State PCS

• 25 Aug 2021

Production of BrahMos Missiles in Lucknow

Why in News

• India's premier defense establishment, 'Defence Research and Development Organization, (DRDO)' will produce the BrahMos next generation missile in Lucknow under the Uttar Pradesh Defense Industrial Corridor in the near future.

Key Points

• Welcoming the initiative of DRDO, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has assured to provide all the facilities including land required for this project.
• The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is being designed, developed and produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between DRDO, Government of India and NPOM, Russia.
• Presently it is being used by the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
• About 200 acres of land will be required for production of the next generation BrahMos missile and an amount of about Rs. 300 crore will be invested to complete this project.
• This project will provide employment to about 500 engineers and technicians directly and 5,000 people indirectly.
• Ancillary units will also be set up to plan the production of this missile. Through these, about 10,000 people will get employment.
• With the construction of BrahMos missile in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh will move rapidly towards becoming the country's aerospace and defense hub.
• More than 200 industrial units involved in manufacturing of various systems and subsystems of BrahMos missile will also move towards setting up their production units near the project.

Land Acquisition Amendment Bill

Why in News

• Recently the Haryana Legislative Assembly passed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Key Points

• The bill is one of the six bills passed by the Haryana Legislative Assembly on the last day of the monsoon session.
• After being passed in the assembly, it will now be sent for the assent of the President. Once approved, it will become a law and will come into force on the issuance of notification by the government.
• According to the amendment bill, the DC will be responsible for taking consent of farmers for land acquisition.
• After acquisition, the government can take possession of the land at any time. There will be no compulsion to give 48 hours prior notice.
• Archaeological sites and forest land will be kept safe and protected during acquisition.
• The farmers from whom the government will buy less than 200 acres of land, will be paid an additional 50 percent of the total price as a lump sum payment.
• Notably, Haryana is not the first state to amend the Land Acquisition Act 2013. States like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have already amended it.
  
  • A total of 16 states have amended this law as per their convenience.

Supplementary Budget

Why in News

• During the monsoon session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has presented a supplementary budget of Rs 5,720.78 crore.

Key Points

• The budgetary provisions include Rs 2,990.53 crore for revenue expenditure and Rs 2,730.25 crore for capital expenditure.
• Special provision has been made in the budget to deal with Covid-19 and to facilitate the implementation of self-employment schemes.
• The budget allocation includes
  
  • Rs 570 crore for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
  • Rs 449 crore for National Health Mission (NHM)
  • Rs 401 crores for Jal Jeevan Mission
  • Rs 137.29 crores for Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
  • Rs 70.01 crores for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
  • Rs 24.65 crores for Swachh Bharat Mission
• Rs 600 crore has been allocated for various works and assistance for Covid-19, while some other allocations include:
  
  • Rs 100 crore has been allocated for Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana (MSY)
  • Rs 8.34 crore for Mukhyamantri Saubhagyavati Yojana
  • Rs 7.65 crore for Mukhyamantri Vatsalya Yojana.
• Apart from these, Rs 55 crore has been allocated for repair and maintenance of roads and bridges, Rs 30 crore for flood protection works, Rs 25 crore for drinking water projects and Rs 60 crore for smart city project works.

Gaura Devi Kanyadhan Yojana

Why in News

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that the girl child deprived of the benefit of Gaura Devi Kanyadhan Yojna in the year 2015-16 and 2016-17, will be given the benefit of the scheme by the government.

Key Points

• This benefit will be given to those girls who had applied under this scheme in the year 2015-16 and 2016-17 but they could not get its benefit. Necessary funds will also be arranged for this.
• In the year 2015-16, 11,300 girls while in 2016-17, 21,916 girls were deprived of the benefit of this scheme. In this way, the remaining amount of Rs 49.42 crore will be provided by the government to give the benefit of Kanyadhan scheme to a total of 33,216 girls.
• The 'Gaura Devi Kanyadhan' scheme was launched by the Government of Uttarakhand in the year 2006-07. Its main objective is to provide incentive money to all the 12th pass girls of BPL category of Uttarakhand state to motivate them for higher level education.