Infrastructure Development

Home Minister Rajnath Singh chairs fifth meeting of Island Development Agency

Relevance IN – Prelims(about Island development agency) + Mains (GS III infrastructure development

What’s the NEWS

·         The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, chaired the fifth meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA)

 Know! more about the outcome of the meeting

·         The Island Development Agency reviewed the progress made towards the program “Holistic development of islands”.

·         Bids for private sector participation in three tourism-based projects have already been invited by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration.

·         They include eco-tourism projects in Smith Island & Long island and tent city project in Aves island. Bids will be invited shortly for one more project in Neil island of Andaman & Nicobar.

 ·       Three projects in Lakshadweep have been identified for issue of bids. They include tourism projects in the islands of Kadmat, Minicoy and Suheli Cheriyakara.

Know! about the progress made so far

·         The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh expressed satisfaction at the progress made since its last meeting held on June 30, 2018 when directions were given to focus on creation of recreational facilities along-with tourism infrastructure; implementation of renewable energy projects; incentives for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); development of a film city in an island etc. 

  

·         Key infrastructure projects such as operationalization of Diglipur airport for civilian aircraft and construction of a new airport in Minicoy Island have been accorded high priority by the Government.

 

 

·         Four islands (Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, Hutbay and Long) in Andaman & Nicobar and three islands (Kavaratti, Agatti and Minicoy) in Lakshadweep have been identified for seaplane operation.

 

·         CRZ clearance has been accorded for ‘Middle Strait Bridge’ on Andaman Trunk Road. All these measures will improve inter-island connectivity significantly.

 

 

·         Digital connectivity will improve substantially in the islands with augmentation of satellite bandwidth and laying of optical fibre cable.

 

·         In order to sustainably utilize the potential of Tuna Fish, ten deep-sea modern fishing vessels are being procured by Lakshadweep administration from Cochin Shipyard Limited.

 

Know! about Island Development Agency

·         IDA was set up in June 2017 following Prime Minister’s review meeting for the holistic development of islands.

 

·         The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister.

 

 

·         Members of IDA include cabinet secretary, home secretary, secretary (environment, forests and climate change), secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)

 

Culture/History

Bhopal: City to witness Indian History Congress after 18 years

79th session of IHC to be organised at Barkatullah University from February 26

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about Indian history congress)

What’s the NEWS

·         After the span of 18 years, the Indian History Congress will organise three-day convention in state. The three day convention will begin in the city on February 26.

·         The IHC is the largest professional and academic body of Indian historians with over 10,000 members. It was established in the year 1935.

·         The higher education department and the Barkatullah University will host the convention.

·         The 79th convention was scheduled to organise in Savtribai Phule University Pune, in December. But the university pulled its hand stating that they are not having fund to organise the event.

Know! all about Indian History Congress

^·          Indian History Congress is the largest professional and academic body of Indian historians with over 10,000 members. It was established in 1935.

·         The name of any new applicant for membership needs to be proposed and seconded by existing Ordinary or Life Members

·         The  lead to establish an all-India national congress of historians was taken by Poona historians during the period of British colonial rule.

 

·         The first session took place in Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, Poona, in 1935. Historians such as Datto Vaman Potdar, Surendra Nath Sen (who later became the first director of National Archives of India), and Sir Shafaat Ahmad Khan attended the first session.

 

Defence

Aero India 2019

Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

Relevance IN – Prelims(about Aero India 2019) + Mains GS III indigenization of technology and developing new technology)

What’s the NEWS

·         The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is looking for potential partners to co-develop an engine for its planned Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and five other future technologies

·         It is on the lookout for collaborators to realise the other military technologies that it hopes to have in around five years — Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) and UAVs, materials, sensors, avionics, and artificial intelligence

Dare to Dream’ challenge

·         Minor innovators and startups are also being tapped for new concepts that the DRDO can try out.

·         The new time-bound ‘Dare to Dream’ challenge has received 1,000 responses from individuals and startups.

 Know! all about Aero India show

·         Aero India Exhibition which is organised every two years has already carved a niche for itself globally as a premier aerospace exhibition, with eleven successful editions organised since 1996. More then 60,000 business visitors and 1,00,000 general visitors attended Aero India 2017.

 

·         Air Show of latest aircrafts of different countries are arranged at the venue during each day of the show for the benefit of visitors. 

 

·         Aero India 2019 will provide a significant platform in bolstering business opportunities in International aviation sector.

 

 

·         A rapidly growing economy and opening up of defence production to private sector, have given a major fillip to the defence industry in India. It has also become a hub for defence businesses in Asia.  2017 All Rights Reserved. Powered by Summit exclusively for The Hindu

 

Economic Developments

RBI to transfer ₹28,000 crore interim surplus to government

Relevance IN – Prelims( about RBI and Centre tussle) + Mains GS III economic development)

What’s the NEWS

·         The board of Reserve Bank of India  decided to transfer an interim surplus (dividend) of ₹28,000 crore to the government

·         This is second consecutive year that the central bank has transferred interim surplus to the government.

Know! more about the transfer

·         Inclusive of the ₹40,000 crore transferred by the central bank as final dividend for 2017-18, the Centre has earned a total of ₹68,000 crore as dividend from the RBI for the 2018-19 fiscal. The accounting year of the RBI runs from July to June.

 ·         Based on a limited audit review and after applying the extant economic capital framework, the board decided to transfer an interim surplus of ₹280 billion to the Central government for the half-year ended December 31, 2018. Last year, RBI had transferred ₹10,000 crore as interim surplus.

·         The government had been putting pressure on the central bank to transfer more funds from the contingency reserves.

·         A panel, headed by former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan, had been formed to review the economic capital framework of the bank.

 

Commerce Minister launches ‘SWAYATT’

Relevance IN – Prelims(about SWAYATT and GeM) + Mains GS III economic development + GS II government policies and intervention for the development of various sectors)

What’s the NEWS

·         Commerce ministry has launched SWAYATT

Know! more about SWAYATT

·         SWAYATT is an initiative to promote Start-ups, Women and Youth Advantage Through e Transactions on Government e Marketplace (GeM).

·         This will bring together the key stakeholders within the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem to Government e-Marketplace the national procurement portal.

·         Commerce Ministry also dedicated GeM Start-up Runway-an initiative of GeM in association with Start -up India to facilitate Start-ups registered with Start -up India to access the public procurement market and sell innovative products and services to government buyers.

Know about GeM startup runway

·         GeM Start-up Runway seeks to align certified Start-ups with Government procurement orders and contracts, to enable Start-ups in scaling operations from ideation to growth stage in minimal time, and spur hyper-local job-creation and wealth-generation and for achieving socially-inclusive economic growth.

·         Start-up Runway will enable Start-ups to conduct market trials with government buyers, seek time-bound feedback and gain realistic product, price comparison and market valuation from potential buyers and investors.

 

Know! about Government e Marketplace

·         It is  an online market place for procurement of common use goods and services by government ministries, departments and CPSEs was setup in 2016 and has 801,956 products and 5,197 services, with 199,654 registered sellers, service providers and 33,536 government buyers.  Since inception, GeM has processed 1,386,030 orders worth Rs. 19,214 crore in gross merchandise value.

 

Culture

Prime Minister inaugurates Virtual Experiential Museum

Relevance IN – Prelims( about the Museum)

What’s the NEWS

·         The Prime Minister inaugurated the newly established Virtual Experiential Museum (VEM) in a Centrally Protected Monument under Archaeological Survey of India, Man – Mahal, situated on the bank of the Ganges near holy Dashashwamedh Ghat at Varanasi.

 

Know! more about the visual museum

·         Virtual Experiential Museum has been established by the National Council of Science Museum (NCSM) working under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

 

·         NCSM has worked hard to show a glimpse of various cultural aspects, tangible and intangible, of Varanasi through the use of modern and sophisticated virtual reality technology in this museum.

 

·         Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) helped in designing and curation of this Virtual Experiential Museum and also in preparing of script for various documentaries to be shown in this VEM.

 

 

·         Before the setting up of VEM, the centrally protected monument observatory of Man – Mahal was conserved scientifically as this building was constructed by Raja Man – Singh in 1600 A.D., a close associate of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

 

·         Later, in 1734, an observatory was constructed on the roof of this monument by Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur, which was planned by Samarath Jagannath to calculate time, prepare lunar and solar calendar, study movement & angles of star and planet.

 

Earth Science

3 Day International Conference and Exhibition On Energy and Environment

Relevance IN – Prelims( about the conference) + Mains ( GS III environment conservation)

What’s the NEWS

·         CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad is organizing an International Conference and Exhibition on Energy and Environment - Challenges and Opportunities (ENCO-2019), from 20^th to 22^nd February 2019 in New Delhi. 

Know! more about the conference

·         The 3 day conference aims to deliberate and identify the R&D needs to innovate new techniques, technologies and applications for clean, safe, symbiotic sustenance of society, environment, energy and industries in post-2020 era.

·         Around 1000 delegates from India and abroad will participate in the conference representing policy makers, regulators, thought leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, administrators, practicing engineers, Environmentalist, geo-environmentalists, researchers, academicians and technocrats. The startups, young researchers and students will also attend the conference.

 

Women Empowerment

Pan-India Emergency Number ‘112’ launched
Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal also launched

MHA approves Rs. 78.86 crores to strengthen DNA analysis capacities of four State Forensic Science Laboratories 

Relevance IN – Prelims( about the initiatives) + Mains GS I ( role of women and women organisations + GS II government policies and interventions)

What’s the NEWS

·         The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka  Sanjay Gandhi  jointly launched the Women Safety initiative of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) in 16 States/UT.

People in these states and UTs can now call a single pan India number 112 for any emergency.

·         In addition, Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal were also launched.

·         People need not remember multiple helpline numbers. One can dial 112 or use Panic Button on their phones or 112 India Mobile App to connect to a single emergency services number 112 which will combine Police, Fire, Health and other helplines through an Emergency Response Centre in the State.

·         Union Home Minister also announced approval of Rs. 78.76 crore for a special project under the Nirbhaya Fund for strengthening DNA analysis capacities in the State Forensic Science Laboratories of four States of Tamil Nadu (Chennai and Madurai), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow and Agra), West Bengal (Kolkata) and Maharashtra ( Mumbai). This effort will help in speedy investigation of rape cases.

 

NITI Aayog

NITI Aayog to organise National Workshop to Promote Healthy Diets from Local Food Systems Relevance IN – Mains (GS II issues relating to development and management  of social services like health

What’s the NEWS

·         The NITI Aayog, in collaboration with National Centre of Excellence and Advanced Research on Diets (NCEAR-D), Lady Irwin College and UNICEF India, is organizing a two-day national workshop to seek a common understanding of diet diversity problems in selected districts under POSHAN Abhiyan across India.

Know! more about the workshop

·         The workshop seeks to arrive at potential region-wise action plan between State Government and Nutrition/Agriculture Colleges to systematically work together to promote healthy diets as part of POSHAN Abhiyaan - Jan Andolan.

·         The workshop will include exhibition of more than 250 best practices, innovations and local food products developed by pan-India Agriculture and food technology institutions.

 

Envisaging a convergence between the Aspirational Districts Programme and POSHAN Abhiyaan, the workshop seeks to design institutional collaborations between academia and State Governments across these districts.

Prelims Practise Question

 

Consider the following statements

1.       Island Development Authority (IDA) was set up in June 2017 and chaired by the Prime Minister for the holistic development of islands.

 

2.       Members of IDA include cabinet secretary, home secretary, secretary (environment, forests and climate change), secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)

 

3.       SWAYATT is an initiative to promote Start-ups, Women and Youth Advantage Through e Transactions on Government e Marketplace (GeM).

 

Find the correct statement from the  following  options given below

a.       2 and 3

b.       1 and 3

c.        Only 3

d.       Only 2

 

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving

TEAM CL IAS