Government Schemes
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 launched

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about SBM-U 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions + GS III infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 on 1st October 2021
• SBM-U 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 have been designed to realize the aspiration to make all our cities ‘Garbage Free' and ‘Water Secure'.

Missions Objective

• addresses the challenges of rapidly urbanizing India
• contribute towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
• to make all cities Garbage Free and Water Secure.

Know! about Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0

• SBM-U 2.0 envisions to make all cities ‘Garbage Free' and ensure grey and black water management in all cities other than those covered under AMRUT, make all urban local bodies as ODF+ and those with a population of less than 1 lakh as ODF++, thereby achieving the vision of safe sanitation in urban areas.
• The Mission will focus on source segregation of solid waste, utilizing the principles of 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), scientific processing of all types of municipal solid waste and remediation of legacy dumpsites for effective solid waste management.

Know! about AMRUT 2.0

• AMRUT 2.0 aims to provide 100% coverage of water supply to all households in around 4,700 urban local bodies by providing about 2.68 crore tap connections and 100% coverage of sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities by providing around 2.64 crore sewer/ septage connections, which will benefit more than 10.5 crore people in urban areas.
• AMRUT 2.0 will adopt the principles of circular economy and promote conservation and rejuvenation of surface and groundwater bodies.
• The Mission will promote data led governance in water management and Technology Sub-Mission to leverage latest global technologies and skills.
• ‘Pey Jal Survekshan' will be conducted to promote progressive competition among cities. The outlay of AMRUT 2.0 is around Rs.2.87 lakh crore.

Impact of SBM-U and AMRUT

• SBM-U and AMRUT have contributed significantly to improve urban landscape during the last seven years.
• The two flagship Missions have augmented the capacity to deliver basic services of water supply and sanitation to the citizens.
• All urban local bodies have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) and 70% solid waste is being scientifically processed now.
• AMRUT has been ensuring water security by adding 1.1 crore household water tap connections and 85 lakh sewer connections, thus benefiting more than 4 crore people.

Know! about OD, ODF+ and ODF++

• ODF+ and ODF++ are aimed towards proper maintenance of toilet facilities and safe collection, conveyance, treatment/disposal of all faecal sludge and sewage.
• While ODF+ focuses on toilets with water, maintenance and hygiene, ODF++ focuses on toilets with sludge and septage management.

Environment Conservation
India extends support for protecting the Antarctic environment and for designating East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Marine Protected Areas + CCAMLR ) + Mains ( GS III Environment conservation)
What's the NEWS

• India has extended support for protecting the Antarctic environment and for co-sponsoring the proposal of the European Union for designating East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) while addressing the concerned Ministers of different countries of the European Union at a meeting held virtually.

Meeting Highlights - India's stand

• India supports sustainability in protecting the Antarctic environment
• The two proposed MPAs are essential to regulate illegal unreported and unregulated fishing.
• The Environment Minister urged the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) member countries to ensure that India remains associated with the formulation, adaptation and implementation mechanisms of these MPAs in future.
• This is the first time India is considering co-sponsoring an MPA proposal at the CCAMLR and getting aligned with countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Korea, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, which are also proactively considering supporting the MPA proposals.
• India's decision to consider extending support and co-sponsoring the MPA proposals is driven by conservation and sustainable utilization principles and adhering to the global cooperation frameworks (such as Sustainable Development Goals, UN Decade of Oceans, Convention on Biodiversity, etc.) to which India is a signatory.
• The high-level ministerial meeting was hosted virtually by VirginijusSinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, EU.
• It was attended by Ministers, Ambassadors and Country Commissioners from nearly 18 countries.
• The meeting aimed to increase the number of co-sponsors of the MPA proposals and reflect on a joint strategy and future actions for their swift adoption by CCAMLR.

Know! about CCAMLR

• It is an international treaty to manage Antarctic fisheries to preserve species diversity and stability of the entire Antarctic marine ecosystem.
• CCAMLR came into force in April 1982.
• It is part of the Antarctic Treaty System.
• Headquartered - Tasmania, Australia.
• The goal is to preserve marine life and environmental integrity in and near Antarctica.
• Membership - 25 Member States + 10 Acceding States
• It was established in large part to concerns that an increase in krill catches in the Southern Ocean could have a serious impact on populations of other marine life which are dependent upon krill for food.
• In 1989, CCAMLR set up the Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) to further monitor the effects of fishing and harvesting of species in the area.
• India has been a permanent member of the CCAMLR since 1986.
• Work pertaining to the CCAMLR is coordinated in India by the Ministry of Earth Sciences through its attached office, the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) in Kochi, Kerala.
• CCAMLR practises an ecosystem-based management approach. This does not exclude harvesting as long as such harvesting is carried out in a sustainable manner and takes account of the effects of fishing on other components of the ecosystem.

Know! about MPA

• In 2009, the Commission agreed by consensus to creating a representative network of MPAs by 2012.
• It was the first international body to do this based on recommendations from the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.
• An MPA is a marine protected area that provides protection for all or part of its natural resources.
• Certain activities within an MPA are limited or prohibited to meet specific conservation, habitat protection, ecosystem monitoring, or fisheries management objectives.
• Since 2009, CCAMLR members have developed proposals for MPAs for various regions of the Southern Ocean.
• CCAMLR's scientific committee examines these proposals. After CCAMLR members agree upon them, elaborate conservation measures are set out by CCAMLR.

Marine Protected Area

1. South Orkneys - Designated as MPA
2. Ross Sea- Designated as MPA
3. East Antarctica - Proposed
4. Weddell Sea- Proposed
5. Antarctic Peninsula - Proposed

India's Antarctic expedition

• India had embarked on Antarctic expedition in 1981, through the Southern Indian Ocean sector
• Till date, India had completed 40 expeditions with plans for the 41st expedition in 2021-22

Agriculture
Unique technology for direct generation of Hydrogen from agricultural residue developed

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the process of direct generation of Hydrogen from agricultural residue.)
What's the NEWS

• Indian researchers have developed a unique technology for direct generation of Hydrogen from agricultural residue.
• This innovation by Indian researchers can promote eco-friendly hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles by overcoming the challenge of hydrogen availability.
• India has set a target of 60% renewable energy of about 450 GW by 2030.
• One of the most economical ways to achieve this is to produce hydrogen from a cheap, abundant, and renewable source.
• Agricultural waste, which faces a great challenge for disposal, could be one of the sources of hydrogen production, and this could solve the dual problem of energy generation and waste disposal.
• This technology is 25% more efficient as compared to conventional anaerobic digestion processes used today.

Know! about the process

• The two-stage process eliminates the pretreatment of biomass, thus making the process economical and environment friendly.
• This process generates a digestate that is rich in nutrients which can be used as an organic fertilizer
• The hydrogen fuel generation process comprises the use of a specially developed microbial consortium that facilitates biodegradation of cellulose- and hemicellulose-rich agricultural residues, such as biomass of paddy, wheat, or maize, without thermo-chemical or enzymatic pretreatment.
• The process generates Hydrogen in the first stage and Methane in the second.
• The methane generated in the process can also be used to generate additional hydrogen
• This breakthrough of generating hydrogen from unutilized agricultural residue will help us to become self-reliant on energy resources.

Infrastructure Development: Energy
IEEFA Report on Renewable Energy
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the report highlights)
What's the NEWS

• This report was released by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), an American non-profit corporation.
• According to the report, the lockdown has slowed down the progress of renewable energy in the country, leaving India behind in achieving its renewable energy goals by the year 2022.

Know! about the report highlights

• Solar Energy Capacity in India: 43.94 GW (as on 31st July, 2021)
• Target: To install 40 GW of rooftop solar and 60 GW of ground-mounted utility scale by March 2023 with a total solar power capacity of 100 GW
• India's green energy potential: 7 GW growth (in the year 2020-21)
• Renewable Energy Target: 175 GW by the end of 2022 and 450 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030
• The quantum of electricity usage across business sectors during the financial year 2020-21 grew by 20% over 2020, 37% over 2019 and 30% over 2018. This led to a rise in prices.

Major recommendations of the report

• India does not need to invest in additional baseload thermal capacity.
• Energy systems need 'flexible and dynamic solutions' (battery storage, pumped hydro storage, gas powered capacity).
• Energy prices have to be worked out so that it is cost-effective and acts as a buffer against higher prices in the power exchange during times of peak demand.

Indian context

• India's Initiatives for Renewable Energy: National Solar Mission (NSM) / National Biofuel Policy / National Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHEM) / Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
• India ranks fourth in the world in terms of installed renewable energy capacity, fifth in solar and fourth in wind power.

Social Issues
The Poshan (Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) scheme

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about PM Poshan scheme) + Mains ( GS II Social issues - government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• The Centre approved the PM Poshan scheme for the next five years to ensure holistic nutrition for students of more than 11.2 lakh government and government-aided schools across India
• The Centre's mission aims to eradicate malnutrition among children in India by 2022.
• Multiple ministries will converge with an objective to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low-birth-weight babies.
• This scheme has been started to provide hot cooked food in government and government aided schools
• It will also subsume the essential mid-day meal programme which already exists in schools run by Centre and state governments
• Out of the total estimated cost of Rs 1.3 lakh crore, the Center will bear Rs 54,061 crore, of which the states will pay Rs 31,733 crore (Rs 45,000 crore will be released by the Center as subsidy for food grains).

Know! all about Prime Minister's Nutrition Scheme /PM Poshan scheme

• Coverage: 11.8 crore students from classes I to VIII enrolled in over 11.2 lakh schools across the country
• Under this scheme, food will also be provided to the students studying in pre-primary or kindergarten.
• Poshan Udyaan will be set up to provide additional micro-nutrients to the students.
• There is also a provision of supplementary nutrition for children in aspirational districts and children with high prevalence of anemia.
• If a state decides to add any ingredient like milk or eggs to the menu, the restriction on the central government not to bear the additional cost has been lifted.
• The concept of community participation program 'Titibhojan' will be widely promoted, in which people provide special food to children on special occasions/festivals.
• The central government will ensure Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) from states to schools.
• A 'Nutritionist' will be appointed in each school, whose responsibility is to ensure that health aspects such as body mass index (BMI), weight and haemoglobin levels are taken care of.
• Social audit of the scheme has also been made mandatory for every school in every state.
• Participation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Women Self Help Groups will be encouraged.
• Use of locally produced traditional food items will be encouraged to promote local economic development.

Know! about Mid-day meal scheme

• The 'Mid-Day Meal Scheme' is a centrally sponsored scheme started from the year 1995.
• Nodal Ministry : Ministry of Education
• Objective: To achieve the goal of universalization of primary education.
• Programme: Provision for providing cooked meals to every child in the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII.
• If due to non-availability of food grains or any other reason, the state government will pay the food security allowance by the 15^th of the following month if the midday meal is not available in the school.

Space Awareness
Landsat 9

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Landsat 9 ) + Mains ( GS III awareness in the field of space)
What's the NEWS

• An Earth observation/monitoring satellite 'Landsat 9' has been launched by NASA.
• This satellite is a joint mission of NASA and the US Geological Survey.
• It was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
• The Landsat satellite, together with the European Union's Sentinel-2 satellites, will provide a better estimate of the extent of climate change.

Know! about Landsat Series of satellites

• It is a satellite of the Landsat series which is about 50 years old.
• The first Landsat satellite was launched in 1972.
• All Landsat images are free and publicly available and this policy has helped many researchers, farmers, policy analysts, glaciologists and seismologists.
• Use of Landsat images: to study the health of forests, coral reefs, water quality and melting glaciers

Know! about Landsat 9

• Landsat 9 has been linked to Landsat 8 launched in the year 2013.
• It takes 8 days for them to photograph the whole earth.
• It is the most technologically advanced satellite of its generation.
• Equipment: Land Imager 2 (OLI-2) and Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2).
• The Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2) absorbs reflected sunlight from Earth's surface and studies the visible, near-infrared or infrared and short-infrared portions of the spectrum.
• The Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) consists of a four-element refracting telescope and photosensitive detectors that absorb thermal radiation and help study Earth's surface temperature.

Sentinel Satellite

• It is a family of satellites developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) under the Earth observation program 'Copernicus Programme' launched in the year 1998.

NASA Lucy mission
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about NASA Lucy mission ) + Mains ( GS III awareness in the field of space)

What's the NEWS

• NASA is set to launch Lucy, the first spacecraft to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids on October 16, 2021

Know! all about the mission

• NASA's Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016 but the Lucy spacecraft will be the first expedition by NASA to study the Trojan asteroids that orbit the Sun in two swarms(two loose groups), one leading ahead of Jupiter and other trailing behind the planet.
• The spacecraft will be launched on a 12-year mission to help scientists gain an up-close view of the Trojan asteroids.
• The study of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids will help scientists to understand how the Solar System and its planets were formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago and why did they end up in the current sequence.
• Trojan asteroids associated with Jupiter are thought to be remnants of the primordial material that formed the outer planet.
• These asteroids were formed in the aftermaths of the leftovers of the primordial material from which Jupiter and the other outer planets were formed.

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