25 Nov 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cyber Surakshit Bharat
2. The Fourth Submarine of Project - 75
3. National Milk Day
4. River Cities Alliance:
5. Green Energy Collaboration
6. 13th ASEM Summit

1. Cyber Surakshit Bharat

Context: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology organised the 24th CISO (Chief Information Security Officers) deep dive training program.

Aim of the program:

• In order to spread awareness about cyber security and establish a strong ecosystem to tackle the emerging cyber security challenges, the National E-Governance division of the MeitY conducted a six-day drive to train the security officers and frontline IT officials across the ministries and departments, government and semi-government organizations, public sector undertakings, banks, technical wings of police and security forces.

The Training Drive: Important Facts

• The training program on cyber security involved participation from both the government and private sector.
• The training will be provided online for 6 days. 
• The program emphasized the important areas of ISMS (Information security management system) standards, mobile security, data security, identity protection, cryptography and other cyber security products in India. 

Important Terms:

• Cyber security – It is the concept that consists of innovative solutions that provide an assurance of protection against cyber attacks. Cyber attacks generally include accessing, changing, destroying sensitive information and can be associated with money laundering and terror activities. 
• Phishing – This is a type of cyber threat that involves fraudulent emails in the disguise of reputed sources that aims to steal data like credit card numbers and login information. It is the most common form of cyberattack that is prevalent in India and the rest of the world.
• Ransomware – It is malicious software that is developed to carry out extortion of money by blocking access to files and important applications in the computer system unless the desired amount is paid. According to a Google report, India is in sixth place among 140 countries to be affected by ransomware.
• Malware – This software gathers unauthorized access to a computer system and damages it.
• Social Engineering – This is a cyber attack strategy to trick an individual to reveal sensitive and confidential information. This can be linked with any of the above mentioned cyber security threats.

Also Read: Pegasus Spyware

About Cyber Surakshit Bharat: 

• This initiative was launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in 2018 to tackle the progressive spread of cyber attacks in the country.
• This initiative is the first public-private partnership of its kind.
• Under this initiative, experts of the IT industry and MeitY collaborate with organisations like CDAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), NIC (National Informatics Centre) and STQC (Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification) as knowledge partners in the training program.

Significance:

• In a world with advancing technology, the emerging issue of cyber security is a major concern and initiatives like Cyber Surakshit Bharat play an exemplary role in promoting awareness on cyber security. In a country like India, awareness is an essential tool to resolve many challenges.
• This initiative offers guidelines and policies related to cyber security along with best practices to learn from successes and failures.
• A massive impetus is provided to the vision of ‘Digital India’ that establishes an empowered and equipped ecosystem ensuring cyber security.

2. The Fourth Submarine of Project – 75

Context: ‘INS Vela’, the fourth submarine of Project – 75 was commissioned at the naval dockyard of Mumbai.

About ‘INS Vela’:

• INS Vela is the fourth submarine out of the six submarine series of Project – 75.
• These are scorpene class submarines built in India by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai in collaboration with the Naval Group, France.
• The scorpene class submarines are designed with stealth features and possess long range torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles.
• They have state of the art SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging) and sensor suites that allow effective operation capabilities along with Permanent Magnetic Synchronous motor and propulsion motor. 
• The hull, fin and hydroplanes enable reduced underwater resistance.
• The equipment in the pressure hull is housed on a shock-absorbing cradle.

The Name Vela and its Origin:

• The name Vela is derived from the old submarine Vela of Soviet origin which served the Indian Navy from 1973 to 2010 and was decommissioned thereafter. It was a Foxtrot class submarine.

 Vela’s Home Base: 

• It is all set to be commissioned into the Indian Navy’s western command and will be based in Mumbai.

 Functional Capabilities of Vela:

• It is capable of indulging in offensive operations covering naval warfare in its entirety.
• Besides, it is capable of engaging in anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, collecting intelligence data, mine laying and area surveillance. 
• The diesel electric-powered submarine can perform sea denial and access denial warfare.

3. National Milk Day

Context: An eventful celebration of National Milk Day was organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India in association with the National Dairy Development Board and other institutions created by Dr. Varghese Kurian. 

Background of National Milk Day: 

• To pay tribute to Dr. Varghese Kurian on his birth anniversary, every year the 26th day of November is celebrated as National Milk Day. This year marks the centenary year of the birth of the Milk Man of India, Dr. Kurian.
• Dr. Kurian is regarded as the Father of the White Revolution in India. 
• He is known for his indomitable contributions as a social entrepreneur who pioneered revolutionary changes in the field of agriculture and the dairy industry.
• Operation Flood, under the vision of Dr. Kurian, was the biggest dairy development program in the world that resulted in enhanced milk production in India. It opened broader avenues for dairy farming and generated employment for poor farmers. Therefore, it brought an achievement that was not merely by mass production but production by masses.
• He laid the foundation of 30 institutions run by farmers and workers and played a pivotal role in the success of Amul Brand. It was the relentless effort of Dr. Kurian because of which India became the largest producer of milk in 1998 leaving behind the US.

  The National Gopal Ratna Awards:

• These awards were distributed during the celebration of National Milk Day.
• The Best Dairy Farmer rearing cattle/buffalo breeds, Best Artificial Insemination Technician and Best Dairy Cooperative Society/Milk Producer Company/Dairy Farmer Producer Organization in the country were conferred with the Gopal Ratna Awards.
• This Award is considered to be the highest National Award in the field of livestock and dairy industry conferred by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, GOI.
• The main objective is to encourage the individuals associated with the dairy industry and keep the legacy of the White Revolution intact by upgrading technology, improving the breeds and revamping dairy practices. 
• These awards will encourage the Artificial Insemination Technicians to get 100% coverage under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and to build a competitive environment in cooperative societies and milk producer companies.
• There are three categories on the basis of which the National Award Committee decides the winner: 
  • Best Dairy Farmer Rearing Indigenous Cattle/buffalo breeds
  • Best Artificial Insemination technician
  • Best Dairy Cooperative Society/Milk Producer Company/Dairy Farmer Producer Organization

Also Read: Rashtriya Gokul Mission      

About Artificial Insemination (AI):

• This is a technique that involves the sperms from male bulls that are collected, processed, stored under favourable conditions and incorporated into the reproductive system of cows for the purpose of conception.
• AI has emerged as the potential tool to better the breeds of cattle and buffaloes by rapid diffusion of elite males to a large number of females (cows) extending to a large geographical area.
• Adequate production along with healthy conditions of reproduction are the significant factors that drive the business of the dairy industry. AI ensures to deliver potential assistance in dairy development as India is faced with the challenge of having insufficient quality cattle breeds (bulls/sires).

4. River Cities Alliance:

Context: The symbolic partnership between the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs led to the launch of the River Cities Alliance. This is the world’s first alliance that offers attention to the themes of networking, capacity building and technical support for the sustainable management of urban rivers.

Participants: The alliance has been signed by 30 members across the country including the cities like Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Srinagar, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Aurangabad, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Pune, Udaipur, Vijayawada.

Significance:

• The river alliance will be an embodiment of the people’s movement, ensuring the engagement of the people with the natural resources and promoting the sense to conserve the resources. 
• The key intention of the alliance is to improve the rivers and map them with urban planning and developmental programmes.
• This offers a platform where the cities can learn from each other’s successes and failures with the assistance of municipal administrators.
• The alliance can significantly contribute towards minimizing the water footprint, preventing pollutants’ entry into the water bodies and capitalizing on architectural heritage.
• Under this initiative, national policies with river-related directives can be adopted and facilitate a proper Urban River Management Plan. This will empower the governance of river cities and help in attracting external economic investment. 
• During the launch, the Strategic Green Partnership between India and Denmark was exemplified, which focuses on cities and rivers.

Key Components of Discussion:

• Operationalising the River Cities Alliance
• Holistic Urban River Management
• Forging synergies for the River Cities Alliance

Also Read: National Clean Ganga Mission

5. Green Energy Collaboration

Context: India and UK engaged in a scientific discussion of green energy collaboration involving the Ministers of Science and Technology from both countries.

Objectives of the Collaboration:

• To increase cooperation between India and the UK in the areas of clean and green energies
• Promote the use of advanced batteries
• Use of carbon capture method to reduce air pollution and infusing better technology in this area
• Production of hydrogen-related fuels
• Encourage the affordability of biomaterials, improvement of livestock research

Also read: India-UK Relations

 Important Highlights of Discussion:

• It was rightly pointed out that the Newton – Bhabha MoU, which was signed between India and UK, took scientific cooperation to the next level and opened up avenues for research in energy security, food and agriculture, water, health, climate change. The present collaboration acts as a further boost to these areas of cooperation. 
• India’s agenda to join the G20 troika in December 2021 was highlighted and India assured to work towards the development of science-based solutions to counter the multiple challenges faced by humanity.
• India is assured to establish a One Health approach and put forth a Global Equitability for Health Infrastructure Development to counter pandemic-like situations.

Why is Green Energy Collaboration Needed?

• The rising threats of climate change have sent an alarming message to the world and it is the time wherein the countries must collaborate to achieve a low carbon future that is sustainable. 
• Green energy is a form of a sustainable source of renewable energy that employs natural resources like sun, wind and water. However, all the sources used in the renewable energy industry are not green. 
• Green energy refers to those sources which do not result in pollution. Examples – Wind power, Hydropower, Solar power and Geothermal energy.
• India had expressed its firm determination in promoting the usage of clean energy in the recently concluded COP26 summit at Glasgow.
• In this regard, the India-UK partnership for green energy will be a welcoming step towards research and development along with the holistic exchange of technology at the international level.

Also Read: International Solar Alliance (ISA)

6. 13th ASEM Summit

Context: The Vice President of India addressed the plenary session of the ASEM Summit and emphasized the importance of reforming the UNSC and other International Organizations restoring multilateralism. 

About the ASEM Summit:

• The ASEM summit is an Asian-European political dialogue that aims to increase the level of cooperation between the partners.
• It was established in the year 1996 in Bangkok, Thailand having 15 member states of the EU and European Commission and 7 member states of the ASEAN along with China, Japan and South Korea.
• It is a biennial event with its firm objective of enhancing the collaboration between Europe and Asia in the areas of economics, politics, finance, education and culture.
• The 13th ASEM dialogue involved 21 countries from Asia and the ASEAN secretariat along with the EU and its 27 member states and Norway, Switzerland and the UK. It was an overall grouping of 51 member countries.
• India joined the ASEM group in 2006 and hosted the 11th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2013 at Delhi. Since then India has been actively involved in raising concerns in the multilateral platform and also provided proper solutions.
• The theme for the year 2021 is “Strengthening multilateralism for shared growth” and was hosted by Cambodia as the current chair of the group.

Priority areas discussed in the Summit:

• The agenda for 2021 will focus on strengthening multilateralism 
• Improving post-pandemic socio-economic conditions
• Developing the resolution process of regional and global issues that are of common interest

Read previous PIB here.

November 25th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here