Project Arth Ganga

Image Source - Piv.gov.in

The National Mission for Clean Ganga's Director General recently discussed the Arth Ganga approach during World Water Week 2022.

Key Features of the project

• The term "Arth Ganga" alludes to a sustainable development paradigm with an emphasis on Gang-related economic activity.
• The idea was initially presented by PM Modi at the inaugural National Ganga Council meeting in Kanpur in 2019 when he pushed for a switch from Namami Gange to the Arth Ganga model.

The government is focusing on six verticals under Arth Ganga:

• The first is Zero Budget Natural Farming, which encourages the use of cow dung as fertiliser through the Gobardhan initiative and chemical-free farming for 10 km on either side of the river.
• The second strategy, called Monetization and Reuse of Sludge and Wastewater, aims to repurpose cleaned water for agriculture, industry, and the generating of income for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
• The third goal is to improve public participation by strengthening the relationships between the many river stakeholders.
• Through boat tourism, adventure sports, and yoga classes, the model also hopes to enhance the cultural history and tourism of Ganga and its surroundings.
• Last but not least, the concept aims to encourage institutional building by strengthening local government for better water governance.

World Water Week

• Every year during the last week of August, a conference called World Water Week is conducted to discuss global water challenges.
• It was first introduced in 1991 as a component of a public water festival in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
• International Water Week is put on by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).
• Exploring the water implications of problems like climate catastrophe, food security, energy, and other issues is possible during World Water Week.
• The week is also used as a chance to talk about and move the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6), which is about providing everyone with access to clean water and sanitation, forward.
• World Water Week 2022 will have as its subject "Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water."
• The theme will look at three main areas: the value of water among people and for development, the value of water with respect to nature and climate change, and the economic and financial value of water.

Namami Gange Programme

• The Union Government designated the Namami Gange Programme as a "Flagship Program" in June 2014 to achieve the twin goals of effective pollution reduction and protection and revitalization of the National River Ganga.
• It is run by the Ministry of Jal Shakti's Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its state counterpart organisations, State Initiative Management Groups, are in charge of carrying out the programme (SPMGs).
• The National Ganga Council's implementation division is known as NMCG (set in 2016, which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority - NGRBA).
• It consists of almost 288 projects with a Rs 20,000 crore centrally supported, non-lapsable corpus.

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One Nation One Fertilizer

Image Source - MyGov

It has been agreed to execute One Nation One Fertilizer by creating a "Single Brand for Fertilizers and Logo" under the fertilizer subsidy program known as the "Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojna," according to a statement from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (PMBJP).

About

• Beginning on October 2, 2022, the One Nation-One Fertilizer (ONOF) idea will be put into practice.
• Regardless of the manufacturer, all fertiliser bags, whether they contain urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MOP), or NPK, will bear the brand names "Bharat Urea," "Bharat DAP," "Bharat MOP," and "Bharat NPK" (private or public).
• The idea is included in the Center's Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojana fertiliser subsidy programme (PM-BJP)
• Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojana, a new brand with a subsidised title, will occupy

Benefits

• By ending the crisscross movement of fertilisers, cutting down on transit time, and guaranteeing fertiliser supply all year long regardless of brand preferences, a single brand name will aid in the lowering of freight costs.
• Additionally, it will prevent urea from being diverted for industrial use.
• Because the government provides these products with a significant subsidy that exceeds the maximum retail price, the subsidy programmes will also be noted on the bag

Drawbacks

• Companies that produce fertiliser will be discouraged from engaging in marketing and brand promotion efforts.
• They will now only serve as the government's contracted importers and manufacturers.
• Currently, the corporation is held accountable for any bags or batches of fertilizer that don't adhere to the necessary criteria.
• However, that might now be entirely transferred to the government

Also, Read - Project arth ganga

The Economics of Road Safety

Image Source - istock

Recently, the minimum six-airbag requirement for cars that can accommodate up to eight passengers was declared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Recent Government steps:

• For the safety of the people, the government has demanded that all cars have six airbags as of October 1, 2022.
• Approximately 1,50,000 persons each year in India die in traffic accidents, with the 18–24 age group accounting for 60% of those fatalities.
• The GDP loss resulting from unintentional deaths in India would be in the neighbourhood of 3%.

Criticisms:

• Requiring more airbags will increase the cost of entry-level vehicles.

• The price-sensitive segment of the auto market, which has already experienced a decline in sales over the past four years, will see its demand for cars further weakened as a result.
• The business model of automakers may be destroyed by government involvement in the market.

Reasons for increasing death tolls

• Preferences: Rather than focusing on safety, Indians base their decisions on a number of criteria, including purchase price, gas mileage, and creature comforts.
• Wearing seatbelts and helmets: Indians tend to be reluctant to use seatbelts and helmets while driving.
• In most situations, crashes are the result of negligence on the part of other road users.
• Lack of understanding of traffic safety - The majority of people lack knowledge of traffic safety.

Picture in other countries

High-income nations Prior to the 1960s, traffic fatalities were on the rise in high-income nations, but they soon started to fall.

• The focus of the issue changed from being on the driver to a more balanced strategy, which later became known as the "Safe System" strategy.
• In a wide view of the environment where crashes occur, it comprised treatments that were centred on cars, road infrastructure, and post-crash care.
• In 1966, the US Congress approved two crucial pieces of legislation that allowed the government to have a significant role in promoting road safety.
• The Act for Promoting National Motor Vehicle Safety and
• Roadway Safety Act
• As a result, the National Highway Safety Bureau, subsequently known as the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA), was founded.

In countries with low and moderate incomes, on the other hand, the majority of LMICs experience an increase in traffic injuries or a steady level of traffic injuries.

• Reason: There is a general correlation between income growth and traffic injuries, and traffic fatality rates are a function of income growth.
• Growth in affluence is directly correlated with increased motorization in developing nations, which raises the risk of traffic accidents.
• It is currently believed that nations are too impoverished to invest in harm reduction.
• When a nation reaches a certain stage of economic growth, it starts to fund programmes to improve road safety, which lowers the number of people injured in traffic accidents.

Steps were taken in India to prevent road accidents

• A National Road Safety Policy has been authorised by the government to raise awareness, create a database of information on road safety, support safer road infrastructure, enforce safety rules, and other objectives.
• The National Road Safety Council was established by the government as the top authority to make decisions regarding road safety policy.
• The Ministry introduced the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2017—covering the entire spectrum of road safety—based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers.
• The Ministry has developed a multifaceted approach centred on the four "Es" of education, engineering (for both roads and vehicles), enforcement, and emergency care to address the issue of road safety.
• A National Road Safety Policy has been authorised by the government to raise awareness, create a database of information on road safety, support safer road infrastructure, enforce safety rules, and other objectives.
• Selected sections of national highways have undergone a road safety audit.
• Tightening of requirements for anti-lock brakes, seat belts, and other vehicle safety features.
• Identification and correction of black spots (accident-prone places) on national highways have been given top priority.
• To raise awareness among drivers, the Ministry of Road Transport established District Road Safety Committees in each district of the nation.
• In order to consider and recommend the formation of a special organisation for traffic control and road safety, the government established the Sundar Committee in 2005.

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Paddy Dwarfing

Image Source - The Indian Express

• In Punjab and Haryana, a strange illness has struck the paddy crop, "dwarfing" the plants.
• The 'Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus' (SRBSDV), so named after Southern China, where it was initially discovered in 2001, has been identified as the mystery's cause by scientists.

Paddy Dwarfing

• Rice dwarf disease is characterised by plant stunting and the formation of white chlorotic spots on the leaf.
• The height of the stunted plants was reduced from half to three-quarters of the height of the normal plants.
• These plants were simple to remove because of their shallow roots.
• Nearly all of the cultivated types in the farmers' fields contained these plants.
• Plant dwarfing was often observed at 10% to 25%, but in rare cases, it exceeded 40%.
• Regardless of variety, the incidence of stunting was more evident in paddy crops that were sown early.

Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus (SRBSDV)

Origin:

• Named after Southern China, where it was originally discovered to be the disease-causing factor in 2001 and where it was first reported.
• Regardless of variety, the incidence of stunting was more evident in paddy crops that were sown early.

Impact:

• In rice fields that were seriously infected, the diseased plants began to wither.
• The height of the stunted plants was reduced by between half and three-quarters compared to the normal plants.
• These plants were simple to remove because of their shallow roots.
• In the farmer's fields, these plants were seen in practically all of the farmed types.
• White-backed plant hoppers (WBPH) are the primary vectors for the chronic circulative and propagative transmission of the SRBSDV.
• Due to the virus's ability to spread more effectively in nymphs of WBPH than in adults, SRBSDV not only affects rice but also several weed species.
• WBPH's ability to migrate with typhoons and powerful convection winds may allow for the long-distance spread of this virus.

Prevention

• Insecticides can be applied toward the base of the plants if WBPH nymphs or adults are observed floating on water.
• Farmers should periodically check the crop for the presence of WBPH and a few plants should be slightly tilted and tapped 2-3 times at the base at weekly intervals because there was no cure for the viral disease

Insecticides like Pexalon 10 SC (triflumezopyrim) @ 94 ml/acre, Osheen/Token 20 SG (dinotefuran) @ 80 g/acre, or Chess 50 WG (pymetrozine) @ 120 g/acre can be sprayed at the base of the plants if WBPH nymphs or adults are observed floating on water

Also, Read - One Nation One Fertilizer

National Sports Day 2022

Image Source - Career India

Every year on August 29th, India commemorates National Sports Day or Rashtriya Khel Divas in honour of hockey great Major Dhyan Chand, who was born on this day in 1905.

Key Points

• India's National Sports Day was established in 2012, and it was first observed that year.
• The country honours its sporting heroes on this day.
• The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, and Dhyan Chand Awards are among the sports honours that the president presents on this occasion.

Significance:

• The main goal of National Sports Day is to raise public awareness of the importance of sports and physical activity in daily life.
• To spread the word about the importance of National Sports Day, the Indian government organizes a variety of events, programs, seminars, and other activities.

Who was Major Dhyan Chand?

• Major Dhyan Chand Singh, the finest hockey player to ever represent India and widely referred to as the "Wizard of Hockey," was born on August 29, 1905, in what is now Praygraj, Uttar Pradesh.
• He competed for India as a centre forward at three Olympic Games, winning gold medals while serving as captain in Berlin in 1936, Los Angeles in 1932, and Amsterdam in 1928.
• He travelled to New Zealand in 1926 as a member of the first Indian overseas army team.
• Between 1926 and 1948, Major Dhyan Chand scored approximately 1,000 goals throughout his whole career, including more than 400 goals on the international stage.
• In an effort to honour such a renowned athlete, the Indian government chose to designate his birthday as National Sports Day in 2012.
• The third-highest civilian honour in India, the Padma Bhushan Award, was given to him in 1956 before receiving this recognition.
• He passed away on December 3rd, 1979, in Delhi after falling into a coma.

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