Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)

The Prime Minister of Maharashtra recently dedicated the first of eight AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) projects.

Context:

• More than 90,000 homes under PMAY-Urban in Maharashtra and 15,000 homes under Raynagar Housing Society in Solapur were constructed with Shri Modi’s dedication to the country; among the beneficiaries are thousands of handloom workers, vendors, power loom workers, rag pickers, Bidi laborers, and chauffeurs. During the session, he also started the distribution of the first and second installments to 10,000 PM-SVANIDHI beneficiaries in Maharashtra.

About AMRUT:-

• June 2015 saw the launch.
• Ministry: Urban Affairs and Housing Ministry.

Objectives: –

• Make certain that every home has a tap, a sewage connection, and a reliable supply of water.
• Adding greenery and well-kept open areas to cities can raise their amenity value (e.g. parks).
• Use public transportation or build infrastructure for non-motorized transportation to cut down on pollution (e.g. walking and cycling). The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has established indicators and standards in the form of Service Level Benchmarks (SLBs) for all of these outcomes, which are highly valued by the public, especially women.

Salient Features:-

• The first targeted national water mission, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), was established to provide tap and sewer connections to residents of 500 cities, therefore improving their quality of life.
• The scheme is sponsored centrally.
• Project funds have been set aside under AMRUT throughout the duration of the Mission.

Ayush Diksha

It was recently announced that the foundation stone laying ceremony for “Ayush Diksha” will take place on January 20, 2024.

Context:

• The Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), located in Bharatpur, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, will host the ceremony.

About Ayush Diksha:-

• Ministry: Ayush Ministry.
• Ayush Diksha is the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences’ Human Resource Development Center, part of the Government of India.
• With a Rs. 30 crore allocated budget, the Ayush Diksha initiative would promote cutting-edge services.
• Two auditoriums that can accommodate thirty to forty trainees apiece, forty air-conditioned rooms with associated toilets for apprentice housing, and VIP and VIP suites are also part of the building.
• Included are enough parking spaces, a modular pantry, an eating area, a natural library, and discussion rooms, among other essential amenities.
• All national stakeholders in Ayurveda, in particular, and Ayush in general will receive teaching training from the Institute. (The Wellness and Health Centers of AYUSH)
• In addition to attaining self-sufficiency, it will support capacity building with other national organizations, bolster Ayurvedic human resources, facilitate research and development, uphold high standards, and generate income.

Mahayogi Vemana

On the occasion of Vemana Jayanti, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, recently paid Mahayogi Vemana homage.

Context:

• “Today, on Vemana Jayanti, we recall the timeless wisdom of Mahayogi Vemana,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter. He continues to enlighten and inspire us with his profound lessons and words, pointing the way toward a life of simplicity, honesty, and inner serenity. His enlightening writings have a global impact, and his lessons illuminate our way as we seek to improve the earth.

About Mahayogi Vemana:-

• There in Andhra Pradesh, he was a saint.
• In the Andhra Pradesh district of Kadapa, in Gandikota, Vemana was born.
• He was a Telugu-speaking Indian poet and philosopher.
• He was a poet, social reformer, and achala yogi.
• His poems are renowned for their use of regional idioms and straightforward language.
• They talk about the topics of morality, knowledge, and yoga.
• His poetry have a variety of themes, including spiritual, satirical, moral, and social.
• In Ataveladi (dancing lady) meter, the most of them are.

Lanjia Saura Painting

Lanjia Saura Painting was recently assigned a GI tag.

About Lanjia Saura Painting:-

• One of the first examples of tribal art, the artwork is also known as
• The artworks are renowned for their symbolism, ritualistic associations, beauty, and aesthetics.
• The Lanjia Saura community, a PVTG that primarily resides in the Rayagada district, is the owner of the art form.(Saharan tribe) These paintings are done as outside murals on the mud walls of dwellings.
• The background is crimson-maroon with figures painted in white.
• The Lanjia Sauras are said to paint Idital artworks on their walls as a way of giving thanks to their gods and ancestors as well as for the welfare of their community.
• They depict themes such as tribal people, trees, animals, birds, the Sun, and the Moon, and they reflect the love and affection of the prehistoric tribes for the natural world.

Senna spectabilis

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Senna spectabilis invasive growth has been removed from 356.50 hectares by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department.

Context:

• This presented a risk to the preservation of biodiversity in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR).

About Senna spectabilis:-

• It is also referred to as Cassia multijuga, Cassia excelsa, and Cassia fastigiata.
• Other names for it include “cassia” and “golden wonder tree.”
• It is indigenous to America’s tropical regions.
• Habitat: Deep, well-drained, rich soils are preferred by this drier forest found in northeastern Brazil, which is typically found in open formations.
• The tree is deciduous.
• After flowering, it quickly reaches a height of 15 to 20 meters and spreads thousands of seeds.
• The tree is very beautiful during the blossoming season when it produces bright clusters of yellow flowers.
• It was brought to the nation as firewood and coffee shade trees, but its dense foliage quickly threatened local tree species by stifling the growth of other natural grass and tree species.

AMRIT UDYAN

ART AND CULTURE

The Amrit Udyan will be accessible to the general public from February 2 through March 31.

Context:

• Six days a week, people are able to visit the Udyan; Mondays are maintenance days.

About AMRIT UDYAN:-

• To match the concept of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan were renamed “Amrit Udyan.”
• The Amrit Udyan will be the aggregate name for the collection of roughly fifteen gardens.

Historical Background:-

• The British chose Delhi as the new Indian capital in 1911, replacing Calcutta.
• The Viceroy’s House was to be built on roughly 4,000 acres of land, and Sir Edwin Lutyens was tasked with designing the structure on Raisina Hill.
• Although the original design called for a garden that would appeal to traditional British sensibilities, the then Viceroy’s wife, Lady Hardinge, pushed for a garden designed in the Mughal style.

Characteristic features:-

• The Mughal grounds of Jammu & Kashmir, the grounds surrounding the Taj Mahal, and miniature paintings from India and Persia serve as inspiration for the Mughal Gardens (now defunct).
• There is a “charbagh style” about them. Babur stated in Babur Nama that this type of garden was his favorite.
• The goal of the char bagh construction was to depict jannat, an earthly utopia where people live in perfect harmony with all aspects of the natural world.
• These gardens, which are divided into four equal portions and have rectilinear layouts, are found throughout areas that were formerly governed by the Mughals.
• This architectural style is used in several places, including the Nishat Bagh in Srinagar and the gardens surrounding Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi.
• The use of streams, frequently to divide the garden’s many quadrants, is a characteristic that sets these gardens apart.

Significance:-

• These were essential to preserving the garden’s vegetation, but they also contributed much to its visual appeal.
• Fountains were frequently constructed as “cycle of life” symbols.