PIB Summary- 20th July, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

About FAME-II

Why in News?
The Ministry of Heavy Industries has sanctioned 2,877 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in 68 cities across 25 States/UTs under Phase-II of FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India).

About FAME-II

• FAME India is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission (NEMM) Plan. Main thrust of FAME is to encourage electric vehicles by providing subsidies.
• NEMM intends to allow hybrid and electric vehicles to become the first choice for the purchasers so that these vehicles can replace the conventional vehicles and thus reduce liquid fuel consumption in the country from the automobile sector.
• The scheme covers Hybrid & Electric technologies like Mild Hybrid, Strong Hybrid, Plug in Hybrid & Battery Electric Vehicles.
• Monitoring Authority: Department of Heavy Industries, the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
• Under this scheme, demand incentives will be availed by buyers (end users/consumers) upfront at the point of purchase and the same shall be reimbursed by the manufacturers from Department of Heavy Industries, on a monthly basis.
• Fame India Scheme has four focus areas:
  • Technology development
  • Demand Creation
  • Pilot Projects
  • Charging Infrastructure

Revamped FAME-II scheme

• The Centre has made a partial modification of the FAME-II, including increasing the demand incentive for electric two-wheelers to Rs. 15,000 per KWh from an earlier uniform subsidy of Rs 10,000 per KWh for all EVs, including plug-in hybrids and strong hybrids except buses.
• The government has also capped incentives for electric two-wheelers at 40% of the cost of vehicles, up from 20% earlier.
• It will bring down the prices of electric two-wheelers nearer to the IC (internal combustion engine) vehicles and remove one of the biggest blocks of the high sticker price of electric two-wheelers.
• Together with the other important factors like extremely low running cost, low maintenance and zero emission, such price levels will surely spur a substantial demand for electric two-wheelers.

Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

Why in News?
Government has restructured the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) as Revamped RGSA for implementation at a total cost of ₹5911 crore including Central Share of ₹3700 crore and State share of ₹2211 crore.

About Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)

• It is central government scheme that aims at making rural local bodies self-sustainable, financially stable and more efficient.
• Restructured RGSA to focus on training, building infrastructure, stepping up initiatives for e-governance under e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) to deliver Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The scheme will extend to all states/UTs of country and will also include institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas, where Panchayats do not exist.
• Under the scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan there is no provision for forming new Panchayats. Formation or reorganization of Panchayats is done by the respective States/ Union Territories as per their requirement.

Objectives

• To train and build capacity of elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
• It seeks to address critical gaps that hinder success of Panchayats by enhancing their capacities and effectiveness, and promote devolution of powers and responsibilities.
• It seeks to shift the participative planning, prepared from the grassroots level upwards and strengthen panchayat level governance with more appropriate capacity building.

Financial implications
The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs.5911 crore with the Central Share of Rs.3700 crore and that of State Share of Rs.2211 crore.

No. of beneficiaries
Around 60 lakh Elected Representatives, Functionaries and other stakeholders of Rural Local Bodies including Traditional Bodies across the country will be direct beneficiaries of the scheme.

Major impact including employment generation potential

• The approved scheme of RGSA will help more than 2.78 lakh Rural Local Bodies including Traditional Bodies across the country to develop governance capabilities to deliver on SDGs through inclusive local governance with focus on optimum utilisation of available resources.
• The key principles of SDGs, i.e. leaving no one behind, reaching the farthest first and universal coverage, along with gender equality will be embedded in the design of all capacity building interventions including trainings, training modules and materials.
• Priority will be given to subjects of national importance principally under themes, namely:
  • Poverty free and enhanced livelihood in villages,
  • Healthy Village
  • Child Friendly Village
  • Water Sufficient Village
  • Clean and Green Village
  • Self-Sufficient Infrastructure in Village
  • Socially Secured Village
  • Village with Good Governance
  • Engendered Development in Village.
• As Panchayats have representation of Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and women, and are institutions closest to the grassroots, strengthening Panchayats will promote equity and inclusiveness, along with Social Justice and economic development of the community.
• Increased use of e-governance by PRIs will help achieve improved service delivery and transparency.
• The scheme will strengthen Gram Sabhas to function as effective institutions with social inclusion of citizens particularly the vulnerable groups.
• It will establish the institutional structure for capacity building of PRIs at the national, state and district level with adequate human resources and infrastructure.
• Panchayats will progressively be strengthened through incentivisation on the basis of nationally important criteria to recognise roles of Panchayats in attainment of SDGs and to inculcate spirit of healthy competition.
• No permanent post will be created under the scheme but need based contractual human resources may be provisioned for overseeing the implementation of the scheme and providing technical support to States/UTs for achieving goals under the scheme.

Mangal Pandey

Why in News?
Prime Minister has paid tributes to freedom fighter, Mangal Pandey on his birth anniversary.

About Mangal Pandey :

• He was born on July 19, 1827, in a town near Faizabad, what is now eastern Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, although some give his birthplace as a small village near Lalitpur (in present-day southwestern Uttar Pradesh).
• He was from a high-caste Brahman landowning family that professed strong Hindu beliefs.
• He joined the army of the British East India Company in 1849 and he was made a soldier (sepoy) in the 6th Company of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry, which included a large number of Brahmans.

Rebellion against East India Company

• He revolted against the East India Company for introducing cartridges that were greased with animal fat as it hurt the religious sentiments of the soldiers.
• Eventually, this movement of rebels reached other parts of India and which led to a mass revolt against the government.
• The movement of protest and rebellion came to be known as the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, also known as the First War of Independence.
• On March 29, 1857, Pandey and his fellow sepoys rose up in rebellion against the British officers and even attempted to shoot them. As a result of this, he was executed on April 7, 1857, in Barrackpore.
• On May 6th, the entire 34th Bengal Native Infantry was disbanded ‘with disgrace’. This was carried out because an investigation ‘revealed’ that the soldiers had not restrained a mutinying soldier.

NAMASTE Scheme

Why in News?
The Government has formulated a National Action Plan for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem- NAMASTE scheme for cleaning of sewers and septic tank.

NAMASTE Scheme

• The scheme is a joint venture of Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• It aims to achieve outcomes like:
  • Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India
  • No sanitation workers come in direct contact with human faecal matter
  • All Sewer and Septic tank sanitation workers have access to alternative livelihoods
• The Ministry has shortlisted type of machineries and core equipments required for maintenance works, safety gear for Safai Mitras.