Today in History (November 08th, 1927)
Advani was born in Karachi, Pakistan on November 8, 1927. He was a founding member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as India’s deputy prime minister from 2002–2004.
Summary of Today’s News
Union Cabinet Approves PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme
Context
The Union Cabinet has approved the PM Vidyalaxmi scheme, which aims to provide financial support to meritorious students pursuing higher education. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recommended expanding financial assistance to deserving students in both public and private institutions.
PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme
• This is a Central Sector Scheme designed to help students obtain education loans for admission into top 860 quality higher educational institutions (QHEIs) across the country.
• Key Benefits:
- For loans up to ₹7.5 lakh, students will get a 75% credit guarantee, making it easier for banks to offer loans.
- Students with a family income of up to ₹8 lakh per year will receive a 3% interest subsidy on loans up to ₹10 lakh.
- The scheme applies to all QHEIs listed in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), covering both government and private institutions.
- It will work alongside the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Scheme.
About the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Scheme
• The PM-USP scheme provides scholarships to meritorious students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to help them cover higher education costs.
• The scheme gives priority to students from marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), promoting greater equity in higher education.
• This initiative aims to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent talented students from accessing quality education.
Agrivoltaic Farming
Context
• The Seventh Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in New Delhi highlighted the practical implementation of agrivoltaic farming.
About Agrivoltaic Farming
• Also known as agrisolar or dual-use solar farming, it involves growing crops beneath solar panels.
• The solar panels are placed 2-3 meters above the ground, at a 30-degree angle, and can be adjusted or suspended to allow crops to grow underneath.
• This system ensures adequate sunlight, shade, and rainwater for crops while also providing space for farm machinery.
• Certain crops may even thrive better when grown in this environment.
Benefits
• Increases land efficiency by using the same space for both agriculture and solar energy generation.
• Enhances crop yield by providing partial shade, which helps in temperature regulation and water conservation.
• Generates additional income through solar energy production, creating a dual revenue stream.
Maha Kumbh Mela
The Mahakumbh Mela is scheduled to take place in the holy city of Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26.
About Maha Kumbh Mela:
• It is a sacred pilgrimage that is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years.
• Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest peaceful gathering, draws millions of pilgrims who bathe in sacred rivers seeking to purify themselves from sins and attain spiritual liberation.
• This sacred event rotates between four locations in India-
- Haridwar=Ganga
- Ujjain=Kshipra/Shipra
- Nashik=Godawari
- Prayagraj- the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the Sarasvati in Prayagraj.
Historical background
• The roots of the Kumbh Mela stretch back thousands of years, finding early references during the Maurya and Gupta periods (4th century BCE to 6th century CE).
• British administrators observed and documented the festival, intrigued by its massive scale and the diverse congregations it drew.
• Figures such as British colonial administrator James Prinsep chronicled the Kumbh Mela in the 19th century, detailing its ritualistic practices, the vast congregations, and the socio-religious dynamics at play.
• Post-independence, the Maha Kumbh Mela gained even greater significance, symbolizing national unity and India’s rich cultural heritage. Recognized by UNESCO in 2017 as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the Kumbh Mela stands as a testament to the survival and evolution of ancient traditions in an era of modernization.
