UPSC PIB Summary Analysis Sept26

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam

Smart City Expo India 2018

• The Vice President of India was addressing the inaugural session of the Smart City Expo India 2018, in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Some important points from his speech:

• The creation of pedestrian non-motorized zones is the need of the hour curb traffic congestions.
• Governance at door step is the key objective of smart cities and he asked authorities to work towards digitization of city governance, services, certifications and approvals without unnecessary personal interface.
• Develop Smart Village at par with Smart Cities.
• Social development should be at the core of every project undertaken by Smart Cities.
• Vulnerabilities of the marginalized sections of the society must be kept in mind.

MoU between India and Uzbekistan

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the MoU between India and Uzbekistan:

1. On Mutual Cooperation in Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics, Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursors.

Benefits:

• The MoU will help in mutual cooperation in regulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and in combating drug trafficking.
• It is an effective framework to deal with all issues requiring mutual assistance and cooperation in the areas identified.
• The MoU will facilitate effective institutional interaction between both the Governments.
• The MoU, once in force, would help in curbing transnational narcotics trafficking.

2. On Cooperation in the Sphere of Law & Justice.

Benefits:

• The MoU takes care of concerns and requirements in the field of exchange of experience by legal professionals, Government functionaries and their training and effective legal aid mechanism for resolution.

3. For strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism.

Benefits:

• It will help in increasing foreign tourist arrivals from Uzbekistan to the country. This in turn will result in economic development and employment generation.
• The MoU shall create favourable conditions for long-term tourism cooperation for the mutual benefits of all stakeholders within the broader framework and areas of cooperation. 
• The MoU shall explore to incorporate the best practices in order to implement the measures that will realizes the objectives set out in it.

4. For establishment of the Uzbek-Indian Free Pharmaceutical Zone in the Andijan Region of Uzbekistan.

Benefits:

• The MoU will create an enabling framework of cooperation for setting up an Uzbek-Indian Free Pharmaceuticals Zone in Andijan region of Uzbekistan.
• It will also facilitate Indian pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies to invest in and establish production facilities in the Uzbek-Indian Free Pharma Zone of Andijan for manufacture of Pharmaceutical Products.

5. For cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.

Agreement consists:

• Exchange of information regarding laws, standards and product samples of mutual interest;
• Establishment of joint agriculture clusters in Uzbekistan;
• Exchange   of experience   in   the   field   of crop   production   and   their diversification;
• Exchange of experience in the field of seed production based on modern technology; exchange of information concerning certification of seed in accordance with the legislation of the States of the Parties; exchange of samples of seeds on beneficial terms.
• Application of technology for enhanced water use efficiency in agriculture and allied sectors, including irrigation;
• Conduct of joint scientific research on genetics, breeding, biotechnology, plant   protection,   soil   productivity  conservation,   mechanization,   water resources, and mutual application of scientific results;
• Development and extension of cooperation in the field of plant quarantine;
• Exchange of experience in the field of animal husbandry, including animal health, poultry, genomics, setting up of quarantine facilities;
• Exchange of information between research  institutes  in the fields of agriculture and food industry on scientific and practical activities (fairs, exhibitions, conferences, symposia)
• Cooperation in agricultural and food trade;
• Explore setting up of food processing joint ventures;
• Any other form of cooperation as mutually agreed between the Parties.

6. On cooperation in health and medical science

Agreement consists:

• Expanding opportunities for the development of business cooperation in the field of medical equipment, including equipment for teaching and research laboratories of institutions of medical education, and pharmaceutical products;
• Strengthening of primary health care and setting up of health care facilities;
• Medical and health research development, as well as exchange of experience in these areas;
• Exchange of experiences and technologies in the field of telemedicine and electronic-health information systems;
• Maternal and child health protection;
• Development and improvement of the techniques and strategies for epidemiological surveillance and communicable and non-communicable diseases control;
• Regulation of drugs and pharmaceutical products;
• Any other areas of cooperation of mutual interest.

MoU between NITI Aayog, and Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation (MEDRF)

Context:

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, and Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation (MEDRF) in the field of social, economic, industrial and regional development programs.

Objective:

• To explore the potential of cooperation in the framework of preparation and implementation of strategies and programs of social, economic, industrial and regional development. It provides a framework and enabling environment to understand each other’s strengths, market, technologies, policies, etc.

The MoU covers the following areas of cooperation:

• Conducting and execution of joint research projects related to issues of mutual interest;
• Exchange of information and research works related to issues of mutual interest   between   the two sides,   including   information   on   government strategies and development programs;
• Visits of relevant specialists of both sides for participation in joint events;
• Organization of seminars, conferences and other meetings on agreed agenda; and
• Other forms of cooperation as per mutual consent of the Sides.

National Digital Communications Policy-2018 

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the National Digital Communications Policy-2018 (NDCP-2018) and re-designation of the Telecom Commission as the “Digital Communications Commission”.

Impact:

• Supports India’s transition to a digitally empowered economy and society by fulfilling the information and communications needs of citizens and enterprises by establishment of a ubiquitous, resilient and affordable digital communications infrastructure and services. 
• The ‘Customer focused’ and ‘application driven’ NDCP-2018 shall lead to new ideas and innovations, after the launch of advanced technology such as 5G, IOT, M2M, etc. which shall govern the telecom sector of India.

Objectives:

• Broadband for all;
• Creating four million additional jobs in the Digital Communications sector;
• Enhancing the contribution of the Digital Communications sector to 8% of India’s GDP from ~ 6% in 2017;
• Propelling India to the Top 50 Nations in the ICT Development Index of ITU from 134 in 2017;
• Enhancing India’s contribution to Global Value Chains; and
• Ensuring Digital Sovereignty.

These objectives are to be achieved by 2022.

Features:

• Provide universal broadband connectivity at 50 Mbps to every citizen;
• Provide 1 Gbps connectivity to all Gram Panchayats by 2020 and 10 Gbps by 2022;
• Ensure connectivity to all uncovered areas;
• Attract investments of USD 100 billion in the Digital Communications Sector;
• Train one million manpower for building New Age Skill;
• Expand IoT ecosystem to 5 billion connected devices;
• Establish a comprehensive data protection regime for digital communications that safeguards the privacy, autonomy and choice of individuals
• Facilitate India’s effective participation in the global digital economy;
• Enforce accountability through appropriate institutional mechanisms to assure citizens of safe and
• Secure digital communications infrastructure and services.

Strategy:

• Establishment of a National Digital Grid by creating a National Fibre Authority;
• Establishing Common Service Ducts and utility corridors in all new city and highway road projects;
• Creating a collaborative institutional mechanism between Centre, States and Local Bodies for Common Rights of Way, standardization of costs and timelines;
• Removal of barriers to approvals; and
• Facilitating development of Open Access Next Generation Networks.

Agmark online system

• Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh launched the online software for Agmark.
• The application processes related to Agmark certification are being done online by the Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI). The process of application will be simple, quick, transparent and 24×7.
• The Agmark online system is being implemented across the country to conduct quality control functions.
• Through the Agmark online system, certificate of authorisation (domestic), permission of printing press, permission of laboratories (domestic) and services related to laboratory information management system will be provided online.
• In the new online application system, there are provisions for online receipt of fees from the applicants. 

Jan Dhan Darshak

• Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance and National Informatics Centre (NIC) has jointly developed a mobile app called Jan Dhan Darshak as a part of financial inclusion (FI) initiative.
• This app will act as a guide for the common people in locating a financial service touch point at a given location in the country.
• Jan Dhan Darshak app will be in a unique position to provide a citizen centric platform for locating financial service touch points across all providers such as banks, post office, CSC, etc. These services could be availed as per the needs and convenience of the common people.

Features of this app:

• Find nearby Financial touch points, based on current location (Branches/ATM/Post offices)
• Search by place name
• Search by place name also available with Voice Interface
• Phone number of bank branches available in app, with the facility of call button for integrated dialing
• Users’ feedback will go directly to the concerned bank for carrying out the necessary updation in data on financial touch points.

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