Daily Current Capsules - 19^th March 2020

Social Justice & Empowerment
Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Beggars

Relevance IN - Prelims (about the a comprehensive scheme for persons engaged in the Act of begging + about NBCFDC + about NISD) + Mains ( GS II Social justice Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.)
What's the NEWS

• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has proposed to restructure & formulate a scheme namely "Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Beggars".

Know! More about the scheme

• It will be a comprehensive scheme for persons engaged in the Act of begging which would cover identification, rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, education, skill development with the support of State Governments/UTs/Local Urban Bodies and Voluntary Organizations, institutions etc.
• The scheme will be implemented in the selected cities having large concentration of Beggar community during the financial year 2020-2021.
• The government is working in a mission mode with complete commitment to ‘Har Ek Kaam, Desh Ke Naam'.

Other steps taken by the Ministry

• Last year the Ministry has released an amount of Rs. One crore and Rs. 50.00 lakh for 2018-19 to National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) for skill development programmes for beggars on pilot basis.
• The Corporation has so far conducted skill development training programme for 400 members of beggar's community
• The Ministry has also released an amount of Rs. One Crore to National Institute of Social Defence (NISD)

Know! about National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC)

• National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) was incorporated 13 January 1992 as a non profit company under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India to improve and develop the economic activities for the members of Backward Classes who are living below double the poverty line.
• The Corporation can assist loan for their self-employment ventures in the sectors like agriculture, transport and service etc.
• NBCFDC also provides Micro Financing through SCAs/ Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• The Corporation can assist a wide range of income generating activities to assist the poorer section of these classes in skill development and self-employment ventures

Know! about National Institute of Social Defence (NISD)

• The National Institute of Social Defence was set up originally as Central Bureau of Correctional Services in 1961, under the Ministry of Home Affairs
• In 1964, the Bureau was transferred to the then Department of Social Security.
• Since 1975 the Institute was a subordinate office under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
• The National Institute of Social Defence has become an Autonomous Body vide Government of India and is registered under Societies Act
• The National Institute of Social Defence is the nodal training and research institute in the field of social defence.
• This Institute is currently focusing on human resource development in the areas of drug abuse prevention,welfare of senior citizens, beggary prevention, transgender and other social defence issues.

National Institute of Social Defence is:

• A Central Advisory Body for Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India.
• A Centre of Excellence on research and training in the field of social defence
• Coordinates and liaises between the Government and the Non-Government. organizations at State, National and International level.
• Develops preventive, curative and rehabilitative tools, programmes and policies in the field of social defence,Undertakes research, training, consultancy, documentation and publication in the field of social defence.

Know! about Har Kaam Desh Ke Naam

• The Centre has launched a new campaign to "spread the word" about its public welfare efforts.
• Through this campaign the Ministries are required to publicise their work through TV, newspapers, outdoor ads, and the digital medium.
• From February 15, 2020 to March 31, 2020, it is required to publicise the public welfare works of this government through television, newspapers, outdoor (advertisements) and through the digital medium.

Implementation of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about RVY scheme ) + Mains ( GS II Social justice)


Know! about RVY

• The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a Central Sector Scheme namely "Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana" (RVY) on 1^st April, 2017 with the objective to provide the senior citizens, living below poverty line and suffering from any of the age related disability/ infirmity, with such assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions, overcoming the disability/ infirmity manifested.
• The Scheme is implemented through the ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)', (a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment) as the sole implementing Agency.
• The Scheme of RVY is entirely funded from Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund (SCWF). So far, total 138 distribution camps have been organised across the country under RVY.

Government Policies
National e-Commerce policy and the new Industrial Policy
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about e-commerce and industrial policy + about data protection bill)
What's the NEWS

• The formulation of the National e-Commerce policy and the new Industrial Policy is under consideration of the Government.

Know! the present status of both policies

• The draft National e-commerce policy seeks to create a facilitative regulatory environment for growth of e-commerce sector.
• It is aimed at empowering domestic entrepreneurs and to encourage Make in India while safeguarding interests of the consumers and facilitating job creation.
• The proposed new Industrial policy seeks to boost competitiveness and growth of the manufacturing sector in India.
• Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has introduced the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, which inter alia, seeks to specify the flow and usage of personal data, defines sensitive data and aims to create a framework for organisational and technical measures in processing of data, laying down norms for cross-border transfer and accountability of entities processing personal data.

Defence
DAC paves way for procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft for IAF

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about DAC and about Tejas)
What's the NEWS

• The first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh was held with the Acquisition Wing being the Secretariat of the DAC.
• This would lead to better coordination and faster processing of cases with the Acquisition wing being in the overall charge of the Capital acquisition process.

Know! about Tejas

• The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas indigenously-designed by Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is going to be the backbone of Indian Air Force in future.
• While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, DAC paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL
• The proposal will now be placed for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
• The Defence Acquisition Council also accorded approval for acquisition of indigenous Defence equipment for about Rs 1,300 crore.
• The proposals were for procurement of Aerial Fuses and Twin-Dome Simulators for Hawk Mk32 aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

Know! about DAC

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of the Defence Minister was constituted after the Group of Ministers recommendations on 'Reforming the National Security System', in 2001, post Kargil War (1999). for overall guidance of the defence procurement planning process.
• The objective of the Defence Acquisition Council is to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard) in terms of capabilities sought, and time frame prescribed, by optimally utilizing the allocated budgetary resources.

Agriculture
APEDA signs MoU with SFAC

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the objective of MoU + About APEDA + SFAC ) + Mains ( GS II Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
Know! the objective of the MoU

• APEDA has been focusing on collaborative approach to bring synergy with FPOs(farmers producer organisations) and has been engaged with them for mutually working together in the development of agriculture and allied sectors and its exports for bringing better value to the stakeholders.
• APEDA has been in dialog with SFAC for linking of Farmer Producer organizations, farmers' cooperatives to the export value chain through capacity building, production of the quality produce as per the requirement of importing countries, creation of infrastructure, facilitating primary and secondary processing in the clusters and also by linking them to the exporters.
• FPOs(farmers producer organisations) are an institutional innovation to help small holders to reduce cost of produce by procuring necessary inputs in bulk at wholesale rates, aggregation of produce and bulk transport reducing marketing cost etc. and extend their reach to modern technology and distant markets.
• The policy also aims at addressing the obstacles faced by FPOs through organisation like Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) and State level organizations to expand FPO network.

Know! the Areas of cooperation:
1. APEDA and SFAC to jointly work together to link up the FPOs/FPCs with the exporters to achieve the goal and doubling the farmers income as well.
2. To work towards capacity development, outreach programs, awareness programs and workshops of various stakeholders.
3. APEDA to facilitate certification of organic produce /areas by the FPCs assisted or identified by SFAC.
4. To take-up an Agri Business Promotion Unit in the North East and to mentor and handhold the FPOs in North East.
Know! about APEDA

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), is an authority established under an act of parliament and under the administrative control of Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
• It has been mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of the scheduled products
• APEDA has also been entrusted with the responsibility to monitor import of sugar.

Know! about Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC):

• It is pioneer in organising small and marginal farmers as Farmers Interest Groups, Farmers Producers Organisation and Farmers Producers Company for endowing them with bargaining power and economies of scale.
• It provides a platform for increased accessibility and cheaper availability of agricultural inputs to small and marginal farmers and in establishing forward and backward linkages in supply chain management.
• This initiative has triggered mobilization of farmers for aggregation across the country with ultimate aim of sustainable business model and augmented incomes.
• The Society has been entrusted with the task of implementation of the critically important Delhi Kisan Mandi and National Agriculture Market Scheme on e-platform to progressively free agricultural trade and offer price discovery to farmers. Currently there around 1000 FPOs/FPCs registered with SFAC.

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