UPSC Exam Preparation: PIB Summary and Analysis Feb 05, 2018
Navika Sagar Parikrama
- It is the name of the expedition for circumnavigation the globe on INSV Tarini by Indian Navy’s Women Naval Officers.
- This historic circumnavigation attempt by an all-women crew is being led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi.
- The crew comprises Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.
- The voyage is expected to be finished around March 2018.
South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference
- The objective of the Conference is to enable the Heads of Public Procurement and other key stakeholders in the eight South Asian countries to meet and learn from one another and from experts in the field of public procurement.
- The knowledge thus acquired would help various South Asian Governments to consider enhancements and innovations in their public procurement systems, enabling efficient utilization of public resources, ensuring quality and timeliness in delivery of services.
- The Conference is held under the auspices of the South Asia Region Public Procurement Network (SARPPN), which is sponsored and facilitated by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank.
- The First Conference was held in Kathmandu in 2010.
- This is the 5th conference being held in New Delhi.
- The theme of the Fifth Conference “Public Procurement and Service Delivery”.
Affordable housing
In order to promote affordable housing, the government has made several efforts to create enabling environment and eco-system. Such as:
- Government has granted infrastructure status to affordable housing which will enable these projects to avail the associated benefits such as lower borrowing rates, tax concessions and increased flow of foreign and private capital.
- Profit-linked income tax deduction, relaxations on tax for vacant/unsold units for 1 year, counting of the carpet area instead of the built up area of 30 and 60 sq.m.
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) have also been introduced.
- The Global Housing Construction Technology Challenge (GHCTC) a mega global event has been initiated to attract innovative construction technologies which are adaptable, sustainable, and low cost and can be used for creating Large Scale Affordable Housing at a rapid pace.
- PMAY (U) has a target to provide housing for all by 2022 in urban areas.
Indian Railways adopts General Conditions of Contract for Services
- Indian Railways have introduced new General Conditions or Contracts (GCC) for Services to define the terms & conditions for contractors engaged in service contracts for non-operational areas such as Housekeeping, Facilities Management, Consultancy etc., as distinct from Works.
- The new policy of General Conditions of Contract for Services introduces for the first time the concepts of Digital Labour Management System, stepped Performance Guarantee in place of Security Deposit, access to liquidity as a qualifying criteria and specific provisions violation of which will lead to disqualification of bidders.
National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change
- It was set up in the year 2015-16.
- The overall aim of NAFCC is to support concrete adaptation activities which mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
- The projects related to adaptation in sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forestry, tourism etc. are eligible for funding under NAFCC.
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is the National Implementing Entity (NIE).
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