Environment Conservation
Voluntary Vehicle-Fleet Modernization Program or "Vehicle Scrapping Policy

Relevance IN - Prelims ( all about Vehicle Scrapping Policy + about Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) + Mains ( GS III Environment conservation + infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• In the interest of a clean environment and rider and pedestrian safety, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is introducing the Voluntary Vehicle-Fleet Modernization Program or "Vehicle Scrapping Policy" which is aimed at creating an Eco-System for phasing out of Unfit and Polluting Vehicles.

Know! about Vehicle Scrapping Policy

• The objectives of the policy are to reduce population of old and defective vehicles, achieve reduction in vehicular air pollutants to fulfil India's climate commitments, improve road and vehicular safety, achieve better fuel efficiency, formalize the currently informal vehicle scrapping industry and boost availability of low-cost raw materials for automotive, steel and electronics industry.
• The criteria for a vehicle to be scrapped is primarily based on the fitness of vehicles through Automated Fitness Centres in case of commercial vehicles and Non-Renewal of Registration in case of private vehicles.
• The criteria has been adapted from international best practices after a comparative study of standards from various countries like Germany, UK, USA and Japan.
• A Vehicle failing the fitness test or failing to get a renewal of its registration certificate may be declared as End of Life Vehicle.
• Criteria to determine vehicle fitness will be primarily emission tests, braking, safety equipment among many other tests which are as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.

Commercial vehicles

• It is proposed that commercial vehicles be de-registered after 15 years in case of failure to get the fitness certificate.
• As a disincentive measure, increased fees for fitness certificate and fitness test may be applicable for commercial vehicles 15 year onwards from the date of initial registration.

Private Vehicles

• It is proposed that Private Vehicles be de-registered after 20 years if found unfit or in case of a failure to renew registration certificate.
• As a disincentive measure, increased re-registration fees will be applicable for private vehicles 15 year onwards from the date of initial registration.

Government Vehicles

• It is being proposed that all vehicles of the Central Government, State Government, Municipal Corporation, Panchayats, State Transport Undertakings, Public Sector Undertakings and autonomous bodies with the Union and State Governments may be de-registered and scrapped vehicles after 15 years from the date of registration.

The scheme shall provide strong incentives to owners of old vehicles to scrap old and unfit vehicles through registered scrapping centres, which shall provide the owners with a scrapping certificate. Some of these incentives include:
(1) Scrap Value for the old vehicle given by the scrapping centre, which is approximately 4-6% of ex-showroom price of a new vehicle.
(2) The state governments may be advised to offer a road- tax rebate of up to 25% for personal vehicles and up to 15% for commercial vehicles
(3) The vehicle manufacturers are also advised for providing a discount of 5% on purchase of new vehicle against the scrapping certificate.
(4) In addition, the registration fees may also be waived for purchase of new vehicle against the scrapping certificate.

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will promote setting up of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) across India and will encourage public and private participation for opening up of such centres.
• The Ministry shall promote setting up of Automated Fitness Centres on a PPP model by state government, private sector, automobile companies etc

Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility Notified

Know! about RVSF

• Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified draft rules for setting up Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF).
• The rules lay down the procedure for setting up, authorization and operation of RVSF.

Key features are:

• These RVSFs shall be provided access to the VAHAN database and shall be authorized to make entries regarding scrapping of the vehicle & issuance of Scrapping Certificate.
• Other access to NCRB & police database will also be provided for verification of stolen vehicle or vehicle involved in criminal activity, before scrapping a vehicle.
• The rules specify the technical requirements and procedure to be followed by any legal entity for setting up RVSF.
• The Government of India will develop a portal for single window clearance, on which the applicant will apply with documents and fee. State/UT governments would clear the proposal in a time-bound manner, that is, 60 days.
• The application process is proposed to be made seamless, transparent and time-bound for registration, inspection and audit of RVSF.
• The RVSF must take cyber security certifications for safe access to VAHAN database. The registration of an RVSF shall be valid for an initial period of 10 years, and renewable for 10 years at a time.
• Besides the requirement for having certified equipment for de-polluting, de-risking and dismantling End of Life Vehicle (ELV), the RVSF will have to comply with relevant health and safety legislation/regulation and environmental norms laid down by MoEF&CC and CPCB/SPCB for such operations.
• In case the RVSF does not have adequate capability for recycling of hazardous waste (like e-waste, batteries, or for recovery of rare earth metals, etc.), then such materials can be sold to duly authorized recyclers.
• The RVSF, after verifying the original documents from the owner / representative and records of the vehicles, issues the ‘Certificate of Deposit', which can be used to avail incentives and benefits for purchase of a new vehicle.
• The RVSF shall keep safe custody of cut piece of Chassis Number for a period of 6 months from the date of issue of ‘Certificate of Vehicle Scrapping' and maintain a copy of all documents for record and examination during audit.

Defence
Indigenously built Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility L58 Commissioned at Port Blair

Relevance IN - Prelims (about LCU and its role)
What's the NEWS

• Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility (LCU) L58, the eighth and last ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mark IV Class, was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Know! more about LCU L58

• Indigenously designed and built by GRSE, Kolkata, the ship's commissioning has added one more feather in the cap of the nation's ‘Make in India' & ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat' programme in the field of warship design and construction.
• The LCU 58 is an amphibious ship which can carry 160 troops, in addition to its crew.
• The ship is capable of carrying various types of combat vehicles such as Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), BMPs, Armoured Vehicles, trucks, etc.
• The ship measures 63 meters in length and is fitted with two MTA 4,000 series engines, which are capable of propelling the ship at speeds of up to 15 knots (28 kmph).
• The ship is also fitted with an advanced Electronic Support Measure (ESM) suite to intercept enemy radar transmissions, an advanced Integrated Bridge System (IBS) and a sophisticated Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), which allow single station monitoring of the ship's navigational and machinery equipment respectively.
• The main armament of the ship includes two indigenously manufactured 30 mm CRN 91 guns which are controlled by a Stabilised Optronic Pedestal (SOP), an electronic day-night director sight manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
• In addition, the ship is fitted with six Machine Gun Posts to neutralise air, surface and sub-conventional threats.
• The LCU 58 would be based at Port Blair and will be deployed in a variety of roles such as Beaching, Search and Rescue, Disaster Relief, Coastal Patrol and Surveillance operations along the Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands, Bay of Bengal and in the Indian Ocean.
• It will augment the Indian Navy's mobility, reach and flexibility, furthering the Andaman and Nicobar Command's motto, ‘Victory through Jointness'.

Mk-IV Class landing craft utility (LCU) vessels

• The Mk-IV Class landing craft utility (LCU) vessels are being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy.
• The ships are intended for multi-role amphibious missions jointly carried out by the Indian Navy and Indian Army.
• GRSE was awarded a $340m contract by the Indian Navy for the design and construction of eight LCU ships in September 2011.
• Construction began in September 2012 and the first ship in class, LCU-L51, was launched in March 2014. The LCU-L51 was commissioned into service in March 2017.
• The ships can primarily be deployed in amphibious warfare, search-and-rescue (SAR), disaster relief, replenishment, and evacuation operations.
• The Mark-IV Class LCU was designed in-house by GRSE according to the requirements of the Indian Navy.
• The vessels are built in compliance with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) standards.

Written reply in the Lok Sabha
Go Electric Campaign
Relevance in - Prelims ( about Go Electric Campaign)
What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Power, Government of India, launched "Go Electric" Campaign on 19 February, 2021 with the objective of creating awareness among masses on benefits of adopting Electric Vehicles and Electric Cooking appliances such as Induction cook hobs, Electric pressure cooker etc.
• This initiative is intended to encourage consumers to switch over to Electric Vehicles and Electric Cooking in place of currently used conventional modes and appliances, thereby, reducing dependency of the country on imported fuel.

Know! more about the campaign

• The "Go Electric" Campaign is aimed at promoting adoption of Energy Efficient Electric Vehicles and Electric Cooking appliances and is expected to help the country to achieve energy transition as well as low carbon economic growth in the future.
• These technologies being energy efficient, are expected to scale down mobility and cooking related emissions, securing cleaner and greener future.
• The share of renewables in the energy mix is expected to increase due to integration of more renewable based power generation.
• Benefits of adopting these electricity based technologies shall be completely realized by enhancing share of renewables in the Grid.

Science & Technology
US India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) Initiative launched

Relevance in - Prelims ( about USIAI Initiative + about IUSSTF) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations + GS III awareness in the field of science and technology)
What's the NEWS

• The Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) has launched the US India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) Initiative to focus on AI cooperation in critical areas that are priorities for both countries
• USIAI will serve as a platform to discuss opportunities, challenges, and barriers for bilateral AI research and development collaboration, enable AI innovation, help share ideas for developing an AI workforce, and recommend modes and mechanisms for catalysing partnerships

US India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) Initiative

• Research, technology in artificial intelligence is being promoted and implemented in the country through a network of 25 technology hubs working as a triple helix set up under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
• The collaboration between India and United States is based on shared values of openness, transparency, and reciprocity and encourages innovation that will benefit both countries.
• The US-India strategic partnership can be strengthened by focusing on AI cooperation in critical areas that are priorities for both countries
• The US-India AI Initiative will provide an opportunity for key stakeholder groups to share experiences, identify new R&D areas
• The ambitious flagship initiative, USIAI, leverages IUSSTF''s ability to bring together key stakeholders from India and the United States to create synergies that address challenges and opportunities at the interface of science, technology, and society
• Over the next year, IUSSTF will conduct a series of roundtables and workshops to gather input from different stakeholder communities and prepare White Papers that identify technical, research, infrastructure, and workforce opportunities and challenges, and domain-specific opportunities for R&D in healthcare, smart cities, materials, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing

The Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF)

• It a bilateral organization funded by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Governments of India, and the U.S. Department of States
• The Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) established under an agreement between the Governments of India and the United States of America in March 2000, is an autonomous bilateral organization jointly funded by both the Governments that promotes Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation through substantive interaction among government, academia and industry.
• The Department of Science & Technology, Governments of India and the U.S. Department of States are respective nodal departments.
• It acts as a catalyst to promote long-term scientific collaborations between India and the U.S. through partnerships amongst individual scientists, scientific institutions and the scientific community at large.
• It establish platforms and mechanisms to connect the S&T eco-systems of both the countries to act as a fertile ground to foster individual and institutional partnerships in a natural and sustainable manner.

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