PIB Summary- 17th May, 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Meri LiFE

Why in News?
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has launched a mobile application called “Meri LiFE” (My Life) to mobilize youth for climate change ahead of World Environment Day on 5th June.

• The Ministry has developed two dedicated portals for LiFE: the Mission LiFE Portal and the Meri LiFE Portal.

About Meri LiFE app

• The Meri LiFE app has a specific goal in mind: to showcase the power of citizens, particularly young people, in environmental conservation.
• By emphasizing the impact of simple actions in daily lives, the app aims to inspire users to actively participate in saving the environment.

Catalyzing a National Movement

• The primary objective of the Meri LiFE app is to catalyze a national movement known as LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).
• It achieves this by providing a structured platform that allows users to track their progress in accomplishing the goals set by Mission LiFE.

Promoting LiFE-Related Tasks
The app encourages users to engage in a series of LiFE-related tasks that fall under five specific themes:

• Save Energy: Users are encouraged to take actions that conserve energy and promote energy efficiency in their daily lives.
• Save Water: Users are prompted to adopt behaviors that help conserve water resources and reduce water wastage.
• Reduce Single-Use Plastic: The app motivates users to actively reduce their consumption of single-use plastics and promote the use of sustainable alternatives.
• Adopt Sustainable Food Systems: Users are guided towards adopting sustainable food practices, such as reducing food waste and choosing locally sourced, organic options.
• Adopt Healthy Lifestyle: The app promotes the adoption of a healthy lifestyle by encouraging users to make choices that benefit both their personal well-being and the environment.

About LiFE-Movement

Aim of LiFE

• The LiFE Movement aims to utilise the power of collective action and nudge individuals across the world to undertake simple climate-friendly actions in their daily lives.
• The LiFE movement, additionally, also seeks to leverage the strength of social networks to influence social norms surrounding climate.

Pro-Planet People

• The Mission plans to create and nurture a global network of individuals, namely ‘Pro-Planet People’ (P3), who will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
• Through the P3 community, the Mission seeks to create an ecosystem that will reinforce and enable environmentally friendly behaviours to be self-sustainable.
• LIFE recognizes that small individual actions can tip the balance in the planet’s favour.

Vision and Mission of LiFE

• The vision of ‘LIFE’ is to live a lifestyle that is in tune with our planet and does not harm it The people who live such a lifestyle can be called “Pro-Planet people.”

Mission liFE for India

• Mission LiFE borrows from the past, operates in the present and focuses on the future. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are the concepts woven into our life. The Circular Economy has been an integral part of our culture and lifestyle.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

Why in News?
For giving fresh impetus to deliverables under the flagship Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana(PMMSY) seven major field studies are being carried out by the autonomous body, National Productivity Council (NPC). 

Major field studies would be undertaken in seven areas such as

• Best practices in fish marketing system of Andhra Pradesh and dissemination through workshop;
• Agro-climatic zone-specific mapping of innovative fishing Practices for enhancing Production and Productivity in Upper Gangetic Plain Region;
• Design improvement in storage containers used in supply chain for inland and marine fishes by vendors;
•  Improvement in fish marketing infrastructure of Ghazipur and Howrah fish markets;
• Evaluation of RAS and Biofloc technologies and their dissemination through workshop;
• Strengthen monitoring mechanism of implementation of PMMSY
• Assessment of post harvest losses in inland and marine fisheries and to suggest measures to minimize these losses. NPC would complete the field studies in about nine months.

About Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched in 2020 to bring about Blue Revolution through the sustainable development of the fisheries sector over a period of five years (2020-2025).
• It is an umbrella scheme to develop the fisheries sector with a total outlay of Rs. 20050 crores.

It has two components

• The Central Sector Scheme (CS) component with a non-beneficiary-oriented scheme and a Beneficiary oriented scheme (Central Assistance for General Category – 40%; SC/ST/Women – 60%).
• A Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS) component also with a non-beneficiary-oriented scheme and Beneficiary oriented scheme. The different break-ups of funding are: Central Assistance for Northeastern States – 90%, Other States – 60%; and UTs – 100%.

The areas expected to be covered by the PMMSY are

• Fish production
• Fisheries productivity
• Quality of fisheries and aquaculture sectors
• Post-harvest infrastructure and management
• Modernization of value chain
• Welfare of the fishers and fish farmers
• Fisheries management framework

 Insurance coverage
The insurance coverage provided under the PMMSY includes

• Rs.5,00,000/- against accidental death or permanent total disability,
• Rs.2,50,000/- for permanent partial disability
• Hospitalization expenses in the event of accident for a sum of Rs. 25,000/-.

The objectives of the PMMSY are

• Develop fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
• Harness the potential of fisheries sector in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive and equitable manner
• Efficient use of land and water resources to enhance fish production and productivity.
• Modernize value chain considering post-harvest management and quality improvement.
• Double fishers and fish farmers’ incomes
• Generate employment in the fisheries sector.
• Enhance fisheries sector’s contribution to overall agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA) and exports.
• Provide social, economic and physical security to fish farmers and fishermen.
• Develop a robust fisheries management and regulatory framework.