SECI signs MoU with MHA to set up Solar Energy panels
SECI signs MoU with MHA to
set up Solar Energy panels
Rooftop panels to be set up in campuses of CAPF and NSG
Step ahead in reinforcing government's commitment towards sustainable
future
Solar
Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has signed an MoU with the Union Ministry of
Home Affairs in order to harness the potential of solar energy on
the available rooftop areas in the campuses of the Central Armed Police Forces
(CAPF) and National Security Guard (NSG). Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Union Home Secretary
and Shri Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, Secretary MNRE were present on the occasion.
Why is it in news?
The
MoU was signed by Shri Rakesh Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, MHA and Smt. Suman
Sharma, MD, SECI. Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Suman Sharma said, “SECI is
happy to serve the Government of India for fulfilling India’s climate
commitments and look forward to expanding rooftop solar sector to the remotest
corners of the country.”
Highlights
· The MoU is a step ahead
towards supply of green power to the country's security forces and reinforces
the government's commitment towards a sustainable future. The MoU will support
MHA in implementing rooftop solar plants under RESCO model.
· Solar Energy Corporation of
India (SECI), a PSU under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), that is
engaged in promotion and development of various renewable energy resources,
especially solar energy, trading of power, R&D etc. SECI is also the
designated implementing agency for many Govt. RE schemes like VGF schemes, ISTS
schemes, CPSU schemes etc.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) complete 7 years of providing social security net
Union Finance Minister Smt.
Nirmala Sitharaman said low-cost insurance schemes and the guaranteed pension
scheme are ensuring that Jan Suraksha now covers the last person of the society
Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Karad exhorts banks &
insurance companies to continue expanding coverage of these schemes with zeal
and dedication
Why is it in news?
·
PMJJBY: More than 12.76
crore Cumulative Enrolments
·
PMSBY: More than 28.37
crore Cumulative Enrolments
·
APY: Over 4 Crore
subscribers
·
Highlights
New Delhi: 9th May, 2022
As we
celebrate the 7th anniversaries of three
social security (Jan Suraksha) schemes, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
(PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY), let us focus on how
these schemes have provided affordable insurance and security to people (Jan
Suraksha), their achievements and salient features.
PMJJBY,
PMSBY and APY were launched
by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 9th May, 2015 from Kolkata,
West Bengal.
These
three social security schemes are dedicated to the welfare of the citizens,
recognising the need for securing human life from unforeseen risks/losses and
financial uncertainties. In order to ensure that the people from the
unorganised section of the country are financially secure, the Government
launched two insurance schemes –Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
(PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY); and introduced Atal Pension Yojana (APY) to cover the
exigencies in the old age.
While the PMJJBY and
PMSBY provide access to low cost life/accidental insurance cover to the people,
the APY provides an opportunity for saving in the present for getting a regular
pension in old age.
While
celebrating the 7th anniversary of the Scheme, Union Minister of Finance &
Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said, “One of the main objectives
under the National Mission for Financial Inclusion announced by the Hon’ble
Prime Minister on August 15, 2014 was to expand the coverage of insurance and
pension in order to provide the poor and marginalised sections of the society
the much-needed financial security through affordable products.”
“The
three Jan Suraksha schemes have brought the insurance and pension within the
reach of the common man. The number of people who have enrolled and benefitted
from the above schemes over the last seven years is a testimony to their
success. These low-cost insurance schemes and the guaranteed pension scheme are
ensuring that financial security, which was available to a select few earlier,
is now reaching the last person of the society,” the Finance Minister said.
Giving
an overview of providing facilities to the poor, the Finance Minister said,
“Today, even the poorest of the poor can have a life insurance cover for Rs 2
lakh at less than 1 rupee a day under PMJJBY and an accident insurance of Rs 2
lakh at less than 1 rupee a month under PMSBY. All the citizens of the country
in the age group 18 to 40 can subscribe for receiving pension after the age of
60 by paying a minimum amount of Rs 42 per month.”
Providing
security with convenience to citizens through PMJJBY, especially during
COVID-19 Pandemic, Smt. Sitharaman said, “Under PMJJBY, a cumulative number of
12.76 crore persons have enrolled since inception for life cover and families
of 5,76,121 persons have received claims for Rs. 11,522 crore under the scheme.
The scheme has proved extremely useful for low-income households during
pandemic as in FY21, almost 50% claims paid out were due to COVID-19 deaths.
Major changes were brought in the claim settlement process for quick and easy
settlement of claims during the pandemic period. These changes brought in for
easy settlement of claims are still continuing. Since the beginning of the
pandemic i.e., April 1, 2020 till February 23, 2022, a total of 2.10 lakh
claims amounting to Rs 4,194.28 erore were paid with a settlement rate of
99.72%.”
The
Finance Minister said that in a similar spirit, “28.37 crore people have
enrolled for accident cover since the launch of PMSBY and an amount of Rs 1,930
crore has been paid towards 97,227 claims. More than 4 crore people have
already subseribed to the APY scheme.”
On this
occasion, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Finance Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad
said, “On this 7th anniversary of these
schemes, I congratulate all the banks and insurance companies for successful
implementation of these schemes and request them to continue working with same
zeal and dedication till the last person is covered.”
“Going
ahead, as announced by the Hon’ble PM in this regard on his last Independence
Day address, it will be our endeavour to ensure that every eligible person in
the country is covered under these social security schemes for insurance and
pension,” Dr Karad stated.
As we
celebrate the seventh anniversary of PMJJBY, PMSBY and APY, let us take a look
at the features and glance over their achievements so far.
- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
(PMJJBY)
Scheme: PMJJBY is a one-year life insurance scheme
renewable from year to year offering coverage for death due to any reason.
Eligibility: Individuals in the age group of 18-50 years
having a savings bank or a post office account are entitled to enroll under the
scheme. People who join the scheme before completing 50 years of age can
continue to have the risk of life covered up to age of 55 years upon payment of
premium.
Benefits: Life cover of Rs. 2 Lakh in case of death due to
any reason against a premium of Rs. 330/- per annum.
Enrolment: Enrolments under the scheme can be done by
visiting the branch/ BC point or website of the bank of the account holder or
at the post office in case of post office savings bank account. The
premium under the scheme is auto debited every year from the subscriber’s bank
account based on a one-time mandate from the account holder. Detailed information
about the scheme and the forms (in Hindi, English and Regional languages) are
available on https://jansuraksha.gov.in.
Achievements: As on 27.04.2022, the cumulative enrolments
under the scheme have been more than 12.76 crore and an amount of Rs. 11,522
crore has been paid for 5,76,121 claims.
- Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)
Scheme: PMSBY is a one-year accidental insurance scheme
renewable from year to year offering coverage for death or disability due to
accident.
Eligibility: Individuals in the age group of 18-70 years
having a savings bank or a post office account are entitled to enroll under the
scheme.
Benefits: Accidental death cum disability cover of Rs.2
lakh (Rs.1 lakh in case of partial disability) for death or disability due to
an accident.
Enrolment: Enrolment under the scheme can be done by
visiting the branch/ BC point or website of the bank of the account holder or
at the post office in case of post office savings bank account. The
premium under the scheme is auto debited every year from the subscriber’s bank
account based on a one-time mandate from the account holder. Detailed
information about the scheme and the forms (in Hindi, English and Regional
languages) are available on https://jansuraksha.gov.in.
Achievements: As on 27.04.2022, the cumulative enrolments
under the scheme have been more than 28.37 crore and an amount of Rs. 1,930
crore has been paid for 97,227 claims.
Atal Pension Yojana
(APY)
Background: The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched
to create a universal social security system for all Indians, especially the
poor, the under-privileged and the workers in the unorganised sector. It is an
initiative of the Government to provide financial security and cover future
exigencies for the people in the unorganized sector. APY is administered by
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the overall
administrative and institutional architecture of the National Pension System
(NPS).
Eligibility: APY is open to all bank account holders in the
age group of 18 to 40 years and the contributions differ, based on pension
amount chosen.
Benefits: Subscribers would receive the guaranteed
minimum monthly pension of Rs. 1000 or Rs. 2000 or Rs. 3000 or Rs. 4000 or Rs.
5000 at the age of 60 years, based on the contributions made by the subscriber
after joining the scheme.
Disbursement of the
Scheme Benefits: The monthly pension is
available to the subscriber, and after him to his spouse and after their death,
the pension corpus, as accumulated at age 60 of the subscriber, would be
returned to the nominee of the subscriber.
In case of premature
death of subscriber (death before 60 years of age), spouse of the subscriber
can continue contribution to APY account of the subscriber, for the remaining
vesting period, till the original subscriber would have attained the age of 60
years.
Contribution by Central
Government: The minimum pension
would be guaranteed by the Government, i.e., if the accumulated corpus based on
contributions earns a lower than estimated return on investment and is
inadequate to provide the minimum guaranteed pension, the Central Government
would fund such inadequacy. Alternatively, if the returns on investment are
higher, the subscribers would get enhanced pensionary benefits.
Payment frequency: Subscribers can make contributions to APY on
monthly/ quarterly / half-yearly basis.
Withdrawal from the
Scheme: Subscribers can
voluntarily exit from APY subject to certain conditions, on deduction of
Government co-contribution and return/interest thereon.
Achievements: As on 27.04.2022 more than 4 crore individuals
have subscribed to the scheme.
Sri Lanka PM Resigns as Crisis Deepens
Sri Lanka PM Resigns as Crisis
Deepens
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down from his post
on Monday — a step that would enable his younger brother, President Gotabaya
Rajapaksa, to go for a government of national unity as the country continues to
face the worst economic crisis in its history.
Why is it in news?
The move came hours after his supporters attacked anti-government
protesters outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office, injuring at least 78
people and prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, leading the
embattled government in the crisis-hit country, wanted Mahinda’s resignation to
form an interim administration to solve the present political impasse.
Highlights
·
The President agreed to
replace his older brother as the prime minister and maintained
that a national council would be appointed to name a new prime minister and
Cabinet comprising all parties in the Parliament, lawmaker Maithripala Sirisena
had said after meeting with the president last month.
·
Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76, was under pressure from within his
own Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) ranks to resign. However, he was
gathering his supporters to apply counter-pressure not to stand down.
·
Sri Lanka is witnessing an unprecedented economic turmoil
with its government running out of money for essential imports like staple
foods and fuel. Protesting against the government, thousands of people have
taken to the streets across the nation since April 9 demanding resignation of
both the President and the Prime Minister.