08 Oct 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Air Force Day
2. I-Sprint’21: Global FinTech Hackathon Series
3. River Ranching Programme

1. Air Force Day

Context:

8 October is Air Force Day.

About Air Force Day:

• The Indian Air Force Day is celebrated on October 8th every year, to mark the date of its establishment.

Know more about the Indian Air Force and the Air Force Day in the linked article.

2. I-Sprint’21: Global FinTech Hackathon Series

Context:

Launch of I-Sprint’21: IFSCA’s Global FinTech Hackathon Series “Sprint01: BankTech”.

Details:

• The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and GIFT City launched I-Sprint’21, the global FinTech Hackathon Series of IFSCA.
• The first Sprint of the series “Sprint01: BankTech” is focussed on FinTechs for the Banking sector.
• BankTech is hosted jointly by IFSCA and GIFT city in collaboration with NITI Aayog.
• The aim of the Hackathon is:
  • to connect IFSCA and GIFT IFSC with FinTech Ecosystem,
  • to solve Business Problems for the Banking Units at GIFT IFSC and
  • to promote retail business for the Banking Units at GIFT IFSC.
• The finalists stand to win a prize money of Rs 24 lakh, direct entry into IFSCA Regulatory/Innovation Sandbox, among other rewards.

3. River Ranching Programme

Context:

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying launched a nationwide River Ranching Programme in Uttar Pradesh.

Details:

• As part of the programme, over 8 lakh fingerlings were ranched in UP, Uttarakhand, Tripura, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

River Ranching Programme:

• “River ranching programme” is introduced as a special activity under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY scheme) for augmenting and enhancing the fish production and productivity through expansion, intensification, diversification and productive utilization of land and water.
• The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries has designated the National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad as the Nodal Agency under the Central Sector component of PMMSY for implementing River Ranching across the country.
• It is programmed to address increased fish catch, improved livelihood of fishers and to maintain the cleanliness of the river as they feed on organic remnants.
• It aims to uplift the depleted fish stock and to enhance production of the ranched fish species.

Benefits of river ranching:

• With growing human population, the requirement of high quality protein, the demand for fish is gradually increasing.
• To promote the sustainable use and conservation of fishery resources in an economical and environmentally responsible manner has become the need of the hour.
• The River Ranching Program is one such activity which can achieve sustainable fisheries, reducing habitat degradation, conserving biodiversity, maximizing social-economic benefits and assessing ecosystem services.
• Nevertheless, River Ranching also ensures the upgrade of traditional fishery, ecosystem sustainability and trade & social protection of Inland communities.

Read previous PIB here.

October 8th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here