TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Ratification of the HQA between India and CDRI 2. Unique package for farmers announced 3. ITU 6G Vision Framework 4. INS KIRPAN 5. Report Fish Disease App 6. Panchayat Development Index (PDI) 7. United Nations General Assembly Security Council Children and Armed Conflict Report
1. Ratification of the HQA between India and CDRI
Syllabus: GS-3, Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation
Prelims: CDRI
Context:
The Cabinet approved the ratification of the Headquarters Agreement (HQA) between India and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
Details:
- The CDRI was launched by PM Narendra Modi during the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York in 2019.
- The same year, the Cabinet had approved the setting up of CDRI along with its supporting Secretariat in New Delhi and also approved the Government of India’s financial support of Rs. 480 crores to CDRI over 5 years from 2019-20 to 2023-24.
- The HQA was signed by the GOI and the CDRI in 2022.
- CDRI is a global partnership of National Governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and academic and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development.
Read more on the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in the linked article.
2. Unique package for farmers announced
Syllabus: GS-3, Agriculture
Prelims: Urea Subsidy Scheme, PM PRANAM, GOBARdhan Scheme, PMKSKs, Sulphur Coated Urea
Mains: Indian agriculture challenges and schemes, improving farmers’ incomes
Context:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a unique package of innovative schemes for farmers with a total outlay of Rs.3,70,128.7 crore.
Significance:
- The schemes are focused on the overall well-being and economic betterment of farmers by promoting sustainable agriculture.Â
- The initiatives will boost farmers’ income, strengthen natural/organic farming, rejuvenate soil productivity, and ensure food security.
Package details:
- The Urea Subsidy Scheme will be continued to ensure the constant availability of urea to the farmers at the same price.
- This will also maximize indigenous production of Urea to reach self-sufficiency levels.
- By 2025-26, eight Nano urea plants will be commissioned.
- PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother – Earth (PM PRANAM) – to promote alternate fertilizers and balanced use of chemical fertilisers.
- Rs. 1451.84 crore have been approved for Market Development Assistance (MDA) for promoting Organic Fertilizers from Gobardhan Plants.
- This will help in the establishment of 500 new waste-to-wealth plants under the GOBARdhan scheme for promoting a circular economy, by increasing the viability of these BG/CBG plants.
- Introduction of Sulphur coated Urea (Urea Gold)
- To address the sulphur deficiency in the soil
- Will help save input costs for farmers
- Will help raise incomes for farmers with enhanced production & productivity
- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSKs)
- For the convenience of farmers, farm inputs are being provided as a one-stop solution for all needs of farmers.
Syllabus: GS-3, Awareness in the fields of IT
Prelims: 6G, ITU
Mains: Bharat 6G Vision, Challenges & Opportunities of 6G
Context:
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has approved the 6G Vision Framework.
Details:
- The 6G Vision framework sets the stage for India’s active involvement in the design, development, and deployment of 6G technology by 2030.
- This aligns with the Bharat 6G Vision that was released by the Prime Minister in March 2023.
- The 6th Generation or 6G Technology has been named ‘IMT 2030’ by ITU.
4. INS KIRPAN
Syllabus: GS-3, Security
Prelims: INS Kirpan
Mains: India – Vietnam relations
Context:
INS Kirpan will be handed over to Vietnam People’s Navy post arrival in Vietnam.
INS Kirpan:
- INS Kirpan is the third indigenously built Khukri class missile corvette.
- The ship is fitted with an array of weapons and sensors and has participated in various operational and humanitarian assistance operations.Â
Read more on India – Vietnam relations in the linked article.
Syllabus: GS-2, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Prelims: Report Fish Disease App, ICAR
Context:
Union Minister launched the Report Fish Disease App.
Report Fish Disease App:
- The ‘Report Fish Disease’ has been developed by the ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), Lucknow.
- It was launched under the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases.
- The app will be a central platform for connecting and will integrate fish farmers, field-level officers and fish health experts seamlessly.
- With this app, fish farmers can connect directly to district fisheries officers and scientists.Â
- They can self-report diseases of finfish, shrimps and molluscs on their farms through this app.
- Early warning systems and scientific advice being provided to the farmers will be helping the farmers to reduce their losses due to diseases.
6. Panchayat Development Index (PDI)
Syllabus: GS-2, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Prelims: Panchayat Development Index, Sustainable Development Goals
Mains: Development measures for rural areas
Context:
Union Minister released Report on Panchayat Development Index.
About Panchayat Development Index (PDI):
- The PDI has been formulated by the central government to evaluate different indicators responsible for ensuring targeted development in villages.
- The Index will be a compact statistical tool to measure and monitor development at the panchayat level.Â
- On a pilot basis, data from four districts in Maharashtra — Pune, Sangli, Satara and Solapur — was compiled.Â
- This is expected to offer a path towards the Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).
- There are nine themes, including health, education, employment, and water, identified by the United Nations as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.
- The PDI will provide a matrix to monitor the progress of panchayats through the scores achieved by them, and the panchayats will be graded on that basis. Â
- The PDI ranks panchayats on the basis of scores and categorises them into four grades.Â
- Those with scores under 40 per cent fall in grade DÂ
- 40-60 per cent in grade C
- 60-75 per cent in grade B
- 75 to 90 per cent in category A
- Those scoring above 90 per cent will be categorised as A+
7. United Nations General Assembly Security Council Children and Armed Conflict Report
Syllabus: GS-3, Security
Prelims: United Nations General Assembly Security Council Children and Armed Conflict Report
Context:
India has been removed from the United Nations General Assembly Security Council Children and Armed Conflict Report of the Secretary-General in view of measures taken by the Government to better protect children.
Details:
- India was being mentioned in the report of the Secretary-General on Children and armed conflict since 2010.
- The other countries on this list included Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Lake Chad basin, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
- India was mentioned for the alleged recruitment and use of boys by armed groups in Jammu and Kashmir; detainment of boys by Indian security forces in J&K for their alleged association with armed groups, or on national security grounds; children killed and maimed by Indian security forces, including by the use of pellets; unidentified perpetrators, crossfire between armed groups and unidentified perpetrators, and crossfire and shelling across the line of control.
- In view of the measures taken by the Government to better protect children, India has been removed from the report in 2023.
Read the previous PIB articles here.
June 28th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here
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