25 May 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. SAMARTH Campaign
2. ADB, India Sign Agreement for Industrial Corridor Development in Andhra Pradesh
3. Development of Unani Medicine System in India

1. SAMARTH Campaign

Syllabus – GS3, Growth & Development.

Prelims – Samarth Campaign

Context – Launch of Samarth Campaign to promote digital transactions at Gram Panchayat Level.

Details –

• The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Shri Giriraj Singh launched Samarth Campaign on promoting digital transactions in 50,000 Gram Panchayats under Amrit Mahotsav in Lucknow.
• Samarth Campaign by the Ministry of Rural Development was started on 1st February 2023 and will continue till 15th August 2023 under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The aim of the campaign is to promote digital transactions in rural India and is more focused on women.
• Shri Giriraj Singh lauded Self Help Group’s NPA (Non-Performing Assets) coming down from 9.58% in 2013 to below 2% and urged banks to facilitate loans for them in line with their splendid performance.
• The contribution of BC (Banking Correspondent) Sakhis to the growth of digital transactions is also laudable. The digital transformation brought about by BC Sakhis in Uttar Pradesh alone is to the tune of 5 crore 57 lakh transactions; the BC Sakhis have served such a vast population including the last mile with doorstep banking.
• The event witnessed the unveiling of a compendium of 75 Inspirational Tales of BC Sakhis along with live testimonies of transformations in the lives of BC Sakhis who narrated their stories of success. On this occasion, Biometric PoS machines were also distributed to BC Sakhis and appointment letters were handed over to the newly appointed BC Sakhis.

2. ADB, India Sign Agreement for Industrial Corridor Development in Andhra Pradesh

Syllabus – GS2, Important International Organisations.

Prelims – Asian Development Bank 

Context – ADB & GoI sign a $141.12 million loan for industrial corridor development in Andhra Pradesh.

Details –

• Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Indian Government signed a $141.12 million loan to support the development of high-quality internal infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh. The funding is for the construction of roads, water supply systems and electricity distribution network in three industrial clusters of Andhra Pradesh.
• The financing is the second tranche of the $500 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the program approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to build infrastructure in three industrial clusters in Visakhapatnam and Srikalahasthi-Chittoor nodes in the state.
• The funding will help the state in promoting industrialisation thereby increasing the share of manufacturing in the state’s GDP and will help create jobs in the project target areas.
• The project will support the state in rolling out an updated marketing action plan for investment promotion and enhancing the skills of people including socially and economically vulnerable sections.
• To address the resilience of industrial clusters in extreme weather conditions, the project will establish operational guidelines for a green corridor model and develop a disaster risk management plan.

3. Development of Unani Medicine System in India

Syllabus – GS2, Health: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

Prelims – Unani Medicine System 

Context – The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) grants Rs 45.34 crores for the promotion of the Unani Medicine System.

Details –

• The ministries of Ayush and Minority Affairs have jointly taken a significant step to promote and develop the Unani system of medicine in India.
• The MoMA has approved a grant of Rs 45.34 crores under a centrally sponsored scheme – PMJVK (Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram) for the upgradation of Unani Medicine Facilities at Hyderabad, Chennai, Silchar, Lucknow and Bengaluru. PMJVK is an area development programme under which community infrastructure and basic amenities are being created in the identified areas.
• A total amount of Rs 35.52 crores has been sanctioned to CCRUM (Central Council of Research in Unani Medicine) and the National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Bengaluru has been allotted Rs 9.81 crores.

Read the previous PIB articles here.

May 25th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here