Relevance IN - Prelim (about SAMART + NMEICT and TEQIP) + Mains (GS II Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
What's the NEWS

• HRD has developed an e-Governance platform, SAMARTH(Enterprises Resource Planning) ERP, under National Mission of Education in Information and Communication Technology Scheme (NMEICT).

Know! about SAMARTH(Enterprises Resource Planning)

• ERP, SAMARTH, is an Open Standard Open Source Architecture, Secure, Scalable and Evolutionary Process Automation Engine for Universities and Higher Educational Institutions.
• It caters to faculty, students and staff at a University/Higher Educational Institutions.
• Now, the ERP, SAMARTH, has been implemented at National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, a participating unit under the World Bank supported Technical Education Quality Improvement Program (TEQIP).
• The objective of this initiative is to automate the processes of the Institute.
• This initiative will enhance the productivity through better information management in the institute by seamless access to information, and its utilization for various purposes.

Know! about TEQIP

• Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme(TEQIP) is a project of Government of India assisted by World Bank.
• The project was implemented to improve the quality of education in the technical institutions of India
• Launched by the MHRD in 2002 TEQIP aims to upscale and support ongoing efforts in improving quality of technical education and enhancing existing capacities of the institutions
• The Programme was conceived and designed as a long term project to be implemented in 10-12 years in 3 phases to support excellence and transformation in Technical Education in the country.

Know! about NMEICT

• The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT) has been envisaged as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to leverage the potential of ICT, in teaching and learning process for the benefit of all the learners in Higher Education Institutions in any time any where mode.
• This was expected to be a major intervention in enhancing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education by 5 percentage points during the XI Five Year Plan period.

Health
COBAS 6800

Relevance IN - Prelims (about COBAS 6800)
What's the NEWS

• The Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare dedicated the COBAS 6800 testing machine to the nation
• This is the first such testing machine that has been procured by the Government for testing of COVID-19 cases and is installed at the National Centre for Disease Control.
• The machine has been placed at the National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi

Know! about COBAS 6800

• NCDC has been now equipped with the COBAS 6800, a fully automated, high end machine for performing real time PCR testing COVID-19
• COBAS 6800 will provide quality, high-volume testing with a high throughput of test around 1200 samples in 24 hours. It will largely increase the testing capacity with reduction in pendency.
• COBAS 6800 is a sophisticated machine enabled with robotics that minimizes the chance of contamination as well as the risk of infection to the health care workers since it can be operated remotely with limited human intervention.
• As the machine requires a minimum BSL2+ containment level for testing, it cannot be placed at just any facility.
• COBAS 6800 can also detect other pathogens like Viral Hepatitis B & C, HIV, MTb (both rifampicin and isoniazide resistance), Papilloma, CMV, Chlamydia, Neiserreia etc.

Know! about BSL-2+

• Biosafety Level 2 Plus (BSL-2+) is the common term for laboratories where work with microorganisms is conducted in a BSL-2 laboratory with biosafety practices and procedures that are typically found at BSL-3.
• The need for this hybrid approach is on the rise in recent years due to increased research with viral vectors, arboviruses, and other emerging infectious diseases.

Know! about NCDC

• National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC; previously known as National Institute of Communicable Diseases) is an institute under the Indian Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• It was established in July 1963 for research in epidemiology and control of communicable diseases and to reorganize the activities of the Malaria Institute of India (MII).

Prelims Factoids
GI tag for Thanjavur Netti Works, Arumbavur Wood Carvings

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the Thanjavur Netti Works and Arumbavur wood carvings)
What's the NEWS

• The Thanjavur Netti Works and Arumbavur wood carvings have been given Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry here in Chennai.

Thanjavur Netti works

• Thanjavur Netti Works (Thanjavur Pith Work) is made from pith. The pith is obtained from netti, a hydrophyte plant called as Aeschynomene aspera.
• The artisans are skilled in this particular craft and this art is traditionally transferred from their forefathers.
• The lakes around Pudukottai (Pudukullam & Kallaperumbur lake) are surrounded with marshy land which favours the growth of the hydrophytic plant.
• The soil found in Thanjavur is favourable for the growth of the plant that is used for the production of pith handicraft based in Thanjavur.
• The pith stems are found in and around the Thanjavur region and Mannargudi.
• The notable works from Thanjavur Netti Works include models of the Brihadeeshwara Temple, Hindu idols, garlands, door hangings and show pieces used for decoration.

Arumbavur wood carvings

• Arumbavur Wood Carving is done at Arumbavur and around the Veppanthattai taluk of Perambalur district.
• The wood carvings are primarily made out of wooden logs of Indian siris (Poo Vaagai, Albizia lebbeck), mango (Mangifera indica), lingam tree (Mavilangam), Indian ash tree (Othiyan - Odina wodier), rosewood, neem tree (Vembu - Azadirachta indica).
• The carvings in Arambavur Wood Carvings are often inspired by architectural details on temple sculptures and carvings.
• The dimensions of the wood blocks used depend on the wooden sculpture to be carved.
• The descriptions and designs which inspire the work lie in temple architecture indigenous to the region. Usually, the statues are crafted in the range of 1 to 12 feet.

About GI tag

• A GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation by virtue of their geographical association.
• The tag conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the geographical origin of the product.
• The owner of the GI tag has exclusive rights over the product

Connect to the Past ( Current Capsules 02nd and 14th May)

• Yesterday Jharkhand's Sohrai Khovar painting and Telangana's Telia Rumal were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
• Last week Chak-Hao, the black rice of Manipur, the Gorakhpur terracotta, the Kashmir Saffron and the Kovilpatti kadalai mittai of Tamil Nadu bagged the GI tags

Economy
Atma-Nirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India
Relevance IN - Prelims (all about Self-Reliant India economic package) + Mains (GS III economic development + GS II Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of
their design and implementation)
What's the NEWS

• The 2^nd Tranche of measures to ameliorate the hardships faced specifically by migrant labours, street vendors, migrant urban poor, small traders self-employed people, small farmers and housing

Free food grains supply to migrants for 2 months

• Additional food grain to all the States/UTs at the rate of 5 kg per migrant labourer and 1 kg Chana per family per month for two months i.e. May and June, 2020 free of cost shall be allocated.
• Migrant labourers not covered under National Food Security Act or without a ration card in the State/UT in which they are stranded at present will be eligible
• The entire outlay of Rs. 3500 crore will be borne by Government of India.

Technology system to be used enabling Migrants to access PDS (Ration) from any Fair Price Shops in India by March,2021-One Nation one Ration Card

• Pilot scheme for portability of ration cards (One Nation one Ration Card) will be extended to 23 states. By that, 67 crore beneficiaries covering 83% of PDS population will be covered by National portability of Ration cards by August, 2020.
• 100% National portability will be achieved by March, 2021.
• This scheme will enable a migrant worker and their family members to access PDS benefits from any Fair Price Shop in the country.
• This will ensure that the people in transit, especially migrant workers can also get the benefit of PDS benefit across the country.

Scheme for Affordable Rental Housing Complexes for Migrant Workers and Urban Poor to be launched

• Central Government will launch a scheme for migrant workers and urban poor to provide ease of living at affordable rent.
• Affordable Rental Housing Complexes will provide social security and quality life to migrant labour, urban poor, and students etc.
• This will be done through converting government funded houses in the cities into Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) under PPP mode
  

• Government of India will provide Interest subvention of 2% for prompt payees for a period of 12 months to MUDRA Shishu loanees, who have loans below Rs 50,000.

Rs 5,000 crore Credit facility for Street Vendors

• A special scheme will be launched within a month to facilitate easy access to credit to Street vendors enabling them to restart their businesses.
• Under this scheme, bank credit facility for initial working capital up to Rs. 10,000 for each enterprise will be extended.
• This scheme will cover urban as well as rural vendors doing business in the adjoining urban areas.

Rs 70,000 crore boost to housing sector and middle income group through extension of Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for MIG under PMAY(Urban)

• The Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for Middle Income Group (annual Income between Rs 6 and 18 lakhs) will be extended up to March 2021.

Rs 6,000 crore for Creating employment using CAMPA funds

• Approximately Rs 6,000 crore of funds under Compensatory Afforestation Management & Planning Authority (CAMPA) will be used for Afforestation and Plantation works, including in urban areas
• This will create job opportunities in urban, semi-urban and rural areas and also for Tribals (Adivashis).

Rs 30,000 crore Additional Emergency Working Capital for farmers through NABARD

• NABARD will extend additional re-finance support of Rs 30,000 crore for meeting crop loan requirement of Rural Cooperative Banks and RRBs.

Rs 2 lakh crore credit boost to 2.5 crore farmers under Kisan Credit Card Scheme

• A special drive to provide concessional credit to PM-KISAN beneficiaries through Kisan Credit Cards.
• Fisherman and Animal Husbandry Farmers will also be included in this drive.
• This will enable such farmers to gain access to institutional credit at concessional interest rate

MGNREGS support to returning Migrants

• Drive being undertaken to enroll returning migrants
• States/UTs advised to provide works to migrant workers as per the provisions of the Act

Labour Codes - Benefits for Workers

• Universalization of right of minimum wages and timely payment of wages to all workers including unorganized workers - presently minimum wages applicable to only 30% of workers.
• Statutory concept of National Floor Wage introduced: will reduce regional disparity in minimum wages.
• Fixation of minimum wages simplified, leading to less number of rates of minimum wages and better compliance.
• Appointment letter for all workers-this will promote formalization.
• Annual Health Check-up for employees.
• Occupational Safety & Health(OSH) Code also applicable to establishments engaged in work of hazardous nature even with threshold of less than 10 workers.
• Definition of inter-state migrant worker modified to include migrant workers employed directly by the employer
• Extension of ESIC coverage pan-India to all districts and all establishments employing 10 or more employees as against those in notified districts/areas only.
• Extension of ESIC coverage to employees working in establishments with less than 10 employees on voluntary basis.
• Mandatory ESIC coverage through notification by the Central Government for employees in hazardous industries with less than 10 employees.
• Social Security Scheme for Gig workers and Platform workers.
• Re-skilling fund introduced for retrenched employees.
• All occupations opened for women and permitted to work at night with safeguards.
• Provision for Social Security Fund for unorganised workers.
• Gratuity for Fixed Term Employment - Provision of gratuity on completion of one year service as against 5 years.

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