09 Nov 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Efforts to Drive Low Carbon Development Pathways in Industry Sector
2. Ganga Connect Exhibition
3. Clean Green Village Week
4. New Biotechnology Centre for Northeast Tribals in Kimim, Arunachal Pradesh
5. Delivery of Fourth Scorpene Submarine ‘Vela’ to Indian Navy
6. Bilateral Innovation Agreement for the development of dual use technologies

1. Efforts to Drive Low Carbon Development Pathways in Industry Sector

Context: In order to give effect to the goals of the Paris Agreement, the government has come up with several measures with the objective of reducing carbon content released by the industries as they contribute to 30% of the total CO2 emissions. This subject was discussed in the LeadIT (Leadership Group for Industry Transition) Summit 2021 which was presided over by India and Sweden. The hybrid summit took place on the sidelines of COP 26 at Glasgow.

Also read: COP 26 Climate Conference

About: 

• LeadIT is a voluntary initiative to create a low carbon transition especially in the industries like Iron & Steel, Aluminium, Cement and Concrete, petrochemicals, fertilizers, bricks, heavy duty transport, along with the engagement of private sectors.
• The global aim of reaching a low carbon industry transition faces the following challenges with respect to:
  • Technology development and transfer
  • Proper funding at scale and speed
  • Capacity constraints
  • Policy to enable such transition
  • Lowering the process-related emissions

Also read: Green Skill Development Programme

2. Ganga Connect Exhibition

Context: The Union Environment Minister inaugurated the Ganga Connect Exhibition at Glasgow during the COP26. 

Details:

This exhibition presents all the developments in the Ganga river basin on the global platform. Moreover, an expert panel is all set to discuss the ways of collaboration between Scotland and India to tackle the issues related to water and climate change.

About: 

• The Ganga Connect exhibition centres on the purpose of preserving and protecting the river basin and its ecological components and brings more awareness about the same.
• This exhibition portrays river Ganga as a major lab for global technology and the entire scientific community to come up with environment-friendly solutions.

3. Clean Green Village Week

Context: The Clean Green village Week is an activity under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and also a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.   

About: 

• This activity led to the identification and construction of soak pits and other waste to wealth initiatives like vermicomposting, recycling of non-biodegradable waste involving villagers across the country.
• The activity included various meetings, workshops and onsite demos at the gram panchayats.
• The Ministry of Rural Development has shown active participation in spreading awareness about cleanliness that can improve the livelihood of the villagers. 
• The Ministry has also worked towards building proper drainage channels, recharge pits, bettering the Anganwadi toilets and stabilization ponds. 

Therefore, this village week initiative would take India closer to the recognition of the ethos that ‘India lives in its villages’ that exemplifies the Gandhian ideology.

4. New Biotechnology Centre for Northeast Tribals in Kimim, Arunachal Pradesh

Context: The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology has inaugurated a new Biotech centre for Northeast tribals in the remote area of Arunachal Pradesh. 

Significance:

• This will act as a boost for the life science graduates and encourage entrepreneurship.
• It is seen as a welcome step towards the development of the Northeast Region.

About:

• The Centre will result in the betterment of the socio-economic conditions of the tribal people of Arunachal Pradesh.
• A focus to promote research in the field of biotechnology has been ensured.
• This would help in the generation of employment opportunities in the region.
• The centre would look forward to conducting various training programmes such as Students Training, Technician Training, Faculty Training and Entrepreneurship Development. This will further the progress of Vigyan initiatives of the Government of India and benefit the local communities.

Key areas and programs for the benefit of the region:

• Establishment of Orchidarium to conserve and multiply certain orchid species with the help of satellite units.
• Banana fibre extraction.
• Aroma units for the cultivation of aromatic crops.

5. Delivery of Fourth Scorpene Submarine ‘Vela’ to Indian Navy

Context: The fourth submarine of Project – 75 was handed over to the Indian Navy. The project consists of the construction of six Scorpene-class submarines. 

About:

• The submarines are constructed at Mazagon dock at Mumbai in association with M/s Naval Group, France. The Vela submarine was launched in 2019 and has completed all the important trials. They are now all set for commission with the Indian Navy.

6. Bilateral Innovation Agreement for the development of dual use technologies

Context: Recently DRDO and Directorate of Defence R&D has signed a bilateral agreement with Israel with the objective of promoting Startups and generating technology in the areas of Drones, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.    

About: 

• This agreement will act as a bridge between startups and industries of both bilateral partners comprising the areas like  Drones, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Photonics, Biosensing, Brain Machine, Natural Language Processing and so on and so forth.
• The products and technologies will be customized to fulfil the requirements and they will be available to both countries for their application.

Read previous PIB here.

November 9th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here