- Indian Heritage
- Culture
- Modern Indian history
- The Freedom Struggle
- Post-independence
- Indian Society
A. population and associated issues
B. poverty and developmental issues
C.urbanization
7. Geographical features
8.Indian Constitution
9. Polity
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare following women empowerment policy, amends CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 allowing the female Government servant to nominate her child/children for family pension in precedence to her husband
As per the provisions of sub-rule (8) and sub-rule (9) of Rule 50 of CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, if a deceased Government servant or pensioner is survived by a spouse, family pension is first granted to the spouse and the children and other family members become eligible for family pension, on their turn, only after the spouse of the deceased Government servant/pensioner becomes ineligible for family pension or dies.
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare had been receiving a large number of references from Ministries/Departments, seeking advice as to whether a female Government servant/female Pensioner can be allowed to nominate her eligible child/children for family pension in place of her spouse in the event of marital discord leading to filing of divorce proceedings in a Court of Law or filing of a case under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act or Dowry Prohibition Act or under Indian Penal Code.
Accordingly, after inter-ministerial consultations, it has been decided that in case divorce proceedings in respect of a female Government servant/female pensioner are pending in a Court of Law, or the female Government servant/female pensioner has filed a case against her husband under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act or Dowry Prohibition Act or under Indian Penal Code, such female Government servant/Female Pensioner may make a request for grant of family pension after her death to her eligible child/children, in precedence to her husband and such request may be considered in the following manner:
- Where, in respect of a female Government servant/female pensioner, divorce proceedings are pending in a competent Court of Law, or the female Government servant/female pensioner has filed a case against her husband under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act or Dowry Prohibition Act or under Indian Penal Code, the said female Government servant/female pensioner, may make a request in writing to the concerned Head of Office to the effect that, in the event of her death during the pendency of any of the aforesaid proceedings, family pension may be granted to her eligible child/children in precedence to her spouse;
- In the event of the death of the female Government servant/female pensioner, who had made a request under clause (a), during the pendency of any of the aforesaid proceedings, the family pension shall be disbursed in the following manner, namely:
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- Where the deceased female Government servant/female pensioner is survived by a widower and no child/children is eligible for family pension on the date of death of the female Government servant/female pensioner, family pension shall be payable to the widower.
- Where the deceased female Government servant/female pensioner is survived by a widower with a minor child/children or a child/children suffering from disorder or disability of mind including the mentally retarded, the family pension in respect of the deceased shall be payable to the widower, provided he is the guardian of such child/children and if the widower ceases to be the guardian of such child/children, such family pension shall be payable to the child through the person who is the actual guardian of such child/children. Where the minor child, after attaining the age of majority, remains eligible for family pension, the family pension shall become payable to such child from the date on which he/she attains the age of majority.
- Where the deceased female Government servant/female pensioner is survived by a widower with a child/children who has/have attained the age of majority but is or are eligible for family pension, the family pension shall be payable to such child/children.
- After the child/children referred to in clause (ii) and (iii) above cease to be eligible for family pension under Rule 50 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, family pension shall become payable to other child/children, if any, eligible for family pension.
- After all the children cease to be eligible for family pension under Rule 50 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, family pension shall become payable to the widower till his death or remarriage, whichever is earlier.
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
National Smart Grid Mission:
- National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM) is designated to lead the assessments for Smart Distribution cities, under the guidance of Ministry of Power, with the technical assistance of USAID’s South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP). NSGM and SAREP team have made the visits to above five DISCOMs and have held kickoff meetings to initiate the assessment through collection of key data metrics.
- Ongoing two Smart Grid / Smart metering projects, sanctioned under National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM) for Rs. 116.01 Crores with Rs.34.803 Cr. Govt. Budgetary Support (GBS), are nearing completion. Till November 2023, 1,69,330 smart meters were deployed under these projects and Rs. 31.32 Cr. have been released to the implementing utilities towards progressive milestone achievements.
- A R&D project for “Standardized way of sharing Energy data with End Consumer Applications” with support from IIT-Hyderabad, taken up under NSGM, is in advanced stages. In order to formalize and conduct regular training and capacity building programs (put on hold due to COVID-19 pandemic), a fresh MoU has been signed between NPMU and SGKC on 07.06.2023. Under MoU, three Smart Grid / Smart Distribution training programs were conducted at SGKC in the year 2023, wherein 83 engineering professionals from different Indian DISCOMs were trained. So far, around 450 Engineering professionals / DISCOM officials have been given training on smart grid applications under NSGM.
Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for ALL (UJALA)
- The Prime Minister, on 5th January 2015 launched Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LED for All (UJALA) programme. Under UJALA scheme, LED bulbs, LED Tube lights and Energy efficient fans are being sold to the domestic consumers for replacement of conventional and inefficient variants.
- Till date, over 36.86 crore LED bulbs, 72.18 lakh LED Tube lights and 23.59 lakh Energy efficient fans (including over 55,000 BLDC fans) have been distributed by EESL across India. This has resulted in estimated energy savings of 48.39 billion kWh per year with avoided peak demand of 9,788 MW, GHG emission reduction of 39.30 million ton CO2 per year and estimated annual monetary savings of Rs. 19,332 crore in consumer electricity bills. The above programme has been successful in creating the market for above appliances by bring down their price significantly and making them affordable for consumers.
- Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP)
- The Prime Minister, on 5th January, 2015 launched Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) to replace conventional street lights with smart and energy efficient LED street lights across India.
- Till date, EESL has installed over 1.30 crore LED Street Lights in ULBs and Gram Panchayats across India. This has resulted in estimated energy savings of 8.75 billion kWh per year with avoided peak demand of 1,459 MW, GHG emission reduction of 6.03 million ton CO2 per year and estimated annual monetary savings of Rs. 6,128 crore in electricity bills of municipalities.
B Health
National Centre for Disease Control”
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya laid the foundation stone for NCDC Regional Branch in Assam, State branches in 6 States (Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal and Mizoram) and BSL-3 labs in 2 States (Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand) virtually at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), here today. He also inaugurated a temporary NCDC Regional branch in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. These new NCDC branches and BSL-3 labs will strengthen the country’s capacity for Pandemic preparedness and disease surveillance with One Health approach. He also dedicated Auditorium and Library block as a part of Upgraded NCDC, Delhi to the nation and released several technical documents.
Prof. S P Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare; Shri Keshab Mahanta, Health Minister, Assam; Shri Anil Vij, Health Minister, Haryana and Members of Parliament from six states – Smt. Aparajita Sarangi (Odisha), Shri Kartikeya Sharma (Haryana), Shri D V Sadananda Gowda (Karnataka), Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap (Himachal Pradesh), Smt. Queen Oja (Assam) and Dr. Nishikant Dubey (Jharkhand) attended the event. Shri Hemanga Thakuria, Member of Legislative Assembly, Assam also joined the occasion.
Expressing his elation at the event, Dr. Mandaviya said that these regional branches of NCDC will help in combating diseases with regional variations like CCHF, KFD, Scrub typhus. Further, State branches of NCDC and BSL-3 laboratory once functional will augment the capacity of region/state for preparedness and response especially for outbreak prone diseases by high-risk pathogens. “The health infrastructure facilities inaugurated today, or for those whose foundation stone has been laid, will substantially boost our regional, district and block level healthcare infrastructure and will further augment the surveillance, diagnostics and public health preparedness and response capacity for any impending outbreak or pandemic in future”, he said.
The Union Health Minister said that “pandemic preparedness and disease surveillance anchored in strong health systems that reach all people, especially the most vulnerable, are crucial to ensure better protection from major disease outbreaks.” Emphasizing that these institutions under NCDC will be in the interest of the local populace, he stated that “the Government of India is committed towards strengthening the surveillance of infectious diseases and outbreak response through strengthening of NCDC”.
National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission
A significant milestone has been crossed by the Health Ministry. More than 1 crore people have been screened for Sickle Cell Disease under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission.
The Mission endeavors to screen 7 crore population in 3 years. Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disease which affects the whole life of the affected patient. It is more common in the tribal population of India but occurs in non-tribals too. The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 1st July 2023 at Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh. The program is being carried out in a mission mode for screening, prevention, and management of sickle cell anemia in all tribal and other high prevalent areas States/UTs of India. The focus is on 278 districts of 17 states with higher prevalence of SCD viz., Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Uttarakhand.
C. Education
D. Human Resources
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
C.Indian diaspora
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
B. industrial
- Inland Waterways
- Cargo Movement through Inland Waterways
From April to November 2023, cargo of 86.47 MMT moved through Waterways as compared to 80.44 MMT during April to November 2022, i.e. an increase of 7.49%.
- Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC)
MoPSW has launched IWDC, a new initiative on 12.10.23 to develop Inland Water Transport (IWT) in India. The Union Minister will chair this initiative, with participation from State Governments/UTs and other Union Ministries as members. This will boost cargo, passenger movement and river cruise tourism.
- MV Ganga Vilas
On 13th January 2023, the Hon’ble Prime Minister flagged off the world’s longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas. The 51-day cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh will cover over 3,200 km across five Indian states and Bangladesh, with visits to 50 tourist spots. The ship is 62 meters long, 12 meters wide, with three decks and 18 suites accommodating 36 tourists. The vessel follows sustainable principles, with pollution-free mechanisms and noise control technologies. The maiden voyage will witness 32 tourists from Switzerland relishing the journey. The PM also inaugurated four community jetties in Uttar Pradesh, laid the foundation stone of five community jetties in Bihar, inaugurated the Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal, and three major projects in Assam.
- Ro-Ro service
Bahri Line, a shipping carrier from Saudi Arabia, has launched a new Ro-Ro service called FE service (Far East Europe) from Kamarajar Port Limited (KPL) on January 22nd, 2023. The new Ro-Ro service directly connects China, India, Saudi Arabia, and Europe (Germany, France, and Belgium), providing a direct opportunity for exporters and importers.
- Launching of Online Dredging Monitoring System
Online Dredging Monitoring System (Sagar Samriddhi) launched by Hon’ble Minister for PSW aims to streamline monitoring of dredging activities at Major Ports/IWAI, increase productivity of dredger, and achieve daily targets for timely completion of dredging projects.
E.issues
14. Technology
15. Environment