“Van Dhan Scheme”, RT-LAMP, Chardham Pariyojana
1. “Economic Revolution through Blue Revolution”
- The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) aims to enhance fish production to 220 lakh metric tons by 2024-25 from 137.58 lakh metric tons in 2018-19 at an average annual growth rate of about 9%.
Dedicating the PMMSY to fishers, fish farmers, fish workers, fish vendors and other stakeholders associated with the fisheries sector, Shri Giriraj Singh said that insurance coverage for fishing vessels is being introduced for the first time.
- “PMMSY – A scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India”.
- PMMSY scheme envisages an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crores comprising Central share of Rs. 9,407 crore, State share of Rs 4,880 crore and Beneficiaries contribution of Rs. 5,763 crore.
He added that the PMMSY will be implemented over a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories.
- PMMSY thrust will be given towards enhancement of fish production and productivity, quality, sustainability, technology infusion, post-harvest infrastructure, modernisation and strengthening of value chain, standards and traceability in fisheries sector from ‘catch to consumer’, establishing a robust fisheries management framework, fishers’ welfare, enhancement of fisheries export competitiveness.
PMMSY being a fisher centric umbrella scheme, fishers, fish farmers, fish workers and fish vendors are the key stakeholders in the developmental activities envisaged and enhancement of their socio-economic status is one the core objectives of this scheme.
- Under the Swath Sagar plan, activities envisaged with a view to modernize the fisheries sector include promotion of Bio-toilets, Insurance coverage for fishing vessels, Fisheries Management Plans, E-Trading/Marketing, Fishers and resources survey and creation of National IT-based databases.
The scheme will also focus on several new activities and areas such as Traceability, Certification and Accreditation, Aquaculture in saline/alkaline areas, Genetic improvement programmes and Nucleus Breeding Centres, Fisheries and Aquaculture start-ups, promotional activities for fish consumption, branding, GI in fish, Integrated Aqua parks, Integrated coastal fishing villages development, State-of-art wholesale fish markets, Aquatic Referral Laboratories, Aquaculture Extension Services, Biofloc, support for new/upgradation of fishing boats, disease diagnostic and quality testing labs, Organic Aquaculture Promotion and Certification and Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) devices.
- India has attained the status of the second largest aquaculture and 4th largest fish exporting nation in the world.
- “a revolution” in the Fisheries sector and named it as “Blue Revolution”.
- Also, Government to register 3,477 “Sagar Mitra” in coastal fisher villages and encourage Fish Farmers Producer Organizations (FFPOs).
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) aims to enhance fish production to 220 LMT with an investment of over Rs.20,000 crores in next five years.
2. Quality education and educational infrastructure for students of the North –Eastern States
- The government has granted permission for the establishment of permanent campus of Sikkim University (a Central University) at Yangyang at a cost of Rs. 986.47 crore.
- The government of Sikkim has allotted 300 acres of land at cost of Rs. 15 crore, out of which 265.94 acres of land has already been handed over to the University.
- The handing over of remaining land is under process.
The Minister also informed that Government has already sanctioned revised cost estimates of 6 NITs at Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Delhi and Puducherry at Rs. 4371.90 crore.
With the approved Revised Cost Estimates, these NITs will be fully functional from their respective permanent campuses by 31st March, 2022. The overall student capacity in these campuses will be 6320.
3.Hydro-electric projects & Multipurpose projects in Madhya Pradesh
- Power Finance Corporation (PFC), the central PSU under Ministry of Power and India’s leading NBFC, entered into an agreement with Narmada Basin Projects Company Ltd. (NBPCL), a wholly-owned company of Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, to fund projects worth Rs.22,000 crore for 225 MW hydro-electric projects & multipurpose projects in the State of Madhya Pradesh.
- The funds will be deployed by NBPCL for setting up hydroelectric projects of 225 MW and power components of 12 major multipurpose projects in Madhya Pradesh.
Some of the major multipurpose projects that will be financed under the MoU are Basaniya Multipurpose Project Dindori, Chinki Boras Multipurpose Project Narsinghpur Raisen Hoshangabad, Sakkar Pench Link Narsinghpur Chhindwara, Dudhi Project Chhindwara Hoshangabad, etc.
4. Chardham Pariyojana
- Border Roads Organisation (BRO) achieved this major milestone by digging up a 440 m long Tunnel below the busy Chamba town on Rishikesh-Dharasu road Highway (NH 94).
The construction of tunnel was a challenging task in terms of weak soil strata, continuous water seepage, heavy built up area on top thereby chances of sinking of houses, land acquisition issues, restrictions during COVID lockdown etc.
- Project to be completed by October 2020, three months ahead of the schedule.
5. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to develop RT-LAMP based test for Coronavirus
- COVID-19 RT-LAMP test is a nucleic acid based test carried out from nasal/throat swab sample from patients.
The test recipe has been developed and successfully demonstrated using synthetic templates.
It is rapid (45-60 min), cost effective and accurate test.
It has been tested with a small number of patients samples and validating the kit on more number of patient samples is planned and will be done together with RIL.
- The advantage of this test is that the RT-LAMP based COVID-19 kit components are easily available and these can be completely manufactured in India.
- While the, the current COVID-19 testing is done by real-time PCR their components are mostly imported. Further these tests are expensive; require highly trained manpower, costly instruments and a relatively high-end lab and cannot be deployed at remote locations in quarantine centers, airports and railway stations, etc.
On the other hand, the RT-LAMP test can be done in a single tube with minimal expertise in a very basic lab setup like mobile units / kiosks for testing at Airports, Railway Stations, Bus Stands and other public places.
The end detection of the test is a simple colored reaction, which is easily visible in UV light, and now is being modified such that it can be detected in regular light.
