Madhya Pradesh State PCS

• 31 Jul 2024

Rs 450 Gas Cylinders to Ladli Behna Beneficiaries

Why in News?

The Madhya Pradesh government announced that beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme will receive gas cylinders at a subsidized rate of Rs 450 throughout the year.

Key Points

• Scheme Background: The Ladli Behna scheme was initially launched by former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
• Beneficiaries: This subsidy is aimed at women beneficiaries, particularly those under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
  • Beneficiaries will receive Rs 250 for the Rakhi festival.
  • In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas stated that the central government is providing a targeted subsidy of Rs 200 per 14.2 kg LPG cylinder for beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), applicable for up to 12 refills per year.
  • The Centre increased the targeted subsidy to Rs. 300 per 14.2 Kg LPG cylinder for all Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries.

What is Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)?

• About:
  • The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG), introduced the ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ (PMUY) as a flagship scheme with the objective of making clean cooking fuel such as LPG available to the rural and deprived households which were otherwise using traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, coal, cow-dung cakes etc.
    • Usage of traditional cooking fuels had detrimental impacts on the health of rural women as well as on the environment.
• Objectives:
  • Empowering women and protecting their health.
  • Reducing the number of deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel.
  • Preventing young children from a significant number of acute respiratory illnesses caused due to indoor air pollution by burning fossil fuel.

Shah Jahan's Daughter-in-law's Tomb Not Waqf Property

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that three ancient monuments in Burhanpur, including the tomb of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s daughter-in-law, Begum Bilqis, are not Waqf property.

Key Points

• Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) Argument: The ASI argued that these sites - Shah Shuja monument, Tomb of Nadir Shah, and Bibi Sahiba’s Masjid are ancient and protected monuments under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904.
• Court’s Observation:
  • Justice GS Ahluwalia noted that the properties are ancient and protected monuments, and the CEO of the M.P. Waqf Board committed material illegality by declaring them as Waqf property.
  • The ASI submitted that “as per section 11 of Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904, Commissioner would be a guardian of the monument and for the purposes of maintaining such monument shall have access to the monument at all reasonable times by himself and by his agents.
  • “Unless and until guardianship is relinquished under Section 14 of Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904, the same cannot be declared as a waqf property.”
• Details of the Monuments:
  • Shah Shuja Monument:
    • The Shah Shuja monument houses the tomb of Begum Bilqis, wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s son, Shah Shuja.
    • She was buried in Burhanpur after she died giving birth to her daughter.
    • The tomb also known as Kharbuza Mahal is “crowned with a dome.” The site “stands on a raised fluted circular plinth” and “built of stone and plastered with shell mortar and decorated with paintings.”
  • Tomb of Nadir Shah:
    • The tomb of Nadir Shah is a “massive tomb, built on a raised platform” and “supported on eight archways.” The chamber is occupied by three graves.
  • Bibi Sahiba’s Masjid:
    • Bibi Saheba’s mosque alias Bibi ki Masjid was completed by queen Begum Rokeya, daughter of Gujarat Sultan Muẓaffar Shah II, around 1529.