JANUARY 2016 CURRENT AFFAIRS (PART-1)

• The Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, a new crop insurance scheme to boost farming sector in the country. Farmers will pay uniform premium of 2 per cent for all Kharif crops and 1.5 percent for all Rabi crops. In case of annual horticultural and commercial crops, farmers will pay 5 per cent premium.
• The Union Government has launched Ganga Gram Yojana to develop 1600 villages in Uttar Pradesh situated along the banks of Ganga River. The scheme was launched by the Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti at Puth village in Hapur district of UP. In the first phase of the Ganga Gram Yojana, 200 villages in UP have been selected and open drains discharging waste directly into river Ganga will be diverted to sewage treatment facility. Government will spend one crore rupees on every village under this programme. It would be mandatory for every household in selected villages to have functional toilets. Under this programme, these selected villages will be developed under the Sichewal model (Village in Punjab) which is based on cooperation of the villagers for water management and waste disposal.
• The Union Cabinet has approved the Stand Up India Scheme to promote entrepreneurship among Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) and Women entrepreneurs. The Scheme seeks to facilitate at least two such projects on an average one for each category of entrepreneur per bank branch. The Stand-up India is component of Start-up India, Stand up India slogan anchored by Department of Financial Services to encourage Greenfield enterprises by Women and SC/ST entrepreneurs. It will refinance window through Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) with an initial amount 10,000 crore rupees. Under it, a credit guarantee mechanism would be created through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC). It will be the operating agency for the loan. It would provide women and SC/ST entrepreneurs bank loans repayable up to 7 years. It would be between 10 lakh to 1 crore rupees for Greenfield enterprises in the non-farm sector.
• Union Government has launched Sahaj Scheme for online booking of LPG cylinders. Union government has decided to target of adding 10 crore new LPG connections by December 2018 to present 16.5 crore connections.
• Telangana Government has launched e-Vahan Bima Scheme to issue motor insurance policy in digital form. With this, Telangana became the first state in the country to legally accept motor vehicle insurance policy in digital form.
• Jharkhand, a mineral-rich but energy-deficit state has become first state in country to sign Memorandum of Understanding on Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) Scheme with Union Government.
• Kerala has become the first Indian state to achieve 100 per cent primary education. Kerala state was able to achieve 100 per cent primary education through its flagship primary education equivalency drive Athulyam Scheme.
• Andhra Pradesh Government has launched Giriputrika Kalyana Pathakam Scheme to support the tribal women in their quest for livelihood.
• Union Government has decided to merge Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). MOIA was established in May 2004 as the Ministry of Non-Resident Indians’ Affairs (MNRIA). However it was renamed Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in September 2004.
• The Union Government has reserved 33 per cent posts of Constables for women in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to enhance their representation. This horizontal reservation for women comes in lines with the recommendation of Committee on Empowerment of Women. The committee had recommended urgent need to provide proper representation to women in paramilitary forces.