IASbaba PIB Weekly: Press Information Bureau – 16th July to 21st July , 2017

ARCHIVES

GS-1

200 years of Paika Rebellion of 1817, Odisha

(Topic: The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country)

• India’s first organized armed rebellion against British Raj (1st War of Indian Independence against British Colonialism)
• Paika Bidroha briefly shook the foundations of British rule in the eastern part of India.

Paikas: The peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who rendered military service to the king during times of war while taking up cultivation during times of peace. They unfurled the banner of rebellion against the British under the leadership of Baxi Jagandhu Bidyadhara to throw off the British yoke.

History:

Rulers of Khurda were traditionally the custodians of Jagannath Temple and ruled as the deputy of lord Jagannath on earth. They symbolised the political and cultural freedom of the people of Odisha. The British, having established their sway over Bengal Province and Madras Province to the north and south of Odisha, occupied it in 1803.

The Gajapati King of Odisha Mukunda Deva-ll was a minor then and initial resistance by Jai Rajguru, the custodian of Mukunda Deva-II, was put down brutally and Jai Rajguru was torn apart alive. A few years later, it was the Paikas under Baxi Jagabandhu, the hereditary chief of the militia army of the Gajapati King, who rose in rebellion, taking support of tribals and other sections of society.

Widespread suppression followed, with many killed and imprisoned. Some rebels fought a guerilla war till 1819 but were captured and killed. Baxi Jagabandhu was finally arrested in 1825 and died in captivity in 1829.

GS-2

National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP)

(Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests)

What: Action Plan gives a time bound map, for implementing TFA and for India’s initiatives for trade facilitation and Ease of Doing Business

Objectives: To transform cross border clearance ecosystem through efficient, transparent, risk based, coordinated, digital, seamless and technology driven procedures which are supported by state-of-the-art sea ports, airports and land borders.

• Improvement in ease of doing business by reduction in cargo release time and cost
• Move towards paperless regulatory environment
• Transparent and predictable legal regime
• Improved investment climate through better infrastructure

Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)

(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)

A new sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)

Objectives: To provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas – will provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services (e-rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles) to connect remote villages with key services and amenities including access to markets, education and health for the overall economic development of the area.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)

Launched: 1st May 2016 at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh

Largest no. of connections: UP

Scheme: Changing lives of the women in the country especially of those belonging to the under-privileged section of the society.

Aims to:

• Provide clean cooking fuel to the women belonging to the ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) households across the country
• Provide LPG connections to 5 Crore BPL households by 2019 and is a part of larger program of adding 10 Crore new LPG connections by 2019 to achieve full coverage of connections in Indian households

Benefits:

• Has reduced drudgery
• Reduced the time spent on cooking
• Provides employment for rural youth in the supply chain of cooking gas
• Provides assistance of Rs. 1600/- to the woman beneficiary, comprising security deposit of 14.2 Kg cylinder and domestic pressure regulator; suraksha hose; domestic gas consumer card and installation charges.

United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-02) Commences at Manekshaw Centre

(Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests)

The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) is conducting jointly with the US, the second edition of United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-02) in New Delhi

Aim: 

• To build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN
• To further train the trainers from these countries
• To assist the student officers to further train officers in their respective countries on the nuances of peacekeeping

India’s participation: The course revolves around the concept of training the trainers and is one of the many steps that India has initiated towards active contribution to peace support activities.

Training: Operational and logistical matters, humanitarian issues, thematic topics, Blackboard and table Top exercises and mission briefs

Make in India for Global Health – ‘Sohum’

(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)

Sohum – An indigenously developed innovative Newborn hearing screening device to facilitate the routine screening of newborn babies

• Low cost and unique device which uses brainstem auditory evoked response, the gold standard in auditory testing to check for hearing response in a newborn
• Measures auditory brain waves via three electrodes placed on the baby’s head. When stimulated, they detect electrical responses generated by the brain’s auditory system. If there is no response, the child cannot hear.
• The battery-operated device is non-invasive, which means babies do not need to be sedated, which is the current, and risky, testing in process at present.
• The patented, in-built algorithm filters out ambient noise from the test signal (health clinics can be incredibly crowded and noisy)
• Made this technology available for the resource constrained families of 26 million babied born per year in India
• Train the next generation of medical technology innovators in India

Congenital Hearing loss:

One of the most common birth disorders, is a result of both genetic and non-genetic factors. Factors are mostly associated with resource-poor economies such as India where, unlike advanced healthcare systems, hearing impairment goes undiagnosed. Thus, when it is discovered at 4+ years, it’s too late to reverse the damage and this leads to a host of problems such as impaired communication skills and even possible mental illness; all of which have a deep impact on the child, emotionally and economically life-long.

General Development Assistance by MOHRD

(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)

The University Grants Commission (UGC) under the Scheme “General Development Assistance” provides financial assistance to eligible Central Universities, Deemed Universities, State Universities and colleges.

Objective:

• To set up new infrastructure and strengthen/upgrade existing infrastructural facilities in the institutions
• To encourage innovation and infrastructure development

Initiatives by UGC:

• Universities with Potential for Excellence (UPE)
• Centre with Potential for Excellence in Particular Area (CPEPA)
• Special Assistance Programme (SAP)
• Research Projects
• Basic Science Research
• Inter-University Centres

Initiatives by Government:

• National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
• Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT)
• Uchchatar Avishkar Yojna (UAY)
• Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN)
• Global Research Interactive Network (GRIN)
• SWAYAM

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)

(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)

TKDL:

• A pioneering Indian initiative to prevent exploitation and to protect Indian traditional knowledge from wrongful patents mainly at International Patent Offices.
• It contains Indian traditional medicine knowledge available in public domain and pertains to classical/ traditional books related to Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha in a digitized format and is available in five international languages (English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese).

Importance: India’s rich and time-tested traditional medicinal knowledge which exists in languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Tamil etc. is neither accessible nor comprehensible for patent examiners at the international patent offices.

Did you know: Yoga has since been inscribed in UNESCO’s representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Farmers Welfare Schemes

(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)

Government of India accords high priority for welfare of the farmers and is implementing several farmer’s welfare schemes to revitalize agriculture sector and to improve their economic conditions.

Soil Health Card Scheme: To assist State Governments to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country. Soil Health Cards provide information to farmers on-

• Nutrient status of the soil
• Recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility

Neem Coated Urea (NCU):

• To regulate use of urea
• Enhance availability of nitrogen to the crop
• Reduce cost of fertilizer application
• Slow down the release of fertilizer and make it available to the crop in an effective manner

Expected saving is 10% of urea consumption, thereby resulting in reduced cost of cultivation and improved soil health management.

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY):

• To promote organic farming in the country
• To improve soil health and organic matter content
• Increase net income of the farmer so as to realise premium prices

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Launched with the motto of ‘Har Khet Ko Paani’, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented to –

• Expand cultivated area with assured irrigation
• Reduce wastage of water
• Improve water use efficiency
• Create sources for assured irrigation
• Practice protective irrigation by harnessing rain water at micro level through ‘Jal Sanchay’ and ‘Jal Sinchan’

Micro irrigation is also incentivized through subsidy to ensure ‘Per drop-More crop’. 

National Agriculture Market (e-NAM): The National Agriculture Market scheme (e-NAM) envisages –

• Initiation of e-marketing platform at national level
• Support creation of infrastructure to enable e-marketing in 585 regulated markets across the country
• Ensure better price discovery, more transparency and competition to enable farmers to get improved remuneration for their produce moving towards ‘One Nation One Market’

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS): To provide comprehensive crop insurance coverage from pre-sowing to post harvest losses against non-preventable natural risks.

• These schemes act as only risk mitigation tools available to farmers at extremely low premium rates payable by farmers at 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi Crop and 5% for annual commercial/horticultural crops.
• The balance of actuarial premium is shared by the Central and State Governments on 50 : 50 basis
• The schemes are voluntary for States and available in areas and crops that are notified by the State Governments.
• Compulsory for loanee farmers and voluntary for non-loanee farmers.

Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS): The Government provides interest subvention of 3% on short-term crop loans up to Rs.3.00 lakh.  Presently, loan is available to farmers at an interest rate of 7% per annum, which gets reduced to 4% on prompt repayment.  Further, under Interest Subvention Scheme 2016-17, in order to provide relief to the farmers on occurrence of natural calamities, the interest subvention of 2% shall continue to be available to banks for the first year on the restructured amount.

In order to discourage distress sale by farmers and to encourage them to store their produce in warehouses against negotiable warehouse receipts, the benefit of interest subvention will be available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of upto six months post-harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan.

Defence agreements with Russia

(Topic: India and its neighborhood- relations)

1. Training of Indian armed forces personnel in the military educational establishments of the Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation
2. Cooperation in Aircraft flight safety
3. Cooperation in the field of Helicopter Engineering
4. Supply of S-400 Triumph Air Defence Missile systems to the Republic of India
5. Construction of follow-on-ships of project 11356 in Russia and in India

Improvement of weather forecasting services

(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)

Government has initiated a comprehensive modernization programme for IMD covering

• Up-gradation of observation systems
• Advanced data assimilation tools
• Advanced communication and IT infrastructure
• High performance computing systems
• Intensive/sophisticated training of IMD personnel

National Monsoon Mission initiative: To build state-of-the-art coupled ocean atmospheric models for –

• Improved prediction of monsoon rainfall on extended range to seasonal time scale (11 days to one season)
• Improved prediction of temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events on short to medium range time scale (up to 10 days)

Setting up of the Monsoon Desk: An Indo-US collaboration for working jointly for improving seasonal forecast of Indian monsoon rainfall.

Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS) of IMD: As per the recent National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) report, farming community of the country is using the GKMS service products of India Meteorological Department (IMD) for critical farm operations Viz.

• Management of sowing (Delayed onset of rains)
• Changing crop variety (Delay in rainfall)
• Spraying Pesticides for disease control (occurrence of rainfall)
• Managing Irrigation (Heavy rainfall Forecast)

Mother and Child Protection card

(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)

Aim: For documenting and monitoring service for antenatal, intra natal and post natal care to Pregnant women

Description:

• It includes information on free transport facility to hospital, institutional delivery, preparation in case of home delivery for the pregnant women, new born care, immunization and, stages of child development and growth monitoring of child till 3 year of age.
• Every pregnant woman is to be given the Mother and Child Protection Card at the time of registration of pregnancy in all the public health facilities.

Regulating e-Pharmacy Business

(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)

The Sub-Committee for regulating e-Pharmacy business has inter alia recommended:-

• Creation of a National Portal to act as the nodal platform for transacting and monitoring online sale of drugs.
• Necessity of evolving a mechanism to register e-pharmacies.
• Geographical restrictions for operation of e-pharmacies.
• Existing licensees involved in retail sale of drugs could also register on the National Portal for carrying out online sale of drugs.
• Requirement of registration with CDSCO under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.
• Certain categories of drugs viz. the Narcotic and Psychotropic drugs, tranquilizers, habit forming drugs and Schedule X drugs that are prone to being abused or misused be excluded from sale through e-pharmacies.

GS-3

Automotive Mission plan 2016-26 (AMP 2026)

(Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.)

Objective: Seeks to define the path of evolution of the automotive ecosystem in India including specific regulations and policies that govern research, design, technology, testing, manufacturing, imports/exports, sales, use, repair, and recycling of automotive vehicles, components and services. This includes new technologies like electric vehicles and associated infrastructure and new fuel efficiency regulations as well.

• To propel the Indian Automotive industry to become the engine of the “Make in India” programme.
• To make the Indian Automotive Industry a significant contributor to the “Skill India” programme.
• Promote safe, efficient and comfortable mobility for every person in the country, with an eye on environmental protection and affordability through both public and personal transport options.
• To seek increase net exports of the Indian Automotive industry several fold.
• Promote comprehensive and stable policy dispensation for all regulations impacting the industry.

Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016

(Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.)

With the growth and development of private ports, the major ports are facing severe competition and difficulties in implementing the changes which may help them compete in the evolving market conditions. The regulation of tariff in the major ports by the Central Government is some of the critical factors hindering their growth and development.

To provide greater autonomy, flexibility to the Major Ports and to professionalize their governance, it is proposed to repeal the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 and to replace it with a new legislation, namely the Major Ports Authorities Bill, 2016

• To constitute a Board of Port Authority for each major port in the place of the Board of Trustees.
• To enable the Board of Port Authority to use its property, assets and funds in such manner and for such purposes as it may deem fit for the benefit of the major ports
• To enter into and perform any contract necessary for the performance of its functions under the proposed legislation.
• To make regulations for the purposes of operation, development and planning of the major ports.
• To frame the scales of rates for assets and services available at major ports.
• To claim lien on such goods and to seize and detain the same until such rates and rents are fully paid.
• To empower the Board of Port Authority to raise loans and issue securities for the purposes of the capital expenditure and working capital requirements of such port authority.
• To constitute an Adjudicatory Board for adjudication of disputes among major ports, Public Private Partnership concessionaries and captive users.  This Adjudicatory Board shall consist of a Presiding Officer and such other Members not exceeding two, as may be appointed by the Central Government.
• To make a provision for Corporate Social Responsibility measures within the port limits.
• To provide for regulation, operation and planning of major ports in India and to vest the administration, control and management of such ports upon the Boards of major ports authorities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP)

(Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.)

Implementation with: Technical and investment support of the World Bank

Aim: To strengthen the navigation capacity and promote transportation of cargo and passengers on National Waterway-1, on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System

• Construction of multimodal terminals at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Sahibganj in Jharkhand and Haldia in West Bengal
• New navigational lock at Farakka in West Bengal

India and Netherlands – Cooperation in space technology

(Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life)

Areas of cooperation:

• Space science, technology and applications including remote sensing of the earth
• Satellite communication and satellite based navigation
• Space science and planetary exploration
• Use of spacecraft and space systems and ground system
• Application of space technology

Benefits:

• Will provide impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities in the field of remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication; satellite navigation; space science and exploration of outer space.
• Develop a joint activity in the field of application of space technologies for the benefit of humanity. Thus, all sections and regions of the country will get benefited

Kisan Sampada Yojana (KSY) – Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters

(Topic: Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management)

Coverage: Applicable throughout the country

Food and agro-based processing units and cold chain infrastructure: Classified under agriculture activities for Priority Sector Lending (PSL)

Foreign Direct Investment:

• FDI upto 100%, under the automatic route is allowed in food processing industries
• 100% FDI is now permitted under Government approval route for trading, including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured and/ or produced in India.

Components

• Mega Food Parks
• Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure
• Creation / Expansion of Food Processing& Preservation Capacities
• Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters
• Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages
• Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure
• Human Resources and Institutions

Objectives

• To provide effective and seamless backward and forward integration for processed food industry by plugging the gaps in supply chain in terms of availability of raw material and linkages with the market
• Link farmers to processors and the market thereby ensuring remunerative prices for their produce
• Assist in creating linkages between farmers & FPIs to reduce the wastage of perishable commodities
• Implement the Mega Food Park and Cold Chain Schemes which also aim to reduce post-harvest losses of horticulture and non-horticulture produce and providing remunerative price to farmers for their produce

Agreements/Memorandum of Understating (MoUs) with France and Italy for bilateral co-operation in the field of Food Processing Sector

• To attract investment for infrastructure development of food processing sector
• Developing institutional co-operation
• Participation in food fairs, conferences workshops, etc.

Biotech Kisan Hub:

(Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights)

• Will understand problems of farmers related to water, soil, seed and marketing and provide solutions with validated technologies
• Create strong scientists-farmers interactive platform
• Thematic farmer fellowship as well as fellowships to women farmers (Mahila Kisan Biotech Fellowship) will be awarded.

Cattle Genomics programme:

(Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights)

• To predict breeding values of animal, using DNA level information with performance record, more accurately
• Identify genetic worth of animal (elite animal) at an early age to enhance productivity at farmer’s level in future

Please note:

2017. Nation completes seven decades of Independence on 15th August, 2017.

2017. Quit India Movement turns 75 years on 9th August, 2017.

• Agriculture is a State subject

1. National Bamboo Mission renamed as National Agro-Forestry & Bamboo Mission (NABM)

1. India will be hosting the 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) in 2017, one of the world’s largest conferences on Cyber Space and related issues – Themed on Cyber4All: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace.

9. India is the second largest global producer of footwear after China, accounting for 9.57% of global footwear production of 23.00 billion pairs. India produces 2200 million pairs of different categories of footwear, out of which, 95% is being sold in the domestic market.

• Padho Pardesh – Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for Overseas Studies for the Students belonging to the Minority Communities

• USTTAD – Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development

1. Nai Manzil Scheme – An integrated education and livelihood initiative for minority communities, targeted to deal with school dropouts by imparting formal education and skills.

1. Mahila Coir Yojana (MCY) scheme: It is exclusively for rural women – training is given in spinning of coir yarn/various coir processing activities to rural women in regions producing coir fibre in the country

1. Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP): A major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector.

• Nai – Roshni for Leadership Development of Minority Women: Development of women belonging to notified minority communities namely Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains with an aim to empower and instill confidence in women by providing knowledge, tool and techniques for interacting with Government system and others at all levels.

• Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY): A Pension Scheme announced by the Government of India exclusively for the senior citizens