POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

Integrated Online junction for School Education ‘Shagun’

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

Context :

• The Union Human Resource Development Minister has launched one of the world's largest Integrated Online Junction for School Education ‘Shagun’.

Shagun :

• It is an online junction of different websites and portals into a single platform to enhance the accessibility of information relating to schools.

• It will ensure a holistic approach to transforming the education sector.

• It is an initiative to improve school education system by creating a junction for all online portals and websites relating to various activities of the Department of School Education and Literacy in the Government of India and all States and Union Territories.

• The term ‘Shagun’ is coined from two different words- ‘Shala’ meaning Schools and ‘Gunvatta’ meaning Quality.

• The portal seeks to provide a very robust feedback mechanism which will increase public participation and will ensure accountability and transparency.

• It also provides vital information relating to the availability of nearby schools, navigable distance vis-a-vis aerial distance between schools.

Integrated National School Education Treasury (INSET) :

• Union Human Resource Development Minister has also announced the setting up of the Integrated National School Education Treasury (INSET).

  • It will envisage a fully integrated, accessible and seamless information network for all parameters relating to the students, teachers, and schools in the country.

The main focus  :

• Reinforcing and cleaning the data of the Integrated Online Junction through feedback from Stakeholders.

• Ensuring full interoperability among the websites, portals and applications which are already hosted in the junction.

• Creating high-quality e-contents, including quizzes and puzzles to enhance learning and also for teachers in aiding classroom transactions.

• Using artificial intelligence and deep machine learning in a variety of ways to enhance the quality of school education including for designing evidence-based inventions.

                                                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB​ 

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Cabinet approves Signing of Agreement between India and Peru

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

Context :

• The Union Cabinet approves Signing of Agreement between India and Peru on Cooperation in the field of Medicinal Plants

Background :

• India is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity and more than 7000 species of plants are estimated to have medicinal usage in folk and documented systems of traditional medicines like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy (AYUSH System of Medicine).

• The Republic of Peru is one of the Latin American Countries which are the biodiversity hotspots in the world and like India, Peru is also having rich biodiversity of medicinal plants and the medicinal plants based traditional medicine practices are prominently practiced by indigenous people.

• Considering the richness of medicinal plants biodiversity and uses of these resources in Indigenous Traditional Systems of medicines in both countries and to strengthen the bilateral cooperation, the proposed Agreement on cooperation, in the field of medicinal plants is envisaged.

Major Impacts  :

• Considering the fact that both countries having rich medicinal plants biodiversity and medicinal plants based indigenous traditional system of medicines and recognizing the existing friendly and cooperative relations, the proposed Agreement will further enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the area of Medicinal Plants.

• This will be of immense importance to both countries. This Agreement will provide structured framework for cooperation between the two countries on Medicinal Plants.

                                                                                                                              Source :- PIB

Establishment of an International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

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

Context :

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval for the Establishment of an International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) :

• The CDRI is proposed to be launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, USA on 23rd September 2019.

• This will bring together the largest number of Heads of States to generate commitments for combating the effects of climate change and resulting disasters.

• It will provide the high-level visibility required for the CDRI.

Impact :

• The CDRI will serve as a platform where knowledge is generated and exchanged on different aspects of disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure.

• It will bring together technical expertise from a multitude of stakeholders.

• In doing so, it will create a mechanism to assist countries to upgrade their capacities and practices, with regard to infrastructure development in accordance with their risk context and economic needs.

• This initiative will benefit all sections of society.

  • Economically weaker sections of society, women and children, are the most vulnerable to the impacts of disasters and hence, will be benefitted from the improvement of knowledge and practice in creating disaster resilient infrastructure.

  • It will also benefit all areas with high disaster risk.

  • In India, the north-eastern and Himalayan regions are prone to earthquakes, coastal areas to cyclones and tsunamis and central peninsular region to droughts.

Background :

• A global coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure would address concerns that are common to developing and developed countries, small and large economies, countries at early and advanced stages of infrastructure development, and countries that have moderate or high disaster risk.

• The focus on disaster resilient infrastructure would simultaneously address the loss reduction targets under the Sendai Framework, address a number of SDGs and also contribute to climate change adaptation.

• Further, the publication of natural hazard risk information about the different regions in India will allow the public to understand the risk in their regions and demand for risk mitigation and preparedness measures from their local and state Governments.

                                                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB

ECONOMY

Review of FDI policy on various sectors

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Effects of liberalization on the economy; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors

Context :

• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for the review of Foreign Direct Investment in various sectors.

Revised FDI Policy :

• 100% FDI under automatic route is permitted for sale of coal, for coal mining activities including associated processing infrastructure.

• The government has allowed 100% FDI through the automatic route for contract manufacturing.

• It will augment the Make in India initiative and will attract global companies in India looking to establish alternative manufacturing hubs

• Easing local sourcing norms for FDI in Single Brand Retail Trading (SBRT)

  • Retail trading through online trade by SBRT, can also be undertaken prior to the opening of brick and mortar stores (it should be opened within 2 years from the date of start of online retail).

  • Online sales will lead to the creation of jobs in logistics, digital payments, customer care, training and product skilling.

• It has been decided to permit 26% FDI under government route for uploading/ streaming of News & Current Affairs through Digital Media, on the lines of print media.

• In India, FDI policy provisions have been progressively liberalized across various sectors in recent years to make India an attractive investment destination.
   

  • Some of the sectors include Defence, Construction Development, Trading, Pharmaceuticals, Power Exchanges, Insurance, Pension, Other Financial Services, Asset Reconstruction Companies, Broadcasting and Civil Aviation.

  • Due to these measures, a total FDI into India from 2014-15 to 2018-19 has been $ 286 billion.

  • Despite the dim global picture (UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2019), India continues to remain a preferred and attractive destination for global FDI flows.
     

    • India seeks to use this potential to attract far more foreign investment which can be achieved inter-alia by further liberalizing and simplifying the FDI policy regime.

Impact :

• The changes in FDI policy will result in making India a more attractive FDI destination, leading to benefits of increased investments, employment and growth.

• FDI now being permitted under automatic route in contract manufacturing will be a big boost to Manufacturing sector in India.

• The amendments to the FDI Policy are meant to liberalize and simplify the FDI policy to provide ease of doing business in the country, leading to larger FDI inflows and thereby contributing to growth of investment, income and employment.

                                                                                                                                                                Source :- PIB

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Star tortoise, otters get higher protection at CITES

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

• India’s proposal to upgrade the protection of star tortoises (Geochelone elegans), the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) and small-clawed otters (Anoyx cinereus) in CITES have been approved.

Benefits :

• These species have been listed under Appendix I of CITES and will now enjoy the highest degree of protection as there will be a complete international ban enforced on their trade.

                                                                                                                                                Source :- The Hindu

SECURITY

World’s First Ever Facial Bio-Metric Data Based Seafarer Identity Document

GS PAPER - 03 SECURITY - Basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.

Context :

• India has become the first country in the world to issue Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID), capturing the facial bio-metric data of seafarers.

Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID) :

• The BSID introduces modern security features. 

• It will have a biometric chip embedded in it.

• The card has two optical security features-

  • Micro prints/micro texts and

  • Unique Guilloche pattern.

• The security of the BSID card  is ensured at various levels and through different methods.

• A software has been developed for capturing the facial biometrics and its authentication through the public key infrastructure.

• A record of each Seafarer Identity Document (SID) issued will be maintained in a national database and its related information will be internationally accessible.

• The new document will give a foolproof identification to our seafarers which will facilitate their movement, provide ease of getting jobs and help in identifying them from any location in the world.

More in the news:

• The project has been launched by the Ministry of Shipping.

• The new card is in confirmation of the Convention No. 185 of the International Labour Organisation on BSID.

• India ratified the Convention in October 2015.

                                                                                                               Source :- PIB

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