Current affairs September 2022

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Union Public Service Commission (Main)

Current Affairs

VBY

Contributed by

Vikrant Bhai Yohannan

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Contents
Schemes .................................................................. 3
1) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak
Yojana ......................................................... 3
2) Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada
Yojana ......................................................... 4
3) Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat................. 4
4) Prime Minister’s Employment
Generation Programme ....................... 5
5) POSHAN Abhiyaan ................................. 6
6) Make in India .......................................... 7
Initiatives ............................................................... 8
1) I-STEM & WEST ....................................... 8
2) SATAT Initiative ..................................... 8
3) PM CARES Fund ...................................... 9
4) Strategic Crude Oil Reserves ........... 10
5) PM SHRI Schools .................................. 12
6) Accessible India Campaign
(Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) ............... 12
7) JALDOOT App ........................................ 13
8) INSPIRE Programme........................... 14
9) Eklavya Model Residential Schools14
Environment ....................................................... 16
1) Tackling the stubble burning
menace ..................................................... 16
2) Montreal Protocol ............................... 17
Flora & Fauna ..................................................... 20
1) Cheetah translocation ........................ 20
2) Vultures .................................................. 21
3) India gets its first Dugong
Conservation Reserve in Tamil
Nadu .......................................................... 22
Agriculture .......................................................... 24
1) Agriculture Infrastructure Fund .... 24
Economy ............................................................... 25
1) PM GatiShakti ....................................... 25
2) Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 ........ 26
3) A push for the semiconductor
industry ................................................... 27
4) Corporate Social Responsibility .... 29
Organisations ..................................................... 31
1) New Development Bank ................... 31
2) World Bank Group .............................. 31
3) East Asia Summit ................................. 32
4) Eastern Economic Forum ................. 32
Science and Technology ................................. 34
1) Double Asteroid Redirection Test 34
2) NASA's Perseverance Rover ............ 35
3) Hanle Space Observatory & Dark
Sky Reserve ............................................ 36
Reports and Indices ......................................... 39
1) Global Estimates of Modern Slavery39
2) Human Development Report .......... 40
Polity ..................................................................... 45
1) MTP (Amendment) Act, 2021 ......... 45
2) Juvenile Justice Amendment Act &
Rules ......................................................... 46
3) UAPA, 2019 ............................................ 48
4) Criminal Procedure (Identification)
Act, 2022.................................................. 49
5) Process of inclusion or exclusion
from the Scheduled Tribes list ........ 50
International Relations .................................. 53
1) Quad’s Humanitarian Assistance
and Disaster Relief Agreement ....... 53
2) Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan conflict ....... 53
3) India stays out of ‘trade pillar’ at
Indo-Pacific meet ................................. 54
Art & Culture ...................................................... 56
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1) Buddhist Caves of Bandhavgarh .... 56 2) Sittanavasal ........................................... 56

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Schemes
1) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak
Yojana
About PMGSY
 The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak
Yojana (PMGSY), was launched in
2000 as centrally sponsored
scheme to provide connectivity to
unconnected habitations of
designated population size (500+
in plain areas and 250+ in North-
East, hill, tribal and desert areas as
per Census, 2001) as part of a
poverty reduction strategy.
 The Ministry of Rural
Development along with state
governments is responsible for the
implementation of PMGSY.
 Phase III of PMGSY was approved
by the Union Cabinet in 2019. It
involves the consolidation of
Through Routes and Major Rural
Links connecting habitations to
Gramin Agricultural Markets
(GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools
and Hospitals.
Objectives
 A strong rural road infrastructure
ensures economic development
through reduced cost of
production and logistics,
increased productivity,
improved economies of scale,
enhanced employment and
improvement in public and
private investments in rural farm
and non-farm activities.
 It provides better avenues of
marketing of farm and non-farm
products and services are
facilitated in a rural set up.
Guiding Principles of PMGSY
 The spirit and the objective of the
scheme is to provide good all-
weather road connectivity to
unconnected habitations. A
habitation which was earlier
provided all-weather
connectivity would not be
eligible even if the present
condition of the road is bad.
 The unit for this Programme is a
Habitation and not a Revenue
village or a Panchayat. A Habitation
is a cluster of population, living in
an area, the location of which does
not change over time.
 PMGSY promotes the use of new
and green technology in the
process of rural road construction.
Locally available materials are
used in road construction activities
to promote cost effective and fast
construction.
 The PMGSY shall cover only the
rural areas. Urban roads are
excluded from the purview of this
Programme.
Funding pattern
 Currently, the fund sharing pattern
of PMGSY is 60:40 between the
Centre and States for all states
except for 8 North Eastern States
and for 2 Himalayan States
(Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand).
 For these states and UT of J&K, the
fund sharing pattern is 90:10.
 The funds for other Union
Territories, implementing PMGSY,
are being fully provided by the
Central Government.
Initiatives related to PMGSY
 Road Connectivity Project for
Left Wing Extremism affected
Areas (RCPLWEA): It was
launched in 2016 as a separate
vertical under PMGSY to provide
all-weather road connectivity with
necessary culverts and cross-
drainage structures in 44 districts
(35 are worst LWE affected
districts and 09 are adjoining
districts), which are critical from
security and communication point
of view.
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 Meri Sadak mobile app: It was
launched to enable citizens to
register complaints regarding the
quality and pace of construction of
PMGSY roads.
Why in News?
 Since its inception, a total of
1,84,056 roads of 7,93,568 km and
10,082 bridges have been
sanctioned under various
interventions/ verticals of PMGSY,
out of which, 1,70,857 roads of
7,12,638 km and 7,264 bridges
have been completed.

2) Pradhan Mantri Kisan
Sampada Yojana
About PMKSY
 The Ministry of Food Processing
Industries has been implementing
the Pradhan Mantri Kisan
SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) since
2017.
 SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-
Marine Processing and
Development of Agro-Processing
Clusters) is a comprehensive
package which aims to create
modern infrastructure with
efficient supply chain
management from farm gate to
retail outlet.
 It aims to provide a big boost to the
growth of the food processing
sector in the country and also help
in providing better returns to
farmers, reducing wastage of
agricultural produce, increasing
the processing level and
enhancing the export of the
processed foods.
 Under PMKSY the following
schemes are to be implemented.
o Mega Food Parks
o Integrated Cold Chain, Value
Addition and Preservation
Infrastructure
o Creation/Expansion of Food
Processing/Preservation
Capacities
o Infrastructure for Agro
Processing Clusters
o Scheme for Creation of
Backward and Forward
Linkages
o Food Safety & Quality
Assurance Infrastructure
o Human Resources and
Institutions.
Objectives of PMKSY
 Creation of modern
infrastructure for food processing
mega food parks/ clusters and
individual units;
 To create effective backward and
forward linkages - linking
farmers, processors and markets;
 To create robust supply chain
infrastructure for perishables.
Why in News?
 The Ministry of Food Processing
Industries has invited applications
under the several sub-schemes of
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada
Yojana.

3) Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat
About the scheme
 The initiative 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha
Bharat' was announced by the
Government of India on 31st
October, 2015 to commemorate the
140th birth anniversary of Sardar
Patel to revive a sense of
‘nationhood’.
 The programme aims to actively
enhance interaction between
people of diverse cultures living
in different States and UTs in India,
with the objective of promoting
greater mutual understanding
amongst them.
 As per the programme, each year,
every State/UT would be paired
with another State/UT in India for
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reciprocal interaction between the
people.
 It is envisaged through this
exchange, that the knowledge of the
language, culture, traditions and
practices of different states will
lead to an enhanced understanding
and bonding between one another,
thereby strengthening the unity
and integrity of India.
 The broad objectives of the
initiative are as follows:
o To CELEBRATE the Unity in
Diversity of our Nation and
to maintain and strengthen
the fabric of traditionally
existing emotional bonds
between the people of our
Country;
o To PROMOTE the spirit of
national integration through
a deep and structured
engagement between all
Indian States and Union
Territories through a year-
long planned engagement
between States;
o To SHOWCASE the rich
heritage and culture,
customs and traditions of
either State for enabling
people to understand and
appreciate the diversity that
is India, thus fostering a
sense of common identity
o TO ESTABLISH long-term
engagements and,
o TO CREATE an environment
which promotes learning
between States by sharing
best practices and
experiences.
Why in News?
 Government of Maharashtra
conducted various programmes as
a part of Ek Bharat Shreshtha
Bharat initiative.

4) Prime Minister’s Employment
Generation Programme
About PMEGP
 Prime Minister’s Employment
Generation Programme (PMEGP) is
a central sector scheme
administered by the Ministry of
Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises since 2008-09.
 It is a major credit-linked subsidy
programme aimed at assisting
first generation entrepreneurs
for setting up micro enterprises
in the non-farm sector by helping
traditional artisans and
unemployed youth.
 At the national level, the Scheme is
being implemented by Khadi and
Village Industries Commission
(KVIC), a statutory organization
under the administrative control of
the Ministry of MSME, as the
single nodal agency.
 At the State level, the Scheme will
be implemented through State KVIC
Directorates, State Khadi and
Village Industries Boards (KVIBs)
and District Industries Centres
(DICs) and banks.
 Under the scheme, loans are being
provided by all Public Sector Banks,
selected Private Sector Banks and
Co-operative Banks with margin
money subsidy (refers to the
amount that the government
contributes to beneficiaries availing
PMEGP loan) being given by the
Ministry of MSME through KVIC.

Scope
 The scheme is applicable to all
viable projects in rural as well as
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urban areas, under the Micro
enterprises sector.
 The maximum cost of the project
admissible under the
manufacturing sector is Rs.25
lakhs and the business/services
sector is Rs.10 lakhs.
 Only one person from a family is
eligible for obtaining financial
assistance under the scheme.
 Assistance under the Scheme is
available only for new projects.
Eligible Entrepreneurs / Borrowers
 Any individual, above 18 years of
age
 The beneficiaries should have
passed at least VIII standard, for
setting up of project costing above
Rs.10 lacs in the Manufacturing
Sector and above Rs. 5 lacs in the
business /Service Sector,
 Self Help Groups
 Institutions registered under
Societies Registration Act, 1860
 Production Co-operative Societies
 Charitable Trusts.
Why in News?
 Khadi and Village Industries
Commission inaugurated 72 Units
assisted under PMEGP.

5) POSHAN Abhiyaan
About the scheme
 POSHAN Abhiyaan (also known as
National Nutrition Mission) is a
flagship programme of the
Ministry of Women and Child
Development that aims to
improve nutrition amongst
children, pregnant women, and
lactating mothers.
 Launched in 2018, it is a multi-
ministerial convergence mission
with the vision to ensure
attainment of malnutrition free
India by 2022.
 The mission targets to reduce
stunting, under-nutrition,
anemia (among young children,
women and adolescent girls) and
reduce low birth weight by 2%,
2%, 3% and 2% per annum
respectively.
 The mission also strives to achieve
a reduction in Stunting from
38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022
(Mission 25 by 2022).
Significance
 Amongst India’s most serious yet
marginally addressed development
challenges is malnutrition, which
contributes significantly to the
country’s disease burden.
 Even as National Family Health
Survey 5 (2019-21) data shows
that the number of children under
5 years who are stunted (less
height-for-age) in India has come
down from 38.4% to 35.5% and
the number of children who are
underweight (less weight-for-age)
has come down from 35.8% to
32.1%, every third child still
suffers from chronic
undernourishment, and every
fifth child is acutely
malnourished.
 According to the NFHS-5, as many
as 57% women aged 15-49 were
anaemic in 2019-21.
Poshan Maah
 To ensure community mobilisation
and bolster people’s participation,
every year the month of September
is celebrated as Rashtriya Poshan
Maah under POSHAN Abhiyaan
across the country.
 The activities in the Poshan maah
are focussed on Social
Behavioural Change and
Counselling (SBCC). The broad
themes are: antenatal care, optimal
breastfeeding (early and exclusive),
complementary feeding, anaemia,
growth monitoring, girls’
education, diet, right age of
marriage, hygiene, and sanitation,
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eating healthy and food
fortification.
Why in News?
 Various awareness generation
programmes were conducted
across the country as a part of
celebrations under the Rashtriya
Poshan Maah or the National
Nutrition Month.

6) Make in India
About the Programme
 The Make in India initiative was
launched in 2014 to facilitate
investment, foster innovation,
enhance skill development,
protect intellectual property and
build best in class manufacturing
infrastructure in the country.
 The primary objective of this
initiative is to attract investments
from across the globe and
strengthen India’s
manufacturing sector.
 It is being led by the Department
for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry
of Commerce and Industry.
 The Make in India programme is
very important for the economic
growth of India as it aims at
utilising the existing Indian talent
base, creating additional
employment opportunities and
empowering the secondary and
tertiary sector.
Why in News?
 The Government's flagship
programme 'Make in India' has
completed eight-years of
implementation.
 Make in India Programme is
transforming the country into a
leading global manufacturing and
investment destination. To attract
foreign investments, the
Government has put in place a
liberal and transparent policy
wherein most sectors are open to
Foreign Direct Investment under
the automatic route.
 FDI inflows in India which stood at
45.15 billion US dollar in 2014-
2015 reached record FDI inflows
for eight years. The year 2021-22
recorded the highest ever FDI of
83.6 billion US dollars.

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Initiatives
1) I-STEM & WEST
About I-STEM Portal
 The Indian Science Technology and
Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM)
portal was launched in 2020 as the
national web platform for
sharing R&D facilities.
 It is an initiative of the Office of the
Principal Scientific Adviser to the
Govt. of India (PSA, GOI).
o The Government of India
established the Office of PSA
in 1999 to provide pragmatic
and objective advice to the
Prime Minister and the
cabinet in matters of Science
and Technology.
 The goal of I-STEM is to
strengthen the R&D ecosystem of
the country by connecting
researchers with resources, by
promoting technologies and
scientific equipment development
indigenously, and providing
necessary supplies and supports to
researchers by enabling them an
access to existing publicly funded
R&D facilities in the country
through the I-STEM web portal.
Why in News?
 The Government of India has
launched a new programme
“Women in Engineering, Science,
and Technology (WEST)” under
the I-STEM initiative.
 The WEST programme will cater to
women with a STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics) background and
empower them to contribute to
the science, technology, and
innovation ecosystem. It also aims
to close the gender gap in these
fields.
 Through the WEST initiative, I-
STEM will provide a separate
platform to scientifically inclined
women researchers, scientists,
and technologists for pursuing
research in basic or applied
sciences in frontier areas of science
and engineering.

2) SATAT Initiative
About SATAT Initiative
 The SATAT (Sustainable
Alternative Towards Affordable
Transportation) initiative was
launched by the Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas in
2018 for boosting production and
availability of Compressed
BioGas (CBG) as an alternative and
affordable clean fuel for the
transportation sector.
 The scheme envisages setting up of
5000 CBG plants by FY 2023-24.
Expected Benefits
 SATAT aims to establish an
ecosystem for the production of
Compressed BioGas from various
waste and biomass sources in the
country leading to multiple benefits
viz. reduction of natural gas
import, reduction of GHG
emission, reduction in burning of
agriculture residues,
remunerative income to farmers,
employment generation,
effective waste management etc.
Impacts
 If 5000 plants targeted by 2023-24
are achieved, 15 million tonnes of
CBG will be produced, which is
enough to reduce the country’s
CNG import bill by 40 per cent.
 Over 70 CBG plants under
construction across Punjab,
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh,
notorious for stubble burning
(Refer Environment section), will
consume 1.3 million tonnes of
crop residues a year, mostly
paddy stubble.
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 CNG’s solid by-products can be
used as bio-manure.
o Estimates show the 5,000
planned CBG plants will
generate 50 million tonnes
of bio-manure a year.
o According to the Punjab
Agricultural University, bio-
manure produced using
paddy straw can result in a
20 per cent increase in crop
yield. Bio-manure produced
from paddy straw also has a
high water retention
capacity that helps reduce
irrigation requirements.
 The other by-product is CO2. It
can be tapped while purifying the
biogas and used to produce liquid
or solid CO2, which have high
demand for food preservation or
to be used in fire extinguishers.
How is Compressed BioGas (CBG)
produced?
 Producing CBG from biomass
involves a two-pronged approach:
Anaerobic decomposition and
Purification.
o First, Biogas is produced
through anaerobic
decomposition of biomass.
Since biogas contains 55 to
60 per cent methane, 40 to
45 percent carbon dioxide
(CO2) and trace amounts of
hydrogen sulphide, the
second process involves
purifying the gas to remove
carbon dioxide and
hydrogen sulphide gases to
prepare CBG.
Why in News?
 The Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas has commissioned 35
CBG/biogas plants under the
SATAT initiative.

3) PM CARES Fund
About PM CARES Fund
 The Prime Minister's Citizen
Assistance and Relief in Emergency
Situations (PM CARES) Fund was
set up in the aftermath of the
Covid-19 pandemic to mobilize
resources. The Fund was
established in 2020.
 PM CARES Fund is a public
charitable trust. It has been set up
keeping in mind the need for
having a dedicated fund with the
primary objective of dealing with
any kind of emergency or distress
situation, like posed by the COVID-
19 pandemic, and to provide relief
to the affected.
 The Prime Minister is Chairperson
(ex-officio) of the PM CARES Fund
and Minister of Defence, Minister of
Home Affairs and Minister of
Finance, Government of India are
ex-officio Trustees of the Fund.
Objectives
 The primary objectives of the PM
CARES Fund Trust are:-
1. To undertake and support
relief or assistance of any
kind relating to a public
health emergency or any
other kind of emergency,
calamity or distress, either
man-made or natural,
including the creation or
upgradation of healthcare or
pharmaceutical facilities,
other necessary
infrastructure, funding
relevant research or any
other type of support.
2. To render financial
assistance, provide grants of
payments of money or take
such other steps as may be
deemed necessary by the
Board of Trustees to assist
the affected population.
3. To undertake any other
activity, which is not
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Current affairs September 2022

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