National Aquifer Mapping and Management programme (NAQUIM)
context :
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is implementing National Aquifer Mapping and Management programme (NAQUIM).
Highlights :
- envisages mapping of aquifers (water bearing formations), their characterization and development of Aquifer Management Plans to facilitate sustainable management of Ground Water Resources.
- NAQUIM was initiated as a part of the Ground Water Management and Regulation Scheme to delineate and characterize the aquifers to develop plans for ground water management.
About Aquifers :
- The rocks in which groundwater is stored are called aquifers. They are typically made up of gravel, sand, sandstone or limestone.
Ground Water Management and Regulation Scheme
- It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.
Central Ground Water Board
- It is a subordinate office of the Ministry of Water Resources and is the National Apex Agency entrusted with the responsibilities of providing scientific inputs for management, exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation and regulation of groundwater resources of the country.
- It was established in 1970 by renaming the Exploratory Tubewells Organization under the Ministry of Agriculture and later on merged with the Groundwater Wing of the Geological Survey of India during 1972.
India is 3rd largest producer of Electricity in the World
Context :
The World Energy Statistics published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2019 states that India is the 3rd largest producer of electricity in the world. India ranked 106th in terms of per capita consumption in 2017.
Highlights :
- As per the list, the reforms in the power sector has grown continuously.
- India has now become a power surplus from a power deficit situation.
- The power sector reforms focus on the supply of 24×7 quality power to consumers, higher standards of service, promotion of renewable energy sources, development of hydropower, improving efficiency, especially in the distribution sector, etc.
- Also, the Central government is planning to implement reforms linked distribution schemes and changes in tariff policy, among others.
School Health Programme
Context :
Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resources Development and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have jointly developed comprehensive School Health Programme (SHP) under Ayushman Bharat to foster the growth, development and educational achievement of school going children by promoting their health and wellbeing.
Objectives :
- Awareness about age appropriate information about health and nutrition to the children in schools.
- Detection and treating diseases early in children and adolescents including identification of malnourished and anemic children.
- Usage of safe drinking water in schools.
- Promotion of safe menstrual hygiene practices by girls.
- Promotion of yoga and meditation through Health & Wellness Ambassadors.
- Encouragement for research on health, wellness and nutrition for children.
Themes :
- The Programme is based on the 11 identified themes
- Some of them are emotional wellbeing, interpersonal relationships, responsible citizenship, gender equality, reproductive health, HIV prevention, safety and security against violence and promotion of safe use of the internet.
Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme
Context :
The Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities (PM’s New 15 PP) is an overarching programme covering various schemes/initiatives of the participating Ministries/Departments, and is implemented throughout the country.
Key points :
- To ensure that the benefits of various government schemes for the underprivileged reach the disadvantaged sections of the minority communities.
- Programme also provides that, wherever possible, 15% of targets and outlays under various schemes should be earmarked for minorities.
- The performance of schemes/initiatives is continuously evaluated by the concerned Ministries/Departments.
- In the context of the PM’s New 15 PP, Substantial minority population, has been used for identification of districts which are relatively backward.
- Districts with at least 25% of the total population belonging to minority communities have been identified as the Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs)
- The programme has four objectives further divided into focus areas with schemes under them. These are as follows:
- Enhancing Opportunities for Education
- Equitable availability of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Services
- Improving access to School Education
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
- Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme, etc.
- Greater resources for teaching Urdu by Central assistance for recruitment and posting of Urdu language teachers.
- Modernizing Madarsa Education
- Central Plan Scheme of Area Intensive and Madarsa Modernization Programme.
- Scholarships for meritorious students from minority communities.
- Improving educational infrastructure through the Maulana Azad Education Foundation.
- Equitable Share in Economic Activities and Employment
- Self-Employment and Wage Employment for the poor
- Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY).
- Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY).
- Sampurna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY).
- Upgradation of skills through technical training
- Locate technical institutions in areas predominantly inhabited by minority communities and upgrade them to ‘Centres of Excellence’.
- Enhanced credit support for economic activities
- Strengthening the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC).
- Ensuring an appropriate percentage of the priority sector lending targeted for the minority communities.
- Recruitment to State and Central Services
- Self-Employment and Wage Employment for the poor
- Improving the Conditions of Living of Minorities
- Equitable share in rural housing scheme
- Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY)
- Improvement in condition of slums inhabited by minority communities
- Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme (IHSDP)
- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) which was earlier Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
- Equitable share in rural housing scheme
- Prevention and Control of Communal Riots
- Prevention of communal incidents
- Posting of efficient, impartial and secular record in communally sensitive and riot prone areas.
- Prosecution for communal offences
- Rehabilitation of victims of communal riots
- Prevention of communal incidents
Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT)
Context :
Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) announced that the initiative Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT) is successfully implemented in the past two years for the professional development of higher education faculty.
ARPIT :
- ARPIT program was launched in 2018 to fulfill the government’s commitment to quality education.
- The program aims to enhance the quality of teaching in higher education.
- The initiative includes online professional development of 15 lakh higher education faculty.
- ARPIT is a step of government towards “Har Ek Kaam Desh Ke Naam.”
- Under the initiative new & emerging trends, pedagogical improvements and methodologies for transacting revised curriculum were imparted to more than 1.8 Lakh teachers in the last two years.
- In 2018-19, 37199 teachers were trained under this program, and in 2019-20, 146919 teachers were trained under the program.
“Janata Curfew” on 22 March 2020
context :
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced for a Janata Curfew on 22 March 2020.
The curfew also aims to express gratitude to the doctors, nurses, hospital staff, housekeeping staff, airlines staff, government servants, police personnel, media persons, railways, bus, autorickshaw, home delivery people, among others who are working round the clock to save lives that are affected with Coronavirus.
Janata Curfew :
- The Janata Curfew will be observed on 22 March from 7 am to 9 pm.
- During this curfew, people shall neither leave their homes nor get onto the streets or roam about their localities. Only those associated with emergency and essential services will leave home.
- PM Modi also constituted a COVID-19 taskforce. It is headed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
- The task force is expected to draw up measures to combat the economic effects of the pandemic.
- PM also directed the employers not to cut the pay of staff despite the outbreak’s “wide-ranging” economic impact.
source : the hindu