State PCS

• 20 Jun 2024

Mines Surveillance System

Why in News?

Recently, The Uttarakhand government approved a Rs 93-crore proposal for the installation of Mining Digital Transformation and Surveillance System (MDTSS), across the state to curb illegal mining.

Key Points

• The systems will be installed at 40 check gates across Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar.
• The new system equipped with bullet cameras, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) radars, and Light Emitting Diodes (LED) floodlights will not only help monitor illegal mining activities but also boost the state government's revenue.
• A Mining State Control Centre (MSCC) will be set up in Dehradun, along with mini command centres at district headquarters in Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar.

Illegal Mining

• About:
  • Illegal mining is the extraction of minerals, ores, or other valuable resources from land or water bodies without the necessary permits, licenses, or regulatory approvals from government authorities.
  • It can also involve the violation of environmental, labor, and safety standards.
• Issues:
  • Environmental Degradation:
    • It can lead to deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution and can result in the destruction of habitats for wildlife, which can have serious ecological consequences.
  • Hazards:
    • Illegal mining often involves the use of hazardous chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which can pose serious health risks to miners and nearby communities.
  • Loss of Revenue:
    • It can lead to a loss of revenue for governments as miners may not pay appropriate taxes and royalties.
    • This can have significant economic impacts, particularly in countries where natural resources are a major source of revenue.
  • Human Rights Violations:
    • Illegal mining can also result in human rights violations, including forced labor, child labor, and exploitation of vulnerable populations.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) radars

• RFID is a type of passive wireless technology that allows for tracking or matching of an item or individual.
• The system has two basic parts: Tags and Readers.
  • The reader gives off radio waves and gets signals back from the RFID tag, while the tag uses radio waves to communicate its identity and other information.
  • A tag can be read from up to several feet away and does not need to be within the direct line-of-sight of the reader to be tracked.
• The technology has been approved since before the 1970s but has become much more prevalent in recent years due to its usages in things like global supply chain management and pet microchipping.

Special Tourist Train

Why in News?

According to the sources, The Uttarakhand Tourism Department has partnered with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to operate a dedicated tourist train bound for south India.

Key Points

• The unique train approved by the Central government, called Kedar Badri Kartik (Murugan) Koil Yathirai, will commence its inaugural journey with 165 travelers from Madurai in Tamil Nadu to Rishikesh.
• All 165 passengers boarding the train have been given special tour packages for 12 days and nights.
  • It includes visits to the newly found tourist place Kartik Swami Temple in Rudraprayag, Badrinath, and Kedarnath.
  • The tour package includes complete lodging and boarding facilities for the tourists.
• The Uttarakhand Tourism aims at attracting more pilgrims from the south, especially Chennai, to associate them with Kartik Swami Temple, a newly developed important tourist destination in Rudraprayag district.
  • According to the belief lord Kartikeya, son of Shiva, came here with his parents and handed out his bones to the father and flesh to the mother.
  • It’s said these bones are present in the temple. In north India, this is the lone temple of lord Kartikeya, known as the deity Murugan in South India.
• The Uttarakhand Tourism Department has collaborated with IRCTC to operate special trains from various regions of India, particularly Western and South India.
  • Two such special trains called Manaskhand Express were launched from Pune in March and April, 2024 to attract tourists from Maharashtra and other states in the west to the Kumaon regions.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)

• It is a Mini Ratna Category-I (conferred in 2008) Central Public Sector Enterprise that is wholly-owned by and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways.
• It is a registered enterprise and its corporate office is situated at New Delhi.
• IRCTC was incorporated in September 1999 as an extended arm of the Indian Railways to upgrade, professionalize and manage the catering and hospitality services at stations, on trains and other locations.
• The firm currently operates in 4 business segments namely, Internet ticketing, Catering, Packaging Drinking Water, and Travel and Tourism.
• It is the only entity that is authorized by Indian Railways to provide catering services to railways, online railway tickets and packaged drinking water at railway stations and trains in the country.
  • This gives it advantages in increasing market share in e-ticketing, packaged drinking water, and in e-catering.

Pension Benefit to Sickle Cell Anemia Patients

Why in News?

According to the officials, People suffering from sickle cell anemia will get a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 in Jharkhand's Khunti district.

Key Points

• The Khunti district administration has approved pension benefits for persons suffering from sickle cell anemia under Swami Vivekananda Nishakt Swawlamban Protsahan Scheme.
  • In the first phase, nine beneficiaries have been identified from different blocks - three each from Khunti and Karra, two from Murhu and one from Torpa block.
• In case any sickle cell case coming to light or identified later on it will be covered under this scheme.
• Sickle cell screening of 99,165 people has been conducted so far in the district.
  • Out of which 114 were found to be carriers of sickle cell and a total of 46 persons were found to be suffering from sickle cell anemia-thalassemia disease.
  • Among them, nine people who have been suffering from 40% or more sickle cell anemia-thalassemia disease are being given pension under the scheme on the basis of disability certificate.

Swami Vivekananda Nishakta Swavlamban Protsahan Yojana

• It is a scheme launched by the Department of Women, Child Development & Social Security, Government of Jharkhand.
• It aims to provide social security to differently abled people aged five years and above who are in need of financial assistance.
• The scheme operates as a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) where the pension amount is directly transferred to the bank account of the beneficiary.

Sickle Cell Disease

• Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder characterized by an abnormality in hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen in red blood cells.
• It causes red blood cells to adopt a sickle or crescent shape, hindering their movement through vessels, leading to potential complications like severe pain, infections, anaemia, and strokes.
• In India alone, an estimated 30,000-40,000 children are born with sickle cell disease annually.

Thalassaemia

• Similar to sickle cell disease, individuals with thalassaemia experience severe anaemia due to low haemoglobin levels, necessitating lifelong blood transfusions and chelation therapy to manage iron accumulation.
• Major symptoms include fatigue, paleness or jaundice, shortness of breath, delayed growth, facial bone deformities (in severe cases) among others.

PM-KISAN Scheme

Why in News?

The Prime Minister of India granted the disbursement of the 17^th installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), reflecting the commitment of the government towards farmer welfare.

Key Points

• The 17^th installment will be given to more than Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.26 crore beneficiary farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through Direct Benefit Transfer.
  • So far, more than 11 crore eligible farmer families have received benefits of more than Rs. 3.04 lakh crore under PM-KISAN.
• Certificates to more than 30,000 women from Self Help Groups (SHGs) as Krishi Sakhis were also granted.
• Krishi Sakhi Convergence Program (KSCP) aims to transform rural India through the empowerment of rural women as Krishi Sakhi, by imparting training and certification of Krishi Sakhis as Para-extension Workers.
• This certification course also aligns with the objectives of the “Lakhpati Didi” Program.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

• Under the scheme, the Centre transfers an amount of Rs 6,000 per year, in three equal installments, directly into the bank accounts of all landholding farmers irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
  • It was launched in February 2019.
• It is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
• It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiary farmer families rests with the State / UT Governments.
• Objective:
  • To supplement the financial needs of the Small and Marginal Farmers in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income at the end of each crop cycle.
  • To protect them from falling in the clutches of moneylenders for meeting such expenses and ensure their continuance in the farming activities.

Lakhpati Didi Scheme

• The government's goal is to create two crore "lakhpati didis" (prosperous sisters) in villages. This scheme aligns with the broader mission of poverty alleviation and economic empowerment.
• Under this scheme, women will be provided skill training so that they can earn over Rs 1 lakh per year.
• Features:
  • Drones will be provided to women SHGs for agricultural activities.
  • This initiative aims to leverage technology to transform the agricultural landscape while empowering women in rural communities.
  • Around 15,000 women's SHGs will be given training in operating and repairing drones.
    • This training will not only create new avenues for income generation but also equip women with cutting-edge skills.
• Drones have the potential to revolutionize agriculture by enabling precision farming, crop monitoring, and pest control.
• Under the scheme, women will be trained in skills like LED bulb making, plumbing, among others.

Development of Varanasi International Airport

Why in News?

The Union Cabinet approved a comprehensive development plan for Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, with a projected cost of Rs 2869.65 crore.

• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will oversee the project, which aims to significantly enhance the airport's passenger handling capacity.

Key Points

• The project involves building a fresh terminal, lengthening the runway, and enlarging the apron.
  • The upcoming terminal will span 75,000 square meters, catering to 6 million passengers annually and handling up to 5,000 passengers during peak hours.
  • This will showcase Varanasi's cultural heritage, providing travelers with a unique experience.
• The airport is on track to transform into an eco-friendly airport by prioritizing environmental sustainability through energy efficiency, recycling waste, reducing carbon emissions, harnessing solar power, and maximizing natural light.

Airports Authority of India (AAI)

• It was constituted by an Airports Authority of India Act, 1994 of Parliament and came into being on 1^st April 1995 by merging erstwhile National Airports Authority and International Airports Authority of India.
• The merger brought into existence a single organisation entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure both on the ground and air space in the country.