05-06-21 Daily-Punjab-PPSC Current Affairs

The Cabinet today approved the creation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for operations and maintenance of large multi-village surface water supply schemes across the state.

The move aims at ensuring supply of potable water on a long term sustainable basis in rural areas of water quality-affected districts. This first-of-its-kind SPV in India will be a utility company, Punjab Rural Water (Utility) Company, under the Water supply and sanitation Department.

The Cabinet also accorded approval to opening an account in the name of the SPV, with seed of Rs 25 crore allocated from the World Bank funds (64 per cent) and state budget (36 per cent), to support its functioning in the initial five years of operations. The allocation will help meet the shortfall in revenue collection, if any, to fulfil the contractual obligations of the SPV and its administrative expenses.

According to HMDG, a subsidy of up to Rs 1.25 lakhs is provided to patients with an annual income of less than Rs 1.25 lakhs

By providing their Ration Card number, beneficiaries can apply for financial assistance under both schemes.

In a virtual ceremony, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched a number of initiatives to give a major boost to the SATAT initiative.

The goal of the SATAT scheme is to establish Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production Plants and make CBG available on the market for use as a green fuel.

By 2023, SATAT aims to produce 15 MMT of CBG from 5000 plants.

It has the potential to increase the availability of low-cost transportation fuels, as well as make better use of agricultural waste, cattle dung, and municipal solid waste.

It will also provide an of 175,000 crore rupees, which is an additional Source Of Income for farmers, as well as 75,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs.

The Union Cabinet has approved the MoUs/agreements signed by India.

Highlights:

Cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development between India and the Maldives.

All Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries have reached an agreement.

Cooperation in the field of mineral Resources between India and Argentina.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between India and Japan on sustainable urban development.

Under RAN, poor patients suffering from major life-threatening diseases are eligible for financial assistance of up to Rs 15 lakhs for treatment at Government hospitals.

The eligibility criteria for RAN Services were based on the BPL thresholds in each state/UT.

It is a comprehensive Health Scheme for Serving Employees, Members of Parliament, ex-MPs, Pensioners, and others, as well as their dependent family members.
It has expanded to 72 cities in the last 7 years.
The NIC-developed e-referral module has enabled CGHS dispensaries and wellness centres to issue online referrals to empanelled hospitals.