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Delhi approves Medical Oxygen Production Promotion Policy

 

Delhi Cabinet has approved its policy to promote medical oxygen production and provide incentives to private sector to invest in production plants, tankers and storage facilities for medical oxygen.

Highlights

·         Medical Oxygen Production Policy provides several incentives to private sector in order to set up oxygen production plants, invest in Oxygen tankers and set up oxygen storage facilities.
·         It will also help in improving oxygen availability in Delhi that faced a huge challenge in handling second Covid-19 wave.
·         Earlier in July, lieutenant governor Anil Baijal had reviewed the progress of 160 pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants which were to be installed in both public sector and private sector hospitals in Delhi.
·         These 160 PSA collectively have a production capacity of about 148 MT medical oxygen per day.
·         34 PSA oxygen plants will be commissioned in different hospitals by October 31.
·         66 PSA plants, including 17 under PMCARE fund, are being set up in Delhi government-run hospitals while 10 are being installed in central government hospitals. 84 will be set up in private hospitals.
·         Out of 66 plants in Delhi government hospitals, 36 have been commissioned, 3 are ready. Remaining PSA will be set commissioned by August 31.

Background

In April 2021, Delhi witnessed a huge surge in Covid-19 cases. Sudden increase in cases had left the healthcare infrastructure overwhelmed. Delhi was adding a daily average of 25,294 new Covid-19 cases in April. This condition got worse with severe crisis of medical oxygen.

 

MUDRA Loan target reduced to Rs 3 trillion in 2021-22

 

Central government has set loans disbursement target under PM Mudra Yojana (PMMY) at Rs 3 trillion for financial year 2021-2022.

Key Points

·         In the financial year 2020-2021, loan disbursement target was Rs 3.21 trillion.

·         Experts attribute lower target to increased allocation under credit guarantee scheme for small businesses.

·         Out of Rs 3.21 trillion loans sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) in financial year 2021, Rs 3.12 trillion were disbursed to entrepreneurs.

·         In the financial year 2019-2021, this figure was even higher with total loans of 3.37 trillion. Out of this amount, Rs 3.29 trillion were disbursed.

How loans are provided under the scheme?

Under PMMY, loan up to Rs 10 lakh is provided by banks and non-banking financial companies to small business units for entrepreneurial activities. Loan is also provided to units like manufacturing, trading, services and activities allied to agriculture. Under the scheme, central government allocates annual targets for sanctioning loans. As of June 25 in Financial year 2022, loans worth Rs 3,804 crore have been sanctioned by 13 public sector banks (PSBs).  Mudra loans are provided to small businesses on the basis of priority sector lending of banks.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

PMMY was launched by government in 2015 to provide loans up to Rs. 10 lakhs to non-corporate, non-farm small or micro-enterprises. Loans are disbursed through financial institution called MUDRA, that stands for Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd. It provides funding to non-corporate small business sector by means of last-mile financial institutions such as Banks, Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs). However, it does not directly lend to micro-entrepreneurs or individuals.

 

World Breastfeeding Week 2021

World Breastfeeding Week is being observed from August 1 to August 7, 2021.

Key Fact

·         World Breastfeeding week is an annual celebration which is held every year in over 120 countries.

·         According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), breastfeeding is the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival.

·         This year, week is being observed under the theme ‘Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility.’

Why this week is celebrated?

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated to encourage breastfeeding and improve health of babies across the world.

Background

Background of the World Breastfeeding week commemoration dates back to the 1990s when WHO and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) created ‘Innocenti Declaration’ in order to promote and support breastfeeding. To execute UNICEF and WHO’s goals, an association called ‘World Association of Breastfeeding Action’ was established in 1991. In 1992, entire week was dedicated to promote this campaign.

Why Breastfeeding is significant?

Breastfeeding, also called as nursing, is the best way to provide young infants with essential nutrients that are required for growth and development. According to WHO, breast milk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean, and acts as first vaccine for them. It protects them against several common childhood illnesses. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, breastfeeding helps in boosting immune system of infant, reduces infant mortality rate, reduces the risk of developing infections like respiratory tract infections, allergic diseases, diabetes, and childhood leukaemia. It also enhances cognitive function infants.

 

‘AICTE Translation Automation AI Tool’- Key Facts

 

Recently, Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu and Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh witnessed a presentation by AICTE officials on a unique tool which translates English language content into 11 different Indian languages.

About the AI tool

·         This AI tool translates English language online courses into eleven different languages namely, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Assamese, Punjabi and Odia.

·         Tool is capable of translating English books, complex formulae, research journals, Government documents and English videos to stated languages.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)

AICTE was established in November 1945 as an advisory body. It was given the status of statutory body by an act of Parliament. It is a national-level council for technical education. It works under Department of Higher Education. It is responsible for proper planning and coordinated development of technical education and management education system across India.

Who assist AICTE?

AICTE is assisted by 10 Statutory Boards of Studies including- UG Studies in Eng. & Tech., Management Studies, PG and Research in Eng. and Tech., Vocational Education, Pharmaceutical Education, Technical Education, Architecture, Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Information Technology and Town & Country Planning.

Headquarter of AICTE

AICTE is headquartered in Delhi where offices of the chairman, vice-chairman and member secretary has been set up. Apart from it, regional offices have been set up at Kanpur, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Mumbai, Vadodara, Kolkata, Bangalore, Guwahati, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram.

Functions of AICTE

AICTE is the statutory authority to plan, formulate and maintain norms & standards, quality assurance through school accreditation and funding in priority areas.

 

NITI Aayog -RMI Release a Report on Power Distribution Sector

 

NITI Aayog has released a report on Power Distribution Sector that presents reform pathways to transform India’s power distribution sector.

 

Highlights

·         Report was released providing steps to improve policy making in distribution sector.

·         Report is titled as “Turning Around the Power Distribution Sector”.

·         It has been jointly authored by NITI Aayog, RMI and RMI India.

What was the need of report?

In India, Power distribution companies (DISCOMs) incur losses every year. In financial year 2021, total estimated losses are as high as Rs 90,000 crore. Because of these losses, DISCOMs are unable to pay power generators on time, make investments to ensure high-quality power, or to prepare for use of variable renewable energy. Thus, this report becomes significant as it presents review of reform efforts in Indian and global power distribution sector.

About the report

Report extracts learnings and best practices from wealth of policy experience existing in India. It examines several important reforms including role of private sector in distribution, regulatory oversight, power procurement, integration of renewable energy and upgradation of infrastructure. Report is divided into chapters that focuses on structural reforms, operational reforms, regulatory reforms, managerial reforms, and renewable energy integration. It presents policymakers with several reform options in order to put distribution sector on the track of efficiency and profitability.

RMI India

It is an independent non-profit organization working towards accelerating transition to a clean, prosperous and inclusive energy future. It engages with government, industry, and civil-society leaders in order to design innovative policy frameworks and market solutions to extend support to India’s clean energy and mobility transformation. RMI India collaborates with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) of USA.

 

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