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Global Housing Technology Challenge-India

Why in News The Prime Minister has laid the foundation of LightHouse Projects (LHPs), as part of the Global Housing Technology Challenge-India...

02 Jan 2021 Infrastructure
New Industrial Infrastructure Projects

Why in News Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved three infrastructure proposals worth Rs 7,725 crore for setting...

01 Jan 2021 Infrastructure
Investment for Creating Gas Infrastructure

Why in News The government will invest around 60 billion USD in creating gas infrastructure in the country till 2024 and increasing gas’s...

23 Dec 2020 Infrastructure
Green National Highways Corridor Project

Why in News The government and the World Bank has signed a $500 million project for implementation of the Green National Highways Corridor...

23 Dec 2020 Infrastructure
North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project

Why in News The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of Rs. 6,700 crore for the North Eastern Region...

18 Dec 2020 Infrastructure
Vehicle Insurance in India

Why in News Recently, the Insurance Information Bureau of India released its annual report (Motor Annual Report 2018-19). Insurance Information...

14 Dec 2020 Infrastructure
Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure

Why in News All the States except Tamil Nadu have availed benefits of the scheme for “Special Assistance to States for Capital...

14 Dec 2020 Infrastructure
Centre’s Power for Land Acquisition for Highway: SC

Why in News Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) has upheld notifications issued under the National Highways Act, 1956, for acquisition of land for...

09 Dec 2020 Infrastructure
Electrification of Railways

Why in News Recently, the Minister of Railways has inaugurated the newly electrified Dhigawara-Bandikui section of North Western Railway and flagged...

30 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Cabinet Approves Capital Infusion into NIIF

Why in News Recently, the Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposal for equity infusion by the Government of Rs. 6000 crores in NIIF Debt...

27 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Scheme for Creation of Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Cluster: PMKSY

Why in News Recently, the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries has attended the Independent Management Advisory Committee (IMAC) meeting to...

26 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor

Why in News Rajasthan government has planned two special investment regions along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) to generate...

23 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Anakkayam Small Hydro Electric Project

Why in News Recently, various green collectives and environmental organisations have come together to protest against the Anakkayam Small Hydro...

18 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Financial Support to Public Private Partnerships in Infrastructure

Why in News Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved continuation and revamping of the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme...

12 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Annual Meeting of IBA

Why in News Recently, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has held its 73rd annual general meeting virtually. In the meeting, the Finance...

11 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
The Big Picture: Natural Gas Economy

Why in News? Recently, the Government of India has allowed complete marketing freedom for natural gas produced from non-regulated fields. The...

11 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Dobra Chanti bridge

Why in News Recently, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister has inaugurated Dobra-Chanthi suspension bridge in Tehri-Garhwal district. Key points The...

09 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Differential Licensing on Telecom Sector

Why in News Recently, various telecom operators have collectively opposed the move to introduce differential licensing via unbundling of various...

05 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project

Why in News Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the investment for 210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project. It...

05 Nov 2020 Infrastructure
DRIP Phase II and Phase III

Why in News Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement...

30 Oct 2020 Infrastructure

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		'article_id' => (int) 7369,
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		'title' => 'Global Housing Technology Challenge-India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Prime Minister has laid the foundation of<strong> LightHouse Projects (LHPs),</strong> as part of the <strong>Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) initiative,</strong> at<strong> six sites</strong> across six states via videoconference.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He also announced the winners under <strong>Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators - India (ASHA-India)</strong> and gave away annual awards for excellence in implementation of <strong>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) Mission.</strong></li>
<li>He also released <strong>a certification course on innovative construction technologies</strong> named <strong>NAVARITIH</strong> (New, Affordable, Validated, Research Innovation Technologies for Indian Housing).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Housing Technology Challenge-India:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs</strong> has conceptualized a Global Housing Technology Challenge - India (GHTC- India) which <strong>aims to identify and mainstream a basket of innovative technologies</strong> from across the globe<strong> for the housing construction sector</strong> that are sustainable, eco-friendly and disaster-resilient.</li>
<li>The Prime Minister declared the <strong>year 2019-20</strong> as <strong>&lsquo;Construction Technology Year&rsquo;</strong> while <strong>inaugurating GHTC-India in March 2019.</strong></li>
<li><strong>3 Components of GHTC-India:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Grand Expo and Conference:</strong> It is <strong>organized biennially</strong> to provide a platform to all stakeholders associated with housing construction for the exchange of knowledge and business.</li>
<li><strong>Proven Demonstrable Technologies for the Construction of Lighthouse Projects:</strong> These projects <strong>demonstrate the merits of the selected technologies</strong> and serve as live laboratories for research, testing, technology transfer, increasing mass awareness and for mainstreaming them in the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>funding</strong> for the LHPs is<strong> as per the guidelines of PMAY-U.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Potential Future Technologies for Incubation and Acceleration Support:</strong> Potential future technologies from India that are applicable to the housing sector<strong> will be supported and encouraged through the ASHA (Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators) India program.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>LightHouse Projects at Six Sites:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Six LHPs<strong> consisting of about 1,000 houses each with physical &amp; social infrastructure facilities</strong> are being constructed at six places across the country namely Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).</li>
<li>These projects will <strong>showcase the use of the six distinct shortlisted innovative technologies</strong> for field level application, learning and replication.</li>
<li>LHPs will <strong>demonstrate and deliver ready to live mass housing</strong> at an expedited pace as compared to conventional brick and mortar construction and will be more economical, sustainable, of high quality and durability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerator &ndash; India (ASHA India):</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The aim of ASHA-India is to <strong>catalyse research and development in the housing construction sector, building materials and related products</strong> by providing a suitable platform to promote and showcase India&rsquo;s vibrant and dynamic community of innovators.</li>
<li>It will <strong>support the potential future technologies developed in India</strong> by the way of incubation and acceleration.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Incubation and acceleration support is provided to potential future technologies that are <strong>not yet market ready (pre-prototype applicants)</strong> or to the technologies that are <strong>market ready (post prototype applicants)</strong> respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1685349" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7379,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'New Industrial Infrastructure Projects',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-committees-formed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)</strong></a> has approved three infrastructure proposals worth <strong>Rs 7,725 crore</strong> for setting up <strong>greenfield industrial cities</strong> with<strong> connectivity to major transportation corridors.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The cabinet also approved a modified scheme for<strong> interest subvention for <a href="/pdf/Government-Allows-Ethanol-Extraction-for-Blending-from-Foodgrains..pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ethanol</a> production</strong> expanding the scheme to <strong>include grain based distilleries and not just molasses based ones.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scheme would <strong>encourage ethanol production</strong> from grains like barley, maize, corn and rice and<strong> boost production and distillation capacity</strong> to 1,000 crore litres and help in meeting the <strong>goal of 20% ethanol blending with petrol by 2030.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These projects are based on major transportation corridors like <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dedicated-freight-corridor-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eastern &amp; Western Dedicated Freight Corridors</a>, Expressways and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-highways-authority-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Highways</a>, proximity to ports, airports.</strong></li>
<li>This will <strong>attract investments into manufacturing and position India as a strong player in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-localising-globalisation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global value chain</a>.</strong></li>
<li>These projects will generate <strong>ample employment opportunities through</strong> development of Industrial Corridors.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Industrial Corridors</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/industrial-corridors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Industrial corridors</strong></a> offer <strong>effective integration between industry and infrastructure,</strong> leading to overall <strong>economic and social development.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Economic Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Avenues for Exports:</strong> The Industrial Corridors are likely to lower the cost of logistics thereby increasing the efficiency of industrial production structure. Such an <strong>efficiency lowers the cost of production which makes the Indian made products more competitive in international markets.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Job Opportunities:</strong> Development of Industrial Corridors would attract investments for the development of Industries which is likely to<strong> create more jobs in the market.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Logistics:</strong> These corridors would <strong>provide necessary logistics infrastructure needed to reap economies of scale,</strong> thus enabling firms to focus on their areas of core competence.</li>
<li><strong>Investment Opportunities:</strong> Industrial corridor <strong>provides opportunities for private sector investment</strong> in the provision of various infrastructure projects associated with the exploitation of industrial opportunity.</li>
<li><strong>Improved Functioning:</strong> Apart from the <strong>development of infrastructure,</strong> long-term advantages to business and industry along the corridor include benefits arising from smooth access to the industrial production units, <strong>decreased transportation and communications costs, improved delivery time and reduction in inventory cost.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Environmental Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The establishment of Industrial Units in a scattered manner along the industrial corridor across the length of the state will <strong>prevent concentration of industries in one particular location which exploited the environment beyond its carrying capacity</strong> and caused environmental degradation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Socio-Economic Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The cascading effect of industrial corridors in socio-economic terms are many such as setting up of industrial townships, educational institutions, hospitals. These will further <strong>raise the standards of human development.</strong></li>
<li>Moreover, people would find job opportunities close to their homes and would not have to migrate to far-off places (would prevent distress migration).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Industrial Corridor Development Programme:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1609915159_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1609915159_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> The Government of India is developing various Industrial Corridor Projects as part of the <strong>National Industrial Corridor programme</strong> which is aimed at development of futuristic industrial cities in India which can compete with the best manufacturing and investment destinations in the world.</li>
<li><strong>Administration: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT)</strong> is under the administrative control of <strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)</strong> for coordinated and unified development of all the industrial corridors which are at various stages of development and implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is India's most ambitious infrastructure programme aiming to develop new industrial cities as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres#:~:text=Smart%20City%20Mission,create%20smart%20outcomes%20for%20citizens." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>"Smart Cities"</strong></a> and <strong>converging next generation technologies</strong> across infrastructure sectors.</li>
<li>11 Industrial Corridors Projects are being taken up for development with 30 Projects to be developed in <strong>04 phases up to 2024-25:</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To make the corridors successful, India has to be part of the <strong>Industrial Revolution 4.0,</strong> which will be <strong>shaped by a fresh wave of innovation</strong> in areas such as smart robotics, materials that are lighter and tougher, and a manufacturing process built around 3D printing and analytics.</li>
<li><strong>Industrial corridors will help India&rsquo;s efforts to lead the world in the fourth wave of industrial revolution.</strong> Effective execution of this plan could make India take a major leap in the race of development</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/government-approves-multi-modal-logistics-and-transport-hub-at-greater-noida/article33453779.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7288,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Investment for Creating Gas Infrastructure',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The government will invest around <strong>60 billion USD</strong> in creating gas infrastructure in the country till <strong>2024</strong> and increasing <strong>gas&rsquo;s share</strong> in the energy mix upto <strong>15%</strong> by <strong>2030.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, gas accounts for<strong> 6% in the country&rsquo;s total energy mix.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Proposed Infrastructure Plan:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It includes <strong>pipelines, LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) terminals </strong>and<strong> CGD (City Gas Distribution) networks.</strong></li>
<li>It has been envisaged to develop<strong> additional about 14,300 km pipelines</strong> to complete the <strong>National Gas Grid</strong> and are at various stages of development.</li>
<li>At present, the country has <strong>6 operational LNG regasification terminals.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The government has further planned to have <strong>1,000 LNG fuel stations</strong> across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Coverage of CGD projects is being expanded to 232 geographical areas spread over 400 districts, with potential to cover about <strong>53% of the country&rsquo;s geography and 70% of population.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Gas Grid:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since a <a href="/pdf/1600768330-the-big-picture-gas-grid-fuel-for-all.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Gas Grid (NGG)</strong> </a>was conceptualized in 2000, India has built more than 16,000 km of gas network. Recent initiatives include:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Project:</strong> It seeks to cater to the energy requirements of<strong> Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.</strong></li>
<li><strong>North East Region (NER) Gas Grid:</strong> It will pass through Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya in a phased manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>City Gas Distribution (CGD) Network:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the<strong> Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board</strong> (PNGRB)<strong> Act 2006,</strong> PNGRB grants the authorization to the entities for <strong>developing a</strong> <a href="/printpdf/city-gas-distribution-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CGD network</strong></a> in a specified Geographical Area (GA) of the country.</li>
<li>The CGD sector has four distinct segments &ndash; <strong>Compressed Natural Gas</strong> (CNG) predominantly used as <strong>auto-fuel,</strong> and <strong>Piped Natural Gas</strong> (PNG) used in <strong>domestic, commercial and industrial segments.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Government Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Natural Gas Marketing Reforms:</strong> Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reforms-in-exploration-and-licensing-policy-oil-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Policy framework on reforms in the exploration and licensing sector</strong> </a>for enhancing domestic exploration and production of oil and gas.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Gas Exchange:</strong> India&rsquo;s first automated <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-gas-exchange-igx" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>national-level gas trading platform</strong></a> was unveiled in June 2020, to promote and sustain an efficient and robust gas market and foster gas trading in the country</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana:</strong> It aimed to provide <strong>free cooking gas connections</strong> to poor families.</li>
<li><strong>Gas4India Campaign:</strong> It is a multimedia, multi-event campaign to communicate to people, the national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the fuel.</li>
<li><strong>Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP):</strong> It is a <a href="/printpdf/hydrocarbon-exploration-and-licensing-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>contractual and fiscal model</strong> </a>for award of hydrocarbon acreages towards exploration and production (E&amp;P). It provides a <strong>single, or uniform, license</strong> for the exploration and production of all conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons from an entire contract area.</li>
<li>Promotion to <strong>Compressed Natural Gas based Public Transport.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transnational Gas Pipelines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline.</li>
<li>Middle East to India Deepwater Pipeline</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Natural Gas</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Natural Gas is mainly extracted from the<strong> petroleum deposits deep beneath the earth.</strong> It occurs <strong>just above the layer of crude oil, as gases are lighter than oil.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>High temperatures and pressure leads</strong> to the conversion of the <strong>remains of plants and animals buried under the earth</strong> into naturally occurring gas along with petroleum and coal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In India,<strong> Jaisalmer, Krishna Godavari delta, Tripura</strong> and some areas offshore in <strong>Mumbai</strong> have natural gas resources.</li>
<li>The <strong>Gas Authority of India Limited</strong> was set up in 1984 as a public sector undertaking to transport and market natural gas.</li>
<li><strong>Need for Gas-based Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Energy efficient:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Natural gas produces more energy than any of the fossil fuels in terms of <strong>calorific value.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cleaner fuel:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Natural gas is a superior fuel as compared with coal and other liquid fuels; being an <strong>environment-friendly, safer and cheaper fuel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Emission commitments:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India made a commitment to <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-climate-change-act-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COP-21 Paris Convention</strong> </a>in December 2015 that by 2030, it would reduce carbon emission by 33%-35% of 2005 levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diverse applications:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Natural gas can be used as<strong> domestic kitchen fuel,</strong> fuel for the <strong>transport sector</strong> as well as a fuel for fertilizer<strong> industries</strong> and commercial units.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pacing up the progress line:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>On the global front, switching to natural gas is bringing commendable results. The latest report released by the <a href="/printpdf/world-energy-outlook-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency</strong></a> shows that the electricity produced by natural gas worldwide was more than that of coal for the first time ever.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/commodities/usd-60-billion-investment-coming-in-gas-infrastructure-dharmendra-pradhan/article29673498.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7282,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Green National Highways Corridor Project',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>government and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank</a></strong> has signed<strong> a $500 million project</strong> for implementation of the <strong>Green National Highways Corridor Project.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Green National Highways Corridor Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)</strong> had launched a <strong>National Green Highways Mission (NGHM)</strong> following the promulgation of <strong>&lsquo;Green Highways Policy&rsquo;</strong> in September 2015.</li>
<li>The <strong>Green</strong> <strong>National Highways Corridor Projects (GNHCP)</strong> supports the <strong>implementation of the NGHM</strong> and the provision of<strong> green and safe transport.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>objective</strong> of the Project is to demonstrate <strong>safe and green <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centre-s-power-for-land-acquisition-for-highway-sc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Highway</a> corridors in selected States</strong> and enhance the institutional capacity of the MoRTH in mainstreaming safety and green technologies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Three Components of the Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Green Highway Corridor Improvement and Maintenance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This includes upgradation and maintenance for<strong> five years</strong> of about <strong>783 km of selected existing National Highways</strong> in the states of<strong> Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Institutional Capacity Enhancement:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will support the capacity enhancement of MoRTH in its pursuit to <strong>conserve natural resources and improve climate vulnerability</strong> of the National Highways network and<strong> reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Road Safety:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will provide support to <strong>improve <a href="/pdf/1593988971-road-safety-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">road safety</a> data analytics and highway safety monitoring</strong> and implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About the Pact between the Government and the World Bank:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The USD 500 million loan from the <strong>International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD),</strong> an arm of the World Bank, has a<strong> maturity of 18.5 years</strong> including a five-year grace period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of the Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>National Highways of India carry about 40% of road traffic.</strong> However, several sections of these highways have<strong> inadequate capacity, weak drainage structures and black spots prone to accidents.</strong></li>
<li>The ultimate objective of transport infrastructure is to <strong>provide seamless connectivity and reduce logistics costs.</strong></li>
<li>Historically, the transport sector in India has offered limited employment opportunities for women. The project will <strong>support the ministry with an in-depth analysis of gender-related issues in the transport sector</strong> along with help in creating jobs for women by training women-led micro enterprises and women collectives to implement green technologies in the highway corridors.</li>
<li>It will also support the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/status-of-bharatmala-pariyojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bharatmala Pariyojana Program (BPP).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Features of Green Highways Policy 2015</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Promote greening and development of eco-friendly National Highway corridors across the country with participation of farmers, private sector and government institutions including the Forest Department.</li>
<li>It addresses the issues that lie in the road of development and shows the way towards <a href="/pdf/1594392281-sustainable-development-3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sustainable development.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Planting of trees in any particular area will depend on the soil suitability and climatic conditions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Its objective is to<strong> reduce the impact of air pollution and dust</strong> by planting trees and shrubs along the National Highways. They will act as natural sinks for air pollutants and <strong>arrest soil erosion</strong> at the embankment slopes.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Bank</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>History: Founded</strong> at the <strong>Bretton Woods conference in 1944,</strong> the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development&mdash;soon called the World Bank&mdash;has expanded to a closely associated group of<strong> five development institutions. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Five Development Institutions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)</strong> provides loans, credits, and grants.</li>
<li><strong>International Development Association (IDA)</strong> provides low- or no-interest loans to low-income countries.</li>
<li>The <strong>International Finance Corporation (IFC)</strong> provides investment, advice, and asset management services to companies and governments.</li>
<li>The<strong> Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)</strong> insures lenders and investors against political risk such as war.</li>
<li>The <strong>International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)</strong> settles investment-disputes between investors and countries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>India is not a member of ICSID.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the World Bank has released <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-purchasing-power-parities-icp-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs)</a></strong> for reference year 2017, under <strong>International Comparison Program (ICP)</strong> that adjusts for differences in the cost of living across economies of the world.</li>
<li>It has also developed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-national-logistics-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Logistics Performance Index.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Reports Published by World Bank:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-bank-s-human-capital-index-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Human Capital Index Report</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-economic-prospects-world-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Economic Prospects</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ease of Doing Business</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/south-asia-economic-focus-report-world-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Asia Economic Focus Report</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poverty-and-shared-prosperity-report-world-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report</strong></a></li>
<li>World Development Report</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Projects Supported by the World Bank:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mid-term-review-of-national-hydrology-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Hydrology Project</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/stars-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) Project</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/report-on-national-nutrition-mission-niti-aayog" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Nutrition Mission</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-for-clean-ganga" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Mission for Clean Ganga</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-biopharma-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Biopharma Mission</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atal-bhujal-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atal Bhujal Yojana</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/govt-world-bank-ink-500-million-pact-to-develop-highway-corridors-7115829/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7237,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/printpdf/cabinet-committees-formed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet Committee</strong></a> <strong>on Economic Affairs</strong> has approved the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of <strong>Rs. 6,700 crore</strong> for the<strong> North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is a major step towards <strong>economic development of the North Eastern Region</strong> through strengthening of Intra - State Transmission and Distribution systems.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Scheme was initially approved in <strong>December 2014</strong> as a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Sector Scheme</strong></a> of the Ministry of Power.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Funded By:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> assistance of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank</a></strong> fund and by the Government of India through the Budget support of the Ministry of Power on<strong> 50:50</strong> basis except for the <strong>capacity building component for Rs. 89 crore, which will be entirely funded by the Government of India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implemented By:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The scheme is being implemented through <strong>Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID)</strong> in association with six beneficiary North Eastern States namely, <strong>Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura</strong> and is targeted to be commissioned by December 2021.</li>
<li><strong>POWERGRID</strong> is a <strong>'Maharatna'</strong> Company operating under Ministry of Power, it is engaged in power transmission business with the responsibility for <strong>planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maintenance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>After commissioning, the project will be owned and maintained by the respective <strong>North Eastern State Utilities.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Government&rsquo;s<strong> commitment for the total economic development</strong> of the North Eastern Region and to <strong>strengthen the Intra-State Transmission &amp; Distribution Infrastructure</strong> in the North East Region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Implementation of this scheme will <strong>create a reliable power grid and improve NER States' connectivity to the upcoming load centers,</strong> and thus <strong>extend the benefits</strong> of the grid connected power to all categories of consumers of beneficiaries in the North Eastern Region.</li>
<li>The scheme shall also<strong> increase the per capita power consumption</strong> of these States, and shall <strong>contribute to the total economic development</strong> of the North-Eastern Region.</li>
<li>Hiring local manpower is<strong> generating a lot of employment for skilled and unskilled manpower</strong> of North-Eastern Region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives for North Eastern States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-infrastructure-and-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North-East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS):</strong> </a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In order to promote employment in the North East States, the Government is incentivizing primarily the MSME Sector through this scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Tourism Mart (ITM):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is organized annually with the <strong>objective of showcasing the largely untapped tourism potential of the North East region</strong> in the domestic and international markets.</li>
<li>10% of the plan allocation of the Ministry of Tourism is marked for the NorthEast region.</li>
<li>There are also plans to hold an NER Tourism Mart where tour operators from all over the country can meet and the regional tourism can be showcased.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/launch-of-bamboo-clusters#:~:text=National%20Bamboo%20Mission%3A,(industry)%20and%20spoke%20model." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Bamboo Mission:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Mission envisages promoting holistic growth of the bamboo sector by adopting the area-based, regionally differentiated strategy. It aims to increase the area under bamboo cultivation and marketing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1681053" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7205,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Vehicle Insurance in India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Insurance Information Bureau of India</strong> released its annual report <strong>(Motor Annual Report 2018-19).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Insurance Information Bureau (IIB)</strong> was promoted by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sandbox-for-fintech" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI)</strong> </a>as a single platform to meet the needs of the insurance industry, in 2009.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Key Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Uninsured Vehicles:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Nearly<strong> 57% of the total vehicles on the road were uninsured</strong> as of March 2019, up from <strong>54% in March 2018.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> bulk of uninsured vehicles are two-wheelers,</strong> with the numbers being as high as 66%. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-motor-vehicles-bill-for-road-safety#:~:text=The%20Motor%20Vehicles%20(Amendment)%20Bill%2C%202019%20is%20based%20on,while%20dealing%20with%20transport%20departments." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Motor Vehicles Act, 2019</strong></a>, it is <strong>mandatory</strong> for all vehicles to be insured with <strong>third-party vehicle insurance policy.</strong></li>
<li>Third-party insurance is essentially a form of liability insurance purchased by an insured (first-party) from an insurer (second party) for protection against the claims of another (third party). The first party is responsible for their damages or losses, regardless of the cause of those damages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Weak enforcement</strong> by traffic police in states, lack of follow-up by insurers and <strong>rising cost of third-party covers</strong> has resulted in a larger number of vehicle owners not renewing their motor insurance policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>About 13.2 crore vehicles on Indian roads are plying without the mandatory third-party insurance covers. <strong>Victims of accidents caused by these vehicles will not get adequate compensation</strong> as there would not be any one insurance company on which the liability can be pinned. The owners, too, have limited means to provide compensation.</li>
<li>Findings from the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/road-accidents-in-india-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> annual report on Road Accidents in India</strong></a>, released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in 2019:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The road accidents numerics:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It<strong> kills</strong> almost <strong>1.5 lakh people annually</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The<strong> accidents, as well as accident-related deaths</strong> in the period 2010-2018, <strong>dropped drastically compared with the previous decades,</strong> despite the very high rate of growth of automobiles.</li>
<li>The road accident <strong>severity</strong> (the number of persons killed per 100 accidents) has <strong>increased by 0.6% in 2018 compared to 2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Cause:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Over-speeding</strong> is a major cause, accounting for 64.4% of the persons killed.</li>
<li><strong>Two-wheelers accounted for the highest share</strong> (35.2%) in total accidents in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>For insurance companies,</strong> the low level of compliance results in a <strong>higher claims ratio as,</strong> on several occasions, the tribunals have held the insurers liable for compensation, asking them to recover from the insured.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Global initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-status-report-on-road-safety-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety (2015):</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The declaration was signed at the second Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety held in Brazil. The first conference was held in Russia (2009).</li>
<li>Through the Brasilia Declaration, countries plan to achieve the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goal</strong> </a>3.6 i.e. to half the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> United Nations</strong></a> has also declared <strong>2010-2020 as the decade of action for Road Safety.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is <strong>one of the largest auto markets in the world</strong> with over 20 million vehicles sold annually. It is also among the countries with the <strong>highest number of road accidents and fatalities.</strong> In this scenario, it is very risky and dangerous when more than half the vehicles in the country are uninsured.</li>
<li>Insurance will definitely not reduce the death and accidents however it will reduce the loss and will help in post accident recovery.</li>
<li>There is a <strong>need for complementary thrust to spread awareness and improve financial literacy, particularly the concept of insurance, and its importance.</strong></li>
<li>Another area that necessitates regulatory scrutiny is that of<strong> application of technology</strong> in insurance.</li>
<li>The regulator needs to <strong>exercise vigilance</strong> on three other aspects.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It must ensure that <strong>insurance is not denied to lower-income people</strong> who make up the bulk of the population and have the most need for protection.</li>
<li>It should insist that <strong>insurers facilitate a simple online process</strong> for direct buying of insurance products, bypassing intermediaries.</li>
<li>It should ensure that <strong>players do not overcharge or add hidden costs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/over-50-vehicles-on-road-uninsured-report-7103787/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7203,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>All the <strong>States except Tamil Nadu</strong> have availed benefits of the scheme for<strong> &ldquo;Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure&rdquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The scheme was<strong> announced by the Ministry of Finance</strong> as a part of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat package.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong> As part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package, the government had announced that the <strong>Centre will offer Rs. 12,000 crore special interest-free 50-year loan to states,</strong> exclusively for capital expenditure.</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> To<strong> boost capital expenditure by the State governments</strong> which are facing a difficult financial environment this year due to the shortfall in tax revenue arising from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Three Parts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Part&ndash;I</strong> of the scheme <strong>covers the north-eastern region</strong> (Rs. 200 crores).</li>
<li><strong>Part-II</strong> is for <strong>all other States</strong> (Rs. 7500 crores).</li>
<li><strong>Part-III</strong> of the scheme is <strong>aimed at pushing various citizen-centric reforms</strong> in the States. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under this Part, an amount of <strong>Rs. 2000</strong> crores is earmarked.</li>
<li>This amount<strong> will be available only to those States</strong> which <strong>carry out at least three out of the four reforms</strong> specified by the Ministry of Finance on the reform-linked additional borrowing permissions.</li>
<li><strong>Four Reforms:<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/24-states-under-one-nation-one-ration-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> One nation one ration card</a></strong>, ease of doing business, urban local body/ utility reform and power sector reforms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Ministry of Finance has<strong> approved Rs. 9,879.61 crore</strong> worth of capital expenditure proposals of 27 States.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Of this, Rs. 4,939.81 crore has been released as the first instalment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The capital expenditure projects have been <strong>approved in diverse sectors</strong> such as health, rural development, water supply, irrigation, power, transport, education, urban development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Capital Expenditure</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Meaning:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Capital expenditure is the <strong>money spent by the government</strong> on the development of machinery, equipment, building, health facilities, education, etc.</li>
<li>It also includes the expenditure incurred<strong> on acquiring fixed assets</strong> like land and investment by the government that gives profits or dividend in future.</li>
<li>Along with the creation of assets, <strong>repayment of loan</strong> is also capital expenditure, as it reduces liability.</li>
<li>Capital spending is <strong>associated with investment or development spending,</strong> where expenditure has benefits extending years into the future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Capital expenditure, which leads to the creation of assets are long-term in nature and allow the economy to <strong>generate revenue for many years</strong> by adding or improving production facilities and boosting operational efficiency.</li>
<li>It also<strong> increases labour participation,</strong> takes stock of the economy and <strong>raises its capacity to produce more in future.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Different from Revenue Expenditure:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Unlike capital expenditure, which creates assets for the future, revenue expenditure is one that <strong>neither creates assets nor reduces any liability</strong> of the government.</li>
<li>Salaries of employees, interest payment on past debt, subsidies, pension, etc, fall under the category of revenue expenditure. It is<strong> recurring in nature.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1680145" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 7 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7168,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Centre’s Power for Land Acquisition for Highway: SC',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court (SC)</strong></a> has upheld notifications issued under the<strong> National Highways Act, 1956,</strong> for acquisition of land for construction of the <strong>Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem national highway.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The verdict came on a batch of appeals filed by the Centre and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and few landowners and others. These <strong>pleas were filed against the Madras High Court's judgement,</strong> holding as <strong>&ldquo;illegal and bad in law&rdquo;</strong> the notifications issued.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem National Highway:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a<strong> part of the first phase of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/status-of-bharatmala-pariyojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Bharatmala Pariyojna&rsquo;</a> project.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Bharatmala Pariyojna Project</strong> stretches across 24,800 km and has an estimated outlay of Rs. 5.35 lakh crore. It seeks to<strong> improve the efficiency of freight and passenger movement</strong> across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is a <strong>277.3-km-long eight-lane greenfield project</strong> which aims to<strong> cut travel time</strong> between the two cities Chennai and Salem by half to about two hours and 15 minutes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>greenfield project</strong> is one which is not constrained by prior work. It is <strong>constructed on unused land</strong> where there is no need to remodel or demolish an existing structure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Project <strong>has faced opposition</strong> from locals, including farmers, over <strong>fears of losing their land,</strong> besides environmentalists, who are<strong> against felling of trees. It runs through reserve forest and water bodies.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court&rsquo;s Judgement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Centre&rsquo;s Powers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is <strong>nothing in the Constitution which constricts the power of Parliament</strong> to make a law for declaring any stretch/section within the State (not being a road or an existing highway) to be a national highway.</li>
<li>Provisions in the Constitution unambiguously indicate that the <strong>legislative as well as executive power</strong> regarding all matters concerning and connected with a highway to be designated as a national highway, <strong>vests in Parliament,</strong> and the laws to be made by it in that regard.</li>
<li>The<strong> Central government is free</strong> to construct/build a new national highway keeping in mind the obligations it has to discharge under <strong>Part IV of the Constitution</strong> (Directive Principles of State Policy) for securing a social order and promotion of welfare of the people in the concerned region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance of National Highways:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>National highways are the<strong> arteries of India&rsquo;s economy.</strong> By its very nomenclature, a national highway is to<strong> link the entire country and provide access to all</strong> in every remote corner of the country for interaction and to promote commerce and trade, employment and education, including health related services. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This approach <strong>enhances and furthers the federal structure.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The availability of a highway in any part of the State paves way for <strong>sustainable development</strong> and for overall enhancement of <strong>human well-being.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Aspects Related to the Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Madras High Court had been wrong to quash the acquisition proceedings</strong> on the ground that<strong> no prior environmental clearance</strong> was taken.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The SC said that the <strong>notification is only an expression of interest to acquire the designated land,</strong> and no prior environmental clearance was needed before issuing it.</li>
<li><strong>Prior environmental clearance</strong> under the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1#:~:text=On%2027%20January%201994%2C%20the,Schedule%201%20of%20the%20notification." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Environment (Protection) Act</strong></a> and Rules of 1986 is <strong>required to be taken before commencement of the &ldquo;actual construction or building work&rdquo; of the national highway</strong> by the executing agency (NHAI).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On complaints about &ldquo;alterations&rdquo; in the highway route, the court said <strong>changes to the extent of 15% was permissible in a project of such a macro scale.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Unforeseen concerns</strong> like land availability factors related to congestion, reduction of distance, operational efficiency attract such alteration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Highways</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> major roads</strong> in India are the<strong> national and state highways. National Highways (NH)</strong> are built, financed and maintained by the <strong>Central government</strong> whereas <strong>State Highways (SH)</strong> are developed by the <strong>respective States&rsquo; public works department.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Highways declared by or under law made by Parliament to be national highways - <strong>Union List under Seventh Schedule.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Article 257 (2):</strong> The <strong>executive power of the Union</strong> shall also extend to the giving of directions to a State as to the construction and maintenance of means of communication declared in the direction to be of national or military importance.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Provided that nothing in this clause shall be taken as restricting the <strong>power of Parliament to declare highways or waterways to be national highways or national waterways</strong> or the power of the Union with respect to the highways or waterways so declared.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Road Transport and Highways</strong> is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of NHs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Ministry has taken up detailed review of NHs network with a view to develop the road connectivity to <strong>Border areas,</strong> development of<strong> Coastal roads</strong> including road connectivity for Non-Major ports, improvement in the efficiency of<strong> National Corridors,</strong> development of <strong>Economic Corridors,</strong> Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes along with integration with<strong> Sagarmala,</strong> etc., under <strong>Bharatmala Pariyojana.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NHs in the country <strong>are notified under the National Highways Act, 1956. </strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-highways-authority-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Highways Authority of India</strong></a> (NHAI) was set up by an act of the Parliament, <strong>NHAI Act, 1988,</strong> for the development, maintenance and management of national highways and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.</li>
<li><strong>Land for development of National Highways</strong> and associated purposes is acquired under<strong> Section 3 of the NHs Act, 1956</strong> and <strong>compensation</strong> is determined in accordance with the First Schedule of the <strong>Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013.</strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhoomi-rashi-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BhoomiRashi portal</strong></a> was launched in <strong>2018,</strong> to fully <strong>digitize and automate the entire process of land acquisition.</strong></li>
<li>The aim of the <strong>Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification &amp; Maintenance) Policy, 2015</strong> is to<strong> promote greening of Highway corridors</strong> with participation of the community, farmers, private sector, NGOs, and government institutions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/centre-can-notify-any-land-acquire-it-for-highway-supreme-court-7097341/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7101,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Electrification of Railways',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Minister of Railways</strong> has inaugurated the newly electrified<strong> Dhigawara-Bandikui section </strong>of <strong>North Western Railway</strong> and flagged off the first <strong>train on this electrified route</strong> from <strong>Dhigawara station </strong>in<strong> Alwar District,</strong> Rajasthan.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>History of Railways:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>1832:</strong> The <strong>first railway proposals</strong> for India were made in Madras.</li>
<li><strong>1837:</strong> The country got its<strong> first train in the form of Red Hill Railway,</strong> which was built with the sole purpose of transporting granite for road building.</li>
<li><strong>1853:</strong> In <strong>April,</strong> India&rsquo;s<strong> first passenger train,</strong> operated by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway<strong> ran between Bori Bunder (Mumbai) and Thane.</strong></li>
<li><strong>1925: In February, the first electric passenger train</strong> ran between <strong>Victoria Terminus and Kurla</strong> (Mumbai).</li>
<li><strong>1951:</strong> Indian Railways was<strong> nationalised.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current Electrification:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian Railways has set a <strong>target to complete Electrification of its Broad gauge network by December 2023.</strong></li>
<li>More than <strong>66% of the Broad gauge route</strong> has already been<strong> electrified.</strong></li>
<li>With <strong>18065 km of electrification,</strong> Railways recorded a <strong>371% increase in electrification during 2014-20</strong> period as compared to 2009-2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of Electrification:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Speed:</strong> 100% electrification will provide<strong> seamless train operation by eliminating detention of trains</strong> due to change in traction (action of drawing or pulling something over a surface) from diesel to electric and vice versa.</li>
<li><strong>Capacity:</strong> It will help Railways in<strong> enhancing line capacity due to higher speed and higher haulage capacity</strong> of electric locomotives.</li>
<li><strong>Safety: Improved signaling system</strong> will lead to enhanced safety in train operations.</li>
<li><strong>Less Financial Burden:</strong> Electric traction is much <strong>cheaper and efficient</strong> compared with diesel traction as running trains on electric traction is<strong> 50% cheaper</strong> than diesel.</li>
<li><strong>Seamless Movement: Electric Multiple Units</strong> (EMUs) are ideal for suburban services, which require <strong>higher acceleration and braking features</strong> for frequent starts and stops.</li>
<li><strong>Employment Generation:</strong> Direct employment during the construction phase for electrification will translate to about 20.4 crore man days, which will significantly boost the employment.</li>
<li><strong>Energy Security:</strong> Total shift to electric traction will <strong>reduce fossil fuel consumption</strong> of about 2.83 billion liters per annum and also give a subsequent reduction in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/greenhouse-gas-levels-reach-record-highs-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>greenhouse gases</strong> </a>(GHG) emissions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>GHG emission for electric traction falls below diesel traction, making it an environmentally friendly option.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Energy Bill Savings:</strong> It provides savings of<strong> Rs. 13,510 crore per annum</strong> in fuel bill as <strong>maintenance of electric locomotive is low</strong> as compared to diesel locomotive.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Regeneration facilities of electric locomotives will <strong>save 15-20% energy</strong> and also there is a <strong>reduced overall requirement of electric locomotives</strong> due to their <strong>higher horsepower.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sustainability: Reduced carbon footprint</strong> as environmental cost per tonne Km for electric traction is less as compared to diesel traction.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In line with the commitment made by India in<strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Conference of Parties (COP) 21</a> (Paris)</strong> total shift to electric traction will <strong>reduce Carbon Dioxide</strong> (CO<sub>2</sub>) <strong>emission of Railways by 24% till 2027-28.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Carbon footprint</strong> can be defined as the total amount of <strong>GHG</strong> produced directly and indirectly to support <strong>human activities,</strong> usually expressed in equivalent<strong> tons of </strong>CO<strong><sub>2</sub>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Using More Renewable Energy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In<strong> July 2020</strong>, Indian Railways<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-railways-to-use-more-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> decided to be self-reliant for its energy needs</strong></a> by utilizing its vacant lands for <a href="/infographics/info-paper3/renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Renewable Energy</strong></a> (RE) projects.</li>
<li>It will utilize <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/solar-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>solar energy</strong></a> for meeting its traction power requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1677014#:~:text=Rail%20Electrification%20gets%20super%20boost.,-A%20critical%20section&amp;text=has%20already%20electrified.-,With%2018065%20km%20of%20electrification%2C%20Railways%20record%20an%20astonishing%20371,41500%20km%20already%20electrified." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7084,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Cabinet Approves Capital Infusion into NIIF',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposal for equity infusion by the Government of<strong> Rs. 6000 crores </strong>in<strong> NIIF Debt Platform</strong> - sponsored by the <strong>National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This was <strong>one of the twelve key measures</strong> made by the Union Minister for Finance as part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Government of India&rsquo;s stimulus to the economy</strong></a>, under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-infrastructure-pipeline-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Infrastructure Pipeline</strong></a> (NIP), investment in infrastructure sector is targeted at <strong>Rs. 111 lakh crore over the next 5 years</strong> across various sub-sectors, creating substantial need for debt financing.</li>
<li>It would require at least <strong>Rs. 60 to 70 lakh</strong> crores in <strong>debt financing.</strong></li>
<li>Current environment requires well-capitalized specialized infrastructure focused financial institutions, such as <strong>NIIF Debt Platform</strong> being <strong>developed by NIIF</strong> which can focus on lending across the project life cycle with a strong capital base and expertise driven approach.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The current approval of equity infusion is subject to two conditions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Out of the proposed amount, only <strong>Rs. 2,000</strong> crore would be allocated during the current year <strong>2020-21.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, in view of the unprecedented financial situation and availability of limited fiscal space due to the prevailing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a>, the proposed amount may be disbursed <strong>only if there is readiness and demand for debt raising.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NIIF</strong> will take all necessary steps to use the <strong>equity investments from Domestic and Global pension funds and sovereign wealth funds</strong> expeditiously.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NIIF Debt Platform: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>It comprises of:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Aseem Infrastructure Finance Limited (AIFL):</strong> It is an IFC (Infrastructure Finance Company), established with the aim of playing a transformative role in growth of Indian infrastructure debt financing.</li>
<li><strong>NIIF Infrastructure Finance Limited (NIIF-IFL):</strong> It was incorporated as an <strong>Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF)</strong> in 2014 for financing operating infrastructure projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contribution:</strong> It is expected to contribute nearly<strong> Rs. 1 lakh crores</strong> in debt to the infrastructure sector over the<strong> next 5 years.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Impact :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will act as a<strong> catalyst in attracting more investments</strong> into the infrastructure sector as envisaged in <strong>NIP.</strong></li>
<li>The process will also<strong> help relieve exposure of banks to infrastructure projects</strong> and <strong>free up space for new green-field projects.</strong></li>
<li>It will <strong>enhance liquidity of infrastructure assets</strong> and<strong> lower the risks.</strong></li>
<li>It is expected that a <strong>well-capitalized, well-funded and well-governed NIIF debt Platform</strong> can play a major role in <strong>infrastructure financing and development of the bond market in India</strong> by acting as an intermediary between the bond markets and infrastructure projects and companies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Investment and Infrastructure Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NIIF is a<strong> government-backed entity</strong> established to provide long-term capital to the country&rsquo;s infrastructure sector.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Indian government has a 49% stake</strong> in NIIF with the rest held by foreign and domestic investors.</li>
<li>With the Centre&rsquo;s significant stake, NIIF is considered <strong>India&rsquo;s quasi-sovereign wealth fund.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It was set up in<strong> December 2015</strong> as a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/a-special-fund-for-housing-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Category-II Alternate Investment Fund.</strong></a></li>
<li>Across its <strong>three funds viz. Master Fund, Fund of Funds, and Strategic Opportunities Fund,</strong> it manages over USD 4.3 billion of capital.</li>
<li>Its registered office is in <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Terms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Debt financing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When a company borrows money to be paid back at a future date with interest, it is known as debt financing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Equity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Equity represents the shareholders&rsquo; stake in the company, identified on a company's balance sheet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sovereign wealth fund:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A sovereign wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund composed of money generated by the government, often derived from a country's surplus reserves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pension fund:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A pension fund is any plan, fund, or scheme which provides retirement income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bond:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>fixed income instrument</strong> that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower. In simpler words, a bond acts as a contract between the investor and the borrower. Mostly <strong>Companies and Government</strong> issue bonds and <strong>investors</strong> buy those bonds as a<strong> savings and security option.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/govt-allots-2000-cr-for-infra-funding/article33178833.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7076,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Scheme for Creation of Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Cluster: PMKSY',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries has attended the <strong>Independent Management Advisory Committee</strong> (IMAC) <strong>meeting</strong> to consider the proposals received under the <strong>Scheme for Creation of Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Cluster</strong> (APC) of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-food-processing-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana</strong></a> (PMKSY).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IMAC approved <strong>7 proposals with a total project cost of Rs. 234.68 crore</strong> including grants-in-aid of Rs. 60.87 crore in <strong>Meghalaya, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.</strong></li>
<li>These projects will <strong>leverage private investment</strong> of Rs. 173.81 crore and are <strong>expected to generate employment</strong> for 7750 persons.</li>
<li><strong>Scheme for Creation of Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Cluster:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>approved in May 2017</strong> under the PMKSY, to <strong>incentivise the setting up of APCs in the country.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Aims:</strong> To develop modern infrastructure and common facilities to encourage a group of entrepreneurs to set up <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-processing-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>food processing</strong></a> units based on cluster approach by linking groups of producers/farmers to the processors and markets.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These clusters will <strong>help in reducing the wastage of the surplus produce</strong> and <strong>add value to the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/horticulture-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">horticultural</a>/agricultural produce</strong> which will result in <strong>an increase of income of the farmers</strong> and <strong>create employment</strong> at the local level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the scheme, each APC has <strong>two basic components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Basic Enabling Infrastructure</strong> like roads, water supply, power supply, drainage, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Core Infrastructure/Common Facilities</strong> like warehouses, cold storages, tetra pack, sorting, grading, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Requirements for Setup:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At least 5 food processing units with a minimum investment of Rs. 25 crore and at least 10 acres of land is required for at least 50 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In<strong> 2016,</strong> the <strong>Ministry of Food Processing Industries</strong> (MoFPI) introduced an umbrella <strong>Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters</strong> (SAMPADA), which was proposed to be implemented with an allocation of <strong>Rs. 6,000 crores</strong> for the period of <strong>2016-20.</strong></li>
<li>In<strong> 2017,</strong> it was renamed as the <strong>Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana</strong> (PMKSY).</li>
<li>It is a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Sector Scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To supplement agriculture.</li>
<li>To create processing and preservation capacities.</li>
<li>To modernise and expand existing food processing units with a view to increasing the level of processing.</li>
<li>To add value leading to the reduction of wastage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Seven component schemes under PMKSY:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/zoram-mega-food-park-mizoram" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mega Food Parks.</strong></a></li>
<li>Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure.</li>
<li>Infrastructure for APC.</li>
<li>Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages.</li>
<li>Creation/Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities.</li>
<li>Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure.</li>
<li>Human Resources and Institutions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under PMKSY,<strong> capital subsidy</strong> in the form of<strong> grants-in-aid</strong> ranging from 35% to 75% of the eligible project cost <strong>subject to a maximum specified limit</strong> is provided to investors under the various schemes for <strong>undertaking infrastructure, logistic projects and setting up of food processing units</strong> in the country.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1675339" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7047,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Rajasthan</strong> government has planned <strong>two special investment regions</strong> along the<strong> Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)</strong> to generate developmental opportunities for the State.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Government of India is developing various<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/industrial-corridors-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Industrial Corridor Projects</strong> </a>as part of the <strong>National Industrial Corridor programme</strong> which is aimed at development of futuristic industrial cities in India which can compete with the best manufacturing and investment destinations in the world. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The same will create employment opportunities and economic growth leading to overall socio-economic development.</li>
<li>The Programme has an overall sanctioned<strong> corpus of Rs. 20,084 crore.</strong> 11 Industrial Corridors Projects are being taken up for development with <strong>30 Projects to be developed in four phases up to 2024-25.</strong></li>
<li><strong>National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT)</strong> is under the administrative control of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dipp-renamed-as-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)</strong></a> for coordinated and unified development of all the industrial corridors which are at various stages of development and implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>DMIC:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) is the <strong>first Industrial Corridor project which was announced.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>DMIC Development Corporation (DMICDC)</strong> incorporated in 2008, is the implementing agency for the project.</li>
<li>DMICDC has been registered as a company with 49% equity of Government of India, <strong>26% equity of the JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation)</strong> and the remaining held by government financial institutions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The project aims to <strong>create smart, sustainable industrial cities</strong> by leveraging high speed, high capacity connectivity backbone provided by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/eastern-dedicated-freight-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC)</strong></a> to reduce logistic costs in an enabling policy framework. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These new cities will come up in the <strong>States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>1,504 kms long Western DFC</strong> is from J N Port in Mumbai, Maharashtra to Dadri in the state of Uttar Pradesh. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The DFC project is <strong>one of the Indian Railways&rsquo; largest infrastructure projects,</strong> undertaken by the government at a cost Rs. 81,459 crore.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This is the first time that India has embarked on the process of <strong>planned urbanisation with manufacturing as the key economic driver.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The vision for DMIC is to create a strong economic base with a globally competitive environment and state of the art infrastructure to activate local commerce, enhance foreign investments and attain sustainable development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/dmic-set-to-be-a-boon-for-rajasthan/article33043791.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7017,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Anakkayam Small Hydro Electric Project',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, various green collectives and environmental organisations have come together to protest against the <strong>Anakkayam Small Hydro Electric Project</strong> in Kerala.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The site of the project is not far from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/athirapally-hydel-electric-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Athirapally Hydel Electric Project.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will come up in the buffer zone of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/early-migration-of-butterflies" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Parambikulam Tiger Reserve</strong></a> (PTR) and will also<strong> create a 5.617-km-long tunnel</strong> within the forest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Environmental Consequences:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Around <strong>20 hectares of forest land will have to be cleared</strong> out and <strong>around 1900 large trees</strong> and a larger number of small trees<strong> will be cut.</strong></li>
<li>The area is<strong> ecologically fragile,</strong> as seen in the massive<strong> landslide followed by minor landslides at the project site in 2018,</strong> and the consequences will extend to<strong> loss of precious flora and fauna species.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Absence of Consent:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was <strong>granted approval without obtaining permission</strong> from the local <strong>Kadar tribe</strong> which holds the <strong>right of Community Forest Resources</strong> (CFR) as per the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/forest-rights-act-2006" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Forest Rights Act, 2006.</strong></a></li>
<li>The site of the hydel project comes within the 400 sq kms of forest land that were given as CFR to the Kadar tribe which has the responsibility to protect and conserve the habitat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Athirapally Hydel Electric Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>June 2020,</strong> the Kerala government approved the Athirapally Hydro Electric Project (AHEP) on the <strong>Chalakudy river in Thrissur district of Kerala.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Chalakudy River <strong>originates in the Anamalai region of Tamil Nadu</strong> and is joined by its <strong>major tributaries</strong> Parambikulam, Kuriyarkutti, Sholayar, Karapara and Anakayam in Kerala. It <strong>flows through Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam</strong> districts of Kerala.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has also been<strong> facing opposition and protests</strong> due to its <strong>adverse effects on the fragile river ecosystem</strong> at Athirappilly and the other <strong>related environmental threats.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Parambikulam Tiger Reserve</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a well protected ecological portion in the <strong>Nelliampathy-Anamalai landscape</strong> of the <strong>Southern Western Ghats</strong> in India.</li>
<li>It is located in the<strong> Palakkad District of Kerala.</strong></li>
<li>It was<strong> declared as Tiger Reserve during 2008-09.</strong></li>
<li>The reserve is credited with the<strong> first scientifically managed teak plantation in the world</strong> which was later merged with the forest land.</li>
<li>It has the <strong>world's largest and oldest teak tree</strong> named <em>"Kannimara",</em> which is believed to be <strong>350 years old.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605695306_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605695306_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/green-collectives-to-protest-against-anakkayam-hydel-project/article33120677.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6980,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Financial Support to Public Private Partnerships in Infrastructure',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs</strong> has approved <strong>continuation and revamping</strong> of the <strong>Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme</strong> under the <strong>Public Private Partnership (PPP) model</strong> till <strong>2024-25</strong> with a total outlay of <strong>Rs. 8,100 crore.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Viability Gap Funding (VGF)</strong> means a grant one-time or deferred, provided to support infrastructure projects that are economically justified but fall short of financial viability.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)</strong></a> involve collaboration between a<strong> government agency and a private-sector company</strong> that can be used to <strong>finance, build, and operate</strong> projects, such as public transportation networks, parks, and convention centers.</li>
<li>The Viability Gap Funding (VGF) provided for economic infrastructure will be <strong>extended to social infrastructure.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance</strong> introduced the <strong>Scheme for Financial Support to PPPs in Infrastructure (Viability Gap Funding Scheme) in 2006</strong> with a view to support infrastructure projects undertaken through PPP mode.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Projects that are economically justified but commercially unviable due to large capital investment requirements, long gestation periods and the inability to increase user charges to commercial levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>VGF up to 40%</strong> of the Total Project Cost (TPC) is provided by the <strong>Government of India (Gol) and the sponsoring authority</strong> in the form of capital grant at the stage of project construction (20%+20%).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Extension of the Scheme to Social Infrastructure: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Sub Scheme -1:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> To cater Social Sectors such as <strong>Waste Water Treatment, Water Supply, Solid Waste Management, Health and Education sectors</strong> etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These projects face <strong>bankability issues and poor revenue streams</strong> to cater fully to capital costs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eligibility:&nbsp;</strong>The projects eligible under this category should have at least <strong>100% Operational Cost recovery.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Contribution:</strong> The<strong> Central Government</strong> will provide a maximum of<strong> 30%</strong> of Total Project Cost (TPC) as VGF and <strong>State Government/Sponsoring Central Ministry/Statutory Entity</strong> may provide additional support up to 30% of TPC and the remaining project cost will come through private participation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sub Scheme -2:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> To support<strong> pilot social sectors projects.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The projects may be from <strong>Health and Education</strong> sectors where there is at least <strong>50% Operational Cost recovery.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contribution:</strong> In such projects, the <strong>Central Government and the State Governments together will provide up to 80%</strong> of capital expenditure and<strong> upto 50%</strong> of Operation &amp; Maintenance (O&amp;M) costs for the<strong> first five years.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> Central Government</strong> will provide a maximum of <strong>40%</strong> of the TPC. In addition, it may provide a maximum of <strong>25% of Operational Costs</strong> of the project in the first five years of commercial operations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scheme will promote <strong>PPPs in social and economic infrastructure</strong> leading to efficient creation of assets and ensuring their proper operation and maintenance and make the <strong>economically/socially essential projects commercially viable.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Economic Infrastructure</strong> refers to the elements of economic change that aid in the process of production and distribution such as energy, transportation, communication, banking and financial institutions etc.</li>
<li><strong>Social Infrastructure</strong> refers to all those facilities and institutions that enhance the quality of human capital such as educational institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, housing facilities etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Revamping of the VGF Scheme will <strong>attract more PPP projects </strong>and<strong> facilitate private investment</strong> in the<strong> social sectors.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Creation of new hospitals, schools will create many <strong>opportunities</strong> to boost <strong>employment generation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Scheme will encourage private investment in infrastructure on the lines suggested by the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kelkar Committee.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1671910#:~:text=The%20Cabinet%20Committee%20on%20Economic,8%2C100%20cr." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6973,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Annual Meeting of IBA',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Indian Banks&rsquo; Association</strong> (IBA) has held its<strong> 73<sup>rd</sup> annual general meeting</strong> virtually. In the meeting, the Finance Minister of India<strong> suggested the banks to bring new reforms and implement the existing ones</strong> in a timely manner.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IBA is an<strong> association of Indian banks and financial institutions,</strong> formed on <strong>26<sup>th</sup> September 1946</strong> and is based in <strong>Mumbai.</strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-2-0-banking-reforms-index" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>EASE (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) Reforms Agenda</strong></a>, launched in <strong>January 2018,</strong> was commissioned through IBA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>On Linking Aadhar:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts</strong> are needed <strong>to reach people by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-advisory-on-direct-benefit-transfer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Direct Benefit Transfer</a></strong> (DBT).</li>
<li>Banks should<strong> link every account with the customer&rsquo;s Aadhaar number by 31<sup>st</sup> March 2021</strong> in order to <strong>stop the duplication of accounts</strong> as well as <strong>verify the unverified</strong> accounts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Widening Financial Inclusion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even though there are 42 crore<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-for-financial-inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Jan Dhan</a> </strong>bank accounts in India, there is a <strong>need to widen financial inclusion</strong> by adding more people.</li>
<li>Banks should <strong>promote <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-digital-payment-system-outside-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RuPay cards</a></strong> over others now that the card network has become global and also make sure that all Indian customers have it.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>RuPay is the first-of-its-kind <strong>domestic Debit and Credit Card payment network</strong> of India.</li>
<li>It was launched by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/payment-revolution-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Payments Corporation of India</strong></a> (NPCI), an umbrella organisation for operating retail payment and settlement systems in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Digitisation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/upi-20-launched-by-npci" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unified Payments Interface</strong></a> (UPI) should be a common parlance word in all the banks.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>UPI is a <strong>single platform that merges various banking services and features</strong> under one umbrella, established by the NPCI together with the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong></a> (RBI) and IBA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Non-digital payments should be discouraged</strong> in order to give impetus to the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India Initiative.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Amalgamation of Banks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a <strong>need for more large banks</strong> that can finance large projects and for that <strong>more <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amalgamation-of-national-banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amalgamation</a></strong> as big as State bank of India (SBI) are needed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Amalgamation should not just remain as an exercise to bring two or three banks together, it should now<strong> become an organic mechanism to grow, and to grow to such scales that the new demands from the industry, economy, and businesses can all be met up</strong> in a changing world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Large banks are also needed as much as the<strong> smaller finance companies, smaller banks,</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Banking Financial Companies</strong></a> (NBFCs). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>While India has only about 500-600 banks, including the regional rural ones, the USA has around 26,000 banks with a fourth of India&rsquo;s population.</li>
<li>There is <strong>only one Indian bank</strong> (SBI) <strong>in the top 100 globally,</strong> against 18 in China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Lending:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Banks must not shy away from lending,</strong> especially when the economy is facing major challenges and as <strong>lending is their principal business</strong> and they must lend after undertaking prudent risk management rather than avoid lending altogether.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/banks-must-not-distance-customers-fm/article33069251.ece#:~:text=Banks%20must%20not%20shy%20away,Nirmala%20Sitharaman%20said%20on%20Tuesday.&amp;text=Bankers%2C%20she%20asserted%2C%20no%20longer,not%20hesitate%20in%20taking%20decisions." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6971,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Natural Gas Economy',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M62cF5PhNbg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the Government of India has allowed complete marketing freedom for natural gas produced from non-regulated fields. The Union Cabinet has approved a standard e-bidding procedure to discover the price of gas. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The policy aims to provide <strong>standard procedure for sale of natural gas</strong> in a transparent and competitive manner to discover market price by issuing guidelines for sale by contractor through e-bidding.</li>
<li>This will bring <strong>uniformity in the bidding process</strong> across the various contractual regimes and policies to avoid ambiguity and contribute towards ease of doing business.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ease of Doing Business:</strong> The whole ecosystem of policies (production, infrastructure and marketing of natural gas) has been made more transparent with a focus on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ease of Doing Business.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Encourage investments:</strong> Fulfilling the notion of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a>, these reforms encourage investments in the domestic production of natural gas and <strong>reduce import dependence.</strong></li>
<li>Though the producers will continue to be barred from participating in such auctions, the affiliates would still be allowed to bid.</li>
<li>The domestic gas production will have complete marketing and pricing freedom.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the existing pricing mechanism for gas produced by state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd from fields given to them on a nomination basis would continue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The reforms will also help India in shifting towards a <strong>gas based economy.</strong></li>
<li>The increased gas production consumption will help in the<strong> improvement of the environment.</strong></li>
<li>More <strong>employment opportunities</strong> will be there in the gas consuming sectors including <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MSMEs.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Oil and Natural Gas Corporation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India.</li>
<li>It was set up in 1995 and is under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.</li>
<li>It is the largest crude oil and natural gas company in India, contributing around 70% to Indian domestic production.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Natural Gas</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Natural gas is found with petroleum deposits and is released when crude oil is brought to the surface. It can be used as a domestic and industrial fuel.</li>
<li>In India, Jaisalmer, Krishna Godavari delta, Tripura and some areas offshore in Mumbai have natural gas resources.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why Natural Gas?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Excess usage of fossil fuels:</strong> The average global share of fossil fuels in the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/energy-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>energy basket</strong></a> is 84% which is even more for India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/opec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency (IEA)</strong></a>, India is the world's third largest consumer of oil.</li>
<li>Dependence on coal and oil needs to be reduced and natural gas has to be replaced as much as possible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Share of Natural Gas:</strong> While the world average share of natural gas in the energy basket is 23%, it is only 6% for India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the government of India has set the target to make it 15% by 2030.</li>
<li>Our consumption has been 1/3<sup>rd</sup> of world average. That would increase in future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>ONGC under APM:</strong> In India, 80% of natural gas produced by ONGC and Oil India Limited falls under<strong> Administered Price Mechanism (APM)</strong> which means the government controls its price.</li>
<li><strong>Reform related challenge:</strong> Currently, the reform impacts only 20% of gas production,while the nominated fields account for 80% India&rsquo;s gas production. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The policy does not include existing producers.</li>
<li>These fields will be out of the benefit zone of the new policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The fertilizer Industry:</strong> The impediment is most of the gas coming from the nominated fields is going to fertilizers which is highly subsidised, hence the sector does not have its control over marketing and setting prices.</li>
<li><strong>Limited Reserves:</strong> Resources of natural gas are limited in India; 55% of natural gas is imported in the form of <strong>Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)</strong> (which is even costlier).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s reserves for natural gas are <strong>located in deep or ultradeep water</strong> which requires specific technology and higher cost and extraction is difficult.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Varied Prices:</strong> In India, natural gas is sold at varied prices- the gas under administered price regime at $1.79 per mBtu and other domestic gas in the range of $4.5 to $5.5 per mBtu.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> unit MBtu</strong> is a measure unit of energy, defined as one thousand the British thermal unit (symbol: Btu). The "M" stands for one thousand, distinguishing with the SI mega (M) prefix, which stands for one million.</li>
<li><strong>Liquefied natural gas (LNG)</strong> is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state (liquefied), at about -260&deg; Fahrenheit, for shipping and storage. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The volume of natural gas in its liquid state is about 600 times smaller than its volume in its gaseous state in a natural gas pipeline.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Realising the Opportunity:</strong> At present, when the prices are low for importing natural gas, India should take the advantage and enter into contracts with the countries rich in natural gas resources such as Iran, Turkmenistan and Myanmar to bring ga to India through pipelines.</li>
<li><strong>More Reforms:</strong> More aggressive and dynamic reforms is what is needed in the field. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To go ahead, we need to reform our whole structure (subsidies) to improve the production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Putting the producers and buyers in charge:</strong> Government should allow the producers and buyers more control of the price. ONGC shall undergo reforms in terms of its marketing and pricing freedom, E-bidding etc.</li>
<li><strong>Alternative:</strong> No doubt natural gas is a cleaner fuel but<strong> cannot be called a green fuel,</strong> that&rsquo;s why more inclination should be there towards electricity; more dependence on electricity should be there as compared to natural gas or any other fuel.</li>
<li><strong>Government as a facilitator:</strong> The government should act as a facilitator and improve quality and quantity of the resources available.</li>
<li><strong>Self reliance:</strong> Infrastructure and facilities should be provided within the country. The import dependence of 55% should be taken on a serious note and should be brought down.</li>
<li><strong>Subsidy in fertilizers:</strong> The government should take action accordingly so that fertiliser subsidy goes directly into farmers account and fertiliser industry doesn't get subsidised so that they too could have their freedom in marketing and pricing.</li>
<li><strong>Extend to the entire gas sector:</strong> The policy should be extended to the entire gas sector, the government should move away from administrative price mechanism (APM).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is Immense potential as far as gas consumption in India is concerned. The need is to scale up in a big way as natural gas is a far more cleaner fuel than any of the fossil fuel.</li>
<li>Natural Gas is going to be a very important part of the country's economy, at least for the next 3 decades, therefore, a holistic approach is needed to find the best suited source of energy from an economic as well as environmental point of view.</li>
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		'article_id' => (int) 6958,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Dobra Chanti bridge',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister has inaugurated <strong>Dobra-Chanthi suspension bridge</strong> in<strong> Tehri-Garhwal</strong> district.</p>
<h3>Key points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>440-metre</strong> long Dobra Chanti bridge is India's<strong> longest motorable single lane suspension bridge.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Built over Tehri Lake,</strong> it will cut<strong> travel time</strong> between <strong>Tehri and Pratapnagar districts from 5 5 to 1.5 hours.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Benefits of the bridge</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Better connectivity within the region.</li>
<li>Boost tourism potential.</li>
<li>Gateway to development in the region.</li>
<li>Local employment promotion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tehri dam</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tehri Dam is the <strong>highest dam in India</strong> and fourth highest dam in the world.</li>
<li>It is around 260.5 metre high and 592 metre long. It is part of the Tehri Dam &amp; Hydro Power Project (the multi-purpose river valley project) taken up for construction on <strong>River Bhagirathi</strong> to tap its vast potential for<strong> irrigation and hydro-electric purposes.</strong></li>
<li>It is located in the Tehri district of Uttarakhand.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>River Bhagirathi</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The river stream originates in the Garhwal Himalaya. The river after reaching <strong>Devprayag</strong> meets another head stream, the<strong> Alaknanda,</strong> forming river Ganga.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/uttarakhand-dobra-chanti-bridge-to-open-for-public-use-by-march-2020-119091001093_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: BS</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6930,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Differential Licensing on Telecom Sector',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, various telecom operators have collectively <strong>opposed the move to introduce differential licensing via unbundling</strong> of various layers (infrastructure, network, services, and application layer).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In <strong>May 2019, the Department of Telecommunications</strong> (DoT) informed that the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-national-digital-communications-policy-2018#:~:text=The%20Union%20Cabinet%20has%20approved,the%20%E2%80%9CDigital%20Communications%20Commission%22.&amp;text=in%20the%20Telecom%20Sector." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Digital Communications Policy 2018</strong></a>, under its<strong> &lsquo;Propel India&rsquo;</strong> mission, envisages <strong>reforming the licensing and regulatory regime</strong> to catalyse investments and innovation and promote Ease of Doing Business.</li>
<li><strong>Enabling unbundling of different layers through differential licensing</strong> is one of the action plans for fulfilling the strategy.</li>
<li>For that, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/telecom-firms-oppose-trai%E2%80%99s-public-wi-fi-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</strong></a> (TRAI) was requested to <strong>furnish recommendations and seek stakeholders&rsquo; (telecom operators) inputs</strong> on possible benefits and measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current Licencing Regime:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The grant of telecom licenses in India is primarily governed by the <strong>Indian Telegraph Act 1885,</strong> and the <strong>Indian Wireless Telegraph Act 1933.</strong></li>
<li>These Acts provide an <strong>exclusive authority to the Central Government</strong> for establishing, maintaining, and working telegraphs, and wireless telegraphy equipment, and to grant licenses for such activities. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 1885 Act defines<strong> "Telegraph"</strong> as any appliance, instrument, material or apparatus used or capable of use for transmission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, visual or other electromagnetic emissions, Radio waves or Hertzian waves, galvanic, electric or magnetic means.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In <strong>November 2003,</strong> the <strong>Unified Access Service License</strong> (UASL) regime was introduced which permitted an access service provider to offer both fixed and/or mobile services under the same licence, using any technology. It came into being in 2013.</li>
<li>In<strong> June 2012,</strong> the <strong>National Telecom Policy</strong> was issued with the<strong> aim to simplify the licensing framework,</strong> and to strive for the creation of<strong> One Nation-One License</strong> across services and service areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues Highlighted:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Separating the network licence will <strong>introduce uncertainty</strong> in the licensing regime and<strong> adversely impact the future investment</strong> in the networks.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A converged licence for network and service layer <strong>offers clarity and certainty to an operator making</strong> an investment in the network.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Any such changes will require <strong>business models to be reconfigured</strong> which would be <strong>counterproductive.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>process of unification is yet to be completed</strong> under the existing licensing regime and the <strong>proposal</strong> to unbundle network and service layers with a completely new type of licensing regime would <strong>introduce a great level of uncertainty in the system,</strong> with <strong>unknown and unpredictable impact on investments.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measures if Implemented:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There<strong> should not be any mandatory migration</strong> of licences until the validity of existing licences.</li>
<li>A <strong>clear compensation methodology</strong> should also be enumerated, especially for investments made in the last 10 years.</li>
<li><strong>Address the underlying issue of the poor financial health</strong> of the telecom sector.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Strengthening telecom infrastructure which would <strong>require enormous fund infusion,</strong> estimated to be about Rs. 2,00,000 crore over the next 2-3 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government needs to<strong> provide incentives, reduce regulatory cost, provide appropriate policy and financial stimulus</strong> to the existing service providers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Unbundling has been termed as &ldquo;neither necessary nor desirable&rdquo; by the telecom service providers.</li>
<li>Ushering in changes that require business models to be re-configured at a time when existing investments are not already fully recovered, would be counter-productive.</li>
<li>Therefore, there is a need to address the existing underlying issues prevailing in the sector instead of recommending or implementing another licensing framework which will create ambiguity and additional challenges.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/differential-licensing-will-hurt-telcos/article33026850.ece#:~:text=Telecom%20operators%20have%20collectively%20opposed,made%2C%20leading%20to%20investor%20uncertainty." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6926,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-committees-formed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs</strong> </a>has approved the investment for 210 MW <strong>Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is located on <strong>River Satluj in Shimla and Kullu</strong> districts of <strong>Himachal Pradesh.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is being implemented by <strong>Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited</strong> (SJVNL) on <strong>Build-Own-Operate-Maintain</strong> (BOOM) <strong>basis</strong> with active support from Government of India and the State Government.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Government of India is providing grants of Rs. 66.19</strong> crore for enabling infrastructure.</li>
<li>SJVNL has envisaged<strong> Internal Growth Targets</strong> of total installed capacity from all sources of 5000 MW by 2023, 12000 MW by 2030 and 25000 MW by the year 2040.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This project will generate<strong> 758.20 million units of electricity annually,</strong> which will help in providing grid stability and improve the power supply position.</li>
<li>Besides adding <strong>valuable <a href="/infographics/info-paper3/renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewable energy</a></strong> to the grid, the project would also lead to a<strong> reduction of 6.1 lakh tons of carbon dioxide</strong> from the environment annually, thus contributing to an <strong>improvement in air quality</strong> and<strong> less <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/tackling-the-air-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">air pollution.</a></strong></li>
<li>The construction activities will result in<strong> direct and indirect employment</strong> and will <strong>contribute to the overall socio-economic development</strong> of the State.</li>
<li><strong>Himachal Pradesh will benefit with free power</strong> worth around Rs. 1140 crore, during the <strong>Project Life Cycle of 40 years.</strong></li>
<li>The project affected families will be provided with <strong>100 units of free electricity per month for ten years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1670011" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6885,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'DRIP Phase II and Phase III',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,</strong> chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-20th-september-2018-#:~:text=Dam%20Rehabilitation%20and%20Improvement%20Project%20(DRIP)&amp;text=Project%20was%20started%20in%202012,to%20be%20completed%20in%202018.&amp;text=It%20is%20an%20externally%2Daided,by%20the%20States%20%2F%20Central%20Government." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project</strong> </a>(DRIP) <strong>Phase II and Phase III.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It envisages <strong>comprehensive rehabilitation of 736 existing dams</strong> located across the country and complements the<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-dam-safety-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Dam Safety Bill, 2019.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To improve the safety and performance of selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner.</li>
<li>To strengthen the dam safety institutional setup in participating states as well as at the central level.</li>
<li>To explore the alternative incidental means at few of selected dams to generate the incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Project Cost and Funding: Rs. 10,211 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Financial assistance of Rs. 7,000 from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asian-infrastructure-investment-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank</strong></a> (AIIB).</li>
<li>Rs. 3,211 crore is to be borne by the <strong>concerned implementing agencies in the states.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implementation Period:</strong> Over a <strong>period of 10 years</strong> from <strong>April 2021 to March 2031,</strong> in two phases of six years duration with two years overlapping.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was<strong> started in 2012</strong> and was <strong>scheduled to be completed in 2018.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In September 2018, the Government <strong>approved its revised cost estimates</strong> along with a <strong>two-year time extension from 2018 to 2020,</strong> for the completion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Apart from its general objectives, it also <strong>aims at ensuring the safety of downstream population and property</strong> that are affected in the case of a dam failure or operational failure.</li>
<li>It was initially taken up <strong>for the repair and rehabilitation of dam projects across the seven states of India,</strong> namely Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1668405" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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