Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Optical fibre cables and their working, AandN Islands
Mains level: Digital India outreach in AandN Islands
PM has launched the submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) connecting Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the mainland.
Try this PYQ:
Q. Consider the following statements regarding optical fibres:
- A layer called the cladding, which has a refractive index more than that of the core, surrounds the core of the optical fibre.
- Light is propagated in an optical fibre by refraction and internal reflection.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?(CSP 2010)
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
What is a submarine communications cable?
- A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the seabed between land-based stations to transmit telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean and sea.
- The optical fibre elements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable will be deployed.
- Compared to satellites, using internet connection through submarine cables is more reliable, cost-efficient and of large capacity.
About the project
- About 2,300 km of submarine optical fibre cable (OFC) has been laid at a cost of about Rs 1,224 crore to provide better connectivity in the UT.
- The project envisages better connectivity from Chennai to Port Blair and seven other Islands — Swaraj Deep (Havelock), Long Island, Rangat, Hutbay (Little Andaman), Kamorta, Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay (Great Nicobar).
- The project is funded by the government through the Universal Service Obligation Fund under the ministry of communications.
- The foundation stone for the project was laid by PM Modi in December 2018 at Port Blair.
Expected outcomes
- The OFC will enable the delivery of faster and more reliable mobile and landline telecom services to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, at par with other parts of India.
- The submarine optical fibre cable link will deliver bandwidth of 2 x 200 Gigabits per second (Gbps) between Chennai and Port Blair, and 2 x 100 Gbps between Port Blair and the other islands.
- 4G mobile services, which were constrained due to limited backhaul bandwidth provided via satellite, will also see a major boost.
Benefits of the project
- Better connectivity in the region will facilitate the delivery of e-governance services such as telemedicine and tele-education.
- E-commerce: Small enterprises will benefit from opportunities in e-commerce, while educational institutions will utilise the enhanced availability of bandwidth for e-learning and knowledge sharing.
- Business Process Outsourcing services and other medium and large enterprises too also benefit from better connectivity.
- Low cost internet:The internet bills in Andaman and Nicobar will also come down substantially.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Geothermal springs
Mains level: Not Much
The Himalayas, which hosts about 600 geothermal springs needs to be considered while estimating emissions to the carbon cycle and thereby to global warming says, Indian researchers.
Note the following hot springs in India:
1) Panamik in Nubra valley
2) Kheer Ganga in Kullu, Himachal
3) Manikaran Sahib, Himachal
4) Tattapani, Chhattisgarh
5) Gaurikund, Uttarakhand
6) Yumthang, Sikkim
7) Reshi, Sikkim
Geothermal springs
- Geothermal or Hot springs are heated by shallow intrusions of magma (molten rock) in volcanic areas. Some thermal springs, however, are not related to volcanic activity.
- The water is heated by convective circulation: groundwater percolates downward & reaches depths of a kilometre or more where the temperature of rocks is high because of the normal temperature gradient of the Earth’s crust.
Why consider the Himalayas?
- The Himalayan geothermal springs which cover about 10,000 square km in the Garhwal region of Himalaya show a significant discharge of CO2 rich water.
- The estimated carbon dioxide degassing (removal of dissolved gases from liquids, especially water or aqueous solutions) flux is nearly 7.2 ×106 mol/year to the atmosphere.
- Such CO2 degassing should be taken into account to assess global carbon outflux in the earth’s atmosphere.
Where does this CO2 come from?
- Carbon outflux from Earth’s interior to the exosphere through volcanic eruptions, fault zones, and geothermal systems contribute to the global carbon cycle that effects short and long term climate of the Earth.
- The CO2 in the thermal springs are sourced from metamorphic decarbonation of carbonate rocks present deep in the Himalayan core along with magmatism and oxidation of graphite.
- Most of the geothermal water is dominated by evaporation followed by weathering of silicate rocks.
- Isotopic analyses further point towards a meteoric source for geothermal water.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: E-Sanjeevani
Mains level: Telemedicine and its effectiveness
1.5 lakh teleconsultations were recently completed on the “eSanjeevani” and “eSanjeevani OPD” tele-medicine.
Why Telemedicine?
Telemedicine can increase the efficiency of care delivery, reduce expenses of caring for patients or transporting to another location, and can even keep patients out of the hospital.
E-Sanjeevani Platform
- E-Sanjeevani is a platform-independent, browser-based application facilitating both doctor-to-doctor and patient-to-doctor tele-consultations.
- It provides the ease of accessing the health records at the comforts of one’s home.
- The application is based on invite-system which restricts it to the actual beneficiaries of the application.
- It has a user-friendly interface which facilitates both tech-savvy and novice doctors/users in the rural and urban environment to access the application.
- This eSanjeevani platform has enabled two types of telemedicine services viz. Doctor-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani) and Patient-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani OPD) Tele-consultations.
- The former is being implemented under the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWCs) programme.
Services included:
The telemedicine platform hosts speciality OPDs which include:
- Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Dermatology, ENT, Ophthalmology, antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the AIDS/HIV patients, Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) etc
With inputs from:
https://www.cdac.in/index.aspx?id=hi_pr_eSanjeevani
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Kisan Rail
Mains level: Doubling farmers income by 2022
Indian Railways introduced the first “Kisan Rail” from Devlali (Maharashtra) to Danapur (Bihar).
Try this question for mains:
Q.Discuss the role of agricultural marketing and logistics for doubling farmer’s income by 2022.
Kisan Rail
- From Maharashtra’s Devlali to Bihar’s Danapur, the train will cover the journey of 1,519 kilometres in over 31 hours.
- It will take stops at Nasik Road, Manmad, Jalgaon, Bhusaval, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Itarsi, Jabalpur, Satna, Katni, Manikpur, Prayagraj Chheoki, Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar and Buxar.
- This train will help in bringing perishable agricultural products like vegetables, fruits to the market in a short period of time.
- The train with frozen containers is expected to build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables, inclusive of fish, meat and milk.
- It is a step towards realizing the goal of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022.
Other facts
- Indian Railways have earlier run single commodity special trains like Banana Specials etc.
- But this will be the first-ever multi-commodity trains and will carry fruits like Pomegranate, Banana, Grapes etc and vegetables like Capsicum, Cauliflower, Drumsticks, Cabbage, Onion, Chilies etc.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NCDC and its formation
Mains level: Not Much
Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has launched the Sahakar Cooptube NCDC Channel, a new initiative by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
Note: Article 19 states that the Right to form co-operative societies is a Fundamental Right and DPSP Article 43-B provides for the promotion of co-operative societies.
Sahakar Cooptube
- The Sahakar Cooptube Channel aims to facilitate the involvement of the youth in the cooperative movement.
- Cooperatives lend strength to farmers to minimize risks in agriculture and allied sectors and act as a shield against exploitation.
- The channel will give a boost to Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan under which the government has announced a series of transformative measures and sector-specific financial packages to help agriculture.
- The initiatives are steps towards One Nation One Market with the objective for India to become a food factory of the world.
Back2Basics: NCDC
- The NCDC is a statutory Corporation set up under an Act of Parliament on 13 March 1963.
- The objectives of NCDC are:
planning and promoting programmes for production, processing, marketing, storage, export and import of agricultural produce, foodstuffs, industrial goods, livestock and certain other notified commodities and services on cooperative principles and for matters concerned therewith or incidental thereto
- NCDC Act has been further amended which will broad-base the area of operation of the Corporation to assist different types of cooperatives and to expand its financial base.
- NCDC will now be able to finance projects in the rural industrial cooperative sectors and for certain notified services in rural areas like water conservation, irrigation and micro-irrigation, agri-insurance, agro-credit, rural sanitation, animal health, etc.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Swadesh Darshan Scheme
Mains level: Various initiaitves tourism promotion
Union Minister for Culture & Tourism has inaugurated the “Thenzawl Golf Resort” Project at Aizawl, Mizoram.
Try this question for mains:
Q. Swadesh Darshan Scheme is one of the most ambitious schemes to transform the tourism industry in India. Comment.
Thenzawl Golf Resort Project
- The Project is sanctioned under the Integrated Development of New Eco-Tourism under Swadesh Darshan- North East Circuit.
- It is designed by Graham Cooke and Associates, one of top-ranked Canada based Golf Course architectural firm.
- It is designed to have facilities of international standards.
- The competitive advantage of Thenzawl Golf Course is that it will provide quality golfing experience and international facilities at a fair price.
Back2Basics: Swadesh Darshan Scheme
- Swadesh Darshan Scheme is one of the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Tourism, for development of thematic circuits in the country in a planned and prioritized manner.
- The scheme was launched in 2014 -15 as a Central Sector Scheme.
- It aims for integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits in the country.
- Under the scheme, the identified thematic circuits for development are: North-East Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Sufi Circuit, and Tirthankara Circuit.
- “Development of North East Circuit: Imphal & Khongjom” is the first project implemented under the Scheme.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NTPS
Mains level: Regulation of forest produce in India
Environment Minister has launched piloting of the National Transit Pass System for seamless movement of forest produce.
Try this MCQ:
Q.The National Transit Pass System (NTPS) recently seen in news is related to:
(a) Transport of Forest Produces
(b) Transport through National Waterways
(c) Inter-state transport during restrictions
(d) None of these
About National Transit Pass System
- The NTPS is an online system for issuing transit permits for timber, bamboo and other forest produce.
- This system helps in monitoring and keeping records of transit permits for inter-state and intra-state transportation of timber and bamboo from private lands/government/private depot and other minor forest produce.
- E-pass will be issued for transit through the desktop-based web portal as well as a mobile application.
- It will bring ease of business and expedite the issuance of transit permits for timber, bamboo and other minor forest produce without physically going to forest offices.
- It will be functional in Madhya Pradesh and Telangana for now on a pilot basis.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: eVIN
Mains level: Vaccination programme in India
The eVIN has reached 32 States and Union Territories (UTs) and will soon be rolled out in the remaining States and UTs of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Ladakh and Sikkim.
Try this question from CSP 2016:
Q.‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of India pertains to:
(a) Immunization of children and pregnant women
(b) Construction of smart cities across the country
(c) India’s own search for the Earth-like planets in outer space
(d) New Educational Policy
About eVIN
- The eVIN is an innovative technological solution aimed at strengthening immunization supply chain systems across the country.
- This is being implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- It aims to provide real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in the country.
- This system has been used during the COVID pandemic for ensuring the continuation of the essential immunization services and protecting our children and pregnant mothers against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Components of eVIN
- eVIN combines state-of-the-art technology, a strong IT infrastructure and trained human resource to enable real-time monitoring of stock and storage temperature of the vaccines kept in multiple locations across the country.
- At present, 23,507 cold chain points across 585 districts of 22 States and 2 UTs routinely use the eVIN technology for efficient vaccine logistics management.
Benefits of eVIN
- It has helped create a big data architecture that generates actionable analytics encouraging data-driven decision-making and consumption-based planning.
- It helps in maintaining optimum stocks of vaccines leading to cost savings. Vaccine availability at all times has increased to 99% in most health centres in India.
- While instances of stock-outs have reduced by 80%, the time taken to replenish stocks has also decreased by more than half, on an average.
- This has ensured that every child who reaches the immunization session site is immunized, and not turned back due to unavailability of vaccines.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Bharat Air Fibre Services
Mains level: Digital India
The Union Ministry of Communications has inaugurated “Bharat Air Fibre Services” at Akola in Maharashtra.
Try this PYQ from CSP 2018:
Q: Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” plan of the Government of India?
- Formation of India’s own Internet companies like china did.
- Established a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect big data to build their large data centers within our national geographical boundaries.
- Connect many of our villages to the internet and bring WiFi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centers.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Bharat Air Fibre Services
- The Bharat Air Fibre services are introduced by BSNL as part of Digital India initiates by the GoI.
- It aims to provide Wireless Connectivity in the range of 20 KMs from the BSNL Locations.
- It provides internet connectivity upto 100 Mbps speed.
- It is completely wireless and offers broadband up to 10Mbps up to a distance of 5 Kms.
- These services are special and different from other operators as BSNL is providing unlimited free voice calling.
- Customers at remote places also will be benefitted as BSNL comes with the cheapest services with the support of Telecom Infrastructure Partners (TIPs).
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Finance Commission
Mains level: Finance Commission, Its evolving role in fiscal federalism
The High-Level Group on Agricultural Exports set up by the Fifteenth Finance Commission has submitted its report to the Commission.
Try this PYQ from CSP 2019
Q.In India, which of the following reviews the independent regulators in sectors like telecommunications, insurance, electricity, etc.?
- Ad Hoc Committees set up by the Parliament
- Parliamentary Department Related Standing Committees
- Finance Commission
- Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission
- NITI Aayog
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 3, 4 and 5
(d) 2 and 5
Why focus on Agri-exports?
- India’s agricultural export has the potential to grow from USD 40 billion to USD 70 billion in a few years.
- The estimated investment in agricultural export could be in the tune to USD 8-10 billion across inputs, infrastructure, and processing and demand enablers.
- Additional exports are likely to create an estimated 7-10 million jobs.
- It will lead to higher farm productivity and farmer income.
Highlights of the report
(A) The HLEG has made its recommendations, major among which are:
- Focus on 22 crop value chains – demand-driven approach.
- Solve Value Chain Clusters (VCC) holistically with a focus on value addition.
- Create a State-led export plan with participation from stakeholders.
- Private Sector should play an anchor role.
- The centre should be an enabler.
- The robust institutional mechanism to fund and support implementation.
(B) State-led Agri Exports
The Group has recommended a State-led Export Plan – a business plan for a crop value chain cluster. It will lay out the opportunity, initiatives and investment required to meet the desired value chain export aspiration.
The Group has also said that for its success, the following factors needed to be considered:-
- Plans should be collaboratively prepared with private sector players and Commodity Boards.
- Leveraging of state plan guide and value chain deep dives.
- The private sector should play an anchor role in driving outcomes and execution.
- The centre should enable state-led plans.
- Institutional governance should be promoted across the state and centre.
- Funding through the convergence of existing schemes, Finance Commission allocation and private sector investment.
Back2Basics: Finance Commission (FC)
- The FC is a constitutionally mandated body that decides, among other things, the sharing of taxes between the Centre and the states.
- Article 280 (1) requires the President to constitute, “within two years from the commencement of this Constitution.
- And thereafter constitute FC at the expiration of every fifth year or at such earlier time as the President considers necessary.
- An FC “which shall consist of a Chairman and four other members”.
Divisible Pool of Taxes
- Under Article 280(3) (a) the FC must make recommendations to the President “as the distribution between the Union and the States of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or maybe, divided between them under this Chapter and the allocation between the States of the respective shares of such proceeds”.
- Accordingly, the FC determines a formula for tax-sharing between the states, which is a weighted sum of the states’ population, area, forest cover, tax capacity, tax effort and demographic performance, with the weights expressed in percentages.
- This crucial role of the Commission makes it instrumental in the implementation of fiscal federalism.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: National Education Policy
Mains level: Need for imbibing competitiveness in Indian education system
The Union Cabinet has approved the National Education Policy 2020, making way for large scale, transformational reforms in both school and higher education sectors.
Practice question for mains:
Q.What are the key features of the National Education Policy, 2020? Discuss how it will facilitate the universalization of education in India.
School Education 
- New Policy aims for universalization of education from pre-school to secondary level with 100 % Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
- NEP 2020 will bring 2 crores out of school children back into the mainstream through the open schooling system.
- The current 10+2 system to be replaced by a new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.
- This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under the school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for the development of mental faculties of a child.
- The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre-schooling.
- Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, no rigid separation between academic streams, extracurricular, vocational streams in schools; Vocational Education to start from Class 6 with Internships
- Teaching up to at least Grade 5 to be in mother tongue/ regional language. No language will be imposed on any student.
- Assessment reforms with 360-degree Holistic Progress Card, tracking Student Progress for achieving Learning Outcomes
- A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with NCERT.
- By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree.
Higher Education
- Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education to be raised to 50 % by 2035; 3.5 crore seats to be added in higher education.
- The policy envisages broad-based, multi-disciplinary, holistic Under Graduate Program with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entries and exit points with appropriate certification.
- Academic Bank of Credits to be established to facilitate Transfer of Credits
- Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, to be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.
- The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.
- Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. HECI to have four independent verticals – National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, General Education Council (GEC ) for standard-setting, Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding, and National Accreditation Council( NAC) for accreditation.
- Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.
- Affiliation of colleges is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges.
- Over a period of time, it is envisaged that every college would develop into either an Autonomous degree-granting College or a constituent college of a university.
Others
- An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
- NEP 2020 emphasizes setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund, Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups
- New Policy promotes Multilingualism in both schools and higher education. National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation to be set up
- The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in the Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: AIM-iCREST
Mains level: Innovation ecosystem in India
NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), has launched AIM iCREST – an Incubator Capabilities enhancement program for a Robust Ecosystem, focused on creating high performing Startups.
Note the following things about AIM-iCREST
1) Meaning of the acronym as it gives the central idea of the initiative
2) Aims and objective
3) Technological partners
AIM-iCREST
- AIM iCREST, as the name suggests, has been designed to enable the incubation ecosystem and act as a growth hack for AIM’s Atal and Established incubators across the country.
- Under the initiative, the AIM’s incubators are set to be upscaled and provided requisite support to foster the incubation enterprise economy that will help them to significantly enhance their performance.
- This will be complemented by providing training to entrepreneurs, through technology-driven processes and platforms.
- The program aims at going beyond incubator capacity building. This is a first of its kind initiative for advancing innovation at scale in India.
Various partners
- AIM has joined hands with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wadhwani Foundation – organizations that can lend credible support and expertise in the entrepreneurship and innovation space.
- These partnerships will provide global expertise and showcase proven best practices to the AIM’s incubator network.
An initiative for incubators
- India needs world-class incubators fostering world-class startups leveraging the tremendous innovation talent of our country.
- For the first time in the Government, the Incubator capacity development program is being extended to the entire portfolio of supported Atal incubators.
- This programme is unique also in its design – it is a combination of interactive practices in the field of incubation; enabling the incubators to support sustainable and successful startups.
Back2Basics: Atal Innovation Mission
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India
- AIM has been established to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in a holistic manner through various initiatives at school, university and industry levels
- The Atal Innovation Mission has thus two core functions:
- Innovation promotion: to provide a platform where innovative ideas are generated.
- Entrepreneurship promotion: Wherein innovators would be supported and mentored to become successful entrepreneurs at Incubation Centres.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Underthrusting, TTSZ
Mains level: Himalayan Orogeny
Earthquake prone zones in India:
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: KRCNet
Mains level: Not Much
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has planned to develop a World-Class Knowledge Resource Centre Network (KRCNet).
Note the salient features of the KRCNet. UPSC may puzzle you asking which of these is/are not a feature of KRCNet.
KRCNet Portal
- KRCs will be connected with each other and integrated into the KRCNet portal.
- It will be a single point entry to the intellectual world of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
- The resources and services of the MoES system will be accessible 24X7 through a one-point dynamic, updated and integrated on this portal.
Salient features of the KRCNet:
- Establish a Total Quality Management (TQM) system by securing ISO certification for documenting MoES knowledge resources, its maintenance, easy retrieval and dissemination.
- Collect, collate, analyze, index, store and disseminate the intellectual resources, products and project outputs available in MoES headquarter and its institutes.
- Develop and maintain an up-to-date meta-data of the print & digital resources available in MoES headquarter and MoES institutes, including MoES services.
- Provide 24X7 accesses to the subscribed knowledge contents through the KRCNet portal.
- Application of information-analytical tools & techniques like bibliometrics, scientometrics, big-data analytics, social media analytics etc., for policy formulation, report preparation and information dissemination.
- Periodically organize training workshops to popularize the usage of electronic journals, databases, digital products, data analytics etc.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: SWAMIH Fund
Mains level: Housing for all
Union Minister for Finance has informed that so far Rs 8767 crore has been approved for 81 projects under Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment Fund I.
Try this MCQ:
Q.The SWAMIH Fund recently seen in news is related to:
(a) Higher Education (b) MSMEs (c) Housing (d) Highways
SWAMIH Fund
- In November 2019, the Finance Minister had cleared a proposal to set up a ‘Special Window’ called SWAMIH in to provide priority debt financing for the completion of stalled housing projects.
- SWAMIH Investment Fund has been formed to complete the construction of stalled, brownfield, RERA registered residential developments that are in the affordable housing / mid-income category.
- The Sponsor of the Fund is the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Government of India on behalf of the Government of India.
- The fund is set up as a Category-II AIF (Alternate Investment Fund) debt fund registered with SEBI and would be professionally run.
Why need such funds?
- Several real estate projects have suffered due to a combined effect of two changes in the real estate sector.
- On one hand, incremental launches and slow sales have increased unsold inventory in each project.
- While the effect has then got compounded by the fact that consumer preference is now towards completed projects rather than under-construction projects.
- This preference has developed as consumers are largely avoiding taking project completion risk and instead are more inclined to completed projects.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: IndSAT
Mains level: Study in India Program
The Ministry of HRD conducted the first-ever Indian Scholastic Assessment (IND-SAT) Test 2020 under its ‘Study in India’ programme.
Try this MCQ:
Q.The INDSAT recently seen in news is a:
a) Free-to-air educational TV channels for school education
b) A satellite for educational purposes
c) IMD weather forecasting system
d) Online examination for foreign students in India
INDSAT Exam
- The Indian Scholastic Assessment or IND-SAT is a standardized online proctored test for students seeking scholarships with Study in India (SII).
- This exam is to gauge the capability and tenacity of students applying to study in India.
- The scores will serve as a criterion to shortlist the meritorious students for the allocation of scholarships for undergraduate as well as postgraduate programmes under ‘Study in India’ programme.
- The exam is conducted in the proctored internet mode by the National Testing Agency.
What makes it special?
- Nearly five thousand candidates from Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri-Lanka, Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Mauritius appeared for the exam.
About Study in India
- The Study in India is a programme of MHRD under which foreign students come to study in 116 select higher education institutions in India for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
- The selection of the students is based on their merit in class 12 / school-leaving exam.
- About top 2000 students are given scholarships, while some others are given fee discounts by the institutions.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana (KSY)
Mains level: Welfare schemes for various vulnerable sections of population
The Centre has distributed 100 electric potter wheels to 100 trained artisans under the KSY.
Try this question from CSP 2018:
Q. Consider the following provisions under the Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the Constitution of India:
- Securing for citizens of India a uniform civil code.
- Organising village panchayats.
- Promoting cottage industries in rural areas.
- Securing for all the workers reasonable leisure and Cultural opportunities.
Which of the above are the Gandhian Principles that are reflected in the DPSP?
(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana
- KSY is an initiative of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for the empowerment of potters’ community in the remotest of locations in the country.
- It reaches out to the potters in U.P., M.P., Maharashtra, J&K, Haryana, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Telangana and Bihar.
Benefits provided
This program provides the following support to potters.
- Training for advanced pottery products
- Latest, new technology pottery equipment like the electric Chaak
- Market linkages and visibility through KVIC exhibitions
Back2Basics: KVIC
- The KVIC is a statutory body formed in April 1957 under the ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’.
- It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India.
- It seeks to plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas.
- Its head office is in Mumbai, whereas its six zonal offices in Delhi, Bhopal, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai and Guwahati.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: RAISE initiative
Mains level: Paper 3-Energy efficiency and safety
The Ministry of Power has launches Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency (RAISE) – a joint initiative of EESL and USAID.
Possible prelims question:
Q. The MAITREE programme recently seen in news is related to:
Trade/Energy Efficiency/Climate Change/ Strategic Relations
RAISE Initiative
- It aims to ensure cleaner and greener office spaces in the country.
- This is a part of the larger initiative developed for healthy and energy-efficient buildings, in partnership with US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) MAITREE programme.
Why RAISE?
- Poor air quality has been a concern in India for quite some time and has become more important in light of COVID pandemic.
- As people return to their offices and public spaces, maintaining good indoor air quality is essential for occupant comfort, well-being, productivity and overall public health, the statement noted.
About MAITREE programme
- The Market Integration and Transformation Program for Energy Efficiency (MAITREE) is a part of the US-India bilateral Partnership between the Ministry of Power and USAID.
- It is aimed at accelerating the adoption of cost-effective energy efficiency as a standard practice within buildings and specifically focuses on cooling.
Back2Basics: EESL
- Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the administration of Ministry of Power, is working towards mainstreaming energy efficiency.
- It is implementing the world’s largest energy efficiency portfolio in the country.
- EESL aims to create market access for efficient and future-ready transformative solutions that create a win-win situation for every stakeholder.
About USAID:
- USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: DDT
Mains level: Paper 3-Pollution and harm to ecology
India has supplied 20.60 MT of DDT to South Africa for its Malaria control program.
Try this question from CSP 2014:
With reference to ‘Global Environment Facility’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
(a) It serves as financial mechanism for ‘Convention on Biological Diversity’ and ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’
(b) It undertakes scientific research on environmental issues at global level
(c) It is an agency under OECD to facilitate the transfer of technology and funds to underdeveloped countries with specific aim to protect their environment.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
What is DDT?
- Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane commonly known as DDT is a colorless, tasteless, and almost odorless crystalline chemical compound.
- It was developed as the first of the modern synthetic insecticides in the 1940s.
- It was initially used with great effect to combat malaria, typhus, and other insect-borne human diseases among both military and civilian populations.
Why is it controversial?
- DDT is a persistent organic pollutant that is readily adsorbed to soils and sediments, which can act both as sinks and as long-term sources of exposure affecting organisms.
- Routes of loss and degradation include runoff, volatilization, photolysis and aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation.
- Due to hydrophobic properties, in aquatic ecosystems DDT is absorbed by aquatic organisms and thus bio-accumulates in the food web.
Threats of DDT
- The bioaccumulation of DDT has caused eggshell thinning and population declines in multiple North American and European bird of prey species.
- DDT is an endocrine disruptor. It is considered likely to be a human carcinogen.
In use despite ban
- A worldwide ban on agricultural use of DDT was formalized under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
- But its limited and still-controversial use in disease vector control continues, because of its effectiveness in reducing malarial infections, balanced by environmental and other health concerns.
Back2Basics: Stockholm Convention on POPs
- Stockholm Convention is an international environmental treaty, signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004 that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
- In 1995, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called for global action to be taken on POPs.
- POPs are defined by the UNEP as chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment.
Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
- Bioaccumulation and biomagnification are two different processes that often occur in tandem with one another.
- Bioaccumulation is the process by which toxins enter the food web by building up in individual organisms.
- Biomagnification is the process by which toxins are passed from one trophic level to the next (and thereby increase in concentration) within a food web.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Manodarpan Initiative
Mains level: Mental health concerns raised by the COVID-19 pandemic
The Union HRD Ministry will launch the Manodarpan Initiative, today.
Try this question from CSP 2016:
Q.’Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to:
(a) rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood
(b) release the sex workers from their practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood
(c) eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers
(d) release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them
Manodarpan Initiative
- ‘Manodarpan’ covers a wide range of activities to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing during the COVID outbreak and beyond.
- It contains advisory, practical tips, posters, videos, do’s and don’ts for psychosocial support, FAQs and online query system.
- It aims to provide psychosocial support to students for their mental health and well-being.
- It has been included in the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, as a part of strengthening human capital and increasing productivity and efficient reform and initiatives for the education sector.
- A toll-free helpline will also be launched as part of the initiative for a country-wide outreach to students from schools, colleges and universities.
- Through this helpline, tele-counselling will be provided to the students to address their mental health and psychosocial issues.
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