Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana - GS questions based on daily current affairs

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The Minister launched free to use ‘Smart Toilets’ set up by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) under PPP model at National Gallery of Art on Shershah Road, opposite Haryana Bhawan on Copernicus Marg and near Tolstoy Marg Metro Station.
• Each such complex has one WC toilet seat and four urinals for gents, one WC each for women and differently abled, Water ATM, Bank ATM and Digital Health Centres.
• Other facilities are- Mobile Charging and four other Public Toilet Utilities.
• The NDMC will set-up 101 Smart Public Toilets in different areas of the capital out of which five have been constructed and another twelve are likely to be set-up by end of January, 2017. The rest of the Smart Toilets will be completed by June, 2017.

ANSWER: Mysuru

Explanation:

• After being crowned the cleanest city, Mysuru is now declared as first Indian city with a population of over one million to be declared open defecation free.
• Mysuru is also known as one of the Heritage Cities.
• The city was declared the cleanest cities under the Swachh Bharat mission two years ago and it retained the position for second successive year too.
• The status of India's first open defecation free city was granted after a survey of 73 cities by the Quality Council of India.
• Local residents too pitch in by keeping a watchful eye on the offenders.
• Awareness was created about the Swachh Bharat Mission. Messages displayed educating the people.

ANSWER: Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan

Explanation:

• Two commemorative stamps on Swachh Bharat Mission and a miniature sheet were released.
• The denominations of the postage stamps is Rs 25 and Rs 5

ANSWER: Sindhudurg

Explanation:

• A survey conducted by the rural development ministry with the support of the India Quality council between May and June 2016 have revealed encouraging results.
• Among the 75 districts and 70000 families that were surveyed, Sikkim leads the table followed by Himachal Pradesh then comes Kerala followed by Haryana in the fourth position. Bihar is last on the list.
• As far as districts go, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra tops the list along with a few other districts in the North-east, while Mandi district leads in the special category states.

ANSWER: Amar Chitra Katha

Explanation:
The Urban Development Ministry has signed a Memorandum of understanding with Amar Chitra Katha Magazine for bringing a special edition on Swachh Bharat Mission on October 2.

• The special magazine aims at taking the best practices involved in the mission to the children so that they inculcate these habits in their daily lives.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Quality Council of India (QCI) was set up jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations i.e. Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), to establish and operate national accreditation structure and promote quality through National Quality Campaign. QCI is registered as a non-profit society with its own Memorandum of Association.
• It has been tasked to provide third party evaluation of Open Defecation Free (ODF) claims of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).

ANSWER: 1, 2, 4

Explanation:

• Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, it has been decided to undertake a special clean-up initiative focused on 100 iconic heritages, spiritual and cultural places in the country.
• The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation will be the coordinating Ministry for this initiative, in association with the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and the concerned State governments.
• The aim of this initiative is to make these 100 places model ‘Swachh Tourist Destinations’, that will enhance the experience for visitors from India and abroad.
• Under Phase 1 of this initiative, the following iconic places have been selected for an intensive clean up:

1. Vaishno Devi: Jammu and Kashmir
2. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus: Maharashtra
3. Taj Mahal: Uttar Pradesh
4. Tirupati Temple: Andhra Pradesh
5. Golden Temple: Punjab
6. Manikarnika Ghat: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
7. Ajmer Sharif Dargah: Rajasthan
8. Meenakshi Temple: Tamil Nadu
9. Kamakhya Temple: Assam
10. Jagannath Puri: Odisha

ANSWER: Andhra Pradesh

Explanation:

• Andhra Pradesh is set to become the first State in the country to make all of its urban areas ‘Open Defecation Free’ by October 2nd this year, marking the two years of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission.
• The State officials gave this assurance during a review of progress of Swachh Bharat Mission in all the 110 municipalities of Andhra Pradesh.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The Ministry of Urban Development is finding creative ways to turn mounting waste into a national asset.
• The Ministry has made it “mandatory” for private fertilizer companies to buy compost that is extracted from municipal solid waste.
• About 45 compost producing plants across the country were almost “defunct” because the private firms were not interested in marketing their products.
• In early January, the Ministry arrived at an agreement with the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers that private companies must promote the municipal compost and slowly reduce the market size of urea. Otherwise, serious fines would be imposed on them.
• The government is also weighing whether to offer a deal where subsidy would be granted if one bag of municipal compost is bought with every two bags of chemically rich urea.
• The Central government has issued a circular to all power distribution companies stating it was mandatory for them to buy electricity from power plants fuelled by solid waste.
• The Centre now aims at generating 700 megawatts of electricity from solid waste-run plants in the next five years.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
The Swachh Bharat Mission for Urban Areas will be implemented by the Ministry of Urban Development, and the rural component by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.