Relevance IN - Prelims ( about ASEAN-INDIA Hackathon) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations + Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
What's the NEWS

• Union Education Minister addressed the inaugural ceremony of the ASEAN India Hackathon.
• The Prime Minister of India during Singapore India Hackathon in 2019 had expressed his feelings about holding a hackathon with ASEAN Countries.

ASEAN-INDIA Hackathon

• The ASEAN-INDIA Hackathon is an initiative taken by Ministry of Education on the clarion call of Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi.
• The ASEAN India Hackathon is being organized online from 1^st -3^rd February 2021 and prize distribution will take place on 4^th February 2021.
• This unique hackathon offers opportunities for all the 10 ASEAN countries and India to forward their economic and cultural ties through collaboration in education, science and technology.
• This Hackathon will provide a unique opportunity to India and ASEAN countries to solve their common identified challenges under two broad themes of "Blue Economy" and "Education" and thereby provide an opportunity to forward their economic and cultural ties through collaboration in education, science and technology.
• This Hackathon will be enactment of six fundamental virtues of our civilisation: respect, dialogue, cooperation, peace, prosperity and innovation

India-ASEAN relations

• India-ASEAN relations have its foundation in shared beliefs, religions, and culture.
• India being the largest democratic & demographic country of the region has moral responsibility to lead the ASEAN community.
• India has been extending support to ASEAN countries by providing Covid vaccines.
• Several Indian universities like IIT-Delhi and Tezpur University host students from our ASEAN partner countries.
• The Government of India has also launched 1000 ASEAN PhD Fellowships exclusively for ASEAN citizens.

Know! about ASEAN

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia,
• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.

Prelims Factoids
Mob Control Vehicle prototypes

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Mob Control Vehicles (MCVs) + about CMERI)
What's the NEWS

• In a view to elevate modern technical support to paramilitary forces engaged in maintaining law and order situation; train and equip them with advanced options, CSIR has demonstrated its three innovative variants ‘Compact, Medium, Heavy' category of Mob Control Vehicles (MCVs) to a team of MHA recommended members
• This is a first of its kind advanced indigenous design and featured development in the country.

Know! more about it

• The MCVs have been designed, developed and demonstrated by one of the CSIR's constituent laboratory ‘Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute' (CMERI) based in Durgapur, which had brought indigenous tractor revolution in India.
• The Heavy category of these MCV prototypes has a 7.5-ton payload capacity. While, the Medium category is of 2.5-ton payload capacity, the compact one is a tractor-based vehicle for easy maneuvering.
• The key requirement and followed specifications have been evolved, formulated with involvement of various designated stakeholders.

Environment Conservation
World Wetland Day 2021

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about World Wetland Day + Integration of Wetland Conservation with Basin Management Plan.) + Mains ( GS III Environment conservation + GS II government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Ministry of Jal Shakti and India Water Foundation (IWF), celebrated World Wetland Day 2021, to raise awareness about conservation and rejuvenation of Wetlands.
• This year's World Wetland Day theme shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss.
• NamamiGange is the first of its kind program where Wetland Conservation is integrated with Basin Management Plan.

Integration of Wetland Conservation with Basin Management Plan.

• The innovative work done by NMCG for wetland conservation linked to River Rejuvenation would help the entire country as a model framework
• On the occasion of Wetland Day, a massive scientific and community-based program to develop Health card and management of 10 wetlands in each of the 50 plus Ganga districts was launched.
• Wetlands are very important for maintaining the country's biological diversity but there is a need to strengthen them at the grassroots level and raise awareness among the people.
• Wetlands can be useful to address the issues of desertification and migratory species.
• Wetland Day celebrations kickstarted on 1st February, 2021 with a series of workshops on various aspects of wetland rejuvenation and conservation designed by WWF-India in association with NMCG for District Ganga Committees.
• Similar capacity building workshops in association with Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will be organized on 3rd February 2021 for Ganga Praharis, Ganga Doots, Ganga VicharManch, Professors, teachers and students by Wildlife Institute of India.

Parliament Session ( important written reply of the day)
AGRI INDIA HACKATHON

Know! all about KRITAGYA (a National level hackathon)

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has started organising KRITAGYA- a National level hackathon in the month of August, 2020 to promote innovation in agriculture and allied sectors in the country.
• Advantages of organising Agri-Hackathon are to give opportunity to the students along with faculties, innovators for showcasing their innovative approaches & technologies in agriculture and allied sectors.
• Total number of applications received for this event are 784.
• Evaluation criteria comprises of uniqueness of the idea, its suitability, value proposition and plan to scale-up technology.
• Several innovations selected under this initiative focused on robotic harvesting of coconut/oil palm, real time detection of plant diseases and simultaneous site-specific application of pesticides and Women friendly equipment for small farm operations especially for sericulture and fish cutting.
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has put in place an Institutional mechanism through Research Institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Agriculture Universities (AUs) to address the problems being faced by the farming sector.

Culture
6 New Circles of Archaeological Survey of India created

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about these new circles)
What's the NEWS

• Archaeological Survey of India, an attached office of Ministry of Culture, Government of India vide Notification dated 28th August 2020 established Six new Circles by bifurcation of its existing Circles as per details given below:-

1. Rajkot Circle, Gujarat - by bifurcation of Vadodara Circle.
2. Jabalpur Circle, Madhya Pradesh - by bifurcation of Bhopal Circle.
3. Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) Circle, Tamil Nadu - by bifurcation of Chennai & Thrissur Circle.
4. Meerut Circle, Uttar Pradesh - by bifurcation of Agra circle
5. Jhansi Circle, Uttar Pradesh - by bifurcation of Lucknow Circle.
6. Raiganj Circle, West Bengal - by bifurcation of Kolkata Circle.

• In addition Hampi Mini-Circle has been upgraded as full-fledged Circle and Delhi Mini-Circle merged with Delhi Circle.

The jurisdiction over the Districts of the respective States redistributed among the existing and new Circles of ASI as under:-

Environment
On World Wetlands Day India gets its first Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management.

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about World Wetland Day + about Wetlands +Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management) + Mains ( GS III Environment conservation + GS II government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• On the occasion of the World Wetland Day and as a part of its commitment towards conservation, restoration and management of India's wetlands, the Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, announced the establishment of a Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM), as a part of the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management(NCSCM), Chennai, an institution under the Ministry.

Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM)

• The dedicated Centre which is launched would address specific research needs and knowledge gaps and will aid in the application of integrated approaches for conservation, management and wise use of the wetlands
• India has nearly 4.6% of its land as wetlands, covering an area of 15.26 million hectares and has 42 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 1.08 million hectares.
• The year 2021 also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, celebrated annually as World Wetlands Day.
• The Centre will help in building partnership and networks with relevant national and international agencies.
• WCM would serve as a knowledge hub and enable exchange between State/ UT Wetland Authorities, wetland users, managers, researchers, policy-makers and practitioners.
• The Centre would also assist the national and State/ UT Governments in the design and implementation of policy and regulatory frameworks, management planning, monitoring and targeted research for its conservation.
• The Minister also released publications relating to Faunal Diversity of all the Ramsar sites in the country and a brochure on Designation of Ramsar sites.

World Wetlands Day 2021

• This year's theme shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss.
• The 2021 campaign highlights the contribution of wetlands to the quantity and quality of freshwater on our planet.
• Water and wetlands are connected in an inseparable co-existence that is vital to life, our wellbeing and the health of our planet.
• 2 February each year is World Wetlands Day to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet.
  
  

• This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
• Wetlands are land areas that are saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally.

Know! about Wetlands

• Wetlands are amazing at capturing and storing carbon. Wetlands are found in all countries across climatic zones - from the polar regions to tropical belts and from high altitudes to coastal areas and the arid and dry deserts.
• Inland wetlands include marshes, ponds, lakes, fens, rivers, floodplains, and swamps.
• Coastal wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons and even coral reefs. Fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans are human-made wetlands.
• India has rich wetlands famous for its biodiversity. As of December 2020, there are 42 Ramsar sites in India.
• These are of global significance and are included in the Ramsar list of wetlands.
• The Ramsar Convention is an international agreement promoting the conservation of wetlands.
• The Convention was adopted at Ramsar in Iran in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
• Almost 90% of the UN member states are part of the Convention.

Infrastructure Development
Jal Jeevan Mission (URBAN)
Swachh Bharat Mission (URBAN) 2.0
Boost to Green and Clean Urban Mobility
Metrolite and Metroneo System
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about these scheme) + Mains ( GS III infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• The Finance Minister announced JAL JEEVAN MISSION (URBAN) which has been designed to provide universal coverage of water supply to all households through functional taps in all 4,378 statutory towns in accordance with SDG Goal- 6.
• Providing coverage of sewerage/septage management in 500 AMRUT cities is the other focus area.
• The Finance Minister also announced that Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 will be launched under the "Health and Wellbeing"vertical.
• The Finance Minister further said that a Scheme to induct over 20,000 city buses in 5 lakh plus cities including Hilly/ UT/ North East State capital cities (total: 111) will be launched to strengthen organized city bus services, improve urban mobility and ease in living.

JAL JEEVAN MISSION (URBAN)

• 2.68 crore is the estimated gap in urban household tap connections that is proposed to be covered under JJM(U). Likewise, estimated gap in sewer connections/septage in 500 AMRUT citiesproposed to be covered in JJM(U) is 2.64 crore.
• Rejuvenation of water bodies to augment sustainable fresh water supply and creating green spaces and sponge cities to reduce floods and enhance amenity value through an Urban Aquifer Management plan are other key areas of the Mission.
• JJM(U) will promote circular economy of water through development of city water balance plan for each city focusing on recycle/reuse of treated sewage, rejuvenation of water bodies and water conservation. 20% of water demand to be met by reused water with development of institutional mechanism.
• A Technology Sub-Missionfor water is proposed to leverage latest global technologies in the field of water.
• Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign is proposed to spread awareness among masses about conservation of water.
• Pey Jal Survekshan will be conducted in cities to ascertain equitable distribution of water, reuse of wastewater and mapping of water bodies with respect to quantity and quality of water through a challenge process.
• Mission has a reform agenda with focus on strengthening of urban local bodies and water security of the cities.

Salient features of Mission

• The total outlay proposed for JJM(U) is Rs.2,87,000 crore which includes Rs.10,000 crore for continuing financial support to AMRUT Mission.
• In order to promote Public private partnership, it has been mandated for cities having million plus population to take up PPP projects worth minimum of 10 percent of their total project fund allocation.
• For Union Territories, there will be 100% central funding. For North Eastern and Hill States, central funding for projects will be 90%. Central funding will be 50% for cities will less than 1 lakh population, one third for cities with 1 lakh to 10 lakh population and 25% for cities with million plus population.
• Mission will be monitored through a technology-based platform on which beneficiary response will be monitored along with progress and output-outcome.
• Funding from Government for projects will be in three tranches of 20:40:40. Third instalment onwards will be released based on outcomes achieved and credible exclusion will be exercised while funding.

SWACHH BHARAT MISSION (URBAN) 2.0

• A total outlay of Rs 1,41,678 crores was announced for SBM (U) 2.0, for the next 5 years. This will be a continuation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), with the following components for funding and implementation across all statutory towns, viz.
• Sustainable sanitation (construction of toilets)
• Wastewater treatment, including fecal sludge management in all ULBs with less than 1 lakh population (this is a new component added to SBM-U 2.0)
• Solid Waste Management
• Information, Education and Communication, and
• Capacity building.

At the end of the Mission, the following outcomes are expected to be achieved:

• All statutory towns will become ODF+ certified
• All statutory towns with less than 1 lakh population will become ODF++ certified ,
• 50% of all statutory towns with less than 1 lakh population will become Water+ certified
• All statutory towns will be at least 3-star Garbage Free rated as per MoHUA's Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free cities
• Bio-remediation of all legacy dumpsites.

SCHEME TO AUGMENT CITY BUSES & URBAN GREEN MOBILITY
City Bus Augmentation

• A Scheme to induct over 20,000 city buses in 5 lakh plus cities including Hilly/ UT/ North East State capital cities (total: 111) will be launched to strengthen organized city bus services, improve urban mobility and ease in living.
• Scheme components include procurement, for city operations, of all types of new buses with clean fuel (excluding hybrid/ battery electric buses already covered under the FAME Scheme of Deptt of Heavy Industries (DHI)), associated infrastructure and open support for a period of 5 years after procurement.

Green Urban Mobility

• This Scheme intends to provide impetus to green and clean urban mobility projects.
• It is a step in the direction of meeting climate change mitigation and sustainability goals.
• The focus of this Scheme is to improve Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) infrastructure, promote innovative urban transit modes, strengthen Intelligent Transport System (ITS) facilities, retrofitting buses & other modes for energy efficiency/ clean fuel, and other technological and innovative measures for green urban transport.

Low cost Metro solution for tier2/3 cities
MetrolLite

• 40% cost of conventional metro system.
• Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic- upto 15,000

MetroNeo

• Rubber tyred metro
• Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic upto 8,000 and
• 25% of cost of conventional metro system.

Cities to be provided with MetroLite and MetroNeo system

• Some of Tier-2 cities like Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Jammu, Srinagar, Rajkot, Baroda, Dehradun, Coimbatore, Bhiwadi- Daruhera etc. are making proposals under MetroLite/ MetroNeo and Nasik has already sent a proposal for MetroNeo, which is under consideration.

Infrastructure Development
Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) scheme

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about MITRA)
What's the NEWS

• The Government has proposed a scheme of Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) to enable the textile industry to become globally competitive, attract large investments, boost employment generation and exports.

Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA)

• MITRA will create world class infrastructure with plug and play facilities to enable create global champions in exports.
• MITRA will be launched in addition to the Production Linked Incentive Scheme(PLI).
• Along with the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, MITRA will lead to increased investments and enhanced employment opportunities.

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