12 October 2018: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

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13th convention of the Central Information Commission

• President speaking on the occasion said, free flow of information is the essence of democracy. And for the people of a free and free-spirited country, information is power. They have a right to know how they are being governed, how public money is being spent, how public and national resources are being deployed, how public services are being delivered, and how public works and welfare programmes are being carried out. In a democracy, there is no such thing as too much information. Information overload is always preferable to information deficit.

Benefits or Impact of RTI:

• RTI makes for greater efficiency in both delivering services to a citizen as well as using public resources and finances. This improves transparency and removes doubts that may arise about favouritism and misappropriation.
• The Internet and the digital economy have been used to advance e-auctions of mining blocks. They have helped create the Government e-Market or GeM portal for public procurement of goods and services.
• The JAM trinity – Jandhan accounts, Aadhar-based unique identities and mobile phones – has helped with direct bank transfers to beneficiaries of schemes.
• He commended the CIC for upholding the RTI’s basic charter that public records, with some exceptions for subjects such as national security, are open to public scrutiny – but private records of individual citizens are protected from intrusive third-party curiosity.

India-Azerbaijan sign protocol

• The 5^thmeeting of India-Azerbaijan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade and Economic, Science and Technology Cooperation (IA-IGC) was held in New Delhi
• The two sides exchanged views on current economic situation and reviewed the current status of bilateral trade, investment and their cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, science and technology.

Aim:

• Emphasise to further strengthen and expand their cooperation in trade and investment, transportation, energy and hydro-carbons, SMEs, agriculture, food safety and environmental protection, tourism, culture, health and pharmaceuticals, space technology, education and scientific research, chemicals and petrochemicals and mining.
• To send trade delegations to raise awareness regarding economic developments and reforms in the two countries and have regular exchange of information about trade exhibitions, fairs, conferences and other business events.

Online portal for grant of Industrial Entrepreneurs’ Memorandum and Industrial Licence

• Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has developed a new online portal for facilitating filing of online applications for Industrial Entrepreneurs’ Memorandum (IEM) and Industrial Licence (IL) under Arms Act as well as Industries (Development & Regulation)[I(D&R)] Act, 1951.
• The portal will be available for public with effect from 16^thOctober 2018 for filing application and no applications shall be received through E-biz portal or in physical form either under I(D&R) Act or Arms Act 1959.
• Applications for IEM and IL under I(D&R) Act, 1951 are currently accepted through E-biz portal whereas applications for manufacture of defence items under Arms Act are received physically.

G-20 Nations

Context:

• The Final G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting under the 2018 Argentine Presidency and the final BRICS Deputies Meeting under the 2018 South African Chairmanship were held on the sidelines of the IMF/Fund Bank Annual Meetings. 

G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting:

• The deliberations in the G-20 FMCBG meeting centered on key risks facing the global economy, enhancing a resilient international financial architecture, financing infrastructure development, progress on compact with Africa as well as streamlining of the GPFI process.
• The risks related to trade tensions, financial vulnerabilities and oil prices have materialized and are having major impact on the Emerging Market Economies.
• The need for G-20 nations to take co-ordinated action so as to ensure that the negative spill over effects of global risks on EMDEs are minimized.
• Appreciated the progress of work under the Argentine Presidency on developing infrastructure as an asset class.
• The efforts undertaken by India to attract private players in infra financing space such as creating Real Estate Investment Trust Fund, Infrastructure Debt Fund as well as undertaking efforts for monetizing brownfield assets.
• He indicated the importance of developing global standards and protocols for attracting private funds to the infrastructure space and hoped that the infrastructure agenda of G-20 can contribute in this direction.
• The investment facilitating schemes that GoI has in place to encourage private players to invest in Africa and elsewhere such as National Export Insurance Fund, Concessional Financing Facility etc. 

BRICS Finance Deputies: 

• The meeting focused on reviewing the progress achieved by the BRICS Forum in 2018 as well as deliberating on the way forward under the upcoming 2019 BRICS Chairmanship of Brazil.
• Secretary (EA) in his interventions indicated India’s unequivocal support for NDB’s membership expansion.
• Secretary (EA) also emphasized that the role of BRICS is to provide broad guidance to NDB and the decisions on managing the micro details should be left to NDB Board of Directors and Board of Governors.
• Secretary (EA) indicated that the Report of the Expert Group set-up to study the feasibility of BRICS Rating Agency has envisaged the setting-up of a BRICS Rating Agency which is completely independent and private sector led.
• Secretary (EA) emphasized on the need felt by the emerging markets and developing economies for a rating methodology that takes into account the country circumstances of these economies.

World Egg Day

• The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Government of India organized “World Egg Day”.
• Farmers, members of poultry associations, research scholars, administrators and around 700 participants including poultry farmers attended the event.
• Sanction orders were distributed to 5 entrepreneur beneficiaries under the Poultry Venture Capital Fund – Entrepreneurship Development and Employment Generation component of National Livestock Mission.
• International Egg Commission has declared the second Friday of October every year as World Egg Day. This is celebrated in countries all around the world, and is a unique opportunity to help raise awareness of the nutritional benefits of eggs.

Background:

• India is the third highest producer of eggs in the world, but the per capita availability is around 69 eggs per person per year. Egg is a wholesome, nutritious food with high nutrient density. It is a high value protein and provides a wide variety of other nutrients like vitamins, essential amino acids and minerals etc. crucial for growth and good health.

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