13 July 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

July 13th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
2. Indian Railways
3. Motor Vehicles Act
4. United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, 2020

1. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Context:

Finance Minister reviewed the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

To know more about the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, click on the linked article.

2. Indian Railways

Context:

Indian Railways on mission mode to become a “Green Railway” by 2030 (Net Zero Carbon Emission).

Details:

• The Ministry of Railways has taken a number of major initiatives towards mitigation of global warming and combating climate change.
• Railway Electrification, improving the energy efficiency of locomotives & trains and fixed installations, green certification for installations/stations, fitting bio-toilets in coaches and switching to renewable sources of energy are parts of its strategy of achieving net zero carbon emission.
• The Railways has completed the electrification of more than 40000 route km (RKM). Further electrification of lines has also been commissioned.
• It has also taken a number of initiatives to promote solar energy.
  • The Railways is harnessing solar energy through rooftop solar panels, on top of buildings including stations.
  • The Railways is also trying to produce power from land-based solar installations for running trains.
• It has also commissioned wind-based power plants.
• The Railways has started other green initiatives like 100 percent LED illumination of buildings and stations.
• It has acquired Green Certifications for many of its production units, workshops, diesel sheds and stores depot, railway stations and campuses.
• In the field of green initiatives, a total of 69,000 coaches have been fitted with more than 2,44,000 bio-toilets.

Also read: Railways sets world record by running first Double Stack Container Train in electrified territory, in PIB dated June 11, 2020.

3. Motor Vehicles Act

Context:

Road Ministry advises States not to insist upon Registration/Driving Licence for Road Building and Rehabilitation equipment and Heavy Earth Moving Machineries.

Details:

• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has clarified that the heavy road-making machinery is not a motor vehicle, and is not covered under the MV Act.
• The Ministry has requested the States and UTs to not to insist upon registration and driving licence for these machines.

Also read: Road Safety And Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2019 and CNA dated Aug 3, 2019.

4. United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, 2020

Context:

NITI Aayog presents India’s second Voluntary National Review at UN’s High-Level Political Forum.

Details:

• The NITI Aayog presented India’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, 2020.
• The India VNR 2020 report is titled “Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local”.

About the India VNR 2020 Report:

• The report is titled “Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local”.
• The report is a comprehensive account of the adoption and implementation of the 2030 Agenda in India.
• Apart from presenting a review of progress on the 17 SDGs, the report discusses at length the policy and enabling environment, India’s approach to localising SDGs, and strengthening means of implementation.

About the United Nations HLPF:

• The HLPF meets annually in July for eight days under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
• The VNRs presented by Member States at the HLPF are a critical component of the review of progress and implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
• The establishment of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was mandated in 2012 by the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), “The Future We Want”.
• The first meeting of the HLPF was in 2013. It replaced the Commission on Sustainable Development, which had met annually since 1993.
• The HLPF is the main United Nations platform on sustainable development and it has a central role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level.
• The theme of the HLPF 2020 is “Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development”.
• 47 countries carried out VNRs in the 2020 meeting.

July 13th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here