UPSC EXAM QUIZ 09.07.2024

Explanation:

• Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India has introduced a comprehensive immunisation schedule for women aimed at increasing awareness and uptake of adult vaccines across India.
• This initiative aims to improve women's health quality, recognizing that women spend 25% more time in poor health compared to men.
• This initiative marks a significant step in addressing vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) among women. VPDs are caused by bacteria or viruses and can be prevented with vaccines.
• They can result in long-term illness, hospitalisation, and death. Examples of VPDs include chickenpox, diphtheria, and poliovirus infection.
• The Government of India has initiated two major efforts to increase immunisation coverage in the country.
• The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) provides free immunisation immunisation against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including 9 nationally targeted diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe Childhood Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, and Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B.

Explanation:

• NITI Aayog has formed dedicated multi-sectoral committees to prepare a policy design and create a roadmap for achieving its goal of becoming a net-zero economy by 2070.
• This has been started 3 years after India declared its goal to become a net-zero economy by 2070.

Key Focus Areas of the Working Groups Formed by the NITI Aayog

• NITI Aayog has formed 6 working groups. These groups will focus on developing policy formats, working models, and transition pathways for core sectors like macroeconomic implications, climate finance, critical minerals, and social aspects of energy transition.
• It will also form sectoral committees on transport, industry, buildings, power, and agriculture.

Explanation:

• The government of India has extended the centrally sponsored Smart Cities Mission until 31 March 2025. The scheme was originally to end on 30 June 2024.
• The scheme was extended by the central government at the request of the state governments. No new projects will be sanctioned, and the existing sanctioned .

Projects will be completed on a priority basis.Smart Cities Mission

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in June 2015 to transform 100 cities to provide the necessary core infrastructure and clean and sustainable environment to enable a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of "Smart Solutions".
• It aimed to improve the quality of life for citizens through sustainable and inclusive development.

Explanation:

• An 80% concession in licensing fees for women entrepreneurs was announced by Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
• Important fee concessions and safety measures for the petroleum and explosives sector has been unveiled by Union Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi during the Stakeholder Consultation.
• On 3 July, the Stakeholder Consultation was organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• The objective of the program was to enhance efficiency within the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and improve communication with industry stakeholders.
• During the event, Goyal announced a concession of 80% in license fee for women entrepreneurs and 50% for MSMEs for licenses granted by PESO.
• These incentives are expected to increase the participation of these important sectors of the economy.
• He directed PESO to prepare guidelines to outline safety measures in consultation with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).
• This will allow retail outlets for petrol pumps to function in cases where there is habitation within 30–50 metres.
• The aim of this initiative is to strike a balance between public safety and industry operations.

Explanation:

• Nano-fertilizer subsidy scheme for farmers launched in Gujarat by Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
• Under the AGR-2 scheme of the government, the scheme will provide 50% assistance to farmers for the purchase of nano-fertilizers for the financial year 2024-25.
• Shah unveiled the scheme during the 'Sahakaar se Samriddhi' conference in Gandhinagar, which was organized to mark the 102nd International Day of Cooperatives.
• Along with this, Shah initiated payments to three farmers at the event and demonstrated the immediate implementation of the scheme.
• International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated on the first Saturday of July by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) since 1923.
• It is an annual celebration of the cooperative movement around the world.
• Incidentally, this year the International Day of Cooperatives was celebrated on July 6, which was also the third foundation day of the Union Ministry of Cooperation.
• The theme of the 102nd International Day of Cooperatives is - “Cooperatives build a better future for all.”
• In June 2024, the year 2025 has been declared as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025) by the United Nations General Assembly.