NITI Aayog’s evaluation reports improvements in sex ratio at birth and girls’ secondary school enrolment under the BBBP scheme
Over 1.29 lakh vehicle scrapping facilities are operational nationwide, with more than 4.3 lakh vehicles scrapped so far
Government updates Parliament on solar parks, rooftop solar connections and indigenous bio-bitumen development
Environment clearance details shared for nuclear power plants proposed at Gorakhpur in Haryana
Central think tank NITI Aayog has conducted a third-party evaluation of the schemes of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development for the financial years 2019-20 to 2023-24, Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi told the Rajya Sabha. The study found that the SAMBAL vertical of Mission Shakti, including the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, is highly relevant and effectively addresses key gender challenges through integrated and data-driven services.
The evaluation adopted a pragmatic mixed-methods approach, combining primary and secondary research. According to the latest Health Management Information System (HMIS) report of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) at the national level increased from 918 in 2014-15 to 929 in 2024-25.
As per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) data from the Union Ministry of Education, the gross enrolment ratio of girls at the secondary school level rose from 75.51 per cent in 2014-15 to 80.2 per cent in 2024-25.
As of January 30, 2026, 129 Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities are operational across 21 states and Union Territories under the Vehicle Scrappage Policy, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha. A total of 430,306 vehicles have been scrapped by these facilities up to that date.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), through its constituent laboratories — CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), New Delhi, and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun — has jointly developed an indigenous technology to produce bio-bitumen from agricultural residue, notably rice straw.
Jitendra Singh, minister of state (independent charge) for the Union Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, told Lok Sabha that the process converts crop residue into bio-oil through pyrolysis. The bio-oil is subsequently upgraded through chemical processing and blended or modified to produce a bio-binder suitable for use in bituminous roads. The indigenously developed bio-bitumen has the potential to partially replace conventional petroleum-based bitumen without compromising pavement performance.
Studies and pilot-scale evaluations indicate that bio-bitumen can replace up to 30 per cent of conventional bitumen. Even at a conservative blending level of 15 per cent, adoption across road projects nationwide is estimated to result in foreign exchange savings of approximately Rs 4,000 crore per annum through reduced petro-bitumen imports.
A total of 55 solar parks, with a cumulative capacity of 39,973 MW, have been sanctioned under the scheme for the development of solar parks and ultra mega solar power projects, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power Shripad Yesso Naik told the Lok Sabha. Of the total sanctioned capacity, 16,121 MW has been commissioned within these solar parks, including 8,176 MW commissioned over the last five years.
A comprehensive Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed nuclear power plants at Gorakhpur in Haryana (Gorakhpur Anu Vidyut Pariyojana-GHAVP), including impacts on local water supply, was conducted as part of the environmental clearance process by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Singh told the Lok Sabha.
The EIA was carried out in line with the terms of reference approved by MoEF&CC and undertaken by MECON, a Government of India enterprise accredited for this purpose. The assessment concluded that no adverse impact on the water regime was envisaged due to the project.
A public hearing on the EIA report was held on July 17, 2012. Based on the findings, MoEF&CC granted environmental clearance for GHAVP Units 1 to 4 on December 16, 2013.
Since the launch of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG: MBY) in February 2024, a total of 2,265,521 rooftop solar (RTS) systems have been installed across the country, Naik told the Lok Sabha. This has benefited 2,824,518 households, with Rs 16,061.12 crore disbursed as Central Financial Assistance (CFA) as of January 30, 2026.
Since the launch of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG: MBY) in February 2024, a total of 63,241 rooftop solar systems have been installed in Uttarakhand, including Haridwar district, Naik told the Lok Sabha. These installations have benefited 63,403 households, with Rs 490.84 crore disbursed as Central Financial Assistance as of January 30, 2026.
The energy department of the Uttarakhand governmenyreported that up to October 2025, around 27,295 beneficiaries under the scheme had received zero electricity bills in the state, including Haridwar district, Naik said.