GS PAPER II NEWS
Jal Jeevan Mission
Why in News
- The Prime Minister launched the Jal Jeevan Mission app on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti to raise awareness among the stakeholders and to create greater transparency and accountability in the schemes under the mission.
Key point
- The Prime Minister also launched the Rashtriya Jal Jeevan Kosh, where an individual, organization, company, or social worker, whether in India or abroad, can provide tap-water connections to every rural household, school, Anganwadi center, ashram shala and other public institutions. You can contribute to help.
- Nationwide Gram Sabhas were also organized during the day on Jal Jeevan Mission.
- Planning and management of rural water supply systems will be discussed in Gram Sabhas and work will also be done towards sustainable water security.
About Water Committees/VWSCs
- Water committees play a major role in planning, implementation, management, operation, and maintenance of rural water supply systems, providing each household with clean tap water on a regular and sustainable basis.
- Water Committees/VWSCs have been constituted in about 3.5 lakh villages out of a total of more than 6 lakh villages.
- More than 7.1 lakh women have been trained to test water quality using field test kits.
About Jal Jeevan Mission
- The Prime Minister had announced the Jal Jeevan Mission on August 15, 2019, with the aim of providing clean tap water to every family.
- At the launch of the mission, only 3.23 crore (17 percent) rural households had access to a tap-water supply.
- Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, over 5 crore households have been provided tap-water connections in the last two years.
- So far about 8.26 crore (43 percent) rural households are being supplied with tap water in their homes.
- In the country’s 78 districts, 58 thousand gram panchayats, and 1.16 lakh villages, every family has been provided with a tap-water supply.
- So far 7.72 lakh (76 percent) schools and 7.48 lakh (67.5 percent) Anganwadi centers have been provided with tap-water supply.
- Jal Jeevan Mission with a budget of Rs.3.60 lakh crore in partnership with the States, following the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Sabka-Saath, Sabka-Vikas, Sabka-Vishwas, Sabka-Prayas’ and following the ‘Bottom Up’ approach is being implemented.
- In addition, Rs 1.42 lakh crore has been allocated to Panchayati Raj Institutions as a special grant under the 15th Finance Commission for clean water and sanitation in villages for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
GS PAPER II
Digi Saksham Initiative
Why in News
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- The Union Ministry of Labor and Employment in collaboration with Microsoft launched Digi Saksham.
Key point
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- It is a digital skilling program aimed at enhancing the employability of youth by imparting digital skills.
- This joint initiative with Microsoft India is an extension of government-run programs to encourage youth in rural and semi-urban areas.
- Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav while speaking at the launch of Digi Saksham said that fast-paced technology up-gradation, reskilling, continuous skilling, and up-skilling is a must.
Objective
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- Through the Digi Saksham initiative, over 3 lakh youth will be provided free training in digital skills including basic as well as advance computing in the first year.
- This initiative gives priority to job seekers from semi-urban areas belonging to disadvantaged communities.
- These also include those who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Features of Digi Enable
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- Job seekers can avail of training through the National Career Service (NCS) portal.
- Basically three types of training will be provided under the Digi Saksham initiative. Digital Skills- Learning at your own pace, VILT Mode Training (Led by Virtual Instructor), and ILT Mode Training.
- ILT under the initiative, which is individual training, model career centers for SC/ST across the country
- (MCC) and National Career Service Centers (NCSC).
- Digi Saksham will be implemented in the region by Aga Khan Rural Support Program India (AKRSP-I).
How will it be important for the youth of the country?
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- Through this initiative, about 10 million active job seekers registered on the National Career Service (NCS) portal will be provided access to Java Script, Data Visualization, Advance Excel, Power BI, HTML, Programming Languages, Software Development Fundamentals, Coding will enable them to receive training in areas such as introduction, etc. to equip them with the necessary skills in the digital economy.
- In the first year of the DigiSaksham initiative, more than 300,000 youth will be equipped with technical skills and job-seekers to access Microsoft learning resources such as programming languages, data analytics, software development fundamentals, and enhanced digital productivity on the National Career Service (NCS) portal. can reach.
National Employment Service (NCS)
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- Ministry of Labor and Employment is implementing the National Employment Service (NCS) project as a mission mode project to provide various employment-related services like job placement, career counseling, vocational guidance, and skill development courses, training, internship, etc. information can be provided.
- Services are available online under NCS which was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.
- All the services available in the portal are free of cost to all stakeholders including job seekers, employers, training providers, and placement organizations.
- NCS portals can be accessed directly or from career centers (employment exchanges), common service centers, post offices, mobile devices, cyber cafes, etc.
- Career Information also provides occupational information on more than 3600 occupations based on the 2015 National Classification of Occupations.
- Government of India has provided financial assistance to the states to set up Model Career Centres.
- The NCS portal also provided an open structure for the participation of institutions and organizations for the delivery of career and employment-related services.
GS PAPER III
India’s external debt grew by 2.1 percent: Finance Ministry
Why in News
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- According to the Finance Ministry, India’s external/external debt stood at 2.1 per cent year-on-year to USD 570 billion by the end of March, 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. India’s external debt ratio increased to 21.1 per cent at the end of March, 2021 from 20.6 per cent at the end of Mar-19.
Key point
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- The external debt ratio increased from 85.6 per cent to 101.2 per cent during the same period. As per the Status Report on India’s External Debt by the Ministry of Finance, India secures its status as a net creditor to the world.
Major events
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- India’s external debt stood at US$ 570 million at the end of March, 2021, an increase of US$ 11.5 billion from the level at the end of March, 2020. India’s external debt to GDP ratio increased from 20.6 per cent at the end of Mar-19 to 21.1 percent at the end of Mar-19.
- The largest component/s of India’s external debt was a US dollar-led debt with a share of 52.1 per cent at the end of March 2021, followed by the Indian rupee (33.3 per cent), yen (5.8 per cent). ), the SDR (4.4 percent), and the euro (3.5 percent).
- India’s sovereign debt by the end of March 2021
- The relative increase in non-sovereign debt affects the dynamics of India’s external debt, which, as the economy expands, complements domestic savings to fund large investments.
- This pandemic year caused a relative increase in sovereign debt, which contributed 2.1 percent to the overall growth of India’s external debt. This increase has been attributed to COVID-19 loans.
- The report stated that, government debt of USD 107.2 billion, more than offset the decline in foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in government securities, increased external aid to its level at the end of March, 2020. increased by 6.2 percent.
- India’s non-sovereign debt by the end of March 2021
- India’s non-sovereign debt to USD 462.8 billion grew 1.2 per cent year-on-year.
- 95 per cent of this non-sovereign debt was on account of NRI deposits, commercial borrowings and short-term business loans. NRI deposits rose 8.7 per cent to US$141.9 billion, short-term trade credit at US$97.3 billion and commercial borrowings at US$197.0 billion, up 4.1 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively. has decreased.
Summary
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- Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s external/external debt is managed sustainably and judiciously
- India’s external debt at the end of March, 2021 – as the depreciation of the US dollar at the end of March, 2021 was higher than the level at the end of March, 2020, there was a valuation loss of US $ 6.8 billion
- India’s external debt at the end of March, 2021 – excluding these valuation losses, India’s external debt would have been US$ 4.7 billion instead of US$ 11.5 billion.
- A weak US dollar, COVID-19 debt and NRI deposits have mostly contributed to the growth of India’s external debt till the end of March, 2021.
- What is this debt-GDP ratio?
- Debt-to-GDP (Debt-to-GDP) ratio is the ratio between a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and debt.
- This ratio indicates the ability of a country to repay its debt.
- A country with a low debt-to-GDP ratio indicates that it is able to pay off its debt without any further debt, while being able to produce and sell goods.
GS PAPER III
Drone spraying of nano-liquid urea successfully test-fired
Why in News
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- Successful site trial of Drone Spraying of Liquid Nano Urea at Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare.
Key point
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- This pilot test of liquid nano urea with a drone was done by IFFCO. IFFCO (IFFCO) is a company developing Nano Liquid Urea.
- India has become the first country in the world to start commercial production of nano urea.
- Today not only Nano Urea is being produced on a large scale, but we are happy that ever since its production started, farmers are adopting it on a large scale.
- It started production in June and since then we have produced more than 5 million bottles of Nano Urea.
- More than one lakh bottles of Nano Urea are being produced per day.
- Concerns are also expressed about the potential harm it may cause to the health of the sprinkler.
Profit
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- Drone spraying will solve these questions and problems.
- Drones can be sprayed over a greater area in less time. This will save the time of the farmers.
- The cost of spraying will be less. This will result in financial savings to the farmers. Along with this, the safety of the sprinkler will also be ensured.
- Liquid nano urea has emerged as an effective alternative to conventional urea in a very short span of time.
- The use of liquefied nano urea will bring economic savings to the farmers, increase productivity and reduce India’s dependence on urea imports.
- This will also reduce the subsidy burden on the government and the government will be able to use this savings for other public welfare schemes.
- Spraying of liquid nano urea by drone is more effective on crops and will also have a positive impact on productivity.