What is the News ?

Authorities from the Ministry of Union Housing and Urban Affairs have indicated that the initial installment of loans for supporting ongoing projects in tier-2 and tier-3 cities through the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) is expected to be released shortly.

Facts About:

The UIDF is created by utilizing the priority sector lending shortfall.

Objective:

• This fund serves as a resource for public agencies to develop urban infrastructure in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Emphasis is placed on essential services such as sewage and solid waste management, water supply, sanitation, construction, and improvement of drainage systems, with a priority on projects that have a significant impact.

The National Housing Bank manages this fund.

It initially has a corpus of ?10,000 crore and is modeled after the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

States are encouraged to harness resources from the 15th Finance Commission's grants and existing schemes, while also considering user charges when accessing the UIDF.

Currently, it covers 459 tier-2 cities and 580 tier-3 cities.

UIDF Loans:

• nterest rate: Bank Rate minus 1.5%
• The loan principal is repayable in five equal annual installments within seven years from the draw date, including a two-year moratorium period.
• Interest payments are made on a quarterly basis.

What is the News ?

The Delhi Zoo has recently welcomed eight stump-tailed macaques, which were transferred from the Aizawl Zoological Park in Mizoram.

Facts About:

The stump-tailed macaque, also known as the bear macaque, is an Old-World monkey species native to South Asia.

Scientific Name: Macaca arctoides

Natural Habitat: These monkeys inhabit tropical and subtropical evergreen forests.

Geographic Range:

• They are indigenous to regions including Cambodia, southwest China, northeast India, Laos, Myanmar, northwest Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• In India, they are predominantly found south of the Brahmaputra River, primarily in the northeastern states.

Their Indian range extends from Assam and Meghalaya to eastern Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.

Conservation Status:

• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II

What is the News ?

The Maharashtra Government has recently put forward a plan to transform Gilbert Hill into a tourist attraction, drawing inspiration from the iconic Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Facts About:

• Situated in Andheri, Mumbai, Gilbert Hill is a remarkable 200-foot tall monolithic column made of black basalt rock.
• This unique geological formation was created approximately 66 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era when molten lava erupted from the Earth's crevices and solidified.
• In 1952, it received National Park status, and in 2007, the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation recognized it as a Grade II heritage structure.
• Notably, Gilbert Hill is one of only three volcanic rock outcrops worldwide.
• As one of the oldest heritage sites in its original condition, it features a collection of temples and a small garden perched atop, accessible via a steep staircase carved into the rock.

What is the News ?

From 2020 to 2023, the PM-DAKSH Yojana has provided training to a total of 107,156 beneficiaries.

Facts About:

The Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalata Sampanna Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana is a Central Sector Scheme launched in the fiscal year 2020-21.

Its primary goal is to boost the skills and competency of specific target groups, making them capable of finding employment, either through self-employment or wage-employment, to improve their socio-economic status.

This Yojana serves as a National Action Plan for training marginalized individuals, including Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Economically Backward Classes (EBCs), Denotified Tribes (DNTs), sanitation workers, and waste pickers.

Target Groups:

• Artisans: Those looking to enhance their income within their current vocations.
• Women: Empowering them to engage in self-employment while managing domestic responsibilities.
• Youth: Providing them with long-term training and specialization in employable fields to improve their job prospects.

Eligibility:

• Age range: 18-45 years.
• No income limit for SCs, Safai Karamcharis (sanitation workers), and waste pickers.
• Annual family income below Rs. 3 lakh for OBCs.
• Annual family income below Rs. 1 lakh for EBCs (Economically Backward Classes).
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E).

What is the News ?

The Indian Army is building a new Thal Sena Bhawan (TSB) using GRIHA-IV (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) standards.

Facts About:

GRIHA stands for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, and the word 'GRIHA' means 'Abode' in Sanskrit.

It's a tool that helps us measure how well a building performs compared to national standards.

GRIHA looks at a building's environmental impact throughout its entire life cycle, setting a clear standard for what qualifies as a 'green building.'

This rating system is based on accepted energy and environmental principles, balancing established practices with new ideas, both nationally and internationally.

TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) developed GRIHA, and it's been adopted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Criteria:

• GRIHA assesses a building using 34 criteria and awards points on a scale of 100.
• To get GRIHA certification, a project needs at least 50 points.
• Some criteria are mandatory, and the project must meet them to be eligible for any rating.

Project Ratings:

• 50-60 points: 1-star GRIHA rating
• 61-70 points: 2-star GRIHA rating
• 71-80 points: 3-star GRIHA rating
• 81-90 points: 4-star GRIHA rating
• 91-100 points: 5-star GRIHA rating