Daily Current Capsules 31^st October 2020

Infrastructure Development
Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Coastal shipping) + Mains ( GS III Infrastructure developments - ports)
What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Shipping has issued the draft of Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020 for suggestions from the stakeholders and general public.
• The Ministry of Shipping has drafted a Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020 in lieu of part XIV of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

Some of the highlights of the Bill are as under:

• The definition of coastal shipping and coastal waters has been expanded.
• It is proposed to do away with the requirement of trading licence for Indian flag vessels for coastal trade.
• The Bill seeks to create a competitive environment and reduce transportation costs, while encouraging Indian vessels to increase their share in coastal shipping.
• The Bill also proposes integration of coastal maritime transport with inland waterways.
• There is a provision for a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan.

Know! about Coastal shipping

• Coastal shipping, that is shipping within 20 nautical miles of the coastline. The requirements for movement of vessels in this part of the sea are different from standard requirements of deep sea shipping.
• Coastal ship movements require smaller vessels and lesser draft, and therefore, involve lower costs

Infrastructure Development

Cabinet approves Externally Aided Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project - Phase II and Phase III

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) + Mains ( GS III infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & Phase III with the financial assistance of the World Bank (WB), and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams across the whole country, along with institutional strengthening with system wide management approach.
• The project cost is Rs 10,211 crore. The Project will be implemented over a period of 10 years duration in two Phases, each of six years duration with two years overlapping from April, 2021 to March, 2031.

DRIP Phase II & Phase III envisages the following objectives:-

1. To improve the safety and performance of selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner.
2. To strengthen the dam safety institutional setup in participating states as well as at central level, and
3. To explore the alternative incidental means at few of selected dams to generate the incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams

To achieve the above objectives, DRIP Phase II & Phase III has following components:
a. Rehabilitation and improvement of dams and associated appurtenances,
b. Dam safety institutional strengthening in participating States and Central agencies,
c. Exploration of alternative incidental means at few of selected dams to generate the incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams, and
d. Project management.
The Scheme envisages comprehensive rehabilitation of 736 existing dams located across the country.
Know! about DRIP

• The Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) is an initiative being undertaken by the Central Water Commission (CWC), Government of India with World Bank loan assistance, to improve the safety and performance of selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner, and to strengthen the dam safety institutional setup in participating Implementing Agencies across participating States as well as in the CWC.

Prelims Factoids
Arogya Van, Arogya Kutir, Ekta Mall and Children Nutrition Park inaugurated
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Arogya Van & Arogya Kutir + Ekta Mall)
What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister inaugurated various projects under Integrated Development of Kevadia in Gujarat.
• He inaugurated Arogya Van and Arogya Kutir. He also inaugurated the Ekta Mall, and Children Nutrition Park.

Arogya Van & Arogya Kutir

• Arogya Van has 5 lakh plants of 380 different species spread over an area of 17 acre.
• Arogya Kutir has a traditional treatment facility named Santhigiri wellness centre which will provide healthcare based on Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga and Panchakarma.

Ekta Mall

• The Mall displays a diverse range of handicrafts and traditional items from all over India symbolizing unity in diversity and is spread over 35000 sq ft. The mall consists of 20 Emporia each representing a specific state in India and is built in just 110 days.

Children Nutrition Park & Mirror Maze

• It is the world's first ever technology driven nutrition park for children and is spread over an area of 35000 sq ft.
• A Nutri Train runs across the park to various exciting theme based stations namely ‘Phalshaka Griham', ‘Payonagari', ‘Annapoorna', ‘Poshan Puran', and ‘Swastha Bharatam'.
• It will raise nutritional awareness through various edutainment activities like Mirror Maze, 5D Virtual reality theatre and Augmented reality games.

Miscellaneous
National Productivity Council gets Accreditation conforming to ISO 17020:2012

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about NPC and its role) + Mains ( GS II governance - accountability and transparency)
What's the NEWS

• National Productivity Council (NPC), under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India has been granted accreditation conforming to ISO 17020:2012 by National Accreditation Board for Certification Body (NABCB), Quality Council of India (QCI) for undertaking inspection and audit work in the area of Food Safety Audit and Scientific Storage of Agricultural Products.
• This accreditation is valid for a period of three years. NPC has already formed an Inspection Division at its Headquarters for undertaking Inspection and audit activities.

Know! the role of NPC

• NPC has been conducting inspections/audit for different statutory bodies such as Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and is already having high credentials in the area of inspections and audits.
• WDRA empanelled NPC as an accreditation and inspection agency since 2011 for inspection of Warehouses all over India.
• FSSAI had also empanelled NPC as an Auditing agency for conducting Food Safety Audit of Food Business Operators (FBOs) across India in the area of Food Storage/Warehousing/Cold Storage.
• NPC has also conducted Audits of Dairy Plants, Oil Extraction Units, Solvent Extraction Plants and Oil Refineries for FSSAI.
• Present accreditation of NPC by NABCB conforming to ISO 17020:2012 will enable it to undertake Independent Third-Party Audits of Food Business Operators including Food Storage Warehouses as per Food Safety and Standards (Food Safety Auditing) Regulations, 2018 of FSSAI as well as inspections of Warehouses as per WDRA Rules, 2017.

National Productivity Council of India (NPC)

• It established in the year 1958, is an autonomous organization under Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Besides undertaking research in the area of productivity
• NPC has been providing consultancy and training services in areas of Industrial Engineering, Agri-Business, Economic Services, Quality Management, Human Resources Management, Information Technology, Technology Management, Energy Management, Environmental Management etc., to the Government and Public & Private sector organizations.
• NPC is a constituent of the Tokyo-based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an Inter-Governmental Body of which the Government of India is a founding member.

Bilateral Relations
Cabinet approves Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan on cooperation in the field of Information and Communication Technologies

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about MoC - highlights) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations - can be used as a fodder to substantiate your answers)
What's the NEWS

• The Union Cabinet, has given its approval for signing Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on bilateral cooperation in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

MoC (Highlights)

• The MoC will contribute in strengthening bilateral cooperation and mutual understanding in the field of communications
• It will serve as a strategic initiative for India as Japan is an important partner with "Special Strategic and Global Partnership" status.
• The MoC will help in cooperation between two countries in various fields like 5G network, telecom security, Submarine cable, standard certification of communication equipment, utilization of latest Wireless Technologies and ICTs, ICTs capacity building, Public Protection and Disaster Relief, Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Block Chain, Spectrum Chain, Spectrum Management, Cooperation on Multilateral platforms etc.
• The MoC will further enhance opportunities for India to get into global standardization process.
• Cooperation in ICTs technologies will help in strengthening ICTs infrastructure in the country.
• Cooperation in the development of future submarine cable networks and technologies will help in boosting connectivity of mainland India to remote areas.

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