Page 9 - NIS English, December 16-31,2022

Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Personality

is proudly looking at the Golden Quadrilateral."
SCHEMES LAUNCHED IN ATAL SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
BIHARI VAJPAYEE'S NAME
The Vajpayee government launched the Sarva Shiksha
The fact that cities, dams, tunnels, Abhiyan in 2001 to provide free primary education to
bridges, and awards have been named children aged 6 to 14. Within four years of the scheme's
after Atal Bihari Vajpayee in all states, inception, school dropouts reduced by 60%. Vajpayee's
including Himachal Pradesh, Madhya efforts were regarded as the most necessary and
successful step toward universal secondary education
Pradesh, and Jharkhand, demonstrates in Indian education history. NITI Aayog made a similar
respect and acceptance for the former recommendation in its three-year agenda, "Report
Prime Minister. India," from 2017-18 to 2019-20. Thus, under PM Modi's
leadership, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, an integrated
Atal Bhujal Yojana: This scheme is mainly being school education scheme, was formalised
implemented with the objective of improving
sustainable groundwater management with TELECOM REVOLUTION
public participation in 8562 Gram Panchayats Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had a
in seven states: Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, dream that India should be AatmaNirbhar in the field of
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, technology. The telecom revolution in India began with
and Uttar Pradesh. the then-Vajpayee government's new telecom policy.
Fulfilling his dream, in October 2022, Prime Minister
Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana: Grants are Narendra Modi launched 5G services in the country. On
given to agencies under this scheme for the this occasion, he said, "New India will not remain just a
operation and maintenance of senior citizen consumer of technology; India will play an active role in
homes under the Integrated Programme for the development and implementation of that technology."
Senior Citizens (IPSrC) With 5G, India has created a new history, and for the
first time, India is setting the global standard in telecom
Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana: This scheme technology.
was launched on July 1, 2018. Under this, there FISCAL DEFICIT REDUCED
is a provision to give cash compensation once
in a lifetime for 90 days in the event of sudden The Fiscal Responsibility Act was passed by the Vajpayee
unemployment for the insured person. government in order to reduce the fiscal deficit. This
encouraged government savings. Continuing in this vein,
Atal Innovation Mission and Atal Tinkering the government led by Prime Minister Modi has projected
Lab: Under the Atal Innovation Mission of NITI a fiscal deficit of 6.4 percent of GDP in 2022-23.
Aayog, Atal Tinkering Labs are being set up SCHEME FOR CONNECTING RIVERS
in schools across the country to develop 10
lakh children as "neo-innovators." So far, over During Vajpayee's tenure, the dream of connecting rivers
10,000 labs have been established. across the country to address issues ranging from
irrigation to floods was realised. The river linking scheme
Atal Pension Yojana: This scheme, which was included a plan to connect 60 rivers, including the Ganges.
launched on May 9, 2015, has a minimum age To realise his dream, the current government allocated Rs
of 18 years and a maximum age of 40 years 44,605 crore for the Ken-Betwa link. Work on other plans
for a person to join. At the age of 60, a pension is underway.
is available. By November 2022, 4.60 crore RESOLUTION OF AYODHYA ISSUE
people have been included in the scheme.
During the years 1999-2004, Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Jyoti Yojana: In this scheme, solar LED attempted to resolve the Ayodhya-Babri dispute. The
lights are installed in rural, semi-urban, and country's Supreme Court ruled in favour of Ramlala
urban areas where there is no adequate supply on November 9, 2019, and construction of the grand
of electricity. Ram temple in Ayodhya is underway, with completion
scheduled for December 2023. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi performed the Bhoomi Pujan.

New India Samachar December 16-31, 2022 7