11 Oct 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Digital DARPG
2. CSIR Foundation Day
3. India-EU Trade and Technology Council
4. Cabinet approves royalty rates for mining of lithium, niobium and rare earth elements
5. Mera Yuva Bharat
6. Cabinet approvals of MoUs

 

1. Digital DARPG

Syllabus: GS-2, Governance

Prelims: Digital DARPG, CPGRAMS

Context:

The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions launched the Special Campaign 3.0 in DARPG in September 2023 under the theme “Digital DARPG”.

Details:

• Under the theme “Digital DARPG” the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances took several significant steps under the Special Campaign 3.0 to promote pan-India unified service delivery portals, reduce pendency in public grievances, adopt AI/Emerging Technologies for effective redressal of public grievances, promote sustainable practices and ensure cleanliness & efficient record management in the office.
• In October, the minister launched the Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0 Public Grievance portal and Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard.

Read more about the online grievance management system of DARPG called CPGRAMS in the linked article.

2. CSIR Foundation Day

Syllabus: GS-2, Polity

Prelims: CSIR

Context: 

CSIR-NIScPR celebrated the 82nd CSIR Foundation Day.

About CSIR-NIScPR:

• CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), located in New Delhi, was established in 2021 by merging two CSIR labs, namely, CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR) and CSIR-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (CSIR-NISTADS).
• The organisation acts as a resource centre in the fields of Science, Technology & Innovation Policy Research and Science Communication.
• It promotes STI policy studies and science communication.

Read more about CSIR in the link.

3. India-EU Trade and Technology Council

Syllabus: GS-2, International Relations

Prelims: India-EU Trade and Technology Council

Mains: India – EU relations

Context:

India-EU Trade and Technology Council Working Group 2 Holds Two-Day International Workshop on Green & Clean Energy Technologies.

India-EU Trade and Technology Council:

• India-EU-TTC is strategic coordination and engagement on trade and technology between India and Europe. 
• It was formally announced in 2022 after the bilateral cooperation meeting between the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. 
• Within the framework of the TTC, three working groups have been set up.
• The Working Group 2 on Green & Clean Energy Technologies is chaired by Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India from the Indian side.

4. Cabinet approves royalty rates for mining of lithium, niobium and rare earth elements

Syllabus: GS-3, Economy

Prelims: Lithium, Niobium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs)

Context:

The Union Cabinet approved the amendment of the Second Schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (‘MMDR Act’) for specifying the rates of royalty in respect of 3 critical and strategic minerals, namely, Lithium, Niobium and Rare Earth Elements (REEs).

Details:

• The amendment delisted six minerals, including Lithium and Niobium, from the list of atomic minerals, thereby allowing the grant of concessions for these minerals to the private sector through auction. 
• Further, the amendment provided that the mining lease and composite license of 24 critical and strategic minerals including Lithium, Niobium and REEs (not containing Uranium and Thorium), shall be auctioned by the Central Government.
• This cabinet approval will enable the Central Government to auction blocks for Lithium, Niobium and REEs for the first time in the country. 
• Royalty rates on minerals are an important financial consideration for the bidders in the auction of blocks.
• Significance:
  • Critical minerals such as Lithium and REEs have gained significance in view of India’s commitment towards energy transition and achieving net-zero emission by 2070. 
  • Lithium, Niobium and REEs have also emerged as strategic elements due to their usages and geo-political scenario.

5. Mera Yuva Bharat

Syllabus:

Prelims: Mera Yuva Bharat

Context: 

The cabinet approved the establishment of an autonomous body Mera Yuva Bharat.

About Mera Yuva Bharat:

• The body will serve as an overarching enabling mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led development and provide equitable access to youth to actualise their aspirations and build Viksit Bharat across the entire spectrum of the Government.
• Its primary objective is to make it a whole of government platform for youth development. 
• It will benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years.
• The purpose of this programme:
  • Leadership Development in the Youth:
    • Improve leadership skills through experiential learning by shifting from isolated physical interaction to programmatic skills.
    • Investing more in youth to make them social innovators, and leaders in the communities.
    • Setting the focus of the Government on youth-led development and to make the Youth “active drivers” of development and not merely “passive recipients”.
  • Better alignment between youth aspirations and community needs.
  • Enhanced efficiency through the convergence of existing programmes.
  • Act as a one-stop shop for young people and ministries.
  • Create a centralized youth database.
  • Improved two-way communication to connect youth government initiatives and activities of other stakeholders that engage with youth.
  • Ensuring accessibility by creating a physical ecosystem.

6. Cabinet approvals of MoUs

1. Cabinet approved an MoU between India and Papua New Guinea on cooperation in the field of sharing successful Digital Solutions implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.
   1. MoU signed in July 2023.
   2. It will remain in force for three years.
   3. MoU envisages improved collaboration leading to employment opportunities in the field of IT.
   4. Both G2G and B2B bilateral cooperation in the field of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) will be enhanced.
2. Cabinet approved an MoU between India and France on cooperation in the field of Digital Technologies.
   1. The MoU intends to promote closer cooperation and exchange of information pertaining to digital technologies and will mutually support each participant’s goal to promote access to digital technology in their country in accordance with the MoU.
   2. It will remain in force for five years.
3. Cabinet approved between India and Trinidad and Tobago on cooperation in the field of sharing successful Digital Solutions implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.
   1. MoU signed in August 2023.
   2. MoU envisages improved collaboration leading to employment opportunities in the field of IT.
   3. Both G2G and B2B bilateral cooperation in the field of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) will be enhanced

Read the previous PIB articles here.