12 July 2019: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

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July 12th, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

World Food India a big platform for State Governments to push Food Processing in States: Smt Harsimrat Badal 

Context:

Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal met MPs at the Parliament Annexe. The meeting was held by the Ministry to spread awareness about the upcoming mega event World Food India 2019.

World Food India 2019

• World Food India is one of the largest food industry events in the world.
• It is held by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
• The event, held biennially, is designed to offer a peek into India’s food and culture as well as opportunities to invest and prosper from one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
• The second edition will be held in New Delhi from 1^st to 4^th November 2019. The first edition was held in 2017.
• There will be seminars and exhibitions, and more than 75000 business delegates from over 60 countries will be attending.
• It is expected to be attended by more than 50 global CEOs.

Objective

The intention is to increase investments into India in the food and food processing sector. The event will showcase opportunities in India in its growing food processing industry.

World Food India 2019 Theme

“Forging Partnerships for Growth”

Need for the event

• The processing level in India is low at 7.7% and is behind economies such as China, Malaysia and the United States.
• India’s share of processed food exports globally is only 2%.
• Food processing is vital in achieving the PM’s vision of doubling farmers’ income in India and reducing food wastage.

Menstrual Health

Key Points:

• To improve the menstrual health among adolescent girls, GOI is supporting the States/UTs through National Health Mission in their Program Implementation Plans for decentralized procurement of sanitary napkins packs.
• The scheme includes the following:
  • Increasing awareness among adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene.
  • Improving access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins by adolescent girls residing in rural areas.
  • Ensuring safe disposal of sanitary napkins in an environmentally friendly manner.
  • Provision of funds to ASHAs to hold monthly meetings with adolescents to discuss issues related to menstrual hygiene.
• Scheme is also being implemented in the urban areas with roll out in selected cities of 15 States in the first phase.

Group Workshed Scheme for Powerloom Sector

Context:

The Government is implementing Group Work shed Scheme for Power loom sector under Power Tex India.

Key Points:

• It is in operation since 2017.
• Scheme Objectives:
  • To establish Group Work sheds for installation of modern looms in an existing or new cluster, which will provide required scale of economies for business operations.
  • To organize power loom units in a cluster.
  • To provide improved working condition in terms of more space, work environment, improve the work efficiency to enhance their competitiveness in the global market.
• Eligible beneficiaries would include weaver(s) and entrepreneur(s) associated with power loom units, including master weaver(s), registered co-operative societies of power loom weavers or any new entrepreneur(s) individually or in-group.
• Power loom unit would include weaving preparatory such as Warping, Sizing, Twisting (Two-for-one Twister and Three-for-one Twister), Texturising, Testing Laboratory and Common Facilities such as Sample Display room including stand-alone unit.

Textile and Handicraft Policy

Context:

Government has been implementing various policy initiatives and programmes for development of textiles and handicrafts particularly for technology upgradation, infrastructure creation and skill development.

Schemes:

• Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS)
• PowerTex India Scheme
• National handloom Development Programme
• Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks
• SAMARTH- scheme for capacity building in Textile Sector
• Silk Samagra- integrated silk development scheme
• North Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS)
• National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP)
• Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)

Weavers MUDRA Scheme

Context:

Under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana scheme, the textile ministry has partnered with large public sector banks to extend concessional loans up to ₹5 lakh to handloom weavers in all States.

Key Points:

• Margin Money assistance at 20% of loan amount subject to a maximum of Rs.10,000/- per weaver, loan at 6% interest rate and Credit Guarantee for a period of 3 years is provided to handloom weavers/weaver entrepreneurs across the country.
• For timely transfer of financial assistance, Handloom Weaver MUDRA Portal has been developed in association with Punjab National Bank to cut down delay in disbursement of funds for margin money and interest subvention.
• The margin money assistance is transferred directly to loan account of weaver and interest subvention is transferred to banks through the portal.

Welfare Schemes for Handloom Weavers

The following are the schemes to revive, promote and develop handlooms and handicrafts sectors in Jharkhand and other parts of the country:

HANDLOOM SECTOR

Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS)

• This scheme provides Life, accidental and disability insurance coverage to handloom weavers/workers under the components Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana(PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana(PMSBY) and Converged Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana(MGBBY).

National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)

• Main components of NHDP are Concessional Credit, Handloom Marketing Assistance, and Block Level Clusters.
• The weavers have been benefitted by waivers of overdue loans, availing loans at concessional rates, participation in exhibitions/fairs/craft melas for marketing handloom products, upgradation of looms and training to improve their earnings.
• The program also offers education to weavers and their children by tie-ups with IGNOU and NIOS.
• Weaver MUDRA Scheme (Concessional Credit)
• Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata – to provide looms/accessories to the weavers to enhance their earnings through improved productivity and quality of the handloom products.
• Handloom Marketing Assistance
• Promotion of e-marketing of handloom products
• Urban haats being set up in metros and big towns.
• National Awardis conferred to handloom weavers in recognition of their outstanding craftsmanship contribution and development of handloom weaving.

Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)

• It is implemented for development of Mega Handloom Clusters covering at least 15000 to 25,000 handlooms.
• Under the scheme, components like conducting Diagnostic Study, engaging Designer, Product Development, Corpus for raw material, Construction of Worksheds (for BPL/SC/ST/Women weavers), Skill up-gradation etc. are fully funded by Government of India.

Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)

• It is being implemented throughout the country to make available all types of yarn at Mill Gate Price.
• It is being implemented through National Handloom Development Corporation.

HANDICRAFTS SECTOR

National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP)

• Base Line Survey & Mobilization of Artisans under Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana
• Design & Technology upgradation
• Human Resource Development
• Direct Benefit to Artisans
• Infrastructure and Technology Support
• Research and Development
• Marketing Support & Services

Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)

• Mega Cluster: Mega cluster approach is a drive to scale up the infrastructural and production chain at Handicrafts clusters.
• Special Projects under Integrated Development and Promotion of Handicraft

Comprehensive Legislation on Child Abuse

Context:

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has drafted the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018 as a comprehensive legislation to deal with issues of various aspects of trafficking of persons including trafficking of children.

Key Points:

• The Bill aims to prevent trafficking of persons, to provide care, protection and rehabilitation to the victims of trafficking, to prosecute offenders and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
• The bill was passed by the 16^th Lok Sabha but could not be considered in the Rajya Sabha. Hence, it lapsed. Now the government has taken it up.
• The bill relates to issues of sexual exploitation etc. only in the context of those victims, who may also be children, who have been trafficked.

Shri Mansukh Mandaviya Digitally Flagged-Off IWAI Ship Carrying Cargo From Bhutan To Bangladesh Over Brahmaputra, Indo Bangla Protocol Route

Context:

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent Charge) and Chemical & Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya, flagged-off a ship of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, carrying stone from Bhutan to be delivered in Bangladesh.

Key Points:

• This is for the first time ever that an Indian waterway is being used for transport of cargo between two countries, using India for transit.
• The ship – MV AAI – has set sail from Dhubri in Assam and will travel to Narayanganj in Bangladesh, over river Brahmaputra and the Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route.
• Till now, Bhutan has been exporting significant quantity of stone aggregates to Bangladesh through the land route.

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)

• It is the apex statutory body created in 1986 for the development and regulation of inland waterways has been designated as the Project Implementing Agency by the ministry of shipping.
• Headquartered in Noida, it is under the Ministry of Shipping.

Fast Track Special Courts

Context:

The Government of India enacted “The Criminal (Law) Amendment Act, 2018” through which amendments were effected in the Indian Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Indian Evidence Act and The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

Key Points:

• This was done to bring in stringent provisions for expeditious trial and disposal of cases exclusively pertaining to sexual offences involving girls and women.
• A Scheme on the lines of other Centrally Sponsored Schemes for setting up Fast Track Special Courts for expeditious trial and disposal of rape cases has been formulated by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice.

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