28 Aug 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

August 28th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Mahatma Ayyankali
2. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
3. Integrated Management of Public Distribution Scheme (IM-PDS)
4. Poshan Maah
5. India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue
6. “Chunauti”- Next Generation Start-up Challenge Contest
7. Sustainable Finance Collaborative
8. National Sports Day
9. Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of States (AREAS)

1. Mahatma Ayyankali

About Mahatma Ayyankali:

• Pioneer social reformer Ayyankali was born in Kerala on 28^th August 1863.
• He was one of the first reformers to hail from a Dalit family and fought hard against the social injustices of the time.
• He fought for the basic rights of the depressed classes including the right to education, right of access to public roads, right to the dignity of clothing, etc.
• Read more about his contributions on This Day in History dated Aug 28.

Context:

PM remembers Mahatma Ayyankali on his Jayanti.

Also read: 19^th century social and religious reform movements.

2. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

Context:

PMJDY completes six years.

Know more about Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) in the linked article.

3. Integrated Management of Public Distribution Scheme (IM-PDS)

Context:

Secretary, Food & Public Distribution chairs meeting of Empowered Committee on schemes for PDS Reforms.

Details:

• The meeting of the Empowered Committee was held to review and approve the extension of the Integrated Management of Public Distribution Scheme (IM-PDS) under which the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ (ONORC) plan is being implemented all over India. Know more about ONORC in PIB dated Aug 9, 2019.

About the Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS):

• The ONORC is being implemented under this scheme.
• It provides the technological platform for the inter-state portability of ration cards.
• The scheme was launched in 2018 by the Department of Food & Public Distribution, GOI.
• It is a central sector scheme.
• The main objective of the scheme is to introduce nation-wide portability of ration card holders under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), to lift their entitled food grains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice in the country without the need of obtaining a new ration card.
• This will be done by integrating the existing PDS systems/portals of States/UTs with the Central systems/portals under the Central Repository of all NFSA ration cards/beneficiaries.
• The new scheme will bring more transparency and efficiency in the distribution of food grains as it will improve the mechanism to identify fake/duplicate ration cards.

Also read: Food security in India

4. Poshan Maah

Context:

Department of Food & Public Distribution to organise activities to celebrate Poshan Maah.

About Rashtriya Poshan Maah:

• The entire month of September is observed as ‘Poshan Maah’ to take the message of nutrition to every nook and corner of the country and to focus on complimentary food, treatment and prevention from infections in children.
• During this month, activities related to nutrition will be carried out by the states/UTs up to the grassroots level.
• The Poshan Maah was initiated to give momentum to the Poshan Abhiyaan.
• The theme for Poshan Maah 2019 was ‘complementary feeding’.

5. India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue

Context:

14^th India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue via video conferencing.

Details:

• Both sides held discussions on a number of issues of bilateral defence engagements between India and Singapore.
• Both sides committed to further enhance the security partnership between the two countries.
• An Implementing Arrangement on Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) between India and Singapore was also signed.

6. “Chunauti”- Next Generation Start-up Challenge Contest

Context:

IT Minister launches “Chunauti”- Next Generation Start-up Challenge Contest.

About the challenge:

• The contest aims to further boost startups and software products with a special focus on Tier-II towns of India.
• It aims to identify around 300 startups working in identified areas and provide them seed fund of up to Rs. 25 Lakh and other facilities.
• Startups in the following areas of work are being invited under the challenge:
  • Edu-Tech, Agri-Tech & Fin-Tech Solutions for masses
  • Supply Chain, Logistics & Transportation Management
  • Infrastructure & Remote monitoring
  • Medical Healthcare, Diagnostic, Preventive & Psychological Care
  • Jobs & Skilling, Linguistic tools & technologies

What the selected startups will get:

• The startups selected through Chunauti will be provided various support from the Government through the Software Technology Parks of India centres across India.
• They will get incubation facilities, mentorship, security testing facilities, access to venture capitalist funding, industry connect as well as advisories in legal, Human Resource (HR), IPR and Patent matters.
• Besides seed fund of up to Rs. 25 Lakh, the startups will also be provided cloud credits from leading cloud service providers.
• Start-ups who are in the ideation stage may be selected under the pre-incubation programme & mentored for up to six months to evolve their business plan & solution around the proposed idea.
• Each intern (start-up under pre-incubation) will be paid Rs. 10,000/- per month up to a period of 6 months.

7. Sustainable Finance Collaborative

Context:

DEA holds a Sustainable Finance Collaborative consultation with UNDP.

Details:

• The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India has launched the Sustainable Finance Collaborative.
• The Collaborative saw many discussions around the subject of Sustainable Finance architecture in India.
• It included dialogues on critical elements such as the barriers to deploying new and innovative financing such as impact investing, the role of blended finance instruments, green finance instruments for sustainable development, need for a taxonomy of environmentally sustainable activities, sustainability-related disclosures by corporates, and preparing the financial sector for the risks posed by climate change and other environmental and social issues.

8. National Sports Day

Context:

National Sports Day observed on August 29 every year.

Details:

• The day is observed in honour of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
• On this day, the President confers the National Sports and Adventure Awards to the recipients.
• The awards are:
  • Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: for spectacular and outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years preceding the award.
  • Arjuna Award: for consistent outstanding performance for four years.
  • Dronacharya Award: to coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious international sports events.
  • Dhyan Chand Award: for lifetime contribution to sports development.
  • Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar: to corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.
  • Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy: for the overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments.
  • Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award: for adventure sports.

9. Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of States (AREAS)

Context:

6^th Foundation Day of AREAS.

About AREAS:

• AREAS was formed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for better coordination, interaction and sharing of best practices among the various state nodal agencies (SNAs) for renewable energy.
• SNAs, through the AREAS, can learn from each other’s experience with various technologies and schemes.
• The Union Minister for MNRE is the Patron of the Association.
• The MNRE Secretary is the ex officio President of the Association.
• The members include all the SNAs.

Read previous PIB here.

August 28th, 2020, PIB:- Download PDF Here