09 Aug 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. PM-KISAN
2. Indian Institute of Heritage
3. Padhna Likhna Abhiyan
4. India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) – 2021
5. Covid Vaccination Update
6. ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’ Scheme

1. PM-KISAN

Context:

PM released the 9th instalment of PM-KISAN.

Details:

• The Prime Minister released the next instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN).
• This enabled the transfer of an amount of more than Rs. 19,500 crores to more than 9.75 crores beneficiary farmer families.

For more on PM-KISAN, click on the linked article.

2. Indian Institute of Heritage

Context:

The Government has decided to set up ‘Indian Institute of Heritage’ at Noida.

Details:

• The Indian Institute of Heritage would offer Masters and Ph.D. courses in History of Arts, Conservation, Museology, Archival Studies, Archaeology, Preventives Conservation, Epigraphy and Numismatics, Manuscriptology, etc. as well as conservation training facilities to in-service employees and the students of the Indian Institute of Heritage.
• This will impact higher education and research in fields related to the rich Indian heritage and its conservation.
• The Institute is being set up as a Deemed to be University by integrating the Institute of Archaeology (Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology), School of Archival Studies under National Archives of India, New Delhi, the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC), Lucknow, National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology (NMICHM) and Academic Wing of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. These shall become the various schools of the Institute.

3. Padhna Likhna Abhiyan

About Padhna Likhna Abhiyan:

• The primary objective of Padhna Likhna Abhiyan is to impart functional literacy to 57 lakh adult illiterates aged 15 and above under a Basic Literacy Programme for a period of one year – 2020 to 2021.
• The aim behind the scheme is to eradicate illiteracy in India.
• This program for adult education is initiated by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education.
• Over the period of time, the focus of the programme shall also be on the basic literacy component, i.e. vocational education (skill development), equivalency, physical and emotional development, practical arts, applied science, or recreation.
• This programme will assertively give an opportunity to those who have either lost the opportunity, or transcended the age of formal education, and now feel a need for learning.
• The Abhiyan will focus on women, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) Minorities, and other disadvantaged groups. The State/UT will distribute the allotted target to districts selected by them.
• The scheme shall have a flexible approach and innovative methodologies such as involving school and college students & other volunteers of such Schemes as National Cadet Crops (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), for imparting basic literacy.

4. India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) – 2021

Context:

• India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) – 2021 to be held in October 2021.
• The theme for the 2021 meeting is “Inclusive Internet for Digital India”.

About the India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF):

• The IIGF is the Indian chapter of the United Nations based Internet Governance Forum, which is an Internet Governance policy discussion platform to bring representatives together from various groups, considering all at par to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet.
• The India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) is the national forum constituted by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Government of India for multi-stakeholder dialogue between the government, private sector, technical community, academia and civil society organizations on public-policy issues related to Internet Governance.
• IIGF would be reviewing the global Internet policy landscape and provide guidelines for matters related to Internet Governance, taking into account the technical development and the dynamically changing societal needs in the country.
• The basic objective of the forum is to generate discussions about policy formation. The forum will also become a starting point for identifying bottlenecks and trying to resolve bottlenecks one by one.

Also read: National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)

5. Covid Vaccination Update

Context:

Foreign nationals are now eligible for vaccination in India.

What’s in the News?

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken a decision to allow foreign nationals residing in India to get registered on the CoWin portal to take COVID-19 vaccine.
• They can use their passport as an identity document for the purpose of registration on the portal.

Significance:

• A significant number of foreign nationals are living in India, especially in large metropolitan areas.
• In these areas, the potential of the spread of Covid-19 is high due to higher population density. To counter any possibility of such occurrence, it is important to vaccinate all eligible persons.
• This initiative will ensure the safety of foreign nationals residing in India. It will also bring down the possibilities of further transfer of infection from unvaccinated persons residing in India.
• It will also ensure overall safety from further transmission of COVID-19 virus.

6. ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’ Scheme

About the ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’ Scheme:

• Seekho Aur Kamao Scheme has been implemented since 2013-14 for the skill development of minorities. It is under the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
• Seekho Aur Kamao is a skill development scheme for people of the 14 – 35 years age group and aiming at providing employment and employment opportunities, improving the employability of existing workers, school dropouts, etc.
• The scheme ensures 75% placement, out of which 50% should be in the organized sector.
• As per scheme guidelines, the implementing organizations will be required to establish linkages with placement services, and for the candidates interested in self-employment after availing the training, the organization shall arrange easy micro finance/loans for them through financial institutions, National Minority Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC), banks, etc.
• Post placement support of Rs. 2000/- per month is provided to placed trainees for two months as placement assistance.

Context:

This information was given by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

Read previous PIB here.

August 9th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here