UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 11th August 2021

Solution (c)

Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) is a village development project launched by Government of India in October 2014.

It is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.

The goal of the scheme is to develop three Adarsh Grams by March 2019, of which one would be achieved by 2016. Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024.

The main objectives of SAGY are:

• To trigger processes which lead to holistic development of the identified Gram Panchayats
• To substantially improve the standard of living and quality of life of all sections of the population through:

• Improved basic amenities
• Higher productivity
• Enhanced human development
• Better livelihood opportunities
• Reduced disparities
• Access to rights and entitlements
• Wider social mobilization
• Enriched social capital

• To generate models of local level development and effective local governance which can motivate and inspire neighbouring Gram Panchayats to learn and adapt
• To nurture the identified Adarsh Grams as schools of local development to train other Gram Panchayats.

The Member of Parliament would be free to identify a suitable Gram Panchayat for being developed as Adarsh Gram, other than his/her own village or that of his/her spouse.

The MP will identify one Gram Panchayat to be taken up immediately, and two others to be taken up a little later. Lok Sabha MP has to choose a Gram Panchayat from within his/her constituency and Rajya Sabha MP a Gram Panchayat from the rural area of a district of his/her choice in the State from which he/she is elected. Nominated MPs may choose a Gram Panchayat from the rural area of any district in the country. In the case of urban constituencies, (where there are no Gram Panchayats), the MP will identify a Gram Panchayat from a nearby rural constituency.

Article Link: Steps taken by Government for the successful implementation of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)

Solution (d)

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is the zonally integrated component of surface and deep currents in the Atlantic Ocean. 

It is characterized by a northward flow of warm, salty water in the upper layers of the Atlantic, and a southward flow of colder, deep waters that are part of the thermohaline circulation. 

These “limbs” are linked by regions of overturning in the Nordic and Labrador Seas and the Southern Ocean. 

The AMOC is an important component of the Earth’s climate system, and is a result of both atmospheric and thermohaline drivers.

The net northward heat transport in the Atlantic is unique among global oceans, and is responsible for the relative warmth of the Northern Hemisphere.

AMOC carries up to 25% of the northward global atmosphere-ocean heat transport in the northern hemisphere.

If the AMOC collapsed, it would increase cooling of the Northern Hemisphere, sea level rise in the Atlantic, an overall fall in precipitation over Europe and North America and a shift in monsoons in South America and Africa.

Article Link: Why the Atlantic Ocean current system is slowing down, and its implications

Solution (b)

The report Elderly in India 2021 is released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) which comes under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

It sought to provide insights about the problems and status of elderly persons in the country, and help in policymaking.

Key findings:

• According to the report, Kerala currently has the highest elderly population (16.5 per cent), followed by Tamil Nadu (13.6 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (13.1 per cent), Punjab (12.6 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (12.4 per cent) in 2021.
• Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Assam have the least proportion with 7.7 per cent, 8.1 per cent and 8.2 per cent, respectively.
• There is likely to be an increase of nearly 34 million elderly persons in 2021 as compared to 2011 (104 million). This is projected to rise by around 56 million over the next decade.
• The percentage share of the elderly population in the total population is said to rise from 8.6 per cent in 2011 to 10.1 per cent in 2021 and projected to touch 13.1 per cent in 2031.
• The elderly female and male population is now projected to rise to 100.9 million and 92.9 million, respectively, in 2031.
• The report noted a significant increase in the old-age dependency ratio, which rose from 10.9 per cent in 1961 to 14.2 per cent in 2011 and is projected to increase to 15.7 per cent and 20.1 per cent in 2021 and 2031, respectively. 
• The dependency ratio for female and male is expected to reach 14.8 per cent and 16.7 per cent, respectively, in 2021.
• The old-age dependency ratio is defined as the number of persons aged 60+ per 100 persons relative to the age group 15-59.

Article Link: India’s elderly population to rise 41% over next decade to touch 194 mn in 2031: Govt report

Solution (d)

The Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana is being implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from the year 2020-21.  

Under this Yojana, eligible target group are being provided skill development training programmes on: 

• Up-skilling/Re-skilling 
• Short Term Training Programme 
• Long Term Training Programme 
• Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP)

These training programs are being implemented through Government Training Institutes, Sector Skill Councils constituted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and other credible institutions.

Recently, ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App is developed by the Ministry to make the skill development schemes accessible to the target groups.

Some of the features of this portal are as follows:

• Availability of all information related to skill development at one place for Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Safai Karamcharis.
• Facility to register for the training institute and program of their interest.
• Facility to upload desired documents related to personal information.
• Facility to register the attendance of the trainees through face and eye scanning during the training period.
• Monitoring facility through photo and video clip during training etc.

Article Link: PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App

Solution (b)

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in 2016. 

It aims to provide free cooking gas connections to poor families increasing India’ LPG coverage.

It is implemented by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through its Oil Marketing Companies i.e., IOC, BPCL and HPCL through their network of distributors across the country.

PMUY has been recognised by World Health Organisation as one of the decisive intervention by the Government to address the Indoor Air Pollution which accounts for nearly 10 lakh deaths in a year in the country.

PMUY aims at providing clean-cooking fuel to the poor households, which are otherwise vulnerable to various health hazards associated with indoor air pollution and bringing in qualitative charges in the living standards. 

PMUY is under implementation in the all the States/UTs. Beneficiaries are identified through Socio-Economic Caste Census List-2011 and in such cases where names are not covered under SECC list, beneficiaries are identified from seven categories which includes SC/ST households, beneficiaries of PMAY(Gramin), Antyodaya Anna Yojana, Most Backward Classes, Forest Dwellers, Resident of Islands/River Islands and Tea Garden & Ex-tea Garden Tribes.

Article Link: PM to launch Ujjwala 2.0