20 July 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

July 20th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. WHO-GMP/COPP
2. BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade issues (CGETI)
3. BharatNet Project
4. Adarsh Smarak Scheme
5. SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise
6. Stand Up India

1. WHO-GMP/COPP

Context:

WHO-GMP/COPP Certification for Ayurvedic Products.

Details:

• A Central Public Sector Enterprise in the pharmaceutical sector has applied for WHO-GMP/COPP certification for 18 Ayurvedic products.
  • The CPSE is Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd. (IMPCL), Mohan, Dist. Almora, Uttarakhand under the administrative control of the Ministry of AYUSH.

What is WHO-GMP/COPP?

• The certificate of pharmaceutical product (CPP or COPP) is a certificate issued in the format recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• The application for grant of WHO-GMP Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product shall be made to respective zonal/sub zonal officers as per the requirement. The COPP will be issued by zonal/sub zonal officers on behalf of the Drugs Controller General (India) after inspection and satisfactory clearance by CDSCO officers as per WHO – GMP guidelines.
• It is valid for 3 years from the date of issue and companies can apply for renewal after that.
• The WHO-GMP certificate is mandatory in most global markets for pharmaceutical companies to be able to sell medicines. The manufacturer of an exporting country must be licensed by the regulatory authority of that country and comply with the WHO-GMP guidelines.
  • The COPP is issued under WHO-GMP based on guidelines laid down by the health agency and is aimed at diminishing the risks inherent in pharmaceutical production.
  • The certificate helps the regulator ensure that drugs are consistently produced and are quality controlled before they leave the country.
• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), which is the national drugs regulatory authority, regulates the import and export of the drugs in the country, through the port offices located in different parts of the country.

2. BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade issues (CGETI)

Context:

Meeting of the BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade issues (CGETI) held in July 2021 chaired by India.

Details:

• During the three day-meeting, the BRICS Members deliberated on the following proposals circulated by India, for strengthening and increasing the Intra-BRICS cooperation and trade:
  • BRICS Cooperation on Multilateral Trading System;
  • BRICS Framework for ensuring Consumer Protection in E-Commerce;
  • Non-Tariff Measures (NTM) Resolution Mechanism for SPS/TBT Measures;
  • Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Working Mechanism;
  • Cooperation framework for protection of Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions;
  • BRICS Framework on Cooperation in Professional Services.

Background:

• India is the Chair of the BRICS for 2021.
• Of the various groups of BRICS, the Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI) is responsible for economic and trade matters.
• The Department of Commerce is the national coordinator for the BRICS CGETI.

3. BharatNet Project

Context:

BharatNet Project: Tender invited for Public Private Partnership.

Details:

• Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), on behalf of Department of Telecommunication, has invited global tender for the Development (Creation, Upgradation, Operation & Maintenance and Utilisation) of BharatNet through Public Private Partnership model in 9 separate packages across 16 states for a concession period of 30 years.
• Under this project, the government will provide a maximum grant of Rs. 19041 Crore as Viability Gap Funding.
• The Project shall cover an estimated 3.61 lakh villages (including Gram Panchayats) across Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
• The scope of work under this BharatNet PPP Project includes:
  • Connecting the remaining unconnected GPs under BharatNet project and all the inhabited villages beyond the GPs.
  • Upgradation of the existing BharatNet Network from Linear to Ring topology.
  • Operation and Maintenance (O&M) and Utilisation of the existing as well as the newly deployed network.

Read more on the BharatNet Project in the link.

4. Adarsh Smarak Scheme

Context:

3 monuments of Andhra Pradesh Identified as “Adarsh Smarak” for providing additional facilities.

Details:

• Three monuments in Andhra Pradesh have been identified under the Adarsh Smarak Scheme to provide additional amenities and make them more tourist-friendly.
• The monuments are:
  • Monuments at Nagarjunakonda: Nagarjunakonda in Guntur District is named after the renowned Buddhist monk Nagarjuna. It once an important settlement during the 1st and 2nd centuries BCE. It was an important Buddhist learning centre and houses the remains of many Buddhist Stupas, statues, pillars, Chaityas, monasteries, etc. The first archaeological ruins of Nagarjunakonda were discovered in 1926 by A.R. Saraswati.
  • Buddhist Remains at Salihundam: Salihundam in Srikakulam District contains several votive stupas, a mahastupa, chaityas and viharas. Several inscriptions that were unearthed at the site indicate that it dates back to the 2nd century CE. The mahavihara sali-pethaka here, interestingly, has an entrance in the shape of a swastika, indicating that this is probably from where Buddhism spread to Sumatra and the rest of Southeast Asia.
  • Veerabhadra Temple at Lepakshi: Veerabhadra Temple at Lepakshi, District Anantapuram is a temple dedicated to Virabhadra (Lord Shiva). Built in the 16th century, the architectural features of the temple are in the Vijayanagara style with a profusion of carvings and paintings at almost every exposed surface of the temple.

About the Adarsh Smarak Scheme:

• The scheme was launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Culture for providing improved visitor amenities in historical and archaeological monuments/sites.
• It also aims at the better preservation of the monuments.
• The monuments included in the list would have all the tourist facilities as per international standards including wi-fi, signages, security, encroachment free area, interpretation centres, etc.
• Objectives of the scheme:
  • To make monuments visitor friendly.
  • To upgrade/provide washrooms, drinking water, signages, cafeteria, and wi-fi facility.
  • To provide interpretation and audio-video centres.
  • To streamline wastewater and garbage disposal and a rainwater harvesting system.
  • To make the monuments accessible to the differently-abled.
  • To implement Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

5. SMILE – Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise

Context:

Government has formulated a scheme covering comprehensive measures for welfare of beggars.

About SMILE:

• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a scheme “SMILE – Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”, which includes the sub-scheme – ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging’.
• The focus of the scheme is extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic linkages and so on.
• The scheme would be implemented with the support of State/UT Governments/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), institutions and others.
• The Scheme provides for the use of existing shelter homes available with the State/UT Governments and urban local bodies for rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of begging.
• In case of non-availability of existing shelter homes, new dedicated shelter homes are to be set up by the implementing agencies.
• The Ministry has also initiated pilot projects on Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons engaged in the act of Begging in ten cities namely Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna and Ahmedabad.

6. Stand Up India

Context:

Stand Up India Scheme extended up to the year 2025.

Know more about Stand Up India Scheme in the link.

Read previous PIB here.

July 20th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here