28 January 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

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January 28th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Bhuvan Panchayat V 3.0
2. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
3. Ramsar Sites in India
4. Government puts in place measures to protect commercial decision making by Banks
5. Jal Jeevan Mission

1. Bhuvan Panchayat V 3.0

Context:

The Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space launched the Bhuvan Panchayat V 3.0 web portal in Bengaluru.

About the Bhuvan Panchayat:

• For better planning and monitoring of government projects, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the Bhuvan Panchayat web portal’s version 3.0.
• For the first time, a thematic database on a 1:1000 scale for the entire country is available with integrated high resolution satellite data for planning.
• ISRO will collaborate with the gram panchayat members and stakeholders to understand their data requirements.
• The third version of the portal will provide database visualisation and services for the benefit of panchayat members, among others.
• The project is meant to provide geo-spatial services to aid gram panchayat development planning process of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• Taking advantage of information and communication technology, the Bhuvan Panchayat web portal was launched for visualisation, planning and monitoring of schemes at panchayat levels.
• The new portal has a higher resolution and about 47 parameters in total.
• About Bhuvan:
  • The Bhuvan portal provides geospatial services.
  • It disseminates tile-wise one-time satellite data of IRS sensors, and satellite-derived products pertaining to various themes and domains.
  • Its services are used for getting information about natural resources, agriculture, forestry and environment, rural development, water resources, urban infrastructure, ocean sciences and atmosphere, and providing disaster management support.
  • It is run by the National Remote Sensing Centre of the ISRO.

2. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

About SAARC:

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an intergovernmental organization for the development of economic and regional integration. To know more on SAARC member-states and mandate, click here.

Context:

The Defence Minister calls upon SAARC nations to be united in defeating the menace of cross-border terrorism.

3. Ramsar Sites in India

Context:

10 more wetlands from India get the Ramsar site tag.

Details:

• The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971, is one of the oldest inter-governmental accords signed by member countries to preserve the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance.
• In a major recognition towards the Government of India’s effort towards conservation, restoration and rejuvenation of its wetlands, Ramsar has declared 10 more wetland sites from India as sites of international importance.
• The newly-declared Ramsar wetland sites are:
  1. Nandur Madhameshwar (first Ramsar site in Maharashtra)
  2. Keshopur-Miani (Punjab)
  3. Beas Conservation Reserve (Punjab)
  4. Nangal (Punjab)
  5. Nawabganj (UP)
  6. Parvati Agra (UP)
  7. Saman (UP)
  8. Samaspur (UP)
  9. Sandi (UP)
  10. Sarsai Nawar (UP)
• Punjab already had 3 sites whereas UP had 1, to which these new sites are added.
• India now has 37 Ramsar sites and the surface area covered by these sites is now 1,067,939 hectares.
• Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services such as food, water, fibre, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion control and climate regulation. They are, in fact, are a major source of water and our main supply of fresh water comes from an array of wetlands that help soak rainfall and recharge groundwater.

For more on Ramsar sites in India, click here.

4. Government puts in place measures to protect commercial decision making by Banks

Context:

The government has taken measures to assure banks that genuine commercial failings would be distinguished from culpability to protect honest commercial decisions taken by them.

Details:

• Section 17A was incorporated in the Prevention of Corruption Act requiring prior permission before initiating an investigation against a public servant.
• The Central Vigilance Commission has, considering the complexities involved in the commercial decisions of managers in public sector also set up the Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds (ABBFF) for a mandatory first-level examination on suspected frauds in excess of Rs.50 crore involving public servants equivalent in rank to GMs & above before enquiry or investigations begin.
  • Compulsory examination of fraud for all NPA accounts exceeding Rs. 50 crore has been aligned with the CVC circular of Jan 2020 whereby all such cases of suspicious fraud are to be initially referred to the ABBFF.
• The government has now modified its 2015 framework on large value frauds doing away with the personal responsibility of the MD & CEOs of PSBs for compliance with various prescribed timelines.
• Committee of Senior Officers to monitor the progress of pending disciplinary and internal vigilance cases and to frame timelines to reduce delays in deciding such cases.

5. Jal Jeevan Mission

Context:

Jal Jeevan Mission tableau awarded as the best tableau in Republic Day Parade 2020.

About Jal Jeeven Mission:

To know more about the Jal Jeevan Mission, click on the linked article.

January 28th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

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