18 March 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

March 18th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. WTO Ruling against India
2. APEDA signs MoU with SFAC
3. FDI for Make in India
4. Joint Air Exercise with Myanmar
5. Left Wing Extremism
6. GreenCo Rating System
7. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

1. WTO Ruling against India

Details:

• A Dispute Settlement Panel of WTO has ruled India’s export promotion schemes (e.g. Merchandise Exports from India Scheme, Export Oriented Units Scheme, Special Economic Zone Scheme, Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme and Duty Free Imports for Exporters Scheme, etc.) to be export contingent and in the nature of prohibited subsidies under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and thus inconsistent with WTO
• The Panel has given time-frame of 90-180 days for withdrawal of these schemes. However, India has appealed the Panel Report on 19 November, 2019 and due to non-functioning of Appellate Body, the appeal has been kept in suspension.
• Till the appeal is disposed of, India is under no obligation to implement the recommendations of the Panel.
• Though the US has claimed that India is providing subsidies on the above-mentioned schemes, India has taken the stand in dispute that the subsidies are not export contingent and thus consistent with WTO norms.

Context:

The above information was given by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

2. APEDA signs MoU with SFAC

Context:

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) signed an MoU with the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) to have a better sync with their activities for the benefit of farmers.

Details:

• APEDA has been in dialogue with SFAC for linking of Farmer Producer Organizations, farmers’ cooperatives to the export value chain through capacity building, production of the quality produce as per the requirement of importing countries, creation of infrastructure, facilitating primary and secondary processing in the clusters and also by linking them to the exporters.
• As per the MoU, both organisations will work towards capacity development, outreach programs, awareness programs and workshops of various stakeholders.
• APEDA will facilitate the certification of organic produce/areas by the FPCs assisted or identified by SFAC.
• It is expected that with the approach of joint collaboration with the organizations like SFAC, APEDA will be able to reach to a large farmer base for improving the production base of agri products quantitatively and qualitatively both for maintaining the consistency of supply and establish an image of quality supplier in the international market leading to increase in export volume and value and indirectly contribute to doubling of farmers’ income.

About APEDA:

To know more about APEDA, check PIB dated Jan 5, 2020.

About Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC):

• SFAC is an exclusive Society focused on increasing incomes of small and marginal farmers through aggregation and development of agribusiness.
• It is a Society promoted by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, GOI.
• SFAC has pioneered the formation and growth of Farmer Producer Organizations/Farmer Producer Companies, which is now being implemented across the length and breadth of the country.
• SFAC is progressing towards establishing an ecosystem for FPOs/FPCs to make them sustainable and viable in the long run.
• SFAC offers schemes like Equity Grant and Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme to FPCs to improve availability of working capital and development of business activities.
• SFAC is also implementing the National Agriculture Market Electronic Trading (e-Nam) platform. The purpose is to provide for a single unified market for agricultural products with much higher price discovery for farmers.

3. FDI for Make in India

Details:

• The Make in India initiative has been reviewed and is now focusing on 27 sectors under Make in India 2.0.
• The Government of India is making continuous efforts under Investment Facilitation including financial assistance to Invest India and for implementation of Make in India action plans to identify potential investors.
• Support is being provided to Indian Missions abroad and State Governments for organising events, summits, road-shows and other promotional activities to attract investment in the country under the Make in India banner.
• Investment Outreach activities are being carried out for enhancing International co-operation for promoting FDI and improve Ease of Doing Business in the country.
• The Government has also put in place a liberal and transparent policy for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), wherein most of the sectors are open for FDI under the automatic route.

List of 27 Sectors under Make in India initiative 2.0

Context:

The above information was given by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry in the Lok Sabha.

4. Joint Air Exercise with Myanmar

Context:

A Table Top Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Myanmar Air Force (MAF) was conducted at Prayagraj on the theme of Humanitarian Assistance And Disaster Relief (HADR).

Details:

• The objectives of the exercise include planning of HADR operation in a given scenario, learn best practices, executing mission during HADR disasters, understand Search and Rescue Mission procedures, etc.
• The exercise was conducted under the aegis of the Headquarters Central Air Command, IAF.
• A 20-member team of the IAF participated in the exercise.

The countries with which IAF have conducted exercises during the last three years and the current year include Singapore, USA, UAE, Thailand, Bangladesh, Oman, Israel, Russia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Malaysia, France, UK and Myanmar.

5. Left Wing Extremism

Context:

Consistent decline in Left Wing Extremism related violence in the country during last five years.

Details:

• LWE related incidents reduced by over 38% in 2019, in comparison to 2014, as per the Union Minister of State for Home.
• In 2019, there were 670 incidents of LWE violence. In 2020, up to February, there have been 123 such incidents.

Read more on Left Wing Incidents (LWE) in the linked article.

6. GreenCo Rating System

Details:

• GreenCo is a framework that evaluates companies on the environmental friendliness of their activities using life cycle approach.
• Implementation of GreenCo rating provides leadership and guidance to companies on how to make products, services and operations greener.
• Industry personnel are trained on the latest Green concepts and facilitated for implementing better systems and implementing global best practices in green.
• It is developed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• It has been acknowledged in India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) document, submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2015, as a proactive voluntary action of Indian industry/private sector towards combating climate change.
• The GreenCo mission is to facilitate the Indian industry to make a substantial improvement in their environmental performance thereby saving both natural and financial resources.
• GreenCo rating is applicable to both manufacturing facilities and service sector units. The rating is implemented at unit or facility level.
• Parameters on which the rating is given:
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Water Conservation
  • Renewable Energy
  • Green House Gas Mitigation
  • Waste Management
  • Material Conservation, Recycling and Recyclability
  • Green Supply Chain
  • Product Stewardship
  • Life Cycle Assessment
  • Green Building features, Biodiversity & Innovation

7. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Details:

For details on the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana, check PIB dated 10^th Dec 2019.

Context:

The above information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Rajya Sabha.

March 18th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

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