PIB Summary- 6th January, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Atal Pension Yojana (APY)

Why in News?

The journey of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) over six and half years since its inception has been substantive with 3.68 crore enrolments.

• The performance in this financial year has been good as more than 65 lakh subscribers enrolled which is the highest ever enrollment during the same period since the launch of scheme.
• Apart from enrollments, male to female subscription ratio of 56:44 is improving and asset under management is around Rs. 20,000 crore.
  

About Atal Pension Yojana (APY)

• APY was launched on 9th May 2015 with an objective of delivering old age income security, particularly to the workers in the unorganised sector.
• APY envisages Government providing guarantee of minimum pension after 60 years of age.
• The scheme even after garnering 2.23 crores workers under the ambit of pension, still remains unequivocally relevant for addressing the challenges of rapidly increasing aging population of India.
• The scheme has been implemented comprehensively across the country covering all states and Union Territories with male to female subscription ratio of 57:43.
• APY can be subscribed by Any Indian citizen in the age group of 18-40 years having a bank account and its uniqueness is attributable to three distinctive benefits.
• It provides a minimum guaranteed pension ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 on attaining 60 years of age.
• The amount of pension is guaranteed for lifetime to spouse on death of the subscriber and lastly, in the event of death of both the subscriber and the spouse, entire pension corpus is paid to the nominee.

Future of APY

About PFRDA and NPS

• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the Statutory Body established by the PFRDA Act, 2014.
• PFRDA was established to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the National Pension System (NPS) and pension schemes to which this Act applies.
• National Pension System is a defined contributory pension introduced by Government of India.
• NPS was extended to all Indian citizens (resident/non-resident/overseas) on a voluntary basis and to corporates for its employees on 29 October 2015 with the Reserve Bank of India allowing Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to subscribe to NPS.

Prime Minister Formalization of the Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme

Why in News?

Union Minister for Ministry of Food Processing Industries launched six, One District One Product (ODOP) brands under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme

• Amrit Phal, Cori Gold, Kashmiri Mantra, Madhu Mantra, Somdana, and Whole Wheat Cookies of Dilli Bakes were launched today.

Details:

• The brand Amrit Phal for amla juice has been exclusively developed under the ODOP concept for Gurugram, Haryana. The product contains pure amla juice and is a natural elixir with added lemon for a unique taste and health benefits.
• Cori Gold brand has been developed for coriander powder which is the identified ODOP for Kota, Rajasthan.
• Brand Kashmiri Mantra brings out the essence of spices from Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
• Brand Madhu Mantra has been developed under the ODOP concept for honey from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
• Whole wheat cookies, is the second product developed under the brand Dilli Bakes. The brand and the product have been developed under the bakery ODOP concept for Delhi.
• Brand Somdana has been developed under the ODOP concept of millets from Thane, Maharashtra. The ragi flour is a unique product as it is gluten-free, rich in iron, fibre, and calcium.

About PM-FME Scheme:

• It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
• Aim is to modernize and enhance the competitiveness of the existing individual micro enterprises and ensure their transition to formal sector
• To provide support to Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain.
• Duration: The PM-FME scheme will be implemented over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore.  
• Funding: The expenditure under the PM-FME scheme would be shared in 60:40 ratio between Central and State Governments, in 90:10 ratio with North Eastern and Himalayan States, 60:40 ratio with UTs with legislature and 100% by Centre for other UTs.

 Objectives

• Increase in access to finance by micro food processing units.
• Increase in revenues of target enterprises.
• Enhanced compliance with food quality and safety standards.
• Strengthening capacities of support systems.
• Transition from the unorganized sector to the formal sector.
• Special focus on women entrepreneurs and Aspirational districts.
• Focus on minor forest produce in Tribal Districts.

Eligibility

• Scheme is for All India basis.
• Support to Individual micro units:
  (i) Micro enterprises will get credit linked subsidy @ 35% of the eligible project cost with ceiling of Rs.10 lakh.
  (ii) Beneficiary contribution will be minimum 10% and balance from loan.
  (iii) On-site skill training & Handholding for DPR and technical upgradation.
• Support to FPOs/SHGs/Cooperatives:
  (i) Seed capital will be given to SHGs (@Rs. 4 lakh per SHG) for loan to members for working capital and small tools.
  (ii) Grant for backward/ forward linkages, common infrastructure, packaging, marketing & branding.
  (iii) Skill training & Handholding support.
  (iv) Credit linked capital subsidy.

One District, One Product

• One District, One Product aims to revive these traditional heritages by reviving them through modernization and publicization.

Objectives of the scheme:

• Preservation and development of local crafts / skills and promotion of the art.
• Increase in the incomes and local employment (resulting in decline in migration for employment).
• Improvement in product quality and skill development.
• Transforming the products in an artistic way (through packaging, branding)
• To connect the production with tourism (Live demo and sales outlet – gifts and souvenir)
• To resolve the issues of economic difference and regional imbalance
• To take the concept of ODOP to national and international level after successful implementation at State level.

Unnat Jyoti By Affordable LED's For All (UJALA)

Why in News?

Ministry of Power has successfully completed seven years of distributing and selling LED lights under its flagship UJALA programme.

About UJALA

Nodal: Ministry of Power

• Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All was launched on 1 May 2015, replacing the “Bachat Lamp Yojana”.
• The project is spearheaded by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited.
• In non-subsidized LED lamp distribution projects, this program is considered the world’s largest. 
• It was launched with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs and to nullify the high-cost of LEDs that acted as a barrier previously in the adoption of energy-efficient systems.
• The scheme was implemented to set up a phase-wise LED distribution.

Objectives of UJALA Scheme

• The UJALA scheme also known as the LED-based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) aims to promote the efficient usage of energy for all i.e., its consumption, savings and lighting. This scheme is considered the world’s largest program.
• Aims to promote efficient use of energy at the residential level.
• Enhance the awareness of consumers about the efficacy of using energy-efficient appliances and aggregating demand to reduce the high initial costs, thus facilitating higher uptake of LED lights by residential users.
• According to the UJALA scheme, LED bulbs would be distributed by the Electricity Distribution Company at subsidized rates to every grid-connected customer with a metered connection.