21 Feb 2024: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Exercise Milan
2. Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana
3. Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)
4. Sammakka-Sarakka Medaram Jathara
5. Umbrella Scheme on “Safety of Women”
6. Prelims Facts

1. Exercise Milan

Syllabus: GS-3, Security & Defence

Prelims: Exercise Milan

Context:

The 12th edition of the multi-nation Exercise MILAN began on Feb 21 at Vishakhapatnam.

Ex Milan:

• MILAN is a biennial multilateral naval exercise held under the aegis of the Eastern Naval Command. 
• This edition is the largest and more complex than previous editions, with the participation of Indian ships and 16 foreign warships, one Maritime Patrol Aircraft and delegations from friendly countries.
• The exercise will culminate on Feb 27.

Read more on Ex MILAN in the linked article.

2. Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana

Syllabus: GS-2, Govt Schemes & Programs

Prelims: Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana, Skill India Mission

Context:

Union Minister inaugurated the Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana under the Skill India Mission.

Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana:

• This is a national entrepreneurship development project tailored specifically for beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme.
• The program aims to equip individuals with comprehensive entrepreneurship training.
• Recognizing the imperative to adapt to the evolving job market, this initiative focuses on reskilling and upskilling employees to enhance their competitiveness and adaptability in an era of disruptive technology.
• Scheme Features:
  • The Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana will offer comprehensive entrepreneurship training over 22 weeks, combining theoretical knowledge with practical exposure through experiential learning. 
  • The training will be conducted through offline, online and hybrid modes, with certificates awarded upon completion, enhancing the course’s credibility and value.
• The scheme is expected to help street vendors and small shopkeepers to become more skilled and empower them. 
• In the pilot phase, the project will be implemented through 20 centres of the National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and 10 centres of the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati.

3. Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)

Syllabus: GS-3, Disaster Management

Prelims: Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)

Mains: Flood management and related issues

Context:

Cabinet approved the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) for the period 2021-26.

Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP):

• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Department of Water Resources for the continuation of the centrally sponsored scheme, “Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)”.
• The total outlay is Rs. 4,100 crore for a period of 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• The scheme has two components:
  • Flood Management Programme (FMP) component:
    • Outlay: Rs. 2940 crore
    • Central assistance will be provided to State Governments for taking up critical works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc. 
    • Funding pattern: 60-40 and 90-10 for special category states & UTs with the larger contribution coming from the centre.
  • River Management and Border Areas (RMBA) component:
    • Outlay: Rs. 1160 crore
    • Central assistance for flood control and anti-erosion works on common border rivers with neighbouring countries including hydrological observations and flood forecasting, and investigation & pre-construction activities of joint water resources projects (with neighbouring countries) on common border rivers.
    • 100% central funding assistance 

Background:

• Although flood management is the primary responsibility of the state governments, the union government has decided to bring in modern technology and innovative approaches in the area of flood management especially in light of the increasing incidences of extreme weather events.

4. Sammakka-Sarakka Medaram Jathara

Syllabus: GS I, Indian Heritage and Culture

Prelims: Medaram Jathara 

Mains: Preserving tribal tradition and culture

Context:

Prime Minister extends greetings on the start of one of the largest tribal festivals, Sammakka-Sarakka Medaram Jathara.

The Medaram Jathara:

• It is the second-largest fair in India after Kumbh Mela and is celebrated by the Koya tribe of Telangana. 
• The celebration continues for four days.
• This festival is to honour the goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma. Saralamma was the daughter of Sammakka. 
• It is celebrated once every two years in the month of Magha (February) on the full moon day. 
• The idol of Saralamma is installed in the temple at Kannepalli, a small village near Medaram. 
• The rituals are performed by the Koya priests called Kaka Vaddes.
• Traditional music is played with: 
  • Doli – cylindrical drum
  • Akkum – Brass blowing instrument
  • Thootha Kommu – Bison horn-blowing instrument
  • Cymbals
• This celebration has been supported by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs along with proactive measures to promote and preserve tribal traditions. 

About the Koya Tribes:

• They constitute a very unique way of community life and a common cultural heritage. 
• Koyas are identified as a warrior tribe.
• They speak Odia and Telugu languages. 
• The last queen of Malkangiri Bagaru Devi had a large Koya army with the help of which she defeated Ramachandra Deva III of Jeypore. 
• In 1880, during the British period, the Koya rebellion took place under the leadership of Koya youth Tama Dora. 
• They opposed the British government in many ways.
• The principal tribe is found in the Malkangiri district of south Odisha.
• They are also found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh apart from Odisha. 
• Koyas are widely distributed in Kalimela, Mottu, Podia, Mathili and Kokonda blocks. 
• The Koyas of Malkangiri are ethno-culturally connected to Bison-horn Murias of adjacent Chhattisgarh. 
• They are known as Madia in the Sukuma region and Dorla in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. 
• They are engaged in shifting cultivation and presently they indulge in settled cultivation. The major crops cultivated by the Koyas include paddy, maize, millet and tobacco leaf. 

Also read: Major tribes in India

5. Umbrella Scheme on “Safety of Women”

Syllabus: GS-2, Govt schemes

Prelims: Umbrella Scheme on “Safety of Women”

Mains: Women’s issues

Context:

The Cabinet approved a proposal for the Implementation of an Umbrella Scheme on “Safety of Women”.

Details:

• The project under the Home Affairs Ministry will be implemented at a total cost of Rs.1179.72 crore during the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Out of the total budget, Rs.294.23 crore will be funded from the Nirbhaya Fund.
• In its efforts towards women’s safety, the Government of India in collaboration with States and Union Territories has launched several projects. 
• The objectives of these projects include strengthening mechanisms in States/Union Territories to ensure timely intervention and investigation in case of crime against women and higher efficiency in investigation and crime prevention in such matters.
• Projects under the Umbrella Scheme for “Safety of Women”:
  • 112 Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 2.0
  • Upgradation of Central Forensic Sciences laboratories, including setting up of National Forensic Data Centre
  • Strengthening of DNA Analysis, Cyber Forensic capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs)
  • Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children
  • Capacity building and training of investigators and prosecutors in handling sexual assault cases against women and children
  • Women Help Desk & Anti-human Trafficking Units

6. Prelims Facts

Aeronautical Development Agency

• The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is a Society under the Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
• Its mandate is to undertake, aid, promote, guide, manage, coordinate and execute research in aeronautical science, design and development of various types of aircraft and rotorcraft.
• The Union Defence Minister is the President of the Society and its General Body.
• ADA was established in Bangalore in 1984 to oversee the development of the nation’s Light Combat Aircraft programme. It has developed Tejas and is developing Tejas Mk 2, TEDBF and AMCA.

Read previous PIB articles here.