Latest Government Schemes Of last 1 year 2019-20 - Set 5

Q) Consider the following statements about Bharatmala project:

Bharatmala Project is the largest highways construction project.
It aims to improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and far flung areas.
It envisages quicker movement of cargo and boosting exports.

Which of the above given statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Bharatmala Pariyojana

The GoI has approved Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana to develop 24,800 km Highways along with 10,000 km residual NHDP stretches over a period of five
Bharatmala Project is the second largest highways construction project in the country.
Bharatmala will look to improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and far flung areas
Note: The National Highways Authority of India is a statutory body, constituted by an act of Parliament, the National Highways Authority of India Act,1988.

Q) Consider the following statements about Sagarmala project:

The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around India’s coast.
The objective of this initiative is to promote “Port-led development” along India’s 9500 km long coastline.
It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions.

Which of the above given statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Sagarmala Project

The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around India’s coast.
The objective of this initiative is to promote “Port-led development” along India’s 7500 km long coastline.
To implement this, State governments would set up State Sagarmala committees, headed by the chief minister or the minister in charge of ports.
At the central level, a Sagarmala Development Company (SDC) will be setup to provide equity support to assist various special purpose vehicles (SPVs) setup for various projects.

Q) Consider the following statements about Regional Connectivity Scheme/Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme:

The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP)which was launched in June 2016.
It is a flagship scheme of the Union Government to enable to promote balanced regional growth by making air flights free for masses.

Which of the above given statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Regional Connectivity Scheme “UDAN”

UDAN, launched in April 2017, is a flagship scheme of the Union Government to enable air operations on unserved routes, connecting regional areas, to promote balanced regional growth and to make flying affordable for masses.
The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy
(NCAP)which was launched in June 2016.
The primary objective of RCS is to facilitate / stimulate regional air connectivity by making it cheap and affordable.

New and Upcoming Airports

Navi Mumbai International Airport, Maharashtra Sabarimala Airport, Kerala
New Vijayawada Amaravati Airport, Andhra Pradesh Kannur International Airport, Kerala
Airport at Sriperumbudur, Chennai Durgapur Airport, Kolkata
Airport at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Mopa Airport, Goa
Jewar Airport, Uttar Pradesh
Orvakal Airport, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh Rourkela Airport, Odisha
Hirasar Airport, Rajkot, Gujarat Sindhudurg Airport, Maharashtra

Q) Consider the following statements about Harmonised System (HS) Code:

It is developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO).
It is also called the “universal economic language” for goods.
It is a multipurpose international product nomenclature.
Khadi does not have its exclusive HS code.

Which of the above given statements is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) All

Harmonised System (HS) Code

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has allocated a separate Harmonised System (HS) code for Khadi to boost Khadi exports in the coming years.
The Harmonised System, or simply ‘HS’, is a six-digit identification code developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO).
It is also called as the “universal economic language” for goods.
It is a multipurpose international product nomenclature. The system currently comprises of around 5,000 commodity groups.
HS code are used by Customs authorities, statistical agencies, and other government regulatory bodies, to monitor and control the import and export of

Q) Consider the following statements about Apiary on Wheels:

It is a unique concept designed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
It is a platform which can carry 20 Bee Boxes from one place to another without any difficulty.

Which of the above given statements is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Apiary on Wheels (MSME Ministry)

It is a unique concept designed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for the easy upkeep and migration of Bee Boxes having live Bee colonies.
It is a platform which can carry 20 Bee Boxes from one place to another without any difficulty.
It is like an attachment which can be easily connected with a Tractor or a Trolley and may be pulled to any suitable destination.
Background: The KVIC launched Honey Mission in 2017 and has been training beekeepers, distributing Bee Boxes and helping rural, educated but unemployed youth to earn extra income through beekeeping activities, at their

Google Doodle 22^ndApril

Google today marked the 50th anniversary of the Earth Day with a special interactive doodle dedicated to one of the smallest and most critical organisms –the bees.
“Pollination by bees makes two-thirds of the world’s crops possible, as well as 85 per cent of the world’s flowering plants,”

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana

It is a comprehensive package aiming to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
It is an umbrella scheme with its period coterminous with the cycle of 14^th finance commission (2016- 20).
The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease AgriWaste.

FAME-II Scheme (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India)

Aims to boost electric mobility and increase the number of electric vehicles in commercial fleets.
Target: The outlay of ₹10,000 crore has been made for three years till 2022 for FAME 2 scheme.
The government will offer the incentives for electric buses, three-wheelers and fourwheelers to be used for commercial purposes.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles and those with a sizeable lithium-ion battery and electric motor will also be included in the scheme
Background:
FAME India is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. Main thrust of FAME is to encourage electric vehicles by providing subsidies.

District Mineral Foundations

DMFs were instituted under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Act 2015.
They are non-profit trusts to work for the interest and benefit of persons and areas affected by mining-related operations.
Objective: to work for the interest of the benefit of the persons and areas affected mining related operations in such manner as may be prescribed by the State Government.
Jurisdiction: Its manner of operation comes under the jurisdiction of the relevant State Government
Rajasthan has created pneumoconiosis fund with DMF money.
The fund will be used to execute a comprehensive policy on the disease, which is widely prevalent in the mining state.

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)

It is a Pension Scheme exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and
The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

The scheme’s objective is to refinance collateral free loans given by the lenders to small borrowers.
Banks and MFIs can draw refinance under the MUDRA Scheme after becoming member lending institutions of MUDRA.
Mudra Loans are available for non-agricultural activities upto Rs. 10 lakh and activities allied to agriculture such as Dairy, Poultry, Bee Keeping etc, are also
Mudra’s unique features include a Mudra Card which permits access to Working
Capital through ATMs and Card Machines.

Public Finance Management System (PFMS)

It is an end-to- end solution for processing payments, tracking, monitoring, accounting, reconciliation and reporting.
Administered by the Department of Expenditure.
It provides platform for efficient management of funds through tracking of funds and real time reporting of expenditure and receipts.
The line ministries/departments utilise this platform to monitor the utilisation of funds provided to the implementing agencies and state governments.
PFMS is also used for DBT payments under MGNREGA and other notified schemes of the Government of India.

National e-Assessment Scheme (NeAC)

NeAC will be an independent office that will look after the work of e-Assessment scheme which is recently notified for faceless e- assessment for income tax payers.
There would be a NeAC in Delhi to be headed by Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Pr.CCIT).

Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Project

Northeast gas pipeline grid project is being implemented under ambitious Urja Ganga Gas Pipeline Project.
It will connect Guwahati to the major Northeast cities and major load centers. It is 1, 656 km long.
Besides connecting all the state capitals in the region, the pipeline will also connect with the National Gas Grid through Barauni-Guwahati Gas Pipeline, which is being laid by GAIL.
The pipeline will enable the supply of piped cooking gas to households and CNG to automobiles, besides fuel to industry

About the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project:

The gas pipeline project aims to provide piped cooking gas to residents of Varanasi and later to millions of people in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha

Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT)

SATAT is an initiative aimed at setting up of Compressed Bio-Gas production plants and make it available in the market for use in automotive fuels by inviting Expression of Interest from potential entrepreneurs.
The initiative was launched in October 2018 by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in association with Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) viz. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
The initiative is looked as a developmental effort that would benefit both vehicle-users as well as farmers and entrepreneurs.

What is Bio- Gas?

Bio-gas is produced naturally through a process of anaerobic decomposition from waste / biomass sources like agriculture residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, municipal solid waste, sewage treatment plant waste, etc. After purification, it is compressed and called CBG, which has pure methane content of over 95%.

What is CBG?

Compressed Bio-Gas is exactly similar to the commercially available natural gas in its composition and energy potential. With calorific value (~52,000 KJ/kg) and other properties similar to CNG, Compressed Bio-Gas can be used as an alternative, renewable automotive fuel.