Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 27 Jul 2023

Vibrant Villages Programme

Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs provided valuable insights into the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) during a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

VVP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme approved on 15th February 2023 and officially launched on 10^th April 2023. focusing on the comprehensive development of select villages in 46 blocks across 19 districts abutting the northern border in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and UT of Ladakh.
The program aims to create livelihood opportunities through tourism promotion, cultural heritage preservation, skill development, entrepreneurship, and development of cooperative societies, including agriculture and cultivation of medicinal plants/herbs.
Interventions under the program include road connectivity, housing, village infrastructure, renewable energy, television & telecom connectivity, and more, with the objective of providing sufficient incentives for people to stay in the selected villages.
Additionally, under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP), essential infrastructure projects have been approved in census villages/towns, semi-urban, and urban areas located within 0-10 km distance from the first habitation at the International Boundary (IB) in 16 states and 2 UTs abutting land borders.
Specific villages in Kinnaur and Lahul & Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh, as well as Chamoli, Uttarkashi, and Rudraprayag districts, have been selected for the VVP.

Read more: Vibrant Villages Programme

Lithium Ore in Jammu and Kashmir

Recently, the Ministry of Coal, Mines, and Parliamentary Affairs provided important details regarding the Geological Survey of India's G3 stage mineral exploration project and the significant discovery of lithium ore in the Salal-Haimna areas of Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir.

An inferred resource (G3) of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore has been confirmed in the region.
Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a geo-scientific organisation that was established in 1851 to find coal deposits and now provides national geo-science information and mineral resource assessment.
The GSI is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines and has its headquarters in Kolkata and has six regional offices located at Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata. Every state has a state unit.
The decision regarding auctioning of the Lithium mineral block in Jammu & Kashmir will be taken up by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian Army Inaugurates First PAEC for Aadhaar Services

Indian Army inaugurated its inaugural Permanent Aadhaar Enrolment Centre (PAEC) recently, at the 1 Central Base Post Office (CBPO) in New Delhi.
- The establishment of the PAEC marks a crucial milestone for the tri-services personnel and their dependents, as it will offer Aadhaar-related services, including enrolment and updation, at 48 identified locations across the country through the Field Post Offices (FPOs).
The PAEC's comprehensive coverage, including both Field and Peace locations, ensures that all army personnel, including those stationed in remote areas, can conveniently avail themselves of the Aadhaar services.

Read more: Aadhar and its Voluntary Use, Indian Army

National Coal Index (NCI) Shows Significant Decline

The National Coal Index (NCI) has shown a significant decline of 33.8% in May 2023 compared to May 2022. This decline is an indication of a robust supply of coal in the market.
NCI is a price index that combines coal prices from all sales channels, including notified prices, auction prices and import prices.
- Established with the base year as fiscal year 2017-18, it serves as a reliable indicator of market dynamics, providing valuable insights into coal price fluctuations.

Read more: National Coal Index