20 Nov 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Swachh Survekshan Award 2021
2. Food Corporation of India’s first state of the art laboratory
3. Sickle Cell Disease among Tribals
4. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

1. Swachh Survekshan Award 2021

Context: The President of India presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards which was a part of the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. This event echoed the fundamentals of Gandhian doctrine, “cleanliness is next to godliness”. Besides the tireless efforts of the sanitation workers and the Safai Mitras were appreciated.

About The Event:

• This event intended to acknowledge the laudable work done by the towns, cities, States and Union Territories under the initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Urban, Swachh Survekshan 2021 and Safaimitra Suraksha challenge.
• There were certifications for garbage free star rating for cities and 300 awards have been given under various categories.
• Indore was felicitated as the cleanest city under Swachh Survekshan,Surat and Vijayawada occupied the second and third positions respectively for 1 lakh population category.
• Varanasi was awarded as the Best Ganga Town whereas Ahmedabad Cantonment was regarded as India’s cleanest Cantonment. The city of Hoshangabad (Madhya Pradesh) won the Fastest Mover City award.
• The Star Rating Protocol introduced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Indore, New Delhi Municipal Council, Surat, Ambikapur, Noida, Mysuru, Vijayawada and Patan were certified as Five Star Cities.
• The list of following awards was bagged by the states:
  • Chhattisgarh emerged as the cleanest state in the category of more than 100 Urban Local Bodies
  • Jharkhand was awarded as the cleanest state in the category of less than 100 ULBs.
  • Karnataka became the fastest mover state in the category of more than 100 ULBs.
  • Mizoram became the fastest mover state in the category of less than 100 ULBs.

Significance:

• The context of environmental protection is a major area of concern that has set up a new era of using the resources by means of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. India has walked an extraordinary path in developing environment friendly measures with excellent ideas that aim to convert Waste to Wealth and encourage entrepreneurship and investment in such areas. An event that recognizes the joint efforts of the stakeholders of the Swachhta campaign acts as a testimony of India’s progress towards a clean and green future that employs sustainable usage of natural resources.
• The launch of the spatial GIS platform makes the Swachh Bharat Mission paperless, robust and transparent. This will ensure better connectivity between states, cities and other functionaries under the Swachhta campaign.

2. Food Corporation of India’s first state of the art laboratory

Context: The first state of the art laboratory of Food Corporation of India was launched in Gurugram. FCI operates under the department of Food and  Public Distribution. The Quality Control laboratory for the in house testing of food grains was inaugurated at the Institute of Food Security, FCI, Gurugram.

About the Event:

• The quality control laboratory offers a well equipped facility to assure food safety attending to the health requirements of consumers.
• There was a short film on ‘Fortification of Rice’ to spread awareness about fortified rice and dispelling all myths about the same.
• Rice fortification involves the addition of micronutrients to regular rice enhancing the nutritive quality of food.
• The government paid considerable attention to malnutrition, anaemia in children and women and stepped ahead to expand the ambit of the Public Distribution System and Mid Day Meal with a special aim to promote fortified rice.
• It was pointed out that the food grains to be issued from FCI depots for various government schemes will be checked in house to determine the pesticides level, mycotoxin(Fungal toxins), Uric acid and fortification levels of vitamins.

3. Sickle Cell Disease among Tribals

Context: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs took an initiative to tackle sickle cell diseases that are common among tribals and organised workshops as a preventive step towards eliminating such disease.

About Sickle Cell Disease:

• It is a genetic disease which is common in the tribal population with a 10% tendency of tribals to carry the gene that triggers sickle cell conditions.
• Sickle cell disease involves the synthesis of an abnormal hemoglobin that results in reduced oxygen carrying capacity. The tissues of vital organs do not get enough oxygen.
• These sickle shaped red blood cells cannot move freely through the blood vessels and clump up and create blockages that cause pain.

Measures taken up by the Government:

• Amidst the eventful week of commemorating the noticeable tribal leader Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs planned up four sensitization workshops to mitigate the cases of sickle cell diseases in the tribals.
• The Ministry attempted to bring together reputed institutes, renewed hematologists, medical practitioners and staff, teachers and students of Eklavya schools.
• Various state governments initiated screening programmes and realised the need to create a database and elimination plans for the disease.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is setting up action plans in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NGOs and other organisations to improve the research on sickle cell disease and provide financial assistance for screening programmes especially to detect sickle cell gene at the early stage in pregnant mothers.

4. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

Context: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs celebrates the 5th Anniversary of  Housing for All Scheme which resulted in a comprehensive urban planning towards a sustainable future.

Key Announcements made:

• The e- book for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will be launched
• The National Institute of Urban Affairs website will be upgraded with a strong knowledge bank for the topical issues of urban development and agendas.
• The National Urban Learning Platforms will ensure to work towards skill development required for capacity building resulting in an effective governance at all levels.
• Climate centre for cities has been set up to institutionalise learning on climate change.
• There will be a city finance portal that will offer financial statements of all cities on a single platform. This will assist the ULBs in accessing market funds.
• Cycles4change Challenge under the Smart City Mission will promote pop-up cycle lanes and non-motorized zones. This will be an effective step towards the betterment of urban mobility and decarbonisation of transport.

Read previous PIB here.

November 20th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here