10 Nov 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. CORPAT & EX-BONGOSAGAR
2. ITBP Raising Day
3. Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023

1. CORPAT & EX-BONGOSAGAR

Syllabus: GS-2, International Relations

Prelims: CORPAT & EX-BONGOSAGAR

Mains: India and Bangladesh relations

Context:

The navies of India and Bangladesh undertake CORPAT and Exercise BONGOSAGAR.

Details:

• The 4th edition of BONGOSAGAR-23, the bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Bangladesh Navy and the 5th edition of Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) by the two navies were conducted in the Northern Bay of Bengal in November 2023 for two days.
• Indian Navy Ships Kuthar, Kiltan and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) Dornier participated in the exercise.
• Both navies undertook joint patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and subsequently conducted maritime exercises to enhance interoperability.
• NS Kuthar: It is an indigenously built guided-missile Corvette.
• INS Kiltan: It is an indigenously built anti-submarine Corvette.
• Exercise Bongosagar, whose first edition was held in 2019, is aimed at developing inter-operability and joint operational skills through the conduct of a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations.
• Bongosagar and IN–BN Corpat are in line with the government’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region).

Read more on the India – Bangladesh bilateral relations in the link.

2. ITBP Raising Day

Syllabus: GS-3, Security & Defence

Prelims: ITBP

Context:

62nd Raising Day of ITBP.

About ITBP:

• The Indo-Tibetan Border Police was established on 24th October 1962 after the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict.
• It was created under the CRPF Act.
• It guards the Indo-Tibetan border and the mountainous regions of the India-China border and monitors the northern borders.

Also read: Security Forces and Agencies in India

3. Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023

Syllabus: GS-2, Polity & Governance

Mains: Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023

Context:

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has invited comments on the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023.

Details:

• The draft Bill provides for a consolidated framework to regulate the broadcasting services in the country.
• It seeks to replace the existing Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and other Policy Guidelines currently governing the broadcasting sector in the country.
• The Bill streamlines regulatory processes, extends its purview to cover Over-the-Top (OTT) content and digital news, and introduces contemporary definitions and provisions for emerging technologies.  

Key Features of the Draft Bill:

• It seeks to consolidate and modernize the regulatory provisions for various broadcasting services under a single legislative framework.
• It incorporates provisions for emerging broadcasting technologies keeping in view the technological advancements in this field.
• It enhances self-regulation with the introduction of ‘Content Evaluation Committees’ and evolves the existing Inter-Departmental Committee into a more participative and broader ‘Broadcast Advisory Council’.
• It allows for a differentiated approach to programme and advertisement codes.
• The bill addresses the specific needs of persons with disabilities by providing enabling provisions for the issue of comprehensive accessibility guidelines.
• The draft Bill introduces statutory penalties such as advisory, warning, censure, or monetary penalties, for operators and broadcasters. Monetary penalties and fines are linked to the financial capacity of the entity.
• The bill also includes provisions for infrastructure sharing among broadcasting network operators and carriage of platform services.

Related Information:

• The Ministry has approved the ‘Digital Advertisement Policy, 2023’ to enable and empower the Central Bureau of Communication to undertake campaigns in the Digital Media Space.
• The CBC operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and is responsible for creating awareness and disseminating information about various government programs, schemes, and policies in India.

Read the previous PIB articles here.