Multidimensional Poverty Reduction
A new report by NITI Aayog reveals a significant drop in multidimensional poverty in India. According to the report, poverty levels have decreased from 29.17% in 2013-14 to 11.28% in 2022-23. This means that approximately 248.2 million people have moved out of poverty over the past nine years, as shared by Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, during a Lok Sabha session.
Standalone Solar Pumps Under PM-KUSUM
As of June 30, 2024, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme has successfully installed 397,437 standalone solar pumps. Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy and Power, reported in the Lok Sabha that these pumps have a total generation capacity of 1,944 megawatts and have benefited 411,222 farmers.
ALSO READ – New Study Disputes Hunga Tonga Volcano’s Role in 2023–24 Global Warm-Up
Green Hydrogen Hub Project in Pudimadaka
NTPC is spearheading a green hydrogen hub project in Pudimadaka, Andhra Pradesh. This ambitious 1,200-acre project will include the production of renewable energy and hydrogen technology equipment and the development of green chemical production facilities in India, as detailed by Naik in the Lok Sabha.
Fish Farming Initiatives
The Department of Fisheries is tapping into the potential of India’s vast reservoirs, which span over 3.3 million hectares. Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, shared in the Rajya Sabha that a Rs 420.36 crore program was approved under the Blue Revolution scheme (2015-2020) to boost fish farming in these reservoirs, including cage-based farming and stocking with quality fish. Additionally, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme, projects worth Rs 1,809.23 crore have been approved from 2020-21 to 2024-25. These projects include establishing 50,710 reservoir cages, developing 27 reservoirs, and stocking 417,000 hectares of reservoir area with fingerlings.
Support for Women Milk Producers
The Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) scheme, which ran from January 2017 to January 2024, focused on modernizing milk processing and increasing value addition. As of June 2024, around 1.25 million women milk producers—making up 30% of the total 4.25 million producer members—have benefited from this scheme. This initiative aimed to provide these producers with organized market access and create employment opportunities, as explained by Singh in the Rajya Sabha.
Follow Climate India for more Environmental News. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
