• PM Modi and PM Oli of Nepal, jointly inaugurated a cross-border petroleum products pipeline via video conference

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Nepal, Right Hon'ble K.P. Sharma Oli today jointly inaugurated South Asia's first cross-border petroleum products pipeline from Motihari in India to Amlekhgunj in Nepal
• The 69-km Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline, having a capacity of 2 million metric ton per annum, will provide cleaner petroleum products at affordable cost to the people of Nepal.
• PM Modi welcomed the announcement made by Prime Minister Oli to reduce the price of petroleum products by Rs. 2 per litre in Nepal.
• As of now, tankers carry petroleum products from India to Nepal as part of an arrangement which is in place since 1973.
• This India-Nepal energy cooperation project is a symbol of our close bilateral relations. It will help to enhance the energy security of the region and substantially cut down on transit costs.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall launch the Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana on the 12th of September at Ranchi, Jharkhand.
• The Scheme shall secure the lives of 5 Crore Small and Marginal Farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3000 per month, to those who attain 60 years of age. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 10,774 Crores for the next three years.
• All the small and marginal farmers who are currently between the ages of 18 to 40 years can apply for the scheme.
• Farmer's monthly contribution can be made from the instalments of PM-KISAN or through CSCs.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall also inaugurate 400 Ekalvya Model Residential Schools to provide quality upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary level education to ST Students in Tribal dominated areas.

• It is voluntary and contributory for farmers in the entry age group of 18 to 40 years and a monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- will be provided to them on attaining the age of 60 years.
• The farmers will have to make a monthly contribution of Rs.55 to Rs.200, depending on their age of entry, in the Pension Fund till they reach the retirement date i.e. the age of 60 years.
• The farmers will have to make a monthly contribution of Rs.55 to Rs.200, depending on their age of entry, in the Pension Fund till they reach the retirement date i.e. the age of 60 years.
• The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) shall be the Pension Fund Manager and responsible for Pension pay out.
• In case of death of the farmer before retirement date, the spouse may continue in the scheme by paying the remaining contributions till the remaining age of the deceased farmer.
• If the spouse does not wish to continue, the total contribution made by the farmer along with interest will be paid to the spouse. If there is no spouse, then total contribution along with interest will be paid to the nominee.
• If the farmer dies after the retirement date, the spouse will receive 50% of the pension as Family Pension. After the death of both the farmer and the spouse, the accumulated corpus shall be credited back to the Pension Fund.
• The beneficiaries may opt voluntarily to exit the Scheme after a minimum period of 5 years of regular contributions. On exit, their entire contribution shall be returned by LIC with an interest equivalent to prevailing saving bank rates.
• The farmers, who are also beneficiaries of PM-Kisan Scheme, will have the option to allow their contribution debited from the benefit of that Scheme directly.

• EMRS is a Government of India scheme for model residential school for Indian tribals (ST, Scheduled Tribes) across India.
• It is one the flagship intervention of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and was introduced in the year 1997-98 to ensure tribal students get access to quality education in the remote tribal areas.
• EMRSs are set up in States/UTs with grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India. As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022.
• The government gives one time Rs.30 lakh grant for establishing the school, thereafter up to Rs.30 lakh per school annually.
• Additional cost is borne by state governments. At the end of 2018, a total of 284 EMRSs have been sanctioned with maximum of 32 approved in Madhya Pradesh.
• There is around 226 EMRSs functional across the country and 68 of them are affiliated to the CBSE

What's the NEWS

• The National Conference on Crop Residue Management for the farmers from the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh & Delhi has been inaugurated recently

Know! more about the steps taken the centre and state for crop residue management

• Earlier, to support the efforts of the Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi to address air pollution and to subsidize machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue through agriculture mechanization, a Central Sector Scheme for the period 2018-19 to 2019-20 has been implemented by Ministry in these States with a total outgo of Central funds Rs.1151.80 crores.
• This conference was organized in collaboration with ICAR in order to address concerns of farmers and State Governments.
• The straw burning events in 2018 have reduced by 15% and 41% as compared to that in 2017 and 2016 respectively, as per the report of the High Power Committee Chaired by Dr. Nagesh Singh.
• The Ministry also launched a multilingual Mobile App "CHC Farm Machinery" for the farmers to avail the custom hiring services of CHCs located in the radius of 50 Kms.
• This app connects the farmers with Custom Hiring Service Centres in their area.

Environment Conservation
DPIIT to Launch Plastic Waste Management Campaign for Swachhta Hi Sewa 2019

Relevance IN - Prelims (about Plastic Waste Management initiative by DPIIT) + Mains ( GS III Environment conservation)
What's the NEWS

• As part of Prime Minister's call to action for Plastic Waste Management, during his Independence Day speech, the theme of this year's Swachhta hi Sewa is Plastic Waste Management. Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is playing a critical two-fold role for the success of the campaign as mandated by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Know! how DPIIT will ensure effective management of plastic waste

• First, DPIIT will ensure recycling of plastic waste collected on 2nd October 2019 in cement kilns and second, collect plastic waste through nationwide shramdaan on 2nd October 2019.
• For this DPIIT has requested all the State Governments and Union Territories to mobilise the Industrial Parks in States and Union Territories for collection of plastic waste across all Industrial Estates, Parks, Corridors, Nodes and Industrial Areas for the Swachhta hi Sewa 2019 campaign beginning from 11th September, 2019.
• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, has requested DPIIT to mandate the use of plastic waste by cement kilns and DPIIT will ensure that all collected plastic waste may be recycled in cement kilns by Diwali this year.
• On 2nd October, for the Swachhta hi Sewa campaign this year, DPIIT personnel will undertake Shramdaan and ensure the collection of plastic waste on and around industrial areas all across the country.
• DPIIT has requested State Governments to sensitize Industrial Parks by focusing on Plastic Waste Management on a sustained and continuous basis. State and Union Territory Governments will monitor the campaign through their nodal teams to be set up by them.

Economic Developments
India & ADB sign $200 million loan to improve rural connectivity in Maharashtra

Relevance IN - Prelims (about ADB) + Mains (GS III economic/infrastructure developments)
What's the NEWS

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India today signed a $200 million loan to upgrade rural roads to all-weather standards in 34 districts of Maharashtra State to improve road safety and better connect rural areas with markets and services.

Know! the benefits

• Improving rural connectivity is one of the key priorities of the Government of India, which will help enhance rural livelihoods and alleviate poverty among remote rural communities in project districts
• Enhanced road connectivity and better access to markets will help the farmers increase agricultural productivity and incomes," he said.
• The project will improve the condition of about 2,100 kilometers (km) of rural roads to all-weather standards, with climate resilience and safety features, connecting rural communities with productive agricultural areas and socioeconomic centers

Know! about ADB

• ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members-49 from the region. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion.

Infrastructure Development
ANGAN- A three-day international Conference on Energy Efficiency in Building Sector

Relevance IN - Prelims (about ANGAN)+ Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• An international conference ANGAN (Augmenting Nature by Green Affordable New-habitat) focussed on Energy Efficiency in Building Sector began in New Delhi

Know! more about the conference

• The Conference is being organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India in collaboration with GIZ under the Indo German Technical Cooperation.
• Speakers, Delegates, Experts and Policy Makers across 16 countries are participating in this three-day event.
• The participants from Central and State local authorities as well as Technology providers and Experts, practicing Architects and University Students have also been invited.
• The Experts will be discussing various alternative options and technologies in the field of design and construction of energy efficient Commercial as well as Residential Buildings and will suggest the effective ways in implementing the same through policies and programmes.
• It is estimated that an investment of Rs. 2000 billion in Building energy efficiency activities would lead to a cumulative savings of 388 Billion units of electricity for the next ten years with payback of about 2 years.
• The International Conference will provide a platform to deliberate on interdependence between organizations, systemic sustainability and feedback loops for better resource efficiency.

Know! about BEE

• The BEE is a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, Government of India. It assists in developing policies and strategies with the primary objective of reducing the energy intensity of the Indian economy.
• BEE coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies, and other organizations to identify and utilize the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing the functions assigned to it under the Energy Conservation Act.

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