Important Daily Facts of the Day

Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (GS Paper 2, Governance)

Why in news?

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has revamped the existing Scheme of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) with nomenclature ‘Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY)’, for implementation during 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• It aims at transforming villages with significant tribal population into model village (Adarsh Gram)covering about population of 4.22 crore (About 40% of the total Tribal Population). 
• It is envisaged to cover 36,428 villages having at least 50% tribal population and 500 STs across States / UTs with notified STs.

 

Objective:

• The main objective of this scheme is to achieve integrated socio-economic development of selected villages through convergence approach.

 

Salient Features:

• It includes preparing Village Development Plan based on the needs, potential, and aspirations.
• It also includes maximizing the coverage of individual / family benefit schemes of the Central / State Governments and improving the infrastructure in vital sectors like health, education, connectivity and livelihood.
• The scheme envisions to mitigate gaps prominently in 8 sectors of development viz. Road connectivity (Internal and Intervillage /block), Telecom connectivity (Mobile /internet), School, Anganwadi Centres, Health Sub-Centre, Drinking water facility, Drainage and solid waste management.

 

‘Gap-filling’:

• A sum of ₹20.38 lakh per village as ‘Gap-filling’ has been provisioned for approved activities including administrative expenses under PMAAGY.
• Besides States / UTs are encouraged for convergence of resources as Central / State Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) funds and other financial resources available with them for saturation of gaps in the villages identified under PMAAGY.

 

Bihar accounts for 6 out of 10 Indian cities with worst air pollution

(GS Paper 3, Environment)

Why in news?

• While the temperature is dipping across most of the country, the Air Quality Index (AQI) continues to remain above severe in most of the cities.
• In the list of 10 cities with the most air pollution, six are in Bihar.

Key Highlights:

• Saharsa is considered as the most air polluted city in the country having an air quality index of 366 which comes as health hazards for people having asthmatic problems.
• Besides Saharsa, Muzaffarpur was at 344, Bhagalpur at 330, Patna at 318, Begusarai at 270 and Purnea at 269.
• The AQI of Saharsa and Muzaffarpur crossed the 400 mark during the daytime.

Factors responsible:

• The dust is the main reason for deterioration of AQI in these cities.
• Rampant construction, and transportations of sand and construction materials are the main reasons for AQI deterioration.
• As a result of this, PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels increased five and threefolds from the normal days.

 

AQI:

• AQI from 0 to 50 is considered as good, from 51 to 100 moderate, from 101 to 150 is considered "unhealthy for the sensitive group, from 151 to 200 is considered unhealthy for all, from 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and from 301 to 500 are hazardous for human health.

 

Rajya Sabha passes Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill

(GS Paper 2, Governance)

Why in news?

• Recently, the Rajya Sabha passed the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill December 12, 2022, to mandate non-fossil sources of energy and establish a domestic carbon market in India. 
• This comes after the Lok Sabha passed the amended bill in August 2022. The bill was also amended in 2010.

 

NDCs:

• India is relentlessly marching towards its target of reducing India's carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030. This goal is a part of India’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
• There are two constituents of non-fossil sources: one is renewable energy (solar, wind, hydropower and biomass), and the other is nuclear energy.
• Non-fossil sources, including green hydrogen, green ammonia, biomass and ethanol are for energy and feedstock. 

Carbon credits:

• The government will issue carbon credits to businesses or other institutions interested in the scheme. It added that industries could sell and buy credits to meet their carbon budget.
• Carbon credits will not be sold to other countries. However, there is a provision to sell them to other countries when there is a surplus or a need to finance some cutting-edge technology. 

Energy Conservation Building Code:

• The amended bill aims to bring large residential buildings under the Energy Conservation regime, enhance the scope of the Energy Conservation Building Code, and amend penalty provisions.
• It also applies to commercial buildings with a connected load of 100 Kilowatt or contracts demand of 120 Kilo-volt Ampere and above.
• The “energy conservation building codes” means the norms and standards of energy consumption expressed per square metre of the area where energy is used. It also includes the location of the building.