Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana “Saubhagya”



Scheme Name: SAUBHAGYA- Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana.

Launching Date & Year: 25 September, 2017.


  • The scheme Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana –“Saubhagya” will ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas here today.
  • Under the Scheme, States and Union Territories are required to complete the works of household electrification by the 31st of December 2018.
  • The beneficiaries for free electricity connections would be identified using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data. 
  • Un-electrified households not covered under the SECC data would also be provided electricity connections under the scheme on payment of Rs. 500 which shall be recovered by DISCOMs in 10 instalments through electricity bill.
  • The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) will remain the nodal agency for the operationalisation of the scheme throughout the country.
  • For identifying the beneficiaries, the Gram Panchayat /Public institutions in the rural areas may be authorised to collect application forms along with complete documentation, distribute bills and collect revenue in consultation with the Panchayat Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies. 
  • There is no provision in the scheme to provide free power to any category of consumers. The cost of electricity consumption shall have to be paid by the respective consumers as per prevailing tariff of the DISCOM/Power Deptt.

The expected outcome of the Scheme is as follows:


(a)  Environmental upgradation by substitution of Kerosene for lighting purposes
(b)  Improvement of education services
(c)  Better health services
(d)  Enhanced connectivity through radio, television, mobiles, etc.
(e)  Increased economic activities and jobs
(f)  Improved quality of life especially for women


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NATIONAL NUTRITION MISSION(NNM)


  • The National Nutrition Mission (NNM) has been set up with a three year budget of Rs.9046.17 crore commencing from 2017-18.
  • The NNM is a comprehensive approach towards raising nutrition level in the country on a war footing.
  • It will comprise mapping of various Schemes contributing towards addressing malnutrition.
  • It includes a very robust convergence mechanism;  
            a)    ICT based Real Time Monitoring system,
b)    Incentivizing States/UTs for meeting the targets,
c)    Incentivizing Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) for using IT based tools,
d)    Eliminating registers used by AWWs,
e)    Introducing measurement of height of children at the Anganwadi Centres (AWCs),
f)    Social Audits, setting-up Nutrition Resource Centres,
g)    Involving masses through Jan Andolan for their participation on nutrition through various activities, among others.

  • NNM targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively. 
  • Although the target to reduce Stunting is at least 2% p.a., Mission would strive to achieve reduction in Stunting from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022 (Mission 25 by 2022). More than 10 crore people will be benefitted by this programme.
  • All the States and districts will be covered in a phased manner i.e. 315 districts in 2017-18, 235 districts in 2018-19 and remaining districts in 2019-20.



THE EARTH & THE SOLAR SYSTEM


BASIC FACTS


  • The full moon is seen only once in about a month’s time and the night called as Full moon night or Poornima. 
  • A fortnight later is the New moon night or Amavasya which is the best night sky, provided it is a clear/cloudless night.
  • We can’t able to see moon and all other bright tiny objects during day time because the very bright light of the sun does not allow us to see all these bright objects of the night sky.
  • The various patterns formed by different groups of stars are called constellations. Ursa Major or Big Bear is one such constellation.
  • One of the most easily recognisable constellation is the Saptarishi (Sapta-seven, rishi-sages). It is a group of seven stars that forms a part of Ursa Major Constellation. 
  • In ancient times, people used to determine directions during the night with the help of North star/Pole Star which always remain in the same position in the sky indicates the north direction. 


THE SOLAR SYSTEM

  • The sun, eight planets, satellites and some other celestial bodies known as asteroids and meteoroids form the solar system. 
  • There are eight planets in our solar system. In order of their distance from the sun, they are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
  • Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus have rings around them. These are belts of small debris. These rings may be seen from the earth with the help of powerful telescopes. 
  • ‘Sol’ in Roman mythology is the ‘Sungod’. ‘Solar’ means ‘related to the sun’. The family of the sun is, therefore, called the solar system. 
  • Aryabhatta was a famous astronomer of ancient India. 
  • Neil Armstrong was the first man to step on the surface of the moon on 21 July 1969.
  • Inner planets - very close to the sun. They are made up of rocks.
  • Outer Planets - Very-very far from the sun and are huge planets made up of gases and liquids.
  • Mercury is nearest Planet to the sun.
  • Venus is considered as ‘Earth’s-twin’ because its size and shape are very much similar to that of the earth.
  • The earth is the third nearest planet to the sun. In size, it is the fifth largest planet.
  • From the outer space, the earth appears blue because its two-thirds surface is covered by water. It is, therefore, called a blue planet.
  • The Moon is the only satellite of the earth having diameter only one-quarter that of the earth and is about 3,84,400 km away from us. The moon moves around the earth in about 27 days. 
  • The Moon takes exactly the same time to complete one spin. As a result, only one side of the moon is visible to us on the earth.
  • Till August 2006, Pluto was also considered a planet. However, in a meeting of the International Astronomical Union, a decision was taken that Pluto like other celestial objects (Ceres, 2003 UB313) discovered in recent past may be called ‘dwarf planets.”


Some useful Information about the Planets of Our Solar System


  1. MERCURY One orbit around sun - 88 days, One spin on axis - 59 days.
  2. VENUS - One orbit around sun - 255 days. One spin on axis - 243 days
  3. EARTH - One orbit around sun - 365 days. One spin on axis - 1 day Number of moons - 1
  4.  MARS - One orbit around sun - 687 days One spin on axis - 1 day, number of moons - 02
  5. JUPITER - One orbit around sun - 11 years, 11 months about 12 years. One spin on axis - 9 hours, 56 minutes, number of moons - 16
  6. SATURN - One orbit around sun - 29 years, 5 months. One spin on axis - 10 hours 40 minutes, number of moons - about 18.
  7. URANUS - One orbit around sun - 84 years. One spin around axis - 17 hours 14 minutes, number of moons - about 17.
  8. NEPTUNE - One orbit around sun - 164 years. One spin on axis-16 hours 7 minutes, number of moons - 8.
Asteroids
Apart from the stars, planets and satellites, there are numerous tiny bodies which also move around the sun. These bodies are called asteroids. They are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter . Scientists are of the view that asteroids are parts of a planet which exploded many years back.

Meteoroids

The small pieces of rocks which move around the sun are called meteoroids. Sometimes these meteoroids come near the earth and tend to drop upon it. During this process due to friction with the air they get heated up and burn. It causes a flash of light. Sometimes, a meteor without being completely burnt, falls on the earth and creates a hollow.


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NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILD LIFE


About National Board for Wild Life

  • National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is a Statutory Board constituted on 22nd  September 2003 under Section 5 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. 
  • The Board is responsible for promotion of conservation and development of wildlife and forests. Its recommendations are Advisory in nature.
  • The NBWL is chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The NBWL has 47 members including the Chairman. Amongst these, 19 members are ex-officio members.
  • The Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment & Forests in the Central Government is the Vice-Chairperson. 
  • The Standing Committee of NBWL is chaired by Hon’ble Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Director, Wildlife Preservation (Addl. DGF (WL) is the Member Secretary of both NBWL and its Standing Committee.


Background of NBWL

  • Due to the rapid decline in wildlife population, the Government of India during 1952 had constituted an advisory body designated as the Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL). The Indian Board for Wildlife was chaired by the Prime Minister. 
  • During the 1970’s the Government of India appointed a committee for recommending legislative measures and administrative machinery for ensuring environmental protection.
  • Accordingly, a comprehensive central legislation was enacted in 1972 called the Wildlife (Protection) Act for providing special legal protection to our wildlife and to the endangered species of fauna in particular. 
  • As per the amendment of the Act in 2002, a provision was incorporated for the constitution of the National Board for Wildlife, replacing the Indian Board for Wildlife.

Functions of NBWL

  • The Board is responsible for promotion of conservation and development of wildlife and forests.
  • It helps both the Central and State governments in framing policies and advice on conservation and promotion of wildlife.
  • It carries out impact assessment of projects in areas inhabited by Wildlife.
  • It recommends the state governments on alteration of boundaries of a sanctuary or National Park.
  • The boundary of a Tiger reserve can only be altered after recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the National Board for Wildlife.


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Indian Environmental Organisations

FOREST SURVEY OF INDIA



About Forest Survey of India


  • Forest Survey of India (FSI), is a premier national organization under the union Ministry of Environment and Forests, Established on June 1, 1981.
  • FSI is headquartered at Dehradun and headed by Director General Officer. It has for regional zone viz. East Zone at Kolkata, Southern Zone at Bangalore, Northern Zone at Shimla and Central Zone at Nagpur.
  • FSI is responsible for assessment and monitoring of the forest resources of the country regularly. In addition, it is also engaged in providing Thematic Maps, Inventory of Trees outside Forests (Rural & Urban), Inventory data processing, Methodology Design, Training and Extension and Projects and Consultancies.

Background of FSI


  • The Forest Survey of India succeeded the "Preinvestment Survey of Forest Resources" (PISFR), a project initiated in 1965 by Government of India with the sponsorship of FAO and UNDP.
  • The main objective of PISFR was to ascertain the availability of raw material for establishment of wood based industries in selected areas of the country.
  • In its report in 1976, the National Commission on Agriculture (NCA) recommended for the creation of a National Forest Survey Organization for a regular, periodic and comprehensive forest resources survey of the country leading to creation of FSI.
  • After a critical review of activities undertaken by FSI, Government of India redefined the mandate of FSI in 1986 in order to make it more relevant to the rapidly changing needs and aspirations of the country.


Objective of FSI

  • To prepare State of Forest Report biennially, providing assessment of latest forest cover in the country and monitoring changes in these.
  • To conduct inventory in forest and non-forest areas and develop database on forest tree resources.
  • To prepare thematic maps on 1:50,000 scale, using aerial photographs.
  • To function as a nodal agency for collection, compilation, storage and dissemination of spatial database on forest resources.
  • To conduct training of forestry personnel in application of technologies related to resources survey, remote sensing, GIS, etc.
  • To strengthen research & development infrastructure in FSI and to conduct research on applied forest survey techniques.
  • To support State/UT Forest Departments (SFD) in forest resources survey, mapping and inventory.
  • To undertake forestry related special studies/consultancies and custom made training courses for SFD's and other organisations on project basis.

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Clean Seas Campaign


What is CleanSeas Campaign?


  • UN Environment launched #CleanSeas Campaign in February, 2017, with the aim of engaging governments, the general public, civil society and the private sector in the fight against marine plastic litter.
  • By connecting individuals, civil society groups, industry and governments, UN Environment aims to transform habits, practices, standards and policies around the globe to dramatically reduce marine litter and the harm it causes.
  • The campaign contributes to the goals of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, a voluntary open-ended partnership hosted by UN Environment.
  • Over the next five years, the campaign will address the root-cause of marine litter by targeting the production and consumption of non-recoverable and single-use plastic.
  • The campaign focuses on awareness, engagement and activeness of citizens in addressing the problem of marine litter in their own lives and beyond. 
  • The Campaign also giving a platform to hundreds of local organizations who are already doing important work on marine litter to highlight their efforts.

 

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