UPSC 2017-18: PIB Summary and Analysis Dec 15

North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS)

• It will provide 100% funding from the Central Government to fill up the gaps in creation of infrastructure in specified sectors till March, 2020.

The new scheme will broadly cover creation of infrastructure under following sectors:-

• Physical infrastructure relating to water supply, power, connectivity and specially the projects promoting tourism;
• Infrastructure of social sectors of education and health.

Benefits of NESIDS:

• The assets to be created under the new scheme of NESIDS will not only strengthen health care and education facilities in the region but will also encourage tourism thereby the employment opportunities for local youth.
• The scheme will act as a catalyst in overall development of the region in the years to come.

Cabinet approves special package for employment generation in leather and footwear sector 

• The package involves implementation of Central Sector Scheme “Indian Footwear, Leather & Accessories Development Programme” with an approved expenditure of Rs. 2600 Crore over the three financial years from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Major Impact:

• The scheme would lead to development of infrastructure for the leather sector, address environment concerns specific to the leather sector, facilitate additional investments, employment generation and increase in production.
• Enhanced Tax incentive would attract large scale investments in the sector and reform in labour law in view of seasonal nature of the sector will support economies of scale.
• The Special Package has the potential to generate 3.24 lakhs new jobs in 3 years and assist in formalization of 2 lakh jobs as cumulative impact in Footwear, Leather & Accessories Sector.

National Ayush Mission (NAM)

The NAM is being implemented by Ministry of AYUSH with the objectives of providing cost effective AYUSH Services, with a universal access which involve, among other things –

• up gradation of AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries,
• co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs),
• strengthening institutional capacity at the State level through upgrading AYUSH educational institutions, State Govt, ASU&H Pharmacies,
• Drug Testing Laboratories and ASU & H enforcement mechanism,
• Supporting cultivation of medicinal plants by adopting Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) to provide sustained supply of quality raw-materials and development of infrastructure for medicinal plants storage and marketing.

The NAM is addressing the gaps in health services through supporting the efforts of State/UT Governments for providing AYUSH health services/education in the country, particularly in vulnerable and far-flung areas.

The expected outcomes of the Mission are as follows:

• Better access to AYUSH healthcare services through increased number of healthcare facilities offering AYUSH services and better availability of medicines and trained manpower.
• Improvement in AYUSH education through well-equipped enhanced number of AYUSH Educational institutions.
• Improved availability of quality AYUSH drugs by increased number of quality pharmacies and Drug Testing Laboratories coupled with stringent enforcement mechanism.
• Increased awareness and acceptance of the Yoga & Naturopathy as promotive and preventive health-care systems.
• To meet the increasing domestic demand of herbal raw-materials and also to promote export.

Cabinet approves signing of MoU between India and Colombia in the field of agriculture and fisheries 

• Innovative agricultural practices/approaches,
• New agricultural mechanizations

Under the MoU, a Joint-Working Group (JWG) will be constituted to prepare/finalize Work Plan for the next two years while specifying task/ activities to be undertaken during that period. The MoU will be initially valid for a period of five years and shall be automatically extended for a subsequent periods of five years unless either party expresses its desire/intention to terminate it.

Society for Nuclear Medicine International Conference (SNMICON) 

Society of Nuclear Medicine, India

• The Society of Nuclear Medicine, India (SNM-India) was founded in 1967 with the aim to promote, encourage and help the development and advancement of Nuclear Medicine as a specialty in India.
• All the way through over about 50 years, the society through Annual Conferences, periodic regional meetings through its academic wings (Indian College of Nuclear Medicine and regional chapters) have been providing a great platform to our members for exchange of ideas and sharing experiences amongst scientists, doctors, technologists with active participation of people from industry.

Details

• SNMICON 2017 – is being organized with a vision to integrate basic research and clinical perspectives on various facets of nuclear medicine radiochemistry, preclinical, translational and clinical theranostics.
• The aim of the conference is to pragmatic approach for advancement in precision nuclear medicine for the visualization and treatment of clinical pathologies, the conference will focus on specific and advanced molecular imaging probes towards biochemical imaging of diseases.
• The SNMICON meeting will provide a unique platform for high-level scientific discussions in the exciting field of MOLECULAR IMAGING and TARGETED RADIONUCLIDE THERAPY and bridge the gap between researchers and clinicians.
• This Conference will mark the beginning of production of newer radioisotopes for theranostics in India.

INMAS

• The Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) is a mandated multidisciplinary laboratory of DRDO engaged in R&D activities in the field of Radiation, Imaging Sciences and CBRN technologies.
• INMAS is one of the very few Institutions that can boast of having an enviable contingent of highty skilled Scientists, clinical researchers and biomedical professionals working towards common goals and objectives.

New Policy Initiatives by Railways 

• Discharge free Railways – bio-toilets in all coaches.
• SRESTHA – New R&D organisation to serve the future technology needs of Railways.
• SUTRA World class data analytics, simulation softwares, network optimisation and decision support systems.
• RAIL INVESTMENT AND PLANNING ORGANISATION – Develop and own the corporate medium term and long term plan, identify investment opportunities, standardize economic easements of projects and propose optimal modes of financing.
• Initiatives for employee grievance redressal :-
  • Employee charter for time-bound redressal of employee grievances has been constituted.
  • ‘NIVARAN’ – online grievance redressal machinery has been instituted.

Commission of Railway Safety

• The Commission of Railway Safety, working under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the Government of India, deals with matters pertaining to safety of rail travel and train operation and is charged with certain statutory functions as laid down in the Railways Act (1989), which are of an inspectorial, investigatory & advisory nature.

Functions

• The Commission functions according to certain rules framed under the railways Act and executive instructions issued from time to time.
• The most important duty of the Commission is to ensure that any new railway line to be opened for passenger traffic should conform to the standard and specifications prescribed by the Ministry of Railways and the new line is safe in all respects for carrying the passenger traffic.
• This is also applicable to other works such as gauge conversion, doubling of lines and electrification of existing lines etc.
• The Commission also conducts statutory inquiries into serious train accidents and makes recommendations for improving safety on the railways in India.

Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS)

• The CMRS will be administratively under the control of Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety under Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• With a view to accord priority to passenger safety and also to ensure uniformity in safety certification, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs while enacting the “Metro railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002”, has assigned similar functions to Commissioner of Metro Railway safety (CMRS) in respect of Metro Railways.

Context

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the creation of one circle office of Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS), along-with all supporting officers and staffs for carrying out the functions of Commission of Metro Railway Safety as envisaged in the “Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002”, in the Commission of Railway Safety under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Why was it done?

• Creation of these posts will ensure focused attention on the passenger safety and metro rail operation related issues, in respect of existing, as well as upcoming various metro rail projects, as envisaged in the “Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002”, in the Commission of Railway Safety under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Implementation strategy and targets:

• The post of Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety shall be filled from the cadre of Indian Railway Engineering Services (IRSE, IRSEE, IRSSE, RSME) & IRTS by the Ministry of Civil Aviation through nomination from willing officers from Ministry of Railways in consultation with UPSC, initially according to Recruitment Rules for Commissioner of Railway Safety in the Commission of Railway Safety.