On December 6 2024, the Union Cabinet chaired by Narendra Modi, Prime Minister (PM) of India has approved:
i.The 26.463 kilometer (km) long Rithala-Narela-Nathupur (Kundli) corridor of the Delhi Metro’s Phase-IV project.
ii.Establishment of 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) in the uncovered districts of the country under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme, a Central Sector Scheme (CSS).
iii.Setting up of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under the civil/defence sector across the country and expansion of existing KV Shivamogga located at Shivamogga district in Karnataka .
iv.Release of Rs 944.80 crore to the state government of Tamil Nadu (TN) as share of central government from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to help the people affected by cyclone “Fengal”
Cabinet Approved Rithala-Kundli Corridor of Delhi Metro Phase IV Project
The Union Cabinet has approved the 26.463 kilometer (km) long Rithala-Narela-Nathupur (Kundli) corridor of the Delhi Metro’s Phase-IV project, to improve connectivity between the national capital, Delhi and its neighbouring state, Haryana.
- The estimated cost of the entire project is Rs 6,230 crore and is expected to be completed in 4 years from the date of its approval.
- The project will be implemented by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC), the existing 50:50 Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the Government of India (GoI) and Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).
Note: This proposed corridor will mark the Delhi Metro’s 4th extension into Haryana. Currently, the Delhi Metro operates up to Gurugram, Ballabhgarh, and Bahadurgarh in Haryana.
About Rithala-Kundli Corridor:
i.It will be an extension of the presently operational Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda)-Rithala (Red Line) corridor and will promote connectivity in the north western parts of Delhi in areas like: Narela, Bawana, parts of Rohini, among others.
ii.On completion, the proposed corridor will also connect Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh (UP) with Nathupur in Haryana via Delhi, which will significantly boost connectivity in the entire National Capital Region (NCR).
- This new project will expand the reach of Delhi Metro network in the nearby areas of NCR further boosting the economy.
- The extension of the Red Line will help to mitigate traffic congestion on the roads, which will further help to reduce pollution from motor vehicles.
iii.The 26.4 km-long stretch will include a total of 21 stations, including:
- Rithal, Rohini Sector 25 , Rohini Sector 26, Rohini Sector 31, Rohini Sector 32, Rohini Sector 36, Barwala, Rohini Sector 35, Rohini Sector 34, Bawana Industrial Area-1 Sector 3,4, Bawana Industrial Area-1 Sector 1,2, Bawana JJ Colony, Sanoth, New Sanoth, Depot Station, Bhorgarh village, Anaj Mandi Narela, Narela DDA Sports Complex, Narela, Narela Sector 5, Kundli and Nathpur.
Note: Delhi Metro has the largest Metro network in India and is also one of the largest Metros in the world.
CCEA Approved Establishment of 28 New Navodaya Vidyalayas in Uncovered Districts of the Country
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) in the uncovered districts of the country under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme, a Central Sector Scheme (CSS).
- The total estimated cost required for the setting up of these NVs is Rs 2,359.82 crore spread over a period of 5 years from 2024-25 to 2028-29. This includes capital expenditure component (Rs 1944.19 crore) and operational expenditure (Rs 415.63 crore).
- As per the cabinet approval, these proposed NVs will be established in several districts of 7 states: Arunachal Pradesh, AR(8), Assam (6), Manipur (3), Karnataka (1), Maharashtra (1), West Bengal, WB(2) and Telangana (7).
Significance:
i.It is estimated that for each NV school, designed to accommodate 560 students, will require 47 staff members, which will further result in direct employment for 1,316 individuals across the 28 NVs.
ii.These NVs will create opportunities to the local vendors for supply of essential commodities such as food, consumables, furniture, teaching material, among others as well as for local service providers such as barber, tailor, and cobbler, among others.
About Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs):
i.These are fully residential, co-educational schools which provide good quality modern education from Class VI to XII to the talented children, mostly from the rural areas of the country irrespective of their family’s socio-economic condition.
- Students are admitted to NVs through a selection test, with nearly 49, 640 students are admitted in NVs to Class VI annually
ii.At present, total 661 NVs are sanctioned across the country including 2nd NVs in 20 districts having large percentage of Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST) population and 3 special NVs, out of these sanctioned NVs, 653 NVs are operational.
iii.NVs are in line with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), most of them are now designated as Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) schools, serving as exemplary institutions for implementing NEP 2020.
- These schools have witnessed an increase in enrollment of girls (42%), as well as SC (24%), ST (20%), and Other Backward Class, OBC(39%) students, thus reflecting that quality education is accessible to all.
CCEA Approved Setting up of 85 New KVs under Civil/Defence sector Across the Country and Expansion of Existing KV Shivamogga
The CCEA has approved the setting up of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under the civil/defence sector across the country and expansion of existing KV Shivamogga located at Shivamogga district in Karnataka to provide increased number of central government employees by adding two new sections in all the classes under Kendriya Vidyalaya Scheme, CSS.
- The total estimated cost required for the setting up of these new KVs and expansion of 1 existing nearby KV is nearly Rs 5872.08 crore spread over a period of 8 years from 2025-26. This includes capital expenditure component (Rs 2862.71 crore) and operational expenditure (Rs 3009.37 crore).
Key Points:
i.Among the States/ Union Territories (UTs), Jammu & Kashmir, J&K will have the highest number of new KVs with 13, followed by Madhya Pradesh, MP(11); and Rajasthan (9).
ii.It is estimated that each KV, designed to accommodate 960 students, will generate direct permanent employment for 5,388 individuals across the newly approved KVs.
Background:
The scheme of Kendriya Vidyalayas was approved by the Government of India (GoI) in November 1962, to provide educational facilities of uniform standard across the country for the children of transferable central government/ defence employees.
- So, GoI established ‘Central Schools Organisation’ as a unit of the Ministry of Education (MoE).
- Originally, 20 Regimental Schools in defence stations were taken over as central schools during the academic year 1963-64.
Note: As of November 2024, there are 1256 functional KVs, including 03 abroad viz. Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran and a total number of 13.56 lakh (approx.) students are studying in these KVs.
MHA Approved Release of Rs 944.80 Crore to Tamil Nadu SDRF for Cyclone Fengal Relief Efforts
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the release of Rs 944.80 crore to the state government of Tamil Nadu (TN) as share of central government from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to help the people affected by cyclone “Fengal” on 30th November 2024.
- Apart from financial assistance, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (ICMT) has been sent to the state of TN and the Union Territory (UT) of Puducherry for an on-the-spot assessment of the damages caused by cyclone Fengal.
- Following assessment report of IMCTs are received, additional financial support will be approved to the disaster affected State/ UT, as per the established procedure.
Key Facts:
i.The centre government has already released over Rs 21,718.716 crore to 28 states affected by floods and cyclones during 2024.
- This includes 14,878.32 crore was released from SDRF to 26 states. Rs 4,808.32 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to 18 states, Rs 1,385.45 crore from State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 11 states and Rs 646.546 crore from National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to 7 states.
ii.It has also provided all logistic assistance, including deployment of requisite NDRF teams, Army teams and Air Force support to all affected states/UTs.
About Cyclone Fengal:
i.Cyclone Fengal, was the 3rd cyclonic storm and 2nd severe cyclonic storm of 2024 in the North Indian Ocean.
ii.The name of the cyclones in the North Indian Ocean are named by member nations of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
iii.Saudi Arabia proposed the name ‘Fengal’ and is a word rooted in Arabic, representing a combination of linguistic tradition and cultural identity.
