Daily Current Capsules - 09^th January 2020

Health Sector
NITI Aayog readying Make In India fillip for domestic medical devices

Relevance IN - Prelims (steps taken to promote domestic medical devices) + Mains ( GS II Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

What's the NEWS

• A preliminary list of 10 device-categories with most export potential have been drawn up for prioritising domestic production.

Know! more about it

• To eliminate bottlenecks in domestic medical devices businesses, government think-tank NITI Aayog is drawing up a list of devices which have most potential for export.
• A tentative list of 10 such device-categories has been drawn up
• Devices under the NITI Aayog scanner for providing priority subsidy or funding are cardiac stents, orthopaedic implants, surgical blades, catheters, X-Ray machines, syringes and needles, blood bags, CT Scan and MRI Machines as well as sutures.
• This list is being drawn up so that their domestic manufacturing can be prioritised.
• The government is looking at a single window framework for accelerating standardisation, body certification, declaring the device safe and so on.
• Currently there are too many departments involved in giving approvals, and thus they get delayed.
• The government is contemplating reimbursement to the company if the registration takes place in foreign countries.
• "Reimbursement of costs incurred while conducting clinical trials, as well as that for conducting Research and Development, patent filing charges will also be looked into
• There are a number of bottlenecks for domestic companies to boost exports. The government is looking at incentives like subsidies and preference, so that the exports of Indian products receives a fillip.

Economic Development
Cabinet approves ‘In Principle' strategic disinvestment
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the approval of strategic disinvestment ) + Mains ( GS III Economic development)
What's the NEWS
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister,has given 'in principle' approval for strategic disinvestment of equity shareholding of

• Minerals & Metals Trading Corporation Limited (MMTC) (49.78%)
• National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) (10.10%)
• MECON (0.68%) and
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) (0.68%)
• NeelachalIspat Nigam Limited (NINL)

Know! about NINL

• NINL is a Joint Venture company, in which four CPSEs namely MMTC, NMDC, BHEL and MECON and 2 State PSUs of Odisha Government, namely IPICOL and OMC are shareholders.
• The proposed strategic disinvestment of NINL would unlock resources to be used to finance the social sector/developmental programmes of the Government benefiting the public.

Know! about Strategic disinvestment

• There are different methods for the sale of shares. If the government is selling just minority shares, say, less than 50% of the shares in a PSE, it will continue to the owner of the PSE. In most cases, the government is retaining the majority shares while selling only a minor proportion of the shares.
• But in the case of some enterprises, the government will be selling majority shares to a selected private sector or other entity and this method is called strategic disinvestment or strategic sale.
• Strategic disinvestment is transferring the ownership and control of a public sector entity to some other entity.
• Strategic disinvestment would imply the sale of a substantial portion of the Government shareholding of a central public sector enterprises (CPSE) of upto 50%, or such higher percentage as the competent authority may determine, along with transfer of management control.
• The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) under the Ministry of Finance has been made the nodal department for the strategic stake sale in the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

Prelims Factoids
Operation Sankalp

Know! about Operation Sankalp

• In the backdrop of the deteriorating security situation in the Gulf region, post attacks on merchant ships in the Gulf of Oman in Jun 19, Indian Navy had commenced Maritime Security Operations, code named Op SANKALP, in the Gulf Region on 19 Jun 19 to ensure safe passage of Indian Flag Vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Indian Navy warships and aircraft were deployed to establish presence, provide a sense of reassurance to the Indian merchantmen, monitor the ongoing situation and respond to any emergent crises. One war ship is presently deployed for Operation SANKALP.
• The operation is being progressed in close coordination with all stakeholders including Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and DG, Shipping. Regular Inter-Ministerial meetings have been held to review the evolving Maritime Security Situation in the Gulf region.
• Indian Navy continues to monitor the situation in the Gulf region and is maintaining presence in the region to ensure security of our sea borne trade and the safety of Indian Flag Merchant Vessels transiting through the region.

Know! about the Strait of Hormuz

• The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
• It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world's most strategically important choke points.
• On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.
• The strait is about 90 nautical miles (167 km) long, with a width varying from about 52 nautical miles (96 km) to 21 nautical miles (39 km).
• A third of the world's liquefied natural gas and almost 25% of total global oil consumption passes through the strait, making it a highly important strategic location for international trade.

Prelims Factoids
Eight North-Eastern states to participate in the Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat in April

Relevance IN - Prelims (about Madhavpur Mela)
What's the NEWS

• The eight States of the Northern Eastern Region will participate in a big way during the Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat due to be held in the first week of April this year.
• The annual fair is held at MadhavpurGhed in Porbandar district and the Mela this year will commence on 2nd April, a day after the Ram Navami festival.

Know! about Madhavpur Mela

• The Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat shares its connect to the Mishmi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Mishmi Tribe traces its ancestry to the legendary King Bhishmak and through him to his daughter Rukmini and Lord Krishna.
• The festival celebrates the immortal journey which Rukmini undertook from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat with Lord Krishna.
• The week-long ‘Utsav' will see a vibrant cultural trail of art, dance, music, poetry, story-telling and folk drama from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other North-Eastern States with the aim to integrate the rich cultures of the two regions.
• MadhavpurGhed, a small but culturally significant village, is the place where, according to folklore, Lord Krishna married Rukmini, the daughter of King Bhishmaka.

Prelims Factoids
Cabinet approves ratification of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Mobility Partnership agreement)
What's the NEWS

• The Union Cabinet, has given its approval for the ratification of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France.

Know! more about it

• The Agreement represents a major milestone in enhancing people-to-people contacts, fostering mobility of students, academics, researchers and skilled professionals and strengthening cooperation on issues related to irregular migration and human trafficking between the two sides.
• The Agreement is a testimony to India's rapidly expanding multi-faceted relationship with France and symbolizes the increasing trust and confidence between the two sides.
• The Agreement is initially valid for a period of seven years, incorporates provision for automatic renewal and a monitoring mechanism through a Joint Working Group.

Prelims Factoids
Exercise ''Naseem-Al-Bahr''

Relevance IN - Prelims ( facts about India - Oman bilateral relations )
What's the NEWS

• Two ships of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) arrived in Goa to participate in the 12th edition of the Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise ''Naseem-Al-Bahr''

Know! more about the exercise

• ''Naseem-Al-Bahr'' (or sea breeze) is a naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the RNO, being conducted since 1993.
• Indian Navy ships Beas and Subhadra are participating in it, with harbour phase in Goa followed by sea phase off the Goa coast.

Know! about India- Oman bilateral Relation

• India recently signed a pact with the country in 2018 to access the Duqm port of Oman
• India has supplied rifles to Oman
• India is also going to set up a defence production unit in Oman
• Other regular biennial exercises between India- Oman
• Al Najah - Army Exercise
• Ex Eastern Bridge - Air Force Exercise

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