Ease of Living Index

Why in news?

• Mangaluru city has ranked 41st in the country and top in the State in the Ease of Living Index 2018 released by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in Delhi.

State performance

• Among the seven cities assessed in the State, Belagavi stood second, with the 52nd rank in the country.
• The national ranking of the other six cities are Hubballi-Dharwad (57), Bengaluru (58), Shivamogga (67), Tumakuru (70) and Davangere (83). The index launched in January 2018 assessed 111 cities in the country.

National performance

• Three cities of Maharashtra – Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai – are the most livable places in the country, according to the ranking of 111 cities on the Ease of Living Index.
• While four cities of Maharashtra made it to the top 10 list (Thane is placed at 6th spot), national capital New Delhi was ranked a lowly 65 on the index.
• Among the Union Territories, Chandigarh was the only city that made it to the top 10 list and was placed 5th.
• Two cities of Andhra Pradesh – Tirupati and Vijayawada – were ranked 4th and 9th respectively.
• Kolkata did not participate in the survey. The three cities at the bottom of the rankings are Rampur, Kohima and Patna.

Why we need this index?

The Ease of Living Index is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to help cities assess their liveability vis-a-vis global and national benchmarks and encourage cities to move towards an ‘outcome-based’ approach to urban planning and management.

On which factor cities were ranked ?

Institutions and governance, social infrastructure (education/health), economic factors and physical infrastructure.

Benefits

• Ease of Living Index will provide citizens with useful and practical information about how their city performs on the various parameters included in the index.
• The factors are municipal finances, education, health, transportation, crime prevention, water supply, housing, among others. Having access to this information will enable citizens to understand how liveable their city is and also, will allow them to compare its performance vis-à-vis other cities in the same region.
• This could help provide the basis for constructive dialogue between citizens and decision-makers on areas demanding greater attention.
• The Ease of Living assessment standards are linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and will provide a strong impetus to India’s effort for systematic tracking progress of SDGs in the urban areas.

Hologram-based coloured stickers

Why in news?

The Supreme Court agreed to a proposal of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to have hologram-based coloured stickers on vehicles to indicate the nature of the fuel used in them.

Background

• The MoRTH told a Bench led by Justice Madan B. Lokur that hologram-based sticker of light blue colour will be used for petrol and CNG-run vehicles while similar sticker of orange colour would be placed on diesel vehicles.
• The date of registration of the vehicle would also be printed on these stickers, the Ministry told the court.
• The Bench, also comprising Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta, asked the Ministry to implement the use of coloured stickers on vehicles plying in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) by September 30.
• The Supreme Court also asked Additional Solicitor General A.N.S. Nadkarni, who was representing the MoRTH, to consider having green number plates for electric and hybrid vehicles. Nadkarni told the Bench that the Ministry would look into it and take a decision soon.

Women SWAT team

 Why in news?

Delhi will be the first police force in the country to have an all-women SWAT team.

About SWAT team

• Trained by specialists from India and abroad, 36 women constables from north eastern states have been inducted into the squad after rigorous, 15-month training.
• The maximum numbers of members (13) are from Assam and five each from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Manipur.
• The women are trained to handle challenges unique to the capital—like climbing multi-storey buildings or carrying out hostage rescue operations at hotels, buses or metro.
• The formation of this team is being considered a big achievement as most western countries do not have all-women SWAT teams due to the kind of training required to become one.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

 Why in news?

Dr. Najma A. Heptulla, Hon’ble Governor of Manipur will be inaugurating the project “Development of North East Circuit: Imphal & Khongjom” implemented under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

About swadesh darshan scheme

• Swadesh Darshan scheme is one of the flagship scheme of Ministry of tourism for development of thematic circuits in the country in a planned and prioritised manner.
• The project covers two sites i.e. Kangla Fort and Khongjom.
• Kangla Fort is one of the most important historic and archaeological site of Manipur located in the heart of the Imphal city.
• It served as the seat of Manipur’s power till 1891. Kangla has a special place in the hearts and minds of the people of Manipur. The old Govindajee Temple, outer and inner moat and other relics are perfect reflections of the rich art and architectural heritage of Manipur.