Daily Current Affairs 16.03.2022
Important News: India
Rejuvenation of 13 Major Rivers through Forestry Interventions
Why in News
- The Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav and the Union Minister, Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat jointly released the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) on Rejuvenation of 13 Major Rivers through Forestry Interventions.
Key Points
- The 13 Rivers for which DPRs were released are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Luni, Narmada, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Cauvery.
- 13 rivers collectively cover a total basin area of 18,90,110 sq. km that represents 57.45% of the geographical area of the country.
- The length of 13 rivers including 202 tributaries within the delineated riverscapes is 42,830 km.
- The proposed cumulative budget outlay of 13 DPRs is Rs. 19,342.62 crore.
- It will strengthen the country’s progress towards Panchamrit commitment or five-point agenda at CoP-26 during November 2021 in Glasgow.
Five commitments made by Prime Minister at that global conference.
- The PM said the first agenda was to raise the non-fossil fuel based energy capacity of the country to 500 GW by 2030.
- Also, by 2030, 50% of the country’s energy requirements would be met using renewable energy sources.
- The country will reduce the total projected carbon emission by one billion tonnes between now and the year 2030.
- The carbon intensity of the economy would be reduced to less than 45% by 2030, Modi said as the fourth point.
- As the final agenda, he said the country would become carbon neutral and achieve net zero emissions by the year 2070.
Note: International Day of Action for Rivers is celebrated every year on the 14th of March.
About Glasgow:
Glasgow is one of the richest cities in the world. It is a port city in Scotland. The city is a notable education centre, led by the University of Glasgow (founded 1451).
Source: Indian Express
National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism
Why in News
- In order to create a robust framework and synergy amongst the Central Government Ministries, State Governments and Private Sector for promoting India as a Medical and Wellness Tourism destination, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism.
What is Medical and Wellness Tourism?
- Medical tourism is a term used to describe the rapidly-growing practice of travelling across international borders to seek healthcare services.
Key Points
- In order to provide a dedicated institutional framework the Ministry of Tourism has constituted a National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board with the Minister (Tourism) as its Chairman.
Medical Visa
- 'Medical Visa’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purpose to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment.
- ‘E- Medical Visa’ and ‘E-Medical Attendant Visa’ have also been introduced for 156 countries.
- The Ministry of Tourism provides financial Assistance under Market Development Assistance Scheme to Medical Tourism Service Providers accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) for participation in Medical/ Tourism Fairs, Medical Conferences, Wellness Conferences, Wellness Fairs and allied Road Shows.
Other Major Schemes of the Ministry of Tourism:
- Swadesh Darshan Scheme
- Iconic Tourist Sites Initiative
- DekhoApnaDesh Campaign
- PRASHAD Scheme
Source: PIB
UDAN scheme extended to 405 routes
Why in News
- Airports Authority of India (AAI) has awarded 948 routes, from which, 405 routes involving 65 airports including 8 heliports and 2 water aerodromes have been operationalized under UDAN as on 09.03.2022.
Key Points
About UDAN Scheme:
- UDAN is a regional connectivity scheme developed by the Government of India (GoI) in 2016. The full form of UDAN is ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik’ and aims to develop smaller regional airports to allow common citizens easier access to aviation services.
- An airport which is included in the awarded routes of UDAN and requires upgradation/development for commencement of RCS operations, is developed under "Revival of unserved and underserved airports" scheme.
- Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Implementing Agency has identified 154 RCS airports including 14 water aerodromes and 36 helipads so far under UDAN for operation of RCS flights.
Source: PIB
Longest Vessel ever to sail on Brahmaputra
Why in News
- The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways achieved a landmark when the Motor Vessel Ram Prasad Bismil became the longest vessel ever to sail on Brahmaputra.
- The vessel along with two barges - DB Kalpana Chawla and DB APJ Abdul Kalam - was flagged off from the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Haldia by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (PSW) and AYUSH, SarbanandaSonowal.
Note: Earlier MV Lal Bahadur Shastri carried a consignment of 200 MT food grains for Food Corporation of India (FCI) from Patna to Pandu, successfully completing the Pilot Movement cargo between Ganga, the National Waterway 1 (NW1), and Brahmaputra, the National Waterway 2 (NW2).
Source: PIB
Important News: State
Mumbai becomes first South Asian city to detail net-zero roadmap
Why in News
- Mumbai’s Climate Action Plan (MCAP) has set an ambitious target of reaching complete carbon neutrality by 2050, two decades ahead of the country’s target of 2070, which was committed in COP-26 in Glasgow.
Key Points
- The plan aims to serve as a 30-year road map for the city to tackle the challenges of climate change by adopting inclusive and robust mitigation and adaptation strategies.
- After a vulnerability assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) and natural green cover inventory over the last six months, the BMC prepared the plan with technical support from the World Resources Institute (WRI), India and the C40 Cities network.
- The MCAP focuses on six sectors – Energy and Buildings, Sustainable Waste Management, Sustainable Mobility, Urban Green and Biodiversity, Air Quality, Urban Flooding, and Water Resource Management.
- The plan’s interim and long-term objectives include a 30 percent decrease in emissions by 2030, a 44 percent reduction by 2040, and a net-zero reduction by 2050 compared to base year emissions (2019).
Source: ET
Country’s first Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’
Why in News
- The country’s first Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’ was launched in Bengaluru.
Key Points
- The initiative has been undertaken by AquaKraft Ventures, a company that expertise in sustainable initiatives to provide drinking water and sanitation to all.
- The digital water data bank is an upcoming initiative globally that aims to enhance water management system.
What is digital water data bank?
- The Digital water data bank is a curated list of water data from all institutions and sources, that will help tackle some common development challenges.
- The Digital water data bank also provides insights and evidence from research and analytics thereby providing fundamental reliable information for tackling water pollution.
Source: newsonair
Important News: Personality
Former Andhra Pradesh Governor Kumudben Joshi passes away
- KumudbenManishankar Joshi, the former Governor of Andhra Pradesh passed away at 88.
- Kumudben Joshi was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 26 November 1985 to 7 February 1990.
- She was the second female Governor of the state after Sharda Mukherjee.
- Joshi was a member of the Rajya Sabha thrice.
Source: newsonair
Important News: Important Days
National Vaccination Day
Why in News
- National Vaccination Day is observed every year on March 16.
Key Points
- Vaccines are essential to help us develop immunity against deadly diseases.
- The theme of National Vaccination Day 2022 is ‘Vaccines Work for all’.
History:
- It was on March 16, 1995, when the day was first celebrated officially after the Pulse Polio Immunisation programme became operational.
- The first dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine was administered in 1995 on this date, under the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Polio Eradication Initiative which had begun in 1988.
- Vaccination against Polio, however, had already started in 1978 and on March 27, 2014, India was declared polio-free, by WHO.
- Edward Jenner is considered the founder of vaccinology.
- COVAXIN, India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine by Bharat Biotech was developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Virology (NIV).
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