NITI Aayog
UNDP Report Lauds Aspirational Districts Programme

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

• In an independent appraisal report released ,United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India has lauded the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) as ‘a very successful model of local area development'that ‘should serve as a best practice for several other countries where regional disparities in development status persist for many reasons'.

Know! the report highlights

• The report is based on quantitative analysis of publicly available data as well as interviews with various stakeholders, including district magistrates, central prabhari officers, district fellows and other development partners.
• UNDP's analysis across the 5 key sectors of the ADP-health and nutrition; education; agriculture and water resources; basic infrastructure; and skill development and financial inclusion-found that the programme has acted as a catalyst for expediting development in these districts.
• According to the report, while health and nutrition, education, and to a certain extent, agriculture and water resources, have registered massive improvements, the other indicators despite making significant strides offer scope for further strengthening.
• Monitoring real-time data, convergence across government programmes and schemes and receiving the benefits of the Aspirational Districts Programme by substantial marginshave been credited as the reasons behind the success of the initiative.
• The report also recognizes the unique collaborative nature of the programme to bring all stakeholders, including state and local governments, development partners, and citizens, together to achieve goals and targets.
• It is this key pillar that enabled district commissioners ‘to build a strong Covid-19 response and cope with the challenges of the pandemic by working in close coordination' with the panchayats, faith and community leaders and development partners in their respective districts.
• The 3Cs,‘Convergence, Competition and Collaboration', approach of the ADP emphasized on the importance of convergence that fostered moving away from working in silos towards synchronised planning and governance to achieve the targets of the programme'.
• Similarly, the ‘competition' aspect too was found ‘to be helpful in promoting better monitoring and creating healthy competition to achieve targets of the programme.
• This also served as a motivating factor for districts to increase their efforts and track progress'.
• The report also appreciated the delta rankings provided on the programme's Champions of Change dashboard.
• The competitive and dynamic culture fostered by it has successfully pushed several low performing districts (as per baseline rankings) to improve their standing in the past three years..
• The report recommends several initiatives undertaken under the programme as best practices.
• Noteworthy among them is GoalMart, an e-commerce portal launched by Assam's Goalpara district administration ‘to promote rural, ethnic and agrarian products of the district in the national and global markets'.

Aspirational Districts Programme

• The Aspirational Districts Programme was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2018 as a part of the government's effort to raise the living standards of its citizens and ensure inclusive growth for all, ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas'.
• The ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts' programme aims to quickly and effectively transform these districts.
• The broad contours of the programme are Convergence (of Central & State Schemes), Collaboration (of Central, State level ‘Prabhari' Officers & District Collectors), and Competition among districts driven by a mass Movement. With States as the main drivers, this program will focus on the strength of each district, identify low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement, measure progress, and rank districts.
• The Government is committed to raising the living standards of its citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all - "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas".
• To enable optimum utilization of their potential, this program focusses closely on improving people's ability to participate fully in the burgeoning economy.
• Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure are this programme's core areas of focus.
• After several rounds of consultations with various stakeholders, 49 key performance indicators have been chosen to measure progress of the districts.
• Districts are prodded and encouraged to first catch-up with the best district within their state, and subsequently aspire to become one of the best in the country, by competing with, and learning from others in the spirit of competitive & cooperative federalism.
• NITI Aayog in partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh has created a dashboard for monitoring the real-time progress of the districts.
• Districts will be ranked based on progress made (‘delta ranking') on a real-time basis.
• The dashboard will be open to the public to monitor the progress of the aspirational districts.

International Organisations
Prime Minister's participation in 47th G7 Summit

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about G7 Summit highlights)
What's the NEWS

• At the invitation of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Prime Minister will participate in the Outreach Sessions of the G7 Summit on 12 and 13 June in virtual format.
• UK currently holds the Presidency of the G7 and has invited India, along with Australia, Republic of Korea and South Africa, as Guest Countries for the G7 Summit.
• The meeting will be held in hybrid mode.
• The theme for the Summit is ‘Build Back Better' and the UK has outlined four priority areas for its Presidency.
• These are leading the global recovery from coronavirus while strengthening resilience against future pandemics; promoting future prosperity by championing free and fair trade; tackling climate change and preserving the planet's biodiversity; and championing shared values and open societies.
• The Leaders are expected to exchange views on the way forward on global recovery from the pandemic with a focus on health and climate change.
• This is the second time the Prime Minister will be participating in a G7 meeting.
• India had been invited by the G7 French Presidency in 2019 to the Biarritz Summit as a "Goodwill Partner" and Prime Minister participated in the Sessions on ‘Climate, Biodiversity and Oceans' and ‘Digital Transformation'.

Infrastructure Development
PMAY- U Awards 2021 - 100 Days Challenge' launched to recognize performances of States/UTs/ULBs

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) and about LHP Project
What's the NEWS

• The Government approved 708 proposals for construction of 3.61 lakh houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U)
• The decision was taken at the 54th Meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) under PMAY-U held in New Delhi.
• The Meeting was attended by 13 States/UTs. These houses are proposed to be constructed across Beneficiary Led Construction and Affordable Housing in Partnership verticals.
• PMAY- U Awards 2021 - 100 Days Challenge'
• In addition, ‘PMAY- U Awards 2021 - 100 Days Challenge' was also launched) .
• The awards are given to recognize and celebrate the outstanding contribution and performances by States, Union Territories (UTs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and beneficiaries for successful implementation of the Mission and create a healthy competition.

Light House Projects (LHPs)

• MoHUA laid emphasis on Six Light House Projects (LHPs), the foundation stones of which were laid by Prime Minister in January, 2021.
• The LHPs are being constructed at Agartala, Chennai, Lucknow, Ranchi, Rajkot and Indore.
• These LHPs should galvanize all concerned departments involved in construction.
• Use of cutting edge technology should be replicated and scaled up
• An E-Module on Technograhi comprising learning tools on innovative construction technologies shortlisted under Global Housing Technology Challenge - India and being used in six LHPs was also launched at the event.
• It is a step towards building capacities of stakeholders in the area innovative construction technologies.

Demonstration Housing Projects (DHPs)

• Under Technology sub mission of PMAY-U, 6 Demonstration Housing Projects (DHPs) have been completed so far and 7 are being constructed in different parts of the country.
• DHPs are model housing projects built with new/alternate technology that not only showcase field level application of the technology but also used as platform to impart on-site orientation & training to practitioners & students in the housing sector on the application and use of such technology.

Know! more about LHP

• LHPs are model housing projects with houses built with shortlisted alternate technology suitable to the geo-climatic and hazard conditions of the region.
• This will demonstrate and deliver ready to live houses with speed, economy and with better quality of construction in a sustainable manner.
• The period of construction is maximum 12 months from the date of handing over of sites to the construtction agency after all statutory approvals. Approvals will be accorded through a fast track process by the concerned State Government.
• These LHPs shall serve as LIVE Laboratories for different aspects of Transfer of technologies to field application, such as planning, design, production of components, construction practices, testing etc. for both faculty and students, Builders, Professionals of Private and Public sectors and other stakeholders involved in such construction.
• Six Technology providers have been selected through rigorous online bidding process for construction of Light House Projects (LHPs) at six differnet locations in six states.

NITI Aayog
India Can Save Logistics Fuel Worth Rs.311 Lakh Crore between 2020 and 2050

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about RMI and NITI Aayog report highligths) + Mains ( GS III Infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• NITI Aayog, RMI and RMI India's new report, Fast Tracking Freight in India: A Roadmap for Clean and Cost-Effective Goods Transport, presents key opportunities for India to reduce its logistics costs.
• Due to the rising demand for goods and services, freight transport demand is expected to grow rapidly in the future.
• While freight transport is essential to economic development, it is plagued by high logistics costs and contributes to rising CO2emissionsand air pollution in cities.

According to the report, India has the potential to:

1. Reduce its logistics cost by 4% of GDP
2. Achieve 10 gigatonnes of cumulative CO2 emissions savings between 2020 and 2050
3. Reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions by 35% and 28%, respectively, until 2050

Freight transportation

• Freight transportation is a critical backbone of India's growing economy, and now more than ever, it's important to make this transport system more cost-effective, efficient, and cleaner.
• Efficient freight transport will also play an essential role in realising the benefits of existing government initiatives such as Make in India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and Digital India
• As India's freight activity grows five-fold by 2050 and about 400 million citizens move to cities, a whole system transformation can help uplift the freight sector.
• This transformation will be defined by tapping into opportunities such as efficient rail-based transport, the optimisation of logistics and supply chains, and shift to electric and other clean-fuel vehicles.
• These solutions can help India save Rs.311 lakh crore cumulatively over the next three
• The report outlines solutions for the freight sector related to policy, technology, market, business models and infrastructure development.
• The recommendations include increasing the rail network's capacity, promoting intermodal transport, improving warehousing and trucking practices, policy measures and pilot projects for clean technology adoption, and stricter fuel economy standards.
• When successfully deployed at scale, the proposed solutions can help India establish itself as a leader in logistics innovation and efficiency in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

RMI India

• It is an independent non profit organization that works towards accelerating India's transition to a clean, prosperous, and inclusive energy future.
• RMI India engages with government, industry, and civil-society leaders to design innovative policy frameworks and market solutions to support India's clean energy and mobility transformation in order to enhance lives and livelihoods of all Indians.
• RMI India takes inspiration from and collaborates with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), USA.

Prelims Factoids
Central Athlete Injury Management System for training of athletes for Olympics 2024 and beyond

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about CAIMS and TOPS)
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju launched the Central Athlete Injury Management System (CAIMS), a first-of-its-kind initiative by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for streamlining the sports medicine and rehabilitation support offered to the athletes.

Know! about CAIMS

• CAIMS aims to provide the best of sports injury management support nearest to the athlete's geographical location.
• CAIMS will help to standardize appropriate injury treatment protocol for athletes across the country.
• It will start with support for athletes who are a part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) development group expected to participate in 2024 and beyond.
• CAIMS is expected to revolutionise the way athlete injuries are managed and treated.
• It will have the following four structures: Athlete Wellness Cell, On-Field Sports Medicine Experts, National Resource Referral Teams and a Central Core Team.
• The experienced and multidisciplinary team of sports medicine doctors, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning experts under CAIMS will assist in the guided rehabilitation to achieve timely restoration of optimal form and function

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme

• It is a flagship program of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports which is an attempt to provide assistance to India's top athletes.
• The Scheme looks to add a premium to the preparations of these athletes so that they can win Olympic medals in 2021 and 2024 Olympics.
• Under the Scheme, the Department of Sports shall identify athletes who are potential medal winners in 2020 / 2024 Olympics.
• The idea of the Scheme is to also keep an eye in the future and fund a Developmental Group of Athletes who are medal prospects for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Defence
Centres for Excellence to promote road safety & road construction

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the centre of excellence and about BRO)
What's the NEWS

• Raksha dedicated to the nation two Centres of Excellence established by Border Roads Organisation (BRO)

Know! about the Centre of Excellence

• These Centres have been established to achieve excellence in road safety as well as foster growth in construction of roads, bridges, air fields and tunnels.
• The Centre of Excellence for Road Safety & Awareness (CoERSA) aims to create awareness about road safety through analysis sharing of road accidents and suggesting methods to save precious lives.
• The Centre of Excellence for Roads, Bridges, Air Fields and Tunnels (CoERBAT) focuses on institutionalising the knowledge gained over the years in development of almost 60,000 kilometres of roads, 56,000 metres of bridges, 19 airfields and four tunnels in the eastern and north-western part of the country.
• The Government has taken a number of initiatives such as National Road Safety Policy, Motor Vehicle Act 2020 and identification of black spots on national highways to tackle the problem and the setting up of these Centres is another step in that direction.

Recent achievements of BRO

• State-of-the-art construction of 'Atal Tunnel, Rohtang', Kailash Mansarovar Road and Zojila pass.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO)

• It is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to and is a part of the Indian Armed Forces.
• BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
• This includes infrastructure operations in 19 states and three union territories (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka.
• BRO is also tasked with maintaining this infrastructure including operations such as snow clearance.
• BRO is instrumental in significantly upgrading and building new India-China Border Roads.
• The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India's borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.
• In order to ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Board and Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.
• Today, the board exercises the financial and other powers of a Department of Government of India and is chaired by the Minister of State for Defence
• BRO has been entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence in 2015.
• Earlier it received funds from the Ministry of Surface Transport under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

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