Relevance IN - Prelims ( about all three binational centres and their programmes) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations+ GS III awareness in the field of science and technology)
Know! about the binational centres
Presently the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India is having three binational Centres namely

1. Indo-French Centre for Promotional of Advanced Research (IFCPAR)established with France in 1987
2. Indo-US Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF) established in 2000 with USA and
3. Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) established in 2010 under inter-governmental agreements.

• During last three years, the following new programmes have been launched by these binational Centres:

JCERDC Phase II program

• The "UI-ASSIST: U.S.-India collaborative for smart distribution System with Storage" project co-led by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and Washington State University,
• The project seeks to address critical issues related to adoption and deployment of smart grid concepts along with Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)

River Water and Air Quality Monitoring (WAQM) system

• Recognizing the importance of developing online River Water and Air Quality Monitoring (WAQM) systems, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Intel® collaborated to jointly initiate the Research Initiative for Real-time River Water and Air Quality Monitoring Program.

WISTEMM

• The "Indo-US Fellowship for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (WISTEMM)" is a fellowship program, conceptualized by IUSSTF in partnership with the Department of Science & Technology (DST)
• To provide opportunities to bright Indian women students and scientists for capacity building, gain exposure and access to excellent research facilities in U.S. academia and labs.

Indo-German Science & Technology Centre:

IGST CCONNECT Plus Programme

• IGSTC and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) jointly launched the IGST CCONNECT Plus Programme in May 2018.
• The Programme is aimed at boosting Indo-German networking and long term collaboration among the participants of the Indo-German Frontiers of Engineering Symposia (INDOGFOE), which is co-organised by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Defence/Cyber Security
Hybrid warfare

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about hybrid warfare) + Mains ( GS III Cyber security)
What's the NEWS

• An investigation by the Indian Express has revealed that a Shenzhen-based company Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co Limited, with reported links to the Chinese government, was monitoring over 10,000 Indian nationals and organisations

Know! about Hybrid warfare

• Also referred to as 'non-linear warfare,' hybrid warfare involves the use of non-conventional and irregular tactics to support conventional military force.
• The contours of hybrid warfare, a shift in the arena of violence from military to political, economic and technological.
• The new weapons in this war, closely linked to the lives of the common people.
• It is a military strategy which employs political warfare and blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare and cyberwarfare with other influencing methods such as fake news, diplomacy, lawfare and foreign electoral intervention.

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Commission on Status of Women (CSW) + about ECOSOC)
What's the NEWS

• India has been elected as the member of the Commission on Status of Women (CSW), a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
• • India will be a member of the prestigious body for four years from 2021 to 2025.

Know! more about it

• India, Afghanistan and China had contested the elections to the Commission on Status of Women. While India and Afghanistan won the ballot among the 54 members, China failed to cross the half-way mark.
• The CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• A functional commission of the ECOSOC, it was established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946.
• It promotes women's rights, highlights the reality of women's lives throughout the world and helps in shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• 45 member states of the United Nations serve as members of the Commission at any one time.

• It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields of the organization

• ECOSOC serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues and formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the United Nations system.
• In addition to a rotating membership of 54 UN member states, over 1,600 nongovernmental organizations have consultative status with the Council to participate in the work of the United Nations

Prelims Factoids
Committee for conducting a study on the origin and evolution of Indian culture
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the committee and its role)
What's the NEWS

• The government has formed an expert committee for conducting a study on the origin and evolution of Indian culture dating back to around 12,000 years ago
• The 16-member committee will include K.N. Dikshit, Chairman, Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi and former Joint Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, among others.
• A committee has been set up for conducting a holistic study of origin and evolution of Indian culture since 12,000 years before present and its interface with other cultures of the world

Social Issues
MSP for MFP Scheme

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the MSP for MFP Scheme + about Van Dhan Scheme) + 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

• Record procurement of MFPs under the MSP for MFP Scheme in 16 states
• This is the highest-ever in terms of the number of MFPs, the total value of procurement and the number of states involved, since the implementation of the scheme.
• With this, the total procurement for the year (both Government and private trade) crossed more than Rs3000 crores

• The Guidelines for the Scheme for ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP' initiated to provide MSP to gatherers of forest produce and introducing value addition and marketing through tribal groups and clusters has taken firm roots across the country and found widespread acceptance.
• Among the States, Chhattisgarh has taken the lead by procuring 46,857 Metric tonnes of Minor Forest Produces
• Odisha and Gujarat follow with a procurement of 14391.23 MTs of MFPs
• The successful implementation of the Van DhanYojana across the 22 States involving 3.6 lakh tribal beneficiaries and continuous engagement & on-boarding of the States by TRIFED has invariably acted as a catalyst for putting theMSP for MFP Scheme on the right track.
• A revised set of MSP for MFP guidelines were issued on May 1 2020, which increased the MSP prices of the MFPs by up to 90% and thus helped in ensuring higher incomes for the tribal gatherers.
• On May 26, 2020, the Ministry also recommended the addition of 23 new items under the MSP for MFP list.
• These items include agricultural and horticultural produce collected by tribal gatherers.
• TRIFED, as the nodal agency working to empower the tribal population, has been supporting and assisting the State in all their efforts during this crisis.

Know! about MSP for MFP Scheme

• It was launched by the Centre in August 2013
• Minor Forest Produce (MFP) comprises all non-timber forest produce of plant origin such as bamboo, brush wood, stumps, cane, tussar, cocoons, honey, wax, lac, tendu or kendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, tubers, etc, according to the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
• Under the scheme "Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support Price and development of Value chain for MFP" Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) has been fixed for select MFP.
• The scheme is designed as a social safety net for improvement of livelihood of MFP gatherers by providing them fair price for the MFPs they collect.
• The Scheme has been implemented in eight States having Schedule areas as listed in the Fifth Schedule of the constitution of India. From November 2016, the scheme is applicable in all States.

Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana

• It was launched on 14th April, 2018 by the Prime Minister
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal department at central level and TRIFED is the nodal agency at national level

• Initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribal gatherers and transforming them into entrepreneurs
• Idea is to set-up tribal community owned Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) in predominantly forested tribal districts.
• A Kendra shall constitute of 15 tribal SHGs, each comprising of up to 20 tribal NTFP gatherers or artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Van Dhan Kendra.
• 100% Central Government Funded with TRIFED providing Rs. 15 lakhs for each 300 member Van Dhan Kendra.

Prelims Factoids
National Highway Excellence Awards

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about National Highways Excellence Awards).
What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has invited proposals for the National Highways Excellence Awards for the year 2020.

Know! more about the award
The awards are given every year in seven categories -

1. Excellence in Project Management
2. Excellence in Operation and Maintenance
3. Green Highway
4. Innovation
5. Excellence in Highway Safety
6. Excellence in Toll Management, and
7. Outstanding Work in Challenging Conditions.

• The awards were instituted in the year 2018.
• The first cycle of awards in 2018 received wide participation from around the country.
• The aim is to recognise companies which are performing exceptionally well in the construction, operations, maintenance and tolling stages of highway development as well as in the arena of road safety.

Education
AICTE - Visvesvaraya Best Teachers Award 2020

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about AICTE Visvesvarya Best Teacher Awards + about M Visvesvaraya + SPICES )
What's the NEWS

• The first ever AICTE Visvesvarya Best Teacher Awards 2020 were presented by Union Minister of Education to 12 faculty members of AICTE approved institutes on the occasion of Engineers Day.

Know! more about the award

• The AICTE Visvesvaraya Best Teachers Award has been introduced to recognise the excellence of faculty members in AICTE-approved institutes.
• The Awards has been introduced for the first time to identify extraordinary teachers and recognize their excellence, best practice and innovativeness in field of higher technical education at national level for Degree and Diploma institutions.
• This scheme is aimed to recognize the meritorious faculties on the Engineer's Day every year at National level

Know! about Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya

• M Visvesvaraya, popularly known as Sir MV, was an engineer, statesman, and a scholar.
• Sir MV served as the Diwan of Mysore during the period of 1912-1918.
• In 1955, he was honoured with Bharat Ratna.
• For his contributions to the public goodness, he was bestowed as Knight Commander, by King George V, during the British Indian Empire.
• September 15 is celebrated as Engineers day, in his loving memory.
• Sir MV was recognized for engineering the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam located in Mysore.
• Also, he was one of the Chief designing engineers for bringing up a system for flood protection in Hyderabad.

SPICES (Scheme for Promoting Interests, Creativity and Ethics among Students)

• The event also saw the launch of SPICES (Scheme for Promoting Interests, Creativity and Ethics among Students) by Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' to promote healthy co-curricular activity amongst the students for their all-round development.

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS