22.06.23 Daily [Uttar Pradesh] UPPSC Current Affairs

The Yogi Adityanath government is working on an innovative initiative to ease traffic on streets, facilitate transportation and develop an integrated and green road Network with less carbon emissions in the state of Uttar Pradesh. As part of the initiative, all municipal roads in urban areas will be widened in the state, reducing traffic and ensuring smooth movement of commuters.

The Urban Development department is gearing up to propose for replacement of the Urban Road Improvement Scheme, which has been in operation since 2013-14, by an incentive-based plan called the Chief Minister Green Road Development Scheme ( CM-GRIDS Urban), for the effective development of such roads. This will also help municipal bodies achieve financial autonomy.

Currently, there is no dedicated plan for the development of roads in Uttar Pradesh with widths ranging from 10 metre to 45 metre, despite these wide roads being considered the main routes for urban transport and economic activities. The proposed road network aims to develop integrated green roads that are cost-effective and have low carbon emissions. In addition, the plan seeks to enhance transportation efficiency, develop safe roads and intersections, maintain and manage created assets as well as achieve financial autonomy for municipal bodies.

Notably, the proposed plan is based on principles such as easy access to transportation systems, seamless mobility, innovative utilisation of road spaces, stakeholder participation and citizen engagement and aims to benefit everyone.

According to the proposal, urban areas will also have to fulfill eligibility and funding allocation criteria to benefit from the CM-GRIDS. As per the proposal, urban bodies that achieve a minimum 10 per cent increase in their revenue collection compared to the previous year will be eligible to receive grants under the scheme.

Under the scheme, at least 20 per cent of the total estimated transportation by the urban body will be carried out through its own Resources. However, the urban body can utilise funds obtained from other schemes or programmes (such as AMRUT SEM LAD or others) through convergence.

As per the guidelines of the Indian Road Congress (IRC), only the development of sub-arterial, collector and local streets with road widths (right of way) greater than 10 metre and less than 45 metre will be included. The funds received under the scheme will be utilised solely for the development of roads.

To transfer funds to urban bodies, a bank account will be opened in the name of CM-GRIDS (Urban) at the headquarters level by the agency, and the transfer of funds will be carried out through authorised signatories.

Under the proposed scheme, grants will be given to all the municipal corporations in the first phase. In the second phase, the remaining nagar palika parishads and nagar panchayats will be included.

Recently, a former archaeologist ofArchaeological Survey of India (ASI)has discovered aMesolithic periodrock painting depicting a person tilling a piece of land in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.

It was found while surveying thelowerRiver KrishnaValleyto ascertain the architectural features of shrines.

Minister of State for Culture, Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi inaugurated the exhibition Hamari Bhasha, Hamari Virasat under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75th International Archives Day at , New Delhi.

On the occasion of 75th International Archives Day, National Archives of India has made available the Gilgit Manuscripts written between the 5 -6 centuries CE, which is the oldest surviving manuscript collection in India.

It contains documents written on pieces of inner layer of the bark of birch trees which were found in Kashmir region and contain both canonical and non-canonical Jain and Buddhist works that throw Light on the evolution of many religious-philosophical literature.

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted by consensus a draft resolution piloted by India to establish a memorial wall in the UN headquarters here to honour fallen peacekeepers.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj introduced the draft resolution titled Memorial wall for fallen United Nations peacekeepers’ on Wednesday in the UN General Assembly Hall and it was adopted by consensus.

It welcomed the initiative of member states to establish at a suitable and prominent place at United Nations Headquarters in New York a memorial wall to honour the memory of fallen peacekeepers, giving due consideration to the modalities involved, including the recording of the names of those who have made the supreme sacrifice.”

India is currently the 3rd largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping with more than 6,000 military and Police personnel deployed to Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East and Western Sahara.