Smart Villages, Making India a Fit Nation (October 2021)

Smart Villages

  • Availability of broadband connectivity.
  • Developing 100 smart cities in India.
  • Gujarat became the first Indian state having truly smart villages using Li-Fi based optical wireless communication system.
  • Providing facilities like mini bank, mini-ATM, hotel booking, mobile and DTH recharge under Digital Village Scheme.
  • Commitment to provide broadband connectivity to all the villages within a period of 1000 days.
  • Out of 2,50, 000-gram panchayats in India, 1,56, 000 have already been connected to broadband.
  • The union cabinet approved a plan to extend Bharat Net which is the govt՚s rural broadband connectivity program to 3,60, 000 villages in 16 states.
  • States under Bharat Net programme are Tripura, Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala.
  • A WEF report recently linked Internet access to improved economic outcomes including:
    • Development
    • Education
    • Jobs
  • Akrund and Navanagar villages in Aravali District՚s Dhansura Tehsil are getting safe and faster internet connectivity.
  • Penetration and proliferation of broadband:
    • Employment generation
    • Income generation
    • Bridge the rural urban divide

Li-Fi

  • A mobile wireless technology.
  • It uses light rather than radio frequencies for data transmission.
  • This technology is considered as the next generation of wireless internet.
  • Great potential for seamless integration into the 5G core.

Mori Village, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh

  • Example of digital transformation.
  • This village is known as the Super Smart Village due to its excellent use of smart connectivity.
  • About 1200 households in the village enjoy Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • All the transactions are cashless.
  • Broadband Internet flows at the speed of 15Mbps.
  • This village is further connected with fiber grid.
  • Each household has access to cable TV, use of e-banking, AP Purse, Rupay cards and SBI Buddy.
  • Each grocery shop has e-pos machines.

Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)

  • The Indian Prime Minister had unveiled a blueprint on Jayprakash Narayan՚s birth anniversary in 2014.
  • A provision for the members of parliament from both houses to identify, adopt and develop three villages, one in first phase and two more in the second phase.
  • Rajya Sabha MPs could select a village in any district of the state from where they have been elected.
  • Five more villages were added to the target in 2019 by the government, to be implemented in the third phase by 2024.
  • Setting up smart schools with IT-enabled classrooms and e-libraries.
  • Improving panchayat infrastructure.
  • Improving implementation of already existing govt. schemes for rural development.
    • MGNREGA
    • Midday Meal Scheme
    • Aadhaar Enrolment
    • Backward Regions Grants Fund

State Govt. Initiatives

Uttar Pradesh

  • An action plan has been prepared to convert all rural areas into smart villages.
  • Objective to ensure that the benefits of the welfare schemes are provided to the last person of the society.
  • Gram panchayats would be made digital.
  • Vision behind the program:
    • Digital infrastructure as utility to every citizen.
    • Governance and services on demand.
    • Digital empowerment of citizens.
  • All documents and certificates would be made available on the cloud.
  • e-pathshalas are being set up where farmers would be taught about various agricultural and cultivational techniques over digital platforms.
  • All information regarding the weather conditions would be provided to the farmers on a regular basis and in real-time.

Maharashtra

  • Development of smart villages.
  • Launched an ambitious project called State of Maharashtra Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (SMART) covering 10,000 villages.
  • MoUs were signed between big corporates and farmers producer groups including Reliance Retail, Amazon, Walmart, Mahindra Agro, PepsiCo, Tata Rallis, Big Basket, Patanjali, Tata Chemical, Happy Roots, Mera Kisan, Way Cool, etc.
  • World Bank՚s assistance to the scheme.
  • Scheme targets villages with socio-economic backwardness.
  • Cash prizes are also being offered by the state govt. to top villages at taluka and district levels.
  • Villages performing well to be rewarded by the state government:
    • Use of information technology
    • Cleanliness
    • Health
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Renewable energy sources
  • So far 30,000 square kilometers of wireless coverage has been installed by AirJaldi reaching 1,500 villages.
  • Churni village in Maharashtra is using faster Internet connectivity for its CSC.

CSC Scheme

  • A mission mode project of the Union Government՚s Digital India programme.
  • A strategic cornerstone.
  • Taking optimum advantages of digital technologies along with the infrastructure.
  • Khodaganj in Nalanda district of Bihar is an excellent example of how CSCs could be used to ensure well-being of the people apart from providing online services.

FAO Recognition

  • The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
  • It runs its 1000 Digital Village Initiative in many countries including India.
  • India has been already praised for its progress in rural digitalization by saying- FAO Members like China, India, Japan, and Republic of Korea.
  • Dhaulpur district of Rajasthan enjoys the facility of digital connectivity with an improved physical infrastructure. The district also has a coaching institute for competitive examinations and school equipped with e-learning facility and computers.

Making India a Fit Nation

  • Fit India movement was launched on 29th August 2019 to make fitness an integral part daily life.
  • Punchline: Fitness ki dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz.
  • To bring about behavioural changes and move towards a more physically active lifestyle.
  • Spreading awareness on fitness and various physical activities through focused campaigns and encouraging indigenous sports.
  • Under-nutrition, micro-nutrient malnutrition or over-nutrition are the forms of malnutrition.
  • WHO՚s current goal is to achieve Health for All at least by 2030?
  • Nearly 811 million in the world are going hungry while more than 2 billion suffer from malnutrition, many succumb to hunger as per Global Hunger Index Report (2020) .
  • India ranked 94th among the 107 countries in 2020, with a Global Hunger Index score of 27.2

Acute Hunger

  • The most extreme form of hunger.
  • Arises frequently during disasters like droughts, famines, EL Nino, and wars.
  • Adversely affects people suffering from chronic hunger nearly 8% of the hungry people.

Chronic Hunger

  • Long term under nourishment is globally most widespread.
  • Affects the people not having sufficient resources for good nutrition, clean water, or healthcare.

Hidden Hunger

  • The deficiency of several important micronutrients such as iron, iodine, zinc, and vitamin A.
  • In the long run causes several serious diseases⟋disorders.
  • Hampers overall development of the nation.

A Typical Balanced Diet for a Day (ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition)

  • Fruits 150 gms.
  • Pulses, Eggs and Fresh foods 30 gms.
  • Nuts and Seeds 20 gms.
  • Fats and Oil 27 gms.
  • Vegetables 350 gms.
  • Cereals and Nutri-cereals 270 gms.

Functional Classification of Foods

Energy Giving Foods

Wheat, rice, maize, millets, starchy roots⟋tubers, pulses, legumes, fats⟋oils, nuts & oil seeds, sugar, jaggery and honey.

Body Building Foods

Milk, curds, paneer, processed cheese, eggs, meat, fish, chicken, pulses⟋legumes, nuts, and oilseeds.

Foods for Regulating Body Processes and Imparting Protection

  • Fruits and vegetables except starchy root tuners.
  • Proteins containing foods like milk and milk products, eggs, meat, fish, pulses⟋legumes, nuts, and oilseeds.

Four Pillars of Health Lifestyle

  • Ahaar (what, how and how much one eats) .
  • Vihaar (the way one engages himself⟋herself in relaxation, entertainment, and leisure time activities) .
  • Vichaar one՚s mental make-up, emotional control, attitude, and outlook towards life.
  • Vyavhaar (how one actually behaves in public⟋private life) .

POSHAN Abhiyaan

  • Also known as National Nutrition Mission.
  • Launched on International Women՚s Day 2018.
  • The overarching scheme for holistic nourishment.
  • Government՚s flagship programme for improving nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
  • Aims to draw the nation՚s attention towards the burning problem of malnutrition in a mission-mode.

National Nutrition Policy and the National Plan of Action in Nutrition

  • Stressed on tackling the nutrition related problems.
  • Direct interventions for vulnerable groups.
  • Through various development policy instruments for improved access⟋conditions for better nutrition.
  • National Nutrition Month 1 - 30th September is being celebrated since 2017 every year all over the country.
  • Focus on importance of good nutrition, implications on development, productivity, economic growth, and ultimately national development.
  • National Nutrition Week 1st-7th September since 1982 onwards was celebrated every year with almost similar objectives.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

  • A nationwide Fit India Freedom Run 2.0 (Physical⟋Virtual Run) .
  • Launched from 13th August-2nd October 2021.
  • Promoting fitness, and to help people get rid of excess wight⟋obesity, laziness, stress, anxiety, and many other related diseases⟋disorders.

Sports Authority of India

  • Supports and nurtures talent in youth and provides them requisite infrastructure, equipment, coaching facilities, and competition exposure for their overall development.
  • Come and Play Scheme has been initiated for optimal utilization of the facilities in Delhi and across the country.
Body Mass Index

Way Ahead

  • The National Youth Policy reiterates nation՚s commitment for all-round development of the Indian youth.
  • Since 1986, special awards are given to the winners of international sports events to encourage⟋motivate the star sports persons for better achievements attracting the younger generations.
  • Assistance is provided to country՚s top athlete by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
  • Lifestyle modifications, improved dietary patterns, appropriate physical activity, cessation of smoking⟋ tobacco consumption, restricting alcohol intake along with appropriate management of stress are mandatory for maintaining overall fitness and good health.
  • Fitness India Mobile App has been launched which indicates the fitness score by tracking the steps, sleep and the calories consumed.
  • Khelo India, a national programme for developing sports has been introduced.
  • Adults should undertake at least 150 - 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity or at least 75 - 150 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous intensity activity.

Examrace Team at May 10, 2022