India will be the exclusive partner for European Hydrogen Week in November 2024.
About European Hydrogen Week
European Hydrogen Week is an annual event organized by the European Commission, Hydrogen Europe, and others.
It serves as a platform to discuss the future of hydrogen technologies, policy developments, and their role in decarbonizing Europe’s economy.
It features conferences, exhibitions, and networking opportunities.
It focuses on the development, deployment, and scaling of green hydrogen as part of the European Green Deal and the EU’s climate-neutrality targets for 2050.
Significance of India’s Partnership
Strengthening Green Energy Goals: Aligns India with global initiatives in decarbonizing industries and energy systems, advancing its commitment to the Paris Agreement and Net Zero 2070 target.
Access to Advanced Hydrogen Technologies: Provides India with cutting-edge hydrogen technologies from Europe, enhancing production, storage, and transportation capabilities for Green Hydrogen.
Boosting Technological Innovation: Facilitates collaborative research and development, allowing India to create cost-effective hydrogen solutions and drive domestic innovation in clean energy.
Building Global Leadership: Establishes India as a global leader in the Green Hydrogen sector, reinforcing its commitment to climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
PYQ:
[2019] In the context of proposals to the use of hydrogen-enriched CNG (H-CNG) as fuel for buses in public transport, consider the following statements:
1. The main advantage of the use of H-CNG is the elimination of carbon monoxide emissions
2. H-CNG as fuel reduces carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon emissions.
3. Hydrogen up to one-fifth by volume can be blended with CNG as fuel for buses.
4. H-CNG makes the fuel less expensive than CNG.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Union Cabinet approved the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-Drive) Scheme with an outlay of ₹10,900 crore over two years.
About PM E-DRIVE Scheme:
Details
Name
PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme
Total Outlay
₹10,900 crore for two years
Goal
Promote electric mobility, reduce pollution, and enhance fuel security
Reduce range anxiety by providing charging infrastructure in cities and highways.
Incentives
Direct subsidies for e-2Ws, e-3Ws, e-buses, e-ambulances, and e-trucks
Key Components
₹3,679 crore for demand incentives for e-2Ws, e-3Ws, e-ambulances, and e-trucks.
₹500 crore for e-ambulances.
₹4,391 crore for e-buses.
Other components:
E-Vouchers
Aadhaar-authenticated e-voucher for EV buyers;
Signed by both buyer and dealer for claiming incentives.
E-Bus Procurement
₹4,391 crore for 14,028 e-buses in 9 major cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad)
Charging Infrastructure
₹2,000 crore for 72,300 public EV charging stations, including fast chargers for e-4Ws, e-buses, e-2Ws, and e-3Ws
Incentivizing E-Trucks
₹500 crore tied to scrapping certificates from MoRTH-approved scrapping centres
Testing and Upgradation
₹780 crore for upgradation of MHI’s test agencies for green mobility technologies
PYQ:
[2019] How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development in India?
Prayas here. I am here to talk to you about something special today.
Something that we specially created to give you the best start for your preparation.
“Everything we do, we do keeping our mentorship program students in mind” is a line you’ve probably come across repeatedly in our posts, webinars, and YouTube videos. It’s so pervasive because it’s the truth; as a pioneer in high-quality and sharp mentorship-driven UPSC prep platform, we can’t afford to be any other way.
But you’ve probably read that sentiment most often in the context of our paid programs, which are meant for our program-enrolled aspirants. The Lacs of free aspirants who’ve signed up with us over these past few years perhaps fade into the background.
A majority of these aspirants did not just sign up for the (occasional) Free GS and current affairs content we post or scholarships, as well as free mock tests. They signed up—and continue to sign up—because they wanted to truly understand what Civilsdaily IAS is and why aspirants and rankers they know and respect – follow and speak highly of us, our content and our mentorship.
Our original free starter kit was designed to give these aspirants a quick taste of this experience: They got daily current affairs on the website, access to ranker sessions, and occasionally, we release original, deeply researched, PYQ-backed content on the website for free.
But as we’ve evolved and rolled out a bunch of new content themes, such as GS micro themes, Essay content, PYQ-based mocks, and more, our current free starter kit has started falling short. It no longer reflects the breadth and depth of the ‘value’ we offer for a rank-worthy UPSC Prep.
Aspirants who start their preparation journey with CD (open to every aspirant) will now be presented with deeply researched, original and carefully curated UPSC Prep content.
Your ‘Free UPSC-CSE Starter Kit’ now includes –
Yearlong Strategy document + Macro Plan
PYQ analysis for pre and mains
Ranker sessions
Pre and Mains workshops
PYQ based – Micro Themes for GS papers (Pre + Mains)
Essay enrichment content with 50+ Intro and Anecdotes From Rankers
Atomic and Flash Notes and much more…
Access to few PYQ-based Mock tests.
One key limitation of our previous free starter plan was the lack of a ‘One 1:1 mentorship call’. As more and more aspirants realise the immense value and impact of CD’s mentorship (Check AIR-2 Animesh Pradhan’s UPSC Journey), they opt for our mentorship programs – UAP and Foundation. But the same was not true for other aspirants. They only occasionally heard about it from others but have yet to experience the CD mentorship.
We want all other aspirants (Who are not part of our mentorship programs) to be able to access ‘1:1 Mentorship’.
It’s still only a tiny fraction of the kind of access our program-enrolled aspirants get. Still, we believe it will give them a taste of our mentorship’s value, at least getting them started on the right path.
This brings us to the – Free UPSC-CSE Starter Kit – Click Here
To schedule your One Free 1:1 Mentorship Call – Click Here
This is where you’ll find all the necessary content—your very own toolkit and guide to help you stay on top of your UPSC-CSE Prep. Remember: We’ll keep updating this folder almost every week so keep checking for new content.
Read about AIR-2 Animesh Pradhan (Civilsdaily UAP Mentorship Student) UPSC and Mentorship Journey
Animesh Pradhan, Age 24, Attempt: 1st, UPSC-CSEAIR 2. A graduate of NIT Rourkela, working as a full-time employee in Indian Oil Corp., he cleared UPSC CSE on his first attempt at the age of 24. He lost his father at an early age and was left with his Mother and elder sister. Unfortunately, his Mother passed away 40 days ago and couldn’t see her Son’s success and cherish it. His sister got married in January last year. He is a very committed, humble, and diligent student with high professional skills in managing work and studies.
AIR 2, Animesh Pradhan at Civilsdaily Delhi Centre Today
Schedule a 1-1 call with Civilsdaily’s Mentorfor focused UPSC Prep.
With all the lows in life, he came with the hope that one day, his mother would see him becoming an IAS officer. Even though one wish in these two remained unachieved, wherever his mother is, her wishes will be with him, and if there is heaven at all, she might be celebrating this in that heaven.
AIR 2, Animesh Pradhan On Call With Civilsdaily Mentor Showing His Gratitude
We hope he achieves much more success and wish him enough grit to achieve whatever he wants in life. We expect him not to stop here and make this a mere small achievement in his list of aspirations.
Why Civilsdaily Mentorship and Programs Are Unique?
The heart of the Civilsdaily platform is the Foundation Program and Ultimate Assessment Program (UAP). For years, aspirants have enrolled here because they couldn’t find such depth and passion towards quality content and Mentorship anywhere. Their search inevitably ends at Civilsdaily. Enrollment in these programs and Mentorship also makes us accountable to aspirants for the value they get.
In the past few years, we’ve worked quietly in the background with hundreds of aspirants; many now serve as IAS, IPS, IFS, and more. We are very proud of what we’ve achieved. Here are some of the recent rankers who show us gratitude.
Connect with UPSC mentors today (Free for the next 24 hours)
In this session, Ranadheer Sir will help you understand your current level of preparation for UPSC by identifying your strengths and weaknesses in different subjects like General Studies, Optional, and Essay. He will also guide you on how to assess the remaining 8 months for the 2025 attempt and decide if this time is enough to cover the entire syllabus.
Ranadheer Sir will share self-assessment techniques to help you check your knowledge, find gaps in your preparation, and track your progress. He will explain why mock tests, practicing previous years’ questions, and regular revisions are important for building a strong foundation. The session will also cover the factors to consider when deciding whether to attempt the exam in 2025 or wait until 2026, addressing concerns about missing out (FOMO) and managing deadlines.
The session will highlight the importance of mentorship in improving your preparation strategy. Ranadheer Sir will share insights from his vast experience and offer personalized guidance to help you make the right decision. There will also be an interactive Q&A session where attendees can ask questions and clear their doubts, with tailored advice from Ranadheer Sir based on their individual preparation status.
Animesh (AIR 2, UPSC 2023) was preparing with his mentor, Ranadheer Sir and a team of experts who had led AIR 22, AIR 48 to success in UPSC 2022 with UAP Mentorship Program.
While the whole world wakes up to mentorship for the first time in 2024, we have been perfecting the UAP mentorship program for the last 5+ years.
It is with that proven confidence that on 15th Sept, at 7 PM, Ranadheer Sir will be conducting a FREE webinar exclusively for UPSC 2025 and 2026 aspirants giving you a sneak peak of what it takes to perform at the alpha level in your very first attempt.
It will be a practical webinar and here’s what we will be discussing:
How should an absolute beginner start his/ her UPSC 2026 prep? What are the high yielding areas that are quick to conquer and necessary to master
Absolute non-negotiables for every beginner – If you miss mastering these, forget your rank, you will risk even your mental health – so get them right
Actual scans of Animesh’ answer writing attempts with UAP 2023 to show you how an aspirant evolves to become a ranker
LIVE UPSC PYQs attempts to show the difference between a beginner vs. a ranker’s attempt to the same question.
It will be a 45 minute webinar, post which we will open up the floor for all kinds of queries which a beginner must have. No questions are taboo and Ranadheer sir is known to be patiently solving all your doubts.
Here’s what you will be getting after attending the webinar:
Scanned GS Paper PDF Notes of Animesh Pradhan which he made during his student days at Civilsdaily’s UAP 2023 batch
Flash Notes of GS Polity: Ranker approved notes for exam ready revision
Join us for a Zoom session on 15th Sept 2024 at 7:00 p.m. This session is a must-attend for you If you are attempting UPSC for the first time or have attempted earlier and now preparing for next year, then it is going to be a valuable session for you too.
In the session, we will discuss how mentorship works. Why Mentorship is a must when you attempting for the first time.
We will deal with all the aspects for a comprehensive UPSC Preparation.We’ll talk about starting with the basics, and move to advanced level.
At Civilsdaily, we treat Mentorship as a specialization. Not every Mains or interview candidate can be a mentor. Most such mentors will suggest cosmetic changes and will only help you evolve slowly. It is easy to find comfort in sentences like ‘every topper is different’ and’ they have their own path’. Finding what’s different about you and then figuring out your own path is why Mentorship is essential.
We walk the talk by helping you craft your own way of preparation. A method that enhances your probability of qualifying UPSC-CSE in a single attempt. We give you that near-perfect certainty. Delivering this consistently to hundreds of aspirants (now rankers) in the past was challenging. We still stick to it and keep getting better at it with each passing year.
At CD, we understand the science and the art of everything UPSC. If you have a problem, we will sit with you and find a solution. If that doesn’t work, then we try solution 2. Eventually, we will make sure you end up making progress. What’s the point of any content, program, or mentorship without progress? This is precisely why aspirants trust they have the best shot at clearing the exam with Civilsdaily.
We invest a significant amount of time, effort, and energy into creating lectures, notes, and tests, understanding your needs as an aspirant. We take this responsibility seriously because, ultimately, your future depends on it.
The heart of the Civilsdaily platform is the Yearlong Mentorship Program. For years, aspirants have enrolled here because they couldn’t find such depth and passion towards quality content and Mentorship anywhere. Their search inevitably ends at Civilsdaily. Enrollment in these programs and Mentorship also makes us accountable to aspirants for the value they get.
In the past few years, we’ve worked quietly in the background with hundreds of aspirants; many now serve as IAS, IPS, IFS and more. We are very proud of what we’ve achieved.Overwhelmed by quick fixes, content overload and messy timetables which never work? Join us as we take you through a realistic and relatable roadmap for UPSC 2026 preparation.
(Don’t wait—the next webinar won’t be until Oct 24)
These masterclasses are packed with value. They are conducted in private with a closed community. We rarely open these webinars for everyone for free. This time we are keeping it for 300 seats only.
Q “The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.” Explain. (UPSC IAS/2021)
Q ‘China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools to develop potential military power status in Asia’, In the light of this statement, discuss its impact on India as her neighbor. (UPSC IAS/2017)
Q. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is viewed as a cardinal subset of China’s larger ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. Give a brief description of CPEC and enumerate the reasons why India has distanced itself from the same. (UPSC IAS/2018)
Mentor comment:In the Indian context, there is a need for improved infrastructure to support economic growth and facilitate investment, which requires coordinated efforts at both state and national levels. While prioritizing industrial growth, it is essential to balance this with the provision of public services to ensure comprehensive development. We can learn from the experience of our neighbour – China.
China’s decentralized policy has become a threat to itself. China’s decentralized policy initially spurred economic growth. Still, it has now become a source of structural inefficiencies, regional disparities, ineffective investments, and governance challenges that threaten the country’s long-term stability and development.
_
Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
PM urged the states to compete with each other to attract investors. The difference was highlighted with India’s more centralised system where city-level governments account for less than 3% of total spending.
China’s extreme fiscal decentralization (in 1994), with sub-provincial governments accounting for 51% of government spending and having broad qualitative mandates, has turned counter-productive.
What are the challenges faced by the Chinese local government?
Overcapacity as a Structural Issue: Initially, during the Hu Jintao era, the local governments prioritized industrial construction over public services to boost economic growth and political prospects.
This model led to competitive sub-national growth, resulting in structural overcapacity and wasteful investments.
Tipping Point Under Xi Jinping: As the investments made between 2009 and 2013 were ineffective, Xi Jinping focused on strengthening central control and narrowing directives, focusing on specific product lines like semiconductors, which often ignored market demands.
By mid-2024, 30% of industrial firms reported losses, highlighting the negative impact of overcapacity and ineffective local government spending.
Geopolitical Ramifications: Other countries view China’s overcapacity as a national security threat, particularly regarding tech-enabled products, exacerbated by China’s international conduct.
The geopolitical climate has shifted, affecting China’s ability to export excess capacity and creating challenges for local firms reliant on government funding.
What were the effects of this on the Asian region?
Positive Impacts:
In the Southeast Asian Region: These economies have become highly integrated into China’s supply chains, relying on Chinese intermediate inputs to produce goods for export. This has boosted trade and economic growth in the region.
On ASEAN Region: China’s upgraded trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), have strengthened economic ties and trade flows between China and its Asian neighbors.
Negative Impacts:
Over-dependence on China: Southeast Asian manufacturers heavily rely on Chinese components, making them vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.
Increasing Trade Deficits: Growing trade deficits with China concern many Southeast Asian countries as they import more from China than they export.
Increasing Sanctions: Countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia impose anti-dumping measures and tariffs on certain Chinese products to protect domestic industries.
Lessons for Indian States from China’s Experience
•Decentralization of Authority: Meaningful decentralization of budgets and authority to local governments, particularly cities, can enhance political accountability and improve service delivery, akin to China’s local governance model. •Investment in State Capacity: Indian states must invest in building effective governance structures and administrative capacity, ensuring local governments can effectively manage resources and deliver services. • Policy Innovation: Encouraging local innovation and flexibility in policy implementation can lead to tailored solutions for regional challenges, mirroring China’s approach during its economic reforms. •Balancing Central and Local Authority: Finding the right balance between central oversight and local autonomy can help avoid the pitfalls of over-centralization while ensuring accountability and effective governance.
Conclusion:
The overcapacity and export orientation model has now reached its limits due to China’s arrogant approach to international relations and drive towards self-reliance. Though we might see a jump in exports for some sectors, China faces an economic decline if it does not transform its political and economic relations with the world’s major countries.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, currently in Germany as part of a three-nation tour, met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Berlin. They discussed various defence topics, including Ukraine, Gaza, and the Indo-Pacific region.
Defence Partnership between India and Germany:
Late Engagement: Germany has been late in engaging India’s defence interests compared to France and the U.S., who have stronger partnerships with India.
Opportunity Post-Russia-Ukraine War: With Russia’s industrial capacity focused on the war, Germany sees an opportunity to enhance its defence exports to India.
German defence manufacturers like ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems are already involved in projects like submarine construction for the Indian Navy.
Technology Transfer: Technology transfer is a key condition for India’s defence partnerships, and Germany’s ability to meet this requirement could shape future cooperation.
Complementary Systems: Germany’s Eurofighter and its future replacement by U.S.-made F-35s highlight Germany’s readiness to integrate its defence systems with Western platforms, easing potential interoperability issues for India.
Exercise Tarang Shakti:
Tarang Shakti is one of the most extensive multilateral air exercises hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), showcasing India’s commitment to international defence cooperation.
This exercise marked the first time the German Luftwaffe (Air Force)participated in air sorties over Indian skies, symbolizing Germany’s growing defence ties with India.
It would become a biennial exercise, highlighting India’s intent to make such multinational military cooperation a regular feature.
Tarang Shakti was seen as a tryout for the larger Pacific Skies 24 air exercise involving France, Germany, and Spain, further emphasizing the Indo-Pacific’s growing military relevance.
Present Dilemma of China:
Germany’s Strategic Interest in the Indo-Pacific: China’s aggressive actions, such as building artificial islands in the South China Sea, pose a significant threat to regional stability, international shipping, and trade routes, which Germany heavily depends on.
Germany’s Balancing Act: While Germany has clear political positions against China’s actions in the Indo-Pacific, its economic dependence on China complicates the situation. Germany’s increasing defence presence in the region is partly aimed at ensuring free and secure shipping routes.
Europe’s Shift in Focus: Post Russia-Ukraine war, Europe, including Germany, is recalibrating its foreign policy towards the Indo-Pacific, recognizing the region as the future centre of global economic and geopolitical influence, which is driving greater German defence engagement in the region.
Way Forward:
Enhance Defence Collaboration: India and Germany should focus on deepening defense cooperation, particularly in areas like technology transfer, joint military exercises, and advanced systems integration to build long-term strategic partnerships.
Strengthen Indo-Pacific Engagement: Germany and India should align their Indo-Pacific strategies to ensure regional stability, emphasizing free trade routes and countering China’s assertiveness while balancing economic dependencies.
Mains PYQ:
Q To what extent can Germany be held responsible for causing the two World Wars? Discuss critically. (UPSC IAS/2015)
The Prime Minister has reaffirmed the government’s dedication to addressing sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that alters the shape of red blood cells.
About the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission:
The Union Budget 2023-24 announced a mission to eliminate sickle cell anemia by 2047. The mission focuses on awareness and screening programs for people ages 0 to 40.
The mission aims to reduce the burden of sickle cell disease, which primarily affects India’s tribal belt (Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra).
These include nationwide screening programs and the inclusion of vital medicines like hydroxyurea in the essential medicines list, improving access to treatment.
Challenges faced by the Indian Government:
High Disease Burden: India has the world’s second-largest burden of sickle cell disease, with over a million affected individuals, primarily in tribal areas.
Low Treatment Coverage:Only 18% of those affected receive consistent treatment, with significant drop-offs in screening, diagnosis, and treatment adherence.
Stigma and Misinformation: Social stigma around the disease, myths such as “God’s curse” or “black magic,” and mistrust of public health systems, particularly in tribal areas, result in delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment Adherence Issues: Challenges include inconsistent availability of medicines like hydroxyurea, long travel distances for treatment, and stock shortages at health centers.
Poor Vaccination Coverage: Vaccination, which reduces infection rates and improves quality of life, remains inadequate in many affected regions.
Research and Development: The lack of ongoing research into treatments and understanding of the disease in India, and the unaffordability of emerging therapies like gene therapy, hinder long-term progress.
Financial and Operational Gaps: Health systems in tribal areas require additional funding and operational strengthening to address region-specific health challenges effectively.
What are the WHO recommendations?
Early Identification: Implement newborn screening programs to identify sickle cell disease at birth.
Integration into Health Systems: Sickle cell management should be integrated into national health services. This includes establishing specialized centers for comprehensive care and ensuring that primary healthcare providers are trained in managing sickle cell disease.
Public Education and Awareness: Conduct public education campaigns to raise awareness about sickle cell disease, reduce stigma, and inform communities about genetic risks and prevention strategies.
Genetic Counseling: Provide genetic counselling to families, especially in communities with high prevalence, to inform them about the risks of having children with sickle cell disease and the importance of carrier screening.
Mains PYQ:
Q Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in India to treat a wide variety of medical conditions including leukaemia, Thalassemia, damaged cornea and several burns. Describe briefly what stem cell therapy is and what advantages it has over other treatments. (UPSC IAS/2017)
Ministry of Tourism has pledged to replace the Sakthan Thampuran statue that was knocked over by a state transport bus in Thrissur.
Who was Sakthan Thampuran?
Sakthan Thampuran, born Raja Rama Varma IX in 1751, was a powerful ruler of the Cochin kingdom from 1790 to 1805.
He was raised by anaunt who nicknamed him Sakthan, meaning powerful, reflecting his strong personality and leadership.
The title Thampuran is derived from the Sanskrit word samrat, meaning emperor.
The Cochin kingdom, a part of the Late Chera Empire, spanned regions from Ponnani (Malappuram) to Thottappally (Alappuzha) in modern-day Kerala.
At age 18, in 1769, he became heir apparent, advising the king to maintain friendly relations with both the Dutch and the English, who were competing for control of trade in the region.
He orchestrated the Mysore invasion of Travancore, which eventually led to the Powney treaty.
This treaty freed the Cochin kingdom from its allegiance to Mysore and formalized its relations with the British East India Company.
He ended the institution of the Yogiatirippads, spiritual heads of key temples. He shifted temple management to the government, earning a reputation as a fearsome leader who rid his kingdom of crime.
Sakthanand the Thrissur Pooram Festival
Sakthan relocated the capital of his kingdom from Thrippunithura toThrissur.
He developed Thekkinkadu Maidanam and the surrounding Swaraj Round, which became the foundation for Thrissur’s infrastructure.
He invited merchants from all religions and British officials to settle in Thrissur, and personally managed the kingdom’s finances.
In 1797, he started the Thrissur Pooram as an alternative to Arattupuzha Pooram, uniting major temples in Thrissur to pay respects to Lord Shiva, the deity at Vadakkumnathan Temple.
It is held every year on the Pooram day – the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam Calendar month of Medam.
PYQ:
[2021] With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State.
2. The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanangara Empire.
3. Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The Union Cabinet has approved health coverage of ₹5 lakh for all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of their income, under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
About Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)
AB PM-JAY is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, offering ₹5 lakh of coverage per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalizations.
It was launched in February 2018.
It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme having central sector component under the Ayushman Bharat Mission.
It covers surgery, medical and day care treatments, cost of medicines and diagnostics.
It covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days post-hospitalization expenses.
It currently covers 55 crore people from 12.34 crore families, providing comprehensive health benefits regardless of the family members’ age.
7.37 crore hospital admissions have been covered under the scheme, with 49% of the beneficiaries being women.
Eligibility Criteria:
All senior citizens aged 70 and above are eligible for the scheme, receiving a ₹5 lakh health cover on a family basis.
Additional Benefits:
Senior citizens belonging to families already under AB PM-JAY will get an extra top-up of ₹5 lakh, exclusively for their personal healthcare.
Those with private health insurance can also avail of the scheme.
Senior citizens covered under other public health insurance schemes, like CGHS, ECHS, or CAPF, must choose between their current plan and AB PM-JAY.
All eligible beneficiaries will be issued a distinct healthcard for easy access to the scheme’s benefits.
PYQ:
[2012] With reference to National Rural Health Mission, which of the following are the jobs of Asha, a trained community health worker?
1. Accompanying women to the health facility for antenatal care checkups
2. Using pregnancy test kits for early detection of pregnancy
3. Providing information on nutrition and immunization
4. Conducting the delivery of baby
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
The Union Cabinet has approved Phase IV of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) to build 62,500 km of all-weather roads, connecting villages across India.
AboutPradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
Details
Launch
In 2000 by former PM Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
To provide connectivity to unconnected habitations.
Nodal Agency
Ministry of Rural Development
Type
Centrally Sponsored Scheme
Phases
Phase I: Focus on connecting unconnected habitations.
Phase II: Upgrading roads built in Phase I to enhance rural infrastructure.
Phase III: Consolidation of 1.25 lakh km of rural roads connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets, Higher Secondary Schools, and Hospitals. Cost: ₹80,250 crore (2019-2025). Funding: 60:40 (Centre), 90:10 for North-East and Himalayan States.
Phase IV: Aims at constructing 62,500 km of all-weather roads to provide connectivity to 25,000 unconnected habitations with focus on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) areas, tribal areas, and remote regions.
Road Length and Coverage
62,500 km of all-weather roads covering 25,000 unconnected habitations.
Benefits of PMGSY-IV
Road Connectivity for 25,000 Villages:All-weather roads will provide reliable access to previously unconnected rural habitations, improving transportation and accessibility.
Socio-Economic Transformation: These roads will act as catalysts for socio-economic development in rural areas, enabling access to government educational institutions, health services, markets, and growth centers.
Enhanced Infrastructure: The construction will adopt international benchmarks and best practices, such as using Cold Mix Technology, Waste Plastic, Full Depth Reclamation, and materials like Fly Ash and Steel Slag, contributing to eco-friendly construction.
PYQ:
[2020] In rural road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring environmental sustainability or to reduce carbon footprint?
Copper slag
Cold mix asphalt technology
Geotextiles
Hot mix asphalt technology
Portland cement
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
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