Daily Current Capsules 19^th January 2021

Defence
DRDO hands over Motor Bike Ambulance ‘Rakshita' to CRPF

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

• Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi based DRDO laboratory, handed over Rakshita, a bike-based casualty transport emergency vehicle to Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

Know! about the bike ambulance

• The bike ambulance will help in overcoming the problems faced by Indian security forces and emergency healthcare providers.
• It will provide life-saving aid for evacuation of injured patients from low intensity conflict areas.
• This will be handy in the congested streets and remote locations, where access through ambulance is difficult and time consuming.
• The bike can respond to a medical emergency need of patients faster than a four-wheeler due to its functionality and integrated emergency medical support system.
• Rakshita is fitted with a customized reclining Casualty Evacuation Seat (CES), which can be fitted in and taken out as per requirement.
• Other major features are the head immobilizer, safety harness jacket, hand and foot straps for safety, adjustable footrest, physiological parameter measuring equipment with wireless monitoring capability and auto warning system for driver.
• The vital parameters of the patient can be monitored on the dashboard mounted LCD. It is also equipped with air splint, medical and oxygen kit for on spot medical care.
• This bike ambulance is useful not only for the paramilitary and military forces but has potential civil applications too.

Bilateral Relations
Government of India supplied two Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHC) to strengthen cargo handling capacity of Chabahar Port, Iran

Relevance IN - Prelims (about Chabahar port and significance of it - strategic location) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

• India has supplied a consignment of two Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHC) to Iran's Chabahar port, with a total contract value of over USD 25 Million under a contract agreement for supply of 6 MHC.

Know! the benefits of MHC

• The consignment of cranes arrived from Marghera port, Italy has been unloaded successfully on 18^th January, 2021 at Chabahar port and presently undergoing trials run.
• With 140 metric tons lifting capacity, multipurpose equipment and accessories like Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHC) will enable India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) to provide seamless services for Container, Bulk and General Cargo at Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar.
• This is a step towards India's commitment towards infrastructure development of ‎Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar.
• The bilateral contract between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of India was signed on 23^rd May 2016 with a total value of USD 85 million ‎for Equipping, Mechanizing and starting Operations at Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar development Phase- I.
• To achieve this ambitious aim, an SPV namely India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) Mumbai was incorporated under the ambit of the Ministry of Ports, ‎Shipping and Waterways.

Know! the importance of Chabahar Port

• It is a strategic port with great national importance.
• Chabahar port provide access to markets in Central Asia.
• The location of Chabahar Port has strategically advantage and high potential to provide connectivity among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and other CIS countries specially Eastern CIS countries to increase trade between these countries.

Know! about Chabahar Port

• It is a city and capital of Chabahar County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran.
• It is a free port (Free Trade Zone) on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, and is Iran's southernmost city.
• The sister port city of Gwadar in Pakistan's Balochistan Province is about 170 kilometres (110 mi) to the east of Chabahar.
• Chabahar is situated on the Makran Coast of the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran and is officially designated as a Free Trade and Industrial Zone by Iran's government.
• Due to its free trade zone status, the city has increased in significance in international trade.
• The overwhelming majority of the city's inhabitants are ethnic Baluch of Iran, who speak their native Baluchi language in addition to Persian.
• The Chabahar port, considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries, is located on the Indian Ocean in the Sistan and Baluchistan province of Iran.
• The port, which is easily accessible from India's western coast, is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port which is being developed with the Chinese investment.
• In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations.

Social Issues
TRIFED Exchanges MoU with IFFDC to Promote Livelihood Generation of Tribal People

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the MoU - highlights + about IFFDC + about TRIFED) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions for the vulnerable section of population)
What's the NEWS

• TRIFED, as the nodal agency working for the empowerment of tribals, is focusing its efforts on finding new ways to improve the lives and the livelihoods of the tribal people.
• As a part of its continued efforts, TRIFED has been partnering with like-minded organisations to create synergies together.

Know! more about the MoU ( highlights)

• TRIFED and Indian Farm Forestry Development Co-operative Ltd (IFFDC) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together for tribal livelihood generation.
• The two organizations have agreed to partner with each other to organise training programmes for tribal artisans in the area of entrepreneurship skill and business development.
• They will also collaborate further to identify and implement CSR initiatives and tribal development efforts.
• Other areas of association have been identified through which IFFDC promoted PFFCS/SHGs/CBOs will be linked with TRIFED for collection and marketing of NTFPs/MFPs.
• IFFDC will also assist in promoting tribal FPOs and will provide trainings to TRIFED promoted/linked Community Organisations/Members.
• The scope of the agreement will also include any other activity that can be taken up to strengthen tribal livelihoods and entrepreneurship development.

Know! about IFFDC

• Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative Limited (IFFDC) came into existence formally in 1993 although its work had begun in 1986-87.
• Its promoter, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), had launched programmes of eco-restoration and wasteland development through farm forestry in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and these programmes were subsequently handed over to the IFFDC for being scaled up and integrated with rural livelihood development and poverty alleviation programmes in the country.
• IFFDC has diversified its portfolio and has broadened its focus to include in addition to Farm Forestry and Climate Change, activities such as Watershed Management, Climate Proofing, Nutritional and Economic Security, Livelihoods, CSR initiative, Cross Cutting Interventions, Seed Production and Agri-Input Supply etc.
• This has been done by adopting approaches that are participatory in nature and designed to cater to the emerging and evolving needs of the community.
• With its presence in more than 9,514 villages across 19 States covering all the agro-climatic zones, it has so far implemented rural development projects worth more than Rs. 300 crore.
• With the objective to increase crop production & productivity, IFFDC is also undertaking Seed Production and Marketing Programme to provide quality seed and also supplying quality agri-inputs to farmers.
• IFFDC was registered on 22^nd October, 1993 by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India as a Multi-State Cooperative Society under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 1984 (subsequently under the MSCS Act 2002)
• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd. (IFFCO), National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC), State Cooperative Federations, Primary Farm Forestry Co-operative Societies (PFFCS) and Primary Livelihood Development Cooperative Societies (PLDCS) are members of the IFFDC.

Social Issues
KVIC to sign two MOUs with Ministry of Tribal Affairs aimed at creating local employment, strengthen Khadi artisans and the tribal population

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the MoUs - highlights + about NSTFDC + about PMEGP)) + Mains ( GS II Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions for the vulnerable section of population )
What's the NEWS

• The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs will sign two MoUs.

Know! the highlights

• While one MOU is regarding the purchase of Khadi fabric for tribal students, the other MOU is on partnering of Tribal Affairs Ministry with KVIC as an implementing agency for Prime Minister Employment Generation Program (PMEGP).
• As part of the first MoU, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs will procure over 6 lakh meters of Khadi fabric worth Rs 14.77 crore in 2020-21, for the students in Eklavya Residential Schools being run by the ministry.
• As the government increases the number of Eklavya Schools every year; the quantum of purchase of Khadi fabric shall also increase proportionally.
• Under the second MoU, National Scheduled Tribe Finance Development Corporation (NSTFDC), an agency of the Tribal Affairs Ministry responsible for economic development of tribals in India, will be roped in as a partner to implement PMEGP Scheme.
• NSTFDC provides concessional loan schemes for funding entrepreneurial ventures of aspiring scheduled tribes in all sectors of economy.
• The MoU will thus benefit the tribals by engaging them in various production activities and creating self-employment opportunities.
• The alliance of NSTFDC and KVIC will increase the coverage of PMEGP Scheme among the STs.

Know! the terms associated
Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)

• It is a credit-linked subsidy programme introduced by the government of India in 2008.
• PMEGP is a merger of two schemes, namely, Prime Minister's Rojgar Yojna and Rural Employment Generation Programme.
• This program focuses on generating self-employment opportunities through micro-enterprise establishments in the non-farm sector by helping unemployed youth and traditional artisans.
• The Ministry of MSME administers the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
• The PMEGP Scheme is being implemented by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at the national level.
• At the State level, the Scheme is being implemented through State Khadi and Village Industries Commission Directorates, State Khadi and Village Industries Boards and District Industries Centres and banks.

Objectives

• Generation of sustainable and continuous self-employment opportunities in urban and rural areas of the country
• Providing sustainable and continuous employment to a large segment of rural and urban unemployed youth, traditional and prospective artisans through the establishment of micro-enterprises
• Facilitating the financial institution's participation for higher credit flow to the micro sector

Eligibility

• Individuals with age of 18 years or more
• Passing standard VIII is required for a project above Rs 5 lakh in the service sector and above Rs 10 lakh in the manufacturing sector
• Institutions registered under Societies Registration Act- 1860
• Production based co-operative societies
• Self-help groups and charitable trust

Salient features of the scheme

• The Scheme is implemented through Khadi and Village Industries Commission, State Khadi and Village Industries Commission Directorates, State Khadi and Village Industries Boards and District Industries Centres and banks in Urban and Rural areas in the ratio of 30:30:40 between Khadi and Village Industries Commission / Khadi and Village Industries Boards / DIC respectively

National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC)

• It is an apex Organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 2001 was brought into existence with the sole aim of economic upliftment of the Scheduled Tribes in the country by way of extending concessional financial assistance to the target group under its various schemes.
• The prominent schemes of NSTFDC are Term Loan, Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana - an exclusive scheme for Scheduled Tribe women, Adivasi Shiksha Rinn Yojana - Education Loan scheme, Micro Credit Scheme for Self Help Groups (SHGs) - comprising Scheduled Tribes as its members, Tribal Forest Dwellers Empowerment Scheme and Teak Growers Scheme.

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