Prelims Factoids
All India Presiding Officers Conference
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the All India Presiding Officers Conference)

What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister addressed the concluding session of the 80th All India Presiding Officers Conference at Kevadia in Gujarat
• The two-day conference began at Kevadia in Gujarat. President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the conference which is being attended by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
• Speaker Om Birla is also the chairperson of the conference.

All India Presiding Officers Conference

• The All India Presiding Officers Conference began in 1921, and the Gujarat event marks its centenary year.
• The theme for this year's conference is Harmonious Coordination between Legislature, Executive and Judiciary - Key to a Vibrant Democracy.
• The conference, discussed ways to ensure constitutional accountability of the legislature and the executive to the people.
• It has also take up issues related to working of the state legislatures in a disciplined and orderly fashion.
• The event, also known as the Speakers' Conference, will end on the Constitution Day (November 26) with a virtual address by Prime Minister

Government Schemes
UNDP and Invest India launch the SDG Investor Map for India

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Investment Opportunities Areas - objective and benefits + about Invest India) + Mains ( GS II Government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• United Nations Development Program and Invest India have launched the SDG Investor Map for India, laying out 18 Investment Opportunities Areas (IOAs) in six critical SDG enabling sectors, that can help India push the needle forward on Sustainable Development.
• Invest India is pleased to have partnered with UNDP India to develop the first-ever 'SDG Investor Map for India'.

Highlights of the SDG Investor Map:

• Of the 18 IOAs identified, 10 are already mature investable areas that have seen robust Private Equity and Venture Capital activity, and feature companies that have been able to unlock scale and demonstrate profitability. The remaining eight IOAs are emerging opportunities, which have seen traction from early-stage investors.
• The observations from the map present a strong case for investing in SDG enabling sectors and IOAs, bridging the gap between high-level development targets and the need for commercially viable returns.
• By mapping the overlaps and gaps between public sector priorities and private sector interest, the SDG Investor Map lays out pathways that can bring together private-sector investment and public sector support for 6 SDG-enabling sectors including Education, Healthcare, Agriculture & Allied Activities, Financial Services, Renewable Energy & Alternatives and Sustainable Environment.

Know! about Invest India

• Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India, set up as a non-profit venture under the aegis of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
• It facilitates and empowers all investors under the ‘Make in India' initiative to establish, operate and expand their businesses in India.
• Invest India is envisaged as a one stop shop specially created to attract and retain high quality investments into India.
• It provides sector-and state-specific inputs, and hand-holding support to investors through the entire investment cycle, from pre-investment, decision-making to after-care.
• Invest India provides comprehensive facilitation to investors interested in India, including strategic business advisory, policy guidance, location assessment, issue redressal and expansion support.

Governance
Digitised online Human Resource Management System (HRMS) launched
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about HRMS)
What's the NEWS

• Indian Railway has launched completely digitized online Human Resource Management System (HRMS).
• Human Resource Management System (HRMS) is a high thrust project for Indian Railways to leverage improved productivity & employee satisfaction.
• It is a move to improve efficiency and productivity of Railway system and a step towards transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

Know! about HRMS

• HRMS is expected to create a big impact on the functioning of all the employees and will make them more tech savvy.
• Employee Self Service (ESS) module enables railway employees to interact with various modules of HRMS including communication regarding change of data.
• Provident Fund (PF) Advance module enables Railway employees to check their PF balance and apply for PF advance online.
• Advance processing will be online and employees will also be able to see the status of their PF application online.
• Settlement module digitizes the entire settlement process of retiring employees. Employees can fill their settlement / pension booklet online. Service details are fetched online and pension is processed online completely.
• This will eliminate use of paper and it also facilitates monitoring for timely processing of settlement dues of retiring employees.

Social Issues
Nyaya Bandhu App

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Nyaya Bandhu Application)
What's the NEWS

• Committed to fulfil its mandate of Free legal aid and Access to Justice as enunciated under Article 39A of the Constitution of India, the Department of Justice launched the iOS version of the Nyaya Bandhu Application and its onboarding on UMANG platform (MeiTY), on Samvidhan Divas 26th Nov, 2020.
• The UMANG platform would also enable to make pan India easy accessibility of this mobile based legal service to approx 2.5 Cr registered users.

Nyaya Bandhu mobile application

• Nyaya Bandhu mobile application was launched by Union Minister for Law and Justice and IT Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad in February, 2019 to ensure empowerment of common man by popularizing technology to a level that it becomes a instrument of change.
• Launched in 2017, Department of Justice has come up with India's first endeavour to institutionalize a framework for pro bono dispensation in the legal arena.
• In its maiden attempt, to firstly connect the registered litigants/applicants with the registered Pro Bono Advocates, Department of Justice is leveraging technology to remove any geographical barrier in availing access to justice.
• In this regard, Department of Justice has partnered with CSC e- Governance Services and developed Nyaya Bandhu Mobile Application on Android platform.

Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas

• It is celebrated every year on 26th November to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India and to acknowledge the unprecedented efforts of the Founding Fathers in the making of the Indian Constitution, amid historic challenges and events.
• In taking forward this novel ideas, principles and values enunciated in this Fundamental Law of the Land, in 2019, Department of Justice was nominated as the Nodal Coordinating department and the forerunner for the execution of pan Indian awareness programme on Citizens' Duties including Fundamental Duties as enshrined under the Indian Constitution.

Government Schems
Master Training of Training (ToT) Programme
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Master Training of Training (ToT) Programme) + Mains ( GS II Social issues)
What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs conducted online 3 day Master Training of Training (ToT) Programme from 24th- 26th November 2020 in collaboration with Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and SCSTRTI, Odisha.
• The 100 Master Trainers and Trainers from Art of Living Foundation, Jharkhand would further develop the capacities of the elected tribal representatives of the Gram Panchayats and their functionaries in 170 tribal dominated villages of Jharkhand. 

Know! more about the programme

• The National level Programme for Capacity Building Programme for ST PRI Members was launched by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs ShriArjun Munda in February 2020.
• Arjun Munda and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had jointly launched program in Jharkhand for Strengthening of PRIs' in 5 districts covering 30 Gram Panchayats and 150 villages.
• The capacity building of PRI representatives initiated by MoTA in partnership with IIPA, UNDP and State TRIs will be of great help in bridging the development gaps among communities and regions.
• This will help in effective and better implementation of various developmental and welfare programmes and substantially improve the expected outcomes through inclusive development.
• For smooth conduct of the training programmes and to ensure quality across the States, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), in collaboration with TRI Odisha, IIPA and UNDP has developed Common Training Framework covering the key functions, roles & responsibilities of Elected Representatives, Rights of tribal communities and flagship programmes for tribal development implemented by Govt. of India.

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