25 November 2019: PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam.

November 25th, 2019 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks
2. Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, 2019
3. Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India)
4. Constitution Day
5. National Child Labour Project
6. Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana
7. Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM)
8. Financial Assistance to Artisans and Craft Persons
9. Khelo India Programme

26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks

Context:

The Vice President paid tribute to the martyrs of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Details:

Read more about the Mumbai Terror Attacks which happened on 26^th November 2008 here.

Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, 2019

About the scheme:

• The aim of Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, 2019 is to help taxpayers, including small taxpayers, in clearing the baggage of disputes under legacy taxes (Service Tax and Central Excise), which are subsumed in Goods and Service Tax.
• The scheme is for taxpayers who wish to close their pending disputes, with a substantial relief provided by the government.
• This scheme is effective from 1^st September 2019 to 31^st December 2019.
• Benefits of this scheme:
  • Taxpayers can pay the outstanding tax amounts due and be free from any other consequences under the law.
  • Taxpayers will get substantial relief in the form of full waivers of interest, penalties and fines.
  • There will be complete amnesty from prosecution proceedings.
• The two main components of the Scheme are dispute resolution and amnesty.
• The dispute resolution component is aimed at liquidating the legacy cases of Central Excise and Service Tax that are subsumed in GST and are pending in litigation at various forums.
• The amnesty component of the Scheme offers an opportunity to the taxpayers to pay the outstanding tax and be free of any other consequence under the law.
• For all the cases pending in adjudication or appeal – in any forum – this Scheme offers a relief of 70% from the duty demand if it is Rs.50 lakhs or less and 50% if it is more than Rs.50 lakhs.
• As the objective of the Scheme is to free as large a segment of the taxpayers from the legacy taxes as possible, the relief given thereunder is substantial.
• The Scheme is especially tailored to free the large number of small taxpayers of their pending disputes with the tax administration.

Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India)

Context:

MoAs for Light House Projects under GHTC – India Exchanged between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and State Governments.

Details:

• Memorandums of Agreement (MoAs) were signed between the Ministry and six state governments for Light House Projects under GHTC-India.
  • Six states: Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh
• For addressing the housing demand of more than 10 million houses by 2022, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban, in June 2015.
• To accomplish ‘Housing for All’ mission, the Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) was launched to get globally acclaimed, alternate and proven construction technologies for speedier and cost-effective construction of affordable housing.
• The Prime Minister declared 2019-2020 as ‘Construction Technology Year’.

About GHTC – India:

• This is a challenge instituted for all states and UTs to select six sites across the country for constructing lighthouse projects.
• The challenge has been launched to bring about a paradigm shift in the housing construction technology sector. The states and union territories that score the highest marks were awarded lighthouse projects.
  • The term lighthouse project refers to a model project that aims, besides its original purpose, to have a signal effect for numerous follow-up projects as they look towards it for inspiration and guidance. (Light House – Something that gives guidance or shows the way)
• It is under this challenge that the 6 states were awarded the projects.
• The winning states will receive central assistance to construct these projects as per the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) guidelines.
• The challenge is intended to foster the development of domestic technological research, and building platforms for knowledge sharing and networking across the sector.
• The challenge was launched in January 2019.

About the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U):

• The PMAY-U was launched in 2015 to provide housing for all by 2022.
• The scheme provides central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other implementing agencies through States/UTs.
• The programme has 4 verticals:
  • Credit Link Subsidy Scheme (CLSS)
  • In-situ rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers using land as a resource through private participation
  • Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP)
  • Subsidy for beneficiary led individual house construction/enhancement

Constitution Day

About Constitution Day in India:

Constitution Day is celebrated in India on 26 November every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India. The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India on 26 November 1949, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950.

Read more about Constitution Day at the linked article.

Context:

Films Divisions celebrate Constitution Day on 26^th November.

National Child Labour Project

About the National Child Labour Project:

This scheme is directed against the prevalent child labour situation in the country. Read more about this scheme here.

Context:

The Union Labour and Employment Minister provided information about the scheme in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana

About the Scheme:

Get details about this scheme at PIB dated July 17, 2019.

The scheme is also spelled Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana.

Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM)

About the Scheme:

Get details about this scheme at PIB dated Feb 14, 2019.

Financial Assistance to Artisans and Craft Persons

Context:

The Ministry of MSME is implementing the following schemes through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Coir Board to provide financial assistance to artisans and craft persons in order to boost their profession and to provide a marketing platform.

Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP):

Read more about PMEGP here.

Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI):

• This scheme has been under implementation since 2005-06 for making Traditional Industries more productive, market-driven and competitive by organizing the Traditional Industries and artisans into clusters.
• The Scheme envisages providing need-based assistance for replacement of production equipment, setting up of Common Facility Centres (CFC), product development, quality improvement, improved marketing, training and capacity building, etc. with the financial assistance extended by the Government.
• The scheme was modified as revamped SFURTI scheme during 2016-17.

Khadi and Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (KGVY):

All the existing schemes and sub-schemes were merged under an umbrella scheme. The following two components are there:

1. Khadi Vikas Yojana (KVY): Includes components such as (1) Rozgar Yukt Gaon, (2) Design House (DH) and existing schemes like (3) Market Promotion Development Programme (MPDA), (4) Interest Subsidy Eligibility Certificate (ISEC), (5) Khadi Reforms Development Programme (KRDP), (6) Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans, (7) Strengthening infrastructure of existing weak Khadi institutions and assistance for marketing infrastructure & (8) Khadi (S&T).
2. Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY): Promotion and development of the village industries through common facilities, Technological modernization, training, etc. other support and services for promotion of village Industries. GVY would have the following component:
   1. Research & Development and Product Innovation

‘Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana’ scheme:

Skill Upgradation through Training & Extension: Development of skilled manpower in the coir industry through appropriate training programmes is one of the major activities of Coir Board, which it imparts through its national-level training institute in Kerala.

About the Mahila Coir Yojana (MCY):

• It is a women-oriented, self-employment scheme being implemented by Coir Board.
• The scheme envisages imparting training with stipend to women artisans on sophisticated machinery/advanced technology and scale up their skills.
• The trained women artisans can avail of financial assistance (Maximum Project Cost- Rs.25.00 lakhs) for procurement of machinery/equipment under the PMEGP with necessary handholding support by the Coir Board through its field offices.

Read more about the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) on PIB dated 22^nd Oct, 2019.

About the Coir Board:

• It popularises and markets coir products manufactured by the artisans and craft persons of the coir industry through its various showrooms and depots.
• It also undertakes various publicity and propaganda measures to popularize the use of coir products for various purposes.
• Coir Board has been providing Market Development Assistance (MDA) for marketing coir products in the domestic market (financial subsidy) and External Market Development Assistance (EMDA) for export of coir products to overseas markets.

Khelo India Programme

About the Khelo India Programme:

It is a national program for the development of sports in India launched in 2018. For more on the Khelo India Programme, click here.

Context:

The Union Sports Minister gave information about the above scheme in the Rajya Sabha.

November 25th, 2019 PIB:- Download PDF Here

 Related Links:

Read more PIB articles here.