PIB Summary and Analysis for RBI Grade B, NABARD Grade A : 3rd Aug 2021

Daily PIB Summary & Analysis for RBI Grade B 2022, NABARD Grade A 2021, and SEBI Grade A Exam. In this Article we will discuss Press Information Bureau (PIB) Programs and their Summary for RBI Grade B Economics and Social Issue Section.

Press Information Bureau (PIB) releases news related to the policies, programmes, initiatives and achievements of the Government of India. PIB releases are important to be read for the RBI Grade B Exam however, equally important is to know which PIB release should be read.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the nodal agency of the government of India to broadcast and publicize information on government policies, initiatives, achievements and working of every ministry and department within the government through its official website using various articles, images and photographs.

NITI Aayog and RMI Release a Report on Power Distribution Sectors.

• NITI Aayog today released a report that presents reform pathways that can transform the country’s power distribution sector, in a step towards improving policymaking in this area.
• The report, titled Turning Around the Power Distribution Sector, is co-authored by NITI Aayog, RMI and RMI India.
• Most power distribution companies (discoms) in India incur losses every year—total losses are estimated to be as high as Rs 90,000 crore in FY 2021.
• Due to these accumulated losses, discoms are unable to pay generators on time, make investments required to ensure high-quality power, or prepare for greater use of variable renewable energy.

Implementation of RVY

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has launched the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) scheme on 01.04.2017 for providing physical aids and assisted-living devices for senior citizens belonging to BPL category and also to the senior citizens with monthly income not more than Rs. 15000/-

• The following aids & assisted devices are provided under the scheme:
• (1) Walking sticks (2) Elbow crutches (3) Walkers/Crutches,\n\n(4) Tripods/Quadpods (5) Hearing Aids (6) Artificial Dentures, and (7) Spectacles.

183 project proposals have been approved across 29 States/UTs under start-up village entrepreneurship programme (SVEP)

• The Ministry is implementing the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), as a sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) since 2015-16.
• Under this programme, block is the unit of implementation.
• As on 30th June, 2021, 183 project proposals have been approved across 29 States/Union Territories across the country.
• These projects cover 160 districts and 205 blocks. SVEP allows for more than one block to be combined under one projects

About SVEP Scheme

SVEP is a sub-scheme of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development and has been implemented since 2016.

Partner: Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad is the technical support partner of SVEP.

• EDII is an autonomous and not-for-profit institute, set up in 1983.
• It is sponsored by apex financial institutions like the IDBI Bank Ltd., IFCI Ltd., ICICI Bank Ltd. and the State Bank of India (SBI).

It aims to:

• Support the rural poor to come out of poverty.
• Support the people to set up enterprises and provide support until the enterprises stabilise.
• Providing self-employment opportunities with financial assistance and training in business management and soft skills.
• Create local community cadres for promotion of enterprises.

Features:

• It addresses three major pillars of rural start-ups namely finances, incubation and skill ecosystems.
• It promotes both individual and group enterprises, majorly in manufacturing, trading and service sectors.
• It invests on building the capacities of the entrepreneurs to run the businesses profitably based on the local demand and ecosystem.
• Investments are also made on the use of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to create standard E-learning modules for minimizing the transmission loss in technical aspects like a business plan and profit and loss account preparations.

More than 15 lakh candidates trained under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya – Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI)

Ministry of Rural Development is presently implementing two welfare schemes other than Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), in the field of skill development and employment of rural poor youth which are as follows –

1. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY): It is a placement linked skill development program for wage employment, and,
2. Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs): It is s skill development programme enabling a trainee to take bank credit and start his/her own Micro-enterprise. Some of such trainees may also seek regular salaried jobs

Apart from the above mentioned schemes of Department of Rural Development, various other Ministries/ Departments are also implementing the Programmes/ Schemes for employment of labour in rural areas which are as follows –

• Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP): Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise is implementing Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), which is a major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector by helping traditional artisans and unemployed youth
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Under Skill India Mission, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is implementing its flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) for Skill based training of the youth across the country including people in villages under Short Term Training (STT) courses and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Before the enactment of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), in order to provide wage employment/ self employment to rural poor through public works, many programmes were initiated by the Government of India, namely,

• National Rural Employment Programme, Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme, Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and .
• Further, Sampoorna Gramin Rojagar Yojana or National Food for Work Programme was also implemented earlier to provide wage employment in rural area.

Benefits of NMMS App

National Mobile Monitoring Software (NMMS) App  was launched by the Minister of Rural Development on May, 21 2021.

• This app is aimed at bringing more transparency and ensure proper monitoring of the schemes.
• The NMMS App permits taking real time attendance of workers at Mahatma Gandhi NREGA worksites along with geo-tagged photograph.
• The app helps in increasing citizen oversight of the programme.

Steps taken by Government to reduce the DISCOM losses\nPosted On: 03 AUG 2021 6:58PM by PIB Delhi\nThe Government has undertaken several initiatives to lessen the loss of Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) like:

The Central Government has approved a “Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme - A Reforms based and Results linked Scheme” with the objective of improving the quality and reliability of power supply to consumers through a financially sustainable and operationally efficient distribution Sector.

• The Scheme aims to reduce the AT&C losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% and Average Cost of Supply (ACS) - Average Revenue Realised (ARR) gap to zero by 2024-25.
• The Scheme has an outlay of Rs.3,03,758 crore.
• Under the scheme, eligible DISCOMs would be provided financial support for upgradation of the Distribution Infrastructure and Smart Metering Systems for the network as well as prepaid smart metering systems for consumers.

• The funding against the works other than prepaid Smart Metering and System Metering would be contingent upon DISCOMs meeting the pre-qualifying criteria and achieving at least 60% marks on the result evaluation matrix formulated on the basis of action plans for loss reduction and work plans of DISCOMs agreed upon by the Government of India.

• A DISCOM which is making losses will not be able to access funds under this Scheme unless it draws up a plan to reduce the losses, lists out the steps it will take to reduce such losses and the timelines thereof and get their State Government’s approval on it, and file the same with the Central Government

Based on the recommendations of Fifteenth Finance Commission, Govt. of India has also decided to provide performance based additional borrowing space of 0.50% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to States on certain performance criteria in the power sector.

Government launched ‘Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas’ campaign for inclusive and holistic preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)

• Under Article 243 G of Constitution, Panchayats have been mandated for preparation and implementation of plans for economic development and social justice.

• Thus, Panchayats have a significant role to play in the effective and efficient implementation of flagship schemes/programmes on subjects of national importance for transforming rural India.

• With this aim, People’s Plan Campaign titled ‘Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas’, for inclusive and holistic preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) was launched from 2nd October, 2020 to 31st January,  2021 as was done during 2018 and 2019. 

• In this endeavor, convergence was sought with all Departments relating to 29 devolved subjects listed in XIth Schedule of the Constitution. 

• The objectives of ‘Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas’ broadly include strengthening of elected representatives and Self Help Groups, evidence based assessment of progress made in 2020-21 and proposals for 2021-22 in all 29 subjects of XI Schedule, public disclosure on Schemes, finances etc. and the preparation of inclusive, participatory and evidence based GPDP for 2021-22 through structured Gram Sabha involving front line workers/ supervisors of all 29 sectors of XI schedule

Promotion of Cold Chain Scheme

• In order to minimize the post-harvest losses and enhance value addition in the agricultural produce, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing the “Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme” which a component of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojna (PMKSY).

• A total of 353 projects have been approved under the scheme till date for various States/UTs.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Deep Ocean Mission will be implemented by Ministry of Earth Sciences at a total budget of Rs. 4077 Crore for 5 year.

• The Minister said, the  Deep Ocean Mission is a multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme with emphasis on development of deep-sea technology that includes development of manned Submersible rated for 6000 metre water depth along with technologies for deep sea mining, exploration of deep-sea mineral resources and marine biodiversity, acquisition of a research vessel for ocean exploration, deep sea observations, and capacity building in Marine Biology.

• It is planned to develop a manned submersible to carry 3 people to a depth of 6000 metres in the ocean with suit of scientific sensors and tool

Contribution of Agriculture Sector towards GDP [Read Here and Make Notes]

Addressing Queries of Farmers in 22 languages

• The Government has already increased the locations of Kisan Call Centers from 14 to 21 centers since September, 2018. Replies to the queries of farmers are given in all the 22 major languages used by farmers across the country. Contact No is 1551.

Government is in the process of finalizing 'India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA)' which will lay down a framework for Agristack

• In order to create Agristack, the department is in the process of finalising “India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA)” which will lay down a framework for Agristack.

Read About AgriStack Here

Government has taken several measures to make small holdings more viable

• ICAR is conducting research programme to develop location specific varieties and technologies for enhancing the production and productivity of farm holding.

• Support is also provided to farmers (including small and marginal farmers) through initiatives and programmes of the Government like interest subvention scheme, Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Neem coated Urea, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchay Yojana (PMKSY), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) etc

Task For you to Do : Write down all the Schemes mentioned in the Article and Make proper notes related to those programs. This should be performed for all the PIB Articles shared by me.

Source : Multiple PIB Article