Jharkhand Affairs
Jharkhand at bottom of SDG hunger index
Jharkhandis among the three worst-performing states along with Bihar and Assam in this years Goals (SDG) index released by NITI Aayog. In terms of hunger reduction, the state fared at the bottom of all 28 states.
As far as the hunger situation is concerned, the State Government is at the forefront since the outbreak of the pandemic to help the people like running community kitchens and distributing advance ration among others.
However, Niti Aayog has put Jharkhand, with an overall score of 56, at 27th rank in the SDG, while neighbouring Bihar was in 28th position and Assam was placed just above Jharkhand. In 2019, the states overall score was 53. On the other hand, Kerala has retained its top slot in this years index.
Niti Aayog released the SDG index for the third consecutive year to evaluate the performance of the states on 16 different parameters comprising POVERTY, Health, Food Security, Environment protection and Industry among other Growth indicators.
According to the report, Jharkhand was rated on 15 parameters in which it showed progress in 10 indicators compared to 2019 but fared miserably in the remaining five.
For example, last year, the state scored 22 in the zero hunger indicator which slipped to 19 this year. Under the decent work & economic growth category, it scored 54 against 70 in 2019. In industry, innovation and Infrastructure, too, the score came down to 37 from last years 70.
National and International Affairs
Health Ministers Discretionary Grant (HMDG):
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.
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN):
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.
Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS):
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.