03.07.21

Ladakh Sign MoU with Sikkim

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The UT of Ladakh organic, the administration of Ladakh, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State Organic Certification Agency (SOCCA). A tripartite MOU has been signed between SSOCA and Ladakh regarding Prampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana and Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI) implementation in the Ladakh region to convert UT into organic by the year 2025. The main target of this MoU is to get the organic certification after a tie-up with the Government of India.

Highlights:

The target is to make Ladakh a certified organic UT by 2025, which will be completed in three phases.
First phase:85 villages have been identified to convert 5000 hectares of land into organic.
Second phase:82 villages will be covered with 10000 hectares.
Third phase:the department has selected 79 towns that will cover the remaining areas.
The first state to become 100 percent organic is Sikkim is, with all of its farmland certified organic. The use and sale of chemical Fertilizers & pesticides are banned in Sikkim.

Distribution of free foodgrains under PMGKAY-IV begins; 14,700 tonnes distributed so far

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TheCentre said distribution of free foodgrains under the fourth phase of thePradhan Mantra Garib Kalyan AnnaYojana (PMGKAY) has started in seven states and about 14,700 tonnes have been given to beneficiaries so far.

About 70.6 lakh tonnes of foodgrains were distributed in the third phase of PMGKAY between May and June, it said.

On ration card portability facility, the government said the remaining four states –Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and West Bengal — are expected to come on board soon.

PMGKAY was first introduced in 2020 for eight months to provide relief to 80 crore beneficiaries covered under the NationalFoodSecurity Act (NFSA) from Covid-induced economic hardships.

The scheme was reintroduced this year for third phase implementation for two months till June and later extended till November under the fourth phase.
Free grains are provided under PMGKAY over and above the quota allocated at highly subsidised rates under NFSA to these beneficiaries.

Allocation of Jal Jeevan Mission to Orissa

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The central allocation of Jal Jeevan mission to Orissa has been increased to Rs 3,323.42 crore for the year 2021-2020. The Centre is assisting Odisha in becoming a Har Ghar Jal’ state by March 2024, with a four-fold increase in allocation.

About Jal Jeevan Mission:

By 2024, it is hoped that all rural Indian households will have access to safe and sufficient drinking water via individual household tap connections.
It aims to provide 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household by 2024 via Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC).
It also includes a functional tap connection to schools, Anganwadi centres, Health centres, wellness centres, GP buildings and community buildings.
The programme will also include mandatory source sustainability measures such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, and Rain Water Harvesting.
At the local level, JJM focuses on integrated demand-side and supply-side water management.
The Mission is founded on a community-based approach to water. It intends to establish a jan andolan for water, making it a top priority for everyone.
It encourages and ensures voluntary ownership among the local community through contributions in cash, kind, and/or labour, as well as voluntary labour.
Parent Ministry:Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, Ministry of Jal Shakti
Funding Pattern:The Centre and states split funds 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern states, 50:50 for other states, and 100 percent for Union Territories.
Four-tiered scheme implementation and monitoring at the national, state, district, and village levels.

New insect species discovered in biodiversity-rich Nilgiris

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Researchers from themolecular laboratoryin the department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology in the Government Arts College in Ooty have discovered a newwingless insectin the Nilgiris.
A research paper on the new species has been published in international journal Biologia published by Springer Nature. The 1mm-long flightless insect has been named Bionychiurus tamilensis as it was recorded in Tamil Nadu, said associate professor and laboratory head R Sanil. There are only six species under this genus reported so far across the world and reported only from cold high-altitude regions of Switzerland, China and Korea.
The insect was first observed in 2018 in the Soil samples collected fromOoty Government Arts Collegecampus. Further surveys showed its presence in grasslands and unpolluted humus soil samples.

DNA profiling was conducted and details are deposited in the NCBI Database. None of the similar specimens obtained from other parts of the world are barcoded till date.

Kerala: Industries need to focus on ESG, says Industries minister P Rajeeve

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Industries minister P Rajeeve on Saturday visited Indo Japan Chamber of Commerce Kerala (INJACK) to discuss the Indo-Japanese tie for the https://exam.pscnotes.com/Growth“>Growth of business in Kerala. The minister said that the is committed to focus on businesses focusing on environmental, social, and Governance (ESG) aspects where one fourth of the global business is focusing.

Rajeeve, during his visit to Nippon Kerala Centre, Kalamassery, the headquarters of INJACK, offered government support for INJACK in its ventures such as Japan Mela and formation of a Japan Business Cluster in Kochi. The business cluster will focus on areas like shipping, tourism and various businesses. The minister informed the meeting that Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) will be asked to associate with INJACK for the formation of Japan cluster in Kochi.

Karnataka: Higher education relies on other departments for funds

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The higher https://exam.pscnotes.com/Education“>Education department, whose budget has not changed for three years despite increasing requirements, is forced to borrow funds from other government divisions to run or launch its programmes.

For instance, the scheme of distributing 1.6 lakh tablets to students, as part of the digital education push, was executed with the help of funds from the social welfare and backward classes departments.

The must mandatorily set aside 24.1 per cent of the budget towards the SC/ST communities. This is one reason the higher education department tends to depend on the welfare departments for funds.

Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation seeks forest land for quartz mining

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Raising the hackles of green activists, the State Mineral Development Corporation (TSMDC) has sought 135 hectares of reserve forest land in Mahbubnagar district to mine quartz . The TSMDC is planning quartz mining in three locations in the dense scrub forest of the district.

The TSMDC filed three separate applications to the Union ministry of https://exam.pscnotes.com/Environment-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Environment and forest seeking clearance for its proposal.

The corporation asked for diversion of 72 hectares of land in Ibrahimbad reserve forest in Mahbubnagar range. It also sought diversion of 25 hectares in Tirumalapally village in Hanwada mandal.

Environmentalist Devidas Manghnani said in the name of quartz mining, they are diverting huge land.

Andhra Pradesh govt to spend Rs 4,373 crore to ensure water supply to Chittoor district

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State panchayat raj minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy laid the foundation stone for a project interlinking the Galeru-Nagari and the Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi projects, aimed at ensuring water supply to the perennially drought hit Chittoor district.

The project will be grounded at a cost of Rs 4,373 crore near Molakalavari palli village in Tamballapalli assembly constituency of Chittoor district.

Goa to subsidise 11,000 electric vehicles annually for 5 years

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: In a bid to reduce the states carbon footprint, the government has decided to provide subsidies to 11,000 electric vehicles every year for a period of five years. The subsidy will be capped at Rs 25 crore annually.

As per the draft scheme for promotion of electric vehicles in the state, every year for the next five years, subsidy will be given to 10,000 two wheelers not exceeding Rs 10 crore per year, 500 three wheelers not exceeding Rs 1crore and around 500 four wheelers not exceeding Rs 14 crore.

The subsidy will be given on a first come first serve basis, a senior official said.

The subsidy will be disbursed in a single instalment that is 100% on purchase of the vehicle and production of documents of purchase RC book and https://exam.pscnotes.com/Insurance“>Insurance.

The scheme is also aimed at achieving the targets set by the Center, under the National Electric Mobility Plan (NEMPP), to have six to seven million electric and hybrid vehicles on Indian roads by 2020, the official said.

With prices of electric vehicles about 50% higher than that of the conventional internal combustion vehicles, targets have not been achieved.

The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles scheme was launched by the Centre to save 120 million barrels of oil and four million tonnes of carbon dioxide as well as lowering vehicular emissions by 1.3% in 2020.

Maharashtra: Panel to study issue of exorbitant fee charged by unaided private colleges

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The state higher and technical https://exam.pscnotes.com/Education“>Education department has set up a five-member committee to study the issue of exorbitant fees charged by unaided private colleges during the Covid pandemic.

The committee will study the fees charged by the universities, government-run, aided-unaided colleges for conventional as well as professional courses. This is over and above the relief extended to students in some fee components last month. The decision has been taken based on the report submitted by the Fees Regulatory Authority (FRA) to the department in March 2021.

The FRA regulates the fees of private unaided professional colleges based on the balance sheets submitted by the institutes. However, there are several components that are not utilised in the pandemic, including hostel, library, laboratory, said a department official. But many of these components are part of the overall tuition fees and there is no break-up given, said an official. While almost 65% students in professional colleges get some kind of scholarships from the government, this concession will benefit the remaining 35% students, added the official.