PIB 31st May 2021

PM-CARES FOR CHILDREN SCHEME

Focus: Government Policies and Intervention

Why in news?

PM CARES For Children- Empowerment of COVID Affected Children launched for support & empowerment of Covid affected children.

About PM CARES For Children scheme:

1. Fixed Deposit in the name of the child:

• PM CARES will contribute through a specially designed scheme to create a corpus of Rs 10 lakh for each child when he or she reaches 18 years of age. This corpus:
• Will be used to give a monthly financial support/ stipend from 18 years of age, for the next five years to take care of his or her personal requirements during the period of higher education and
• On reaching the age of 23 years, he or she will get the corpus amount as one lump-sum for personal and professional use.

2. School Education: For children under 10 years

• The child will be given admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar.
• If the child is admitted in a private school, the fees as per the RTE norms will be given from the PM CARES.
• PM-CARES will also pay for expenditure on uniform, text books and notebooks.

3. School Education: for children between 11-18 years:

• The child will be given admission in any Central Government residential school such as Sainik School, Navodaya Vidyalaya etc.
• In case the child is to be continued under the care of Guardian/ grandparents/ extended family, then he or she will be given admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar.
• If the child is admitted in a private school, the fees as per the RTE norms will be given from the PM CARES.
• PM CARES will also pay for expenditure on uniform, text books and notebooks.

4. Support for Higher Education:

• The child will be assisted in obtaining education loan for Professional courses / Higher Education in India as per the existing Education Loan norms. The interest on this loan will be paid by the PM CARES.
• As an alternative, scholarship equivalent to the tuition fees / course fees for undergraduate/ vocational courses as per Government norms will be provided to such children under Central or State Government Schemes. For children who are not eligible under the existing scholarship schemes, PM CARES will provide an equivalent scholarship.

5. Health Insurance

• All children will be enrolled as a beneficiary under Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakhs.
• The premium amount for these children till the age of 18 years will be paid by PM CARES.

About PM CARES – FUND

• The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) was created on 28 March 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
• The fund will be used for combating, and containment and relief efforts against the coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic like situations in the future. 
• Although the documentation for the constitution of the fund has not been made public, the Government of India has stated that the Prime Minister of India is the chairman of the fund, and that trustees include the Minister of Defence, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Finance in the Government of India.
• The PM CARES Fund has faced criticism for the lack of transparency and accountability in relation to its establishment, functioning, and accounts.
• The total amount of funds donated and the names of donors have not been publicly disclosed, and the fund is privately audited.
• The Government of India has initially claimed that the fund is a private fund, and denied that the PM CARES Fund is a public fund for the purposes of transparency laws such as the Right to Information Act 2005, even though the Fund uses government infrastructure and the national emblem of the Government of India.
• In December 2020, the Government of India reversed its stance and admitted that the PM CARES Fund was a public fund, but still refused to disclose information regarding it under the Right to Information Act 2005.
• There are currently several ongoing cases at the Supreme Court of India and several High Courts in relation to the Fund.

REMDESIVIR

Focus: GS II- Health, Prelims

Why in news?

Government decides to discontinue the Central Allocation of Remdesivir as its production ramped up ten times.

About Remdesivir:

• Remdesivir was originally developed to treat Ebola.
• The drug is now being tested for treating COVID-19.
• It is produced by Gilead Life Sciences.
• Seven Indian companies are producing injection Remdesivir under a voluntary licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences of the U.S.
• As per the National Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 of the Central government, Remdesivir is listed as an Investigational Therapy (i.e. where informed and shared decision-making is essential).
• Remdesivir and chloroquine effectively inhibit the recently emerged novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in vitro.
• Chloroquine is a “widely used” anti-malarial and autoimmune disease medicine that has recently come to light as a potential antiviral drug.

YUVA-PM’s SCHEME FOR MENTORING YOUNG AUTHORS

Focus: Government Policies and Interventions

Why in news?

The Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education launched YUVA-  Prime Minister’s Scheme For Mentoring Young Authors, an Author Mentorship programme to train young and budding authors (below 30 years of age) in order to promote reading, writing and book culture in the country, and project India and Indian writings globally.

About YUVA:

• The launch of YUVA (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) is to encourage young writers to write about India’s freedom struggle. 
• YUVA is a part of India@75 Project (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav) to bring to the fore the perspectives of the young generation of writers on themes like Unsung Heroes, Freedom Fighters, Unknown and Forgotten Places and their role in National Movement, and other related themes in an innovative and creative manner.
• This scheme will thus help to develop a stream of writers who can write on a spectrum of subjects to promote Indian heritage, culture and knowledge system.
• The National Book Trust, India under the Ministry of Education as the Implementing Agency will ensure phase-wise execution of the Scheme under well-defined stages of mentorship. ​
• The books prepared under this scheme will be published by National Book Trust, India; and will also be translated into other Indian languages ensuring the exchange of culture and literature, thereby promoting ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
• The selected young authors will interact with some of the best authors of the world; participate in literary festivals etc. 

STATEHOOD DAY OF GOA

Focus: GS II- Governance

Why in news?

The Prime Minister greeted the people of Goa on the occasion of their Statehood Day (30th May).

Key Points:

• Goa is located on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats.
• Capital: Panji
• Official Language: Konkani
• Borders: It is surrounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast.

History of Goa as a Portuguese Colony

• After Indian Independence Goa was the largest part of the Portuguese possession in India, the other territories being small enclaves.
• The Portuguese colonised several parts of India in 1510 but by the end of the 19th century Portuguese colonies in India were limited to Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Anjediva Island.
• Portuguese were the first ones to colonize parts of India and were the last to leave.
• In 1961, India incorporated these territories after a liberation of Portugal’s Indian colonies.

Geography:

• The highest point of Goa is Sonsogor.
• Goa’s seven major rivers are the Zuari, Mandovi, Terekhol, Chapora, Galgibag, Kumbarjua canal, Talpona and the Sal.
• Most of Goa’s soil cover is made up of laterites.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks:

• Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
• Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary
• Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary
• Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary
• Mollem National Park

Liberation of Goa

• The Goa liberation movement, which sought to end Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, started off with small scale revolts, but reached its peak between 1940 to 1960, ending when India invaded Goa in 1961.
• After the failure of diplomatic efforts with Portuguese, military operation code-named ‘Operation Vijay’ was conducted by Indian Navy, Airforce and Army and Goa was liberated on 19th December, 1961.

The Referendum: Road to Statehood

A referendum was held which offered the people of Goa, Daman and Diu two options:

1. To merge Goa with Maharashtra; and Daman and Diu with Gujarat. Or
2. To remain a Union Territory of India.

Goans rejected the merger with Maharashtra

• Goa did not achieve full statehood in 1971 as was expected.
• Following persistent demands; including a 1976 resolution by the Goa assembly demanding full statehood – Goa finally became a state on 30 May 1987.
• Daman and Diu were separated from Goa and continue to be administered as the Union territory of Daman and Diu.

PRELIMS TIDBITS

INDIGO DYE

Focus: Prelims

Why in news?

Scientists have found that a natural dye extract may protect our eyes from harmful laser.

Details:

• The blue dye extracted from Indigoferatinctoria or the famed Indigo plants has been used over the years to colour clothes and clothing materials.
• Although synthetic indigo dyes are now available, the natural variety also is in common use. 
• It is extracted from the leaves of the plant, following standard protocols in scientific laboratories.

• Scientists have found that the natural indigo dye extracted from leaves of a plant of the bean family is capable of protecting human eyes from harmful laser radiation.
• It could be used to develop optical limiters useful in weakening the potentially harmful radiation and protecting the human eyes or other sensitive optical devices from accidental damage in an environment where such lasers are in use.
  • Optical limiters are useful in weakening the potentially harmful radiation emitted by powerful lasers and protecting both eyes and sensitive optical instruments.
• Researchers from the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, and Kensri School and College, Bengaluru, studied the optical properties of the natural Indigo dye and found that it can act as a device to protect human eyes from harmful laser radiation.