YUVA Scheme 

• The Ministry of Education has launched “YUVA- Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors”. 

• YUVA is an Author Mentorship program that will train young and budding authors aged below 30 years in order to promote reading, writing and book culture in India. It will also project India and Indian writings worldwide. 

Key Highlights 

• YUVA stands for “Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors”. 

• The scheme is in line with the PM's vision of encouraging young writers to write about India’s freedom struggle. 

• Call on the young generation to write about freedom fighters was taken in PM’s Mann ki Baat in January 2021. YUVA is a part of India@75 Project which seeks to bring perspectives of the young generation of writers on themes including Freedom Fighter, Unsung Heroes, Unknown and Forgotten Places etc. 

• The Scheme will be implemented by “National Book Trust of India” under the Ministry of Education. Books written under this scheme will be published by National Book Trust. Books will be translated into different languages to exchange culture and literature. 

• Under the YUVA scheme, a total of 75 authors will be selected by an All-India Contest and the winners will be announced on August 15, 2021. Young winning authors will be trained by eminent authors to prepare manuscripts. 

• The published books will be launched in January 2022 on the occasion of National Youth Day. 

IBF to be renamed as IBDF 

• Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the apex body of broadcasters, has extended its purview to cover digital streaming platforms. Also, it will be renamed as Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) to bring digital OTT platforms under its purview. 

• Extended coverage will bring broadcasters and OTT (over-the-top) platforms under one roof. 

• To regulate them, IBDF is considering forming a new wholly-owned subsidiary which will handle all matters of digital media. 

• A self-regulatory body called ‘Digital Medic Content Regulatory Council (DMCTC)’ will also be established for digital OTT platforms.

Sanjeevani Pariyojana 

The Government of Haryana, with support from Deloitte, has launched Sanjeevani Pariyojana (or ‘the life project’).

Key Points:

• It is a supervised, virtual home-care initiative to help people quickly access healthcare for mild-to-moderate symptoms of COVID-19.
•  It provides individuals with support and resources to manage their care at home including access to virtual triage, as well as COVID-19 field hospitals and in-patient facilities, when deemed appropriate by the state-trained medical staff.

Six Heritage Sites added to India’s UNESCO World Heritage sites Tentative List 

• Six Indian sites, including the temples of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, the Ganga ghats in Varanasi, and the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, have been added to the tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites. 

Key Points: 

• The six sites are namely: 

• Satpura Tiger Reserve 

• The iconic riverfront of the historic city of Varanasi 

• Megalithic site of Hire Benkal 

• Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra 

• Bhedaghat-Lametaghat in Narmada Valley- Jabalpur 

• Temples of Kanchipuram. 

• With this, the total number of sites in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tentative list has increased to 48. 

About World Heritage site 

• A World Heritage site is classified as a natural or man-made area or a structure that is of international importance, and space that requires special protection. 

• These sites are officially recognized by the UN and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, also known as UNESCO. 

• UNESCO believes that the sites classified as World Heritage are important for humanity, and they hold cultural and physical significance.

Citizenship by Investment program 

Recently, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, asked neighboring Dominica to hand over India’s fugitive businessman MehulChoksi to India directly. 

About Citizenship by Investment Programme 

• It is a program allowing individuals to get residence or citizenship of a country in return for making qualifying investments. 

These programs offer: 

• Citizenship by investment in which the person gets a “golden passport” or “cash-for-passports” 

• Residence by investment in which person gets a “golden visa” or 

• Hybrid with immediate residence followed by accelerated citizenship. 

• Applicants of the Program must fulfill multiple qualification criteria. Investment by them can be done in various forms including contribution to government funds, purchase of qualifying real estate, investment in qualifying business, or creation of a specific number of jobs. 

• As of now, five countries in the Caribbean – Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia); Egypt; Cambodia, Malta; Jordan, Montenegro, Vanuatu, and North Macedonia are running the citizenship by investment program.

Background 

Mehul Choksi has been living in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 after taking citizenship in 2017 under the ‘Citizenship by Investment Programme’. He will not be having the same rights in Dominica as he was having in Antigua and Barbuda. 

Vineyard Wind Project 

• The USA has approved the nation's first major offshore wind farm, billing it as the launch of a new domestic energy industry that will help eliminate emissions from the power sector. 

• Vineyard Wind Project is the first major offshore wind farm that is to power 400,000 homes. The project aims to install 84 turbines in the Atlantic Ocean.

• Vineyard Wind final federal approval to install 84 or fewer turbines off Massachusetts as part of an 800-megawatt offshore wind energy facility. 

• The project is expected to create 3,600 area jobs and will power up to 400,000 homes.

Al-Aqsa Mosque

• Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem, leaving a reported 300 people injured. 

• It is one of the holiest structures in the Islamic faith. It sits inside a 35-acre site known by Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, and by Jews as the Temple Mount. 

• The site is part of the Old City of Jerusalem, sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims. 

• It is believed to have been completed early in the eighth century and faces the Dome of the Rock, the golden-domed Islamic shrine that is a widely recognized symbol of Jerusalem. 

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, has classified the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls as a World Heritage Site.

Sputnik Light Single Dose 

Iron Dome of Israel

• In the conflict between Israel and Palestine, both sides have taken to airstrikes and rocket attacks. Rockets fired from Gaza being intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome air defence system.

• The Iron Dome is a mobile all-weather air defence system developed by Israel to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from short distances. 

• The system detects rockets 4 to 70 km away and will engage with interceptors to destroy targets mid-air. 

• Iron Dome operates day and night, under adverse weather conditions, and can respond to multiple threats simultaneously.

Python-5 Air to Air Missile

• Recently, India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas has added the capability of firing Israeli-origin Python-5 air-to-air missiles (AAM) after concluding successful tests.

• Trials were also aimed to validate the enhanced capability of the already integrated Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM on Tejas.

About Python 5:

• It is a Python missile of the fifth century.

• Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, an Israeli arms maker, developed the air-to-air missile.

• The Israeli government started producing missiles under the codename "Shafir." Later, when it began selling missiles, it used a western name such as "Python" or "Derby."

• The Python-5 is now Israel's most capable air-to-air missile in its arsenal.

• It is out of sight for warheads. Beyond Visual Range, missiles are those that can engage at distances greater than 37 kilometers.

Note: Python 5 is an advanced version of Derby. It is also a Beyond Visual Range Missile. An Active Radar Homing Missile is a missile that contains a radar transceiver to find and track the target autonomously.

Varuna 2021

• The 19th edition of the Indian and French Navy bilateral Exercise VARUNA 2021 was conducted in the Arabian Sea.

• The exercise showcased the increased level of coordination, synergy, and interoperability between the friendly navies of India and France.

About Varuna 2021

• This is the first time that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is participating in the Varuna maritime exercise.

• The ‘Varuna’ joint exercise is part of the French carrier strike group’s ‘CLEMENCEAU 21’ deployment, which the French Navy is conducting in the eastern Mediterranean, the Gulf, and the Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea).

• Its goal is to contribute to the stabilization of these strategic zones and strengthen cooperation with the navies of partner countries, particularly India for the Indian Ocean component.

• As part of this deployment, the Carrier Strike Group is also taking part in anti-ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) operations.

India-Kyrgyzstan Military Exercise

The “Khanjar” joint Special Forces Military Exercise was held by India and Kyrgyzstan. The exercise was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's capital.

About the Exercise

• It will concentrate on counter-terrorism training as well as high-altitude and mountain training. Since 2011, India and Kyrgyzstan have held an annual Khanjar exercise.

• India and Kyrgyzstan concluded four deals in 2015. The negotiations aimed to increase defense cooperation. Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian nation. India has been looking for various ways to expand its trade in the area.

• The INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor) and Chabahar ports were planned and developed to fulfill India’s interests in Central Asia. Developing good relations with Kyrgyzstan is thus important for India.

Ayush Clinical Case Repository Portal 

• Recently, the Ministry of Ayush launched its Ayush Clinical Case Repository (ACCR) portal and the third version of Ayush Sanjivani App in a virtual event. 

• The Ministry of Ayush has conceptualized and developed the Ayush Clinical Case Repository(ACCR) Portal. It is a platform to support both Ayush practitioners and the public. 

• The portal aims at aggregating information about clinical outcomes achieved by Ayush practitioners on a large scale. 

• This app will facilitate a significant study and documentation regarding the efficacy of selected Ayush interventions such as Ayush-64 and Kabasura Kudineer medicines in managing asymptomatic and mild to moderate patients of COVID-19. 

SeHAT OPD Portal 

• Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh launched SeHAT OPD portal to provide tele-medicine services to Armed Forces personnel and veterans. 

• The portal provides telemedicine services to the serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and their families. 

• The portal will help reduce the load on hospitals and patients will be able to get contactless consultations in an easy and effective manner.

• The Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), and Centre for Development of Artificial Computing (C-DAC) Mohali are involved in the development of the portal. 

NASA’s New Earth System Observatory 

• NASA will design new, Earth-focused missions to support our growing understanding of climate change and provide important information to those on Earth impacted by its effects.

• With the Earth System Observatory, each satellite will be uniquely designed to complement the others, working in tandem to create a 3D, holistic view of Earth, from bedrock to atmosphere, according to a press release published by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

About Earth System Observatory:

It is a program by the US Space Agency, NASA consisting of a series of artificial satellite missions and scientific instruments in Earth orbit. It is designed for long-term global observations of the biosphere, land surface, atmosphere, and oceans. The satellite component of this program was launched in 1997.

Version 3.0 of MCA21 

• Recently, the government launched the first phase of the latest update to its digital corporate compliance portal, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) 21 Version 3.0.

• It will help in improving the Ease of Doing Business in India. India ranked 63rd out of 190 countries in Ease Doing Business 2020: World Bank Report.

• The MCA21 system is the first Mission Mode e-Governance project of the Government of India.

• The Version will have additional modules for e-Adjudication, e-Consultation and Compliance Management.

Cyclone Yaas 

 India Meteorological Department has informed that Cyclone Yaas, a low-pressure area is formed over North Andaman Sea and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal.

Key Points:

• Cyclone Yaas affected the coastal parts of Odisha and West Bengal.

• The name ‘Yaas’ was suggested by Oman and refers to a tree with good fragrance and in English, the word is similar to Jasmine.

• The next cyclone—after Yaas—is likely to be named Gulab, suggested by Pakistan.

• IMD has issued a warning in the aftermath of a low-pressure area forming over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining the north Andaman Sea. The formation of low areas is the first stage of the formation of cyclones. Thus, IMD also informed, it is not necessary that all low-pressure areas will intensify into cyclonic storms. The cyclone is likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm.

Classification:

• It has been classified as a very severe cyclone.

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classifies cyclones on the basis of the maximum sustained surface wind speed (MSW) they generate.

• The cyclones are classified as severe (MSW of 48-63 knots), very severe (MSW of 64-89 knots), extremely severe (MSW of 90-119 knots) and super cyclonic storm (MSW of 120 knots or more).

Gharial Hatchlings in Odisha                     

Forest Department of Odisha has witnessed an adult Gharial surrounded by 28 hatchlings at Satkosia gorge in Mahanadi river which is considered as the southernmost limit of gharials’ home range in India.

About Gharial:

• Gharial is also known as the gavial or the fish-eating crocodile. It is the longest among all living crocodilians

• Conservation:

§  Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)

§  Schedule I: Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

§  Appendix I: CITES

• Threats: Loss of habitat because of sand mining and conversion to agriculture, depletion of fish resources and detrimental fishing.

• Odisha is the only state in India having all three species of crocodiles (gharial, mugger and saltwater crocodiles).

• Gharial reserves of India: Uttar Pradesh (Ghaghara river), Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

• Today, their major population occurs in three tributaries of the Ganga River: the Chambal and the Girwa Rivers in India and the Rapti-Narayani River in Nepal.

India Biodiversity Awards 2021 

• Shaji N.M. fondly called ‘Tuber Man’ of Kerala has been awarded the India Biodiversity Award 2021 in the category of ‘Conservation of domesticated species’.

• The India Biodiversity Awards was founded in 2012 jointly by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change and UNDP-India.

• Over an area of seven acres, he cultivates 200 varieties of tuber crops, earning the nickname ‘tuber-man’.

Key Points:

• Krishi Avam Paristhitiki Vikas Sansthan (KRAPAVIS) won the award under the category ‘Sustainable Use of Biological Resources.’

• Shaji N.M., who is also called as ‘Tuber Man’ of Kerala has won in the individual category of ‘Conservation of domesticated species.

• Khonoma Nature Conservation & Tragopan Sanctuary (KNCTS) in Nagaland won the award under the ‘Sustainable Use of Biological Resources’ category.

NOTE: The India Biodiversity Awards initiative was started jointly by the ministry of environment, forest & climate change; National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2012.

Mekedatu Dam [Environment & Wildlife]

• Recently, the Karnataka government has decided to challenge before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) its decision to appoint a joint committee.

• The joint committee is supposed to look into allegations of unauthorized construction activity taking place in Mekedatu, where Karnataka had proposed to construct a dam across the Cauvery.

Key Highlights:

• The NGT also directed the joint committee to assess the damage caused to the environment in case of any construction made and determine the compensation payable by the respective authorities who are responsible.

• If the project is to be implemented without conducting any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study and without obtaining necessary clearance, if any required, then it will be an unauthorized act affecting the environment.

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.

About Mekedatu Dam

• The Mekedatu dam is being constructed by the Karnataka government across the Cauvery River.

• The proposal is aimed at providing drinking water facilities to Bengaluru Metropolitan region and its surrounding areas (4.75 TMC) and generate 400 MW of power as an additional benefit.

• The project cost is estimated at Rs 9,000 crore.

Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 4.0 

• Government has increased the scope of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for three more months, overviewing the disruptions caused by the second wave of COVID 19 pandemic. 

• Modifications in ECLGS will enhance the utility and impact of ECLGS by providing additional support to MSMEs. 

• It will safeguard livelihoods and help in the resumption of business activity. It will facilitate the flow of institutional credit at reasonable terms 

Key Highlights 

• 100% guarantee cover to be provided on loans, in hospitals/nursing clinics/medical colleges/homes, up to Rs.2 crore. The loan can be utilized to set up on-site oxygen generation plants. The interest rate on load was capped at 7.5%. 

• Ceiling of Rs. 500 Cr. of loan outstanding for eligibility under ECLGS 3.0 will be removed. 

• Additional ECLGS assistance of up to 10% of outstanding by February 2020 to borrowers who are covered under ECLGS 1.0. 

• Civil Aviation sector will be eligible under ECLGS 3.0 

• Validity of ECLGS extended to 30.09.2021. 

About Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 

• ECLGS was launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package in May 2020. 

• It was launched to overcome the distress caused by the economy due to lockdown. It helped different sectors by providing credit to them. 

• The credit is provided to them for four years besides one year moratorium period on principled repayment.

‘Ricochet Impact’ 

• According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the struggle of emerging-market countries to emerge from a pandemic-induced economic crisis might harm developed countries. According to the report, the crisis is having a "Ricochet effect" on the developed and advanced countries.

• The IMF recommends that industrialized countries do all possible to guarantee better and more fair access to vaccinations, as well as fair recovery.

• Poorer nations are facing the risk of increasing interest rates even though their economies aren’t growing.

NOTE: Ricochet means rebound, bounce, or skip off from the surface, particularly in projectile cases.

Customs Amendment Rules, 2021 

• The Central Government has brought changes in the existing Customs (Imports of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, IGCR 2017 in order to boost trade facilitation. 

• The changes were introduced by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs through the Customs (Imports of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules, 2021. 

Key Highlights: 

• Changes have been introduced by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. 

• One major change is that the imported goods have been permitted to be sent out for job work. Importers can now get the final goods manufactured entirely on a job work basis. 

• The absence of this facility had earlier constrained the industry, especially the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector, which did not have the complete manufacturing capability in-house. 

• However, some sectors such as gold, jewellery, precious stones and metals have been excluded.

• Another major change is to allow those who import capital goods at a concessional Customs duty to clear/re-sell them in the domestic market on payment of duty and interest, at a depreciated value. 

• This was not allowed earlier and manufacturers were stuck with the imported capital goods after having used them as they could not be easily re-exported. 

NOTE: IGCR rules, 2017 are for the importers who can avail the benefit of exemption notification issued under Section 25 of Customs Act, 1962. The act empowers the Union Government of India to grant exemptions from payment of customs duties. 

India’s first Agriculture Export Facilitation Centre 

• Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), in association with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), launched India's first Agriculture Export Facilitation Center (AEFC). 

• The Center would guide the prospective exporters on various relevant aspects of the ‘farm-to-fork chain of agro-exports through its experts. 

• It would organize awareness programs, training programs, and workshops on the related aspects, organize visits to export houses for getting practical guidance, organize buyer-seller meetings, etc. 

• It will provide guidance in areas such as Minimum residue level, orchard management, branding and marketing, country-wise protocols, special export treatments, and government export schemes.

Bashar Al-Assad

• Bashar al-Assad has been re-elected as President for a fourth term in war-ravaged Syria, amid accusations that polls were “neither free nor fair”. 

• Assad got 95.1 percent of votes cast. In the last multi-candidate poll of 2014, he had won 88 percent of the vote. 

• Bashar al-Assad is a Syrian politician, who is the 19th president of Syria since 2000, succeeding his father who served from 1971 to 2000. He also served as commander-in-chief of Syrian Armed Forces and regional secretary of Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in Syria. He started to work as a doctor in Syrian Army. 

• Syria is located in Western Asia. It shares a border with Mediterranean Sea in the west, Turkey in the north, Iraq in the east, Jordan in the south, and Israel & Lebanon in the southwest.

Officer dismissed under Article 311 

Sachin Waze, a police officer who was suspended in connection with the Mukesh Ambani terror scare case, was dismissed from service by Mumbai Police Commissioner under Article 311 (2) (b) without a departmental inquiry. 

World’s First Gamified Sanskrit Learning Application

 The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Gamapp Sportswizz Tech Private Limited have launched the "LITTLE GURU" application. It is a dedicated mobile application for learning Sanskrit.

About “Little Guru”:

• Little Guru is a gamified application. It teaches Sanskrit on an interactive platform. This makes learning easier. The application was launched during ICCR's 71st National Anniversary.

• This is the world's first gamified Sanskrit learning app. It will help people learn Sanskrit easily based on matches, games, peer-to-peer interactions, etc. The app is of great help to Indian ex-pats who want to keep in touch with their roots.

• It will also help increase the number of students, faculty, and staff related to Sanskrit universities around the world.

Significance:

• The application is of great help to the Indian Diaspora wishing to stay connected with their roots.

• It will also help the number of students and faculties associated with Sanskrit Universities located all over the world.

Copyright (Amendment) Rules, 2021

• The Government of India notifies Copyright (Amendment) Rules,2021. The amendment has been made to bring the existing Copyright rules in the country with parity with the other relevant legislation.

Key Highlights:

• In India, the copyright regime is governed by the Copyright Act, 1957 and the Copyright Rules, 2013.

• The Copyright Rules, 2013 were last amended in the year 2016.

• The objective of the amendments is to bring the existing rules in parity with other relevant legislations.

• Publication of a copyrights journal has been incorporated eliminating the requirement of publication in the Official Gazette.

• The journal would be available at the website of the Copyright Office.

• In order to encourage accountability and transparency, new provisions have been introduced to deal with the undistributed royalty amounts and the use of electronic and traceable payment methods while collecting and distributing royalties.

About Copyright:

• Copyright is intellectual property. It gives the owner the exclusive right to make copies of his or her creative work. It can be education, artistic, literary, or music.

• According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, Copyright protects two types of rights. They are Economic rights and moral rights.

ULPIN: Unique Land Parcel Identification Number 

• The Centre plans to issue a 14-digit identification number to every plot of land in the country within a year’s time.

• The Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) scheme has been launched in 10 States in the year 2021 and will be rolled out across the country by March 2022.

Key Points:

• It will subsequently integrate its land records database with revenue court records and bank records, as well as Aadhaar numbers on a voluntary basis.

• The scheme will enhance the service deliveries to the citizens of the country and will also function as inputs to the schemes of the other sectors like Agriculture, Finance, Disaster Management etc.

• The ULPIN is described as “Aadhaar for land”. The number will be used to identify every surveyed parcel of land.

• The ULPIN is a fourteen-digit Alpha Numeric ID.

• The identification number is to be launched based on the latitude and longitude coordinates of the land parcel.

Smart Anganwadis 

• The Government of Kerala has sanctioned ₹9 crore for the conversion of conventional anganwadis into “smart” anganwadis with better amenities.

• The smart anganwadis will be built in order to provide early childhood care in a phased manner.

• These facilities will be established with the aim of making it more child-friendly. This way these facilities will help to nurture mental and physical development of children. 

• Anganwadi scheme is a type of rural child care centre that was started in the year 1975 by the Indian government. This scheme runs under the Integrated Child Development Services program.  It seeks to combat child hunger and malnutrition.

PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Scheme

Context

Recently, the Prime Minister talked about the need to address health issues in a holistic manner and to adopt a four-pronged strategy for a healthy India which includes implementing the PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat scheme.

Four-Pronged Strategy for a Healthy India  

1. Prevention of illness and promotion of wellness including measures such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, yoga and timely care and treatment of pregnant women and children. 

2. Providing cheap and effective treatment to the poorest of the poors. 

3. Increasing the quality of health infrastructure and healthcare professionals. 

4. Working on a mission mode to overcome obstacles like Mission Indradhanush has been extended to the tribal and far-flung areas of the country.

PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Scheme

PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with an outlay of about Rs. 64,180 crores. Duration of the scheme is 6 years.The scheme aims to 

• Improve primary, secondary, and tertiary care health systems.

• Strengthen existing national institutions in the Health sector.

• Create new institutions, to cater to detection and cure of new and emerging diseases.

• Supporting development of 17,788 rural and 11,024 urban health and wellness centers and setting up of integrated public health labs in all districts and 3,382 block public health units in 11 states. 

• Help in establishing critical care hospital blocks in 602 districts and 12 central institutions. Strengthening of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), its 5 regional branches and 20 metropolitan health surveillance units.

• Expansion of the Integrated Health Information Portal to all States/UTs to connect all public health labs.

• Help in rolling out the Covid-19 vaccination program as well as strengthen the delivery system and build better capability and capacity to combat any future pandemics.