Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- [pib] Development without Felling/Cutting of Trees

National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC)

1. It is a Navratna organization under category I, is a Central Public Sector undertaking which trades publicly in the market and is largely owned by Government of India.
2. It engages in the Real Estate Development & Construction business and also provides Project Management Consultancy.
3. NBCC has also undertaken overseas projects in countries like Iraq, Libya, Nepal, Mauritius, Turkey, Botswana, Republic of Maldives, Republic of Yemen et al.
4. NBCC is also designated as the implementing agency for executing projects under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), Solid Waste Management (SWM) and developmental work in North Eastern Region.

B2B #2: From news- Centre proposes new body to replace UGC

UGC (University Grants Commission)

1. The University Grants Commission of India (UGC India) is a statutory body set up by the Indian Union government in accordance to the UGC Act 1956 under Ministry of Human Resource Development.
2. The UGC has two primary responsibilities:

• providing funds to educational institutions; and
• coordinating, determining and maintaining standards in institutions of higher education.

Its main functions are:

• promoting and coordinating education in universities,
• determining and maintaining standards for teaching, examination and research in universities,
• framing regulations on minimum standards for education,
• disbursing grants to universities and colleges,
• liaising between the CG, State governments and higher educational institutions, and
• advising the CG and State governments on possible policy measures to improve higher education in India.

B2B #3: From news- [pib] Additional 6.5MMT Strategic Petroleum Reserves at Chandikhol in Odisha and at Padur, Karnataka

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme

1. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve (ISPR) is an emergency fuel store.
2. Strategic crude oil storages are at 3 underground locations in Mangalore, Visakhapatnam and Padur (near Udupi).
3. All these are located on the east and west coasts of India which are readily accessible to the refineries.
4. These strategic storages are in addition to the existing storages of crude oil and petroleum products with the oil companies and serve in response to external supply disruptions.
5. FM Arun Jaitley in his 2017-18 budget speech has announced that two more such caverns will be set up Chandikhole in Jajpur district of Odisha and Bikaner in Rajasthan as part of the second phase.

B2B #4: From news- [op-ed snap] Ujjwala Revolution

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

1. PMUY is a welfare scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to provide LPG connections to families below the poverty line, guided by the strong commitment to bring about changes in the life of poor women and also protect their health
2. Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) is used to identify the beneficiaries (adult woman of a BPL family) and is given a deposit free LPG connection with a financial assistance of Rs.1600 per connection by the centre
3. This scheme will help prevent pollution and facilitate the healthy atmosphere in the families of poor people.

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : Beijing declaration

Brief Intro : The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) is an international declaration of women’s rights set up at the UN’s landmark Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. The BPfA covers 12 key critical matters of concern and areas for action including women and poverty, violence against women and access to power and decision- making. It was supported by 189 countries, including the UK, at the 1995 World Conference.

Objective : Gender equality and the empowerment of all women, everywhere.

Type : Declaration

Category : Social

Year : 1995

Importance (wr. Prelims) : Medium

Place : Beijing

Key Terms/ Institutions spinoffs : It was the outcome of The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace convened by UN