5 Oct 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) - Prachanda
2. Matdata Junction - Radio Series for Voter Awareness
3. World Habitat Day (WHD, 2022)

1. India – World’s Largest Producer and Consumer of Sugar

Syllabus – GS 3, Agricultural Marketing.

Prelims – Sugar Sector in India.

Context – India emerges as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar. Also, India is the world’s second-largest exporter of sugar.

Details –

• In the sugar season 2021 – 22, a record of more than 5000 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) of sugar cane was produced in the country. Out of this, 35 LMT of sugar have been used for the production of ethanol and 359 LMT of sugar was produced by sugar mills. With this, India becomes the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar, and also the second largest exporter of sugar.
• India has surpassed Brazil in sugar production in the current sugar session 2021-22.
• The season has proven to be a watershed season for the Indian sugar industry. The season records the highest sugar exports of over 109 LMT which earned India a foreign currency of about Rs 40,000 cr. 
• The success of the Indian Sugar Sector is due to collective and collaborative efforts of Central & State Governments, sugar mills and farmers with a supportive overall ecosystem for business in the country.
• The use of ethanol as a biofuel has augmented the growth of the sugar sector in the country. The ethanol production capacity of molasses/sugar-based distilleries has increased tremendously and the progress is still continuing to meet the targets of 20% blending by 2025 under Ethanol Blending with Petrol (EBP) Programme. 

2. Quality Control of India (QCI)

Syllabus – GS 2, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors

Prelims – Quality Control of India (QCI).

Context – QCI launched a marquee campaign – Gunvatta Se Atmanirbharta; India’s Quality Movement.

About QCI –

• QCI was established as a National body for Accreditation on recommendations of the Export Mission of EU after consultation with the Inter-ministerial Task Force, a committee of Secretaries and Group of Ministries through a cabinet decision in 1996. Accordingly, QCI was set up in 1997 jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations-
  •  Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
  • Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM)
  • Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

• QCI has been established to create a mechanism for independent third-party assessment of products, services and processes. It plays a pivotal role at the national level in propagating, adoption and adherence to quality standards in all important spheres of activities including education, healthcare, environment protection, governance, social sectors, infrastructure sector and such other areas of organised activities that have significant bearing in improving the quality of life and wellbeing of the citizens of India.
• It has several accreditation boards and quality promotion board – National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health care Providers (NABH), National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET) and National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP).
• Mr Ratan.N.Tata was the first Chairperson of QCI (1997-99).

Know more about QCI in the link.

Details –

• To celebrate the journey of quality and excellence that India stands for, QCI has launched a marquee campaign–Gunvatta Se Atmanirbharta: India’s quality movement. The campaign aims to celebrate India’s quality hubs, create awareness about India’s landmark achievements and inform people about the many initiatives that India is embracing with an aim to enhance the quality of life of all our citizens.

3. Vishaal Kisan Sammelan

Syllabus – GS 3, Agriculture, Conservation of Environment.

Prelims – Vishaal Kisan Sammelan, NMCG, Arth Ganga.

Context – Vishaal Kisan Sammelan was organised by NMCG and Sahakar Bharati in Sonipat, Haryana.

Details –

• Vishaal Kisan Sammelan was organised as a part of the targeted campaign under the Namami Gange Programme and Arth Ganga to promote natural farming amongst the farmers in the Ganga Basin. 
• An MoU was signed between National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Sahakar Bharati in August 2022. It aims to realise the vision of sustainable and viable economic development through public participation, creation and strengthening of local cooperatives towards realising the mandate of Arth Ganga, which aims to link people with the river through a “bridge of economics”.

• The MoU includes the identification of 75 villages in five states on the main stem to be designated as “Sahakar Ganga Grams”, encouraging natural farming in the states along Ganga, generating more “net-income per drop” etc.

October 5th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here

Read the previous PIB articles here.