Relevance IN - Prelims (about UDAN 4.0) + Mains (GS III infrastructure development +GS II Government policies and intervention for the development of various sectors)
What's the NEWS

• Following the three successful rounds of bidding, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)- UdeDeshKaAamNagrik( UDAN) to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country.
• Focus of this round would be the priority areas like NER, Hilly States, J&K, Ladakh and Islands. Some of the key features of the Scheme are:

Know! more about UDAN 4.0
Revision of (Viability Gap Funding) VGF cap -
Category 2 / 3 aircraft (more than 20 seater)

• The provision of VGF for aircraft (more than 20 seater) has been enhanced for operation of RCS flights in Priority Area(s) (Union Territories [UT] of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir; the States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, North Eastern State; UT of Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar).

Category 1 aircraft (below 20 seater)

• The VGF cap applicable for various stage lengths for operation through aircraft (below 20 seater) has also been revised to further incentivize the operation of small aircraft under the Scheme.

Promoting short-haul routes

• The provision of VGF would be restricted for routes with stage length up to 600 kms, for operation of Category 2 / 3 aircraft, beyond it no monetary support would be provided. The table for provision of VGF for various stage lengths would be available for stage length up to 500 kms.

Well defined Prioritization framework

• Airports that has already been developed by AAI would be given higher priority for award of VGF under the Scheme, followed by airports not part of the above list but located Priority Area(s) would be given a priority, followed by airports located in areas other than Priority Area(s).

Flexibility to change the frequency of flight operation

• The Selected Airline Operator (SAO) would be allowed to change the frequency of flight operation, during the tenure of flight operation of the given route, provided that the total scheduled flight operation submitted as part of the Technical Proposal, is conformed and adhered to within a period of one year.

Inclusion of helicopter and sea plane operation under NSOP license

• The operation of helicopter and sea plane would be allowed under this round.

Progress of UDAN 1, 2 and 3

• In the last three years MoCA has successfully completed three rounds of bidding under the Scheme and awarded about 700 routes.

The table on progress of RCS UDAN is provided below (as on 31^st of October, 2019):

• MoCA aims to operationalize 1000 routes and more than 100 airports in the next five years.
• This would be achieved by focusing on operationalizing routes in Priority Areas.
• AAI would focus on developing no-frills airport in the future and routes connecting such airports would be prioritized for award of VGF.
• The market would be incentivized to develop short haul routes only, providing connectivity to nearby airports.

Know! about no-frills airports

• The no-frills airports would limit or avoid costs of services and activities that are not necessarily crucial for airport operations and that would allow the costs to be kept at the lowest possible level. These costs are mainly related to landing fees, parking fees, security and civic amenities at the airports.

Know! about Viable Gap Funding

• VGF is an economic instrument (or scheme) of Government of India ,launched in 2004 with the motive of supporting projects which come under public-private partnerships(PPP) model
• Basically, it is a grant to support projects that are economically justified but are not financially viable.
• Latest examples of these are UDAN Regional connectivity scheme and Metro rail projects. Under this scheme , the central government offers a VGF upto 20% for a particular project.
• VGF is generally provided to those projects which have a long gestation period (time difference between your investment and it earning profit for you) and when the user charges cannot be increased to commercial levels.

Defence
Opening Ceremony India-Nepal Joint Military Exercise Surya Kiran - XIV

Relevance IN - Prelims (about SURYA KIRAN -XIV)
What's the NEWS

• The 14^th edition of bilateral annual military exercise SURYA KIRAN-XIV between Indian and Nepal Army commenced at Nepal Army Battle School (NABS), Salijhandi, Rupendehi district of Nepal.
• The 13^th edition of the joint military exercise was held at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand in June last year.

Know! more about the exercise

• The aim of this exercise is to conduct a battalion level combined training between Indian Army and Nepal Army with a scope to enhance interoperability at military level in jungle warfare, counter terrorist operations in mountainous terrain, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, medical and environmental conservation including aviation aspects.

International Organisations
INDIA and ADB sign $206 million loan to strengthen urban services in 5 Tamil Nadu cities

Relevance IN - Prelims (about the agreement signed + about ABD) + Mains (GS II international organisations)
What's the NEWS

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India on 2nd December 2019 signed a $206 million loan to develop water supply and sewerage infrastructure in 5 cities of Tamil Nadu and strengthen capacities of urban local bodies (ULBs) for improved service delivery.

Know! more about it

• This is the second project loan for the ADB-supported $500 million multi-tranche financing for Tamil Nadu Urban Flagship Investment Programme, approved in September 2018, that will overall develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in 10 cities of Tamil Nadu.
• The first project under the Programme with $169 million financing is currently under implementation.
• The project is aimed at improving the lives of the urban people in the identified cities of Tamil Nadu by providing universal access to water supply and sanitation, and improving sewage treatment and drainage systems.
• The project interventions will benefit residents, workers and industries in the state's economic corridors thereby building industrial competitiveness and creating good jobs.
• ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members - 49 from the region

Government Schemes
Sahyog Sankalp resolution
Relevance IN - Prelims (about Sahyog Sankalp resolution + about Ek Bharat - Shresht Bharat') + Mains (GS II Centre- state relations + government policies and interventions for the development of various sectors)
What's the NEWS

• The ‘Sahyog Sankalp' resolution was adopted in the Valedictory Session of the two-day Regional Conference on ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat' with focus on ‘Jal Shakti and Disaster Management', organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with Governments of Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, concluded at Jammu.
• The conference unanimously adopted the ‘Sahyog Sankalp' during the Valedictory Session.

Know! more about the conference

• The Conference resolved that the Government of India and the participating Governments of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh shall collaborate to:
• Promote unity in diversity envisaged under the ‘Ek Bharat - Shresht Bharat' Programme through enhanced exchange of information in the fields of Jal Shakti and Disaster Management
• Make concerted efforts to resolve mutually concerning issues in the areas of Jal Shakti and Disaster Management through improved monitoring and a deep and structured engagement between the paired Governments;
• Share technical expertise in the areas of Water Harvesting, Cutting Down Farm Water Consumption, Preventing Urban Flooding and Rejuvenation of Rivers;
• Work towards long-term engagements in the areas of Jal Shakti and Disaster Management through Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between the Line Departments of the paired Governments

Ek Bharat, Shresht Bharat program.

• Under ‘Ek Bharat, Shresht Bharat' program, different states have been paired with one another, with J&K being paired with Tamil Nadu.
• There are various avenues for mutual learning ranging from tourism, culture and education, among others.
• It is a scheme launched on 31^st October 2016 with the main purpose to enrich and enhance the tradition and culture of the country.
• It is an initiative to boost the cultural connection between the states and union territories of the country.
• It helps people to enhance their interaction with the people of a different region of the country.
• In this scheme, one state of the country will connect to other states of the country on annual basis and both will promote the rich tradition of each other through events like song and dance festivals, food festivals, book festivals, tour and travel, literacy events and many more.

Health Sector
Nationwide vaccination drive launched to prevent eight diseases under Mission Indradhanush 2.0

Relevance IN - Prelims (about Indradhanush 2.0) + Mains (GS II issues relating to the development and management of social sectors/services relating to Health, education and Human resource
What's the NEWS

• Centre is launching nationwide vaccination drive to prevent eight diseases under Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 across the country.
• The government's flagship scheme is aimed at immunizing children under the age of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine preventable diseases.

Know! more about the programme

• The IMI covers vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B.
• Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and hemophilus influenza are also being provided in selected areas.
• The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts spread over 27 States. The IMI 2.0 will be carried out between December 2019 and March 2020.
• PM Narendra Modi had launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) on October 8, 2017 to further intensify India's immunisation programme.
• Under the mission, the Union Government aimed to reach all children aged below two years and pregnant women, who were left uncovered under the government's routine immunisation programme.
• The key objective behind the launch of the intensified immunisation drive was to ensure that no child suffers from any vaccine-preventable disease.

Know! more about Intensified Mission Indradhanush

• The Intensified Mission Indradhanush was launched to intensify the work undertaken under Mission Indradhanush, which was launched by the then Union Health Minister JP Nadda on December 25, 2014.
• The Mission Indradhanush sought to achieve 90 percent immunisation coverage in India by 2020. The Intensified Mission Indradhanush revised the target and set the goal of achieving at least 90% coverage of full immunisation by December 2018, instead of 2020.
  
  

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS