-UPPCS-English%20(web).png)
-UPPCS-English%20(mobile).png)
.jpg)
.png)
PCS ParikshanUttar Pradesh Switch to Hindi
Uttar Pradesh Partners with UNDP for Improved Disaster Resilience
Why in News?
A Memorandum of Association (MoA) was signed between the Relief Commissioner’s Office of Uttar Pradesh and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to work collaboratively on making disaster management in the state more effective and scientific.
Key Points
About Memorandum of Association (MoA)
- Objective:
- It aims at implementing disaster risk reduction programmes, strengthening the state’s institutional capacity, and developing a multi-level disaster management system based on a technical approach.
- This comprehensive disaster management program will empower the state with a robust disaster risk reduction framework and enhance preparedness for potential disasters.
- It will introduce disaster risk reduction measures across the state, aiming to create a more inclusive, accountable, and effective disaster management system.
- Program Highlights:
- Creation of disaster management plans for all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and 15 key state departments.
- Detailed risk assessments and vulnerability studies for 20 major cities, along with the creation of urban disaster management plans for these cities.
- Preparation of detailed project reports for 10 state departments.
- Technical Improvements:
- Strengthening and integrating the state’s disaster information system through workshops, ICT tool provision, and the establishment of a Project Management Unit (PMU) at the Relief Commissioner’s Office to ensure effective coordination.
- Budget and Implementation:
- The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a budget of Rs 19.99 crore for the next three years to execute the program in phases.
- The implementation will be guided by technical proposals from UNDP, with the program aligned with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) recommendations.
About United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- About:
- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life.
- Formation and Headquarters:
- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was officially established in 1965 by the UN General Assembly.
- UNDP was formed by merging the United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance (1949) and the United Nations Special Fund (1958).
- It has its headquarters in New York City, but works primarily through its offices in about 170 countries and territories.
- Global Presence and Approach:
- It works on the ground in some 170 countries and territories, supporting their own solutions to development challenges and developing national and local capacities that will help them achieve human development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Focus Areas:
- Its work is concentrated on three main focus areas:
- Sustainable development
- Democratic governance and peacebuilding
- Climate and disaster resilience
- Its work is concentrated on three main focus areas:
Uttar Pradesh Switch to Hindi
NAMASTE Day
Why in News?
On the occasion of the 'National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Day', (16th July), Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, inaugurated the helpline (14473) for waste pickers and distributed PPE kits and Ayushman cards to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and Waste Pickers, in Lucknow.
Key Points
About NAMASTE Scheme
- About: The NAMASTE scheme is a human-centric initiative by the government to ensure that no Safai Karamchari has to engage in hazardous manual work such as cleaning sewers and septic tanks.
- The scheme aims to improve the working conditions of Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and promote their well-being through various support measures.
- Implementation and Duration: Launched jointly by the Union Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment and Housing and Urban Affairs, the scheme is being implemented by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
- The scheme, with a budget of Rs 349.73 crore, will run from FY 2023-24 to 2025-26, covering all 4800+ ULBs and replacing the previous Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).
- Key Entitlements for Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs): The scheme offers various entitlements for SSWs to ensure their safety, well-being, and sustainable livelihood:
- SSWs are being profiled through a digital application.
- Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to ensure safety during work.
- Ensuring access to necessary safety tools and resources.
- Providing training to enhance workers' safety and skills.
- Ensuring comprehensive health insurance for SSWs.
- The scheme aims to create livelihood opportunities for SSWs through:
- Providing access to vehicles and machines related to sanitation at subsidized rates.
- Encouraging SSWs to start their own sanitation businesses, supported by capacity-building initiatives.
About Manual Scavenging
- Manual scavenging is defined as “the removal of human excrement from public streets and dry latrines, cleaning septic tanks, gutters and sewers”.
- A manual scavenger is anyone employed to manually clean, carry, or handle human excreta from insanitary latrines, open drains, pits, or railway tracks, before it fully decomposes, as per the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act (PEMSR), 2013.
- India prohibited the practice under the PEMSR Act, 2013, which acknowledges manual scavenging as a "dehumanizing practice" and aims to address the historical injustices endured by manual scavengers.
- Government Initiatives and Schemes:
