Bihar

• 30 Aug 2024

Bihar Requests Funds Under PMAY-G

Why in News?

Recently, The Rural Development Department (RDD) of Bihar has sent a new request to the Ministry of rural development to approve Rs. 13.5 lakh additional housing units for homeless families under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).

Key Points

• The RDD has constructed 36.64 lakh dwelling units out of the total 37 lakh units that were sanctioned under the PMAY-G during the period from 2016-17 to 2023-24.
• Each beneficiary under PMAY-G gets Rs 1.30 lakh for a dwelling unit, along with labour cost as per rates under rural employment guarantee scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G)

• Launch:
  • To achieve the objective of “Housing for All” by 2022, the erstwhile rural housing scheme Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) was restructured to Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) from 1st April 2016, as a centrally sponsored scheme.
  • However, the government missed this target and in August 2022 extended the deadline for ensuring “Housing for All” to December 2024 .
• Ministry Involved:
  • Ministry of Rural Development.
• Status:
  • States/UTs have sanctioned 2.85 crore houses to the beneficiaries and 2.22 crore houses have been completed till March 2023.
• Aim:
  • To provide a pucca house with basic amenities to all rural families, who are homeless or living in kutcha or dilapidated houses by the end of March 2022.
  • To help rural people Below the Poverty Line (BPL) in the construction of dwelling units and upgradation of existing unserviceable kutcha houses by assisting in the form of a full grant.
• Beneficiaries:
  • People belonging to SCs/STs, freed bonded labourers and non-SC/ST categories, widows or next-of-kin of defence personnel killed in action, ex-servicemen and retired members of the paramilitary forces, disabled persons and minorities.
• Selection of Beneficiaries:
  • Through a three-stage validation such as Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011, Gram Sabha, and geo-tagging.
• Cost Sharing:
  • The Centre and states share expenses in 60:40 ratio in case of plain areas, and in 90:10 ratio for northeastern states, two Himalayan states and the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
    • The Centre bears 100% cost in case of other Union Territories, including the UT of Ladakh.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

• About:
• MGNREGA is one of the largest work guarantee programmes in the world launched in 2005 by the Ministry of Rural development.
• It provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.
  • Active workers: 14.32 Crore (2023-24)
• Major Features:
  • The cornerstone of MGNREGA's design is its legal guarantee, ensuring that any rural adult can request work and must receive it within 15 days.
    • If this commitment is not met, an "unemployment allowance" must be provided.
  • It requires that priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work.
  • Section 17 of the MGNREGA has mandated Social audit of all Works executed under the MGNREGA.
• Implementation Agency:
  • The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Govt of India is monitoring the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments.

Bihar’s First Sports Academy and University

Why in News?

Recently, On the occasion of National Sports Day Bihar chief minister inaugurated the state’s first Sports Academy and Bihar Sports University which is a part of the International Sports Complex in Rajgir.

Key Points

• The International Sports Complex will be a venue for training in 24 sports disciplines simultaneously.
  • The players will be provided all the facilities including training, accommodation and medical facilities, on the same campus.
  • The complex includes a main cricket stadium, along with eight smaller stadiums, a world-class sports library and training centres for various sports.
  • The main stadium will have a seating capacity of about 50,000 spectators, while the smaller stadiums will have a seating arrangement for 10,000 spectators.
    • It includes facilities for athletics, football, hockey, volleyball, kabaddi, and many other sports.
• According to the sources, Rajgir would be hosting the six-nation’s Asian Women Hockey Championship in November.
• The state government approved the establishment of Bihar Sports University in July 2021.
  • The primary objectives of this university are to promote sports education in the domains of physical education, sports science, sports technology, sports management, and sports training within the state of Bihar.
  • The university is envisioned to serve as a high-level research and training center for sports.

National Sports Day

• About:
  • The day was first designated and celebrated in 2012 as India’s National Sports Day.
  • The nation celebrates the day honouring our sports stars.
  • The president gives away sports awards such as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, and Dhyan Chand Awards on this occasion.
• Significance:
  • The primary motto of National Sports Day is to promote awareness about the significance of sports and being physically active in day-to-day life.
  • The Government of India organises various programs, events, seminars etc to raise awareness about the significance of National Sports Day.