28 Nov 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

November 28th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. CSIR-CCMB’s coronavirus detection method receives ICMR approval
2. FDI Inflows
3. GST Shortfall
4. India International Science Festival 2020 (IISF 2020)
5. Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA)

1. CSIR-CCMB’s coronavirus detection method receives ICMR approval

Context:

CSIR-CCMB’s Dry Swab direct RT-PCR method for Coronavirus detection receives ICMR approval.

Details:

• The simple and fast method of Dry Swab-Direct RT-PCR, developed by CSIR’s constituent lab Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Hyderabad for scaling up of SARS-CoV-2 detection has been approved by ICMR based on their independent validation. 
• The method is a simple variation of the existing standard RT-PCR method and can easily scale up the testing by 2 to 3 fold with no new investment of resources.  
• After evaluating this method and finding an overall concordance of 96.9%, ICMR has issued an advisory for the use of CSIR-CCMB dry swab method, considering its lesser cost and quick turn-around time.

About the CSIR-CCMB dry swab method:

• It involves collecting and transporting the nasal swab in the dry state (as opposed to using the viral transport medium – VTM) which makes the transportation and handling of the samples easy and less prone to spillage and spread of infection. 
• Also, the step of RNA isolation from the sample is omitted and involves only simple processing of the sample followed by direct RT-PCR using the kit recommended by ICMR.  
• Omitting the step of RNA isolation offers a huge benefit over the conventional method, as the RNA isolation is a major bottleneck in terms of time, cost and trained manpower. 
• Given this, with the same resources and no additional cost more samples can be tested and can be easily scaled up at least 2-3 times immediately.

Read more on the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in the linked article.

2. FDI Inflows

Context:

US$28.1 billion FDI inflows into the country during the July-September quarter.

Details:

• Total Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) inflows into India during the second quarter of the financial year 2020-21 (July 2020 to September 2020) have been US$ 28,102 million, out of which FDI equity inflows were US$ 23,441 million or Rs. 174,793 crore.
• This takes the FDI equity inflows during the financial year 2020-21upto September 2020 to US$30,004 million which is 15% more than the corresponding period of 2019-20. 
• From April 2000 to September 2020, the maximum equity FDI inflows were reported from Mauritius, followed by Singapore and the USA.
• Gujarat has been the major beneficiary state of the FDI equity inflows, from October 2019 to September 2020 followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.

3. GST Shortfall

Context:

Punjab chooses Option-1 to meet the GST implementation shortfall.

Details:

• With Punjab opting for Option 1, the number of states that have chosen Option 1 has now gone up to 26. 
• All the 3 Union Territories with Legislative Assembly (i.e. Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Puducherry) have also decided in favour of Option-1.

For details on the two options put forward by the centre, check PIB dated Aug 29, 2020.

4. India International Science Festival 2020 (IISF 2020)

Context:

CSIR organizes pre-events for IISF-2020 in various states to generate awareness.

Know more about the IISF 2020 in PIB dated Oct 20, 2020.

5. Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA)

Context:

9th foundation day of GITA.

About GITA:

• Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) is a “not–for–profit” Section-8 Public-Private Partnership (PPP) company promoted jointly by the Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• The Prime Minister’s Council on Trade & Industry had, in 2010, recommended the incorporation of a Government’s arm’s length entity under PPP mode to professionally manage the Government’s funds for providing flexibility to industry for undertaking R&D along with global partners.
• The GITA platform encourages industrial investments in innovative technology solutions by:
  • Mapping technology gaps.
  • Undertaking expert evaluation of technologies available across the globe.
  • Facilitating techno–strategic collaborative partnerships appropriate for Indian economy.
  • Connecting industrial and institutional partners for synergistic matchmaking.
  • Providing soft funding for technology development/acquisition/deployment.
• GITA’s vision is to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem by supporting and enabling technology and innovation-driven enterprises.
• Enterprises from India are tying up with their counterparts from partner countries including Canada, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, and the UK.
• GITA is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana.

Read previous PIB here.

November 28th, 2020, PIB:- Download PDF Here