24 July 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

July 24th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Governor
2. Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS)
3. Locust control operations
4. Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture
5. Income Tax Day
6. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Health Ministers’ Digital Meet
7. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G)
8. India-Russia Joint Technology Assessment and Accelerated Commercialization Programme

1. Governor

Context:

Anandiben Patel, Governor of Uttar Pradesh has been appointed the Governor of Madhya Pradesh also.

To know more about the power, tenure, appointment and qualifications of a Governor, click on the linked article.

2. Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS)

Context:

President of India flags off Red Cross relief supply for flood-affected people in Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

About the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS):

• It is a voluntary humanitarian organization providing relief in times of disasters/emergencies and promoting health and care for vulnerable people and communities.
• It has more than 1000 branches all over India.
• It was established in 1920 under the Indian Red Cross Society Act.
• The Indian President is the President of the IRCS and the Union Health Minister is the society’s Chairman.
• It is a member of the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement.
  • The International Red Cross Movement was founded by Swiss businessman Jean Henry Dunant in 1864.
  • The name and the emblem of the movement are derived from the reversal of the Swiss national flag, to honour the country in which the Red Cross was founded.
  • Dunant also received the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. The World Red Cross Day is observed on Dunant’s birth anniversary, May 8.

3. Locust control operations

Context:

Locust control operations carried out in more than 4 lakh hectares area in 10 states till 23^rd July 2020.

Read more about locust swarms at the linked article.

4. Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture

About the Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2014 for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector.
• It covers fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew and cocoa.
• Chief objectives include horticulture sector growth through:
  • Research and technology promotion
  • Extension
  • Post-harvest management
  • Processing and marketing
  • Encouraging aggregation of farmers into farmer groups such as FPOs
  • Augmenting farmers’ incomes
  • Enhancing horticulture production
  • Improving productivity by way of quality germ-plasm, planting material and water use efficiency through micro-irrigation
  • Supporting skill development
  • Creating employing generation opportunities for rural youth
• Sub-schemes/components under MIDH:
  • National Horticulture Mission
  • Horticulture Mission for North East and the Himalayan States
  • National Horticulture Board
  • Coconut Development Board
  • Central Institute for Horticulture (Nagaland)
  • National Bamboo Mission

Context:

State of the Art Honey Testing Lab inaugurated at Anand, Gujarat.

5. Income Tax Day

Context:

Income Tax Day is observed in India on 24^th July.

About Income Tax Day:

• It is also called Aaykar Diwas.
• The day has been celebrated in India since 2010 to mark the day the first income tax levy authority came into force in 1860.
• Income tax was first levied as a duty in 1860. It was introduced by Sir James Wilson to compensate the British Government for losses incurred during the 1857 Revolt.

6. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Health Ministers’ Digital Meet

Context:

Union Health Minister attends the SCO Health Ministers’ Digital Meet.

Details:

• India proposes to set up a Sub-Group on Traditional Medicine under the existing Institutional Meetings of the SCO Health Ministers to fulfil the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023.

To know more about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), click on the linked article.

7. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G)

Context:

1.10 crore houses completed which includes houses to 1.46 lakh landless beneficiaries.

To know more about the PMAY (Housing for All), click on the linked article.

8. India-Russia Joint Technology Assessment and Accelerated Commercialization Programme

Context:

DST launches Rs.15 Crore fund to support India-Russia collaboration joint R&D and cross-country technology adaptation.

About the Programme:

• The programme has been launched by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) in partnership with FICCI and Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE) of the Russian Federation.
• The programme will connect Indian and Russian Science & Technology (S&T) led SMEs and Start-ups for joint R&D for technology development and cross-country technology adaptation.
• FICCI will implement the programme in India on behalf of DST.
• The programme will run through two annual cycles with up to five projects to be funded under each cycle.
• Projects are being sought on leading S&T focus areas, including but not limited to, IT & ICT (including AI, AR, VR), Medicine & Pharmaceuticals, Renewable Energy, Aerospace, Alternative Technologies, Environment, New Materials, Biotechnologies, Robotics and Drones.
• Over a period of two years, DST will fund up to Rs.15 Crores to ten Indian SMEs/Start-ups and FASIE will provide similar funding to the Russian projects.
• The programme will provide access to partial public funding for jointly selected projects with the participation of at least one start-up/SME from India and one SME from Russia.
• Apart from financial support, the projects will also receive support for capacity building, mentorship and business development.

Read previous PIB here.

July 24th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here