PIB Analysis 14th July 2020

India’s Voluntary National Review 2020

Context

NITI Aayog presented India’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, 2020.

United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF)

The HLPF is the foremost international platform for follow-up and review of progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The HLPF meets annually in July for eight days under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN.
The VNRs presented by Member States at the HLPF are a critical component of the review of progress and implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
The reviews are voluntary and state-led and are aimed at facilitating the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned.
The process of preparation of a country’s VNR provides a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of various relevant stakeholders.
NITI Aayog prepared and presented India’s first VNR in 2017.

Highlights

The India VNR 2020 report titled “Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local” was released by Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog.
He also dwelt on the remarkable progress India has achieved in reducing multidimensional poverty, providing food safety, ensuring education for all, universalising access to electricity, clean cooking fuel and sanitation, while also operationalising the world’s largest health insurance programme by covering 500 million citizens.
India’s VNR this year has undertaken a paradigm shift in terms of embodying a “whole-of-society” approach in letter and spirit.
NITI Aayog engaged with sub-national and local governments, civil society organizations, local communities, people in vulnerable situations and the private sector.

Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local

India VNR 2020 report is a comprehensive account of the adoption and implementation of the 2030 Agenda in India.
Apart from presenting a review of progress on the 17 SDGs, the report discusses at length the policy and enabling environment, India’s approach to localising SDGs, and strengthening means of implementation.
Leveraging science, technology and innovation for SDGs, and costing and financing of SDGs are the two levers of strengthening means of implementation which have been introduced this year.
In line with the theme of Taking SDGs from Global to Local, the goal-wise account of progress on the SDGs has been appended with examples of a range of diverse good practices and success stories of interventions from the States, especially Aspirational Districts.

NITI Aayog has the mandate of overseeing the adoption and monitoring of SDGs at the national and sub-national level. The India VNR 2020 represents NITI Aayog’s efforts in embodying the whole-of-society approach and its commitment towards localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1638261

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Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Context

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs held a meeting to review the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

About Pradhan Mantri Fasal BIma Yojana

It was launched on 18 February 2016.
It was formulated in line with One Nation–One Scheme theme by replacing earlier two schemes National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) by incorporating their best features and removing their inherent drawbacks.
It aims to reduce the premium burden on farmers and ensure early settlement of crop assurance claims for the full insured sum.
Farmers pay a nominal 2% premium rate on the sum insured (the maximum amount that insurance would give in the event of damage) for all kharif crops, 1.5% for rabi and 5% for annual and horticultural crops.
PMFBY aims to provide a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.
The Scheme covers all Food & Oilseeds crops and Annual Commercial/Horticultural Crops for which past yield data is available.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1638347

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1603638

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Bulk Drug Parks and Medical Devices Parks

Context

The Department of Pharmaceuticals is finalizing guidelines which will form the basis for objectively selecting locations of upcoming three bulk drugs parks and four medical devices parks in the country.

Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks

Union Cabinet on March 12, 2020 approved a scheme for development of three bulk drugs and four medical devices parks.
Under the scheme the Government of India will extend Grants-in-Aid to States with a maximum limit of Rs. 1000 Crore per bulk drug park and Rs 100 crore per medical device parks.
It had also approved a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical drug intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
The scheme is expected to result in incremental production of bulk drugs and medical devices.

Benefits

The bulk drugs parks scheme is expected to reduce the manufacturing cost of bulk drugs in the country and dependency on other countries for such drugs.
Continuous supply of drugs is necessary to ensure delivery of affordable healthcare to the citizens.
Any disruption in supplies can have a significant adverse impact on drug security, which is also linked to the overall economy of the country.
Self-sufficiency in manufacturing of bulk drugs is highly required.
These schemes will also result in significant generation of jobs.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1638311

MCQs based on PIB Analysis

Q.1 Consider the following statements :

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 15 global goals designed to achieve a sustainable future
NITI Aayog prepared and presented India’s first VNR on SDGs in 2018

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?