AMPHAN Cyclone, Eight Sectors Reform for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, NMIS
1. AMPHAN Cyclone
- The Deep Depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood remained practically stationary during past 06 hours, and rapidly intensified into a Cyclonic storm ” AMPHAN” (pronounced as UM-PUN).
- The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm‘AMPHAN’ (pronounced as UM-PUN) over central parts of SouthBay of Bengal moved northwards with a speed of 09 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 1730 hrs IST of today, the 17th May, 2020 over central parts of South Bay of Bengal near latitude 12.0°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 930 km south of Paradip (Odisha), 1080 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 1200 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh).
- It is a very intense cyclone with associated wind speed of 220-230 kmph.
- It will hit land as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed of 165-175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph.
- It will cause heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over Gangetic West Bengal and heavy to very heavy rainfall over north coastal Odisha on 19th and 20th.
- Storm surge of about 4-6 meters above astronomical tide is likely to inundate low lying areas of south & north 24 Parganas and about 3-4 meters over the low lying areas of East Medinipur districtofWest Bengalduring the time of landfall.
- This cyclone has extensive damaging potential. It will cause extensive large scale damage.
2. Finance Minister announces new horizons of growth; structural reforms across Eight Sectors paving way for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat
The Finance Minister announced following policy reforms to fast track investment in an effort towards Aatma Nirbhar Bharat:
- There will be fast tracking of investment clearance through Empowered Group of Secretaries.
- Project Development Cell will be constituted in each Ministry to prepare investible projects, coordinate with investors and Central/State Governments.
There will be ranking of States on investment attractiveness to compete for new investment.
Incentive schemes for promotion of new champion sectors will be launched in sectors such as solar PV manufacturing; advanced cell battery storage etc.
Key Highlights:
- Commercial Mining introduced in Coal Sector
- Diversified Opportunities in Coal Sector
- Liberalised Regime in Coal Sector
- Enhancing Private Investments and Policy Reforms in Mineral Sector
- Enhancing Self Reliance in Defence Production
- Policy Reforms in Defence Production
- Efficient Airspace Management for Civil Aviation
- More World-Class Airports through PPP
- India to become a global hub for Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
- Tariff Policy Reform in Power Sector; Privatization of Distribution in UTs
- Boosting private sector investment through revamped Viability Gap Funding Scheme in Social Sector
- Boosting private participation in space activities
- Reforms in Atomic Energy Sector
3. National Migrant Information System (NMIS) - a central online repository on Migrant Workers - developed by NDMA to facilitate their seamless movement across States
- Government of India has allowed the movement of migrant workers by buses and ‘Shramik’ special trains to enable them to travel to their native places.
In order to capture the information regarding movement of migrants and facilitate the smooth movement of stranded persons across States, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has developed an online Dashboard – National Migrant Information System (NMIS).
The online portal would maintain a central repository on migrant workers and help in speedy inter-State communication/co-ordinationto facilitate their smooth movement to native places.
It has additional advantages like contact tracing, which may be useful in overall COVID-19 response work.
The key data pertaining to the persons migrating has been standardized for uploading such as name, age, mobile no., originating and destination district, date of travel etc., which States are already collecting.
States will be able to visualize how many people are going out from where and how many are reaching destination States.
The mobile numbers of people can be used for contact tracing and movement monitoring during COVID-19.
4. Mantra of 'Reform, Perform and Transform' is the key to India’s phenomenal growth in the last 6 years.
- Pradhan Mantri UjjawalaYojana (PMUY) has just completed four years of its successful journey, which has led to momentous improvement in the lives of over 8 crore poor and deprived families.
The Government announced Pradhan Mantri GaribKalyanYojana in the Covid-19 crisis, and one of the important components was providing free gas cylinders for 3 months to the PMUY beneficiaries. He said that more than Rs 8432crore was transferred in advance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in their accounts, so that there was no difficulty in availing this facility. So far, over 6.28 Crore PMUY beneficiaries have got the free cylinders.
- Now the time to revive the economic activities and employment in the country then, The Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for coming out with Rs 20 Lakh Crore package for supporting the Indian economy in its fight against the Covid-19.
- Where all the sectors of the economy and segments of the society are being provided relief under the package.
- The Prime Minister’s announcement to launch AatmanirbharAbhiyanin the country, which will spur domestic manufacturing in the country, and make us self-reliant.
In order to ensure safer and quicker transportation of migrants , Indian Railways ready to run Shramik Special trains from all the districts connected by Railways in the country.
Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry today , has asked the district collectors of the country to identify and prepare a list of stranded labourers and destination, and apply it to Railways through state nodal officer.
Indian Railways has got the capacity to run almost 300 Shramik Specials a day.
Stranded Migrants in various districts across the country can reach home states more conveniently and comfortably. Mission “Back Home” In full steam.
Passengers are being given free meals and water.
Trains being run by Railways only after concurrence is given both by the State which is sending the passengers and the State which is receiving them.
5. Scientists develop mobile indoor disinfection sprayer to combat COVID-19
- These sprayers are also equipped with mopping features and extendable arms to reach hidden area and clean comprehensively.
- This technology will have relevance even beyond the current COVID-19 crisis.
Called Battery Powered Disinfectant Sprayer (BPDS) and Pneumatically Operated Mobile Indoor Disinfection (POMID), these units can be used to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, and cardboards. Intermittent usage of these disinfecting units can help minimize the risk of transmitting coronavirus to people who inadvertently come in contact with those surfaces.
- The sprayer systems in both BPDS and POMID are designed with two-stage spraying units and separate storage tanks to clean and disinfect the indoor areas by the numbers of fixed and flexible nozzles set in the lower and upper tiers. There is also an industrial variant of the Disinfectant Sprayer for heavy usage and to cover a larger area.
- This technology will have relevance even beyond the current COVID-19 crisis, since viruses have been existent throughout and a substantial number of cases of such influenza has been spreading throughout the globe every year.
