12 September 2019: PIB Summary & Analysis

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September 12th, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

Military Exercise Maitree – 2019

Context

Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 between India and Thailand will be conducted at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya)

About the exercise

• Exercise MAITREE is an annual training event which is being conducted alternatively in Thailand and India since 2006.
• Notably, in the series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries, Exercise MAITREE with Thailand is significant in terms of the security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of changing facets of global terrorism.
• The scope of this exercise covers company level joint training on counter-terrorism operations in jungle and urban scenario.
• The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army (IA) and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) which in turn will further foster defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations.

Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

Context

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has extended the last date of receipt of applications for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar – 2020.

About the award

• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar instituted by WCD Ministry to felicitate meritorious children, individuals and institutions of the country is given under two categories i.e., Bal Shakti Puraskar and Bal Kalyan Puraskar.
• The Bal Shakti Puraskar aims to give recognition to children who have made extraordinary achievements in various fields including innovation, scholastic, sports, art and culture, social service and bravery.
• the Bal Kalyan Puraskar is given as recognition to individuals and institutions, who have made an outstanding contribution towards service for children in the field of child development, child protection and child welfare.

India joins the Global AMR R&D

Context

• India has joined the Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and Development (R&D) Hub as a new member.

About Global AMR R&D

• The Global AMR R&D Hub was launched in May 2018 in the margins of the 71st session of the World Health Assembly, following a call from G20 Leaders in 2017.
• The Global AMR R&D Hub supports global priority setting and evidence-based decision-making on the allocation of resources for AMR R&D through the identification of gaps, overlaps and potential for cross-sectoral collaboration and leveraging in AMR R&D.
• The operation of the Global AMR R&D Hub is supported through a Secretariat, established in Berlin and currently financed through grants from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).

Significance of joining Global AMR R&D

• By partnering with the Global AMR R&D Hub, India looks forward to working with all partners to leverage their existing capabilities, resources and collectively focus on new R&D intervention to address drug-resistant infections
• AMR is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication that once could successfully treat the microbe.
• Today, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance continue unabated around the world.
• Given the important and interdependent human, animal, and environmental dimensions of antimicrobial resistance, India considers it reasonable to explore issues of antimicrobial resistance.

National Pension Scheme

Context

• The Prime Minister of India launched at Ranchi, the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons, a pension scheme for the Vyaparis (shopkeepers/retail traders and self-employed persons) with annual turnover not exceeding Rs 1.5 crore.

About the scheme

• Government has approved National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons in acknowledgement of notable contribution of Vyaparis (shopkeepers/ retail traders and self-employed persons).
• It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for entry age of 18 to 40 years with a provision for minimum assured pension of Rs 3,000/- monthly on attaining the age of 60 years.
• The beneficiary should not be income taxpayer and also not a member of EPFO/ESIC/NPS (Govt.)/PM-SYM.
• The Central Government shall give 50 % share of the monthly contribution and the remaining 50% contribution shall be made by the beneficiary.
• The monthly contribution is kept low to make it affordable. For example, a beneficiary is required to contribute as little as Rs.100/- per month at a median entry age of 29 years.

Visit of Indian Naval Ships to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Context

• As part of Indian Navy’s Overseas Deployment to South East Asia and Western Pacific, Indian Navy ships Sahyadri and Kiltan made a port call at Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Significance of the visit

• The two ships are equipped with a versatile array of weapons and sensors, can carry multi-role helicopters and represent the ‘coming of age’ of India’s warship building capabilities.
• During the port call, the Indian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy would be participating in the bilateral exercise Samudra Laksamana.
• The exercise would include a harbour phase wherein professional interactions, official calls, social engagements, visits by the local populace and various sports events would be conducted.
• The Sea Phase of the exercise would enable the two navies to further hone their skills in order to enhance interoperability between the navies to ensure peaceful and secure seas for all.

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September 12th, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

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