The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave nod to several significant initiatives aimed at boosting India’s biotechnology sector and enhancing its electoral process. These include:
One Nation, One Election Initiative
- Plan: The government aims to implement simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies.
- Consultation Process: A high-level panel, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, recommended a phased implementation, starting with Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
- Constitutional Amendments: The proposal includes 18 amendments, some requiring ratification by state assemblies.
- Expected Timeline: Discussions are planned over the coming months, with the goal of drafting a bill for Parliament.
Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities across India.
- Budget: Rs 79,156 crore allocated for the initiative.
- Target Audience: The program aims to benefit five crore tribal families in 63,000 tribal-majority villages.
- Coverage: It will span 549 districts and 2,740 blocks across 30 states and Union territories.
- Focus Areas: The initiative aims to address critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihoods in tribal areas.
- Holistic Development: Building on the successes of the PMJANMAN scheme, it seeks to ensure sustainable development tailored to the specific needs of tribal communities.
- Interventions: The program includes 25 specific interventions that will be carried out by 17 line ministries.
- Ministry Responsibilities: Each ministry will implement schemes relevant to its domain in a time-bound manner, utilizing funds allocated under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes over the next five years.
- Mapping and Identification: Tribal villages will be mapped on the PM Gati Shakti Portal, where departments will identify specific gaps and requirements for each scheme.
- Progress Tracking: Both physical and financial progress will be monitored through the PM Gati Shakti platform, with incentives for the best-performing districts.
Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE) Scheme
- Objective: To support cutting-edge research and development in biotechnology, foster innovation, and promote bio-entrepreneurship.
- Funding: The scheme has an outlay of Rs 9,197 crore for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- Components: It merges two existing schemes and introduces a new component focused on bio-manufacturing and bio-foundries.
- Focus Areas: The scheme emphasizes synthetic biology, bio-pharmaceuticals, bio-energy, and bio-plastics, while promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
- Support for Startups: It aims to nurture a thriving ecosystem by providing seed funding, incubation support, and mentorship.
Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV)
- Development Approval: The Cabinet sanctioned Rs 8,240 crore for a partially-reusable NGLV.
- Capability: The NGLV will have three times the payload capacity of ISRO’s current Launch Vehicle Mark III.
- Timeline: The development phase is expected to be completed within 96 months (8 years).
- Long-term Goals: The NGLV is aimed at establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and enabling crewed lunar missions by 2040.
Venus Orbiter Mission
- Objective: To explore and study Venus by placing a scientific spacecraft in its orbit. This will help in examining the planet’s surface, subsurface, and atmospheric processes, as well as the Sun’s influence on its atmosphere.
- Significance: Venus, being the closest planet to Earth and having potentially similar formation conditions, presents an opportunity to study the contrasting evolutionary paths of planetary environments. The mission will focus on understanding why Venus, once possibly habitable, evolved so differently from Earth.
- Total Allocation: Rs 1,236 crore for the mission.
- Spacecraft Development: Rs 824 crore will be allocated to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for developing the spacecraft.
These initiatives represent a significant push by the government to enhance India’s capabilities in biotechnology and space exploration, while also reforming its electoral process to improve governance, said a statement here.