21 Aug 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

August 21st, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana
2. One Nation One Standard scheme
3. ‘Harit Path’ Mobile App
4. Relief for Kala Azar
5. National Sports Awards 2020

1. Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana

Context:

Relaxation in eligibility criteria and enhancement in the payment of unemployment benefits under the Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana of ESIC.

About the Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana:

• It is a scheme implemented by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
  • ESIC is a government-run organisation set up under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948.
  • It is under the GOI’s Ministry of Labour and Employment.
  • The organization aims to provide social-economic protection to the Indian workers (labourers), including members of their families covered under the scheme.
• Introduced in 2018, this scheme initially provided relief to the extent of 25% of the average per day earning during the previous four contribution periods to be paid up to maximum 90 days of unemployment once in a lifetime of the insured person.
• The current relaxation provides relief to the extent of 50% from the time period March to December 2020.
• After this time period, the scheme will be available with the original condition pursuant to a review that would be done at the end of this year.
• This relaxation is targeted at workers who have lost their livelihood during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. One Nation One Standard scheme

Context:

The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution virtually launched the online system of Registration and Renewal of Jewellers and online system of recognition and renewal of the Assaying and Hallmarking Centres.

About One Nation One Standard:

• According to the Union Consumer Affairs Minister, the government is working on setting a ‘One nation, one standard’ system to ensure quality products and services to consumers.
• Current system:
  • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the only national body that frames standards. It has come out with over 20,000 standards for various products and services so far. Read more about BIS in the article about Ecomark.
  • There are also about 50-odd agencies that have framed about 400 standards in the country.
  • There are multiple standards in India today for the same product or service.
  • The BIS only frames standards and cannot regulate its implementation.
• The purpose of the ‘one nation one standard’ scheme is to converge such standards with the BIS which is a recognised national body for standardisation in the country.
• Currently, various departments have their own standards, like the FSSAI for food products, the Automobile Research Organisation of India for the automobile sector and so on.
• These standards need to be converged with BIS and redesignated as one to help in easy implementation and monitoring of standards.
• However, the entire process will take time and it will depend on how soon other agencies are willing to converge with BIS.
• The NITI Aayog has also suggested the setting up of a separate regulator to monitor the implementation of the standards.
• Bringing all standards under one roof will additionally help the country to ensure that imported products also subscribe to Indian standards. Currently, under 10% of all imported goods adhere to BIS standards.

3. ‘Harit Path’ Mobile App

Context:

NHAI launches ‘Harit Path’.

About ‘Harit Path’:

• ‘Harit Path’ is a mobile app to monitor plantation along national highways.
• The app will monitor location, growth, species details, maintenance activities, targets and achievements of each of the NHAI’s field units for each and every plant under all plantation projects.
• The National Highways Authority of India has been engaged in many plantation drives with the aim of developing eco-friendly national highways.
• The goal of the NHAI is to achieve 100% plantation on highways by 2022.
• The Authority also engages in the transplantation of trees that have to be axed in order to make way for highway projects.

4. Relief for Kala Azar

Context:

Oral nanomedicine may bring relief for Kala-Azar & other neglected diseases.

Details:

• Scientists from the Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), Mohali have developed an oral nanomedicine with the help of surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles based combinational cargo system for combating visceral leishmaniasis (VL or kala-azar, the most severe form of leishmaniasis).
  • INST is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), GOI.
• This study may lead to product and process patent enhancing the role of India in developing innovative therapy against neglected diseases.
• The usage of a lower therapeutic dose of the purified drugs through nanomodifications will be a boon in reducing toxicity, which has been a major hindrance in the existing conventional treatment when administered orally.
• The oral therapeutics could help in the control and elimination of VL, around 95 % of which is reported from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nepal, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.

Know more about Kala Azar in PIB dated June 24, 2020: Kala Azar.

5. National Sports Awards 2020

Context:

National Sports Awards 2020 announced.

Read more about the National Sports Awards in PIB dated Aug 20, 2019, under the headline ‘National Sports Awards – 2019’.

Read previous PIB here.

August 21st, 2020, PIB:- Download PDF Here