Current Affairs 17 August 2023

PM Vishwakarma Scheme 

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 16 Augst 2023 approved a new Central Sector Scheme “PM Vishwakarma” with a financial outlay of Rs.13,000 crore for a period of five years (2023-24 to 2027-28). 
• The scheme aims to strengthen and nurture the Guru-Shishya parampara or family-based practice of traditional skills by artisans and craftspeople working with their hands and tools. 
• The scheme also aims at improving the quality, as well as the reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople and to ensure that the Vishwakarmas are integrated with the domestic and global value chains.
• Under the scheme, the artisans and craftspeople will be provided recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, Credit Support upto Rs.1 lakh (First Tranche) and Rs.2 lakh (Second Tranche) with a concessional interest rate of 5%.  
• The Scheme will further provide Skill Upgradation, Toolkit Incentive, Incentive for Digital Transactions and Marketing Support.
• The scheme will provide support to artisans and craftspeople of rural and urban areas across India. 
• Eighteen traditional trades will be covered in the first instance under PM Vishwakarma. 
• These trades include (i) Carpenter (Suthar); (ii) Boat Maker; (iii) Armourer; (iv) Blacksmith (Lohar); (v) Hammer and Tool Kit Maker; (vi) Locksmith; (vii) Goldsmith (Sonar); (viii) Potter (Kumhaar); (ix) Sculptor (Moortikar, stone carver), Stone breaker; (x) Cobbler(Charmkar)/ Shoesmith/Footwear artisan; (xi) Mason (Rajmistri); (xii) Basket/Mat/Broom Maker/Coir Weaver; (xiii) Doll & Toy Maker (Traditional); (xiv) Barber (Naai); (xv) Garland maker (Malakaar); (xvi) Washerman (Dhobi); (xvii) Tailor (Darzi); and (xviii) Fishing Net Maker.

PM-eBus Sewa Scheme

• The Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved a bus scheme “PM-eBus Sewa” for augmenting city bus operation by 10,000 e-buses on PPP model.  
• The Scheme would have an estimated cost of Rs.57,613 crore, out of which support of Rs.20,000 crore will be provided by the Central government. 
• The Scheme will support bus operations for 10 years.
• The scheme will cover cities of Three lakh and above population as per census 2011 including all the Capital cities of Union Territories, North Eastern Region and Hill States. 
• Under this scheme priority will be given to cities having no organized bus service.
• The scheme will generate 45,000 to 55,000 direct jobs through deployment of around 10,000 buses in city bus operation. 

The Scheme has two segments:

• Segment A – Augmenting the City bus services (169 cities) :- The approved bus scheme will augment city bus operations with 10,000 e-buses on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Associated Infrastructure will provide support for Development/ up-gradation of depot infrastructure; and Creation of behind-the-meter power infrastructure (substation, etc.) for e-buses.
• Segment B– Green Urban Mobility Initiatives (GUMI) (181 cities) :- The scheme envisages green initiatives like bus priority, infrastructure, multimodal interchange facilities, NCMC-based Automated Fare Collection Systems, Charging infrastructure, etc. Support for Operation: Under the scheme, States/Cities shall be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators.  The Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidy to the extent specified in the proposed scheme.

Short Notes 

• Digital India Programme - The Union Cabinet on August 16 approved the extension of the Digital India project with an outlay of Rs 14,903 crore for a period of five years starting from 2021-2022 to 2025-2026. Digital India programme was launched on 1st July, 2015 to enable digital delivery of services to citizens. 
• Mohit Kumar - Creating history, Indian wrestler Mohit Kumar has became the Under 20 World Championship in men’s 61 Kg Freestyle category at Amman City in Jordan. Mohit defeated Russia's Eldar Akhmadudinov by 9-8 in the final to become the fourth Indian Freestyle Wrestler to win a Junior World Championship. Mohit is the fourth male wrestler from India to earn a gold medal in the U20 World Championships, following Palwinder Cheema in 2001, Ramesh Kumar in 2001, and Deepak Punia in 2019. Jaideep won the 74kg bronze with a win over Kyrgyszstan's Zhakshylyk Ruslanovich Baitashov. Sagar Jaglan claimed a silver medal in Freestyle 79 kg category while Deepak Chahal won a bronze medal Freestyle 97 kg category on Day second of the event.
• Global Initiative on Digital Health - India, along with the World Health Organisation (WHO), will launch the Global Initiative on Digital Health, which will aim to converge efforts and investments in the digital health space around the globe. The initiative on Digital Health, a first of its kind, was introduced at the first Health Working Group meeting held in January this year, after India took over the G20 presidency.
• Goa became first state - Goa became the first state in India to provide free IVF treatment on 14 August 2023, when chief minister Pramod Sawant launched the facility, along with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) at Goa Medical College (GMC), Bambolim.
• Prabal Revolver - India's debut long-range revolver, "Prabal" is poised for launch on August 18. The revolver is manufactured by the state-owned enterprise Advanced Weapons and Equipment India (AWEIL), based in Kanpur. Distinguished by its .32 bore, the Prabal revolver boasts an impressive firing range of up to 50 meters, more than twice the reach of other rivolvers in India.