26 October 2018: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

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Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh bags Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for 2014

• A doyen of Manipuri dance Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh has been selected for the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the year 2014.

About him:

• He has distinguished himself both as an outstanding teacher, performer and choreographer. 
• His work over the years bears witness to his creativity within the framework of traditional Manipuri dance.
• His choreography has been enriched by elements incorporated from various forms of performing arts of Manipur such as Thang-ta, Nata-Sankirtana, Lai-haraoba and Rasleela.

Context:

• The award recognizes his contribution in keeping the tradition of Manipuri dance alive and vibrant, promoting harmony through dance and also pays tribute to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, who, deeply influenced by Manipuri dance, made it an integral part of the education curriculum at Visva Bharati.

Background:

• The Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2015 & 2016 is being conferred on the Chhayanaut (a cultural organization of Bangladesh) and on one of India’s greatest sculptors, Shri Ram Vanji Sutar, respectively. 
• The first Tagore Award was conferred on Pt. Ravi Shankar, the Indian Sitar Maestro in 2012 and second was conferred on Shri Zubin Mehta in 2013. The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque as well as an exquisite traditional handicraft/ handloom item. The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or sex.

Krishi Kumbh 2018

• Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh has said that with an aim to double farmers’ income, the budget outlay of the agriculture sector has been enhanced by 74.5%.

Context:

• On the occasion of inauguration ceremony of Krishi Kumbh 2018organised in Lucknow, he said:
  • The Government is implementing various schemes to ensure higher gains for farmers.
  • The Soil Health Card (SHC) ensures judicious use of fertilizer application thus saving money for farmers. Neem-coated urea is being promoted as it enhances availability of nitrogen to the crop and reduces cost of fertilizer application.
  • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is being implemented with a view to promote organic farming in the country. 
  • Realizing the possibility of organic farming in the northeast, Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER) has been initiated.
  • The National Agriculture Market scheme (e-NAM) has revolutionized agri-markets by ensuring better price discovery, bringing in transparency and competition in order to enable farmers to get better remuneration for their produce thereby moving towards ‘One Nation One Market.’
  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) & Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWCIS) provide insurance cover at all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks to farmers at very low rates of premium.

India-EU co-operation dialogue on Digital Communications

Context:

• The Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge) Government of India, Mr Manoj Sinha and the H.E. Mr Andrus Ansip, European Commissioner for Digital Single Market and Vice President of the European Commission have met in New Delhi to discuss cooperation on Digital communications, Digital economy and society.

Objective:

• India and the EU will work together to develop joint plans of action in the agreed areas of cooperation such as future networks and emerging technologies, including 5G,IoT/M2Metc., promoting R&D and innovation, network security, spectrum management, enhanced capacity development as well as policy and regulatory requirements among others.
• The India-EUco-operation dialogue on Digital Communications will take place annually through appropriate mechanism within the existing framework of the India-EU Joint Working Group on ICTs which was set up in 2011.

Vigilance Awareness Week 2018

Context:

• The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) observes the Vigilance Awareness Week every year during the week in which the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31^stOctober) falls.
• This year, the Vigilance Awareness Week is being observed from 29^thOctober to 3^rd November, 2018 on the theme “Eradicate Corruption-Build a New India (भ्रष्टाचार मिटाओ- नया भारत बनाओ)”.

Objective:

• Through various outreach activities, it seeks to motivate stakeholders to collectively participate in the fight against corruption.

Aim:

• Raising public awareness regarding the detrimental consequences of corruption.   

5th Edition of ‘Women of India National Organic Festival’

• The 5^thedition of the ‘Women of India National Organic Festival’ was inaugurated by Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi.

Objective:

• The Festival celebrates and promotes women entrepreneurs/producers and farmers in the organic field from across India.
• Participants from the remotest parts of the country get the opportunity of selling their healthy and wholesome goods to the people of Delhi and surrounding areas.
• The participants are being encouraged to sell their products on a long term basis on WCD Ministry’s e-marketing portal Mahila-e-Haat.

About:

• The festival is From October 26^thtill November 4^th, IGNCA and will  be the cultural hub of India’s most varied offerings of organic products from 26 States, ranging from food, wellness, personal care, home improvement, spices, staples, kitchen composters and for the first time ‘The Vegan Project’ and Food Court with cooked-on-site delicacies will also be available.
• The Festival will have producers and manufacturers of Organic Products from 26 Indian States. 

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