• 28 Dec 2023

Free Rice to Ration Card Holders

Why in News?

Recently, the Chhattisgarh government has announced free rice through fair price shops to 67.92 lakh eligible ration card holders eligible under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana from January 2024.

Antyodaya Anna Yojana is the sponsored scheme of the Government to provide highly subsidized food to millions of the poorest families.

Key Points

• This scheme will be implemented for the next five years from January 2024 to December 2028, under the Chhattisgarh Food and Nutrition Security Act, 2013.
  • Free rice will be distributed to beneficiaries from priority, differently abled and extremely poor people’s categories.
• As per the food department there were over 14.92 lakh ration card holders in Antyodaya category:
  • 52.46 lakh were from priority category,
  • 37,708 from single-destitute category and
  • 15,351 from disabled category.

• National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA): It ensures access to affordable and good-quality food by subsidizing food grains to those below the poverty line.
• Fair price shops (FPS): It is a government-run or government-regulated retail outlet or store in India.
  • It is to distribute essential commodities like food grains, edible oils, sugar, and other basic necessities to the public at subsidized or fair prices.

New Tourism Policy

Why in News?

Recently, the Bihar cabinet approved the Bihar Tourism Policy 2023 to attract more investment in the tourism sector.

Key points

• The policy aims to develop fundamental infrastructure near tourist destinations in the state and also includes provisions for stakeholders.
• The new policy contains several financial incentives for investors. These include:
  • Capital subsidy of 30% for investments up to Rs 10 crore.
  • 25% for investments up to Rs 50 crore.
  • 25% for investments exceeding Rs 50 crore,with a maximum limit of Rs 25 crore.
  • 100% reimbursement of land conversion fee, stamp duty and registration fee.
  • 80% reimbursement of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on commercial operation for up to 5 years.
  • 100% reimbursement of electricity tariff for new tourism units for 5 years.
  • Hoteliers and tour operators will get a 5% reimbursement of the monthly remuneration paid to tourist guides.The maximum monthly limit for this will be Rs 5000 per guide for up to 2 years.
  • incentives for green certification, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) promotions, are also included in the policy.
• 50% of the subsidy will be paid at the commencement of commercial operation, 25% after 2 years, and 25% after 5 years.
• A sum of Rs 62 crore is also sanctioned for the construction of an alternative approach path with sheds and a bus depot near Vishnupad Temple in Gaya.

Famous Tourist Places in Bihar: Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodhgaya, Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir, Nalanda, Ancient city of Patliputra, Valmiki Nagar Tiger Reserve in the West Champaran, etc,.

Approval of Infrastructure Projects

Why in News?

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the infrastructure projects in Bihar and the North-East worth over Rs.5,500 crore.

• Projects worth Rs.2,486.78 crore for improvement and widening of the 135-km stretch of the national highway from Khowai to Harina in Tripura are also approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

Note

The CCEA also approved the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for copra for 2024.

Key Points

• A 4.56 km-long six-lane bridge over the Ganga connecting Digha and Sonepur in Bihar was approved by the cabinet.
  • Digha, in Patna district, and Sonepur, in Saran district, are currently connected by a rail-cum-road bridge that can be used by light vehicles only.
• According to the Information and Broadcasting Minister, the new bridge would connect north and south Bihar, and would allow transport by heavy vehicles.
• The project, which will take 42 months to complete, would also improve connectivity for sites of Buddhist pilgrimage like Vaishali.

Cooking Gas Cylinder Subsidy Yojana

Why in News?

Recently, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced that Ujjwala gas cylinders will now be available at Rs 450 in the state from 1^st January 2024.

Key Points

• The subsidy would be transferred into the account of the beneficiary women, who come under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and those who hold the Below Poverty Line (BPL) card.
  • The scheme name is now changed from Indira Gandhi Cylinder Subsidy Scheme to Cooking Gas Cylinder Subsidy Yojana.
• The beneficiaries can avail the cheap cylinder by getting themselves registered at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yojana.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

• The scheme was launched on 1^st May 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• It was introduced by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG), as a flagship scheme with an objective to make 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.

Ayodhya Dham Junction

Why in News?

• Ahead of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the city's Ayodhya Junction railway station has been renamed Ayodhya Dham Junction.
  • The preparations are underway for the inaugural ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram temple on 22 January 2024.

Key Points

• On 30^th December, the grand railway station and airport will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The railway station will comprise lifts, a tourist information center, and medical facilities. This railway station is said to have mythological importance as much as it is modern.
  • With refurbished platforms, new signboards, escalators, and murals of Lord Ram painted on the walls, it is built to resemble a grand temple from the outside and is equipped with equally modern facilities on the inside.
• The building's frontage has a colonnade having a concrete core with a cladding of sandstone, with tall round pillars on the side ends having a cladding of sandstone to add a traditional look.

Multiple Projects in Tehri

Why in News?

Recently, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 160 projects worth Rs 415 crore in Tehri.

Key Points

• During the event, the CM honored the members of women's self-help groups and highlighted the role played by women of Uttarakhand in the statehood movement and the development of the state.
  • To underline the steps being taken by the state government for women's empowerment, the CM mentioned 30% reservation for women in government jobs and emphasized on schemes such as Mukhya Mantri Maha Lakshmi Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Aanchal Amrit Yojana and Mukya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana.
• He also administered an oath to students to make Uttarakhand drug-free by 2025.