Relevance IN - Prelims (about EPCH and about IHGF )
What's the NEWS

• The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has cancelled the 49th edition of IHGF - Delhi Fair Spring-2020in view of present status of COVID-19 in India and abroad.

• Over 10,000 visitors, including 7000 overseas buyers and their representatives, were expected to turn up for the show which was to host over 3200 exhibitors displaying best of the Indian handicrafts from all across the country.
• The 50^th edition of IHGF-Delhi Fair Autumn will be organized from 14-18 October 2020 at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida in Delhi NCR.

• EPCH was established under Companies Act in the year 1986-87 and is a non-profit organisation, with an object to promote, support, protect, maintain and increase the export of handicrafts.
• It is an apex body of handicrafts exporters for promotion of exports of Handicrafts from country and projected India's image abroad as a reliable supplier of high quality of handicrafts goods & services and ensured various measures keeping in view of observance of international standards and specification.

• IHGF is amongst Asia's largest gifts & handicrafts fair, held biannually (Spring & Autumn edition) and is organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).

Human Resource Development
Corona Studies Series books
Relevance IN - Prelims (about Corona Studies Series and its objective)
What's the NEWS

• National Book Trust, India, the national body for book publishing and book promotion under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, is launching a publishing series titled ‘Corona Studies Series' to document and to provide relevant reading materials for all age-groups for the post-Corona readership needs.

Know! about Corona Studies Series

• The ‘Corona Studies Series' seeks to prepare and engage readers with the various aspects of the Corona times by bringing out affordable books in various Indian languages in the identified subject areas.
• It will also provide suitable platform to authors and researchers willing to contribute in this genre
• The NBT has already started #StayHomeIndiaWithBooks initiatives by uploading pdfs of some bestselling titles for free downloads
• The NBT has set-up a Study Group comprising of some experienced and young psychologists/counsellors to prepare books on the sub-series on ‘Psycho-Social Impact of Corona Pandemic and the Ways to Cope'.
• NBT hope to bring out both e-editions and printed editions of these books soon enough as support materials for the readers

Social Issues
Team Trifed Van Dhan India shows the way ‘Work From Home'

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about TRIFED Vandhan and its objective + about Tech for Tribals + Mains ( GS II Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes
What's the NEWS

• A group of over 500 officials from TRIFED, an organisation under the M/o Tribal Affairs, have unleashed the power of Webinars to keep in touch with each other continue working from home, located in 27 States of the country

Know! more about it ( the genesis)

• Braving all odds, "The Tech for Tribals", a project to train tribal entrepreneurs at 16 premier IITs &IIMs of the country, was launched on line on 19 March 2020.
• This scheme will link almost 3.5 lakh tribal entrepreneurs living in villages to the premier institutions of the world.
• The Trifed VanDhan GIS based website, the future medium of communication for 50 lakh tribal gatherers was launched on line for testing with 27 State teams participating, on 27 March 2020.
• Trifed completed setting up 1205 VANDhan Centers across 22 states of the country, employing 3 lakh 70 thousand Tribals in ventures to promote entrepreneurship

Health
National Teleconsultation Centre (CoNTeC)

Relevance IN - Prelims (about National Teleconsultation Centre (CoNTeC) + Mains (GS II Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

What's the NEWS

• The Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare launched the National Teleconsultation Centre (CoNTeC)

Know! more about CoNTeC

• The project CoNTeC, an acronym for COVID-19 National Teleconsultation Centre, has been conceptualised by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and has been implemented by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
• CoNTeC has been made operational at AIIMS with a view to connect the Doctors across the country to AIIMS in real time for treatment of the COVID-19 patients.
• The doctors world over are using different protocols to treat COVID-19 patients and the goal of the facility is to at least connect the doctors in the country together to discuss amongst themselves the protocols undertaken and provide the best treatment accordingly.
• The CoNTeC is a Telemedicine Hub established by AIIMS, New Delhi, wherein expert doctors from various clinical domains will be available 24x7 to answer the multifaceted questions from specialists from all over the country.
• It is a multi-modal telecommunications hub through which 2 way audio-video and text communications can be undertaken from any part of the country as well as the world at large.
• The modes of communication will include simple mobile telephony as well as two way video communications, using WhatsApp, Skype and Google Duo.
• The CoNTeC is also fully integrated with the National Medical College Network (NMCN) to conduct a full fledged Video Conference (VC) between the 50 Medical Colleges connected through the NMCN with its National Resource Centre located at SGPGI, Lucknow.

Defence
Daporijo bridge

Relevance IN - Prelims (about project Arunank + about Daporijo bridge + about BRO)
What's the NEWS

• Braving the threat of COVID-19, the Border Roads Organsation (BRO) personnel under the Project Arunank are working relentlessly to completely replace Daporijo bridge over Subansiri River (430 feet Multi Span Bailey Brigde), the only lifeline of Upper Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh to restore Lines of Communication for all 451 villages and Security Forces located along the China border.
• The personnel of 23 BRTF/Project Arunank, on special request from Local Administration, is working in full swing in spite of the dilapidated state of existing bridge.

Know! about BRO

• The Border Roads Organisation, an important arm of the Ministry of Defence, plays pivotal role in constructing and maintaining operational road infrastructure in inhospitable and far flung border areas to support the armed forces meet their strategic needs.
  

Know! about Subansiri River

• The Subansiri River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River in the Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh
• The Subansiri is 442 kilometres long and it is the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra.
• The Subansiri River originates in the Himalayas, in China.

Prelims Factoids
Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund)

Relevance IN - Prelims (about PM CARES fund)
What's the NEWS

• A dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected, a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund' (PM CARES Fund)' has been set up.

Know! more about the fund

• Prime Minister is the Chairman of this trust and its Members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.
• This fund will enable micro-donations as a result of which a large number of people will be able to contribute with smallest of denominations.
• Funds being donated to the PM-CARES trust is to be exempted from tax under Section 80(G) of the Income Tax Act.
  
  

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