PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU- 1st to 7th November 2015

ARCHIVES

PIB: 1st- 7th November 2015

GS 2

Government Policies and Schemes

National Tribal Crafts Mela ‘Aadishilp’

Exhibitions-

• To provide tribal artisans an important platform to showcase their talents through their products to Urban India
• Unique and exquisite tribal artefacts of more than 90 tribal artisans, with its 44 sales counter all over the country are being exhibited.

Organised by-

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED)

Purpose-

• Platform for interface with art and craft lovers,
• Know their customers taste and their preferences for adapting their products and creations accordingly

TRIFED’s main objective:

• To improve livelihood to tribal communities by creating sustainable marketing and business opportunities based on their cultural knowledge and traditional skill
• To focus on providing training for skills upgradation

PM launches Gold Related Schemes

Prime Minister launches first ever National Gold Coin minted in India with National Emblem of Ashok Chakra engraved.

Launch: 3 Gold related Schemes:

• Gold Monetisation Schemes (GMS),
• Gold Sovereign Bond Scheme and
• Gold Coin and Bullion

Gold Monetisation Scheme (GHS)

Purpose: To replace existing Gold Deposit Scheme 1999.

Duration:

The deposits under the Gold Deposit Scheme will be allowed to run till maturity unless the depositors prematurely withdraw them.

Participants:

Resident Indians (individuals, HUF, trusts, including mutual funds/exchange traded funds registered under SBI norms) can make deposits under the scheme.

Deposit Limit:

• No maximum limit for deposit under the scheme and the metal will be accepted at the Collection and Purity Testing Centres (CPTC) Certified by Bureau of Indian Standard.
• The maximum deposit of any one time will be raw gold (bars, coins, jewellery excluding stones and other metals) equivalent to 30 grams of gold.

Objective:

• To mobilise gold held by households and institutions of the country
• Facilitate its use for productive purposes
• To reduce country reliance on the import of the gold

Maintained By:

Reserve bank of India will maintain the Gold Deposit Accounts denominated in gold in the name of the designated banks that will in turn hold sub accounts of individual depositors.

Sovereign Gold Bond:

• GOI to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds
• Restricted for sale to resident Indian entities
• Maximum allowable limit: 500 grams per person per year
• Instead of buying gold in physical form investors can park can park their money in bonds which are backed by gold.
• Sovereign Gold Bond has more or equal advantage against the physical Gold
• The bonds will be sold through banks and designated post offices as may be notified.
• The bonds will be available both in demat and paper form

Gold Coin/Bullion Scheme

• Part of Gold Monetisation Programme
• Distributed through designated and recognised MMTC outlets
• It will have the National Emblem of Ashok Chakra engraved on one side and Mahatma Gandhi on the other side
• Will carry counterfeit features and tamper proof packaging that will aid easy replacing

President launches ‘Imprint India’

‘IMPRINT India’:

Pan IIT and IISC joint initiative

Objective:

• To develop a road map for research to solve major engineering and technology challenges in the technology domains relevant to India.
• Identify areas of immediate relevance to society requiring innovation.
• Direct scientific research and ensure higher funding support in identified areas
• Measure outcome of the research effort with reference to impact on the standard of living in the rural/ urban areas

Research Fields:

1. Health care
2. Computer Science and ICT
3. Advantage Material
4. Water Resources and River system
5. Sustainable Urban Design
6. Defence
7. Manufacturing
8. Nano Technology Hardware
9. Environmental Science and Climate change
10. Energy security

Women SafaiKaramchari trained as Commercial Motor Drivers:

• Empowermentof women beneficiaries
• Creation of an environment of safety for women in cities
• Skill development training particularly to ‘safaikarmchairs’ and manual scavengers who, so far have remained engaged only in sanitation related occupation.
• Increase Employment Opportunities for the trained women drivers

International Relations

India holds bilateral talks with Indonesian counterparts

• Committed to increase bilateral trade and mutual investment as well as expand cooperation in defence and counter-terrorism.
• Global and regional issues shared including climate change, maritime security and freedom of seas.
• To expand cooperation in energy sector, including non-conventional energy sector.
• Signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
  • Cooperation in New and Renewable Energy Sector, as important for both India and Indonesia to reduce carbon emission by 35% and 29% respectively by 2030
  • Cultural field

…and thanked Government of Indonesia for organising ‘Sahabat India’– The festival of India in Indonesia’ this year

Finalization of the Draft Structures and Terms of reference of SARICC-TOC

Countries: India + Srilanka + Bhutan + Bangladesh + Nepal + Maldives

Objectives:

• Creation of a regional platform ‘South Asian Regional Intelligence and Coordination Centre’ (SARICC)on the lines of Central Asian regional Information and co-ordination centre (CARICC) or Asia-Pacific Information and Coordination Centre for combating Drug Crimes(APICC)

• Information sharing: To enable all member states to respond to Transnational organised crime (Drugs, Human trafficking and Tax fraud)

Networking the Networks –

• Connect the existing international and regional law enforcement cooperation centres to enable fast inter-regional cooperation
• Use the capacities of these networks to disrupt organised crime and illicit financial flows related to it through the exchange of intelligence and providing platform for coordination of joint operation

• To identify the best practices of the existing international organisation and regional platforms for fast cooperation of financial flows and capacity building

Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Colombia in the field of Tourism

• To expand bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector
• To exchange information and data related to tourism
• To encourage cooperation between tourism stakeholders including Hotels and Tour operators
• To establish an exchange programme for cooperation in Human Resource Development.
• To exchange visits of Tour Operators / Media /Opinion Makers for promotion of two way tourism
• To exchange experiences in the areas of promotion, marketing, destination development and management
• To participate in travel fairs /exhibitions in each other’s country

International Events:

International Film Festival for the persons with Disabilities

• First International Film Festival for persons with disabilities ( IFFPD) will be held in Delhi from 1^st to 3^rd 2015.
• The festival organised to recognise the spirit of persons with disabilities and will showcase cinemas that open our world to their mind space and are sensitive on issue relating to disabilities.
• The film festival will conclude on 3^rd, which is commemorated worldwide every year as International Day of Persons with Disabilities, hence will also honour the contributions of persons with Disabilities.

GS 3

National Policy on Marine Fisheries to be required 

Why-

• Fastest growing food producing sector in the world with annual growth rate of above 7 percent
• India: Second largest producer of fish from aquaculture in the world

Current Scenario:

Species diversification:

Development of technology of breeding and hatchery management of several important species for fresh water aquaculture

Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI):

Employs standardised pen and cage farming for some species which offer vast potential for Inland aquaculture in the country i.e. Pangasius and Indian Major Carp

Commercial farming:

Of high value cold water species like brown trout, exotic rainbow trout and exotic cold water carps has been taken up successfully in some parts of hill station.

The Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA):

Regulating the activities in saline and brackish water systems

Infrastructure – Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc

Indian Railways &UNDP: Organise an International Summit on “Energy Efficient Technology in Railways”

• To explore the latest efficiency and solution and technology
• Reduce energy bills and facilitate sustainable development.

IR: Developed a long-term (2010-2032) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme (EECP) to meet energy efficiency in Rail Sector and technologies for reducing IR’S carbon footprint.

Development of inland shipping Port at Jalore, Rajasthan

Plan:

1. A canal is proposed to be built between Mori creek and Jalore
2. To develop smart cities on this stretch

• Conduct of studies to make Indian Gandhi Canal navigable

Objective:

• To develop inland navigation facilities in Western Rajasthan
• Socio economic development of the region
• Help develop the drought resistant crop and improve the agrarian pattern in the region

State Power Ministers to discuss Power Sector Reforms

Reforms issues related to:

• Power generation,
• Distribution and Transmission,
• Coal production and supply,
• Promotion of renewable energy conservation

Plan:

A two day conference of Power, Renewable Energy and Mines Ministers of States and Union Territories will be held on 6^th and 7^th Nov. at Bolgatty in Kochi, Kerala- to discuss upon:

• Electrification of remaining un-electrified villages in mission mode,
• Expeditious implementation of DeendayalUpadhyayaGrameenJyothiYojana (DDUGJY), Implementation of Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS),
• Strategies for AT&C loss reduction,
• Smart Grid,
• Financial health of discoms,
• Advance transmission planning,
• Right of Way (RoW) issues in transmission projects,
• Green Energy Corridor I& II.

States unanimously decide to adopt mission mode of electrifying villages by March 2017

Objectives:

• To ensure electrification of all the remaining un-electrified villages by 31^st March 2017 in Mission Mode under DeendayalUpadhyayGrameenJyotiYojana (DDUGJY)
• To achieve 24×7 Power for all by 2019 or earliest
• To set targets for replacement for all existing conventional street lights and incandescent bulb with LED by 2019
• To set up solar parks as per stipulated schedule and mandate the installation of solar roof tops on Government buildings.
• To encourage interstate and intrastate transmission of renewable energy through measures like allowing open access, not charging wheeling charges, banking charges etc.
• States rich in wind resource agreed to put in place a mechanism and scheduling of wind power by first January 2016.
• Nine states to replace 10% of existing agricultural water pumps with energy efficient pumps including solar within one year (States include Punjab, Haryana, UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, MP, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana)

Science and Technology and Health Improvements

Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation (Satyam)

Objectives:

• To strengthen research in the areas of Yoga and Meditation
• To harness knowledge obtained in academic institution and other related agencies
• Help to cope with stress and strain associated with fast changing social, economic, associated with professional circumstances.
• Encourage research in 2 major things-
  • Investigation on the effect of yoga and meditation on physical and mental health
  • Investigation on the effect of yoga and meditation on the body, brain and mind in terms of basic processes occurring there in
• Making it a mass-based treatment as it is a beneficial treatment that is relatively safer and more cost effective

Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Chapala’ Over Arabian Sea to move and cross over Yemen Coast

• ‘Chapala’ likely to move further westwards and north-west and cross Yemen and South of Riyan
• A depression in the Central Arabian Sea had turned into Cyclonic Storm.
• It had moved away from the Indian Coast moving west and north westwards and then south-westwards.
• No adverse effect is expected along and off west coast of India because of this climatic condition.

Environment Ministry launches New Website on National Clean Development Mechanism Authority

Launch of a new website –To cover the entire cycle of CDM Projects (Module wise pattern)

Objectives:

• To streamline the working of India’s National CDM Authority
• To promote transparency in operation
• Monitor sustainable development activities, thus saving time

Centre to Establish Control Room in CPCB to Monitor Air Quality

• For daily review of levels of air pollution and monitor air quality in Delhi and NCR
• Develop measures to reduce and eliminate stubble burning:
  • Include viable alternatives to discourage stubble burning,
  • Imposing a ban and
  • Providing subsidies on bail machines.