Textile and Handicraft Policy

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

Government has been implementing various policy initiatives and programmes for development of textiles and handicrafts particularly for technology upgradation, infrastructure creation and skill development.

Schemes :

Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS)
PowerTex India Scheme
National handloom Development Programme
Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks
SAMARTH- scheme for capacity building in Textile Sector
Silk Samagra- integrated silk development scheme
North Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS)
National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP)
Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)

Source :- PIB

RPF launched “Operation Thirst”

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

Railway Protection Force(RPF) has launched a program called “Operation Thirst”.

Operation Thirst :

The program aims to stop selling of unauthorised Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) in railway premises.
During the operation,which was carried out on 8 and 9 July 2019 fines were imposed on those found guilty and many were arrested.
- The bottles were seized under section 144 and section 153 of Indian Railway Act.
Further,stalls on platforms were also found selling packaged drinking water bottles of brands which are not authorised by the Indian Railway.

Source :- PIB

India, Russia discuss space cooperation

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

India and Russia has held high-level talks to elevate bilateral cooperation to the next level in the field of space.

Gaganyaan :

Gaganyaan is India’s first Human Space Flight Programme to be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) by 2022.
The programme will make India the fourth nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission.So far,only the USA,Russia and China have launched human spaceflight missions

Source :- The Hindu

India again abstains at U.N. vote on LGBTQ Independent Expert, draws criticism

GS PAPER- 01 SOCIETY - Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

Context :

India maintained its past position on LGBTQ rights by abstaining from voting at the UN Human Rights Council on a resolution moved by Latin American states seeking to renew the mandate of independent expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI).

More about the Resolution :

The Resolution numbered L10 Rev 1 granted an extension of three years to the Independent Expert to carry on reporting on incidents of violence against the LGBTQ community all over the world.
The Resolution will help integrating the work of the crucial official into the larger body of global work by the United Nations.
The text of the resolution specifically asked the U.N. for providing financial support to the official in implementing the mandate.
The resolution received support from most of the member countries at the Human Rights Council but India, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameron, Congo, Hungary, Togo and Senegal abstained during the final voting.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Qatar, Somalia opposed the resolution.
India had also abstained during the 2016 vote on appointment of the Independent Expert.

Criticism :

The abstention of 2016 was before the landmark Supreme Court pronouncement on Section 377 and therefore India’s latest abstention which comes after the Supreme Court’s decision against 377 is disappointing.

Recent SC verdict :

In September 2018, the Supreme Court had decriminalised same-sex relationships in India by partially striking down the provisions of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Section 377 criminalised voluntary carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal.
Though the law did not explicitly mention LGBTQI community, the phrase “against the order of nature” came to be referred for same-sex sexual relations.

Source :- The Hindu

LaQshya: Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

Recently, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched “LaQshya” (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative) to improve the quality of care in the labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities.

Goal :

Reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity and stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in Labour room and Maternity OT and ensure respectful maternity care.

Objective :

To reduce maternal and newborn mortality & morbidity due to APH, PPH, retained placenta, preterm, preeclampsia & eclampsia, obstructed labour, puerperal sepsis, newborn asphyxia, and sepsis, etc.
To improve Quality of care during the delivery and immediate post-partum care, stabilization of complications and ensure timely referrals, and enable an effective two-way follow-up system.
To enhance satisfaction of beneficiaries visiting the health facilities and provide Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) to all pregnant women attending the public health facility.

Implementation :

The LaQshya program will be implemented by all Medical College Hospitals, District Hospitals and First Referral Unit (FRU), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) and will benefit every pregnant woman and new-born delivering in public health institutions.
Under the initiative, a multi-pronged strategy has been adopted such as improving infrastructure up-gradation, ensuring the availability of essential equipment, providing adequate human resources, capacity building of health care workers and improving quality processes in the labour room.
The Quality Improvement in the labour room and maternity OT will be assessed through NQAS (National Quality Assurance Standards).

Background :

India has come a long way in improving maternal survival as Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has reduced from 167 in 2011-13 to 130 in 2014-16, an impressive decline of 22% in the last few years.
India is further committed to ensuring safe motherhood to every pregnant woman in the country.

Source :- PIB

India to overtake Japan to become the 3rd largest economy in 2025

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Context :

A recent report has revealed that India will overtake the United Kingdom to become the world's fifth-biggest economy, and is poised to surpass Japan to be the third largest in 2025.

More in the news:

The key goal is to transform India from a $3 trillion economy in 2019 to a $5 trillion economy by 2025, lifting India into the ranks of the world's upper-middle-income countries.
India with Gross Domestic Product of $5.9 trillion in 2025, will become the world's third-largest economy (in terms of GDP) by surpassing Japanese GDP.
The size of the Indian consumer market is forecasted to increase from $1.9 trillion in 2019 to $3.6 trillion by 2025.
- As the size of India’s consumer market continues to grow at a rapid pace, India will also play an increasingly important role as one of the Asia-Pacific region's major economic growth engines.

Challenge :

India’s total population between 2015 and 2050 is projected at around 350 million people, creating significant fiscal challenges in terms of adequate physical infrastructures for delivering basic services like electricity, sanitation, affordable housing, and public transport.
India's population growth rate is also projected to slow rapidly over the next two decades, resulting in gradual ageing of the population, bringing additional fiscal challenges relating to healthcare, pensions and social welfare for senior citizens.
based on the India’s low ranking (163) in World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report (in contract enforcement), the Economic Survey highlights the importance of reforms in the legal system and recommends the hiring of additional judges to rapidly reduce the number of unfilled vacancies and clear long backlogs in the court system.

Source :- Livemint

Turkey Receives S-400 Missile System

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

Turkey’s Defense Ministry says the first shipment of a Russian missile defense system has arrived in Turkey
Turkey says the system is a strategic defence requirement, particularly to secure its southern borders with Syria and Iraq.
It says that when it made a deal with Russia for the S-400s, the U.S. and Europe had not presented a viable alternative

S - 400 Triumf :

S-400 Triumf is one of the world’s most advanced air defence systems that can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects — all kinds of aircraft, missiles and UAVs — in a radius of a few hundred kilometres and launch appropriate missiles to neutralise them.
The missile system integrates a multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control centre.
It can provide a layered defence as it is capable of firing three types of missiles.

Background :

The United States had warned Turkey it will face economic sanctions if it goes ahead with the purchase of a Russian missile defense system.
The US told the Turkish government that it cannot invest in both the Russian S-400 system and the ongoing F-35 fighter jet programme.
Under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), the US is mandated to impose sanctions on any country making an arms deal with Russia.
Turkey has been a key ally within NATO and long-standing US partner in the Middle East, the Black Sea area and in Southeast Europe.
NATO countries believe that the Russian missile system would be incompatible with existing defence infrastructure and could allow Russia to access secret F-35 information.

Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) :

The Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a United States federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
It includes sanctions against countries that engage in significant transactions with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors.
India could face US sanctions for purchasing high-value military defense items, in particular, state-of-the-art S-400 Triumf missile defense system, from Russia under the act.
India is set to receive its first delivery of the system in 2020.

Source :- The Hindu

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13th JULY 2019 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

Textile and Handicraft Policy

RPF launched “Operation Thirst”

India, Russia discuss space cooperation

India again abstains at U.N. vote on LGBTQ Independent Expert, draws criticism

LaQshya: Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative

India to overtake Japan to become the 3rd largest economy in 2025

Turkey Receives S-400 Missile System

Textile and Handicraft Policy

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

Government has been implementing various policy initiatives and programmes for development of textiles and handicrafts particularly for technology upgradation, infrastructure creation and skill development.

Schemes :

Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS)

PowerTex India Scheme

National handloom Development Programme

Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks

SAMARTH- scheme for capacity building in Textile Sector

Silk Samagra- integrated silk development scheme

North Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS)

National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP)

Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)

Source :- PIB

RPF launched “Operation Thirst”

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

Railway Protection Force(RPF) has launched a program called “Operation Thirst”.

Operation Thirst :

The program aims to stop selling of unauthorised Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) in railway premises.

During the operation,which was carried out on 8 and 9 July 2019 fines were imposed on those found guilty and many were arrested.

The bottles were seized under section 144 and section 153 of Indian Railway Act.

Further,stalls on platforms were also found selling packaged drinking water bottles of brands which are not authorised by the Indian Railway.

Source :- PIB

India, Russia discuss space cooperation

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

India and Russia has held high-level talks to elevate bilateral cooperation to the next level in the field of space.

More in the News:

Both sides will take a strategic approach to “elevate bilateral cooperation to the next level keeping in mind the privileged partnership and India’s priorities such as Make in India programme

Russia has also said that it would like to see India participate in the International Space Station(ISS) and offered its full support for this purpose.

Russia has promised all assistance for India’s human space flight mission Gaganyaan.

Gaganyaan :

Gaganyaan is India’s first Human Space Flight Programme to be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) by 2022.

The programme will make India the fourth nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission.So far,only the USA,Russia and China have launched human spaceflight missions

Source :- The Hindu

India again abstains at U.N. vote on LGBTQ Independent Expert, draws criticism

GS PAPER- 01 SOCIETY - Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

Context :

More about the Resolution :

The Resolution numbered L10 Rev 1 granted an extension of three years to the Independent Expert to carry on reporting on incidents of violence against the LGBTQ community all over the world.

The Resolution will help integrating the work of the crucial official into the larger body of global work by the United Nations.

The text of the resolution specifically asked the U.N. for providing financial support to the official in implementing the mandate.

The resolution received support from most of the member countries at the Human Rights Council but India, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameron, Congo, Hungary, Togo and Senegal abstained during the final voting.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Qatar, Somalia opposed the resolution.

India had also abstained during the 2016 vote on appointment of the Independent Expert.

Criticism :

The abstention of 2016 was before the landmark Supreme Court pronouncement on Section 377 and therefore India’s latest abstention which comes after the Supreme Court’s decision against 377 is disappointing.

Recent SC verdict :

In September 2018, the Supreme Court had decriminalised same-sex relationships in India by partially striking down the provisions of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Section 377 criminalised voluntary carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal.

Though the law did not explicitly mention LGBTQI community, the phrase “against the order of nature” came to be referred for same-sex sexual relations.

Source :- The Hindu

LaQshya: Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

Recently, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched “LaQshya” (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative) to improve the quality of care in the labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities.

Goal :

Reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity and stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in Labour room and Maternity OT and ensure respectful maternity care.

Objective :

To reduce maternal and newborn mortality & morbidity due to APH, PPH, retained placenta, preterm, preeclampsia & eclampsia, obstructed labour, puerperal sepsis, newborn asphyxia, and sepsis, etc.

To improve Quality of care during the delivery and immediate post-partum care, stabilization of complications and ensure timely referrals, and enable an effective two-way follow-up system.

To enhance satisfaction of beneficiaries visiting the health facilities and provide Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) to all pregnant women attending the public health facility.

Implementation :

The LaQshya program will be implemented by all Medical College Hospitals, District Hospitals and First Referral Unit (FRU), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) and will benefit every pregnant woman and new-born delivering in public health institutions.

Under the initiative, a multi-pronged strategy has been adopted such as improving infrastructure up-gradation, ensuring the availability of essential equipment, providing adequate human resources, capacity building of health care workers and improving quality processes in the labour room.

The Quality Improvement in the labour room and maternity OT will be assessed through NQAS (National Quality Assurance Standards).

Background :

India has come a long way in improving maternal survival as Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has reduced from 167 in 2011-13 to 130 in 2014-16, an impressive decline of 22% in the last few years.

India is further committed to ensuring safe motherhood to every pregnant woman in the country.

Source :- PIB

13^thJULY 2019 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS