Prelims Factoids
VivaTech 2021

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about VivaTech 2021)
What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister will deliver the keynote address at the 5^th edition of VivaTech on 16^th June 2021
• The Prime Minister has been invited as a Guest of Honour to deliver the keynote address at VivaTech 2021.

VivaTech 2021.

• VivaTech is one of the largest digital and startup events in Europe, held in Paris every year since 2016.
• It is jointly organized by Publicis Groupe - a prominent advertising and marketing conglomerate and Les Echos - a leading French media group. It brings together stakeholders in technology innovation and the startup ecosystem and includes exhibitions, awards, panel discussions and startup contests.
• The 5^th edition of VivaTech is scheduled to be held between 16-19 June 2021.

Infrastructure Development
Development of Sea Plane Services in India
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the MoU highlights and role of MoCA, MoPSW, SDCL + Sea Plane services - locations)
What's the NEWS

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India and Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India for development of Sea Plane services in India was signed

Know! the MoU highlights

• This MoU envisages development of Non Scheduled/Scheduled operation of seaplane services within territorial jurisdiction of India under RCS-UDAN scheme of government of India.
• As per MoU, a Co-ordination Committee with officials of Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is to be set up for timely completion of operationalisation of Seaplane services at various locations.

Know! the role of MoCA, MoPSW, SDCL

• MoCA, MoPSW, SDCL will consider operationalising of Seaplane operating routes as identified/suggested by all agencies.
• MoPSW would identify and develop water front infrastructure of Aerodromes/ locations and obtain required statutory clearances /approvals in coordination with MoCA, DGCA and AAI by defining the timelines for all activities involved in the development of facilities for starting seaplanes operations.
• MoCA would carry out bidding and select potential airlines operators based on their commercial consideration through bidding process, incorporate the locations/routes as identified by MoPSW & routes identified through bidding process in UDAN scheme document.
• MoCA is also obliged to provide funds/financial support in respect of water aerodromes awarded under RCS-UDAN scheme and coordinate with Chief Secretaries of all States for the Seaplanes operations

Proposed Destinations

• There are several destinations that are envisaged for seaplane operations.
• The proposed Origin-Destination pairs under Hub and Spoke model include several islands of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, Guwahati Riverfront, and Umranso Reservoir in Assam.
• Yamuna Riverfront in Delhi as a hub will get seaplane connectivity to Ayodhaya, Tehri, Srinagar (Uttrakhand), Chandigarh, and many other tourist places of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will have such services.
• Mumbai as a hub will be seaplane connectivity to Shirdi, Lonavala, Ganpatipule.
• Surat as a hub will have seaplane services to Dwarka, Mandvi, and Kandla.
• Seaplane services will be in Khindsi Dam, Nagpur and Erai Dam, Chandrapur in Maharashtra

India's first seaplane service

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first seaplane service in Gujarat on October 31 last year
• The service offers connectivity from the world's tallest statue, a 182-metre statue of India's first deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Kevadia colony to Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad.
• The seaplane service in Gujarat is expected to provide impetus to the state's tourism and the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN.
• The seaplane will cover the distance between Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity in Kevadia in around 45 minutes.

• The Gujarat government had earlier announced that it had inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) in July 2020.
• The focus of this MoU was to begin the first-ever "seaplane services in Gujarat to provide seamless and affordable air connectivity from Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity, Kevadia."

Prelims Factoids
Mandatory Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery comes into force from 16 June
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Hallmarking scheme)
What's the NEWS

• Mandatory Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery is going to come into force from tomorrow, 16th June, 2021.

Based on extensive consultations with stakeholders, following decisions were taken-

• Hallmarking will be initially be starting from.256 districts of the country which have Assaying marking centres.
• Jewellers with annual turnover upto Rs. 40 lac will be exempted from mandatory Hall Marking.
• Export and re-import of jewelry as per Trade Policy of Government of India - Jewellery for international exhibitions, jewellery for government approved B2B domestic exhibitions will be exempted from mandatory Hall Marking.
• Gold of Additional carats 20, 23 and 24 will also be allowed for Hall Marking.
• Watches, fountain pens and special types of jewellery viz. Kundan, Polki and Jadau will be exempted from Hall Marking.
• Jewellers can continue to buy back old gold jewellery without hallmark from consumer.
• In order to give adequate time to the manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of Gold Jewellery, there would be No penalties till August end.
• Old jewellery can be got hallmarked as it is, if feasible by the jeweller or after melting and making new jewellery.
• A committee constituting of representatives of all stake holders, revenue officials and legal experts will.be formed to look into the issues that may possibly emerge during the implementation of the scheme.

Hallmarking scheme

• Under Hallmarking scheme of Bureau of Indian Standards, Jewellers are registered for selling hallmarked jewellery and recognise testing and Hallmarking centres.
• BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, were implemented w.e.f. 14.06.2018.
• Hallmarking will enable Consumers/Jewellery buyers to make a right choice and save them from any unnecessary confusion while buying gold.
• At present, only 30% of Indian Gold Jewellery is hallmarked.
• 
  
• The Hallmarking of jewellery/artefacts is required to enhance the credibility of gold Jewellry and Customer satisfaction through third party assurance for the marked purity/fineness of gold , consumer protection.
• This step will also help to develop India as a leading gold market center in the World.

Assaying and Hallmarking centers

• It is to be noted that there has been 25% increase in A&H centers in the last five years.
• The number of A&H centers have increased from 454 to 945 in the last five years. At present 940 Assaying and Hallmarking centers are operative. Out of this 84 AHCs have been setup under Govt. subsidy scheme in various Districts.
• Presently A&H Centre's can hallmark 1500 articles in a day, the estimated hallmarking capacity of A&H Centre's per year are 14 crore articles (Assuming 500 articles per shift &300 working days.
• According to World Gold Council, India has around 4 lakh jewellers, out of this only 35879 have been BIS certified.

BIS Hallmarking Scheme

• The BIS Hallmarking Scheme has been aligned with International criteria on hallmarking. As per this scheme, Registered is granted to the jewellers by BIS under Hallmarking Scheme.
• The BIS certified jewellers can get their jewellery hallmarked from any of the BIS recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centres. The recognition of an Assaying and Hallmarking Centre is done against IS 15820:2009.
• Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles.
• Hallmarks are thus official marks used in many countries as a guarantee of purity or fineness of precious metal articles.
• The principle objectives of the Hallmarking Scheme are to protect the public against adulteration and to obligate manufacturers to maintain legal standards of fineness.

Prelims Factoids

NAFED launches Fortified Rice Bran Oil

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about NAFED and benefits of fortified food)
What's the NEWS

• The Department of Food and Public Distribution today E-launched "Nafed Fortified Rice Bran Oil".
• This initiative by Nafed will significantly reduce the country's consumption dependence on imported edible oil in future.
• This Rice bran oil will be marketed by Nafed (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd).
• Recently a MoU has been signed between Nafed and FCI for the production and marketing of fortified rice kernel.
• This initiative will provide easy access to Nafed branded high quality rice bran oil, which will also give a boost to the indigenous oil manufacturing industry.
• Rice Bran oil has multiple health benefits, including lowering cholesterol level due to its low trans-fat content and high mono unsaturated and poly unsaturated fat contents.
• It also acts as a booster and reduces the risk of cancer due to the high amount of Vitamin E it contains.
• Rice Bran oil from Nafed will be fortified and it will be ensured that it will contain additional nutrients and vitamins.
• According to the FSSAI, fortified oil can help a person fulfil 25-30% of the recommended dietary intake for vitamins A and D. Nafed Fortified Rice Bran Oil will be available at all Nafed Stores and also on various online platforms.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED)

• It was established on the auspicious day of Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October 1958.
• Nafed is registered under the Multi State Co-operative Societies Act.
• Nafed was setup with the object to promote Co-operative marketing of agricultural produce to benefit the farmers.
• Agricultural farmers are the main members of Nafed, who have the authority to say in the form of members of the General Body in the working of Nafed
• The objectives of the NAFED shall be to organize, promote and develop marketing, processing and storage of agricultural, horticultural and forest produce, distribution of agricultural machinery, implements and other inputs, undertake inter-state, import and export trade, wholesale or retail as the case may be and to act and assist for technical advice in agricultural, production for the promotion and the working of its members, partners, associates and cooperative marketing, processing and supply societies in India.

Prelims Factoids

Global Yoga Conference 2021

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

• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare addressed the inaugural ceremony of Global Yoga Conference2021
• The event was organised by 'MokshayatanYogSansthan' along with the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India &Indian Council for Cultural Relations to mark the occasion of 7thInternational Day of Yoga which falls on 21st June 2021.
  
  

Science & Technology
IGSTC Industrial Fellowship launched to support young Indian researchers for industrial exposure at German industries and industrial R&D institutions

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about IGSTC and about the fellowship) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

• The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) Industrial Fellowship programme was launched by Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India on the occasion of IGSTC's 11th Foundation day on 14th June 2021.

Know! about the fellowship

• This fellowship would encourage capacity building and would encourage students to think of challenges faced by industry and research solutions for them.
• It will encourage applied research, technology development and industrial experience in German setup for young researchers," said Prof. Ashutosh Sharma.
• The IGSTC Industrial Fellowship shall support young Indian PhD students and Post-Doctoral researchers in Science & Engineering for industrial exposure at German industries and industrial R&D institutions.
• Supported by an attractive grant for a maximum of one year, the fellowship aims to motivate young Indian researchers towards applied research and build capacity to foster innovation and technology development through exposure at advanced German industrial ecosystems.
• The programme was launched at a virtual meeting in the presence of the IGSTC Governing Body Co-Chairs & members, representatives from Indian & German Governments, Industries and Academia.
• This programme will bring talented Indian researchers to Germany to work with German companies or government institutes for applied science.

Know! about IGSTC

• IGSTC was established by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India & Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Govt. of Germany to facilitate Indo-German R&D networking with emphasis on industry participation, applied research and technology development.
• IGSTC, through its flagship program ‘2+2 Projects', has been supporting innovation-centric R&D projects by synergising the strength of research and academic institutions and public/private industries from India and Germany.

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