UTTAR PRADESH
UP govt’s debt expected to rise by more than 8 pc
The total debt on the Uttar Pradesh government is expected to rise by more than 8 per cent, from Rs 5.65 lakh crore in 2020-21 to Rs 6.11 lakh crore in 2021-22, due to the economic impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Topping the debt is market borrowings of more than Rs 4.18 lakh crore by the state government and its agencies. However, the debt still conforms to the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act which mandates states to tame aggregate debt below 30 per cent of their gross state domestic product (GSDP). At an estimated Rs 6.11 lakh crore in the financial year 2021-22, the debt ratio stands at 28.1 per cent vis-à-vis the projected GSDP of Rs 21.72 lakh crore.
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra account for the highest levels of government debts in India. The top 10 states make up for more than 70 per cent of absolute debt in the country. The impact of the lockdown has been felt in the states’ finances in terms of higher borrowings coupled with a dip in the revenue collection.
UP’s debt reduced from 29.2 per cent in financial year 2020-21 to 28.1 per cent of the GSDP, but market borrowings marked to the GSDP increased from 18.8 per cent from Rs 3.64 lakh crore in 2020-21 to Rs 4.18 lakh crore in 2021-22. UP will issue bonds worth Rs 41,000 crore to ensure the financial stability of the state energy distribution companies (discoms) battered by losses. State pension/provident funds and savings/reserve funds comprise Rs 61,682 crore and Rs 22,826 crore of the estimated public debt.
Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said despite the pandemic, the state government was able to meet all its non committed expenditures like salary, pension and all other expenditures on account of relief to the people affected by the pandemic. The minister said against the target of total revenue collection of Rs 1.16 lakh crore during the current fiscal 2020-21, the shortfall was as high as 33 per cent and the collection by the end of February this year is Rs 1,01,910 crore.
He said during 2020-21, the GST collection was Rs 37,520 crore against the target of Rs 58,609 crore. The collection of VAT was Rs 18,674 crore against the target of Rs 24,488 crore or 76.3 per cent. The collection of excise duty was Rs 25,703 crore against the target of Rs 33,700 crore or 76.3 per cent. The collection of stamp duty was Rs 19,293 crore against the target of Rs 21,140 crore. The collection from motor and vehicle tax was Rs 5,165 crore against the target of 5,165 crore and collection from land revenue was Rs 270 crore against the target of Rs 770 crore.
INTERNATIONAL
World Poetry Day is on 21st March
World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21 every year in the world. Highlights:
During the UNESCO meeting held in Paris in 1999, it was decided to designate March 21 as “World Poetry Day”. One of the main goals of Poetry Day is to support linguistic diversity through poetry and provide opportunities for endangered languages to be heard in the community. The day also encourages the oral tradition of poetry recitation and poetry teaching. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated March 21 as World Poetry Day for the first time at the 30th General Assembly held in Paris in 1999.
World Forestry Day is on 21st March
:In this year, the United Nations celebrated International Day of Forests on March 21. Since 2012, this day has been celebrated. The purpose of this day is to raise people’s awareness and importance of forests. The day also focused on the importance of trees outside the forest. Likewise, celebrate this day to save the forest. Highlights:
The idea of the International Day of Forests was put forward at the 23rd Congress of the European Agricultural Federation.
March 21 is chosen as the International Forest Day because it is the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere. When the earth enters its first spring, the vernal equinox will occur.
More than 13 million hectares of forest are lost every year. Large-scale deforestation causes 12% to 18% of world carbon emissions.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 21st March as the World Forests Day. The United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization are the main organizers of Forest Day.
Forest day is observed to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. The theme of each International Forest Day is selected by the Forest Partnership.
World Water Day is on 22nd March
Every year, March 22 is World Water Day. It focuses on the importance of fresh water. Highlights:
World Water Day has been commemorated since 1993, and its purpose is to raise awareness of the 2.2 billion lives without safe water.
The theme of 2020 is “Water and Climate Change”, which aims to explore the interrelationship between water and climate change.
The theme of 2021 World Water Day is Valuing Water. At the beginning of the decade, this was a timely reminder of the importance of water, which will define the success of our sustainable development goals, which are planned to be completed in 2030.
The main focus of Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030 – access to water and sanitation for all.
In addition to this, the International Decade of Action for Sustainable Water Development (2018-2028) has also been observed. These observations prove that water and sanitation measures are the key to poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability
NATIONAL
Water Quality Information Management System – Jal Shakti
The Water Quality Information Management System (WQMIS) is launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. About Water Quality Information Management System (WQMIS):
The Ministry (as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission) has launched WQMIS in addition to the framework and guidelines for testing, monitoring and surveillance of drinking water quality.
WQMIS is an online portal that provides detailed information about laboratories for this purpose. It also allows people to access data about water quality.
The guide details the tasks to be surveillanced and monitored at the state, district, block/street, and village level.
The guidelines were developed in consultation with the Indian Council of Medical Research.
The basic water quality parameters specified in the guidelines are pH, total dissolved solids, turbidity, chloride, total alkalinity, total hardness, sulphate, iron, total arsenic, fluoride, nitrate, and total coliforms bacteria, escherichia coli or heat-resistant coliform bacteria.
Key Facts of NDHM Sandbox Environment
The central government has planned to evaluate the results of the first phase of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) to expand the project, which had previously spent 118.2 million rupees. Under this task, the “NDHM sandbox environment” was also established to promote innovation and build trust. Highlights:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) in August 2020. Since then, the mission has been in Chandigarh, Dammam and Diu, Ladakh, Dadra and Initiated by Nagar Haveri’s joint territory, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry and Lakshadweep.
The Ministry of Health of the Union is taking care of the execution of tasks in the six Union territories. As of March 15, 2021, the central government has issued 9,97095 health IDs in accordance with the plan.
The health ID issued under the task allows people to track the patient’s health and share data with verified doctors or healthcare providers after informed consent. It also provides a voluntary opt-out option, where users can delete their data at any time.
The government has also developed the “NDHM Sandbox Environment” to promote innovation, participation and build trust. The sandbox environment has been developed as a closed ecosystem. The system allows the technology or product to be tested in a closed environment according to the NDHM standard.
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