UPSC PIB Summary Analysis Feb08

UPSC Exam Preparation: 8 Feb 2018 PIB Summary & Analysis 

 Dr Zakir Hussain birth anniversary

• Dr. Zakir Hussain was born on February 8, 1897 in the Dhanadhya Pathan family of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
• In 1920 he contributed in the establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia and became its Vice-Chancellor. Under their leadership Jamia Millia Islamia has been inclined towards nationalist work and independence struggle.
• After attaining independence, he became Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh University and under his chair the ‘University Education Commission’ was also constituted.
• Apart from this, he was also associated with the Indian Press Commission, University Grants Commission, UNESCO, International Education Service and Central Board of Secondary Education.
• In 1962, he became Vice-President of India. He was awarded Bharat Ratna in the year 1963.

Clean Air Campaign

• It is Two-week awareness programme to sensitise Delhiites about pollution and air quality.
• The Centre will launch a joint campaign for two weeks, with Delhi government, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other municipal agencies.
• Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), shopkeeper associations and the civil society would be encouraged to become a part of these teams and participate in the campaign for mitigation of pollution.
• The teams will be provided with checklists so that there is focussed activity on mitigation of pollution, including effective measures for dust mitigation, solid waste management and prevention of garbage burning.

Third Global Procurement Summit

• The two day Summit is being organized by All India Management Association (AIMA), World Bank and the Government of India at New Delhi.
• The theme of the two-day Summit is ‘New Frontiers faced in the Transformation process of Procurement Today’.
• While delivering the Inaugural Address the Minister for State for Finance Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan pointed-out that the Government procurement contributed nearly 20% of the GDP and said that public procurement was an important policy instrument.
• The minister also highlighted the Central Government’s focus on improving procurement, the Minister referred to the Government’s e-marketplace (GeM) initiative.

Cabinet approves Ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for ratification of Minamata Convention on Mercury.
• Minamata Convention is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.
• The text of the Convention was ratified by delegates from 140 countries on January 19, 2013.
• The convention has prohibited a myriad of products containing mercury, and their production and trade will be altogether prohibited by 2020.
• These products include batteries, compact fluorescent lamps, switches and relays, soaps and cosmetics, thermometers, and blood pressure devices.

Cabinet approves Implementation of ‘Prime Minister Research Fellows (PMRF)’

• The Union Cabinet today approved implementation of ‘Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF)’ scheme at a total cost of Rs.1650 crore for a period of seven years beginning 2018-19.
• The scheme has been announced in the Budget Speech 2018-19.
• Under this scheme, the best students who have completed or are in the final year of B. Tech or Integrated M.Tech or M.Sc. in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIITs will be offered direct admission in PhD programme in the IITs/IISc.
• It will offer a fellowship of Rs.70,000/- per month for the first two years, Rs.75,000/- per month for the 3rd year, and Rs.80,000/- per month in the 4th and 5th years.
• Apart from this, a research grant of Rs.2.00 lakh will be provided to each of the Fellows for a period of 5 years to cover their foreign travel expenses for presenting research papers in international conferences and seminars.
  • A maximum of 3000 Fellows would be selected in a three year period, beginning 2018-19.

Cabinet approves proposal for Amendment to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved change in the basis of classifying Micro, Small and Medium enterprises from ‘investment in plant & machinery/equipment’ to ‘annual turnover’.
• At present the MSMED Act (Section 7) classifies the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on the basis of investment in plant and machinery for manufacturing units, and investment in equipment for service enterprises.

Section 7 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006 will accordingly be amended to define units producing goods and rendering services in terms of annual turnover as follows:

• A micro enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover does not exceed five crore rupees;
• A small enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover is more than five crore rupees but does not exceed Rs 75 crore;
• A medium enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover is more than seventy five crore rupees but does not exceed Rs 250 crore.
• Additionally, the Central Government may, by notification, vary turnover limits, which shall not exceed thrice the limits specified in Section 7 of the MSMED Act.
• This will encourage ease of doing business, make the norms of classification growth oriented and align them to the new tax regime revolving around GST.

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