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Monthly DNA
22 May, 2020
60 Min Read
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
Context
As part of the economic response to COVID-19, the Government of India has launched a pro-poor scheme “Pradhan Mnatri Garib Kalyan Package” (PMGKP), Under this scheme, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is providing free of cost LPG cylinders to over 8 crore PMUY beneficiaries for 3 months w.e.f 1.4.20. During April, 2020, Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs) have delivered 453.02 lakh cylinders to PMUY beneficiaries under PMGKP.
About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is a scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for providing LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.
Need
In India, the poor have limited access to cooking gas (LPG). The spread of LPG cylinders has been predominantly in the urban and semi-urban areas with the coverage mostly in middle class and affluent households. But there are serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuels.
According to WHO estimates, about 5 lakh deaths in India alone due to unclean cooking fuels. Most of these premature deaths were due to non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Indoor air pollution is also responsible for a significant number of acute respiratory illnesses in young children. According to experts, having an open fire in the kitchen is like burning 400 cigarettes an hour.
Providing LPG connections to BPL households will ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country. This measure will empower women and protect their health. It will reduce drudgery and the time spent on cooking. It will also provide employment for rural youth in the supply chain of cooking gas.
Target beneficiaries
Under the scheme, an adult woman belonging to a poor family not having LPG connection in her household, is an eligible beneficiary under the expanded scheme.
Release of LPG connection under this Scheme shall be in the name of the women belonging to the BPL family.
Initially, the Government covered the following categories under the Scheme :-
Benefits to the citizens
Under the scheme, five crore LPG connections are to be provided to BPL households. The Scheme provides a financial support of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection to the BPL households, interest free loan to purchase stove and refill by Oil Marketing Companies. The administrative cost of Rs. 1600 per connection, which includes a cylinder, pressure regulator, booklet, safety hose, etc. would be borne by the Government.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana scheme for the PMUY beneficiaries
As part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana scheme for the PMUY beneficiaries to enable them to combat COVID 19 crisis, availability of up to 3 refills for 14.2 kg cylinders and advance Retail Selling Price being transferred by OMCs to the PMUY customer’s bank account, which can be withdrawn to obtain the refill from the distributor has been announced.
Source: PIB
States express desire to expedite early notification of Ecologically Sensitive Area of Western Ghats.
Context:
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar today interacted with Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers & State Government Officers of six states viz, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu through Video Conference to discuss issues relating to notification of Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) pertaining to the Western Ghats.
To conserve and protect the biodiversity of Western Ghats while allowing for sustainable and inclusive development of the region, the Government of India constituted a High-Level Working Group under the Chairmanship of Dr Kasturirangan. The Committee had recommended that identified geographical areas falling in the six States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu may be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.
Ecologically Sensitive Areas
Why the Western Ghats is so important?
Gadgil report
Kasturirangan report
Source: PIB
Context
About Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM)
The Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) is a not-for-profit association formed to be the apex body of the Indian defence industry. SIDM plays a proactive role as an advocate, catalyst, and facilitator for the growth and capability building of the defence industry in India.
Vision
Catalyse the Indian defence industry to effectively contribute to India's national security and become a trustworthy global partner.
Mission
Work closely with the Government towards enabling the growth of the defence industry. Collaborate with experts from the Armed forces.
Values
Source: PIB
Source: PIB
Context
About Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas
Source: PIB
IIT Guwahati discovers new ways to prevent memory loss due to Alzheimer
Context
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has worked on out-of-the-box ideas that can help prevent or reduce short-term memory losses associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
They studied the neurochemical principles of Alzheimer’s, and explored new ways to prevent accumulation of neurotoxic molecules in the brain that are associated with short-term memory loss.
Methods used
Importance of this discovery
Source: PIB
Agappe Chitra Magna is a magnetic nanoparticle-based RNA extraction kit for use during testing for detection of COVID-19.
The RNA extraction kit was developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Trivandrum, an Institute of National Importance of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) along with Agappe Diagnostics Ltd, an in vitro diagnostics manufacturing company based in Cochin.
Advantages
Agappe Chitra Magna
Agappe Chitra Magna is a magnetic nanoparticle-based RNA extraction kit for use during testing for detection of COVID-19.
The RNA extraction kit was developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Trivandrum, an Institute of National Importance of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) along with Agappe Diagnostics Ltd, an in vitro diagnostics manufacturing company based in Cochin.
Advantages
Source: PIB
Issues with Rht dwarfing varieties
Advantages of Rht14 and Rht18
Source: PIB
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