Miscellaneous
Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav + National Committee to commemorate75 years of independence) + Mains ( GS II good governance)
What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi led National Committee to commemorate75 years of independence, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav held its first meeting
• Various members of the National Committee attended the meeting including Governors, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, political leaders, scientists, officials, media personalities, spiritual Leaders, artists and film personalities, sports personalities, and eminent persons from other walks of life.
• The Prime Minister informed that 5 pillars have been decided for the celebration of the 75 years.
• These are Freedom Struggle, Ideas at 75, Achievements at 75, Actions at 75 and Resolve at 75. All these should include the ideas and feelings of the 130 crore Indians.

Know! about Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav

• Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav' - a 75-week long programme to celebrate 75 years of freedom - from Sabarmati Ashram in city on March 12.
• The PM will also flag off the Dandi march between Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and Dandi in Navsari district.
• The march is held every year in remembrance of the historic salt satyagrah done by Mahatma Gandhi against British Rule
• The government of India and the state government are giving final touches to a major event which will be organised at the Sabarmati Ashram to kick off nationwide celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence.
• The committee of secretaries, led by chief secretary Anil Mukim, is organizing the event in coordination with agencies of the central government.
• PM Modi will kick off the ‘Azadi KaAmrut Mahotsav' programme from the Sabarmati Ashram and will also flag off the 38km Dandi march on March 12.
• The PM will also flag off a 21-day long 'Dandi March' from Sabarmati Ashram, which was home to Mahatma Gandhi during India's freedom struggle
• Mahatma Gandhi led the Dandi March, or Salt March, in 1930 from the Sabarmati Ashram till Dandi in Navsari as a non-violent protest against the British salt monopoly.
• The march was held from March 12, 1930 to April 6, 1930.
• Last week, the Centre announced the formation of a high-level national committee headed by Prime Minister Modi to commemorate 75 years of the country's independence.

Parliament Session/Lok Sabha
Declaration Of World Heritage Sites By UNESCO

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India)
World Heritage Site ( Present Status)

• At present, India has 42 sites listed under Tentative List which is a pre-requisite condition for inscription as World Heritage Site.
• ‘Dholavira: A Harappan City' has been submitted for nomination of World Heritage Site in 2019-2020.
• Nomination dossiers of ‘Santiniketan, India' and ‘Sacred Ensemble of Hoysalas' have been submitted to UNESCO for the year 2021-22 cycle.
• Augmentation of sites on the World Heritage List/Tentative List is a continuous process and sites are selected on the basis of their potential for fulfilling criteria under Operational Guidelines and demonstration of Outstanding Universal Value.
• At present, India has 38 World Heritage Properties. All the sites under the Ministry are conserved as per ASI's Conservation Policy and are in good shape.

WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA (38)
CULTURAL SITES:

National
International Conference on Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing- 2021

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about C-MET + about MEMP- 2021)
What's the NEWS

• On the occasion of 30th foundation day of Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) the Ministry inaugurated the International Conference on Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing (MEMP 2021).

Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET)

• Electronic materials and components are core of all electronic devices.
• Materials are the back-bone of capacity and functionality of any electronic gadget.
• The performance of electronic products is directly dependent on the components used.
• Substantial financial support in Research & Development on emerging materials has continuously been provided, although commercialization of the R&D outcome is a challenge.
• C-MET was, hence, established in 1990 to fill the gap between R&D and production of critical electronic materials."
• C-MET is focusing on niche areas and developing unique expertise in electronic materials
• C-MET has been producing Hafnium and Silicon Carbide for strategic sectors (DRDO and ISRO) for years, as trusted source

Know! about MEMP- 2021

• Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Pune is organizing an International Conference on Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing (MEMP 2021) at Pune, India during 8-10 March 2021.
• MEMP-2021 will provide an opportunity to scientists, researchers, academicians and young students to interact with eminent scientists/technologists working in the field of multifunctional electronic materials for various applications & their processing for making devices.
• Materials required for energy storage, energy generation, Nanostructured materials, Quantum dots, Sensors, Neutrino Energy Conversion /storage. Flexible devices, Photonic devices and processing techniques like Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) will be discussed.
• MEMP 2021 will serve as a common platform for discussing the new ideas developments/ breakthroughs and future prospects pertaining to multifunctional electronic materials with some of the leading scientists/ technologists as well as to be acquainted with their experience and knowledge.

Know! about C-MET

• Dedicated to the furtherance of competent research and development in the firmament of Electronic Materials, the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), functions as an scientific society under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India
• C-MET envisions attainment of self- sufficiency in the sphere of Electronic materials, components and devices to cater to India's strategic and industrial applications, exploiting indigenous resources of raw materials.
• R&D activities in C-MET include development of polymer glasses for electronics, specialty chemicals, ultra high purity and refractory metals, semiconductors, photovoltaic materials and Quantum Materials
• C-MET has core competence in all kind of nanostructured materials for electrochemical energy storage (L -ion, Na-ion batteries), solar Hydrogen generation, fuel cells and Hydrogen storage C-MET has Centre of Excellences in Rechargeable Battery Technology and Additive Manufacturing.

Government Initiatives/Social Issues
Ministry of Home Affairs has taken several steps to enhance the safety and security of women in the country

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the initiatives taken by the government to enhance the security and safety of women) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions + social issues
What's the NEWS

• To enhance the safety and security of women in the country, Ministry of Home Affairs has taken several initiatives which are funded by the Nirbhaya Fund.
• A separate Women Safety Division has also been set up in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to sensitize the States/UTs on women safety related issues including timely completion of investigation of sexual assault cases.

Steps taken by the government towards women empowerment and their safety and security

• Government of India has made the punishment of rape more stringent through the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2018.
• To ensure the amendments in the law effectively translate at ground level various initiatives have been taken by MHA and their progress is continuously monitored.
• These include Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO), National Database of Sexual Offenders" (NDSO), Cri-MAC (Crime Multi-Agency Center) and New citizen Services.
• These IT initiatives help in timely and effective investigation.

ITSSO and NDSO

• Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) is an online analytical tool launched to monitor and track timely completion of police investigations in sexual assault cases (currently two months as per Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018).
• National Database of Sexual Offenders" (NDSO) has been launched to identify repeat offenders and receive alerts on sex offenders, as also in the investigation.

Cri-MAC

• Crime Multi Agency Center (Cri-MAC) has been introduced on 12 March 2020 for police stations and higher offices in all States/UTs to share information on heinous crimes and other issues related to coordination in cases of inter-state crime.
• It can be used to send alerts or related information on crime and inter-state criminals to the States/UTs via an email/SMS.

New citizen Services

• New citizen Services have been launched by National Crime Records Bureau on its portal digitalpolicecitizenservice.gov.in relevant for cases of Crimes against Women.
• These services include functionalities like ‘Missing Person Search' that helps citizens find their missing kin from the national database of recovered unidentified found person/unidentified dead bodies. Another service is the ‘Proclaimed offenders' functionality that helps to provide online information on proclaimed offenders to citizens.

Nirbhaya Fund projects fast-tracked

• Projects funded by Nirbhaya Fund are also being fast-tracked by MHA to enhance the safety and security of women. ‘Emergency Response Support System (ERSS)' is an example of such initiative.
• It is a pan-India, single, internationally recognized number, 112 for various emergencies. ERSS is currently operational in 34 States/UTs in the country and expected to be operational in other states/UTs by March 2021.
• Since its official launch on 18th February 2019, ERSS has handled over 11.48 Crore calls with pan-India response time of 15.66 minutes (as on 31st January 2021).

Cyber Crime Prevention against Women

• Cyber Crime Prevention against Women & Children is also a key focus area for MHA.
• Currently, 14 States have set up Cyber Forensic Training Laboratory.
• 13295 Police personnel, Prosecutors, and Judicial Officers have been trained in identifying, detecting and resolving cyber-crimes against women and children.
• Ministry of Home Affairs has also launched a portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in wherein citizens can report obscene content and expect it to be blocked within 72 hours.

Safe City Projects in 8 cities

• Among the projects funded by the Nirbhaya Fund, Safe City Projects in 8 cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai) are under implementation.
• The projects involve the use of technology to improve the safety of women in India. This includes the use of drones, installation of CCTV cameras to alert Police about criminals and criminal activity, technology-enabled infrastructure like smart lighting systems which glow as soon as it gets dark to eliminate dark alleys and crime hot-spots from cities, and toilets for women which can be located on Google Maps.

NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog to release the SDG India Index & Dashboard, 2020-21

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index ) + Mains ( GS II Governance )
What's the NEWS

• The third rendition of India's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index will be launched by NITI Aayog on 10 March 2021.
• First launched in December 2018, the index has become the primary tool for monitoring progress on the SDGs in the country and has simultaneously fostered competition among the States and Union Territories.
• Designed and developed by NITI Aayog, the preparation of the index follows extensive consultations with the primary stakeholders -the States and Union Territories; the UN agencies led by United Nations in India, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), and the key Union Ministries.

SDG India Index & Dashboard, 2020-21: Partnerships in The Decade of Action

• The index measures the progress at the national and sub-national level in the country's journey towards meeting the Global Goals and targets and has been successful as an advocacy tool to propagate the messages of sustainability, resilience, and partnerships, as well.
• This edition of the index report focuses on the significance of partnerships and is titled "SDG India Index & Dashboard, 2020-21: Partnerships in The Decade of Action".
• From covering 13 Goals, 39 targets, and 62 indicators in the first edition in 2018-19 to 17 Goals, 54 targets and 100 indicators in the second; this third edition of the index covers 17 Goals, 70 targets, and 115 indicators.

Methodology and Process

• The construction of the index and the ensuing methodology embody the central objectives of measuring the performance of States and UTs on the SDGs and ranking them; supporting States and UTs in identifying areas which require more attention; and promoting healthy competition among them.
• The index estimation is based on data on indicators for the first 16 goals, with a qualitative assessment for Goal 17.
• The technical process of target setting and normalisation of scores follow the globally established methodology.
• The index represents the articulation of the comprehensive nature of the Global Goals under the 2030 Agenda while being attuned to the national priorities.
• Frameworks and in the institution of robust review and follow-up systems.
• NITI Aayog has the mandate of coordinating the adoption and monitoring of SDGs at the national and sub-national level.
• The SDG India Index & Dashboard represents NITI Aayog's efforts in embodying its commitment towards localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals in States and UTs and in continuously striving towards improving the monitoring of progress under the SDGs.

Governance
Udyam registration further simplified

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Udyam Registration Portal + about MSME classifications) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• The requirement for registering on the Udyam Registration Portal has been further simplified by the government.
• GSTIN is not mandatory and PAN card can be used
• Udyam Registration is government's paperless portal to ease MSME registration was launched on July 1, 2020.
• The objective of the portal is to provide a single-page registration, consume less time and simplify processes of registering any enterprise under MSME.

Know! the recent simplified process

• The definition and details, had specified GSTIN as one of the mandatory conditions for registration on the Udyam Registration Portal, with effect from 01.04.2021.
• However, a number of representations were received from various MSME Associations stating that the measure of making GSTIN mandatory is impacting the registration process as many enterprises are exempt from the mandatory requirement of filing GST Returns as per the GST Act/notifications.
• A significant proportion of MSME may have annual turnover less than the threshold limit for exemption from registration under GST Act.
• The matter has been examined and a notification has been issued by the Ministry of MSME on 05.03.2021 to align the mandatory requirement for filing Udyam Registration with those for filing GST Returns, in the interest of those enterprises that are exempted from filing returns.
• This facilitation would further help various micro enterprises including skilled craftsmen and artisans and other enterprises in informal sector/unorganised sector to get the registration done easily.
• The proprietor may use his or her PAN for registration of the enterprise in the Udyam Registration Portal.

Udyam Registration Portal

• Udyamregistration.gov.in is the only Government Portal for registration of MSME (Udyam).
• It is an official portal to register a new MSME or to re-register already registered EM-II (Entrepreneurs Memorandum, Part-II) or UAM (Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum).
• The Ministry of Micro, Small Medium Enterprises maintains this portal.
• It gives the details and steps relating to registration and makes the registration process easy for any person.
• It provides for free of cost and paperless registration. It is a user-friendly portal.
• MSMEs means micro, small and medium enterprises. An enterprise whose investment in plant, machinery and equipment does not exceed one crore, and turnover does not exceed five crores is a micro enterprise.
• An enterprise whose investment in plant, machinery and equipment does not exceed ten crores, and turnover does not exceed fifty crores is a small enterprise.
• An enterprise whose investment in plant, machinery and equipment does not exceed fifty crores, and turnover does not exceed two hundred and fifty crores is medium enterprise.

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