17 Mar 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Ship Building Agreement between DCI and Cochin Shipyard
2. India’s Arctic Policy
3. GI-Tagged niche agricultural products

1. Ship Building Agreement between DCI and Cochin Shipyard

Syllabus: GS III, Indigenisation of technology

Prelims: Make in India, about the shipbuilding agreement

Mains: Important contributions of the Make in India initiative.

Context: A historic Ship Building Agreement has been signed by the Dredging Corporation of India. 

An Overview of the Agreement:

• This agreement has been signed between the Dredging Corporation of India and Cochin Shipyard providing a major boost to the Make in India initiative. 
• It is for the first time that the construction of the first Beagle Series Dredger will commence under this historic agreement backed by the ambitious vision of Make in India.
• The agreement would result in the manufacturing of domestic high capacity dredgers. 

Image source: www.business-standard.com

Financial Assistance:

• The Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy 2016 of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for Indian Shipyards will extend its benefits to this agreement for securing the shipbuilding contracts. 
• Financial aid will be granted under this policy at a lower contract price or fair price. 

About Dredging Corporation of India (DCI):

• The DCI was incorporated as a public sector organisation under the Companies Act 1956.
• The DCI, since its foundation, has been engaged in dredging activities.
• In 2017, the Government of India approved the privatisation of DCI followed by which the stake of DCI was transferred to 4 major ports. These ports include Visakhapatnam port trust, Paradeep port trust, Jawaharlal Nehru port trust and Kandla port trust. 
• DCI is involved in activities such as capital dredging, beach nourishment and land reclamation. 

Significance:

• The need for sufficient dredgers is of primary importance for the timely completion of dredging activities. The new shipbuilding agreement is a landmark achieved in this context. 
• The initiative for the construction of 12,000 cubic metre Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) will add new dimensions to the shipbuilding industry of India showcasing the technological prowess that prepares a potential ground to ‘Make in India, Make for the World’. 
• Moreover, this agreement signifies India’s way forward with the objectives of Atma Nirbharta (Self-reliance).

2. India’s Arctic Policy

Syllabus: GS III, Conservation

Prelims: India’s Arctic Policy

Mains: Opportunities for India in the Arctic region.

Context: India’s Arctic Policy has been released by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the title ‘India and the Arctic: Building a partnership for sustainable development’ that echoes India’s consistent engagement with the Arctic region. 

An Overview:

• The Arctic Policy will be essential to expand India’s extent of collaboration to work towards the biggest challenges posed by climate change involving multiple stakeholders, academia, the research community, business and industry. 
• This policy will be implemented through an action plan along with an effective governance and review procedure that will involve the Inter-Ministerial Empowered Arctic Policy Group. 
• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa which is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is the nodal institution for India’s polar research programme to which arctic studies are part. 

India and the Arctic region: 

• India’s engagement with the arctic region dates back to the signing of the Svalbard Treaty, 1920 in Paris. 
• Over the progressive pace of time, India has undertaken several scientific research operations in the Arctic region. 
• The studies by the Indian scientists include monitoring of arctic glaciers and their comparison with the Himalayan glaciers, arctic oceanography, atmosphere, pollution and microbiology. 
• Several institutes and universities in India are involved in Arctic research. 
• India is among the 13 nations that occupy an observer status in the Arctic Council. Other observers include France, Germany, the Italian Republic, Japan, Spain, The Netherlands, China, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the Republic of Singapore and the UK. 
• India joined the Arctic Council with observer status in the Kiruna Ministerial meeting in 2013. 
• India’s first multi-sensor moored observatory in Kongsfjorden and the northernmost atmospheric laboratory in Gruve Badet were launched in the arctic region. 
• India has successfully completed 13 expeditions to the arctic region until 2022. 

India’s Arctic Policy: the six pillars

• Strengthening India’s scientific research and cooperation
• Climate and environmental protection
• Economic and human development
• Transportation and connectivity
• Governance and international cooperation
• National Capacity building in the Arctic region. 

Explore more about India’s Arctic Policy in the linked article.

3. GI-Tagged niche agricultural products

Syllabus: GS III, Economy, Major crops – marketing of agricultural produce

Prelims: GI tag

Mains: Significance of GI tag to promote the export of agricultural products

Context: Centre emphasises the importance of promoting exports of GI tagged niche agricultural products. 

Delving deeper:

• GI-tagged products of India are all set to find new market access in the United Kingdom, South Korea and Bahrain. 
• The virtual buyer-seller meets emerge as the potential platform to improve market access. 
• In alignment with the visions of ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the centre in association with APEDA has been facilitating the identification of new markets for GI tagged products like Kala Namak rice, Naga Mircha, Assam Kaji Nemu, Bangalore rose onion, Nagpur oranges, GI varieties of mangoes, Shahi Litchi, Marayoor jaggery, Jalgaon Banana and so on. 
• The government has put efforts to coordinate with farmer producer organisations (FPOs), food producer companies and exporters along with the international business communities to establish a hub for export in Varanasi, especially for GI-tagged agricultural products. 
• The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi has been identified as the prime location for the promotion of GI-tagged products. 

Read more about Geographical Indications in the linked article.

Read previous PIB here.

March 17th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here