• 25 Jul 2024

Status Quo at Shambhu Border

Why in News?

Recently, the Supreme Court proposed to make an independent committee, comprising eminent persons, to reach out to the protesters at Shambhu border to find a solution to their demands.

Key Points

• The top court was addressing the Haryana government's plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's directive to remove,the barricades at the Shambhu border near Ambala, within a week, where farmers have been camping since 13^th February 2024.
  • In February, the Haryana government set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi National Highway in response to plans by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to march to Delhi.
    • They were advocating for demands including a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
• Since February, farmers have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their march was halted by security forces.

Industrial Gain for Uttar Pradesh

Why in News?

The Union Budget 2024 has been positively received by entrepreneurs, industrialists, and businessmen in Uttar Pradesh, who praised the finance minister's decisions as bold and promising.

• These are confident that Uttar Pradesh will benefit significantly, positioning itself as a manufacturing hub with a skilled workforce, increased support and spending across various sectors.

Key Points

• According to the sources, the allocation of Rs 10 lakh crore for urban housing projects aims to address the shortage of affordable housing in key cities of UP.
  • The PM 2.0 Awas scheme will benefit low and middle income families, while promoting rental housing through private partnerships will help alleviate urban slums.
• Prioritizing initiatives targeted at women is a praiseworthy step towards promoting gender equality and empowerment.
• The nine key focus areas covering agriculture, innovation, reforms, and other domains provide a clear blueprint for sustainable progress.
• Raising the MUDRA loan limit from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh would provide substantial support to many small business owners in Uttar Pradesh.
  • The credit guarantee scheme for manufacturing sector participants would motivate them to invest in new technologies and equipment.
  • Streamlining Goods and Services Tax (GST) and income tax compliance processes would be beneficial for start-ups and young business owners.
• The allocation of Rs 1.52 lakh crore to the agriculture sector and the announcement of a new cluster scheme to boost vegetable production would expand the production of pulses and oilseeds through certification and branding in the Nation.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

• It was launched on 25^th June 2015, with the intent to provide housing for all in urban areas by year 2022.
• It was implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Features:
  • Addresses Urban housing shortage among the Urban Poor including the Slum Dwellers by ensuring a pucca house to eligible urban poor.
  • The Mission covers the entire urban area consisting of Statutory Towns, Notified Planning Areas, Development Authorities, Special Area Development Authorities, Industrial Development Authorities or any such authority under State legislation which is entrusted with the functions of urban planning & regulations.
  • All houses under PMAY(U) have basic amenities like toilets, water supply, electricity and kitchen.
  • The Mission promotes women empowerment by providing the ownership of houses in the name of female members or in joint name.
  • Preference is also given to differently abled persons, senior citizens, SCs, STs, OBCs, Minority, single women, transgender and other weaker & vulnerable sections of the society.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

• It was launched by the government in 2015 for providing loans up to Rs. 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro-enterprises.
• Funding Provision:
  • MUDRA, which stands for Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd., is a financial institution set up by the Government.
  • It provides funding to the non-corporate small business sector through various last-mile financial institutions like Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs).
  • MUDRA does not lend directly to micro-entrepreneurs/individuals.

HUDCO MoU with Rajasthan

Why in News?

Recently, Housing & Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) Ltd signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government regarding financial assistance for housing and urban infrastructure projects.

Key Points

• The MoU is a preliminary agreement between the parties to provide financial assistance for housing and urban infrastructure projects in Rajasthan up to Rs 1,00,000 crore over the next 5 years, subject to mutually agreed terms and conditions.

Housing & Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO)

• HUDCO, a public sector company under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, focuses on building assets for the nation with a motto of "Profitability with Social Justice".
• It emphasizes on addressing the housing needs of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low-Income Groups (LIG).

Bihar Floods Recognised as National Priority

Why in News?

Recently, The Union Budget 2024 allocated Rs 11,500 crore for harnessing and utilizing the waters of Kosi - a river that is known to be highly unpredictable and prone to shifting its course.

• The Kosi river is referred to as the "sorrow of Bihar" due to the widespread destruction it causes across a large area in the northern part of the state after flowing in from Nepal.

Key Points

• According to the sources, it was the first time the problem of floods in Bihar was recognized as a national priority.
• The state received significant benefits despite not obtaining special category status, including four expressways, a two-lane bridge over the Ganga, a power plant, airports, and medical colleges.
• Additionally, the Budget announced an industrial node in Gaya, sports infrastructure, and assistance for accessing funds from multilateral institutions.
  • Development plans for the Vishnupad and Mahabodhi temple corridors in Gaya, as well as Rajgir and Nalanda, were also highlighted.

Kosi River System

• The Kosi is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, Nepal and India.
• It has its source in Tibet that includes the world's highest upland, it then drains a large part of Nepal before emerging onto the Gangetic plains.
• Its three major tributaries, the Sun Kosi, Arun and Tamur meet at one point just upstream of a 10 km gorge cut through the Himalayan foothills.
• The river crosses into northern Bihar where it branches into distributaries before joining the Ganges near Kursela in Katihar district.
• The Kosi carries the maximum amount of silt and sand after the Brahmaputra in India.
• It is also known as the “Sorrow of Bihar” as the annual floods affect about 21,000 sq. km. of fertile agricultural lands thereby disturbing the rural economy.

Bihar Passes Bill to Prevent Paper Leaks

Why in News?

Recently, The Bihar Assembly passed Bihar Public Examinations (PE) (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 aimed to curb the questions paper leaks and other malpractices in government recruitment examinations in the State.

Key Points

• All crimes under this law will be cognisable and non-bailable.
• It defines various offences related to unfair means, such as paper leaks, the use of fake websites, and collusion with service providers.
• The Bill includes provisions for imprisonment terms of three to five years and a fine of Rs. 10 lakh.
• If a service provider, whether a government entity or a private agency, engages in malpractices, it will face a fine of Rs. 1 crore and a four-year termination of its services.

Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024

• This bill was passed by the central government which aimed at addressing the issue of malpractices in government recruitment examinations. It came into effect on 21^st June 2024.
• Key Features:
  • It defines various offences related to unfair means, such as paper leaks, the use of fake websites, and collusion with service providers.
  • It prescribes strict penalties, including a minimum jail term of 3-5 years and a fine up to Rs. 1 crore.
  • It holds service providers engaged for exam conduct liable with fines up to Rs 1 crore and a 4-year ban on their involvement in public exams.
  • It empowers police officers not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police to investigate offences under the Act.
  • It will cover a wide range of central government recruitment exams, including those conducted by UPSC, SSC, RRBs, IBPS, and NTA.

Madhya Pradesh Refuses RTI Info on Project Cheetah

Why in News?

Recently, The Madhya Pradesh forest department has refused to provide information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 on management of cheetahs brought from Africa and their cubs born in India.

Key Points

• The department cited Section 8(1)(a) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 to withhold information in response to a wildlife activist request.
  • They stated that disclosure could prejudicially affect India's sovereignty, integrity, security, strategic, scientific, or economic interests, relations with a foreign State, or lead to the incitement of an offence.
• The state forest department was requested to provide “management correspondence records of the Cheetah Project in Kuno and Mandsaur”.

Cheetah Reintroduction Project

• The Cheetah Reintroduction Project in India formally commenced on September 17, 2022, to restore the population of cheetahs, which were declared extinct in the country in 1952.
• The project involves the translocation of cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
• The project is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and cheetah experts from Namibia and South Africa.