Daily PIB 7th September 2023

Malaviya Mission: It aims to provide tailored training programmes for teachers. This programme will work for the capacity building of faculty members in higher educational institutions (HEI).It will ensure continuous professional development and help in building capacities of 15 lakh teachers of HEIs through 111 Malaviya Mission centres across India in a time-bound manner. It aims to improve the quality of teachers’ training, build leadership skills in teachers and help realise the goals of NEP. The capacity building under the Mission will be mapped to the credit framework to ensure career progression pathways for educators. The Indian Knowledge System has been included in the modules of the Programme. Human Resource Development Centres to be revamped and known as Madan Mohan Malaviya Teachers Training Centres. 

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Scheme: The approved scheme envisages the development of 4,000 MWh of BESS projects by 2030-31.Financial support of up to 40% of the capital cost as budgetary support in the form of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) is provided by the union government. The VGF shall be disbursed in five tranches linked with the various stages of implementation of BESS projects. By offering VGF support, the scheme targets achieving a Levelized Cost of Storage (LCoS) ranging from Rs. 5.50-6.60 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), making stored renewable energy a viable option for managing peak power demand across the country. This will not only enhance the integration of renewable energy into the electricity grid but also minimise wastage while optimising the utilisation of transmission networks. This will reduce the need for costly infrastructure upgrades. 

The competitive bidding process approach will foster healthy competition and encourage the growth of a robust ecosystem for BESS, attracting significant investments and generating opportunities for associated industries. This scheme is designed to harness the potential of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power; the scheme aims to provide clean, reliable, and affordable electricity to the citizens. 

 Zero Draft Plastic Pollution Treaty: The second meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) concluded with the member states mandating the INC secretariat to develop a zero draft to end plastic pollution including in the marine environment. It is an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution including in the marine environment. The zero draft has 10 placeholders to discuss issues like the preamble, definitions, principles and scope, in addition to the institutional arrangements and the final provisions. Member states such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China at INC-2 stressed the importance of defining the scope of the legally binding instrument. India had agreed with this proposal. 

Dementia: It is a syndrome that can be caused by a number of diseases which, over time, destroy nerve cells and damage the brain. It will typically lead to deterioration in cognitive function. Symptoms include Changes in mood and behavior sometimes happen even before memory problems occur, Forgetting things or recent events, Losing or misplacing things, Getting lost when walking or driving, Being confused, even in familiar places, Losing track of time. There is no cure for dementia. Currently, more than 55 million people have dementia worldwide, over 60% of whom live in low-and middle-income countries. Every year, there are nearly 10 million new cases. WHO recognises dementia as a public health priority. The World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025.