Daily Current Affairs for 01st Jan 2022

GS PAPER II NEWS

Sahitya Akademi Award

Why in News

• • Sahitya Akademi has announced the prestigious ‘Sahitya Akademi Awards’ for this year. Sahitya Akademi today announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards-2021 in 20 languages.

Key point

• • Senior author Daya Prakash Sinha for Hindi literature and Namita Gokhale for English have been selected for the Sahitya Akademi Award this year.
  • The awards were recommended by jury committees from 20 Indian languages. These include seven books of poetry, two novels, five short stories, two plays and one each of biography, autobiography, criticism and epic.
  • Namita Gokhale’s English-language novel Things to Leave Behind is included in the list of awards. Apart from this, the Assamese novel Iyat Ekhon Aronya Asil by Anuradha Sharma Pujari was also selected for the award.
  • A jury of three people in each language was constituted for the prize and the books for the award were selected either by consensus or by majority vote.
  • This list was approved on 30th December in the meeting of the Executive Board of the Akademi held under the chairmanship of Dr. Chandrashekhar Kambar, President of Sahitya Akademi.
  • The award is given to books published for the first time during January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019.
  • Sahitya Akademi Award in Hindi literature will be given to senior writer and playwright Daya Prakash Sinha.
  • His play ‘Samrat Ashok’ has been selected for this award.
  • Daya Prakash Sinha was born on May 2, 1935 in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh.
  • He is a retired IAS officer as well as a distinguished writer, playwright, dramatist, director and famous historian of Hindi.
  • An engraved copper plate, shawl and an amount of one lakh rupees will be presented to the main prize winner and Yuva Puraskar, children’s literature award winners will be presented with an engraved copper plate and an amount of Rs 50,000 will be presented at a special function to be held later.

About Sahitya Akademi Award

• • Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honor in India. This award is given annually by the Sahitya Akademi.
  • The Academy awards annually to the best literary work published in each of the major languages ​​recognized by India.
  • These awards were given for the first time in the year 1955. At the time of inception of the award, the prize money was only five thousand rupees but from time to time this amount increased.

GS PAPER III

Veerangana Laxmibai Railway Station

Why in News

• • Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has renamed another railway station. Now Jhansi Railway Station has been renamed as Veerangana Laxmibai Railway Station.

Key point

• • After getting the approval of the Central Government to change the name of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the mandate has been issued.
  • On December 29, 2021, on the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the state government has issued a notification.
  • Principal Secretary of State Government Nitin Ramesh Gokarn informed in the notification that now the new name of Jhansi Railway Station will be Veerangana Laxmibai Railway Station.
  • Three months ago it was proposed to the Ministry of Home Affairs that the name of Jhansi railway station should be changed.
  • The decision behind the announcement of a new name for Jhansi railway station has been taken by Uttar Pradesh to boost tourism in the region and as per the state government; it is likely to benefit the Bundelkhand region of the state as well.
  • With the new name of Jhansi railway station as Rani Laxmibai, the public will be encouraged to know more about the warrior who played an important role in India’s independence.
  • The code of the railway station will also be changed now. It is being argued on behalf of the government that even changing the name of the station can increase the possibilities of tourism in the area.
  • Its benefit can also be seen in Bundelkhand area.
  • The state government has clarified on several occasions that the names will be changed as per the need. Earlier, the Yogi government has named three major stations Allahabad as Prayagraj, Mughalsarai as Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar and Faizabad as Ayodhya railway station.
  • After the acceptance of this proposal by the Central Government, Jhansi Railway Station has become the newest in the name change list.
  • Jhansi Railway Station will turn 133 in 2022. This station was established in 1889.
  • Prime Minister Modi also visited Jhansi on 19 November on the birth anniversary of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi.
  • Earlier in Madhya Pradesh also, the BJP government changed the name of Bhopal’s world class station Habibganj to Rani Kamalapati railway station.

GS PAPER II

Important government schemes for the year 2021

Why in News

• • Many such important government schemes have been launched for the year 2021.
  • In this episode, Jagranjosh.com is providing you with brief and necessary information about selected government schemes for the whole year.

Ayushman Bharat CAPF Healthcare Scheme:

• • Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched ‘Ayushman Bharat CAPF’ health scheme for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.
  • This scheme was launched in a phased manner in all the states and union territories from November 2.
  • About 35 lakh CAPF personnel will be able to take advantage of this scheme.
  • CAPF Healthcare Scheme aims at providing cashless and paperless medical treatment in empaneled hospitals and ensuring access to health services across the country to CAPF personnel.

Gram Ujala Yojana:

• • Under the Gram Ujala Yojana, the government provides the world’s cheapest LED bulbs in rural areas for Rs.10.
  • It aims to promote better living standards, greater economic activity, financial savings and better security for rural citizens of Uttar Pradesh, while expanding to other states as well.

Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana:

• • Recently, the Central Government has launched the ambitious Gati Shakti Yojana or ‘National Master Plan for Multi-Modal Connectivity Plan’ for coordinated and execution of basic infrastructure projects to reduce logistics cost.
  • Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti is a step in the right direction. However, it needs to address structural and macroeconomic stability concerns arising from high public expenditure.

Rail Skill Development Scheme:

• • Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana was launched by the Railway Minister. It is a program under the aegis of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
  • Under the scheme, entry level training in industry-relevant skills will be provided to the youth through Railway Training Institutes.
  • Under Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana, training will be provided to 50,000 candidates over a period of three years.
  • It will be offered to 1000 candidates initially in four trades- Welder, Electrician, Fitter and Machinist.

PM-Daksha Scheme:

• • Another new scheme, ‘Pradhan Mantri Daksh Yojana’ has been started by the central government for the skill development of the backward classes, scheduled castes and other classes.
  • This scheme is also known as Pradhan Mantri Efficiency and Skills Enriched Beneficiary Scheme.
  • Through this scheme the target groups will be given training for skill development. Eligible beneficiaries can take advantage of the scheme by applying online.

RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme:

• • The Integrated Ombudsman Scheme will provide redressal of customer complaints relating to deficiency in services provided by Reserve Bank of India regulated entities such as banks, NBFCs (Non-Banking Financial Companies) and prepaid instrument players.
  • It is a government official who resolves complaints made by common people against public organizations. This concept of Ombudsman has come from Sweden.

RBI Retail Direct Scheme:

• • Recently, the Prime Minister has launched ‘Reserve Bank of India – Retail Direct Scheme’ to open the government bond market for retail investors.
  • Under this scheme retail investors (individuals) will have the facility to open and maintain ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’ with RBI.
  • The move is aimed at diversifying the government securities market which is dominated by institutional investors like banks, insurance companies, mutual funds among others.

Now 4G network in 7287 villages:

• • Now 4G networks will be available in 7287 villages of five states of the country. PM Narendra Modi has given green signal to a package of Rs 6466 crore for this.
  • As per the plan, 4G network service will be provided in these villages in the next 18-24 months. The proposal to provide mobile services in remote and deprived areas of aspirational districts of five states – Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha – will improve digital connectivity, the release said.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission:

• • Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission through video conferencing.
  • The nationwide rollout of this initiative was done by the National Health Authority (NHA) on the occasion of the third anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
  • Ayushman Bharat is a flagship scheme of India which was launched as per the recommendation of National Health Policy 2017 to achieve the vision of universal health coverage.
  • This mission is also known as National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).

Prime Minister’s Self-Reliant Healthy India Scheme:

• • In October 2021, Prime Minister Modi launched ‘PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission’. The scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2021-22.
  • The objective of the scheme is to develop the capacity of primary, secondary and tertiary care health systems in remote parts of the country (up to the last mile).
  • This scheme is funded by the Central Government and an outlay of about Rs.64,180 crore has been earmarked for it.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0:

• • Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 is being launched to make all cities garbage free.
  • Apart from this, the management of contaminated and black water will be ensured in the cities not covered under AMRUT. Along with this, there is a plan to prepare the local bodies of all the cities as ODF + and those with less than 1 lakh population as ODF ++. So that the goal of safe sanitation in urban areas can be fulfilled.

AMRUT 2.0:

• • The scheme aims to supply drinking water to all households in 4,700 urban local bodies.
  • Under this there will be 2.68 tap connections in these cities and 100 percent coverage of sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities.
  • This will benefit about 10.5 crore people in urban areas. AMRUT 2.0 will work under the principles of circular economy. It will promote conservation and rejuvenation of surface and ground water bodies.