India recently marked its 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2021. The theme of the celebrations was ‘Nation First, Always First’. During his address to the nation, the Prime Minister highlighted various governmental initiatives and programmes. This article examines these points for those preparing for the UPSC CSE-2021 Preliminary Examination.
World’s Largest Vaccination Program
Starting on January 16, 2021, India initiated the “World’s Largest Vaccination Program” in its fight against COVID-19. Two vaccines developed in the country, Covishield and Covaxin, were approved for distribution. To facilitate this programme, the government launched the Co-WIN application.
The Role of Co-WIN
The Co-WIN platform functions as an IT solution for India’s Covid-19 immunisation programme. It facilitates the registration of beneficiaries and generates digital vaccination certificates. It is managed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHWA), with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Informatics Centre handling its tech infrastructure.
‘Amrit Kaal’ for India
In his speech, the PM announced the next 25 years as ‘Amrit Kaal’ for India. The aim of Amrit Kaal is to improve the quality of life, reduce developmental disparities, decrease government interference, and modernise India’s technology.
Ujjwala 2.0 Scheme
The PM recently launched the second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) or Ujjwala 2.0 Scheme. Its aim is to provide LPG connections to impoverished households, particularly migrants who struggle with providing address proof. It provides a financial support of Rs 1600 per LPG connection for Below Poverty Line households.
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) provides secondary as well as tertiary healthcare coverage to beneficiaries, covering surgery, medicine, and day care treatments. The costing is shared across states, union territories, and the center, depending on legislative circumstances.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana
The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in 2008. It aims to make quality generic medicines available through Jan Aushadhi Kendras, which can be set up by different stakeholders at suitable locations.
PM SVANidhi
Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched PM SVANidhi. The scheme provides affordable loans to street vendors for business expansion.
Jal Jeevan Mission
The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide 55 litres of water per person daily to rural households by 2024. The mission is managed by the Jal Shakti Ministry, with funding shared between the centre and the states.
Malnutrition Condition
Malnutrition refers to imbalances in a person’s nutritional intake leading to deficiencies or excesses. It manifests as undernutrition, micronutrient-related malnutrition, or overweight conditions.
Delimitation Commission in Jammu and Kashmir
The Delimitation Commission is responsible for fixing or redrawing electoral boundaries in a country or province. This independent high-powered panel is appointed by the President of India.
Blue Economy Concept
Introduced by Gunter Pauli in 2010, the Blue Economy promotes the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved living conditions, and ocean ecosystem health. India has launched several initiatives in this regard.
Deep Ocean Mission
In 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Deep Ocean Mission to support India’s Blue Economy Initiatives. The mission, implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, will make India one of the few countries with the necessary technology for such missions.
Cooperative Movement in India
The Cooperative Movement in India has been an integral part of its development plans. Its primary goal is to ensure collaboration among the populace to alleviate issues related to agriculture.
e-Commerce in India
e-Commerce is a business model that allows firms and individuals to sell goods over the internet. In India, e-commerce revenue is growing at an annual rate of 51%, the highest globally. By 2026, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to hit US$ 200 billion.
Kisan Credit Card
The Kisan Credit Card scheme was introduced to provide farmers with timely credit support for their agriculture-related expenses. The scheme covers post-harvest costs, consumption needs, and investment credit for agricultural activities.
Farmers Producer Organisation
A Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) is a collective of primarily small and marginal farmers formed to address agricultural challenges. They receive support from resource agencies like NABARD.
PM KISAN
Under the PM KISAN scheme, the government directly transfers Rs 6,000 annually into the bank accounts of all landholding farmers. It is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, with beneficiary identification done by the State/UT Governments.
Kisan Rails
Kisan Rails are multi-commodity trains designed to transport perishable agricultural products quickly to markets. Its launch is aimed at doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022.
SVAMITVA Yojana
SVAMITVA is a Central Sector Scheme aimed at mapping land parcels in rural inhabited areas using drone technology. The aim is to offer an integrated property validation solution for rural India.
UDAN 4.1
Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) was launched as a regional connectivity scheme. It aims to make flights economically viable on regional routes, making flying more accessible to the average citizen. UDAN 4.1 focuses on connecting smaller airports and special routes for helicopters and seaplanes.
Gati Shakti
Announced by the PM on the 75th Independence Day, Gati Shakti is a Rs.100 lakh-crore holistic infrastructure development project. It aims to enhance the global footprint of local manufacturers and create future economic zones and employment opportunities.
INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant, India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), is likely to be commissioned in 2022. It will add formidable capabilities to the country’s defence and secure India’s maritime interests.
Gaganyaan
Gaganyaan is an Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) mission to send three flights into orbit. The human spaceflight module of Gaganyaan will be launched after the second unmanned mission slated for 2022-23.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan
Launched in May 2020, Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan is a mission to promote locally produced goods. It complements the ‘Make In India’ initiative, aimed at encouraging domestic manufacturing.
National Hydrogen Energy Mission
Announced in the Union Budget for 2021-22, the National Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHM) aims to use hydrogen as an energy source. The focus is on generating hydrogen from green power resources to meet emission goals under the Paris Agreement and reduce import dependence on fossil fuels.
Food Fortification
Food fortification is the deliberate increase of essential micronutrients in food to improve its nutritional quality. The FSSAI has operationalised regulations for fortifying staples such as wheat flour, rice, milk, edible oil, and salt.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan
Announced in May 2020, Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan encourages the promotion of local products. This mission aims to transform India into a self-reliant nation by creating economic conditions that favour local businesses.
Aurobindo Ghosh
Sri Aurobindo Ghosh was an Indian nationalist, philosopher, and poet. He founded a spiritual community that shaped the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1926. His philosophy centred around divine life on earth through spiritual evolution.
