PIB Summary- 7th January, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Intra-State Transmission System - Green Energy Corrider Phase - II

Why in News?

Recently,  Scheme on Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II for Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

• For the addition of approximately 10,750 circuit kilometres (ckm) of transmission lines and approx. 27,500 Mega Volt-Amperes (MVA) transformation capacity of substations.

About Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II

• Green Energy Corridor is a comprehensive scheme for evacuation & integration of the renewable energy (RE)
• The scheme is targeted to be set up with total estimated cost of Rs. 12,031 crore
• The scheme will help in achieving the target of 450 GW installed RE capacity by 2030
• The scheme will facilitate grid integration and power evacuation of approximately 20 GW of Renewable Energy (RE) power projects in seven States namely, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
• The transmission systems will be created over a period of five year from Financial Year 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• The Central Financial Assistance (CFA) will help in offsetting the Intra-State transmission charges and thus keep the power costs down.
• The scheme will also contribute to long term energy security of the country and promote ecologically sustainable growth by reducing carbon footprint.
• It will generate large direct & indirect employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled personnel in power and other related sectors.
• This scheme is in addition to GEC-Phase-I which is already under implementation in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu for grid integration and power evacuation of approx. 24 GW of RE power and is expected to be completed by 2022.
• The scheme is for addition of 9700 ckm of transmission lines and 22600 MVA capacity of substations having estimated cost of transmission projects of Rs. 10,141.68 crore with Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of Rs. 4056.67 crore.

Smart Cities And Academia Towards Action & Research

Why in News

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched “Smart cities and Academia Towards Action & Research (SAAR)” program.

About SAAR:

• It is a joint initiative of MoHUA, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and leading Indian academic institutions of the country.
• To document landmark projects undertaken by the Smart Cities Mission, 15 premier architecture & planning institutes of the country will be working with Smart Cities.
• The documents will provide opportunities for engagement on urban development projects to students, and enable real-time information flow between urban practitioners and academia.
• To prepare a compendium of 75 landmark urban projects in India is the first activity envisaged under SAAR.

Smart Cities Mission

Nodal:  Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

• National Smart Cities Mission is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• The Union Ministry of Urban Development is responsible for implementing the mission in collaboration with the state governments of the respective cities.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to develop smart cities across the country, making them citizen friendly and sustainable.
• Climate Smart Cities and Data Smart Cities are two important programs under Smart Cities Mission.
• Smart Cities Mission is supporting interested cities in raising finance through Municipal Bonds.
• Cities are being developed under “Area-Based Development” model.
• Under this model, a small portion of the city would be upgraded by retrofitting or redevelopment.

Objectives and Focus of the Mission

• The mission is implemented to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology as a means to create smart outcomes for citizens.
• Its objective it to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of Smart Solutions.
• The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a lighthouse to other aspiring cities.

Strategy of the Smart Cities Mission

• Pan-city initiative in which at least one Smart Solution is applied city-wide.
• Develop areas step-by-step with the help of three models:
• Retrofitting,
• Redevelopment,
• Greenfield.

Jal Jeevan Mission

Why in News?

Drinking water supply schemes of Rs. 6,872.28 Crore were approved for Rajasthan under Jal Jeevan Mission

About Jal Jeevan Mission:

Nodal: Ministry of Jal Shakti

• Jal Jeevan Mission, a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to ensure access of piped water for every household in India.
• National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) was restructured and subsumed into Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – to provide Functional Household Tap Water (FHTC) to every rural household with service level at the rate of 55 lpcd i.e., Har Ghar Nal Se Jal (HGNSJ) by 2024.

Implications 

• Supply of water to all households is a basic necessity
• Reduction in water borne diseases which was due to due to consumption of substandard water

Challenges

• Critical situation of Decrease in ground water table.
• Water demand and supply is a miss match.
• Contamination of local ground level sources of water like, ponds lakes and wells.
• Sustaining the provision of water to all households is a challenge, not just starting it.

Anamalai Tiger Reserve 

Why in News?

ICAR – Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), Coimbatore in collaboration with Anamalai Tiger Reserve, conducted a campaign on “Knowledge empowerment of tribals’ and launched its STC (Scheduled Tribe Component) project at Attagatti in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).

Details:

• Under STC Project the Institute has taken utmost care in identifying appropriate interventions for the tribals in the reserve, who live in very remote, almost inaccessible settlements.
• It is the first time this project is being implemented in ATR.
• The interventions by the Institute for implementing STC, was finalized based on a systematic need assessment by conduct of Focus groups among two tribes viz., ‘Malasar’ and ‘Malai malasar’ tribes.
• Under this project tribals will be educated on setting up and maintaining a nutrition garden and kitchen garden seed kits will be distributed during this campaign on ‘knowledge empowerment of tribals’ .
• Along with distribution of radio sets, the tribals are being informed of those radio programmes that could assist in their knowledge empowerment.
• ICAR-SBI is also distributing farm tools, household items and seedlings to the tribal folk in the villages.

About Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR)

• Anamalai Tiger Reserve is a part of the Anamalai Parambikulam Elephant Reserve in the Southern Western Ghats.
• It is one of the four Tiger Reserves in Tamil Nadu and is surrounded by: Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (Kerala) on the East and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) and Eravikulam National Park (Kerala) on the South West.
• This area has over 4600 Adivasi people from six tribes of indigenous people living in 34 settlements.
• Important tribes residing here are the Kadars, Malasars, Malaimalasar, Pulaiyars, Muduvars and the Eravallan (Eravalar).
• Asiatic elephant, Sambar, Spotted deer, barking deer, Mouse deer, Gaur, Nilgiri tahr, Tiger, etc., can be found here.
• Amaravathi, Udumalpet, Pollachi, Ulandy, Valparai and Manamboli are the ranges found in this reserve.

About Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India.
• It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture, and The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president.
• It is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world.

Aims and functions of ICAR

• To plan, undertake, aid, promote and coordinate education, research and its application in agriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, home science and allied sciences.
• To act as a clearing house of research and general information relating to agriculture, animal husbandry, home science and allied sciences, and fisheries through its publications and information system; and instituting and promoting transfer of technology programmes.
• To provide, undertake and promote consultancy services in the fields of education, research, training and dissemination of information in agriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, home science and allied sciences.
• To look into the problems relating to broader areas of rural development concerning agriculture, including postharvest technology by developing co-operative programmes with other organizations such as the Indian Council of Social Science Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the universities.
• To do other things considered necessary to attain the objectives of the Society.