06 Mar 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. FRINJEX - 2023
2. 5th ASEAN - India Business Summit
3. BIS - New  guidelines for transportation of dangerous goods
4. Controller General of Accounts (CGA)
5. PM’s Awards for Yoga 2023

1. FRINJEX – 2023

Syllabus – GS3, Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate. 

Prelims – FRINJEX – 2023

Context – FRINJEX 2023 – Armies of India and France to hold joint military exercise on tactical coordination (7-8 March 2023).

Details –

• The maiden joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the French Army will be conducted at Pangode Military Station, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• It is the first time the armies of both nations are engaging in this format with each contingent comprising a Company Group from the Thiruvananthapuram-based Indian Army troops and the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
• The exercise aims at enhancing interoperability, cooperation and coordination between the two forces at a tactical level. The scope of the exercise involves the establishment and operationalisation of a joint command post to secure an envisaged area for undertaking joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, establishing an internally displaced population (IDP) camp and move of disaster relief material. 
• There is an institutionalised format of military exercises between the three services of the two nations – Exercise Varuna (Navy), Exercise Shakti (Army) and Exercise Garuda (Air Force).
• Cooperation in defence is the cornerstone of the India-France strategic partnership.

Also read – India France Relations.

2. 5th ASEAN – India Business Summit

Syllabus – GS2, Regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting  India’s interests.

Prelims – 19th ASEAN – India Summit, 5th ASEAN-India Business Summit

Context – ASEAN – India Business Summit.

Details –

• Shri Rajeev Chandrashekhar, the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship addressed virtually the ASEAN-India Business Summit 2023 and said that digital technologies have been key drivers of economic development in the ASEAN region, particularly in e-commerce, online media and financial services. 
• The Summit themed – ‘Strengthening and Moving Forward ASEAN – India Economic Relations for a Strategic Partnership’ was held as a part of the Asean-India Year of Friendship to commemorate over three-decade-long engagement between India and the 10-member bloc.
• The 19th ASEAN-India Summit held in November 2022, decided to elevate the ASEAN – India relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with a renewed focus to expand cooperation in trade, digital economy, investments, startups and sustainable development. 
• In the first such collaboration for India, the country’s flagship payments platform, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Singapore’s PayNow payment system have launched a real-time cross-border payment linkage system. India is working with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to operationalise it for more countries in the region.
• India’s Unified Payments Interface with over 350 banks and 260 million users has transformed the way payments are made in India and over 8 million transactions are made every month through this platform.

3. BIS – New guidelines for transportation of dangerous goods

Syllabus – GS2, Governance; Government policies and interventions in various sectors

Prelims – BIS Guidelines for movement of dangerous goods. 

Context – BIS issues new guidelines for the transportation of hazardous goods. 

Details –

• The National Standards Body of India, the BIS or Bureau of Indian Standards has published new guidelines aimed at enhancing safety in the transportation of dangerous goods.
• The guidelines, known as “IS 18149:2023 – Transportation of Dangerous Goods – Guidelines”,  are expected to set a new benchmark for the safe handling and transportation of hazardous materials across the country.
• Dangerous goods are substances and articles that pose a risk to public safety, property and the environment like substances having flammable, corrosive, explosive, toxic, and/or radioactive properties. The transportation of hazardous substances may be by land, sea, rail, waterways and even by air, due to the sensitivity and risk factors involved in the process, requires specific precautions to be taken.
• The IS 18149:2023 provides guidelines on classification, packaging, handling, documentation, training, labelling & marking, transportation, emergency action and provisions for segregation.

4. Controller General of Accounts (CGA)

Syllabus – GS2, Polity; Appointments to various Constitutional Bodies 

Prelims – Shri S.S. Dubey, 28th Controller General of Accounts.

Context – Shri S.S. Dubey took charge as CGA.

Details –

• Shri S.S Dubey took charge as the 28th Controller General of Accounts. Shri S.S Dubey is a 1989-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) officer. Prior to taking charge as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Shri Dubey was the Additional Controller General of Accounts, PMFS (Public Management Financial System).

About CGA-

• CGA is the ‘Principal Advisor’ on accounting matters to the Union Government. 
• CGA is responsible for establishing and managing a technically sound Management Accounting System. 
• CGA is responsible for the preparation and submission of the accounts of the Union Government. 
• CGA is also responsible for exchequer control and the conduct of internal audits for the central government.

5. PM’s Awards for Yoga 2023

Syllabus – Miscellaneous 

Prelims – PM’s Awards for Yoga, 2023

Context – Ministry of Ayush invites applications for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Yoga, 2023.

Details –

• The Ministry of Ayush has invited applications or nominations for Prime Minister’s Awards for Yoga 2023. The award recognises the exemplary contributions of individuals towards the development and promotion of Yoga both at the national and international levels.
• Two national awards will be given to entities of Indian origin and two international awards will be given to entities of Indian or foreign origin.
• Winners will be announced on the 21st of June this year on the occasion of the 9th International Day of Yoga.  
• The UN proclaimed 21st June as International Yoga Day by passing a resolution in December 2014.
• The application or nomination process for the award for the year 2023 is currently hosted on MyGov’s website. The applications or nominations process for this year’s awards will be open till the 31st of this month (March).

Read the previous PIB articles here.

March 6th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here