Punjab government makes it mandatory for brick kilns to use paddy straw (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Punjab government made it mandatory for brick kilns that 20 per cent of their fuel be paddy straw.
(HindustanNewsHub)
Key Highlights:
- The brick kiln owners have been given six months to ensure 20 per cent of the fuel is paddy straw pellets.
- Action will be taken against those who do not implement it after 1 May 2023.
- The department of environment, science and technology will provide all technical assistance to the brick kilns in the matter.
Crop residue management:
- The in-situ and ex-situ crop residue management is being done by the state government to help farmers in stubble management and deal with the problem of pollution caused by stubble burning.
- The farmers of Punjab have been provided 1.25 lakh machines on subsidy for in-situ stubble management.
- For ex-situ management, industries are being encouraged to use stubble as fuel.
Way Forward:
- This decision will give a boost to straw management and farmers will benefit financially by selling straw.
G20 ministers launch billion-dollar pandemic fund
(GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
Why in news?
- Recently, the G20 Health and Finance Ministers launched a $1.4-billion fund to tackle the next global pandemic ahead of the bloc’s leaders gathering for a summit in Bali.
Details:
- The 24-nation fund is viewed as one of the early global outcomes of the summit where little progress is expected on the Ukraine crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin not in attendance.
- World Health Organization said $31 billion was required to tackle the next global pandemic.
Major donors:
- The United States has contributed $450 million to the fund, nearly a third of the total.
- The fund’s major donors include the United States, Britain, India, China, France, Canada, Australia and Japan.
(24NewsHD)
About G20 Summit:
- The G20 was formed in 1999 in the backdrop of the financial crisis of the late 1990s that hit East Asia and Southeast Asia in particular.
- The first G20 Summit took place in 2008 in Washington DC, US.
- The 17th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will take place in November 2022 in Bali.
- India will inherit the G20 Presidency for the year 2023. India will assume G20 Presidency from 1st December, 2022.
