30 Aug 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INS Mahendragiri
2. Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY)
3. ​​​​​​US - India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership
4. Kolkata Metro Railway

1. INS Mahendragiri

Syllabus: GS-3, Security & Defence

Prelims: INS Mahendragiri, Project 17A

Context:

Launch of INS Mahendragiri on 1 September.

About INS Mahendragiri:

• INS Mahendragiri is the last and seventh Project 17A Frigate.
• It is named after a mountain peak in the Eastern Ghats located in Odisha.
• Project 17A frigates – These warships are follow-ons of the Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class), with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
• INS Mahendragiri is a technologically advanced warship developed at Mumbai’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL). It has been incorporated with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
• All seven warships under Project 17A have been designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.

Read more on Project 17A in the linked article.

2. Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY)

Syllabus: GS-2, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Prelims: Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana

Context:

Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY) Surpasses Employment Generation Target.

Details:

• Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY), the union government’s employment incentive scheme has exceeded its initial employment generation goals.
• The scheme was designed to stimulate the creation of new job opportunities by extending financial support to employers of establishments registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). 
• This scheme aimed to incentivize the employment of unemployed individuals, including those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, by covering employee and employer contributions (24% of wages) for establishments with up to 1000 employees. 
• For establishments with over 1000 employees, only the employee’s EPF contributions (12% of wages) were covered in respect of new employees.
• Launched in 2020, the scheme had set a target to benefit approximately 7.18 million employees across India.
• To date, a total of 1,52,380 establishments, employing 60,44,155 new employees and upon fulfilling all the eligibility conditions, have availed benefits amounting to a sum of Rs. 9,669.87 Crore under the ABRY scheme.

3. US – India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership

Syllabus: GS-2, International Relations

Prelims: US – India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership

Mains: India – US relations

Context:

Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform under the US – India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership.

Details:

• In August 2023, the U.S.-India Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP) was launched under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership.
• RETAP was established to take bilateral collaboration further with a result-oriented, time-bound technology focus. 
• It is intended to advance new and emerging renewable technologies with a view toward deployment and scaling. 
• RETAP’s initial focus is to be on green/clean hydrogen, wind energy, long long-duration energy storage, and to explore geothermal energy, ocean/tidal energy and other emerging technologies as mutually determined in the future.
• The initial work plan is guided by the following five themes:
  • Research & Development
  • Piloting & Testing of Innovative Technologies
  • Advanced Training & Skill Development
  • Policy and Planning for Advancing RET and Enabling Technologies
  • Investment, Incubation and Outreach programmes

Read more on India – US relations in the linked article.

4. Kolkata Metro Railway

Syllabus: GS-3, Infrastructure

Prelims: Kolkata Metro Railway

Context:

Kolkata Metro Railway is set to become member of elite club of London, Moscow, Berlin, Munich, and Istanbul Metro.

Details:

• The Kolkata Metro Railway is transitioning from its conventional steel Third Rail system to a cutting-edge composite aluminium third rail system, joining an elite group of metro railways including London, Moscow, Munich, etc.
• The metro railway had been relying on the steel Third Rail to supply power to its rolling stock at 750V DC for almost 40 years.
• The Third Rail Current Collector (TRCC), predominantly constructed from steel, has been the backbone of this lifeline service.
• The Kolkata Metro Railway has now opted for the advanced Aluminium Third Rail system.
• The transition plan will be executed in three phases.
• The comprehensive project will result in the replacement of a total of 35 RKm (route km) mainline steel Third Rails, facilitating a seamless transition to the advanced Aluminium Third Rail system.

Advantages of the aluminium composite third rail over its steel counterpart:

• It reduces resistive current loss due to its lower resistance, resulting in improved traction voltage levels.
• Results in capital investment savings, with one less Traction Substation required for a 10-km corridor, translating to an estimated savings of approximately ₹210 crores for a 35-km metro corridor. 
• It enhances operational efficiency by allowing for faster acceleration.
• The transition reduces maintenance and life cycle costs by eliminating the need for frequent repainting and lowering the risk of rusting. 
• It also promises improved train operations, ultimately leading to better headway between trains.
• Most importantly, this shift aligns with sustainable goals, as it is projected to save an estimated 6.7 million units of energy annually, which will significantly reduce the metro’s carbon footprint.

Read the previous PIB articles here.