Best of PIB: 19 Jan 2017

ShaGun web portal

• It’s a dedicated web portal for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) launched by ministry of HRD
• The portal aims to capture and showcase innovations and progress made in Elementary Education sector of India by continuous monitoring of the flagship scheme (i.e. SSA)
• ShaGun, which has been coined from the words ‘Shala’ meaning Schools and ‘Gunvatta’ meaning Quality, has been developed with dual approach a twin track approach
  • Repository focusing on positive stories and developments in the field of School Education. The repository will consist of stories, videos, images, testimonials showcasing state level improvements that are driving performance under SSA
  • Online monitoring module – It will track and record the data to measure state-level performance and progress against key educational indicators in the field of SSA

About SSA

• operational since 2000-01 the
• Objective is to bridge gender and social category gaps in elementary education and Improve quality of learning
• SSA interventions are – opening of new schools, alternative schooling facilities, provisioning for teachers etc

Eastern Bridge IV

• It’s a joint Indo-Oman Air Exercise
• It’s being held at Air Force Station Jamnagar (commenced on 16 Jan 2017)

MoU with IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) countries tomorrow

• India to sign an MoU for MSME Co-Operation
• India has MoU with 18 countries for co-operation in the MSME sector

About IORA

• The IORA is formed by 21 member countries
• Was formed in 1997
• The present chair is Indonesia

PDS reforms

• All the states/UTs have been asked to complete all the pending reforms by March 2017

Here are some of the updates on the implementations part

• Digitization of ration cards/ beneficiaries’ data – Completed in all36 States & UTs.
• Aadhaar Seeding of Ration Cards – 32%(16.62 Cr.) Ration Cards seeded to enable better targeting of food subsidies
• Online allocation of food grains – Started in29 States/UTs
• Direct Benefit Transfer (Cash) – Implemented in3 Union Territories (Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh)