UPSC 2017: PIB Summary and Analysis July 26

Cabinet apprised of the MoU signed between India and Palestine on cooperation 
in the field of on youth affairs and sports 

• The MoU will help in promoting exchange of ideas, values and culture amongst all youth irrespective of their caste, religion and gender as well as development of sports in the two countries.
• In turn, it will help in consolidating friendly relations between the two countries.

Cabinet apprised of the Joint Declaration of Intent between India and Germany 
on Indo German-Centre for Sustainability

• The objective of the JDI on IGCS is to promote cooperation between German and Indian scientists on fundamental and applied scientific research.
• It includes areas such as policy support, teaching, training and dissemination of information in the area of sustainable development and climate change through inter-disciplinary/trans-disciplinary research.
• The IGCS will nurture future collaboration by widening the network with other Universities, Institutes and industries both in India and Germany. On the Indian side, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras will act as the host institution for IGCS.

Cabinet approves revision of guidelines of Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme 

• The Union Cabinet has given approval for revision of guidelines of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB) Scheme with a view to achieve its intended objectives.
• Background:
• Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme was notified by the Government of India on November 05, 2015 after due approval of the Cabinet.
• The main objective of the scheme was to develop a financial asset as an alternative to purchasing metal gold.
• The target was to shift part of the estimated 300 tons of physical bars and coins purchased every year for Investment into ‘demat’ gold bonds.
• The target mobilisation under the scheme at Rs. 15,000 crore in 2015-16 and at Rs.10,000 crore in 2016-17.
• The amount so far credited in Government account is Rs. 4,769 crore.
• In view of less than expected response of the investors to the scheme, and considering its bearing on CAD and consequently on overall macro-economic health of the country, it was felt necessary to make changes in this scheme to make it a success.

Cabinet approves revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of Department of Rural Development for revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011).

Major Impact:

• The Government of India has been spending a large sum of money on poverty alleviation and welfare programmes in rural and urban areas of the country to assist the poor and the marginalized section of the society.
• The SECC has paved the way for better targeting of the poor and evidence based targeted intervention for ameliorating conditions of the poor households.
• Before the availability of SECC data, correct identification of eligible beneficiaries was a major challenge.
• Accusation of bias in the BPL list affected coverage of poorest of the poor. SECC data is based on information furnished by households.
• In addition, households were given opportunity to raise claims and objections on SECC enumerated and published data.
• Thus, SECC database provides an authentic list of information disclosed by the households for identifying and prioritising beneficiaries under various schemes run by Ministry of Rural Development and other Departments in the Government.
• Ranking of Households is made through a three-step process involving thirteen Exclusion parameters for identifying not-poor households, five Automatic Inclusion parameters for identifying poorest of the poor households and seven Deprivation Criteria for identifying poor households.
• Government of India has advised States to use this process, SECC data and its TIN number of households for identification of poor under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin(PMAY-G), etc.
• Use of SECC-2011 has brought transparency in selection of beneficiary and its structured incidence with DBT having maximal impact on governance and accountability.

Fast Breeder Reactors 

• Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) has been carrying out a comprehensive R&D on sodium cooled fast breeder reactor technology for the past 30 years.
• A test reactor, called Fast Breeder Test Reactors (FBTR), is in operation from 1985 onwards which has provided valuable feedback. Based on this experience and also taking into account the international experience, design of a 500MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has been done.
• The design has been peer reviewed by international design agencies. With respect to manufacturing, an elaborate manufacturing technology development program was undertaken which helped in identifying the major industries towards demonstration of indigenous capability.
• Currently, all the components and equipments, especially the oversized heavy components have been successfully manufactured by Indian industries and erected in PFBR project. By following the above approach, India has mastered the design and manufacturing of sodium cooled Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR).
• FBRs are designed with several safety measures and features which follow redundancy and diversity principles. Fast Breeder Reactors are safe and efficient apart from the benefits from environmental considerations.
• Economic viability of FBRs depends on successful operation of PFBR and subsequently successful commissioning and operation of FBRs in the country.
• Electricity generated by FBR would be a source of green energy as the waste from the first stage nuclear programme is reprocessed and used as fuel in FBR. The spent fuel from this reactor can be fed back into the reactor core several times, till the spent fuel contains only short lived fission products.
• This is the concept of FBR with closed fuel cycle. Hence, there is no need of large quantity of fuel materials for the annual external feed and thus eliminates the need for large capacity waste storage spaces with complex construction features.
• Indigenously produced Mixed Uranium & Plutonium Oxide will be used as the fuel in the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam.

Achievements in Space Sector

• During the last three years (June 2014 to June 2017), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully accomplished 41 missions, which includes 19 launch vehicle missions, 19 satellite missions and 3 technology demonstrator missions. Some of the notable achievements include:-
• Successful launch of first developmental flight of GSLV-MkIII, which validated new version of Indigenous Cryogenic Engine. With this capability, it will be possible to launch upto 4-tonne class of communication satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTO).
• Realisation of 7-satellite NavIC (Navigation – Indian Constellation) to provide Position, Navigation and Timing Services, with five satellites launched during the last three years.
• Augmentation of Satellite Communication capability with 7 more satellites viz. GSAT-6, GSAT-9, GSAT-15, GSAT-16, GSAT-17, GSAT-18 & GSAT-19.
• Successful Technology Demonstration missions viz. Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE), Re-usable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD) and Scramjet Air-breathing Engine.
• INSAT-3D & 3DR together are providing meteorological data every 15 minutes for enabling weather forecasting. Ocean surface wind vector data from SCATSAT-1 are being used operationally by global user community.
• Augmentation of earth observation capability with 4 satellites viz., 3 High Resolution Cartographic and 1 Resource monitoring satellites.
• Placing a unique multi-wavelength observatory ‘Astrosat’ in orbit, carrying instruments realised through Indian academic institutes to enhance understanding of universe and astronomical phenomena.
• Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) completed 1000 days in the orbit. Earlier, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was successfully placed in Martian orbit on September 24, 2014 making India the first country to do so in its first attempt.
• Enabling host of applications using synergy of earth observation, communication and navigation satellites in governance and development.
• India has created a niche in the field of space science & technology viz. launch services, earth observation, communication & navigation and application of space technology for national development. Today, India stands one among the top six space faring nations in the world.
• The areas which are benefitted/ likely to be benefitted with the utilization of space technology and its applications include – resource monitoring, weather forecasting, telecommunication, broadcasting, rural connectivity, health & education, governance, disaster management support, location based services, space commerce including host of societal applications. The space science and planetary missions, viz. Mars Orbiter Mission and ASTROSAT renew the interest of young minds towards space science.

Stringent EMF radiation norms are operational in India

• On the issue of EMF radiation from the mobile towers, he said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in the year 2008, adopted the International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines that are recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for basic restriction and limiting reference levels of electromagnetic radiation from mobile towers.
• The present limit/level of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for Mobile Handsets in India is also one of the most stringent in the world and is 1.6 Watt per Kg averaged over a mass of one-gram human tissue, at par with USA, Canada and Australia, as against the global standards prescribed by ICNIRP of 2 W/kg averaged over a mass of 10 gm tissue and adopted by China, Singapore, Ghana, Brazil, Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea etc.

Variability of Monsoon 

The Government of India has undertaken extensive study on variability of monsoon especially in South Asia. Details and findings of the study are:-

• Monsoon varies on all time scales from daily to seasonal, decadal and centennial. We have good understanding especially on intra seasonal and seasonal variability
• The mechanisms driving the Monsoon Intra-seasonal variability are understood in great detail, which lead to the successful setting up of an extended range prediction system for all the seasons by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). This includes both the summer and winter monsoons up to three weeks, heat wave conditions etc.
• A dynamical Seasonal prediction system for seasonal monsoon prediction is set up through monsoon mission mode initiative by MoES.
• The tele-connection between El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and monsoon and its time varying relationships are established. As a result most of the current seasonal prediction models are currently able to capture these tele-connections.
• Sub-seasonal variability of monsoon and its relationship with ENSO and Indian Ocean established.
• Changing mean state of Indian Ocean and its role on possible weakening of ENSO monsoon tele-connections is understood in great detail.
• The relationship between South-East Asia rainfall variability with Indian rainfall variability is established.

Learn & Earn Scheme 

• The scheme “Seekho aur Kamao (Learn and Earn)” is a placement linked skill development scheme, implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs through selected Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) all over the country.
• The Government is encouraging the youth from the minority communities to take up employment based skills training and the Ministry has extended the scheme across the country.

Innovation Level 

The Department of Science & Technology has launched a new programme ‘National Initiative for Developing & Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI)’ last year which covers the entire value chain of innovations starting from idea to commercialization.

To promote innovation focused start-ups some of the key initiatives taken by the government are:

• National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog is implementing Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) for promoting Incubators and Tinkering Labs.
• Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) have joined hands to promote Research Parks in the country.
• Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in association with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has set up a Rs.10,000 crore Fund to invest in Venture Capital Funds to promote innovations and start-ups.
• Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Industries has a programme to setup incubators in the Agriculture sector, under the ASPIRE (‘A Scheme For Promoting Innovation, Rural Industry & Entrepreneurship’) programme.
• Department of Bio-Technology has a programme to promote incubators in the Bio-tech sector under the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) programme.
• MHRD has also launched a Smart India Hackathon for involving Engineering students to provide solutions to problems faced by Government Departments.