PIB 27th May

Contents

1. NHAI gears up before monsoon
2. 1.78 Lakh MT pulses distributed to PM-GKY Beneficiaries
3. Tejas FOC Aircraft Handed Over to the IAF

NHAI GEARS UP BEFORE MONSOON

Focus: GS-III Infrastructure and Industry

Why in news?

National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has directed its Regional Officers (ROs) and Project Directors (PDs) to undertake maintenance of the National Highways on top priority-basis considering ensuing monsoon season.

Details

• The target is to ensure thorough planning of the requisite activities and the implementation of the same in a time bound manner, in order to keep the national highways in patchless and traffic worthy condition.
• Project Directors have been advised to make assessment of the condition of highways supported by technology driven tools through car mounted camera/ drones / Network Survey Vehicle (NSV) etc. for identification of various highway distress (like depression, rutting, cracking etc.) and plan rectification measures.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)

• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous agency of the Government of India.
• NHAI is a Statutory Body, was created through the promulgation of the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988.
• The function of NHAI is to develop, maintain and manage the national highways and any other highways vested in, or entrusted to, it by the Government of India.
• The NHAI is also responsible of the toll collection on several highways.
• NHAI signed an MoU with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the North East Centre for Technology Application and Research (NECTAR) in 2016 that allowed the use of spatial technology for highways monitoring.
• The NHAI has the mandate to implement the National Highways Development Project (NHDP). The NHDP is under implementation in Phases.
• NHAI has mandated development of about 27,500 km of national highways under Bharatmala Pariyojna Phase-I.

About National Green Highways Mission (NGHM)

• It was launched in July 2016 under Green Highways Policy 2015.
• Vision: to develop green corridors along the national highways for sustainable environment and inclusive growth.
• Aim: to plant trees along 100,000km of national highways and create jobs for youth.
• It will improve the quality and maintenance of green cover along National Highways.
• It will increase employment opportunities for local people by encouraging participation of local communities, NGOs, farmers, and local self-government bodies.

National Highways (NH)

• NH are the arterial roads of the country for inter-state movement of passengers and goods.
• They traverse the length and width of the country connecting the National and State capitals, major ports and rail junctions and link up with border roads and foreign highways.
• The NHs including Expressways constitute only about 1.7% of the length of all roads, they carry about 40% of the road traffic.

1.78 LAKH MT PULSES DISTRIBUTED TO PM-GKY BENEFICIARIES

Focus: GS-II Social Justice

Why in news?

Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PM-GKY) about 4.57 Lakh MT of pulses have been dispatched to the States/UTs. Out of this, 1.78 Lakh MT pulses have been distributed to 1340.61 Lakh beneficiaries in the States/UTs.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme during the lockdown period from 24.3.2020 till date, 9.67 crore farmers have been benefitted and an amount of Rs. 19,350.84 crore has been released so far.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana

• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016 (PMGKY) is an amnesty scheme launched by the Narendra Modi led Government of India in December 2016 on the lines of the Income declaration scheme, 2016 (IDS) launched earlier.
• During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in India, Finance Minister announced a ₹1.70 Lakh Crore ($24 billion) relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for the poor.
• Currently 80 crore individuals, i.e., roughly two-thirds of India’s population would be covered under this scheme.
• Some of the Provisions of the scheme are:
  • 1 kg of Pulses per family, would be provided according to regional preferences, for next three months.
  • A total of 20.40 crores PMJDY women account-holders would be given ex-gratia of Rs 500 per month for next three months.
  • The first instalment of Rs 2,000 due in 2020-21 will be front-loaded and paid in April 2020 itself under the PM KISAN Yojana.
  • Gas cylinders, free of cost, would be provided to 8 crore poor families for the next three months.
  • Under this scheme approximately 22 lakh health workers would be provided insurance.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from Government of India.
• Under the Scheme an income support of Rs.6000/- per year is provided to all farmer families across the country in three equal instalments of Rs.2000/- each every four months.
• Definition of family for the Scheme is husband, wife and minor children.
• The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiary farmer families rests with the State / UT Governments.
• The fund is directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
• Farmers covered under the Exclusion Criteria of the Operational Guidelines are not eligible for the benefit of the Scheme.

Objectives of PM-KISAN

• With a view to augment the income of the Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs), the Government has launched a new Central Sector Scheme, namely, “Pradhan Mantri KIsan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)” in the current financial year.
• The PM-KISAN scheme aims to supplement the financial needs of the SMFs in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income at the end of each crop cycle.
• This would also protect them from falling in the clutches of moneylenders for meeting such expenses and ensure their continuance in the farming activities.

TEJAS FOC AIRCRAFT HANDED OVER TO THE IAF

Focus: GS-III Science and Technology

Why in news?

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) on 27^th May 2020 inducted Tejas Mk-1 FOC aircraft into the recently resurrected “Flying Bullets” squadron.
• With the induction of India’s most supersonic fighter aircraft, Sulur would turn into an important IAF base under its Southern Air Command based at Thiruvananthapuram.

Tejas Fighter Jet

• The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-engine, delta wing, fourth-generation fighter jet, multirole light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
• It is the smallest and lightest in its class of contemporary supersonic combat aircraft.
• The Tejas is the second supersonic fighter developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) after the HAL HF-24 Marut.
• The Tejas can attend the maximum speed of Mach 1.8.
• It is designed to carry a range of air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided and standoff weaponry.
• It is a single pilot aircraft that has a maximum takeoff weight of 13,300 kg.
• It has a general range of 850 km and a combat range of 500 km.

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