22 Aug 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

August 22nd, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Ethanol as a fuel
2. Aarogya Setu
3. Common Eligibility Test (CET) to be conducted by NRA

1. Ethanol as a fuel

Context:

Utilization of excess sugarcane for ethanol production to improve the viability of the sugar industry.

Details:

• The government has taken various measures to improve the viability of the sugar industry, thereby enabling sugar mills to make timely payment of cane dues of farmers.
• Diversion of excess sugarcane and sugar is the long term solution for addressing the problem of excess stock and improving viability of the sugar industry.
• Ethanol is a green fuel & its blending with petrol also saves the country’s foreign exchange.
• To encourage sugar mills to divert excess sugarcane to produce ethanol for blending with petrol, the government has allowed production of ethanol from B-Heavy Molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar syrup and sugar; and has also fixed the remunerative ex-mill price of ethanol derived from these feed-stocks.
• The state-wise targets for ethanol manufacture have also been fixed.
• Sugar mills/distilleries have been advised to utilize at least 85 % of their existing installed capacity to produce ethanol.
• Sugar mills having distillation capacity have been advised to divert B-heavy molasses and sugar syrup for producing ethanol to utilize their capacity to maximum extent; and those sugar mills which do not have distillation capacity should produce B-Heavy molasses and should tie up with distilleries which can produce ethanol from B-Heavy molasses.
• States have also been requested to ensure smooth movement of molasses & ethanol.

Read about the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme in PIB dated Sep 3, 2019.

2. Aarogya Setu

Context:

Aarogya Setu introduces ‘Open API Service’.

Details:

• This is a novel feature in the app to help people, businesses and the economy to return to normalcy.
• The Open API Service enables organizations to check the status of Aarogya Setu and integrate it into its various Work from Home features.
• This service of Aarogya Setu can be availed by organizations and business entities, who are registered in India with more than 50 employees.
• They can use the Open API Service to query the Aarogya Setu Application in real-time and get the health status of their employees or any other Aarogya Setu User, who have provided their consent for sharing their health status with the organization.
• The API shall only provide the Aarogya Setu status and name of the Aarogya Setu User (with User’s consent). No other personal data shall be provided through the API.

3. Common Eligibility Test (CET) to be conducted by NRA

Context:

States & UTs can avail the Common Eligibility Test (CET) to be conducted by NRA for job selection: Union Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

Details:

• The Minister said that the CET score could be shared with the Recruiting Agencies in the State and Union Territory governments as well as Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and also later on with the Private Sector.
• This would actually help the recruiting agencies including the State and Union Territory Governments to save the cost and time spent on recruitment, while at the same time also be convenient and cost-effective for the young job aspirants.

Read more on the National Recruitment Agency on CNA dated Aug 20, 2020: Govt. to set up NRA.

Read previous PIB here.

August 22nd, 2020, PIB:- Download PDF Here