Uttar Pradesh State PCS

• 07 Sep 2023

Namami Gange signs Agreement for Development of Sewage Treatment Infrastructure in Meerut

Why In News?

A tripartite agreement was signed between NMCG Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam and M/s Meerut STP Pvt Ltd for development of sewage treatment plant (STP) and other infrastructure at Meerut, Uttar Pradesh in the presence of Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in New Delhi on September 6, 2023.

Key Points:

• The total cost of the project under Hybrid Annuity PPP mode is Rs 369.74 crore and it is targeted to be completed by December 2025.
• NMCG has approved the project for construction of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with total capacity of 220 MLD, including development of Interception and Diversion (I&D) structures, laying of I&D network, operation for 15 years and maintenance including other works like sewage pumping station etc.
• The project also aims to address the existing sewage problems in the city of Meerut and the resulting sewage pollution in the Kali River.
• After completion of this project, there will be no discharge of untreated sewage from Meerut city into Kali River (East), which will reduce pollution.
• Kali (East) joins the river Ganga near Kannauj and the completion of this project will also help in reducing the pollution of river Ganga.
• The agreement was signed by S.K. Burman, Superintending Engineer, Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (Rural), Mayank Agarwal, Authorized Signatory, M/s Meerut STP Private Limited and Vinod Kumar, Director (Project), NMCG in the presence of G. Ashok Kumar, Director General, NMCG.

Eight Districts of Uttar Pradesh will Become 100% Digital Payment

Why In News?

According to information received from the media on September 5, 2023, eight districts of Uttar Pradesh will be equipped with a 100 percent digital payment ecosystem. By this year all these districts will become 100% proficient in digital payments.

Key Points:

• All these eight districts have been adopted by different banks. These include Fatehpur, Kannauj, Amroha, Varanasi, Shamli, Maharajganj, Deoria and Bahraich. The central headquarters of RBI is directly monitoring all these districts.
• Bank of Baroda has been given the responsibility of Fatehpur district selected for 100% digital payment. Bank of India has been given the responsibility of Kannauj, Canara Bank Amroha, Union Bank Varanasi, PNB Shamli, State Bank of India Maharajganj, Central Bank Deoria and Indian Bank Bahraich.
• Uttar Pradesh is also the first state in the country, where about 23 percent of the population is covered by the PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana also covers 1.75 crore people of Uttar Pradesh, which is second in the country.
• Between April and June, 10.83 lakh and 28.43 lakh people have been covered under both the schemes respectively. About five crore people of the state have been covered under the PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. With this, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to have maximum insurance cover.