30 Sep 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Vande Bharat 2.0
2. 5G services to be launched in India
3. Bharatskills Forum

1. Vande Bharat 2.0

Syllabus: GS 3, Indian Economy.

Prelims: Vande Bharat express.

Mains: Indian Railways.

Context: Prime Minister flagged off the new Vande Bharat Express between Gandhinagar and Mumbai at Gandhinagar Station in Gujarat.

Details:

• A new and upgraded version of Vande Bharat Express was flagged off by the Prime Minister between Gandhinagar and Mumbai.
• Vande Bharat Express 2.0 between Gandhinagar and Mumbai will enhance the connectivity between the two business hubs of the country. It can be a game changer.
• It will enable business owners of the two cities to travel to and fro at a reasonable cost while availing of the facilities that are available on air travel. 
• The travel time of Vande Bharat Express 2.0 from Gandhinagar to Mumbai is estimated to be five and a half hours.
• Vande Bharat Express 2.0 is equipped with advanced safety features. It also includes an indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System – KAVACH.

For more information on Vande Bharat, read here: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis. Feb 6th, 2022

Features of Vande Bharat 2.0 express:

• It can reach the speed of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 52 seconds, and a maximum speed of 180 kilometres per hour. 
• The improved version of the Express weighs 392 tons in contrast to the earlier version which weighed 430 tons. 
• It will also provide a Wi-Fi content facility on-demand. 
• Moreover, each coach is equipped with 32” screens providing passenger information and infotainment (earlier version 24”). 
• The express is environmentally friendly as the ACs will be 15 percent more energy efficient. 
• The side recliner seat facility will be provided for all classes (it was provided only in the Executive class earlier). And the Executive Coaches will have the additional feature of 180-degree rotating seats.
• A photo-catalytic ultraviolet air purification system is installed in the Roof-Mounted Package Unit (RMPU) in the Vande Bharat Express for air purification. Apart from filtering and cleaning the air, it will make the air free from germs, bacteria, viruses, etc.

2. 5G services to be launched in India

Syllabus: GS 3, Science and Technology

Prelims: 5G Technology.

Mains: 5G services in India.

Context: Prime Minister to launch 5G Services in India at the 6th India Mobile Congress 2022.

Details:

• The Prime Minister of India is set to launch 5G Services in India on October 01, 2022. It will be launched with the inauguration of the 6th Edition of India Mobile Congress 2022 (IMC-2022).
• The 5G will be first launched in a few cities and then will gradually cover entire India over the next couple of years.
• 5G technology will unleash a plethora of economic opportunities apart from the societal benefits. It will be a transformational force in society. It will help India to overcome the traditional barriers to development and will spur innovations thereby advancing the ‘Digital India’ vision. 
• It is observed that the cumulative economic impact of 5G on the economy of India will be approximately $450 Billion by 2035.
• The launch of 5G is in the backdrop of years of intense preparation which includes:
  • The auction of the 5G spectrum.
  • Department of Telecommunication (DoT) amended the Right of Way (RoW) Rules 2016 in August 2022.
  • DoT established the 5G Testbed in collaboration with IISc Bengaluru, IITs, and SAMEER to develop technology in 2018. 
  • A 5G Hackathon was also conducted in 2020 to trigger innovation and boost the prototyping of 5G products. 
  • Moreover, an inter-ministerial committee on 5G use cases has also been set up in 2021 to enable 5G use-case labs. 
  • Various consultations were also conducted from time to time with the industry to enable the 5G ecosystem in India. 

Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022:

• It is a leading digital event in Asia. The sixth edition of IMC will be held in New Delhi.
• The theme of the IMC-2022 is ‘Encapsulate, Engage and Experience a New Digital Universe’.
• The main aim of IMC is to promote new technologies, especially indigenous technology, and let the citizens of India experience 5G. 
• The other objectives are:
  • Promotion of local manufacturing
  • Fostering international and regional cooperation
  • Inspiring inclusive and sustainable development
  • Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Boosting foreign and local investments

3. Bharatskills Forum

Syllabus: GS 3, Indian Economy

Prelims: Bharatskills Forum.

Mains: Skill Development, Government policies, and interventions.

Context: Directorate General of Training (DGT) launches Bharatskills Forum.

Details:

• A new feature known as the Bharatskills Forum has been included in the Bharatskills learning platform. 
• It will allow sharing of notes, books, videos, question banks, etc., and other skill-related content for learners. 
• This feature will function like a digital warehouse that will skill the community by allowing sharing of contents through handwritten notes, scanned copies, PDFs, or recorded videos in various languages. 
• The Directorate General of Training (DGT) in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is the apex organization for development and coordination at the national level of vocational training programmes/policies. 

BharatSkills:

• It is an online learning platform that was launched in 2019.
• It is a Central Digital Repository for the trainees and trainers of the ITI ecosystem, that provides easy access to the updated syllabi, Question Banks, e-books and content, mock/practice papers, videos, etc.
• Bharatskills platform presents a centralized, scalable, and thriving support ecosystem for students and teachers, through industrial partners. 
• It will provide a new learning experience and skills that can meet the present-day demands of the Industry. It will also leverage Industrial Revolution 4.0.

For more information on the Fourth Industrial revolution, read here: Fourth Industrial Revolution; RTSV – In Depth

Read previous PIB here.

September 30th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here