15 Feb 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)
2. MoU between India & Chile
3. Defence Capital Procurement Budget
4. Doping in Sports

1. Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)

Syllabus – GS3, Economy; Infrastructure and Inclusive Growth

Prelims – Vibrant Villages Programme.

Context – The Union Cabinet approved the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26.

Details –

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme – ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26 with a financial allocation of Rs 48000 cr. Under this scheme, holistic developmental works will be undertaken in northern bordering villages.
• The programme will cover 663 villages in the first phase, where job opportunities will be created to curb migration of the local population and sustainable economic activities will be encouraged. It will lead to infrastructure development in four states and one union territory along the northern borders.
• The scheme aids to identify and develop economic drivers based on local, natural, human and other resources of the villages on the northern border and the development of growth centres on the “Hub and Spokes Model” through the promotion of social entrepreneurship, empowerment of youth and women through skill development and entrepreneurship.

2. MoU between India & Chile

Syllabus – GS2, International Relations; Bilateral Agreements involving India and affecting India’s interests.

Prelims – MoU between India and Chile 

Context – Signing of MoU between India and Chile in the field of Agriculture and Allied sectors. 

Details –

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Republic of Chile for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied sectors.
• A Chile-India Agricultural Working Group will be set up which will be responsible for the supervision, review and assessment of the implementation of this MoU as well as for establishing frequent communication and coordination between both countries. The meeting of the Agriculture Working Group will be held once a year, alternatively in Chile and India.
• The areas of cooperation include organic agriculture – promoting the exchange of policies to develop organic production in both countries, policies for developing modern agriculture, promoting innovation in the sector and developing plans to confront the same challenges.

3. Defence Capital Procurement Budget

Syllabus – GS3, Security; Defence and Internal Security

Prelims – Defence Capital Procurement Budget, Aero India 2023

Context – 75% of the Defence Capital Procurement Budget has been earmarked for the domestic industry in FY 2023-24.

Details –

• A record 75 per cent (about Rs 1 lakh crore) of the defence capital procurement budget has been earmarked for the domestic industry in FY 2023-24, up from 68 per cent in 2022-23. This was announced by Defence Minister,  Shri Rajnath Singh during the Bandhan ceremony of 14th Aero India, Bengaluru. This will minimise the dependency on imports. This step will not only strengthen the security system of the country but will also boost the economy. 
•  In FY 2023-24, the Ministry of Defence has been allocated a total Budget of Rs 5.94 lakh crore, which is 13.18 per cent of the total budget (Rs 45.03 lakh crore). Capital outlay pertaining to modernisation and infrastructure development has been increased to Rs 1.63 lakh crore.
• The Bandhan ceremony also witnessed the forging of 266 partnerships including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements, nine product launches and three Transfers of Technology (ToT), worth around Rs 80,000 crore. The MoUs and ToTs completed during Bandhan will pave the way for enhanced FDI in defence and take manufacturing in the sector to greater heights.

4. Doping in Sports

Syllabus – Miscellaneous

Prelims – Doping in Sports, NADA

Context – Tripartite MoU signed to deal with the problem of doping in sports in India.

• In an attempt to curb doping in sports, the Ministry of Youth Affairs GoI, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad) signed a tripartite MoU to create nutritional supplement testing capacity in India, decipher information and create awareness about the harmful effects associated with the use of nutritional supplements, increase research opportunities in the clean sport and anti-doping domain and provide options for safe and dope free nutritional supplements for sportspersons.
• This MoU is a step towards combating inadvertent cases of doping and creating a safe sporting environment in the country.

About NADA

• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was set up as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 on November 24, 2005, with a mandate for dope-free sports in India.
• The primary objectives are to implement anti-doping rules as per the WADA code, regulate dope control programmes, promote education and research and create awareness about doping and its ill effects.

Also read – World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 

Read the previous PIB articles here.

February 15th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here