27 November 2019: PIB Summary & Analysis

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November 27th, 2019 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cartosat-3 Satellite
2. UN Climate Change Conference
3. Cabinet approves MoU signed between India and Myanmar
4. Cabinet approves MoUs signed between India and Saudi Arabia
5. Global Competitiveness Index
6. HIM VIJAY Military Exercise
7. Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT)
8. Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019

Cartosat-3 Satellite

Context:

PM congratulates the ISRO team on the successful launch of PSLV-C47 carrying indigenous Cartosat-3 satellite.

About Cartosat-3 Satellite:

You can read more about Cartosat-3 in CNA dated Nov 19^th 2019.

UN Climate Change Conference

Context:

Cabinet approves India’s Approach to the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Spain next week.

Details:

• The Cabinet has approved India’s negotiating stand at the 25^th Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled to be held in Madrid, Spain in the first and second weeks of December 2019.
• The COP is being held under the presidency of Chile.
• The Indian delegation is led by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• COP 25 is an important conference as countries prepare to move from the pre-2020 period under the Kyoto Protocol to the post-2020 period under the Paris Agreement.
• India’s approach will be guided by principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement particularly the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC).

About Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC):

• It is a principle within the UNFCCC that acknowledges the different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change.
• CBDR-RC has served as a guiding principle as well as a source of contention in the UN climate negotiations.
• Reflecting CBDR-RC, the Convention divided countries into “Annex I” and “non-Annex I,” the former generally referring to developed countries and the latter to developing countries.
• Under the Convention, Annex I countries have a greater mitigation role than non-Annex-I countries.

What India is doing:

• In the Climate Action Summit convened by United Nations Secretary-General, the Prime Minister announced India’s plan on scaling up of renewable energy target to 450 GW.
• He also called for responsible action by all on the principles of equity and CBDR-RC.
• India has been leading the world in its pursuit of enhanced solar energy capacity through International Solar Alliance (ISA).
• India has also launched the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, which will serve as a platform to generate and exchange knowledge on different aspects of climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
• Apart from this, India has launched along with Sweden, the ‘Leadership Group for Industry Transition’ which will provide a platform for government and the private sector in different countries to work together on accelerating low carbon growth and cooperation in the area of technology innovation.

Cabinet approves MoU signed between India and Myanmar

Context:

Cabinet approves MoU signed between India and Myanmar on bilateral cooperation for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons.

Details:

• The MoU is on bilateral cooperation for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons; Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation and Re-integration of victims of Trafficking.
• Objectives of the MoU:
  • To strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two countries and to increase bilateral cooperation on the issues of prevention, rescue, recovery and repatriation related to human trafficking.
  • To strengthen cooperation to prevent all forms of human trafficking and to protect and assist the victims of trafficking.
  • Ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of traffickers and organized crime syndicates in either country.
  • To strengthen immigration and border controls cooperation and implementation of strategies with relevant Ministries and Organizations to prevent trafficking in persons.
  • Setting up Working Groups/ Task Force to make efforts to prevent human trafficking.
  • Develop and share database on traffickers and victims of trafficking in a safe and confidential manner and exchange information through designated focal points of India and Myanmar.
  • Capacity building programmes for the agencies concerned of both countries.
  • Formulation and adoption of Standard Operating Procedures for Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation and Integration of the victims of trafficking.

Background:

• Human Trafficking has national as well as international ramifications.
• The complex nature of human trafficking calls for a multidimensional strategy in tackling it at domestic, regional and international levels.
• Being global in scope, international cooperation and collaboration are essential to check trafficking in persons.

Read about the Ujjawala Scheme of the Indian Government for the prevention of trafficking at the linked article.

Cabinet approves MoUs signed between India and Saudi Arabia

Context:

Cabinet approves MoUs signed between India and Saudi Arabia in the field of combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors.

Background:

• Illegal Drug trafficking is a global illicit trade.
• Massive production and circulation of drugs through various convenient routes especially through Afghanistan is paving ways for high consumption of drugs amongst youth thus creating a negative impact on public health and adding to criminalization of the society.
• Drug trafficking has also provided funding for insurgency and terrorism in various regions throughout the world.
• Narco-terrorists and international criminal organizations that thrive on the illegal drug trade now threaten the security of many nations.

Benefits of the MoU:

• It shall facilitate and enhance the cooperation between the two countries in combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors, as defined by the United Nations International Drug Control Conventions.
• Under the MoU, there is a provision for the exchange of relevant information as well as methods, identities and suspicious activities of producers, smugglers and traffickers of narcotic drugs, details of trafficking of NDPS and Precursors Chemicals on requisitions and financial details of the traffickers arrested on drug-related charges.
• There is also a provision for notification of the details of the arrested citizen of the other party for committing the crime of illicit trafficking or smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors and consular access to the arrested person.
• The MoU also provides for the exchange of chemical reports/analysis of narcotic drug, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors seized within the territory of either party and data/information about illegal laboratories of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors and their technical specifications.

Global Competitiveness Index

About the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI):

• The Global Competitiveness Index is compiled by the World Economic Forum.
• The index ranks 141 nations on the basis of 98 indicators organised into 12 pillars including infrastructure, institution, ICT adoption, macroeconomic stability, health, skills, product market, labour market, financial system, market size, business dynamism, and innovation capability.
• India’s ranking in the Global Competitiveness Index has fallen by 10 ranks in 2019 partly as a consequence of a relatively small decline in score but more significantly due to faster improvements of several countries earlier ranked close to India.
• India is now ranked 68^th in the GCI.
  • India ranks high in terms of macroeconomic stability and market size.
  • It is ranked 15^th in terms of corporate governance.
  • It is ranked second globally for shareholder governance.
  • In terms of the market size, India is ranked third, while it has got the same rank for renewable energy regulation.
  • When it comes to innovation, India is well ahead of most emerging economies and on par with several advanced economies.
  • India ranked high on innovation (35th), financial sector (40th), and macro-economic stability (43rd).
  • In healthy life expectancy, India has ranked 109^th out of 141 countries.

GCI 2019 Top Ten Countries:

HIM VIJAY Military Exercise

About HIM Vijay:

• HIM Vijay is the Indian Army’s biggest mountain combat exercise.
• It is the first-ever military drill that was held in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Three battle groups, each comprising 4,000 soldiers, participated in the exercise at a height of 14,000 feet – 100 km away from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• The drill, which was held in October 2019, was carried out in phases in the upper reaches of Arunachal Pradesh near Tawang.
• In this exercise, the capability of the newly-conceived Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) was tested.
• The exercise will include troop mobilisation, mountain assault and air assault.
• Indian Army’s Mountain Strike Corps signals a historic shift in the way India defines deterrence in its relationship with China.
• China had expressed concern about this exercise.

Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT)

Context:

Production of CBG from Stubble.

Details:

• The Government of India has launched Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative in 2018 to promote CBG as an alternative, green transport fuel for efficient management of biomass and organic waste.
• Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) can be produced from biomass and organic waste sources like paddy straw & farm stubble, agricultural residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, distillery spent wash, municipal solid waste, sewage treatment plant waste, forest residue, etc.
• As part of the SATAT scheme, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Gail (India) Limited and Indraprastha Gas Limited had launched an Expression of Interest (EoI) for procurement of CBG from the entrepreneurs at an assured price.
• The CBG shall be sold to automobiles as clean fuel in a similar way to CNG and can also be sold to domestic, industrial and commercial consumers which are using LPG and other fuels.
• SATAT initiative has the potential of addressing environmental problems arising from stubble burning. The viability is based on techno commercial factors.

Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019

Context:

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019 has been passed by the Parliament.

Details:

You can read all about the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019 on CNA dated 27^th Nov 2019.

November 27th, 2019 PIB:- Download PDF Here

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