Today's Brief 24-28/04/2024

1.PMAY-U Scheme: The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) is a scheme launched by the Government of India to provide affordable housing to people in urban areas. Here's a summary of the scheme:

• Goal: Provide all weather pucca houses to all eligible beneficiaries in urban areas of India by 2024.

• Implemented by: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)

• Target beneficiaries: EWS (Economically Weaker Section), LIG (Low Income Group), MIG I & MIG II (Middle Income Group) categories

The scheme has four components:

• Beneficiary Led Construction/ Enhancement (BLC): Individuals are given subsidy to build new houses or enhance existing ones.

• Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP): Government and private developers partner to build affordable housing units.

• In-situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR): Slums are redeveloped to provide better living conditions with proper amenities.

• Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS): Interest subsidy is provided on home loans availed by beneficiaries from banks.

Current status (as of April 28, 2024):

• PMAY-U was extended till December 31, 2024. However, the CLSS component is functional only for completion of houses sanctioned by March 31, 2022.

2.Candidates Chess Tournament 2024: After 14 rounds and over three weeks of play, 17-year-old GM Gukesh Dommaraju has won the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament and is the youngest player in history to win a Candidates Tournament. He will play GM Ding Liren for the world championship title later this year.

3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan : Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan on April 26, 2024. During the meeting, a protocol was signed by the Defence Ministers of all SCO Member States. A Joint Communique was issued after the meeting, in which the SCO Defence Ministers agreed, amongst other initiatives, to developing the idea of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, which is rooted in the ancient Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

The SCO stands for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It's a Eurasian political, economic, and security organization. Here's a quick breakdown:

• Founded: 2001 (originally as the Shanghai Five)

• Founding members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan (joined in 2001)

• Current members: Eight member states including India and Pakistan (joined in 2017), with Iran joining most recently in July 2023.

• Focus areas: Political cooperation, economic cooperation, counter-terrorism, regional security

The SCO is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geographic area and population, encompassing a significant portion of Eurasia. It aims to promote cooperation among member states in various aspects like trade, security, and cultural exchange.

4.SIPRI Report: India 4th largest military spender in 2023 , India's military expenditure reached $83.6 billion in 2023.

• This represents a 4.2% increase from 2022.

• The growth is attributed to factors like:

• Rising personnel and operation costs

• Focus on modernisation and self-reliance in defense equipment

• Border tensions with neighboring countries

The top three military spenders in 2023 were the United States, China, and Russia.

Established in 1966 under the auspices of the Swedish parliament, SIPRI emerged as an autonomous research institution dedicated to investigating matters concerning international peace and security, spanning arms control, disarmament, and conflict mediation. Its financial support stems from a blend of governmental subsidies, private contributions, and project-specific funding.

The cornerstone of SIPRI's endeavors is its renowned SIPRI Yearbook, a comprehensive resource furnishing insights into global military spending, arms exchanges, and pertinent security affairs.

Additionally, SIPRI disseminates various reports, briefings, and databases covering an array of topics pertinent to conflict resolution, arms management, and peace cultivation.

A notable facet of its contribution is the maintenance of an expansive database, openly accessible on its website, detailing military expenditures, arms transactions, and related statistics. Although headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, SIPRI's impact extends worldwide, with its research and analyses shaping policy formulations and public dialogues across numerous nations.

5.India-Republic of Korea Consultations on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation were held in Seoul on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs said. The two sides discussed developments in the fields of disarmament and non-proliferation rating to nuclear, chemical and biological domains.

Moreover, regional non-proliferation issues, outer space security - related matters, conventional weapons including AI in the military domain and multilateral export control regimes, were also discussed, the MEA release said.

The Indian side was led by Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs) in the MEA while the Korean delegation was led by Youn Jong Kwon, Director General for Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

India and South Korea discussed regional and global challenges to disarmament and nonproliferation, including

North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and the implementation of UN Security Council sanctions, according to the Yonhap news agency.

The two sides also exchanged views on the challenges and opportunities posed by the rise of emerging security issues, such as artificial intelligence and space security, according to South Korea’s foreign ministry.

Third India-Republic of Korea Consultations on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation was held on , March 31, 2022.

Treaties associated:

1. Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

2. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)

3. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)

4. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty)

5. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)

6.India's first Multipurpose Green Hydrogen Pilot Project was inaugurated in April 2024 by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) at the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Himachal Pradesh's Jhakri .

This project is a significant milestone for India's renewable energy sector, as it demonstrates the feasibility of using clean energy sources like hydropower to produce green hydrogen.

Here are some key features of the project:

• Multipurpose:  The green hydrogen produced will be used for two purposes:

• As a fuel for the High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) Coating Facility of NJHPS.

• To generate electricity through a 25 kW fuel cell.

• Electrolyzer: The project uses a 20 Nm3/hr alkaline electrolyzer to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable energy.

• Integration with Solar Power: The project integrates renewable energy from SJVN's 1.31 MW solar power plant located in Wadhal, Himachal Pradesh, for sustainable hydrogen production.

This pilot project is a stepping stone towards developing a green hydrogen ecosystem in India. Green hydrogen has the potential to be a game-changer in the country's energy sector, as it can be used in various applications like transportation, industry, and power generation.

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