM enabled digital solutions.
• The incentives shall be provided on the basis of the number of ABHA-linked transactions i.e. the digital health records created and linked to ABHA.
• National Health Authority (NHA):
  • It is the apex body responsible for implementing AB PM-JAY. 
  • An attached office of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with full functional autonomy.
  • It is headed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an officer of the rank of Secretary to the Government of India, who manages its affairs. 
  • The NHA is governed by a Governing Board chaired by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
  • It has been entrusted with the role of designing strategy, building technological infrastructure and implementation of “National Digital Health Mission '' to create a National Digital Health Eco-system.
  • It is the successor of the National Health Agency, which has been functioning as a registered society since 2018. Pursuant to Cabinet decision for full functional autonomy, National Health Agency was reconstituted as the National Health Authority in January 2019.

BharatNet Project

• The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN), launched in October 2011, was renamed the Bharat Net Project in 2015.
• It is an ambitious project of the Government of India to provide broadband connectivity to all village panchayats in the country.
• It aims to provide affordable broadband connectivity of 2 Mbps to 20 Mbps for all households and on-demand capacity to all institutions to realize the vision of Digital India, in partnership with States and the private sector.
• The objective is to facilitate the delivery of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, Internet and other services to rural India.
• To achieve this, the existing fibres of PSUs (BSNL, Railtel and Power Grid) were utilised and incremental fibre was laid to connect to Gram Panchayats wherever necessary. 
• The entire project is being funded by the Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF), which was set up to improve telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country.
• The project is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), namely Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), which was incorporated on 25.02.2012 under Indian Companies Act 1956. 
• Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF):
  • It is a government fund established by the Government of India to provide financial support for the expansion of telecommunications and broadband services in rural and remote areas of the country.
  • The primary objective of USOF is to bridge the digital divide and ensure that telecom and internet services are accessible to all.
  • It is managed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications.
  • The USOF is funded through a levy on the revenue earned by telecom operators.

NIDHI Program

• National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing innovations (NIDHI) program was launched in 2016.
• It is an umbrella programme conceived and developed by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship division, Department of Science & Technology.
• Its objective is to nurture start-ups through scouting, supporting and scaling innovations.
• Key stakeholders: Various departments and ministries of the central government, state governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial institutions, angel investors, venture capitalists and private sectors.
• It is funded by the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB).
• Components:
  • NIDHI-PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators and Startups) program at Proof-of-Concept level provides mentoring and financial support to innovator for converting their ideas into prototypes.
  • NIDHI Entrepreneurs-In-Residence (EIR) Program provides fellowships to the students opting for entrepreneurship.
  • The NIDHI Seed Support Program provisions availability of early-stage seed support funding to startups and the NIDHI Accelerator program speeds up the investment readiness of the startups.
  • NIDHI Accelerator: An accelerator is typically a 3-6 months fast track structured program helping ideas get accelerated to the next orbit.

National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) in India

• The Ministry of Textiles has launched NTTM to increase the penetration level of technical textiles in India while leveraging the extraordinary growth rate of the sector.
• Its objective is to position India as a global leader in Technical Textiles.
• Components:
• Research, Innovation and Development
• Promotion and Market Development
• Export Promotion
• Education, Training, Skill Development
• The Mission has a target to take the domestic market size of the technical textile sector to $ 40-50 Bn by the year 2024 with an average growth rate of 15-20% per annum.
• The NTTM has been approved with an implementation period of four years starting from FY 2020-21 till FY 2023-24. The total outlay of the mission is INR 1480 Cr.

National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)

• It is a social security and welfare programme to provide support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary breadwinner,belonging to below poverty line households.
• It was launched on 15th August, 1995.
• For getting benefits under NSAP the applicant must belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family according to the criteria prescribed by the Govt. of India.
• NSAP comprises of five schemes:
  • Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): The eligible age for IGNOAPS is 60 years. The pension is Rs.200 p.m. for persons between 60 years and 79 years. For persons who are 80 years and above the pension is Rs.500/ – per month.
  • Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): Widow aged 40 years will get  pension is Rs.300 per month. After attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs.500/ – per month.
  • Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): An individual aged 18 years and above and the disability level has to be 80% wil get Rs.300 per month and after attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs 500/ – per month . 
  • National Family Benefit Scheme NFBS): In the event of death of the bread – winner Rs. 20000/ – will be given as a lumpsum assistance to the bereaved household. The breadwinner should have been between 18-60 years of age. 
  • Annapurna: The scheme aims at providing food security to meet the requirements of those eligible old aged persons who have remained uncovered under the IGNOAPS. Under this programme 10 kgs of food grains (wheat or rice) is given per month per beneficiary.
• The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Rural Development.

National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)

• The NAFIS is a pan-India searchable database of crime and criminal-related fingerprints. 
• It is managed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at the Central fingerprint bureau, based in New Delhi.
• The main objective of the web-based application is to collect fingerprint data of all the criminals from all the states and the Union Territories.
• It will enable law enforcement agencies to upload, trace and retrieve information from the database 24×7 in real-time.

Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
• In the light of the National Education Policy, Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme has been launched as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
• It covers government and government-aided institutions of the States and UTs.
• Objectives/Functions:
  • Developing Quality Teaching & Learning processes: It would provide the facilities to the institution for upgrading the physical and digital infrastructure and also for the conversion of single-stream higher education institutions (HEIs) into multiple streams institutions
  • Accreditation of Non-Accredited Institutions & Improving Accreditation: Accreditation pushes institutions to meet and maintain higher standards in education, in turn, increases trust and confidence in them among the public and boosts accountability
  • ICT-based Digital Infrastructure: To ensure greater access to education, there is the significant importance of technology in bridging the language barrier between teachers and students, creating digital libraries, popularizing language learning as well as introducing the Open distance learning (ODL) programs.
  • Enhancing Employability through Multidisciplinarity : Collaboration between industry and academia is key to catalyzing innovation and growth in career building. PM-USHA will encourage the HEIs to get linked with the Industry and the Market to strengthen skills, innovations, and employability.

PM-eBus Sewa

• The Union Cabinet has approved the “PM-eBus Sewa” scheme, aiming to bolster city bus operations by introducing 10,000 Electric Buses through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• It aims to enhance urban transportation efficiency and promote Environmentally-Friendly Practices.
• Under this scheme, city bus operations will be done on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• This scheme will support bus operations for 10 years.
• States/Cities shall be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators.
• The Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidy to the extent specified in the proposed scheme.
• Funding:
  • It has been allocated a total funding of Rs 57,613 crore.
  • Out of this financial provision, the central government will contribute Rs 20,000 crore, while the remaining portion will be covered by the state governments.
• There are two segments of the scheme:
  • Segment A: Augmenting City Bus Services (169 cities): This segment is dedicated to strengthening urban transportation by 10,000 e-buses under the PPP model.
  • Segment B: Green Urban Mobility Initiatives (181 cities): This segment includes enhancing bus priority, improving infrastructure, establishing multimodal interchange facilities, implementing NCMC (National Common Mobility Card)-based Automated Fare Collection Systems, and building necessary charging infrastructure.
• The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

A-HELP Programme

• It is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and the Ministry of Rural Development.
• ‘A-HELP’ are community-based women activists, who assist veterinarians in local departmental activities help livestock farmers to take loans for entrepreneurship development, fill out applications, mark the ear tagging of animals and register them in the INAF portal and help with insurance etc.
• They assist in implementing various schemes and in providing information to the farmers at the grassroots level.
• They will give vital contributions to preventing various infectious diseases of animals, artificial insemination under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), tagging animals and animal insurance.

PM Vishwakarma Yojana

• This is a central sector scheme launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, which offers services like market linkage support, skill training, and incentives for digital transactions to artisans and craftspeople engaged in specified trades.
• Time period: Five years (FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28). 
• Its objective is to strengthen and nurture the Guru-Shishya parampara, or family-based practice of traditional skills by artisans and craftspeople working with their hands and tools. 
• The scheme also aims at improving the quality as well as the reach of the products and services of artisans and craftspeople and to ensure that the Vishwakarmas are integrated with the domestic and global value chains.
• Eligibility & coverage:
  • It is available for rural and urban artisans and craftsmen across India.
  • It covers 18 traditional crafts such as Boat Maker; Armourer; Blacksmith; Hammer and Tool Kit Maker; etc.
  • Five lakh families will be covered in the first year and 30 lakh families over five years.
• Under this scheme, the artisans and craftspeople will be provided recognition through a PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card.
• They will receive collateral-free credit support of up to ₹1 lakh (first tranche) and ₹2 lakh (second tranche) with a concessional interest rate of 5%.
• The scheme will further provide craftsmen with methods of skill upgradation involving basic and advanced training, a toolkit incentive of ₹15,000 and incentives for digital transactions, and marketing support.
• Under the scheme, there will be two types of skilling programmes, Basic and Advanced and a stipend of Rs 500 per day will also be provided to beneficiaries while undergoing skills training.

SAMUDRA App

• The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) launched a new mobile application called SAMUDRA for seafarers and the fishing community.
• Smart Access to Marine Users for Ocean Data Resources and Advisories (SAMUDRA) application offers comprehensive information on all ocean related services.
• It is a cutting-edge tool helping users to navigate the marine domain with confidence on their safety, and profitable fishing operations.
• It embodies the institute vision and mission in serving the nation with ocean data, information, and advisory services.
• It will catalyse sustainable ocean activities, thus enabling a way forward for the Blue Economy,
• It empowers users with real-time updates and critical alerts on oceanic disasters such as tsunamis, storm surges, high waves, and swell surge alerts, for the individuals and communities to stay informed and take necessary precautions towards the protection of lives and property.
• It will be especially beneficial to the fishing community as it disseminates Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories which will guide them to the probable fish aggregation locations.
• It is currently serving in English, soon eight coastal languages are proposed to be included soon. 
• INCOIS: It was established as an autonomous body in 1999 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

Employees State Insurance (ESI) Scheme

• It is a social security scheme offered by the Government of India as per the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948.
• It is administered by a statutory corporate body called the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)
• The scheme provides protection to employees against disablement/death due to employment injury, sickness, and maternity.
• Applicability:
  • The ESI Scheme applies to factories and other establishment's viz. Road Transport, Hotels, Restaurants, Cinemas, Newspaper, Shops, and Educational/Medical Institutions wherein 10 or more persons are employed.
  • However, in some States threshold limit for coverage of establishments is still 20. 
  • It is the employer's legal responsibility to register their factory/ establishment under the ESI Act within 15 days of its applicability to them.
• Wage Limit:
  • The existing wage limit for coverage under the Act is Rs.21,000/- per month (Rs.25000/- per month in the case of Persons with Disability).
  • It is the employer's responsibility to enroll eligible employees in the ESI program.
• This is a self-financing scheme, where the employees and the employers make regular monthly contributions to the scheme at a certain percentage of their wages.
• As of now, covered employees contribute 0.75% of the wages, whereas the employers contribute 3.25% of the wages, payable to their employees.
• Employees earning less than Rs. 137/- a day as daily wages are exempted from payment of their share of contribution.
• The State Governments, as per provisions of the Act, contribute 1/8th of the expenditure of medical benefits within a per capita ceiling of Rs. 1500/- per Insured Person per annum.
• Employee's insurance number remains the same as long as he or she remains within the ESIC wage limit. Changing jobs will not affect an employee's insurance status, and his or her insurance number will remain the same. 
• Benefits covered under the schemes:
  • Sickness Benefit: During medical leave, the scheme offers cash flow during the said period. The worker can avail 70% of the daily wage for a maximum of 91 days. This can be availed in two consecutive periods.
  • Disablement Benefit: In case of temporary disablement of the worker, they are eligible for a monthly wage of 90% until they recover. In the case of permanent disability, 90% of the monthly wage can be availed for the entire life.
  • Dependants’ Benefit: Paid at the rate of 90% of wage in the form of monthly payment to the dependants of a deceased Insured person in cases where death occurs due to employment injury or occupational hazards.
  • Maternity Benefit: The beneficiary can avail 100% of the daily wages for up to 26 weeks, which can be extended to a further one month based on the medical advice. In the case of miscarriage, the benefit is 6 weeks, while in the case of adoption it is 12 weeks.
  • Medical Benefit: Under the scheme, the insured’s medical expenses are covered through affordable and reasonable healthcare facilities.
  • Besides the above, other benefits being provided to the beneficiaries are Confinement Expenses, Funeral Expenses, Vocational Rehabilitation, Physical Rehabilitation, Unemployment Allowance (RGSKY) and Skill Upgradation Training.

Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI)

• SECI is a Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the administrative control of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• It was set up on 20th September 2011 to facilitate the implementation of the National Solar Mission (NSM) and the achievement of targets set therein.
• It is the only CPSU dedicated to the renewable energy sector.
• Its objective is to build ‘Green India’ through harnessing abundant solar radiation and to achieve energy security for the country.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

• PMJDY is a National Mission for Financial Inclusion launched in August 2014 to ensure access to financial services, namely, Banking/ Savings & Deposit Accounts, Remittance, Credit, Insurance and Pension, in an affordable manner.
• It envisages universal access to banking facilities with at least one basic banking account for every household, financial literacy, access to credit, insurance and pension.
• The plan also envisages channeling all Government benefits (from Centre / State / Local Body) to the beneficiary’s accounts and pushing the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) scheme of the Union Government.
• Eligibility:
  • The applicant should be an Indian National.
  • The applicant should be aged between 18 and 59 years.
  • If minors above ten years apply, they will require support from their legal guardians to administer their PMJDY account.
• Benefits:
  • The account holders under this scheme will be given a RuPay debit card which can be used across all ATMs for cash withdrawal.
  • It provides accidental insurance of ₹1,00,000 to the holders of non-premium cards, while those with premium cards can avail up to ₹2,00,000.
  • The holders of a RuPay Debit Card under the scheme can also receive life cover insurance up to ₹30,000.
  • Beneficiaries can avail of an overdraft facility for up to ₹10,000. However, this is only available against one account per household.
  • This scheme also provides loans of up to ₹5,000 to beneficiaries after completing six months of account transactions.

North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS)

• It has been approved by the Government of India as a new Central Sector Scheme in 2017.
• Under the scheme guidelines of NESIDS, 100% centrally funding is provided to the State Governments of North Eastern Region.
• Its objective is to supplement the efforts of the different Central Ministries & Departments for uncovered development/welfare activities.
• The funding is provided for the projects of physical infrastructure relating to water supply, power and connectivity enhancing tourism and Social infrastructure relating to primary and secondary sectors of education and health.
• Recently, the cabinet gave approval for the continuation of the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) with an approved outlay of Rs.8139.50 crore.
  • For the period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 Cabinet approved two components viz. NESIDS-Road and NESIDS-Other Than Road Infrastructure (OTRI). 
  • The scheme is a central sector scheme with 100% central funding.
  • The decisions of the Government including merger of the erstwhile North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) into NESIDS-Road component etc. necessitated formulation of fresh guidelines to administer and implement the restructured NESIDS during the balance period of the 15th Finance Commission.

Bharat NCAP(New Car Assessment Programme)

• The union Minister of Road Transport and Highways launched the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) in New Delhi.
• The programme aims to provide a tool to the car customers to make a comparative assessment of crash safety of motor vehicles available in the market.
• Under this programme, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their cars tested as per Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197.
• Based on the performance of the car in the tests, car will be awarded star ratings for Adult Occupants (AOP) and Child Occupant (COP).
• To receive a 5-star rating, a vehicle needs at least 27 points in adult occupant protection and requires 41 points in child occupant protection.
• These protocols are in line with Global NCAP norms when it comes to crash testing.
• Three tests including offset deformable barrier frontal impact test, side impact test, and pole side impact test — would determine the crashworthiness of the vehicles.
• It would also mandate the installation of six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), three-point seatbelts for every passenger, improved emergency braking systems, etc
• For Bharat NCAP, the frontal crash test will be conducted at a speed of 64km/h. On the other hand, the side and pole-side impact tests will be done at 50km/h and 29km/h
• These norms will also be applicable for testing and rate CNG and EVs based on their performance.
• Unlike Global NCAP, Bharat NCAP will give a unified rating for the vehicles, combining crash test results for adults and children alike.

Project AMBER

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with Generation India Foundation (GIF) and Amazon Web Services India Private Limited (AWS India) is providing ‘cloud’ skills training to 1,500 under project AMBER.
• Accelerated Mission for Better Employment and Retention (AMBER) project is a joint initiative of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) – under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) – and GIF create the necessary avenues.
• The initiative has been undertaken under the SANKALP programme of MSDE with a focus on women to improve gender diversification in the tech industry and underprivileged groups.
• This project aims to train 30,000 youth, 50% of whom will be women.
• SANKALP Programme:
  • The Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) programme was launched in 2018.
  • The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
  • It is a World Bank loan-assisted project and is aligned with the overall objectives of the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).
  • The project focuses on transforming the overall skilling ecosystem of India, covering both central and state-level agencies for improved outcomes.

Tele-Law 2.0

• Recently, the Tele-Law 2.0 initiative was launched by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice.
• This version entails the fusion of Tele-Law Services with Nyaya Bandhu pro bono legal services, a merger to further enhance citizen accessibility to legal aid.
• The integration of legal guidance, support, and representation through a single registration process stands as a testament to the commitment to nurture a digitally literate and empowered populace.
• Tele-Law (1.0) Programme:
  • This was launched by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice in 2017.
  • This is operating under the DISHA Scheme.
  • The programme connects needy and marginalised people in need of legal aid with the Panel Lawyers via video conferencing/telephonic facilities available at Common Service Centres (CSCs) situated at the panchayat level.
  • In addition, the service can also be accessed through the Tele-Law Mobile App.
  • Legal advice is made available to everyone under Tele-Law service. Advice is free of Cost to those who are eligible for free legal aid under Section 12 of LSA Act, 1987.

Promotion of Research & Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) Scheme

• The Union Cabinet recently approved the Promotion of Research & Innovation in Pharma-MedTech sector (PRIP) scheme with an outlay of ₹5,000 crore for five years.
• The objective of the PRIP scheme is to transform the Indian Pharma MedTech sector from cost-based competitiveness to innovation-based growth by strengthening the research infrastructure in the country.
• The aim of the scheme is to promote industry-academia linkage for R&D in priority areas and to inculcate the culture of quality research and nurture our pool of scientists.
• Rs 5,000 crore will be spent in five years (2024-28) under the PRIP scheme, and companies will be given incentives for research.
• The six focus areas of the scheme includes:
  • new chemical entities, including biological and phytopharmaceuticals
  • complex generics and biosimilars
  • precision medicines such as gene therapy and stem cells
  • medical devices using artificial intelligence and machine learning
  • orphan drugs
  • anti-microbial resistance
• Components:
  • Strengthening research infrastructure through Centres of Excellence (CoE) in the seven existing National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs), Institutes of national importance at a tentative cost of Rs. 700 crore over a period of five years. 
  • Government engagement with nine established pharmaceutical companies with an outlay of Rs. 125 crores over five years, an aid of Rs. 100 crores to 30 research projects on high-potential products and funding to 125 research projects among startups.
• An Empowered Committee under the chairmanship of CEO, NITI Aayog, with the secretary-level representation of Pharmaceuticals, Health, ICMR, DBT, CSIR, AYUSH and DST, will provide guidance for the implementation of this ambitious scheme by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

GREAT Scheme

• Recently, the union Ministry of Textiles released the guidelines of the GREAT scheme.
• Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) Scheme focuses on supporting individuals and companies to translate prototypes to technologies & products, including commercialization.
• Its objective is to provide much-needed impetus for the development of the technical textiles startup ecosystem in India, especially in niche sub-segments such as bio-degradable and sustainable textiles, high-performance and speciality fibres, and smart textiles.
• Under this scheme grant-in-aid of up to Rs 50 lakh for up to a period of 18 months will be provided.
• The textile ministry will additionally provide 10 per cent of total grant-in-aid to incubators.
• Only a minimum of 10 per cent contribution has to be made by the incubatee.
• All of this is being done by incubators like IITs, NITs, Textiles Research Associations, and Centres of Excellence.
• The textiles ministry has also given a nod to 26 institutes for upgrading their laboratory infrastructure and training of trainers in the application areas of technical textiles.
• The scheme will be commensurate with the National Technical Textiles Mission.

India’s First AI School

• Kerala recently introduced India's first-ever AI (artificial intelligence) school.
• The establishment of this AI school is the result of a collaboration between iLearning Engines (ILE) USA and Vedhik eSchool.
• The school’s curriculum aligns with the National School Accreditation Standards, which are based on the New National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
• The school's unique approach centers on deepening students' understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies, enhancing their learning journey.
• It seamlessly integrates AI components such as machine learning, natural language processing, and data analysis into various educational facets like curriculum design, personalized assessments, and student support.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana

• It was launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Labour & Employment
• This was designed to stimulate the creation of new job opportunities by extending financial support to employers of establishments registered with the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).
• This scheme aimed to incentivize employment of unemployed individuals, including those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, by covering both the employee and employer contributions (24% of wages) for establishments with up to 1000 employees.
• For establishments with over 1000 employees, only the employee's EPF contributions (12% of wages) were covered in respect of new employees.
• As of July 31, 2023, the ABRY has already achieved an enrolment of over 7.58 million new employees, surpassing its initial employment generation target.

PM-DAKSH Yojana

• The Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalata Sampanna Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana is a Central Sector Scheme.
• It was launched during 2020-21.
• The main objective of the Scheme is to enhance competency level of the target groups to make them employable both in self- employment and wage-employment for their socio-economic development.
• It is a National Action Plan for skilling marginalized persons covering SCs, OBCs, EBCs, DNTs, Sanitation workers including waste pickers.
• The age criterion of scheme between 18-45 years and income criteria is no income limit for SCs, SafaiKaramcharis Including waste picker and DNT.
• The annual family income should be below Rs.3 lakh for OBCs and the EBCs (Economically Backward Classes) annual family income below Rs.1 lakh.
• Target Groups:
  • Artisans- who may be able to improve their revenue generation capacities within their practicing vocations;
  • Women- who may be able to enter into self-employment and financially empower themselves without neglecting their domestic activities; and
  • Youth- who may acquire long-term training and specialization in employable vocations and gain a better standing in the job market.
• The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Social Justice  & Empowerment.

Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY)

• It is a central sector scheme launched by the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) to promote and develop the village industries through common facilities, technological modernization, training etc.
• It aims to provide common facilities, technological modernization, training, social security and marketing support to the artisans and entrepreneurs involved in various village industries such as agarbatti, khadi, pottery, honey, etc.
• The scheme is implemented by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) through its field offices and institutions.
• It covers various sub-schemes such as Market Promotion and Development Assistance (MPDA), Interest Subsidy Eligibility Certificate (ISEC), Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans, Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), etc.
• Objectives:
  • To create employment opportunities for the rural population, especially women, youth and marginalized groups, by providing them with skill development, financial assistance and market linkages.
  • To reduce poverty and enhance income levels of rural artisans and entrepreneurs by increasing their productivity, quality and competitiveness.
  • To preserve and promote the traditional skills, crafts and culture of the rural areas by supporting their innovation, diversification and branding.
  • To support the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by reducing dependence on imports and increasing self-reliance in various sectors such as agro-processing, khadi, pottery, coir, honey, bamboo, etc.

Malaviya Mission

• Recently, the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship launched the Malaviya Mission – Teachers Training Programme by the University Grants Commission at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi.
• It aims to provide tailored training programmes for teachers.
• This programme will work for the capacity building of faculty members in higher educational institutions (HEI).
• It will ensure continuous professional development and help in building capacities of 15 lakh teachers of HEIs through 111 Malaviya Mission centres across India in a time-bound manner.
• It aims to improve the quality of teachers’ training, build leadership skills in teachers and help realise the goals of NEP
• The capacity building under the Mission will be mapped to the credit framework to ensure career progression pathways for educators.
• The Indian Knowledge System has been included in the modules of the Programme.
• Human Resource Development Centres to be revamped and known as Madan Mohan Malaviya Teachers Training Centres.

Nation First Transit Card

• State Bank of India has launched its ‘Nation First Transit Card’, a RuPay prepaid instrument under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) that can be used nationwide.
• It aims to facilitate a seamless and convenient customer commuting experience and ensure easy digital ticketing fare payments in metro, buses, water ferries, parking, etc., through a single card.
• In addition, individuals can also use this card for making retail and e-commerce payments.
• It is powered by RuPay and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) technology.
• National Common Mobility Card (NCMC):
  • It was launched on March 4, 2019.  
  • NCMC feature enables the Bank’s customers to use their Debit Cards as travel cards for travelling in Metro Rail and Buses where this facility is enabled.
  • The idea of NCMC was floated by the Nandan Nilekani committee set up by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  • NCMC is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in India designed to promote cashless transactions and offer a unified payment platform for commuters. 
  • It offers a unified contactless transport solution through the RuPay platform, developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
  • NCMC is an automatic fare collection system. It will turn smartphones into an inter-operable transport card that commuters can use eventually to pay for Metro, bus and suburban railway services.

Bharat: The Mother of Democracy Portal

• On the eve of the G20 leadership summit, the Ministry of Culture launched a portal of the mega exhibition—‘Bharat: The Mother of Democracy’.
• The portal showcases the content on the history of democracy in India, showcasing 7,000 years of democratic ethos starting from the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation to 2019.
• It is available in 16 languages, including German, French, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, and Russian besides English and Hindi.
• The portal is divided into five sections and 22 sub-sections starting from Sindhu-Saraswati Civilisation (6000-2000BCE), Mahajanapada and Gantantra (7-8 BCE), Vijaynagar Empire (14-16 century), and Mughal emperor Akbar reign (1556-1605) to Constitution of India (1947) and Elections in Modern India (1952 onwards). 
• Each section has a brief with images.    
• The visitors can also download a brochure in the language of their choice.
• The catalogue also has the message of the Indian Prime Minister.
• The website– www.motherofdemocracyg20.com– is curated by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

Vidya Samiksha Kendra

• Under the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR), the Ministry of Education is pushing States to open Vidya Samiksha Kendras (VSKs).
• Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSKs) is a data repository which will have data from all schemes run by the Ministry of Education (MoE).
• The control rooms of this Kendras will collect data to track key performance indicators as well as analyse data collated from govt schemes ‘using AI & machine-learning.’
• This repository will include regularly updated data from the following:
• PM-POSHAN mid-day meal programmes;
• Teacher training data from National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement portal;
• Textbook content from Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing;
• School dropout and attendance-related data on Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+);
• Students’ learning outcomes from National Achievement Survey;
• Performance Grading Index which evaluates school education system at the State/U.T. level.
• The Centre has allocated funds ranging from 2 to 5 crore rupees to each State for adopting and establishing VSKs.

Skill India Digital (SID) Platform

• The Ministry of Skill Development recently launched the Skill India Digital (SID) platform.
• SID serves as India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the skill development, education, employment and entrepreneurship ecosystem. 
• SID Platform aims to bring all skilling initiatives under a single umbrella and provide skill development and entrepreneurial support to people.
• Built by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in collaboration with multiple industry players, the platform is part of the World Bank-assisted Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) programme.
• The platform aligns with the vision articulated in the G20 framework for building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the digital economy.

Kisan Rin Portal

• The portal helps farmers avail subsidised loans under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC).
• It was developed in collaboration with multiple government departments.
• It offers a comprehensive view of farmer data, loan disbursement specifics, interest subvention claims, and scheme utilisation progress.
• It fosters seamless integration with banks for more focused and efficient agriculture credit.

Kisan Credit Card (KCC)

• The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme was introduced in 1998 to issue KCC to farmers on the basis of their holdings for uniform adoption by the banks so that farmers may use them to readily purchase agriculture inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc. and draw cash for their production needs.
• It was developed by NABARD (the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), 
• The scheme was further extended for the investment credit requirement of farmers, viz. allied and non-farm activities in the year 2004. 
• The scheme was further revisited in 2012 with a view to simplify the scheme and facilitate the issue of Electronic Kisan Credit Cards. 
• It is to be implemented by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks and Cooperatives.
• It aims at providing adequate and timely credit support from the banking system under a single window with a flexible and simplified procedure to the farmers for their cultivation and other needs as indicated below:
• To meet the short-term credit requirements for the cultivation of crops;
• Post-harvest expenses;
• Produce marketing loan;
• Consumption requirements of farmer household;
• Working capital for maintenance of farm assets and activities allied to agriculture;
• Investment credit requirement for agriculture and allied activities.
• Eligibility:
  • Farmers – individual/joint borrowers who are owner cultivators
  • Tenant farmers, oral lessees & share croppers
  • Self Help Groups (SHGs) or Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) of farmers, including tenant farmers, share croppers etc
• Features:
  • Banks provide single credit facility/ term loans to farmers.
  • Farmers can take a loan of up to Rs 3 lakh in the scheme.
  • Farmers having KCC credit are covered under personal accidental insurance up to Rs 50,000 for permanent disability and death and up to Rs 25,000 for other risks. 
  • Quantum of loan for the 1st year under this scheme is assessed on the basis of the cost of cultivation, post-harvest expenses and farm maintenance cost.
  • For the subsequent 5 years, loan will be sanctioned on the basis of the increase in the scale of finance.
  • The long-term loan limit is based on the proposed investments during the five-year period and the bank’s perception of the repaying capacity of the farmer.
  • The repayment period is decided on the basis of the harvesting of the crop and its marketing period.
  • Banks will not seek security on loans up to Rs. 1.60 lakh.
  • The validity of KCC is for 5 years.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS)

• Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports recently felicitated players under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS) in New Delhi.
• It was set up in March, 1982 with a view to assisting outstanding Sportspersons of yesteryear, living in indigent circumstances, who had brought glory to the Country in sports.
• The scheme as revised in May, 2016 to provide for lump sum ex-gratia assistance to outstanding Sportspersons of yesteryears.
• It extends to the whole of India.
• The scheme promotes the welfare of the sportspersons generally in order to alleviate distress among them and their dependents.
• The scheme can be administered to active sportspersons individually or collectively as a group.
• Benefits:
  • Assistance to sportspersons living in indigent circumstances: A lumpsum ex-gratia financial assistance subject to a maximum of Rs. 5 lakh. Monthly pension of Rs. 5000/- to those yesteryears meritorious sportspersons now living in indigent circumstances.
  • ssistance for injuries sustained during training for and participation in Sports competitions: A lumpsum ex-gratia financial assistance subject to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakh.
  • Assistance to Families of deceased Outstanding Sportspersons: A lumpsum ex- gratia financial assistance, not exceeding Rs. 5.00 lakh in each case, may be provided to the families of deceased outstanding sportspersons living in indigent circumstances.
  • Assistance for Medical Treatment: Financial assistance not exceeding Rs. 10 lakh may be provided for medical treatment of an outstanding sportsperson or of any of his/her family members living in indigent circumstances.
  • Assistance to coaches, support personnel, umpires, referees and match officials: Lumpsum financial assistance, not exceeding Rs. 2 lakh, may be provided to coaches and support personnel and to the family members of deceased support personnel who are living in indigent circumstances.
• Eligibility:
  • The applicant must be a Serving or Retired Sportsperson (including sports doctors, sports psychologists, sports mentors, physiotherapists, masseurs, coaches, support personnel, umpires, referees, and match officials).
  • The applicant must have represented India at a National or International Level sports competition.
  • The Annual income of self/family of the applicant (from all sources) must be less than Rs. 4 LPA.

Promotion of Tribal Products for North East Region’ (PTP-NER 2.0) Scheme

• Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) under Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, would be launching the phase 2 of the ‘Promotion of Tribal Products for North East Region’ (PTP-NER 2.0) scheme, from 21st September to10th November, 2023.
• It is a Central Sector scheme which was launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Its objective is to  strengthen livelihood opportunities for tribal artisans through increased efficiency in procurement, logistics and marketing of tribal products.
• It will be implemented in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
• It is being implemented in two phases:
  • In the First Phase of the scheme, 8 states and 38 districts were covered. Organisation of 64 Tribal Artisans Empanelment Melas (TAeM) were done by the teams of TRIFED and North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC).
  • In the Second Phase of the scheme, 29 districts will be covered by the teams of TRIFED and NEHHDC to reach out to tribal artisans and showcase their cultural heritage.
• Implementing Partners: North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC), India Post under the Department of Posts, and other North Eastern State Government Departments/ Agencies.
• India Post will provide logistics support in order to meet the scheme's goals.

Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) Scheme

• It was introduced by the Government as a duty remission scheme on exports and is being implemented from 1st January 2021. 
• It was enforced to repeal and reduce taxes for exported products, thereby encouraging the conditions of exported and increasing the amount of exports in the country.
• The scheme will be administered by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
• The Scheme provides a mechanism for reimbursement of taxes, duties and levies, which are currently not being refunded under any other mechanism at the central, state and local level but which are incurred by the export entities in the process of manufacture and distribution of exported products.
• This does not only include the direct cost incurred by the exporter but also the prior stage cumulative indirect taxes on goods.
• It is a WTO-compliant scheme and follows the global principle that taxes/duties should not be exported.
• RoDTEP replaced the Merchandise Export Incentive Schemes (MIES), in response to the US challenging the Indian export subsidies under the MEIS at the WTO. When the WTO dispute panel ruled against India, RoDTEP was framed to ensure that India remains WTO-compliant, while also supporting low-volume exports of commodities from India.
• It is applicable to all the sectors involved in the export of goods irrespective of their turnover, provided the country of manufacturing of the exported goods should be in India.
• Such an exporter may either be the merchant or manufacturer exporter. However, such goods should have been directly exported by such a person.
• Goods exported through e-commerce platforms are also eligible under this scheme.
• Rebate under the scheme is provided to eligible exporters as a percentage of the freight on board (FOB) value of exports.
• Remission is issued in the form of transferrable e-scrips (type of certificates with some monetary value) maintained in an electronic credit ledger by the CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs).
• e-scrips can be used for paying basic customs duty on the import of goods or may be transferred electronically to another party.

Lakhpati Didi Initiative

• It was announced by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2023.
• Its objective is to encourage women to start micro-enterprises within their villages.
• Under the Lakhpati Didi Initiative, the government aims to train two crore women.
• The programme is aimed at training women in self-help groups (SHGs) so that they can earn a sustainable income of at least Rs 1 lakh per annum per household.
• The initiative has been initiated by DAY-NRLM, wherein each SHG household is encouraged to take up multiple livelihood activities coupled with value chain interventions, resulting in a sustainable income of Rs 1 lakh or more per year.
• Under this scheme, women will be trained in various skills, such as plumbing, LED bulb making, drone operation and repair, and tailoring and weaving.
• After completing the training, women will be provided with opportunities to earn income using their skills.
• The ministry of rural development is adopting a whole-of-government approach for maximum impact through convergence to transform the rural economy with the enabling of ‘Lakhpati Didis’.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

• It was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations in the country. 
• It is 100% centrally funded scheme.
• Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to State governments, Union Territory Administrations or Central Agencies for development of tourism infrastructure in the country.
• Operation & Maintenance (O&M) of the projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme is the responsibility of the respective State Government/UT Administration.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0:
  • The Ministry of Tourism has revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) for development of sustainable and responsible tourist destinations covering tourism and allied infrastructure, tourism services, human capital development, destination management and promotion backed by policy and institutional reforms. 
  • The objective for the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme envisage increase in private sector investment in tourism & hospitality.
  • It may help in increasing Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the field of tourism and operation and maintenance of the created assets under the scheme.

SMART 2.0 program

• The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) along with National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has launched 'SMART 2.0' program.
• Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research among Teaching professionals (SMART) program promotes robust clinical studies in priority areas of Ayurveda with Ayurveda academic institutions/hospitals across the country through mutual collaboration.
• The objective of ‘SMART 2.0’ is to generate a tangible evidence to demonstrate efficacy and safety of Ayurveda interventions using interdisciplinary research methods and translating it into public health care.
• The study aims at safety, tolerability and adherence to Ayurveda formulations in the priority research areas of Bal Kasa, malnutrition, insufficient lactation, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) II.
• CCRAS:
  • It is an autonomous body of the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), Government of India.
  • It is an apex body in India for the formulation, coordination, development and promotion of research on scientific lines in Ayurveda and Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine.
• National Commission for Indian System of Medicine:
  • It is the statutory body constituted under NCISM Act, 2020.
  • An Act to provide for a medical education system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education, ensures availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine in all parts of the country.

One Stop Centre Scheme

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme formulated under the union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
• Objectives:
  • To provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof.
  • To facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women.
• It supports all women including girls below 18 years of age affected by violence, irrespective of caste, class, religion, region, sexual orientation or marital status.
• For girls below 18 years of age, institutions and authorities established under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 linked with the OSC.
• The OSC will facilitate access to Emergency Response and Rescue Services, Medical assistance, assistance to women in lodging FIR/ NCR/DIR, psycho-social support/ counseling, legal aid and counseling, shelter and Video Conferencing Facility.
• The Scheme will be funded through Nirbhaya Fund. The Central Government will provide 100% financial assistance under the Scheme.

Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) Scheme

• IEDSS has been launched from the year 2009-10. This Scheme replaces the earlier scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC). 
• The aim of this scheme is to enable all students with disabilities to pursue four years of secondary education in an inclusive and enabling environment, after completing eight years of elementary schooling.
• It provides assistancefor the inclusive education of disabled children in classes IX-XII.
• The scheme covers all children studying at the secondary stage in Government, local body and Government-aided schools,with one or more disabilities as defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the National Trust Act (1999) in the class IX to XII, namely blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotory disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, autism, and cerebral palsy, and may eventually cover speech impairment, learning disabilities, etc.
• Girls with the disabilitiesreceive special focus to help them gain access to secondary schools, as also to information and guidance for developing their potential. 
• Setting up of Model inclusive schools in every State is envisaged under the scheme.
• The School Education Department of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations are the implementing agencies.
• They may involve NGOs having experience in the field of education of the disabled in the implementation of the scheme.
• Components:
  • Student-oriented components, such as medical and educational assessment, books and stationery, uniforms, transport allowance, reader allowance, stipend for girls, support services, assistive devices, boarding the lodging facility, therapeutic services, teaching learning materials, etc.
  • Other components include appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general teachers for teaching such children, teacher training, orientation of school administrators, establishment of resource room, providing barrier free environment, etc.
• Financial Assistance:
  • Central assistance for all items covered in the scheme is on 100 percent basis.
  • The State governments are only required to make provisions for scholarship of Rs. 600/- per disabledchild per annum.

GHAR (GO Home and Re-Unite) Portal

• GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite Portal have been developed and launched by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
• It is a portal to digitally monitorand track the restoration and repatriation of children according to the protocols under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and Rules thereof. 
• It has been developed and launched by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
• Features includes: Digital tracking and monitoringof children who are in the Juvenile Justice system and have to be repatriated to another Country/State/District.
• Digital transfer of cases of children to the concerned Juvenile Justice Board/Child Welfare Committee of the State. It will help in the speedy repatriation of children.

SWAYAM Plus Platform

• Recently, the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched the ‘SWAYAM Plus’ platform.
• It offers courses developed collaboratively with the industry.
• This platform aims to enhance employability of both college students and lifelong learners.
• It will offer programmes in sectors like Manufacturing, Energy, Computer Science and Engineering/IT/ITES, Management Studies, Healthcare, Hospitality and Tourism besides Indian Knowledge Systems.
• It primarily focuses on building an ecosystem for all stakeholders in professional and career development, including learners, course providers, industry, academia, and strategic partners.
• It enables a mechanism that provides credit recognition for high-quality certifications and courses offered by the best industry and academia partners.
• Reaching a large learner base by catering to learning across the country, with a focus on reaching learners from tiers 2 and 3 towns and rural areas.
• It features innovative elements such as multilingual content (available in 12 major Indian languages of the country), AI-enabled guidance, credit recognition, and pathways to employment.
• These employability and professional development‐focused programmes have been developed with industry players including L&T, Microsoft and CISCO.
• The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) will be operating this Platform.