1 Oct 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022
2. 5G services in India
3. Unified Logistics Interface Platform
4. Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme

1. Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022

Syllabus: GS-2, Governance, Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.

Prelims: Swachh Survekshan Awards

Context:  The President of India presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022 at a function held in New Delhi.

Background:

• ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ was launched in October 2014 to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put the focus on sanitation in India.
• The ‘Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0’ was launched in October, 2021 to make all cities garbage-free by 2026.

Details:

• Indore city has secured the first position among cities for the sixth time in a row. The President noted the model of people’s participation adopted by the residents of Indore city and called upon other cities to follow this model.
• The results were based on the Swachh Survey which saw participation from about nine crore people in more than 4000 cities.
• The President pointed out to the importance of increasing awareness about cleanliness in the society and appreciated the work being done by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in this direction.
• On this occasion, the President announced that from October 2, 2022, a campaign would be launched in cities to make all citizens aware of segregating wet and dry waste at home for better waste management.

2. 5G services in India

Syllabus: GS-3, Economy, Infrastructure, Digital Infrastructure

Prelims: Features of 5G technology

Mains: Significance of 5G technology

Context: The Indian Prime Minister recently launched 5G services in New Delhi.

Details:

• Speaking at the event, the Prime Minsiter noted how India would not remain a mere consumer of technology, but it will play an active role in the development and implementation of that technology. The Prime Minister took the example of the launch of 5G services to illustrate this aspect. He noted how while India was dependent on other countries for 2G, 3G and 4G technologies, but with 5G, India was setting a global standard in telecom technology for the first time.
• The Prime Minister noted how 5G would not be limited to speedy internet access, but would open up an infinite sky of opportunities for all in the country.
• 5G technology will help in providing seamless coverage, high data rate, low latency, and highly reliable communications. Also, it will increase energy efficiency, spectrum efficiency and network efficiency.
• The Prime Minister highlighted initiatives like Digital India, initiatives providing impetus to domestic mobile manufacturing which has helped reduce the cost of mobile phones in India, initiatives like the BharatNet which emphasize digital connectivity in rural areas, policy support to help lower the price of data in India and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan to make six crore persons in rural areas digitally literate by 31^st March, 2019.

3. Unified Logistics Interface Platform

Syllabus: GS-3; Economy, Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning; Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.

Prelims: Unified Logistics Interface Platform

Mains: Significance of Unified Logistics Interface Platform

Context: 13 organisations have signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to access data on Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP).

Background:

• Unified Logistics Interface Platform was launched by Prime Minister as part of the ‘National Logistics Policy (NLP)’ in September 2022.

Details:

• The ULIP is receiving tremendous response from the industry. While 13 organizations have signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with ULIP till date, 11 more organisations are in the process of signing NDA with ULIP.
• With signing of the NDAs, industry players can develop (Application Programming Interface ) APIs for integration with ULIP.

Significance of ULIP:

• Given that at present 30 systems from seven ministries are integrated into the ULIP, the ULIP platform will enable the industry players to get secure access to the information related to logistics and resources available with various Ministries. This will allow for democratisation of the information.
• ULIP will enable the industry players to create a market for revenue generation.
• ULIP would provide benefits like monitoring of cargo movement, consignment tracking, and inventory management.
• ULIP would help bring ease of doing business in logistics sector by improving efficiency,  simplifying logistics processes and regulatory processes, bringing transparency and reducing logistics cost & time. This will have a positive impact on the logistics sector of India. This can help reduce the Logistics cost percentage of GDP.

4. Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme

Syllabus: GS-3, Economy, Infrastructure: Digital Infrastructure

Prelims: Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme

Context:

• Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) launches Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme.

Details:

• Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) aims to fund Research and Development in rural-specific communication technology applications.
• The scheme would involve providing grants to Indian entities to encourage and induct indigenous technologies tailor-made to meet domestic needs.
• It aims to form positive synergies among academia, start-ups, research institutes, and the industry for promoting technology ownership and indigenous manufacturing. This will help build and develop the telecom ecosystem in India by reducing imports, boosting export and creation of Intellectual Property.

October 1st, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here