UPSC 2017-18: PIB Summary and Analysis Aug 21

UPSC 2017-18: PIB Summary and Analysis Aug 21 for IAS Exam Preparation

Frequent disruptions faced by Parliament and State legislatures were a matter 
of concern: Vice President

Highlights of his address

• The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has expressed his concern over the frequent disruptions faced by Parliament and State legislatures and advised lawmakers to debate and decide instead of stalling legislative business.
• The Vice President recalled the advice of former President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee to discuss, debate and decide. He further said that there should not be any scope for the fourth D – Disrupt. He called upon legislators to regularly interact with people and come out with effective laws for spurring the growth of the country.
• He eulogized the contribution of the people from Telangana during the freedom struggle and recalled how they fought against the tyranny of Nizam and the Razaakars. Komaram Bheem, Sammakka- Sarakka and Chakali Ailamma were symbols of the rebellion.
• The Vice President said that Hyderabad biryani and haleem have become world famous. He further said that Hyderabad was the brand for promotion of Telangana and has put the State on the international map.
• Everyone should strive to realize the dream of Mahatma Gandhi to establish ‘Ramrajya’. ‘Swarajya’ should be transformed into ‘Surajya’.

PM reviews progress of Soil Health Cards and PMFBY

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today reviewed the progress of two key schemes related to the agriculture sector – Soil Health Cards; and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
• The Prime Minister was informed that 16 States/UTs have completed the first cycle of Soil Health Cards distribution, and the remaining States are likely to complete the same within weeks.
• Reviewing the progress, the Prime Minister said that appropriate checks should be undertaken for variation, both within a sampling grid, and across different soil testing labs. This would help ensure quality in the reports, he added.
• The Prime Minister also emphasized that soil health cards should be printed in the local dialect of the area, so that the farmers are able to read and understand them easily.
• Encouraging the rapid adoption of latest technology, the Prime Minister said that soil testing should eventually be possible through hand-held devices. He urged officials to explore the possibility of involving start-ups and entrepreneurs in this exercise.
• Officials also said that latest technology including smartphones, remote sensing, satellite data and drones are being used for speedy data collection with regard to crop insurance claims.

“Sankalp Se Sidhi” program being organized across the country to commemorate 
the 75th Anniversary of Quit India Movement

• On this occasion, the Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Ministry has planned to organize the Sankalp Se Sidhi program at 578 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), 29 ICAR institutes/SAUs and 53 ATMAs during 19-30 August 2017.
• The programs comprise of Kisan Film having message of Hon’ble PM to double farmers’ income by year 2022, followed by pledge for Sankalp Se Sidhi, lecture by agriculture experts and address of the chief guest.
• The farmers are also being shown various activities in the KVKs and institutes to acquaint them with the latest technologies. A film on patriotism is also being screened on this occasion to motivate the participants.

National Workshop on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights

• The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), a professional body under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, is organizing a three-day workshop on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).
• Enforcement agencies like police, Customs, as also the prosecution wing, have a major role to play in effective enforcement of IPRs in the country. Creating awareness about IPRs amongst officials of these agencies, while strengthening the enforcement regime, will also assist them in handling cases relating to IPRs in their day to day activities.
• This workshop will help enforcement agencies across the country understand and appreciate the importance of their role in IPR enforcement. It will also act as a platform for the officials to share their experiences, exchange best practices and better inter-agency coordination with respect to enforcement of IPRs.

Festival of India being Organized in Cote D’ivoire, Liberia and Guinea from 
15 August, 2017 – 28 January, 2018

A Festival of India is being organized in Cote d’Ivoire and concurrently accredited countries of Liberia and Guinea from 15 August, 2017 – 28 January, 2018.

The Festival will showcase diverse Indian culture, i.e. classical and folk dances. Following events will be showcased:

1. Bharatnatyam Dance
2. Mohiniattam Dance
3. Folk Dance of Arunachal Pradesh Rinchin Droma
4. Manipuri Dance

India’s Exclusive Rights to Explore Polymetallic Nodules from Central Indian
Ocean Seabed Basin Extended by Five Years

India’s exclusive rights to explore polymetallic nodules from seabed in Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) have been extended by five years.

These rights are over 75000 sq. km of area in international waters allocated by International Seabed Authority for developmental activities for polymetallic nodules.

Estimated resource potential

The estimated polymetallic nodule resource potential is 380 million tonnes, containing 4.7 million tonnes of nickel, 4.29 million tonnes of copper and 0.55 million tonnes of cobalt and 92.59 million tonnes of manganese.

Approving authority – International Seabed Authority (ISA)

This has been approved unanimously in the 23rd session of International Seabed Authority (ISA) concluded on August 18, 2017 at Kingston, Jamaica.

Background

India is the first country to have received the status of a pioneer investor in 1987 and was allocated an exclusive area in Central Indian Ocean Basin by United Nations (UN) for exploration and utilization of nodules.

India is one among the top 8-countries/ contractors and is implementing a long–term programme on exploration and utilization of Polymetallic Nodules through Ministry of Earth Sciences.

This includes survey and exploration, environmental studies, technology development in mining and extractive metallurgy, in which significant contributions have been made.

HRD Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar launches ‘Swasth Bachche, Swasth Bharat’

‘Swasth Bachche, Swasth Bharat’ Programme, an initiative of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan to prepare a physical Health and Fitness Profile Card for more than 12 lakhs of Kendriya Vidyalaya students was launched in Kochi.

Swasth Bachche, Swasth Bharat

• Swasth Bachche, Swasth Bharat programme will provide a comprehensive and inclusive report card for children covering all age groups and children of different abilities.
• Making students, teachers and parents aware about the importance of good health and fitness and encouraging 60 minutes of play each day is an objective of the programme.
• Swasth Bachche, Swasth Bharat programme also intends to imbibe values of Olympics and Paralympics amongst students.
• Bring back the childhood amongst children and make physical activity and recreational games an integral part of learning process, motivating potentially outstanding performers in various games and sports of excellence, using technology for data capture and analytics, and giving access to schools, parents and teachers are also the objectives of the programmes.

Shri Piyush Goyal addresses the 8th World Renewable Energy Technology Congress

• The annual conference is visualized and planned in the backdrop of India’s vision on achieving “Energy Independence and Power for all by 2022”. It focusses on new Green Technologies to ensure clean, reliable and affordable Renewable Energy supplies.
• It provides an opportunity and open forum to exchange information, share experiences and best practices by bringing together experts, investors and other multi stake holders of i.e. Public and Private Sector, Advisory Groups, Governments, NGOs, Non-Profit organizations Environmentalists and Academia.

Largest challenge before humanity today – Global Warming

• The last 10 to 15 years have seen a rapid decline in the quality of the atmosphere due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions globally and it has become probably the largest challenge before humanity today.
• Fortunately, post the Paris agreement, the world as a whole has recognized that climate change is a serious issue and it needs to be addressed globally in a mission mode.

India’s engagements on the global platform to address the challenge

• India is spearheading a number of engagements on the global platform to address the challenge, which include the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Mission Innovation, global engagements on rapid de-carbonization of the energy space, the African Renewable Energy Initiative, the G20 Energy Ministers getting together to see what can be done to look at a better future for the world, inter alia.

3D Concept

• These are – a common shared goal of De-carbonization of the energy space; to look at more Decentralization of energy space; and more and more Digitalization of the energy space.

Union Minister for Statistics & Programme Implementation Inaugurates The 
National Consultation on -Data Generation for Gender Indicators of SDGs

• The minister highlighted the importance of great movements to bring about behavioural changes in the society. 
• Though the nation has succeeded in fighting many social evils and made significant progress in many sectors, much more needs to be done to ensure that the benefits of development reach all corners of the country. 
• The Government is working to ensure that the fruits of development reach all sections of the people, particularly women amongst the disadvantaged sections of the society.
• India’s demographic dividend is unique, as the growth rate of the working population exceeds that of the total population.
• This demographic dividend is expected to continue till 2040s. Productive employment plays a key role in transmitting the benefits of economic growth into poverty reduction.  
• Strategies need to be evolved to address the concerns in the employment market – namely, low level and declining female labour force participation.
• Highlighted some of the important initiatives recently taken by the Government for promoting gender equality and empowerment of women.
• “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”, Stand-up India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana; these initiatives are aimed to safeguard the health of women and children by providing them with a clean cooking fuel – LPG.