UPSC 2017: Best of PIB - March 23

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana
  • The Scheme aims at providing Senior Citizens (belonging to BPL category) suffering from any of the age related disability such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth etc with such assisted-living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions
  • The assistive devices provided shall be of high quality and conforming to the standards laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards
  • It is a central sector scheme. It was proposed in the budget of 2015-16
  • Will be launched on 1st April, 2017 in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh
  • The scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency ALIMCO (Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation) – A PSU which works under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  • The scheme is expected to benefit 5,20,000 Senior Citizens over a period of the 3 years
  • Beneficiaries in each district will be identified by the State Governments/UT Administrations through a Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector

As per census of 2011

  • The population of senior citizens in India is 10.38 crore
  • More than 70% of the population of senior citizens live in rural areas of the country
  • A sizeable percentage i.e. around 5.2% of the senior citizens suffers from some sort of disabilities related to old age
  • Projections indicate that the number of elderly population will increase to around 173 million by 2026

 

Measures to provide 24x7 Affordable and Environment Friendly 
‘Power For All’ by 2019

As per the ministry of power following measures have been taken up to provide power for all by 2019

  • Preparation of state specific action plans on issues such as covering adequacy of generation, transmission capacity and distribution system
  • Launch of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) for rural areas which provides for
    • separation of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders
    • strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas including metering at distribution transformers, feeders and consumers end
    • rural electrification
  • Launch of Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for urban areas which provides for
    • strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks in urban areas
    • metering of distribution transformers/feeders/consumers in urban areas
    • IT enablement of distribution sector and strengthening of distribution network
  • Operationalization of Power System Development Fund (PSDF) which shall be used for
    • Creating necessary transmission system of strategic importance
    • Installation of shunt capacitors etc. for improvement of voltage profile in the grid
    • Installation of standard and special protection schemes
    • Renovation and Modernisation of transmission and distribution systems for relieving congestion
  • Launching of Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY): The scheme has been launched for operational and financial turnaround of Discoms. The funding pattern is
    • GoI grant – 60% (85% in case of special category states)
    • State’s contribution – 10% (5% in case of special category states)
    • Loan from banks/financial institutions – 30% (10% in case of Special Category States)
  • Measures initiated for reducing the generation cost of coal based power projects
    • Increasing supply of domestic coal
    • Coal usage flexibility
    • Rationalization of coal linkages
  • Implementation of Green Energy Corridor for transmission of renewable energy
  • Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA)
    • The objective is to replace 77 crore incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs
    • It will result in estimated avoided capacity generation of 20,000 MW and save 100 billion kWh per year by March, 2019
  • Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) is being implemented to replace 1.4 crore conventional street lights by LED street lights    The Minister further stated that the funding pattern for the new schemes initiated by the Government is as under:

Special Incentives and Schemes for Women Entrepreneurs
TREAD Scheme

  • Trade Related Entrepreneurship Development Assistance
  • The scheme envisages economic empowerment of women
  • Under the scheme financial loans are given by Nationalized Banks and grants by GoI up to of 30% of the loan subject to maximum limit of ₹ 30 Iakh through NGOs for capacity  building  and for undertaking  self-employment ventures

Mahila Coir Yojana (MCY)

  • Under this training and coir processing equipments
  • It is a self-employment to the rural women artisans in coir producing regions
  • The scheme envisages distribution of motorized rats/motorized traditional rats and other coir processing equipments
  • A subsidy of 75% is provided after imparting training with a duration of 2 months (subject to a maximum amount of Rs.7500/-) The training under MCY are conducted through all training centres of the Board
  • The scheme is prevalent in coir producing coastal states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha ,Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Pondicherry, A&N Islands, West Bengal and NE Region

Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) scheme

  • 20% of total targets of EDPs are conducted exclusively for weaker sections of the society that includes women with a stipend of ₹ 500 per month per candidate
  • it is provided under the promotional package for Micro Small Enterprises (MSEs)

 

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