08 March 2019: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam

March 8^th 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

National Women Livelihood Meet -2019

Context:

National Women Livelihood Meet-2019 was held at Deendayal Hastkala Sankul in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on International Women’s Day.

Details:

• The Prime Minister saluted the spirit of ‘Nari Shakti’ on International Women’s Day.
• He mentioned that the government is completely committed to the empowerment of women.
• He mentioned about the various schemes initiated by the Union Government for the welfare of women and girl children, especially in the fields of health, nutrition, sanitation, education, skill development, self-employment, new gas connections and ensuring safety and security of women.

Initiatives by the government for Empowerment of Women:

• Maternity leave of six months introduced by the government, in India is one of the best in the world.
• Eleven crores out of the fifteen crore Mudra Loans given out so far have been given to women.
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Maan-Dhan Yojana has been introduced to provide financial security during old age.
• Government is giving new energy to the Self Help Groups in terms of better bank loans and support system
• Government e-Marketplace (GEM) Portal launched by the government can be made use of, by the Self Help Groups to sell their products to the government.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Launches GI Website & Tutorial Video on IPR

Context:

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu, launched a tutorial video on “Intellectual Property Rights” for school students and the GI website. Cell for IPR Promotion and Management.

• ‘IP Nani’, India’s first Intellectual Property (IP) Mascot, features in a series of short animated videos, to spread awareness about the importance of IPRs amongst children.
• Cell for IPR Promotion and Management, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, have been actively involved in many IPR related initiatives, including a nation-wide IPR awareness campaign drive in the country.

Cell for IPR Promotion and Management:

• Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM)  CIPAM is a professional body under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Its mandate is to effectively implement National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy adopted in May 2016 with the slogan — “Creative India”, “Innovative India”.
• It also has a mandate to protect and promote this diversity through GI. The website will help in promoting creativity and motivate more of India’s skilled artisans to apply for GI registration.
• It has undertaken several measures to strengthen IP ecosystem in the country.

Read more about GI Tag

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

• Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas had launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in the form of a social movement, enabling social change and irreversible empowerment of women.
• The program has achieved yet another milestone by adding 7-crores beneficiary in the Ujjwala family.

How does PMUY help in women empowerment?

• Ujjwala yojana is empowering women to lead smoke-free lives, leading to a healthier lifestyle, saving them time by greatly reducing drudgery and enabling them to pursue other income enhancement and socially rewarding pursuits.
• Pradhan Mantri LPG panchayats as peer learning platforms are providing support, catalysing behaviour changes in Ujjawala beneficiaries and also encouraging safe and sustainable use of LPG.

Ujjwala Didi:

• Ujjwala Didi is a CSR handholding initiative that aims at creating a force of 10,000 grassroots educators who can take the three messages till the last mile, viz.

(i) Clean Cooking Fuel is to be universally available

(ii) Clean Cooking fuel is affordable and

(iii) LPG is safe to use and insured.

• Ujjwala Didis will facilitate refill, address any fear around LPG safety, help in resolving any grievances and facilitate new connections. Thus these empowered women will contribute to overall women empowerment in their panchayats.
• Ujjwala Didis are a living testimony of the highest possibilities of inclusive development.

Other initiatives by the ministry:

• Under the Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan, to reduce the drop-out rate among girl students due to non-availability of separate toilet facilities, Oil CPSEs/JVs have constructed school toilets.
• In an effort towards creating awareness on Menstrual Hygiene, CPSEs under Ministry of Petroleum, has taken initiatives towards installing sanitarily napkin vending machines and incinerators in various schools across India.
• In an endeavour to provide better sanitation coverage and bridge gender disparity, the Ministry has proactively undertaken an action plan to provide separate toilet facilities at all retail outlets of Oil Marketing Companies.

National Energy Efficiency Strategy Plan 2031 – UNNATEE (Unlocking NATional Energy Efficiency potential)

Context:

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has developed a national strategy document for accelerating energy efficiency in India.

Details:

• The strategy document titled UNNATEE (Unlocking NATional Energy Efficiency potential) describes a plain framework and implementation strategy to establish a clear linkage between energy supply-demand scenarios and energy efficiency opportunities.
• The document offers a comprehensive roadmap to address India’s environmental and climate change mitigation action through energy efficiency measures.
• The document has now been released for larger public consultation and seeking comments/ valuable inputs from all the stakeholders.
• This exercise is first of its kind, clearly delineating the energy efficiency targets for the respective demand sectors up to the state levels.
• Developing India’s blueprint of effective energy efficiency strategy is a leap towards stimulating energy efficiency ecosystem and enabling the reduction of the pressure on demand.
• PwC India has assisted BEE in executing this assignment.

About BEE:

• The BEE is a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
• It assists in developing policies and strategies with the primary objective of reducing the energy intensity of the Indian economy.
• BEE coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies, and other organizations to identify and utilize the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing the functions assigned to it under the Energy Conservation Act.

Standards & Labelling (Star Rating) program:

Context:

Ministry of Power, Government of India expanded its ambitious Standards & Labelling (Star Rating) program for Energy Efficient for Appliances to cover the Microwave Ovens and Washing Machines (with revised parameters) in the country.

Details:

• The Star Labelling Programs has been formulated by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
• The program will now include these two appliances for grant of Star Rating in terms of their energy performance.
• There has been a revision in the criteria for inclusion of water efficiency in addition to energy performance for grant of Star Rating for washing machines.
• Savings of over 3.0 Billion Units of electricity at consume-end through the adoption of Star Rated Microwave Ovens and Washing Machines by 2030 has been estimated. That would be equivalent to Green House Gases (GHG) reduction of 2.4 Million-ton of CO₂ by the year 2030 through these initiatives.

How does the program help?

The Standards & Labelling (Star Rating) program will create awareness amongst the domestic consumers to encourage a transition towards energy-efficient microwave ovens and Washing machines.

Minister of Railways and Coal launched 3 Projects of Rail Sahyog Supported through CSR

Context:

Minister of Railways and Coal, launched several projects which will boost Railways infrastructure, enhance passenger experience and improve cleanliness and hygiene. 3 of these projects are supported through Rail Sahyog.

1. Wi-Fi Facility at 4,791 stations by Tata Trust
2. Toilets in circulating areas of stations through CSR support from corporates like Coal India Ltd. and its Subsidiaries; NLC; IRFC; CONCOR and PGCIL
3. Steel Benches at Railway Stations by General Insurance Corporation

Rail Sahayog:

• ‘Rail Sahyog’ web portal to provide a platform for the Corporates and Public Sector Units (PSUs) to contribute to the creation of amenities at or near Railway Stations through Corporate Social Responsibility funds.
• The app launch was in line with the Prime Minister’s vision for a New India by 2022.
• The web portal enables desirous companies to show their willingness on the portal by registering their requests.
• This simple & transparent portal provides an opportunity for industry, companies and associations to collaborate with Railways.
• The portal has been envisaged as a platform for all, including individuals as also private & public organisation, to contribute towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in association with Indian Railways.

KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing)

• In the year 2014, the Department of Science & Technology (DST) reframed all the women-specific programmes under one major scheme known as “KIRAN”.
• KIRAN is addressing various issues/challenges related to gender parity in the S&T sector.
• It includes enhancing opportunities in research/technology development/technology demonstration/self-employment etc; and providing support to Women Universities for state-of-the-art facilities in Science & Technology.
• Under the scheme, 20 Women Technology Parks have been established which act as windows for providing information, creating awareness, giving training for appropriate technologies leading to skill up-gradation.
• More than 2100 Women Scientists have been brought back into mainstream science through Women Scientists Scheme.
• Around 100 projects have been supported in last 5 years under ‘Science & Technology for Women’ to improve the living conditions of women by reducing their drudgery, improving health and environment and by providing opportunities for income generation.

Sail’s Initiative for Women’s Health and Hygiene Awareness

Context:

Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), under the guidance of Ministry of Steel, has associated with district administration of Nuh in Haryana in a unique initiative under Corporate Social Responsibility for supporting the “Menstrual Hygiene Management Program”.

Details:

• District Nuh has been identified as an ‘Aspirational District’ in Haryana and adopted by the Ministry of Steel for development.
• SAIL will provide support under CSR towards the cost/expenditure on the distribution of 20 Lakh Sanitary Napkins with the installation of Sanitary Dispenser and Incinerator Units and training and awareness campaigns covering 100 schools for girl students in Nuh district.
• This holistic program covers not only distribution and safe disposal of Sanitary Napkins among the girl students and their family members but also includes an awareness campaign about complete menstrual hygiene.

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March 8^th 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

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