PIB Analysis - 25th and 26th July 2020

By Paras Chitkara|Updated : July 28th, 2020

PIB Analysis 25th and 26th July 2020

Indian Red Cross Society

Context

The President of India flagged off Red Cross relief supplies for the flood affected people in Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Highlights

  • The relief material included items such as tarpaulins, tents, saris, dhotis, cotton blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, bed sheets, buckets and two water purification units. 
  • In addition, COVID-19 protection items such as surgical masks, PPE kits, gloves and face shields were also part of the relief material.
  • These items were meant to safeguard and protect health workers associated with IRCS medical services in these states as well as the volunteers of IRCS who are at the forefront of flood relief and rehabilitation efforts.

About The Indian Red Cross Society

  • Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) is a voluntary humanitarian organization and was established in 1920 under the Indian Red Cross Society Act .
  • It aims at providing relief in times of disasters/emergencies and promoting health & care of the vulnerable people and communities.
  • Its Mission is to encourage all forms of humanitarian activities so that human suffering can be minimized and even prevented.
  • The President of India is the President of the Society and Union Health Minister is the Chairman of the Society.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640847

 

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Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Health Minister's Digital Meet

Context

The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare digitally participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Health Minister's Digital Meet.

Details

  • The meet was chaired by Mr. Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation. 
  • The ongoing COVID crisis was the key topic of discussion.

Highlights

  • The Union Health Minister spoke on the increase in testing capacity and health infrastructure during the pandemic.
  • He also elaborated on the innovative use of information technology in virtually every aspect of COVID management like Aarogya Setu, ITIHAS,RT- PCR app.
  • He emphasized how the Indian traditional system of medicine has contributed substantially in boosting the immunity of the general population during COVID-19.
  • India pointed out the absence of any institutional mechanism within SCO to discuss cooperation in Traditional Medicine that has the potential to fulfil the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023.
  • India proposed to set up a new Sub-Group on Traditional Medicine under the existing Institutional Meetings of the SCO Health Ministers to fulfil the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023.
  • It would also reinforce the effective implementation of the Joint Statement on cooperation in combating epidemics signed at the Qingdao Summit in 2018.

 

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

  • The organisation has two permanent bodies — 
  • The SCO Secretariat based in Beijing 
  • The Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent. 
  • Currently the SCO comprises eight member states, namely India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan,Russia,Tajikistan,Uzbekistan.
  • It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China) by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan,Russia,Tajikistan,Uzbekistan. 
  • It was preceded by the Shanghai Five mechanism.
  • During the Astana Summit,2017 the status of a full member of the Organization was granted to India and Pakistan.
  • The SCO's main goals are : 
    • Strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states
    • Promoting effective cooperation in politics, trade, the economy, research, technology and culture, as well as in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, and other areas
    • Making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region 
    • Moving towards the establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political and economic order.
  • The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO. It meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation. 

 

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640916

 

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Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana

Context

The Union Home Minister distributed 100 electric pottery wheels to 100 trained artisans under the Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

About Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana

  • It is an initiative of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission(KVIC) for empowerment of the potters community in the remotest of locations in the country.
  • Target beneficiaries
    • The program reaches out to the potters in : U.P., M.P,Maharashtra, J&K, Haryana, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Telangana and Bihar. 
  • Benefits provided
  • The program provides the following support to potters
    • Training for advanced pottery products
    • Latest, new technology pottery equipments like the electric Chaak
    • Market linkages and visibility through KVIC exhibitions

Due to the supply of electric chaaks, the potters have reaped the following benefits :

  • More production with less hours of work.
  • Less noise and better health benefits
  • Less power consumption with smooth transition to higher speeds

Highlights

  • More than 17,000 electric chaaks have so far been distributed across the country benefiting nearly 70,000 people of the potters’ community.
  • With electric chaaks, the production of clay items has increased by manifold. 
  • Since the launch of Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana in 2018, the KVIC has trained nearly 750 potters from different villages in Gujarat. 
  • Besides training them in pottery making, KVIC has also distributed them with electric pottery wheels and other equipment like blunger machines for mixing of clay. 
  • This has eliminated drudgery from the process of pottery making and also resulted in increasing the production and higher income of potters by 3-4 times.
  • The initiative would go a long way in strengthening the marginalized potters’ community while also reviving the traditional art of pottery.

 

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) 

  • It is a statutory body formed in April 1957 under the Act of Parliament, 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956'.
  • It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India. 
  • It seeks to - "plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
  • The broad objectives that the KVIC has set before it are : 
    1. The social objective of providing employment.
    2. The economic objective of producing saleable articles.
    3. The wider objective of creating self-reliance amongst the poor and building up of a strong rural community spirit.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640963

 

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India-Russia Joint Technology Assessment and Accelerated Commercialization Programme

Context

The Department of Science and Technology has launched INR 15 Crore fund to support India-Russia collaboration for joint R&D and cross-country technology adaptation.

Background

  • India and Russia have a long-standing bilateral scientific cooperation.
  • The launch of the Programme is another step towards strengthening the Science, Technology and Innovation ties between the two countries. 
  • This initiative is very timely, wherein both the countries can leverage joint intellectual and financial resources to develop technologies that would provide the solutions for tomorrow.
  • S&T-led innovation and entrepreneurship are priorities of both countries and will be a key point on the agenda as President Putin visits India later this year. 

Highlights

  • DST has launched it in partnership with FICCI and Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE) of the Russian Federation.
  • The programme will connect Indian, and Russian Science & Technology (S&T) led SMEs and Start-ups for joint R&D for technology development and for cross-country technology adaptation.
  • It will address societal challenges, not only of two countries but globally.
  • It will run through two annual cycles with up to five projects to be funded under each cycle. 
  • Projects are being sought on leading S&T focus areas, including but not limited to, IT & ICT (including AI, AR, VR), Medicine & Pharmaceuticals, Renewable Energy, Aerospace, Alternative Technologies, Environment, New Materials, Biotechnologies, Robotics and Drones. 

Details

  • On behalf of DST, FICCI will implement the program in India.
  • Over a period of two years, the Department of Science and Technology will fund up to INR 15 Crores to ten Indian SMEs/Start-ups and FASIE will provide similar funding to the Russian projects.
  • The programme will provide access to partial public funding for jointly selected projects with the participation of at least one start-up/SME from India and one SME from Russia. 
  • In addition to the financial support, the teams will also be supported through capacity building, mentorship and business development.
  • The programme is accepting applications under two broad categories, i.e. Joint Partnership Projects and Technology Transfer/Adaptation. 

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640841

 

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Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA)

Context

TRIFED has signed MOU with IIT Delhi for the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA)

Highlights

  • Tribal entrepreneurs under TRIFED’s Van Dhan programme will now be able to get access to the expertise of the entire network of 2600 + academic and research institutions under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA).
  • This partnership can help promote enhancing livelihoods through the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras established under the Van Dhan Yojana.
  • With the partnership with IIT Delhi and Unnat Bharat Abhyan, these tribal forest dwellers engaged in Minor Forest Produces will get an exposure to newer processing technologies, product innovation, mentorship, transformational digital systems and handholding.  
  • The MoU opens gates for the best of brains in the country to attend to the problems of sustainable tribal livelihoods.

Van Dhan Yojana (VDY)

  • TRIFED is implementing the Van Dhan Yojana (VDY)
  • It is a programme for value addition, branding and marketing of MFPs by establishing Van Dhan Kendras of around 300 tribal members each across the country to facilitate creation of sustainable livelihoods for the forest-based tribal gatherers. 
  • In a typical Van Dhan Kendra, the tribal beneficiaries are expected to create an enterprise, which would be involved in all related aspects from collection of forest produce, training of tribal beneficiaries, value-addition and processing, and packaging. 
  • The Van Dhan Vikas Kendras emerged as a source of employment generation for tribal gatherers and forest dwellers and the home-bound tribal artisans.



Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) 

  • It is a flagship national programme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India.
  • It is a scheme for selected Higher educational Institutions (HEIs) of the country where they adopt villages for their development. 
  • Faculty and students are involved in the village development plan in collaboration with district administration.
  • It envisions a transformational change in rural development processes by leveraging knowledge institutions to help build the architecture of an Inclusive India. 
  • The Centre for Rural Development Technology (CRDT) as well as the RuTAG group of IIT Delhi are fully participating in the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan activities. 

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1641191

 

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India-EU Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation

Context

India and European Union have renewed its Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for the next five years (2020-2025).

Background

  • The Agreement was initially signed on 23 November 2001 and renewed two times in past in 2007 and 2015.
  • India and European Union have strong research and innovation cooperation under the framework of said “Agreement,” and it has grown steadily over the years. 
  • The EU and India are at the forefront of human development and innovation.

Highlights

  • India & the European Union agreed to renew the Agreement on Scientific cooperation for the next five years, 2020-2025
  • This will expand the cooperation in scientific and technological research and strengthen the conduct of cooperative activities in areas of common interest and application of the results of such cooperation to their economic and social benefit.  

Benefits

  • For India, addressing the basic needs of its people, including through frugal innovation, and excelling in high-tech markets are twin objectives.
  • Both areas offer mutually beneficial opportunities for EU-India cooperation. 
  • Increased exchanges between students, researchers, and professionals would benefit both sides. India and the EU share a mutual interest in reciprocal mobility of talent.
  • The EU-India cooperation should also foster innovation by promoting networking between EU and Indian innovators, start-ups, incubators, and accelerators, by setting up joint platforms, both offline and virtual, and engaging in coaching, training and staff exchanges. 
  • Highly qualified workers could be integrated into Indian and EU-led innovation systems industries and help maintain technology-based leadership and sharing of best practices, internationalization of SMEs, and contributing in the global value chain. 

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1641228

 

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Khelo India Youth Games

Context

Haryana will host the 4th edition of Khelo India Youth Games

Highlights

  • The Games will be held in Panchkula in Haryana. 
  • Haryana has produced many elite athletes, such as Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik who have represented and won medals for India at international platforms.

Khelo India Youth Games 

  • Khelo India Youth Games is a part of the revamped national programme for development of sports, Khelo India.
  • They are the national level multidisciplinary grassroot games in India held for two categories, namely under-17 years school students and under-21 college students.

Khelo India

  • The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establish India as a great sporting nation
  • Talented players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by the High-Powered Committee will be provided annual financial assistance of INR 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1641273

 

MCQs based on PIB Analysis

 

Q.1 What is the aim of the programme `Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’? (UPSC PYQ)

  1. Achieving 100% literacy by promoting collaboration between voluntary organizations and the government's education system and local communities.
  2. Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.
  3. Strengthening India’s scientific research institutions in order to make India a scientific and technological power.
  4. Developing human capital by allocating special funds for health care and education of rural and urban poor, and organizing skill development programmes and vocational training for them.

 

Q.2  Which of the following countries are part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization

  1. India
  2. Kazakhstan
  3. Turkmenistan
  4. Tajikistan
  5. China
  6. Pakistan

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1,2,3,5 and 6 only

(b) 1,2,4,5 and 6 only

(c) 1,3,4,5 and 6 only

(d) 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 

 

Q.3 Consider the following statements :

  1. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body
  2. It comes under Ministry of Rural Development

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 Only
  2. 2 Only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Mention your answers in the Comment section !

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