27 December 2019: PIB Summary & Analysis

1. Expo 2020 mobile app
2. Year-End Review – 2019 Ministry of Defence
3. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)
4. Shehri Samridhi Utsav 2020
5. ‘Fit India’ movement
6. E-office implementation
7. Indian Railway Management Service
8. BS-VI level Emission Norms for Quadricycles
9. Year-End Review 2019 - Ministry of Textiles

Context:

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched the mobile app of the forthcoming DefExpo 2020. The app has been developed by the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence (MoD) with the aim to engage with the visitors as well as exhibitors.

DefExpo 2020:

• • The 11th biennial edition of DefExpo India-2020 is scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow.
  • The main theme of the DefExpo India-2020 will be ‘India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub’.

• Significance of DefExpo 2020:

• • The DefExpo will provide an opportunity to the major foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to collaborate with the Indian defence industry and help promote ‘Make in India‘ initiative.

• BILATERAL DEFENCE COOPERATION

1. SITMEX–  Singapore-India-Thailand Maritime Exercise 

• The SITMEX exercise underscores the shared responsibility of the three countries to work together in keeping sea lines of communications open and strengthens interoperability among them.
• Raksha Mantri and his Singaporean counterpart co-chaired the 4th Singapore-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in Singapore.

• Indian Army

• The 14th edition of bilateral annual military exercise SURYA KIRAN-XIV between Indian and Nepal Army was held at Nepal Army Battle School (NABS), Salijhandi, Rupendehi district of Nepal.

• Africa-India Field Training Exercise-2019 (AFINDEX-19)

• The inaugural edition of Africa-India Field Training Exercise-2019 culminated at Foreign Training Node, Aundh Military Station, Pune.
• Participating African countries include Benin, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, amongst the others. 

• Mitra Shakti VI

• Mitra Shakti VI is a fourteen-day military exercise between Indian and Sri Lankan Army.
• It was held at Diyatalawa Parade Ground in Diyatalawa, Badulla District, Sri Lanka.
• This was the sixth edition of the joint exercise between the two nations. 

1. Overseas Deployments (OSD) 

• Indian Naval ship Tarkash undertook port calls at 13 countries. The ship participated in the Western Fleet OSD, Russian Navy Day celebrations, KONKAN-19 with the UK and participated in the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Nigeria.
• Ships Kolkata and Shakti participated in the Eastern Fleet, IN-VPN Bilateral Exercise at Cam Ranh Bay (Vietnam), PLA (N) IFR at Qingdao (China), ADMM Plus Exercise off Busan (South Korea) and Singapore, International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX), Maritime Information Sharing Exercise (MARISX) and SIMBEX 19 at Singapore.
• Ships Sahyadri and Kiltan participated in the Eastern Fleet, Ex Samudra Lakshmana with Malaysia and Malabar -19 with USN (US Navy) and JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force).
  • The Indian Navy, Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and US Navy (USN) Trilateral exercise Malabar-19 was conducted off Yokosuka, Japan.

1. Naval Operations/Activities

• Indian Navy (IN) has been undertaking Mission-Based Deployments in the Areas of Interest in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• The objective is to safeguard national maritime interests and maintain continuous/near-continuous presence in areas of significant maritime importance in the IOR. 
• These deployments were also in consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
• IN’s largest biennial war game, Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX-19) was conducted with the primary aim of honing the warfighting skills of the Navy whilst exercising in a large theatre of operations.

1. Coastal Security and Anti-Piracy Operations- SEA VIGIL-19

• SEA VIGIL-19, a pan India Coastal Defence Exercise, was conducted along the entire coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India. 
• Significance: The exercise was conducted with the aim of simultaneously activating all agencies involved in the coastal security construct, and to identify gaps and mitigating measures. 

1. Indian Air Force (IAF)

• • The Aircrafts utilized by the IAF are:
    • Rafale Aircraft: Rafale is an Omni-role fighter aircraft which will provide the long-range capability to engage targets in-depth and will provide a strong weapons and systems capability edge over the adversaries.
    • Su-30 MKI Aircraft: The Su-30 MKI currently is the largest and amongst the most potent fighter fleet in operation with the IAF.
    • Apache Helicopter: Apache is highly agile, survivable against battle damage and is easily maintainable even in field conditions.
  • Some of the Missiles used by the Air Force are:
    • ASTRA: ASTRA BVR missile being designed and developed by DRDO has been evaluated for its performance and missile firing with foreign seeker was successful.
    • BrahMos missile: Successful integration of the BrahMos missile on the Su-30 MKI has been completed. It would enhance the strategic significance and combat potential of the aircraft.  

• Projects:

• • Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C): AEW&C is an indigenous system successfully developed by DRDO. 
  • Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS): The IACCS is a fully indigenous project which will integrate all sensors to give composite Air Situation Picture and aids in quick decision making.

1. International Exercise

• • International Exercises: 

• Ex Eastern Bridge

• Ex Garuda

• JMT

1. Humanitarian Assistance And Disaster Relief (HADR)

• Aerial Fire Fighting Operation
• Flood Relief Ops 2019-(Operation Varsha)
• Casualty Evacuation for travellers trapped at Nanda Devi pass following an avalanche.

1. Women Empowerment in IAF

• NCC Special Entry: NCC special entry has been extended to women Air Wing Cadets with ‘C’ Certificate for the first time.
• Diplomatic Assignment: WgCdr Anjali Singh is the first woman officer who has been nominated by IAF as Dy Air Attaché in Embassy of Russia.

1. Defence Production

• Def Connect 2019: to achieve the goal of indigenisation and self-reliance in cutting edge technologies.

• Significance: It was organised to showcase the accomplishments of the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative and construct a strong outreach towards the potential future entrepreneurs of the defence sector. 

Context: More than 1 Cr Houses Sanctioned Under PMAY(U) – Huge Job Opportunities In construction And Allied Sectors.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban):

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), [PMAY-(U)], is one of the largest affordable housing programmes in the world. The mission has covered a wide range of social groups.
• PMAY (U) has achieved 10 times more in a span of 4.5 years than the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM).
• Empowerment of women is an inbuilt design of the scheme where the ownership of the house is in the name of the female head of household or in the joint name.
• The implementation of PMAY (U), has induced a remarkable investment in the housing sector, especially in the affordable housing segment. 

Context: MoH&UA to Organise consultative workshop with States & UTs on “Shehri Samridhi Utsav 2020”

Shehri Samridhi Utsav 2020:

• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will be organising a consultative workshop at New Delhi with all States and UTs to set out the framework for Shehri Samrddhi Utsav (SSU) 2020.

Significance of SSU 2020:

• The SSU 2020 would provide access to a wider customer base to locally made products of SHGs, through a collaboration with e-Commerce portals for onboarding of high-quality products made by Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• The initiative would also be useful in capacity building of the women entrepreneurs in the skills of branding, digital marketing and financial management.
• Shehri Samridhi Utsav would be utilized as a platform to make a more significant, out of the ordinary impact in the lives of beneficiaries under DAY-NULM.

Context: Dr Harsh Vardhan and Sh Kiren Rijiju meet for convergent thrust to ‘Fit India’ movement.

Fit India movement:

• There shall be a convergence of activities of the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare, and Youth Affairs and Sports to give a thrust to the national ‘Fit India’ movement.
• The objective of the movement: The goal of this national movement is to encourage people towards positive, preventive and promotive health and wellness. 

Need for the Movement:

• The burden of non-communicable diseases is growing due to the change in lifestyle.

Efforts being made by the Ministry:

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shall be engaging with all institutions of the Health Ministry along with other medical institutions and organisations such as IMA to create a nationwide consciousness about fitness and wellness.
• The Ministry shall also actively engage with the state governments, the state Health Ministers and principals of various medical colleges.
• Additionally, this shall be taken forward with the frontline health functionaries that implement the National Health Mission (NHM) in close association with the communities.
• The ‘Eat Right India’ initiative of FSSAI has been launched by the Ministry. It has seen various promotional activities being rolled out, including the “Eat Right Mela” at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Context: 75 Central Ministries/Departments actively using the e-Office platform. Minister appeals to State Governments to expedite e-office implementation

E-office implementation:

• 75 Central Ministries/Departments are actively using the e-Office platform, with Ministry of AYUSH being the recent Ministry to go live on the e-Office platform.
• 57 Ministries/Departments have achieved the desired target of 80% on the E-Office platform.
• The expedition of the E-office implementation is a step towards Digital Secretariat.
• The Government has offered State Governments all guidance in the implementation of e-Office.
• Various issues discussed during the meeting: 
  • Vision Document of the Ministry
  • 100-day agenda of the departments
  • Vacancy position in the departments
  • Grievance redressal status
  • Training programmes under the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG)
  • Status of e-Office implementation by Central Ministries/Departments and many other topics of importance.

Context: Indian Railway Management Service: Some Factual Information

Indian Railway Management Service:

• Unification of eight existing services of Indian Railways for Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) will be done at all levels i.e. from Junior Scale to HAG+.
• The Ministry of Railways and DOPT will work out the necessary formula before it is taken up by Alternative Mechanism. 
• 27 posts of GMs have been upgraded to apex grade.
• Future recruits to IRMS will be made through UPSC(Civil Services) in consultation with UPSC and DOPT.

Context: Public Comments invited for mandating BS-VI level Emission Norms for Quadricycles

BS-VI level Emission Norms for Quadricycles: 

• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has invited suggestions and comments for the proposed amendment of Rule 115 to mandate BS-VI level emission norms for Quadricycle.
• The amendment proposes to insert separate sub-rule 17B after the sub-rule 17A.  Present emission norms for Quadricycle are Bharat Stage IV as per sub-rule 17A of rule 115.
• The proposed emission norms (Tailpipe emission, On-board diagnostics-OBD) are in line with European norms.
• The emission tests for ladling/acceleration, Crankcase gas emission, durability testing are as per BS-VI 4W in Europe Quadricycle category.