13 Oct 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20)
2. World Standards Day
3. National Strategy on Robotics
4. Schemes under LiFE Initiative

1. G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20)

Syllabus: GS-2, International Relations

Prelims: G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20)

Mains: G20 Summit in India

Context:

PM Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) in New Delhi.

Details:

• Speakers of Parliaments of G20 members and invitee countries attended the event. 
• The Pan-African Parliament also took part in the P20 Summit for the first time after the African Union became a member of G20 at the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit on 9-10 September 2023.
• In line with the theme of India’s G20 Presidency, the theme of the 9th P20 Summit is ‘Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
• The Ninth P20 Summit is being hosted by the Parliament of India in cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on 13-14 October 2023 in New Delhi.
• The Summit will host four high-level sessions on Accelerating SDGs; Sustainable Energy Transition; Women led Development; and Transformation in Peoples’ Lives through Public Digital Platforms.

2. World Standards Day

Syllabus: GS-3, Science & Technology

Prelims: World Standards Day

Context:

World Standards Day is celebrated on 14 October every year.

World Standards Day:

• The day is a means of paying tribute to the collaborative efforts of thousands of experts worldwide who develop voluntary technical agreements that are published as International Standards.
• The theme for 2023 is “Shared Vision for a Better World: Incorporating Sustainable Development Goal (SDG3) for Good Health and Well-Being.”
• This theme highlights the importance of fostering a united vision to create a more sustainable and inclusive world that prioritizes the well-being and good health of all individuals.

3. National Strategy on Robotics

Syllabus: GS-3, Science & Technology

Prelims: National Strategy on Robotics

Context:

Union Minister released the draft National Strategy on Robotics for public consultation.

About the draft National Strategy on Robotics:

• India has made significant strides in the field of robotics. Globally too, both the public and private sectors have recognised the importance of robotic automation in driving social, economic and technical outcomes for the future.
• The National Strategy on Robotics aims to capitalize on this potential and nurture the development of robotic technology, helping India emerge as a “Robotics Hub” for the world. 
• To drive India’s global leadership in robotics, four sectors of strategic importance have also been identified, namely – manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare and national security.
• To enable India’s emergence as a global leader in the development and adoption of robotics, a comprehensive, coherent, and efficient deployment of the National Strategy on Robotics is proposed to be undertaken as the ‘National Robotics Mission’. 
• This will be done through the establishment of the Robotics Innovation Unit (RIU) as an institutional framework under IndiaAI.

What is the IndiaAI Report?

• INDIAai is a knowledge portal, research organisation and ecosystem-building initiative. It stands to unite and promote collaborations with various entities in India’s AI ecosystem.
• The seven expert groups formed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to shape IndiaAI’s vision and objectives have released the first edition of the IndiaAI report, outlining a holistic and ambitious approach to AI. 
• The report covers improving AI infrastructure, data, financing, research, skilling, and governance, with a focus on Centers of Excellence (CoEs) and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enhance AI innovation.
• The report also has recommendations on how India can leverage its demographic dividend and play to its strengths as an IT superpower to further the penetration of AI skills in the country.

4. Schemes under LiFE Initiative

Syllabus: GS-2, Govt scheme

Prelims: LiFE Initiative, Green Credit Program (GCP), Ecomark scheme

Context:

Notification issued for Green Credit Program (GCP) and Ecomark scheme under LiFE Initiative to promote sustainable lifestyle and environmental conservation.

Details:

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change have initiated two schemes under the LiFE Mission namely, the Green Credit Program (GCP) and the Ecomark Scheme.
• The objective is to seek to encourage environmentally friendly practices rooted in tradition and conservation reflecting the ideas of the LiFE concept.
• Green Credit Program (GCP)
  • It is an innovative market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies. 
  • The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) serves as the GCP Administrator, responsible for program implementation, management, monitoring, and operation.
  • Initially, the program will focus on water conservation and afforestation.
  • Draft methodologies for awarding green credits have been developed. They set benchmarks for each activity/process, to ensure environmental impact.
  • To obtain Green Credits, individuals and entities must register their activities through the central government’s dedicated app/website www.moefcc-gcp.in. 
  • The Administrator will verify the activity through a designated agency, with self-verification for small projects. 
  • Once verification is complete, the Administrator will grant a Green Credit certificate which will be tradable on the Green Credit platform.
• Ecomark Scheme
  • The scheme provides accreditation and labelling for household and consumer products that meet specific environmental criteria while maintaining quality standards as per Indian norms. 
  • Products accredited under the Ecomark Scheme will adhere to specific environmental criteria, ensuring minimal environmental impact. 
  • It will build consumer awareness of environmental issues and encourage eco-conscious choices. 
  • It will also motivate manufacturers to shift towards environmentally friendly production. 
  • The scheme seeks to ensure accurate labelling and prevent misleading information about products.
  • The scheme is administered by the Central Pollution Control Board in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Read the previous PIB articles here.