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

Single Use Plastic

Why in News?
CPCB has undertaken comprehensive measures to give effect to India’s commitment to ban identified Single Use Plastic items by 30th June, 2022, to realise Hon’ble PM’s clarion call to phase out SUP.

CPCB’s multi-pronged approach as part of its Comprehensive Action Plan encompasses measures

• To reduce supply of raw materials,
• Demand side measures to reduce plastic demand,
• Enabling measures to promote alternatives to SUP,
• Digital interventions for efficient monitoring and to create awareness,
• Guidance to State Boards for effective implementation of directions.

About Single use plastic

• Single-use plastics, often also referred to as disposable plastics, are commonly used for plastic packaging and include items intended to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled.
• These include, among other items, grocery bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, stirrers, styrofoam cups or plates etc.

Impacts of Single Use Plastic (SUP)

• Environmental pollution: A staggering total of it remains uncollected causing choking of drainage and river systems, littering of the marine ecosystem, soil and water pollution, ingestion by stray animals, and open air burning leading to adverse impact on environment.
• Disposal issue: They do not biodegrade instead they slowly break down into smaller pieces of plastic called microplastics which again causes more issues. It can take up to thousands of years for plastic bags and Styrofoam containers to decompose.
• Human health: The toxins, poisons and persistent pollutants present in some of these plastic products leach and enter human bodies where they cause several diseases, including cancer and can damage nervous systems, lungs and reproductive organs. Humans may be consuming anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year through fish (contaminated with microplastics) alone.
• Marine life & climate change: Plastic waste is at epidemic proportions in the world’s oceans with an estimated 100 million tonnes dumped there to date. o Plastic kills an estimated 1 million sea birds every year and affects around 700 species which get infected by ingesting plastics. Single-use plastics make up on average 49% of beach litter.
• Increasing Carbon dioxide: If the production, disposal and incineration of plastic continues on its present-day growth trajectory, by 2030 these global emissions could reach 1.34 gigatonne per year — equivalent to more than 295 coal-based power plants of 500-MW capacity.
• More impact on developing countries: The ubiquitous plastic seems to be a curse for the third world countries, because poor countries, especially in Asia, not only have their own plastic dump to deal with but also the plastic trash that lands on their shores from developed countries.

Challenges with banning single use plastic

• No immediate alternatives: It is difficult to ban the product which is of immense use to the public, without thinking of a sustainable and equally utilitarian alternative product.
  • For e.g. Single-use plastic helps keep medical equipment sterile and safe to use.
  • There is no alternative to plastic yet and sectors like pharmaceuticals, hardware, toys, food processing, food delivery will be in total chaos.
  • While there is increased awareness in urban area, the challenge will be to find a suitable cost effective alternatives in tier II and tier III towns and remote locations.
• Impact on packaging industry: It impacts most industries since SUP forms part of packaging and hence is linked to all industries directly or indirectly.
  • If plastic sachets made from multi-layered packaging are banned, it can disrupt supplies of key products such as biscuits, salt and milk etc which has made life easier for the poor in terms of affordable small packs and convenience.
  • Ban will increase the price of most FMCG products as manufacturers would try and shift to alternative packaging (which can be costlier).
• Loss of jobs and revenue: Ban can lead to loss of revenue as well as job loss in the plastic manufacturing industry.
  • India’s plastic industry officially employs around 4 million people across 30,000 processing units, out of which 90% are small to medium-sized businesses.
  • Plastics also support thousands employed informally such as ragpickers as well as street food and market vendors who are reliant on single-use plastic.
• Attitudinal change: It is difficult as no one takes the responsibility for the single use plastic thrown by them and behaviour change towards the shift from non-using of single use plastic is difficult.

Measures taken so far in India

• Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 state that every local body has to be responsible for setting up infrastructure for segregation, collection, processing, and disposal of plastic waste.
• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018 introduced the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
• Ban on Single-Use Plastics in a bid to free India of single-use plastics by 2022.
• World Environment Day, 2018 hosted in India, the world leaders vowed to “Beat Plastic Pollution” & eliminate its use completely.

ADIP Scheme &  Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Why in News?
A ‘Samajik Adhikarita Shivir’ for distribution of aids and assistive devices to ‘Divyangjan’ under the ADIP Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India will be organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in association with ALIMCO and District Administration Sonitpur

ADIP Scheme- the Assistance to Disabled persons for purchasing/fitting of aids/appliances (ADIP) scheme

• Objective: to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation, by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhance their economic potential.
• The aids and appliances supplied under the Scheme shall conform to BIS specifications to the extent possible.
• The aim is to promote physical, social, psychological rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities by reducing the effects of disabilities and at the same time enhance their economic potential.
• Grant-in-aid under the Scheme will Not be given for commercial supply of aids/appliances.
• Implementation: The scheme is implemented through implementing agencies such as NGOs, National Institutes under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and ALIMCO (a PSU that manufactures artificial limbs).

The following agencies would be eligible to implement the Scheme on behalf of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, subject to fulfillment of laid down terms and conditions:

• Societies, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and their branches, if any, separately.
• Registered charitable trusts
• District Rural Development Agencies, Indian Red Cross Societies and other Autonomous Bodies headed by District Collector/Chief Executive Officer/District Development Officer of Zilla Parishad.
• National/Apex Institutes including ALIMCO functioning under administrative control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment/Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• State Handicapped Development Corporations.
• Local Bodies- Zilla Parishad, Municipalities, District Autonomous Development Councils and Panchayats.
• Hospitals registered as separate entity, as recommended by state/central government
• Nehru Yuvak Kendras.

Eligibility

• He/she should be an Indian citizen of any age.
• Should be certified by a Registered Medical Practitioner that he/she is disabled and fit to use prescribed aid/appliance. Holds a 40% Disablement Certificate.
• Person who is employed/self-employed or getting pension and whose monthly income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 20,000/- per month.
• In case of dependents, the income of parents/guardians should not exceed Rs. 20,000/- per month.
• Persons who have not received assistance from the Government, local bodies and Non-Official Organisations during the last 3 years for the same purpose. However, for children below 12 years of age this limit would be 1 year.

Aids/appliances which do not cost more than Rs. 10,000/ – are covered under the Scheme for single disability. However, in the case of SwDs, students beyond IX class, the limit would be raised to Rs.12,000/.

About Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)

• The RVY was launched in 2017 at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. 
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) is a scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
• This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government.
• The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the “Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund”.
• The Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency – Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Under the scheme, the physical aids will be provided only to the senior citizens of the nation.
• This implies those who are aged above 60 years will get free assisted living aids and physical devices which are required for their sustainability.
• Also the govt. has selected the list of cities where the scheme will be implemented.
• The main criteria for the senior citizens to get full benefits of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) scheme is that they must belong to BPL family and should hold valid BPL card issued by the concerned authority.
• Beneficiaries in each district will be identified by the State Governments/UT Administrations through a Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector.
• As far as possible, 30% of the beneficiaries in each district shall be women.

About Significance of RVY Scheme

• According to Census 2011, there are 10.38 crores of senior citizens.
• And of these, more than 70% of them live in rural areas.
• Therefore, it is essential to take special care towards them through these camps organized under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana.

Op Sankalp

Why in News?
Indian Navy’s stealth Frigate, INS Talwar is presently deployed for Op Sankalp commemorating the 3rd continuous year of Indian Navy’s presence in the Gulf for protection of India’s Maritime Interests. 

About Op Sankalp

• In the milieu of the deteriorating security situation in the Gulf region, post attacks on merchant ships in the Gulf of Oman in June 2019, Indian Navy had commenced Maritime Security Operations, code named ‘Op SANKALP’, in the Gulf Region on 19 June 2019 to ensure safe passage of Indian Flag Vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. 
• This  operation is being progressed in close coordination with all stakeholders including Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and DG, Shipping. 
• Indian Navy continues to monitor the situation in the Gulf region and is maintaining presence in the region to ensure security of our sea borne trade and the safety of Indian Flag Merchant Vessels transiting through the region. The Indian Navy stands committed to protection of the nation’s Maritime Interests.

The Gulf of Oman

• The Gulf of Oman, northwest arm of the Arabian Sea, lies between the eastern portion of the Arabian Peninsula (Oman) and Iran.
• It is 560 km long and connects with the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
• It is a shipping route for the oil-producing area around the Persian Gulf.
• It offers the only entrance from the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean into the Persian Gulf, thus the world’s major oil exporters and importers have a joint interest in its security.