Education/GSII
The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister releases the report on State of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in India

What's the NEWS

• The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) released the report on the State of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in India.
• The report prepared by the Institute for Competitiveness highlights the importance of early education years in the overall development of a child.
• It further highlights the role of well-planned early interventions like the National Education Policy (2020) and the NIPUN Bharat guidelines, leading to long-term improved learning outcomes.

• Access to quality early childhood education is a fundamental right for all children.
• The earliest years of a child's life needs to be understood in the backdrop of the socio-economic, psychological, and technological hindrances they face, which further affects the potential of a child in numerous ways.
• A child needs to develop solid Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) skills. FLN refers to basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills.
• Falling behind in the Foundational Learning years which encompass of pre school and elementary education makes children more vulnerable as it negatively impacts their learning outcomes.
• Focus on the foundational learning is the need of the hour to ensure universal access to quality levels of education for all children in pre-primary and primary classes in India.

• It is the first step in this direction, establishing an understanding of the overall state of Foundational Learning across children aged below ten years in Indian States and Union territories.
• The Index includes five pillars comprising of41 indicators.
• The five pillars are : Educational Infrastructure, Access to Education, Basic Health, Leaning Outcomes and Governance.
• India is committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Zero Hunger, Good health and Well being and Access to Education are the significant goals that have been mapped with the Index on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
• Given the distinct levels of development of States across India and their varying child population size, States were categorized into different tiers to help bring forth better analysis.

1. Some states may serve as role models for others in certain aspects, but they too need to learn from other states while addressing their challenges.
2. Pillar-wise analyses help states assess the state of the budgetary measures and steps needed to improve the state of education and identify existing gaps that obstruct their growth.
3. The issue of Access to Education is one that demands prompt action on the part of the States. The performance of Large States such as Rajasthan (25.67), Gujarat (22.28), and Bihar (18.23)is noticeably below average. Whereas the North-eastern states have the highest scores as a result of their superior performance

• It is a non-constitutional, non-permanent and independent body constituted to give economic advice to the Government of India, specifically the Prime Minister.
• The council serves to highlight key economic issues facing the country to the government of India from a neutral viewpoint.
• It advises the Prime Minister on economic issues like inflation, microfinance, and industrial output.

What's the NEWS

• ISRO has signed six agreements with four countries for launching foreign satellites during 2021-2023.
• About 132 Million Euros would be earned through launching of these foreign satellites on a commercial basis.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) through its commercial arm, New Space India Limited (NSIL), a Govt. of India company under Department of Space (DOS), has been launching satellites belonging to other countries on-board Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), on a commercial basis.
• NSIL as on date has signed six Launch Service Agreements with customers from four countries for launching foreign satellites into space on-board PSLV during 2021-2023.
• A total number of 124 indigenous satellites have been put into Earth's orbit including 12 student satellites.
• Starting from 1999 till date, a total of 342 foreign satellites belonging to 34 countries have been successfully launched on board Indian Polar satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on a commercial basis.
• Through launching of foreign satellites on-board Indian launch vehicle, India has earned a Foreign Exchange revenue of approx. 35 Million USD and 10 Million Euros during last 3 years (i.e., 2019- 2021).
• The type of foreign satellites that were launched through Indian Launch Vehicle includes satellites primarily for Earth Observation, Scientific and Technology demonstration purposes.

What's the NEWS

• ISRO is developing a Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) with private participation to be launched in 1st quarter of 2022.
• The SSLV will provide a payload capability of 500 kg to a 500 km planar orbit.
• The development of SSLV is in the final stages and the first developmental flight of SSLV is targeted during the first quarter of 2022.
• The Government has sanctioned a total cost of Rs.169 Crores for the development project including the development & qualification of the vehicle systems and the flight demonstration through three development flights (SSLV-D1, SSLV-D2 & SSLV-D3).
• The hardware & structures for the SSLV development project including the solid motor cases, nozzle sub-systems, mandrels for the casting of solid motors, inter-stage structures, actuator motors & fixtures will be realized through private industry.
• The development of SSLV has been primarily envisaged to realize a cost-effective launch vehicle with high launch frequency and quick turnaround capability in order to cater to the growing opportunity in the global launch services market for small satellites.

What's the NEWS

• A total number of 27 satellite missions and 25 launch vehicle missions were successfully accomplished during the last five years (i.e., April 2016 - March 2021).
• 286 commercial satellites from domestic as well as foreign customers and 8 student satellites from Indian universities were also launched during the aforementioned period.
• Some of the major space missions include first operational flight of India's heavy lift launch vehicle GSLV Mk-III which placed India's second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2 into orbit; Advanced Cartography satellite, Cartosat-3; completion of NavIC constellation; launch of South Asia Satellite; launch of heaviest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite, GSAT-11 and launch of record 104 satellites in a single PSLV flight.
• Apart from these, three technology demonstrators namely Scramjet engine, Re-Usable Launch Vehicle and test for Crew Escape System were also successfully demonstrated during this period

• Department of Land Resources is implementing Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), the erstwhile National Land Records Modernization Programme to digitize and modernize land records.

• The scheme was launched in 2008-09 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• With effect from 1^st April, 2016, this scheme was revamped as a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding by the Government of India.
• Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is implementing Central Sector Scheme SVAMITVA with the aim to provide the ‘Record of Rights' to village household owners possessing houses in inhabited areas in villages.
• Legal ownership rights (Property cards/Title deeds) are issued by mapping of land parcels using drone technology.
• SVAMITVA is being implemented with the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Department, State Panchayati Raj Department and Survey of India (SoI).
• States need to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SoI for implementation of the SVAMITVA scheme.

• Government has launched Setu Bharatam Programme to replace Railway Crossing on National Highways by Road over Bridges (ROBs) /Road Under Bridges(RUBs).
• Government has taken up construction of such ROBs/RUBs on National Highways under Setu Bharatam programme through its own implementing agencies such as State PWDs, NHAI, and NHIDCL and funds are provided for construction of ROBs/RUBs like other National Highways Projects.
• Administrative approval and financial sanction for construction of 123 nos of RoBs/RuBs have been accorded till date under Setu Bharatam Programme.

What's the NEWS

• The Government of India had approved Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I in October, 2017 with an aggregate length of about 34,800 km (including 10,000 km residual NHDP stretches) at an estimated outlay of Rs. 5,35,000.00 crores for development of about 9,000 km length of Economic corridors, about 6,000 km length of Inter-corridor and feeder roads, about 5,000 km length of National Corridors Efficiency improvements, about 2,000 km length of Border and International connectivity roads, about 2,000 km length of Coastal and port connectivity roads, about 800 km length of Expressways.
• Projects comprising length of 1,371 km have been awarded in North Eastern States, including Assam, under Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I, out of which 27 km length has been completed.

• The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing a dedicated scheme Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN) to ensure participation of women in the field of Science and Technology (S&T) through various gender enabling programmes.
• Around 1040 women scientists, more than 12000 meritorious girls of Class IX-XII and around 10000 women at grassroots level from different states of the country have been benefitted through various programmes under WISE-KIRAN Scheme in last three years.

• In the year 2014, DST restructured all women specific programmes under one umbrella called Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN).
• It encompasses women-exclusive schemes and encourages them to foster their career by undertaking research in Science and Technology (S&T) and also focusing on S&T solutions of issues & challenges at the grassroots level for social benefits.
• The mandate of KIRAN Program is to bring gender parity in S&T through gender mainstreaming.
• Women Scientist Scheme (WOS) addresses challenges faced by S&T qualified women primarily due to social responsibilities.
• Its two components WOS-A and WOS-B are directly implemented by KIRAN Division and the third component WOS-C or KIRAN-IPR is implemented by TIFAC with grant-in-aid from DST
• It also provides fellowship support ranging from Rs 25000 to 55000 to women ranging in the age group 27 to 57 years for continuing higher education in Science and Technology after a break in career.
• It is aimed to provide an opportunity to women scientists who are facing difficulties in their present job due to relocation and will act as filler while searching for other career options at new places.
• 20 women technology parks have been established which act as windows for providing information, creating awareness, giving training for appropriate technologies leading to skill up gradation.

• Women Scientist Scheme-A (WOS-A) - The objective is to help women pursue research in basic or applied sciences in the areas of science and engineering.
• Women Scientists Scheme-B (WOS-B) - This scheme focuses on boosting participation of women in science and technology with the objective of providing solutions at grassroots level for social benefit.
• Women Scientists Scheme - C (WOS-C) - This scheme aims to promote self employment and sustainable careers for women in science and technology. One year internship will be provided in the domain of intellectual property rights (IPR).
• Women Entrepreneur Quest (WEQ) - This is to promote women entrepreneurs in the domain of technology start-ups. The winners of WEQ competition will be sent to Silicon Valley to help them learn all about the startup ecosystem in the silicon valley and meet all the stakeholders.
• Science & Technology for Women (S&T for women) - This program comes under the KIRAN scheme. Focus was to improve gender equality and empower women in science.
• Consolidation of University Research For Innovation and Excellence in Women (CURIE) - This program was launched in 2009. The objective of this mission was to strengthen the Research and Development (R&D) infrastructure of women only universities. This has led to an increase in the number of quality research papers in the reputed journals.
• Vigyan Jyothi - The aim was to increase the interaction of girl students with the women scientists working in premier institutes like IIT and other institutes of repute.
• Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM - This program gives opportunities for women to carry out collaborative research in premier US research institutes.

• The Government has accorded ‘In-Principle' approval of the site at Jaitapur in Maharashtra for setting up six nuclear power reactors of 1650 MW each in technical cooperation with France which would make it the largest nuclear power generating site with a total capacity of 9900 MW.
• The project is proposed to be setup at Jaitapur site in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

• The present installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 6780 MW and the share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country is about 3.1% in the year 2020-21.
• Nuclear power is clean and environment friendly, apart from having a huge potential to ensure the country's long term energy security on a sustainable basis.
• The nuclear power plants have so far generated about 755 Billion Units of electricity saving about 650 Million Tons of CO₂ emission.
• The net zero targets are expected to be met through a combination of various clean energy sources including nuclear power.
• In this context, the present nuclear power capacity of 6780 MW is planned to be increased to 22480 MW by 2031 on progressive completion of projects under construction and accorded sanction. More nuclear power reactors are planned in future.

• Accord of administrative approval and financial sanction of - ten (10) indigenous 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) to be set up in fleet mode with provision of equity support.
• Resolution of issues related to Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act & Creation of Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP).
• Amendment of the Atomic Energy Act to enable Joint Ventures of Public Sector Companies to set up nuclear power projects.

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS