12 Feb 2024: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. UPI services launched in Mauritius and Sri Lanka
2. Unani Day 2024
3. Agreement between C-DOT and IIT Roorkee
4. Law Commission of India Report
5. GROW Report & Portal

1. UPI services launched in Mauritius and Sri Lanka

Details:

• The Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services were launched in Sri Lanka and Mauritius, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced.
• RuPay card services were also introduced in Mauritius.
• This marks a milestone in cross-border digital payments.
• Crafted by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI services offer instant real-time payment solutions via mobile phones, while RuPay, an Indian-origin card payment network, boasts global recognition and broad acceptance at various points of sale, ATMs, and online platforms.
• This initiative underscored New Delhi’s commitment to bolstering bilateral economic ties with Sri Lanka and Mauritius, fostering digital connectivity and financial cooperation. 
• The launch will facilitate the accessibility of UPI settlement services for Indian citizens visiting Sri Lanka and Mauritius and for Mauritian nationals travelling to India.
• After Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore and UAE in the Gulf in Asia, now from Mauritius, the RuPay card is being launched in Africa.

2. Unani Day 2024

Context:

Unani Day is observed on Feb 11.

Unani Day:

• World Unani Day is celebrated on February 11 in honour of a famous Indian Unani scholar Hakim Ajmal Khan marking his birth anniversary.
• The theme for Unani Day 2024, ‘Unani Medicine for One Earth, One Health,’ emphasises the shared responsibility for the planet’s well-being and the necessity for global collaboration in addressing health challenges.

Unani System of Medicine:

• The Unani system of medicine was introduced in India by the Arabs and Persians sometime around the 11th century. 
• Today, India is one of the leading countries in the practice of Unani medicine with a large number of educational, research and health institutes. 
• It originated in Greece and its foundation was led by Hippocrates. 
• It is believed that the Arabs played an important role in protecting the Greek literature of the Unani medicine and enriched it further.
• This system involves physics, chemistry, botany, anatomy, physiology, pathology, therapeutics and surgery. 
• The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine is an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India with effect from 1979.

3. Agreement between C-DOT and IIT Roorkee

Context:

C-DOT and IIT Roorkee signed an agreement for “Developing 140GHZ Fully Integrated Transmitter & Receiver Module for 6G and Beyond”.

Details:

• The agreement is signed under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India.
• The TTDF has been designed to provide funding support to domestic companies and institutions involved in the technology design, development, and commercialization of telecommunication products and solutions to enable affordable broadband and mobile services in rural and remote areas.
• The objective of this agreement is to develop a 140 GHz Fully Integrated Transmitter and Receiver Module to enable applications for 6G and beyond. 
• The novelty of this system lies in the generation, transmission and antenna integration of THz waves onto a single chip.
• This leads to reduced system size, weight and power consumption, making it suitable for use in portable devices such as smartphones, laptops, wearables, etc.
• This chip shall support data rates of up to several gigabits per second, enabling high-speed data transfer with a chip or between chips.

4. Law Commission of India Report

Context:

The Law Commission of India submits a report titled “A Comprehensive Review of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897“.

Details:

• The 22nd Law Commission holds the view that the existing legislation does not comprehensively address the concerns of containment and management of future epidemics in the country as new infectious diseases or novel strains of existing pathogens may emerge.
• The Commission has recommended that either the existing law needs to be suitably amended to address existing gaps or a new comprehensive legislation be enacted on the subject.
• The COVID-19 pandemic unleashed an unprecedented challenge for the Indian health infrastructure. 
• The immediate response to COVID-19 such as the imposition of lockdown was invoked under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. 
• Further, in light of the immediate challenges, especially those faced by the healthcare workers, the Parliament amended the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 in 2020.
• In light of the highly interconnected world, the possibility of another outbreak is real. To protect the citizens and ensure their well-being, it is necessary to revisit and strengthen the law in order to effectively tackle any such future health emergency.

5. GROW Report & Portal

Context:

NITI Aayog launched Greening India’s Wastelands with Agroforestry (GROW) Report and Portal.

Details:

• To compile the report, the NITI Aayog utilized remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India. 
• Using thematic datasets, an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) was developed for national-level prioritization. 
• The report provides state-wise and district-wise analysis, supporting government departments and industries for greening and restoration projects.
• Currently, agroforestry covers 8.65% of India’s total geographical area, totalling about 28.42 million hectares. 
• The report underscores the potential benefits of converting underutilized areas, especially wastelands, for agroforestry. 
• The GROW initiative aligns with national commitments, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
• India faces issues like increased build-up areas, degraded land, and imbalanced resources. 
• Approximately 16.96% of the Total Geographical Area (TGA) is a wasteland, requiring transformation for productive use. 

Why is the promotion of agroforestry important?

• Reducing import of wood and wood products
• Carbon sequestration to combat climate change at global and national levels
• Addressing sub-optimal use of arable land

Read previous PIB articles here.