PIB August

IASbaba Press Information Bureau
(PIB)- 1st Aug to 7th Aug, 2016

ARCHIVES
GS-1
Treasures/ Artefacts Found by ASI During Excavation
(Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and
Architecture from ancient to modern times.)
What: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered artefacts and
found evidence of valuable treasures of rulers of different time periods of India.
1. Binjore, District, Shri Ganga Nagar, Rajasthan, 2015-16
Two cultural assemblage found i.e. Early-Harappan and MatureHarappan
Represented by various antiquities such as fish-hook, arrowheads, knife,

Celt, bangles, terracotta bangles, faience bangles, shell bangles, beads of
carnelian, agate, faience, gold foil and ring, terracotta toy cart frame,
cake mustika & bull figurine
Harappan seal made of steatite depicting figure of unicorn with five

letters on Harappan script.
The early Harappan level has revealed pottery similar to the Kot-diji,
which includes vase, basin, jar and goblet.
Lots of storage pots have been found placed over stand to store the food
grains.
The structures of Early-Harappan period were made of mud bricks
In the Early-Harappan phase Hakara ware (incised and mud appliqu

design) has also been found.
1. Rukministhan, District, Nalanda, Bihar, 2015-16
The mound revealed several structures like votive stupas, brick walls,
steps to the north of the temple containing colossal image of Buddha and
rammed floors etc.
These structures as per their nature and associated antiquities and

potteries are ranging from Gupta to Pala period.
The important antiquities like terracotta sealing, inscribed tablets,

fragments of sculptures of Ganesh and Avalokiteshvara, beads, sling
balls, etc. were found during excavation.
The pottery revealed from excavation consists of red ware and red slipped
ware.
1. Suabarei, District Puri (Odisha) V, Bhubaneswar, 2015-16
It was an important Neo-Chalcolithic site in between the Daya River and

the Gangua rivulet.
They were subsisted by hunting, gathering, fishing and farming as

evident from the charred animal bones, fish bones, fish hook and
charred grains.
Circular huts with post holes, series of hearths, floor levels, burning
activities with ash & charcoal and flood deposits have also been
encountered
Although the excavation has not yielded the any evidence of human
burial, however, evidence of animal burial represented by animal bones
along with miniature pots probably with favourite grave goods have been
found which indicate the burial practice for their favourite animal.
Presence of carnivorous canine teeth also indicates the hunting of wild

animals etc.
1. Vadnagar, District, Mehsana, Gujarat, 2015-16
A multidisciplinary approach involving archaeology (geo and landscape

archaeology), geo-informatics and sedimentology.
The earliest deposit of the sites goes back to 1st- 2nd Century BCE at
Baba no Tekdo locality as more than 300 coins of various metals and
alloys such as copper, lead, potin, billon etc. of different periods
At Kirti Torana revealed remains of the 9th-10th Century CE so far. A few

burnt brick structures like remains of houses, walls, floors, drains and a
unique furnace was found
1. Keeladi, District, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 2015-16
Revealed early historic remains (c. 3rd BCE 3rd CE) in the form of brick
structures
Evinced interesting finds like Rouletted and Arretine pot sherds

suggesting trade contacts maintained by this settlement with western
world.
At a later date these varieties were imitated and manufactured locally at

the site.
Inscribed pot sherds having names of individuals written in Tamil

Brahmi script over them.
1. Vangchhia, District Champai, Mizoram- 2015-16
Discovered one of the Biggest Necropolis (Burials/related structures) in

India.
GS-2
Issue of fisheries subsidies in WTO
(Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure,
mandate)
What: India alongwith other WTO members such as South Africa and other
African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries have been seeking effective
Special and Differential (S&D) treatment for developing countries and LDCs
Why: For developmental needs, poverty reduction, livelihood and food security
concerns.
Fisheries subsidy
India and some of the WTO member countries had earlier submitted
papers before the Negotiating Group detailing the need and importance of
S&D provisions particularly for the small, marginal and artisanal
fisheries in the developing countries and LDCs.
Capacity building assistance would be a part of the S&D provisions.
Negotiations on fishery subsidies discipline, which was on hold since

2011, restarted just prior to Nairobi Ministerial Meeting held in
December, 2015.
Since then, members have been showing interest for recommencing

negotiations on fishery subsidy discipline.
In these negotiations, India and some of the WTO member countries

have reiterated the need for S&D provisions, as an integral part of fishery
subsidy discipline.
Indian Leather Development Programme

(Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors
and issues arising out of their design and implementation.)
What: ILDP, a central sector scheme, is under implementation with an
approved outlay of Rs. 990.36 crore during 12th Plan period
Six sub schemes
1. Integrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS)
Assistance is provided for technology up-gradation/modernization of

leather units
Investment grant @30% to small & micro units and @20% to other units
through nationalized banks with maximum assistance of Rs.2 crore for
each product line.
1. Human Resource Development (HRD)
Assistance is provided for placement linked skill development training to

unemployed persons @ Rs. 15,000 per person
Assistance is provided for skill up-gradation training to employed workers

@ Rs. 5,000 per employee.
Placement of 75% of trained persons is mandatory for availing assistance

related to skill development training component.
1. Mega Leather Cluster scheme
Providing infrastructure support to the Leather Industry by

establishment of Mega Leather Cluster.
Minimum land area required for Mega Leather Cluster is 25 acres to be

set up without tanneries and 40 acres with tanneries
Assistance upto 50% of the project cost is provided by the Government of

India, limited to Rs. 125 crores
1. Support to Artisan scheme
For formation of Self-help groups (SHGs), product development, capacity

building, providing centralized common facilities centers and marketing
linkages.
1. Leather Technology, Innovation & Environmental Issues
Assistance is provided for up-gradation/installation of Common Effluent

Treatment Plants (CETPs) @ 50% of the project cost.
Pilot Projects under Technology Benchmarking for leather units,

organizing Environment Related Workshops and Pilot projects for Solid
Waste Management are also eligible for assistance
1. Establishment of Institutional Facilities
Establishment of two new branches of Footwear Design and Development

Institute (FDDI), with assistance of Rs. 100 crore for each branch, in the
States of Punjab and Gujrat.
Measures Taken by the Government for Upliftment of Women in

Agriculture Sector
(Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre
and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws,
institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these
vulnerable sections.)
What: As per Census 2011, Sixty five percent (65%) of the total female workers
in India are engaged in agriculture.
Of the total cultivators (118.7 million), 30.3% are female.
Out of 144.3 million agricultural labourers 42.6 % are Women.
In 2001, female agricultural labourers were 21% which increased to 23%

in 2011
About: The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare

implements various programmes of farmers including women in agriculture
sector.
Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)
Implemented by Ministry of Rural Development
To empower women in agriculture by making systematic investments to

enhance their participation and productivity, as also create and sustain
agriculture based livelihoods of rural women.
Under the Pariyojana, projects are conceived in such a manner that the
skill base of the women in agriculture is enhanced to enable them to
pursue their livelihoods on a sustainable basis.
Measures taken by the Government for upliftment of women in the agriculture

are:
1. Support to States Extension Programme for Extension Reforms
Ensuring utilization of minimum 30% of resources on programmes and

activities for women farmers and women extension functionaries.
To encourage women farmers participation in planning and decision

making process, their representation in farmers advisory committee at
block, district and state level has been provided under the scheme
1. Sub Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
Training is provided under the components of the Scheme Seed Village

Programme and Quality Control Arrangement of Seeds in which women
farmers are equally benefitted.
1. National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
30% of allocation of fund is being earmarked for women farmer.
An intervention under NFSM providing cropping system based training to

farmers including SC, ST and women farmers to create awareness on
improved technology for increasing production and productivity of crops.
1. National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)
30% of budgetary allocation is being earmarked for women

beneficiaries/farmers.
Concerned implementing agencies will be responsible for monitoring

implementation of these components i.e. allocation of resources for
SC/ST/Women beneficiaries and maintenance of database for the same.
1. Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
31 drudgery reducing technologies for women in agriculture developed by

ICAR are promoted through training, demonstration and financial
assistance.
Women beneficiaries are also provided 10% additional financial

assistance for purchase of various agricultural machines and equipment.
1. National Horticulture Mission
Women are organized into Self Help Groups and farm inputs and
technological & extension supports are provided to make women selfreliant.
1. (ICAR) has established a network of 645 Krishi Vigyan Kendras

(KVKs)
Aiming at assessment and demonstration of technologies/products and

its dissemination through number of extension programmes including
training of farmers to update their knowledge and skill.
During 2015-16, as many as 205 women specific income generation

technologies related to technological empowerment of rural women were
assessed
1. ICAR- Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (ICAR-CIWA)
Forefront undertaking research on issues affecting women in agriculture.
Focused on participatory action research in different technology based

theme areas involving rural women
To catalyse and facilitate R & D institutions to bring in farm women

perspectives in their programmes.
Working to catalyse and facilitate R & D institutions to bring in farm

women perspectives in their programmes.
Drudgery faced by farm women in various agricultural operations

including household are being addressed with quantifiable data on the
required parameters and designing/ refining women friendly farm tools &
equipment.
Giftmilk Scheme to Improve Child Nutrition
(Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre
and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws,
institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these
vulnerable sections.)
What: Government has approved a proposal for setting up an Institution for
promotion of nutrition through milk/milk products (especially for children)
utilizing Corporate Social Responsibility funds of NDDBs subsidiaries and
other voluntary donation.
NDDB
To promote, plan and organize programmers for the purpose of

development of dairy and other agriculture based and allied industries
and biological on an intensive and nation-wide basis and to render
assistance in the implementation of such programs.
NDDB is implementing National Dairy Plan phase-1(NDP-1), a central

sector scheme of Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India to increase
milk production in the country.
Giftmilk
NDDB registered a trust/ society known as NDDB Foundation for

Nutrition(NFN) to implement this initiative known as Giftmilk to
improve child nutrition thought consumption of milk & milk products by
providing milk free of cost.
The supply of milk / milk product would be facilitated through dairy

cooperatives only.
Giftmilk imitative in 3 schools -2 in Delhi & 1 in Telangana
Giftmilk is presently supported by NDDBs subsidiaries who have

contributed fro their CSR commitment.
Strengthening Public Distribution System

What: Government of India has enacted the National Food Security Act, 2013
(NFSA) on 10.09.2013, which has come into force with effect from 05.07.2013
for receiving subsidized foodgrains under TPDS upto 75% of the rural
population and upto 50 % of the urban population of the country.
Under NFSA, the coverage under TPDS has been delinked from poverty
estimates and the eligible households covered under the Act comprises of
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households and Priority households.
As per the above coverage and based on 2011 census population, the number
of persons eligible for subsidized foodgrains under TPDS in the country is
estimated at about 81.35 crore.
TPDS
Strengthening and streamlining of Targeted Public Distribution System

(TPDS) is a continuous endeavour.
To improve functioning of TPDS and effective implementation of it,

Government has been regularly issuing advisories and holding meetings,
conferences, etc.
State/UT Governments are requested for review of list of beneficiaries,

improving the offtake of allocated foodgrains, ensuring timely availability
of foodgrains at Fair Price Shops (FPSs), greater transparency in
functioning of TPDS, improved monitoring and vigilance at various levels,
improving the viability of FPS operations, etc.
(NFSA), 2013 also contains measures for reforms in TPDS, to be under

taken progressively by the Central and State/UT Governments.
Reforms include cash transfer, door-step delivery of foodgrains at the

FPS, application of information and communication technology tools
including end to end computerization preference to public
institutions/bodies in licensing of FPS, etc.
Government has initiated a plan scheme on End-to-end Computerization

of TPDS Operations during 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) on cost sharing
basis with the States/UTs.
As part of beneficiary data digitization, States/UTs have been requested

to seed the Aadhaar numbers wherever available so as to weed out the
ineligible/bogus/duplicate beneficiaries.
Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016

What: Cabinet approved Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016 which is a
historical Step towards making roads safe and save lakhs of innocent lives
Amendment aims to improve
Every year 5 lakh road accidents are reported in the country in which
1.5 lakh people lose their lives
o Government is committed to reduce the accidents and fatalities by

50% in five years
To address the issue of road safety, a draft Road Transport & Safety Bill
was prepared soon after NDA Government came to power.
o Most of the States have expressed reservations
In the present Motor Vehicle Act, there are 223 Sections out of which the
Bill aims to amend 68 sections whereas Chapters 10 has been deleted
and a Chapter 11 is being replaced with new provisions to simplify third
party insurance claims and settlement process.
o The amendments mainly focus on issues relating to improving road

safety, citizens facilitation while dealing with the Transport
Department. Strengthening rural transport, last mile connectivity
and public transport, automation and computerization and
enabling online services.
The important provisions include increase in compensation for Hit & Run
cases from Rs. 25000 to Rs. 2 lakhs.
Provision for payment of compensation upto Rs. 10 lakh in road

accidents fatalities.
Improving delivery of services to the stakeholders using e-Governance
o Include enabling online learning licenses, increasing validity period

for driving licenses, doing away with the requirements of
educational qualifications for transport licenses are some of the
features
Bill propose to improve the transport scenario in the country by

permitting the States to grant exemptions in Stage carriage and contract
carriage permits for promoting rural transport, public transport, last
mile connectivity and for passenger convenience and road safety.
Bill proposes offences committed by Juveniles. The Guardian / owner

shall be deemed to be guilty in cases of offences by the Juveniles and
Juvenile to be tried under JJ Act. Registration of Motor Vehicle to be
cancelled
To improve the registration process for new vehicles, registration at the

end of the dealer is being enabled and restrictions have been imposed on
temporary registration.
In the area of road safety, bill proposes to increase penalties to act as

deterrent against traffic violations. Stricter provisions are being proposed
in respect of offences like juvenile driving, drunken driving, driving
without licence, dangerous driving, over-speeding, overloading etc.
Stricter provisions for helmets have been introduced along with
provisions for electronic detection of violations.
To help the road accident victims, Good Samaritan guidelines have been
incorporated in the Bill. The Bill also proposes to mandate the automated
fitness testing for the transport vehicles with effect from 1st October
2018. This would reduce corruption in the Transport Department while
improving the road worthiness of the vehicle
To bring harmony of the registration and licensing process, it is proposed

to create National Register for Driving Licence and National Register for
Vehicle registration through Vahan & Sarathi platforms. This will
facilitate uniformity of the process across the country.
To facilitate transport solutions for Divyang, the bottlenecks have been

removed in respect of grant of driving licenses as well as alterations in
the vehicles to make it fit for use of Divyang.
Act East Policy

What:
The Act East Policy (AEP) focuses on the extended neighbourhood in the
Asia-Pacific region
AEP provides an interface between India and the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
The policy which was originally conceived as an economic initiative, has

gained political, strategic and cultural dimensions.
On the domestic front, the Government has taken measures for time
bound completion of critical infrastructure projects in the North Eastern
Region (NER) relating to road, rail, inland water transport, power,
airports and telecom connectivity.
Interest Subvention Scheme to Boost Exports

1. Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS)
o It was introduced in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-20
o Aims to incentivize export of merchandise which is produced/
manufactured in India
1. Interest Equalisation Scheme on Pre & Post Shipment Rupee Export

Credit
Scheme is available to manufacturers for all exports under 416 specified

tariff lines [at ITC (HS) Codes at 4 digit level] and to exports made by
manufacturers in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises across all ITC
(HS) Codes.
Rate of interest equalisation is 3% per annum
1. Duty Exemption/Remission Schemes
Advance Authorisation (AA), Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) and

Duty Drawback (DBK) Scheme enable duty free import of inputs for
export production, including replenishment of input or duty remission.
Schemes to promote exports of Gem & Jewellery
1. Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme
Envisaged to act as a catalyst to promote Indias exports on a sustained

basis.
Scheme provides assistance to Export Promotion Organizations/Trade

Promotion Organizations/National Level Institutions/ Research
Institutions /Universities /Laboratories, Exporters etc.
For enhancement of exports through accessing new markets or through

increasing the share in the existing markets.
1. Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme
Under operation through the Department of Commerce
To assist exporters for export promotion activities abroad
Assist Export Promotion Councils(EPCs) to undertake export promotion

activities for their product(s) and commodities
To assist approved organizations/ trade bodies in undertaking exclusive

non-recurring innovative activities connected with export promotion
efforts for their members.
Compensation to victims of acid attacks

and issues arising out of their design and implementation)
What: A new Section 357A has been inserted in the Code of Criminal
Procedure 1973 vide the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2008
To: provide for compensation to victims of crime.
Implementation: a Victim Compensation Scheme (VCS) is required to be
framed by the State Governments/ Union Territories in coordination with the
Central Government.
Details:
In July 2016, the Central Government has launched the Central Victim
Compensation Fund (CVCF) Scheme for women with one time grant of
Rs.200.00 Crore under the Nirbhaya Fund
To support and supplement the existing Victim Compensation Schemes

notified by States / UT Administrations
To reduce disparity in quantum of compensation amount notified by

different States/ UTs for victims of similar crimes
To encourage States/UTs to effectively implement the Victim

Compensation Schemes (VCS) notified by them under the provisions of
section 357A of CrPC.
Provide financial support to victims of various crimes like sexual offences

including rape, acid attacks, crime against children, human trafficking
etc.
A minimum compensation of Rs 3.00 lakh has been allocated for the

victim of acid attack under this scheme.
Launch of Mission Bhagirath

and issues arising out of their design and implementation)
What: PM launched Mission Bhagiratha at Komatibanda Village, Gajwel, in
Medak District of Telangana.
Objective: to provide safe drinking water to all
The Mission includes important development projects:
1600 MW Thermal Power station of NTPC at Ramagundam
revival of a Fertilizer Plant at Ramagundam
Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, Warangal
Manoharabad-Kothapalli Railway line
GS-3
Getting Rid of Filth and Pollution from Wastes
(Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental
impact assessment)
What: Comprehensive revision of Waste Management Rules for solid waste,
plastic waste, biomedical waste, hazardous waste and electronic waste, and
notification of construction and demolition waste management Rules during
MarchApril, 2016.
How: These Rules emphasizes waste minimization, source segregation,
resource recovery for recycling and reuse, extended producer responsibility,
involvement of waste pickers and self-help group, enhanced scope for waste
reuse / recycle in different application like usage in road, waste to energy,
waste to oil etc.
Steps to address issues related to water pollution, air pollution, industrial
pollution, improper waste disposal etc.
1. Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards;

2. Formulation of environmental regulations / statutes;
3. Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air
quality;
4. Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG
etc.), ethanol blend etc.;
5. Promotion of cleaner production processes;
6. Launching of National Air Quality index by the Prime Minister in April,
2015;
7. Implementation of Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) norms in 63 selected cities
and universalization of BS-IV by 2017;
8. Decision taken to leapfrog directly from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards
by 1st April, 2020;
9. Taxing polluting vehicles and incentivizing hybrid and electric vehicles;
10.
Ban on burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste;
11.
Promotion of public transport network of metro, buses, erickshaws and promotion of carpooling, Pollution Under Control, lane
discipline, vehicle maintenance;
12.
Revision of existing environmental standards and formulation
of new standards for prevention and control of pollution from industries;
13.
Regular co-ordination meetings at official and ministerial level
with Delhi and other State Governments within the NCR;
14.
Issuance of directions under Section 5 of Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 and under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1981;
15.
Installation of on-line continuous (247) monitoring devices by
major industries;
16.
Preparation of action plan for sewage management and
restoration of water quality in aquatic resources by State Governments;
17.
Implementation of National River Conservation Plan for
abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers and
undertaking conservation activities including education and awareness
creation, community participation, electric/improved wood crematoria
and river front development;
18.
Implementation of schemes for setting up of Common Effluent
Treatment Plants (CETP), promotion of waste minimization strategies,
Capacity Building for Industrial Pollution Management, setting up of
Treatment and Disposal Facilities for hazardous and biomedical waste,
setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants etc.
Re-categorisation of industries based on the pollution potential.
19.
Indias INDC Targets

impact assessment)
It will achieve about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed

capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030
o With the help of transfer of technology

o Low cost international finance including from Green Climate Fund
(GCF)
o India has set renewable power deployment target of 175 GW by the
year 2022, which includes 100 GW from solar and 60 GW from
wind energy.
o The revised Tariff Policy has several provisions aimed at
accelerating deployment of renewable energy in the country
8% solar Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) by the year 2022;
Renewable Generation Obligation on new coal/lignite based thermal

plants;
bundling of renewable power with power from plants in case of fully

depreciated power plants whose Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have
expired
Exemption of renewable energy from inter-state transmission charges.
Manned Space Programme

(Topic: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of
technology and developing new technology.)
The major advancements in Indias space programme during the last two years
include
1. Insertion of Indias Mars Orbiter around the planet Mars
2. realisation of indigenous Cryogenic engine and building indigenous
capability of launching 2 Ton class satellites
3. realisation of space based services for en-route navigation & safety-of-life
applications in aviation sector
4. completion of Indigenous satellite navigational systemNavIC
5. placement of an observatory in space ASTROSAT enabling
simultaneous multi-wavelength (from Ultraviolet to X-Ray) observations
of stars and galaxies
6. deployment of an indigenously built S-Band Unfurlable Antenna (6
meter) in space for satellite based mobile communications
7. technology demonstration of reusable launch vehicle, (viii) launching of
20 satellites in a single launch mission
Now what?
ISRO has taken up the development of critical technologies as part of

pre-project activities for the Manned Space Programme.
Major activities identified under Pre-Project are Crew Module (CM)

systems, Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS), Flight
Suit and Crew Escape System (CES).
The Crew module was flight tested in the experimental mission of GSLV
MkIII on December 18, 2014 and the re-entry characteristics and the
recovery of the Crew Module were successfully demonstrated.
As of now, Manned Space Programme is not an approved programme.
Currently, ISRO is developing critical technologies relevant for human

spaceflight for building future capacity.
No cooperation or assistance has been sought from any other country

during the last two years in this regard.
New IPR Policy

(Topic: issues relating to intellectual property rights)
What: The Government has approved the National IPR Policy on 12th May
2016. The policy lays down the following seven objectives:
1. IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion- Generation of IPRs: To create
public awareness about the economic, social and cultural benefits of
IPRs among all sections of society;
2. Generation of IPRs- To stimulate the generation of IPRs;
3. Legal and Legislative Framework: To have strong and effective IPR laws,
which balance the interests of rights owners with larger public interest;
4. Administration and Management: To modernize and strengthen
service-oriented IPR administration;
5. Commercialization of IPR: Get value for IPRs through
commercialization;
6. Enforcement and Adjudication: To strengthen the enforcement and

adjudicatory mechanisms for combating IPR infringements;
7. Human Capital Development: To strengthen and expand human
resources, institutions and capacities for teaching, training, research and
skill building in IPRs
IPR policy:
Lays the roadmap for future development in the field of IPRs
Comprehensive and holistic, and cannot be said to lack specifics.
Lists specific action points to be implemented towards fulfilment of the

aforementioned objectives.
Certain points like transfer of Copyright and Semiconductor Integrated

Circuits Layout-Design to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
have been acted upon and the Government of India (Allocation of
Business) Rules accordingly changed.
Augmentation of manpower, including recruitment of 458 Patent

Examiners, has been done.
National Disaster Mitigation Fund

(Topic: Disaster and disaster management)
About: The Government of India has released the National Disaster
Management Plan (NDMP) on 01.06.2016.
The National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) has not been set up.
Objective for creation of NBMF is for the projects exclusively for the purpose of
mitigation which is being served by the existing Centrally Sponsored Schemes /
Central Sector (CS) Schemes such as
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
Krishonnati Yojana
National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture
MGNREGA
Major Irrigation projects
Namami Gange-National Ganga plan
River Basin Management
National River Conservation Plan and Water Resource Management
Keeping in view the above, the Government feels that at present there are
sufficient schemes to take care of mitigation measures in different
projects and the need for creation of separate NDMF has not been felt.
Financial management of disasters is undertaken as per the
mechanisms available in DM Act, 2005 and there is no fund namely
Disaster Management Fund.
Status of Cottage and Agro-Based Rural Industries
(Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources,
growth, development and employment)
What: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) through
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Coir Board is
implementing schemes to promote cottage and agro-based rural industries:
1. Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
A credit linked subsidy scheme, for setting up of new micro-enterprises

and to generate employment opportunities in rural as well as urban
areas
The maximum cost of projects is rs.25 lakh in the manufacturing sector

and rs.10 lakh in the service sector.
Up to 2016-17 (upto 30.6.2016), 3.80 lakh micro enterprises have been

set up by utilizing margin money amounting to rs.7735.13 crore.
13 lakh jobs have been created from these units.
1. Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI)
Launched in 2005-06 for making Traditional Industries more productive

and competitive by organizing the Traditional Industries and artisans
into clusters.
Upto 31.07.2016, 45 clusters have been granted final approval with a

total project cost of Rs.86.12 crore benefiting around 37356 artisans.
1. Coir Udyami Yojana
Formerly known as REMOT Scheme
A credit linked subsidy scheme, which provides assistance for setting up

of coir units with a maximum cost of project upto Rs.10 lakhs plus
working capital, which shall not exceed 25% of the project cost.
The pattern of assistance is 40% as Govt. Subsidy, 55% as loan from

Banks and 5% as beneficiary contribution.
Scheme is open to all individuals, companies, SHGs, NGOs, Institutes,

etc.
1. Mahila Coir Yojana
An exclusive skill development programme for rural women artisans in

coir sector.
Training is provided in spinning of coir yarn/various coir processing

activities.
Developments in Bio-Technology Sector

(Topic: Awareness in the field of bio-technology)
What: Indias research performance in Pharmacology and Biotechnology
indicates that Indias scholarly output based on publication data is nearly 5 %
of the worlds total in 2014 and showing strong average growth of over 12 %
annually.
The Department of Bio-Technology (DBT) is implementing an integrated human

resource development programme. It comprises of
Sc./ M. Tech. teaching program,
Fellowships for doctoral and post-doctoral research in biotechnology
Biotechnology Industrial Training program for post graduate students for

skill upgradation
Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowships also provided to 50 scientists each

year.
The Department established Biotechnology Industry Research Assessments

Council (BIRAC) as a Section 8 (not for profit) Public Sector Enterprise in 2012
with a mandate to build the biotechnology innovation ecosystem in the country.
Since its inception, BIRAC has provided funding to entrepreneurs,

startups, SMEs and translational organizations to the tune of Rs. 677
crores which has helped innovation research to bring high quality and
affordable products towards commercialization.
It is proposed to set up an independent regulator for bio-technology

including Genetically Modified (GM) crops for which the Biotechnology
Regulatory Authority Bill (BRAI) Bill, 2013 was introduced in 15th Lok
Sabha and was lapsed with the tenure of the same.
BRAI Bill 2013 has now been revised taking into consideration recent
developments in genetic engineering technologies for reintroduction
through appropriate legislative process.
As an interim measure to implement the best practices contained in the

BRAI Bill, establish a separate office dealing with biosafety issues it is
proposed to get Genetically Engineered products within the existing
regulatory framework under the Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import,
Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro-organisms/ Genetically
Engineered Organisms or Cells (Rules, 1989) of the Environmental
Protection Act (EPA), 1986.
The proposed Office of Biotechnology Regulation will have an InterMinisterial Board represented by senior officials of concerned ministries
for overall supervision along with strengthened risk assessment and

management system through a functional unit of multidisciplinary
scientists
NEEFP and NEEAPP Schemes A Novel Step Towards Achieving Energy
Efficiency
(Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects
in everyday life)
What: the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture company
of four Power Sector PSUs, has designed innovative programmes
Called: Energy Efficient Fans Programme (EEFP) and Energy Efficient
Agriculture Pumps Programme (EEAPP)
For: enhancing energy efficiency in domestic and agriculture sectors.
Details:
Under this programme, 50 watt fans are provided by EESL at Rs. 1,150
per unit on upfront payment, or at total of Rs. 1,200, if taken on EMI
The EMI is adjusted against electricity bills of consumers.
The EEAPP has been launched by EESL to replace the old and inefficient
pump sets of farmers free of cost.
EESL would also provide smart control panels to enhance the ease of
operation of pumps by the farmers.
The energy efficient pumps, which are 4 or 5 star rated, ensure a

minimum of 30% reduction in energy consumption. The reduction of
energy consumption in agriculture would result in reduction in subsidy
that the State Government provides to distribution companies.
Solarisation of Ports
(Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports)
What: The Government proposes to implement utility-scale Solar Photovoltaic

Power Plant projects at various major ports across the country.
Funding: The funds for establishment of solar power projects are arranged by
the major ports from their own resources and no funds have been released
from the Ministry.
Objectives:
1. Part of the Green Port Initiative launched by this Ministry.
2. Contributing to reduction in carbon emissions and consequently
improving environment.
3. Reduce cost of power purchased from grid by utilization of solar power for
power generation.
4. Meeting with Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) as mandated by State
Governments.
Depletion of Ground Water
impact assessment)
What: The scientists of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
and University of California, United States of America had made an attempt to
estimate ground water depletion in north-western India
Used: Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) change observations from NASA Gravity
Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite data for the period from
August, 2002 to October, 2008.
Area of study: about 4.4 lakh sq.km covering the States of Rajasthan, Punjab,
Haryana and Delhi, as a single unit without actual field mapping of ground
water levels.
Result: ground water is depleting in the aforementioned four States at a mean
rate of 4.01.0 cm/year equivalent height of water (17.74.5 cubic km/year)
Analysis of Central Ground Water Board (CGWB):
GRACE missions ground water storage studies are satellite based

estimates and coarse resolution of GRACE data limits its applicability to
study ground water dynamics.
CGWB estimations are, however, based on field data and bring out
smaller scale variations in the ground water storage pattern over a vast
region.
Steps by government to improve groundwater level
Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India has been
prepared, which envisages construction of different types of Artificial
Recharge and Rainwater Harvesting structures in the Country.
Special focus is given through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural

Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for water conservation and
water harvesting structures to augment ground water.
o In addition, priority has been given for construction of farm ponds

in the year 2016-17 to harvest rain water.
Department of Land Resources, Government _of India is implementing

Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi
Sinchaai Yojana (PMKSY) since 2015-16.
o One of the major activity under the Watershed Development

Component, inter-alia, includes rainwater harvesting
CGWB has undertaken the Demonstrative Rain Water Harvesting and

Artificial Recharge Projects during XI Plan under the Scheme of Ground
Water Management & Regulation, in priority areas.
The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga

Rejuvenation has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable
them to enact suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and
development which includes provision of rain water harvesting.
Launched Jal kranti Abhiyan (2015-16 to 2017-18) in order to

consolidate water conservation and management in the Country through
a holistic and integrated approach involving all stakeholders, making it a
mass movement.
Jal Gram Yojana component of Jal Kranti Abhiyan envisages selection

of two villages in every district, preferably over-exploited or facing acute
water scarcity, as Jal Grams to ensure optimum and sustainable
utilization of water.
Focus on Crop Diversification and Allied Activities

(Topic: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different
types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of
agricultural produce and issues and related constraints)
What: Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) is
implementing Crop Diversification Programme in Original Green Revolution
States of Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh as a sub scheme of
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) since 2013-14
To: divert the area of water guzzling paddy to alternate crops like pulses,
oilseeds, maize, cotton and agro forestry system.
Under Crop Diversification Programme, assistance is being provided for four
major components / interventions viz.
1. alternate crop demonstrations
2. Farm mechanization and value addition
3. Site specific activities
4. Contingency for awareness, training, implementation, monitoring, etc
Other schemes promoting crop diversification
National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI)
National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology (NMAET)
Soil Health Card Scheme
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
Ministry of Food Processing Industries

Implementing various schemes to boost farmers income promotion and
development of food processing sector in the country
Mega Food Parks
Scheme for Modern Abattoirs
Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure
Scheme for Creation/Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation
Scheme for Quality Assurance and Scheme for Human Resources and
Institutions
Security features of currency notes

(Topic: Indian Economy)
What: A study on Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) issues, including
estimation of FICN in circulation, has been undertaken by Statistical Institute
(ISI), Kolkata under the overall supervision of National Investigation Agency
(NIA).
Result: the face value of FICN in circulation was found to be about Rs. 400
crores. It was found the value remained constant for the last 4 years.
Security features:
The design and security features of banknotes are decided by the

Government of India from time to time, in consultation with Reserve
bank of India (RBI).
An FICN Coordination Group (FCORD) has been formed in the Ministry

of Home Affairs to share the intelligence/information amongst different
security agencies of States/Centre to counter the menace
Government has recently introduced revised numbering pattern in all

denominations of banknotes.
Poor saving habit

(Topic: Indian Economy)
What: A survey by HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Limited) named Generations and Journeys
Result:
A large number (47 per cent) of working age people in India have either
not started saving for their retirement or have stopped or faced
difficulties while saving for their future.
21 per cent of the working age population surveyed have not even started
saving for retirement.
Details:
Household saving has two components
Financial saving
Financial assets like bank deposits, shares and debentures, etc.
Physical saving
Household construction, their possession of machinery and equipment

and valuables, etc.
It is not clear from the published report of the HSBC Survey whether it
refers only to the financial savings of the Indian labour force.
National Accounts Data- 2014-15
Indian households saved about 19.1 per cent of the of the Gross
domestic product, of which their physical savings consisted of 11.4
percentage points and financial savings consisted of 7.7 percentage
points
National Sample Survey Office, 2013
Survey on Household Assets and Liabilities revealed that about 82.2 per
cent of the rural households and 81.1 per cent of the urban households
reported possession of bullion and ornaments.
The strong bullion preference of Indian households, along with the

generally high inflation and inadequate access to banking and financial
channels that prevailed during the last decade, to a great extent,
explained the saving behavior of Indian households.
To improve financial inclusion and the channels for financial savings,

steps taken are:
Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
About 22.65 crore of bank accounts have been created till 27th July
2016
A balance of over Rs.40750 crore in these accounts.
Re-launch of the certificate savings scheme called Kisan Vikas Patra
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana to contribute to the financial security to the

girl child
Increase in the limit of deduction under the Income Tax Act for health
insurance premium, contribution to specific pension funds and
contribution by the employees to National Pension Scheme
Increasing the access to formal financial system by utilizing the postal

network
Governments initiatives like Make-in-India, Skill India, Start-up India,

Stand-up India and other measures to boost productive activities and
employment are also likely to improve the savings of Indian labour force.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Goods and Services Tax

(GST)
Following are the answers to the various frequently asked questions relating to
GST:
Question 1.What is GST? How does it work?
Answer: GST is one indirect tax for the whole nation, which will make India
one unified common market.
GST is a single tax on the supply of goods and services, right from the
manufacturer to the consumer.
Credits of input taxes paid at each stage will be available in the

subsequent stage of value addition, which makes GST essentially a tax
only on value addition at each stage.
The final consumer will thus bear only the GST charged by the last
dealer in the supply chain, with set-off benefits at all the previous
stages.
Question 2. What are the benefits of GST?

Answer: The benefits of GST can be summarized as under:
For business and industry
Easy compliance: A robust and comprehensive IT system would be the

foundation of the GST regime in India. Therefore, all tax payer services
such as registrations, returns, payments, etc. would be available to the
taxpayers online, which would make compliance easy and transparent.
Uniformity of tax rates and structures: GST will ensure that indirect tax
rates and structures are common across the country, thereby
increasing certainty and ease of doing business. In other words, GST
would make doing business in the country tax neutral, irrespective of the
choice of place of doing business.
Removal of cascading: A system of seamless tax-credits throughout the

value-chain, and across boundaries of States, would ensure that there is
minimal cascading of taxes. This would reduce hidden costs of doing
business.
Improved competitiveness:Reduction in transaction costs of doing

business would eventually lead to an improved competitiveness for the
trade and industry.
Gain to manufacturers and exporters: The subsuming of major Central

and State taxes in GST, complete and comprehensive set-off of input
goods and services and phasing out of Central Sales Tax (CST) would
reduce the cost of locally manufactured goods and services. This will
increase the competitiveness of Indian goods and services in the
international market and give boost to Indian exports. The uniformity in
tax rates and procedures across the country will also go a long way in
reducing the compliance cost.
For Central and State Governments
Simple and easy to administer: Multiple indirect taxes at the Central

and State levels are being replaced by GST. Backed with a robust endto-end IT system, GST would be simpler and easier to administer than all
other indirect taxes of the Centre and State levied so far.
Better controls on leakage: GST will result in better tax compliance due
to a robust IT infrastructure. Due to the seamless transfer of input tax
credit from one stage to another in the chain of value addition, there is
an in-built mechanism in the design of GST that would incentivize tax
compliance by traders.
Higher revenue efficiency: GST is expected to decrease the cost of

collection of tax revenues of the Government, and will therefore, lead to
higher revenue efficiency.
For the consumer
Single and transparent tax proportionate to the value of goods and

services: Due to multiple indirect taxes being levied by the Centre and
State, with incomplete or no input tax credits available at progressive
stages of value addition, the cost of most goods and services in the
country today are laden with many hidden taxes. Under GST, there
would be only one tax from the manufacturer to the consumer, leading
to transparency of taxes paid to the final consumer.
Relief in overall tax burden:Because of efficiency gains and prevention of

leakages, the overall tax burden on most commodities will come down,
which will benefit consumers.
Question 3. Which taxes at the Centre and State level are being subsumed
into GST?
Answer:
At the Central level, the following taxes are being subsumed:
1. Central Excise Duty
2. Additional Excise Duty
3. Service Tax
4. Additional Customs Duty commonly known as Countervailing Duty
5. Special Additional Duty of Customs
At the State level, the following taxes are being subsumed:
1. Subsuming of State Value Added Tax/Sales Tax
2. Entertainment Tax (other than the tax levied by the local bodies), Central
Sales Tax (levied by the Centre and collected by the States)
3. Octroi and Entry tax

4. Purchase Tax
5. Luxury tax
6. Taxes on lottery, betting and gambling.
Question 4. What are the major chronological events that have led to the
introduction of GST?
Answer: GST is being introduced in the country after a 13 year long
journey since it was first discussed in the report of the Kelkar Task Force on
indirect taxes. A brief chronology outlining the major milestones on the
proposal for introduction of GST in India is as follows:
1. In 2003, the Kelkar Task Force on indirect tax had suggested a
comprehensive Goods and Services Tax (GST) based on VAT principle.
2. A proposal to introduce a National level Goods and Services Tax
(GST) by April 1, 2010 was first mooted in the Budget Speech for the
financial year 2006-07.
Since the proposal involved reform/ restructuring of not only indirect

taxes levied by the Centre but also the States, the responsibility of
preparing a Design and Road Map for the implementation of GST was
assigned to the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers
(EC).
1. Based on inputs from Govt of India and States, the EC released its First
Discussion Paper on Goods and Services Tax in India in November, 2009.
2. In order to take the GST related work further, a Joint Working Group
consisting of officers from Central as well as State Government was
constituted in September, 2009.
3. In order to amend the Constitution to enable introduction of GST, the
Constitution (115th Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok
Sabha in March 2011. As per the prescribed procedure, the Bill was
referred to the Standing Committee on Finance of the Parliament for

examination and report.
Meanwhile, in pursuance of the decision taken in a meeting between the

Union Finance Minister and the Empowered Committee of State Finance
Ministers on 8th November, 2012, a Committee on GST Design,
consisting of the officials of the Government of India, State Governments
and the Empowered Committee was constituted.
This Committee did a detailed discussion on GST design including the

Constitution (115th) Amendment Bill and submitted its report in
January, 2013. Based on this Report, the EC recommended certain
changes in the Constitution Amendment Bill in their meeting at
Bhubaneswar in January 2013.
1. The Empowered Committee in the Bhubaneswar meeting also decided to

constitute three committees of officers to discuss and report on
various aspects of GST as follows:2. Committee on Place of Supply Rules and Revenue Neutral Rates;
3. Committee on dual control, threshold and exemptions;
4. Committee on IGST and GST on imports.
5. The Parliamentary Standing Committee submitted its Report in August,
2013 to the Lok Sabha. The recommendations of the Empowered
Committee and the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing
Committee were examined in the Ministry in consultation with the
Legislative Department. Most of the recommendations made by the
Empowered Committee and the Parliamentary Standing Committee were
accepted and the draft Amendment Bill was suitably revised.
6. The final draft Constitutional Amendment Bill incorporating the above
stated changes were sent to the Empowered Committee for consideration
in September 2013.
The EC once again made certain recommendations on the Bill after its
meeting in Shillong in November 2013. Certain recommendations of the
Empowered Committee were incorporated in the draft Constitution
(115th Amendment) Bill. The revised draft was sent for consideration of
the Empowered Committee in March, 2014.
The 115th Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2011, for the

introduction of GST introduced in the Lok Sabha in March 2011
lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha.
In June 2014, the draft Constitution Amendment Bill was sent to

the Empowered Committee after approval of the new Government.
1. Based on a broad consensus reached with the Empowered Committee on

the contours of the Bill, the Cabinet on 17.12.2014 approved the
proposal for introduction of a Bill in the Parliament for amending the
Constitution of India to facilitate the introduction of Goods and Services
Tax (GST) in the country. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha
on 19.12.2014, and was passed by the Lok Sabha on 06.05.2015. It
was then referred to the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha, which
submitted its report on 22.07.2015.
Question 5.How would GST be administered in India?
Answer: Keeping in mind the federal structure of India, there will be two
components of GST Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST).
Both Centre and States will simultaneously levy GST across the value
chain.
Tax will be levied on every supply of goods and services.
Centre would levy and collect Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST),
and States would levy and collect the State Goods and Services Tax
(SGST) on all transactions within a State.
The input tax credit of CGST would be available for discharging the CGST
liability on the output at each stage.
Similarly, the credit of SGST paid on inputs would be allowed for paying
the SGST on output.
No cross utilization of credit would be permitted.
Question 6. How would a particular transaction of goods and services be

taxed simultaneously under Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST)?
Answer: The Central GST and the State GST would be levied simultaneously
on every transaction of supply of goods and services except on exempted goods
and services, goods which are outside the purview of GST and the transactions
which are below the prescribed threshold limits. Further, both would be levied
on the same price or value unlike State VAT which is levied on the value of the
goods inclusive of Central Excise.
A diagrammatic representation of the working of the Dual GST model within a
State is shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: GST within State
Question 7.Will cross utilization of credits between goods and services be

allowed under GST regime?
Answer:
Cross utilization of credit of CGST between goods and services would be

allowed.
Similarly, the facility of cross utilization of credit will be available in case

of SGST.
However, the cross utilization of CGST and SGST would not be

allowed except in the case of inter-State supply of goods and
services under the IGST model which is explained in answer to the
next question.
Question 8. How will be Inter-State Transactions of Goods and Services be

taxed under GST in terms of IGST method?
Answer:
In case of inter-State transactions, the Centre would levy and collect the
Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on all inter-State supplies of
goods and services under Article 269A (1) of the Constitution.
The IGST would roughly be equal to CGST plus SGST.
The IGST mechanism has been designed to ensure seamless flow of

input tax credit from one State to another.
The inter-State seller would pay IGST on the sale of his goods to the
Central Government after adjusting credit of IGST, CGST and SGST on
his purchases (in that order).
The exporting State will transfer to the Centre the credit of SGST used in
payment of IGST.
The importing dealer will claim credit of IGST while discharging his
output tax liability (both CGST and SGST) in his own State.
The Centre will transfer to the importing State the credit of IGST used in
payment of SGST.
Since GST is a destination-based tax, all SGST on the final product

will ordinarily accrue to the consuming State.
A diagrammatic representation of the working of the IGST model for inter-State

transactions is shown in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2
Question 9. How will IT be used for the implementation of GST?

Answer:
For the implementation of GST in the country, the Central and State
Governments have jointly registered Goods and Services Tax Network
(GSTN) as a not-for-profit, non-Government Company to provide shared IT
infrastructure and services to Central and State Governments, tax payers and
other stakeholders.
The key objectives of GSTN are to provide a standard and uniform interface to
the taxpayers, and shared infrastructure and services to Central and State/UT
governments.
GSTN is working on developing a state-of-the-art comprehensive IT

infrastructure including the common GST portal providing frontend
services of registration, returns and payments to all taxpayers, as well as
the backend IT modules for certain States that include processing of
returns, registrations, audits, assessments, appeals, etc.
All States, accounting authorities, RBI and banks, are also preparing
their IT infrastructure for the administration of GST.
There would no manual filing of returns.
All taxes can also be paid online.
All mis-matched returns would be auto-generated, and there would be no

need for manual interventions.
Most returns would be self-assessed.
Question 10. How will imports be taxed under GST?

Answer:
The Additional Duty of Excise or CVD and the Special Additional Duty or
SAD presently being levied on imports will be subsumed under GST.
As per explanation to clause (1) of article 269A of the Constitution, IGST

will be levied on all imports into the territory of India.
Unlike in the present regime, the States where imported goods are
consumed will now gain their share from this IGST paid on imported
goods.
Question 11. What are the major features of the Constitution

(122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014?
Answer: The salient features of the Bill are as follows:
Conferring simultaneous power upon Parliament and the State

Legislatures to make laws governing goods and services tax;
Subsuming of various Central indirect taxes and levies such as

Central Excise Duty, Additional Excise Duties, Service Tax, Additional
Customs Duty commonly known as Countervailing Duty, and Special
Additional Duty of Customs;
Subsuming of State Value Added Tax/Sales Tax, Entertainment Tax

(other than the tax levied by the local bodies), Central Sales Tax (levied
by the Centre and collected by the States), Octroi and Entry tax,
Purchase Tax, Luxury tax, and Taxes on lottery, betting and gambling;
Dispensing with the concept of declared goods of special

importance under the Constitution;
Levy of Integrated Goods and Services Tax on inter-State

transactions of goods and services;
GST to be levied on all goods and services, except alcoholic liquor for
human consumption. Petroleum and petroleum products shall be
subject to the levy of GST on a later date notified on the
recommendation of the Goods and Services Tax Council;
Compensation to the States for loss of revenue arising on account of

implementation of the Goods and Services Tax for a period of five
years;
Creation of Goods and Services Tax Council to examine issues

relating to goods and services tax and make recommendations to
the Union and the States on parameters like rates, taxes, cesses and
surcharges to be subsumed, exemption list and threshold limits, Model
GST laws, etc. The Council shall function under the Chairmanship of the
Union Finance Minister and will have all the State Governments as
Members.
Question 12. What are the major features of the proposed registration
procedures under GST?
Answer: The major features of the proposed registration procedures under GST
are as follows:
Existing dealers: Existing VAT/Central excise/Service Tax payers will

not have to apply afresh for registration under GST.
New dealers: Single application to be filed online for registration under

GST.
The registration number will be PAN based and will serve the purpose for
Centre and State.
Unified application to both tax authorities.
Each dealer to be given unique ID GSTIN.
Deemed approval within three days.
Post registration verification in risk based cases only.
Question 13. What are the major features of the proposed returns filing
Answer: The major features of the proposed returns filing procedures under
GST are as follows:
Common return would serve the purpose of both Centre and State
Government.
There are eight forms provided for in the GST business processes for
filing for returns. Most of the average tax payers would be using only four
forms for filing their returns. These are return for supplies, return for
purchases, monthly returns and annual return.
Small taxpayers: Small taxpayers who have opted composition scheme

shall have to file return on quarterly basis.
Filing of returns shall be completely online. All taxes can also be paid
online.
Question 14. What are the major features of the proposed payment
Answer: The major features of the proposed payments procedures under GST
are as follows:
1. Electronic payment process no generation of paper at any stage
2. Single point interface for challan generation- GSTN
3. Ease of payment payment can be made through online banking,
Credit Card/Debit Card, NEFT/RTGS and through cheque/cash at the
bank
4. Common challan form with auto-population features
5. Use of single challan and single payment instrument
6. Common set of authorized banks
7. Common Accounting Codes

(PIB)- 8th Aug to 14th Aug, 2016
ARCHIVES
GS-2
Popularization of AYUSH System of Medicine
(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/

Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)
About- To promote AYUSH systems of medicine across the globe, the Ministry
has set up Academic Chairs in three countries namely Hungary and Trinidad &
Tobago (Ayurveda Chair) and South Africa (Unani Chair)
Objective
To promote academic and collaborative research activities on AYUSH

systems abroad
To develop quality standards of AYUSH education in foreign educational

institutes
To create awareness about strength of AYUSH systems
Steps taken
MoUs for setting up of AYUSH Academic Chairs have also been signed
with Universities in Russia, Indonesia, Slovenia, Thailand (for Ayurveda
Chair) and Armenia (for Homoeopathy Chair).
Twenty AYUSH Information Cells have been set up in 19 countries (two in

Indonesia) in the premises of the Indian Missions/ICCR Cultural Centre
for dissemination of authentic information about AYUSH systems of
medicine.
Incentives are also being provided to AYUSH drug manufacturers,

entrepreneurs, AYUSH institutions, etc.
For participating in International exhibitions, conferences, workshops,

seminars, road shows and trade fairs, etc. for generating awareness
amongst the participating public about the Indian Medicines
Registration of AYUSH products with regulatory agencies of different

countries to enhance export of these products.
Photo Exhibition Azadi 70-Yaad Karo Qurbani

(Topic: Promote the contribution made by freedom strugglers)
About- Bharat Parv, a festival to celebrate Indias 70 years of Independence

will help foster the spirit of unity and integrity amongst the people across the
country. It is being celebrated in remembrance of heroes of the freedom
struggle.
Bharat Parv
Government as a part of celebrations has developed a massive

programme of 75 Ministers going all over the country and visiting the
birthplace of great heroes and places of historical importance like
Jallianwala Bagh, Kakori, etc.
Exhibition is broadly divided into two broad sections-the first section

covers the period from the First War of Independence in 1857 to freedom
in 1947 and how the public angst spread from Bengal to South India.
Second segment tracks the progress since independence including the

adoption of the Constitution, efforts at developing nuclear capabilities
including the Pokhran test.
Amendment in Section 309 and 377 of IPC

(Topic: Constitutional amendments)
About- Law Commission of India, in its 210th Report: Humanization and
Decriminalization of Attempt to Suicide had recommended that Section 309
(attempt to commit suicide) of IPC needs to be effaced from the statute book.
Nature of amendments
Amendments in the Criminal Justice System are a continuous process in

order to make the laws in sync with social changes.
Amendments in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the code of Criminal
Procedure (CrPC) are carried out from time to time based on the
recommendations of the Law Commission of India, various Court
judgments and the reports of any other committees specially constituted
for the purpose.
Amendment to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961

About: Increasing maternity benefit to woman covered under the Maternity
Benefit Act, 1961 from 12 weeks to 26 weeks up to two surviving children in
order to allow the mother to take care of the child during his/her most
formative stage
Details:
Providing maternity benefit of 12 weeks to Commissioning mother (in

case of surrogate child) and Adopting mother (in case of adoption)
Facilitate work from home to a mother with mutual consent of the

employee and the employer, making mandatory in respect of
establishment having fifty or more employees
To have the facility of crche either individually or as a shared common

facility within such distance as may be prescribed by rules & also to
allow four visits to the crche by the woman daily, including the interval
for rest allowed to her
Every establishment to intimate in writing and electronically to every

woman at the time of her initial appointment about the benefits available
under the Act.
Major impact
On the health, well being and growth of the future generation in the
country
Positive impact on womens participation in labour force
Improve the work- life balance of the women workers
Beneficiaries- Organized work force in the country is around 2.8 crores, of

which 18 lacks are women, who will be benefited.
Amendment of the Employees Compensation Act, 1923
Objective- To modify the provisions of Employees Compensation Act, 1923 to

rationalize the penalties and strengthen the rights of the worker under the Act
Outcome
Increase of penalty for contravention of Act from present 5000/- to Rs

50,000/- which may extend to Rs. 1 lakh.
Impose penalty for failure to display provisions of Employees

Compensation Act
Section 30 provides for Appeal to high court whenever the disputed

amount is more than Rs 300/-. It is proposed to revise this amount to Rs
10,000 for such higher amount as the Central Government may
prescribe so as to reduce the litigations.
Under Section 30A, the Commissioner could exercise discretion to

withhold payment to an employee whenever an appeal to High Court is
filed.
It is proposed to omit Section 30(A)With this omission, the amount can

be withheld only when there is a stay or order to that effect by the High
Court, where the appeal has been filed.
Major Impact
More deterrence and hence better compliance
More litigations likely to be closed at the level of Commissioner
Employer cannot withhold Employee compensation, unless stay by High

Court
Number of beneficiaries- It will benefit around 3 crore work force in organized

sector in the country.
International Meeting on Counter Terrorism in Indonesia
(Topic: International meets)
About- International Meeting on Counter Terrorism to be held at Bali,

Indonesia on 10th August, 2016 First of its kind meeting being hosted by
Indonesia.
Aims at- Strengthening the international cooperation network in addressing
the growing threat of cross-border movement of terrorism from the aspects of
actor, information and also financing
Theme- Countering Cross-Border movement of Terrorism
Agreement between India and CroatiaEconomic Cooperation
(Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements
involving India and/or affecting Indias interests)
Agreement
India and Croatia had earlier signed an Agreement on trade and

economic cooperation in September, 1994 with an aim to promote and
develop bilateral trade and economic relations.
Signing of the new Agreement between India and Croatia would be a step
in continuity as the existing Agreement expired in November, 2009.
Foreign investment in other Financial Services sector approved

(Topic: Cabinet decision and undertakings)
Outcome of amendment
Enable inflow of foreign investment in Other Financial Services on

automatic route provided such services are regulated by any financial
sector regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA etc.) / Government Agencies.
Foreign investment in Other Financial Services, which are not regulated

by any regulators / Government Agency, can be made on approval route.
Further, minimum capitalisation norms as mandated under FDI policy

have been eliminated as most of the regulators have already fixed
minimum capitalisation norms. This will induce FDI and spurt economic
activities.
It will cover whole India and is not limited to any State/Districts.
SWAYAM Portal Scheme under Online Courses

(Topic: Government schemes and policies)
About-Government will be launching the SWAYAM portal for providing online
learning courses offered by the best teachers to anyone desirous of learning,
at anytime of his choice and to be accessed anywhere in the Country.
Benefit
It would be possible for any student or any school drop-out to join virtual
classes offered by the best teachers in the country, interact with the
teacher, take tests, earn academic credits and transfer them on their
academic record.
The courses offered in this portal will cover 9th Class to Post Graduation
levels. These courses would be available throughout the country.
In order to benefit the areas without internet access, the content

provided under SWAYAM would also be telecast through the free-to-air
Direct-To-Home TV channels that are going to be launched.
MAA Programme: Promotion of Breastfeeding

About- Launch of MAA Mothers Absolute Affection, a flagship programme
to ensure adequate awareness is generated among masses, especially mothers,
on the benefits of breastfeeding.
Why- Breastfeeding is the most natural, cost effective and significant
intervention and should be promoted at all levels. This is an enormous
resource that every child should have access to.
Agenda- To reduce the under-five mortality of children
MAA-Mothers Absolute Affection
Chief components of the MAA Programme are
Community awareness generation
Strengthening inter personal communication through ASHA
Skilled support for breastfeeding at Delivery points in Public health

facilities
Monitoring and Award/recognition
Programme will be monitored by UNICEF.
Importance
Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth and thereafter

exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months is essential for the
wellness of the child as a simple act of breastfeeding can ensure for the
child the right nutrients to start their life.
Breastfeeding is a childs first inoculation against death, disease and

poverty and according to the latest scientific evidence; breastfeeding is
most enduring investment in physical, cognitive and social capacity
development.
It creates a special bond between mother and baby and the interaction
between the mother and child during breastfeeding has positive impact
for life, in terms of stimulation, behaviour, speech, and sense of wellbeing, security and how the child relates to other people.
Matter of concern- Around 20% new-born deaths and 13% under-five deaths
can be prevented by early initiation of breastfeeding
FMD Mukt Bharat
Issue
Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) is one of the most economically devastating
contagious viral animal diseases affecting all susceptible cloven-footed
animals.
As per the estimates by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research

(ICAR), direct loss due to milk and meat is to the tune of RS. 20,000
crores per annum.
It can be much more if indirect losses due to reduced work capacity;

abortions, subsequent infertility and sterility (that account for the
reduced milk production subsequently) are taken into account.
FMD-CP
In order to prevent economic losses due to Foot and Mouth Disease, a

location specific programme called Foot and Mouth Disease Control
Programme (FMD-CP) is under implementation since 10th Plan Period.
Scope of the programme will be extended to cover remaining States in a

phased manner so as to have geographically contiguous areas to yield
desired results for the creation of FMD Free Zones depending upon
availability of resources.
With robust implementation of FMD-CP in the States, disease occurrence

has drastically been reduced particularly in FMD-CP States e.g. 879 FMD
outbreaks were reported in 2012 throughout the country which have
been reduced to 109 in 2015.
Looking at the economic importance of the control disease, the

Department has conceived FMD Mukt Bharat
GS-3
Diamond Quadrilateral Network in Indian Railway
(Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, and Railways etc)
About- Six corridors on Diamond Quadrilateral connecting metropolitan cities
and growth centres of the country (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai & Kolkata) have
been identified for feasibility studies for high speed rail connectivity.
Six corridors include
Delhi-Mumbai
Mumbai-Chennai
Chennai-Kolkata
Kolkata-Delhi
Delhi-Chennai
Mumbai-Kolkata routes.
Feasibility studies
Feasibility studies for Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata and MumbaiChennai have been awarded in September, 2015.
Feasibility studies for Delhi-Nagpur portion of Delhi-Chennai corridor

and Mumbai-Nagpur portion of Mumbai-Kolkata corridor are being
undertaken through Government to Government cooperation, with China
and Spain respectively.
Revised CAR will be Effective from 1st September, 2016

About- DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), which specifies the
requirements of Flight Duty and Flight Time Limitation (FDTL) for cabin crew.
The existing CAR has been reviewed and the revised CAR will be effective from
1st September, 2016. Revised CAR lays down the provision for extension of
FDTL of cabin crew under unforeseen operational circumstances.
Security system at airports in India
It is also reviewed from time to time and upgraded as per requirements

with involvement of all security agencies and stakeholders, depending
upon threat perceptions.
To strengthen security arrangements include time bound deployment of

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at major airports, deployment of
Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) at major airports and regular monitoring of
security arrangements through inspections and dummy checks.
Battery-Operated Car ServiceRailway Stations

About- Zonal Railways have been authorized to introduce Battery Operated
Vehicles (BOVs) at major railway stations.
It is for- Disabled, elderly and ailing passengers on first come first served
basis through sponsorship from individuals, NGOs, Trusts, Charitable
institutions, Corporates and PSUs/Corporate Houses under their Corporate
Social Responsibility free of charge to passenger or to the Railway.
Video Surveillance to be installed at 1000 Railway Stations under
Nirbhaya Fund
About- The proposal of Ministry of Railway namely- Integrated Emergency
Response Management System has been appraised by the Ministry of Women
and Child Development under Nirbhaya Fund which includes installation of
video surveillance at 1000 railway stations.
Steps taken for women safety
Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing scheme of

One Stop Centre to provide integrated support and assistance to women
affected by violence and a Scheme for Universalisation of Women Helpline
to provide 24 hours immediate and emergency response to women
affected by violence.
Safety and security of women and children in the country is of utmost

priority for the Government.
Steps to Rescue Power-loom Weavers from Financial Crisis

(Topic: Industrial development)
Issue- Power-looms in Malegaon, Bhiwandi, Ichalkaranji, Solapur, Surat,
Varanasi, Erode, and other centres in the country are working at sub-optimal
capacities due to high input costs and reduced off-take of fabrics. The low offtake has resulted in partial stoppage of power-looms in some clusters.
Main cause of reduction- On account of input costs and lower demand, there
has been some impact on decentralized power-loom industry which has
resulted in the reduction of operational shifts in some clusters.
Steps taken to overcome problems
Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme for upgradation of technology
In-situ Upgradation Scheme for upgrading plain power-looms
Group Work-shed Scheme for giving assistance for constructing workshed for power-loom sector
Integrated Scheme for Power-loom Sector Development (ISPSD) for

extending support in the form of Buyer Seller Meets, Yarn Banks, setting
up of Common Facility Centres, organising Seminar/ Workshops
Group Insurance Scheme for social security
Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) for skill upgradation.
Financial support to BHEL: R&D project for development of Advanced

Ultra Super Critical Technology
(Topic: Science and technology- developments and their applications and
effects in everyday life)
A Consortium of three Government Entities- Bharat Heavy Electricals
Limited (BHEL), Indira Gandhi Centre of Atomic Research (IGCAR), National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) have proposed a R&D project for the
development of AUSC Technology for Thermal Power Plants of future,
envisaging reduced coal consumption as well as Carbon Di-Oxide (CO2)
emission.
Benefit-
Enable Indian industries to design, manufacture and commission higher

efficiency coal fired power plants with indigenously developed
technology and manufacturing processes.
This will be the first time large power plant equipment will be
manufactured with advanced technologies, but without any technological
collaboration/ Licensing Agreement with foreign companies.
Progress made- Proposed technology is still in research stage and is still not
matured or demonstrated anywhere in the world.
Reduction in CO2 percentage
Power generation from coal contributes to about 38% of CO2 pollution in

the atmosphere.
20% reduction in CO2 emission at source combined with 20% saving in

coal consumption compared to a sub-critical plant and by about 11%
compared to a supercritical plant are the primary reasons justifying this
project.
Use of this technology in all future large power plants will ensure energy
security for the country for a longer period, along with a greener
environment.
Hanle A potential site for the Thirty Meter Telescope

(Topic: Science and technology- developments and their applications and
effects in everyday life)
About- Hanle in Ladakh has been identified as one of the potential alternate
sites for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).
Previously- The original site for TMT was Mauna Kea in Hawaii in the United
States of America but the construction work for TMT at Mauna Kea had to be
stalled due to revocation of Permit by orders of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.
Participation of India
Indias participation in the TMT project is being jointly funded and

overseen by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), with DST as the Lead Agency. DST
has received clearances from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home
Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs for hosting TMT at Hanle in
Ladakh.
Indian scientists leading this project, led by the Indian Institute of

Astrophysics, Bengaluru, visited the region and have completed
measurements of the key scientific parameter, viz. Atmospheric
turbulence or Seeing measured in arc-second.
Development of Deep Brain Stimulator

(Topic: Achievements of Indians in Science and Technology;
indigenization of technology and developing new technology)
About- Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for
Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram (an institute
of national importance under DST) have agreed to join hands to develop Deep
Brain Stimulator (DBS).
Deep Brain Stimulator
DBS involves implanting electrodes within certain areas of brain, and the
regular electrical pulses generated by a pacemaker-like device placed
under the skin in upper chest regulates the abnormal impulses of the
brain.
DBS is used in typical neurological conditions of Essential tremor,

Parkinsons disease and Dystonia.
DBS consists of implanted pulse generator, electrodes and extension

cables which interface with external Programmer module and wireless
battery charger.
Devices are currently being imported, limiting its wider usage due to the
high cost. The planned joint development is targeted to provide an
affordable alternative.
MoU-
BARC will develop the device as per specifications provided by SCTMIST

and SCTMIST will be responsible for clinical trials, testing and
qualification.
Electronics Division, Reactor Control Division and Centre for Design &
Manufacture of BARC will participate in the development of various
subsystems. The 1st prototypes are planned to be available in 3 years.
National Committee on Trade Facilitation- Road map for trade facilitation

(Topic: Effects of liberalization of economy, changes in industrial policy
and their effects on Industrial growth)
About- Consequent to Indias ratification of the WTO Agreement on Trade
Facilitation (TFA) in April 2016, the National Committee on Trade Facilitation
(NCTF) has been constituted. The establishment of the Committee is part of the
mandatory, institutional arrangement of the TFA.
Objective
To have a national level body that will facilitate domestic co-ordination

and implementation of TFA provisions.
It will play the lead role in developing the pan-India road map for trade
facilitation.
It will be instrumental in synergizing the various trade facilitation

perspectives across the country and will also focus on an outreach
programme for sensitization of all stakeholders about TFA.
Lets know more about NCTFType- This is a prime, inter ministerial body on trade facilitation.
Chaired by- Cabinet Secretary
Housed by- Its Secretariat will be housed within the Central Board of Excise
and Customs (CBEC), in the Directorate General of Export Promotion, New
Delhi.
Role of Private Sector and State Governments in Development of Food

Parks
(Topic: Food processing and related industries in India- scope and
significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply
chain management)
About-Ministry is implementing Mega Food Park (MFP) Scheme to create
modern infrastructure for food processing. The Mega Food Parks may be set up
by private promoters as well as State Government / its entities / cooperatives.
MFP Scheme- Financial assistance is provided as grants-in-aid @50% of the
eligible project cost in general areas and 75% of eligible project cost in difficult
and hilly areas i.e. North East Region including Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Integrated Tribal Development Projects
(ITDP) notified areas of the States subject to a maximum Rs. 50.00 crore per
project.
Important role has been envisaged of the State Government in
implementation of the projects, as under:
Providing assistance to Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in

procurement/purchase of suitable land
Providing all the requisite statutory clearances including permission for

sub-leasing of land by SPV, wherever needed, for setting up the MFP and
its components thereof and providing the necessary assistance for power,
water, roads and other external infrastructure to the project
Providing flexible and conducive labour environment and considering

special facilities like exemption of stamp duty, VAT/Sales Tax exemption
etc. for the MFP and the units located in the MFP
Monitor the implementation of project
Nominating a suitable officer to be appointed as Ministrys nominee

Director in the SPV.
Providing a fast track single window agency to facilitate clearances and

permissions required for the project.
Workshop on Transformational Change in Policy and Practices for

Sustainable Agriculture
(Topic: Sustainable Agriculture practices)
Issue- Indian agricultural sector is facing a number of challenges. On one
hand, there are challenges to feed a growing population, on the other hand, our
farmers are facing challenges due to the limited availability of natural resources
along with increasing pressure on agricultural land.
Problems emerging due to- Climate change and consequent to it the adverse
circumstances are clear on the scenario.
Organised by- National Workshop organized on Indian Green Agricultural
Project was carried out under the joint efforts of Ministry of Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as well
as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Fifth national report submitted in Bio-Diversification Summit by India
indicates that
There is an acute pressure on the productivity potential of land in

various pockets of the country due to the extension in the area of
agriculture and continuous use of the land.
Pressure owes its existence particularly to deforestation, disintegration of

forest areas, and eradication of wet land and conversion of meadows into
agricultural sector.
Solved the problem of food-grain to some extent, however, it has triggered

a scarcity in bio diversification. It has also posed a challenge for the
survival of wild life as well as human beings.
Steps taken to overcomeSchemes launched
Climate smart agriculture
Sustainable land use and management
Bio-production
Use of local and traditional knowledge along with the agriculture bio
diversification conservation.
National Level Programmes launched
National Mission for Sustainable Development of Agriculture (NMSA)
Integrated Horticulture Development Mission (MIDH)
National Livestock Development Mission as well as Traditional

Agriculture Development Scheme (PKVY) etc. is being implemented
Global Environmental Facility (GEF)
Started in India in-1991
Has mandate to: Resolve problems related to global environment.
GEF provides: Financial support for environmental improvements.
Span of GEF is for- Five years
Works on: Sustainable agriculture development, Land degradation, Bio

diversification, Sustainable forest management because it is directly
related to the adaptation of climate change process.
For the first time, Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved the
project related to- Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on the
subject to obtain revolutionary change on the strategies and
methodologies for sustainable agriculture in India; to implement it in
various parts of five states viz Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Orissa and Mizoram.
Corrective Measures to Prevent Reduction in Cotton Production

(Topic: Measures taken to prevent major crops)
About- For the cotton season 2015-16, Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) has
revised the cotton production estimate at 338 lakh bales as against its earlier
estimates of 352 lakh bales.
Reasons for the downwards cotton production estimates are
Acreage under cotton has decreased by around 7% as against previous

year due to switching over to other crops in Northern & Central Regions
White fly attack in Northern zone and pink boll-worm attack in Gujarat
region
Delayed rains in Central & Southern region and deficit rains across all
cotton growing areas.
Corrective measures taken/being taken by the Government to prevent the

reduction in production of cotton are as under
Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare is

implementing Cotton Development program
Focus on- Cropping system approach under National Food Security

Mission (NFSM) in 15 major cotton growing states viz; Assam, Andhra
Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar
Pradesh & West Bengal
Scheme Under the scheme, thrust is given for transfer of latest

technology to cotton growers through Front Line Demonstration (FLD) on
Integrated Crop Management (ICM), Desi Cotton, Extra Long Staple
Cotton, High Density Planting System.
Scheme is being implemented through State Department of Agriculture

(SDA), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agriculture
Universities (SAUs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) etc. Besides, States
can support cotton development programme under Rashtriya Krishi
Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
With a view to promote Cotton farming, during cotton season 2016-17,

Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmer Welfare has fixed
minimum support price for medium staple length cotton at Rs. 3860/per quintal and for long staple at Rs. 4160/- per quintal.
Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) Limited has been entrusted with

procurement of cotton from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP) to
protect the interest of farmers by giving MSP to their produce to avoid
distress sale.
First National Conference of Investigating Agencies

(Topic: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges
to internal security)
Organised by- Two-day conference is being organised by the Bureau of Police
Research and Development (BPR&D) in coordination with National Investigation
Agency (NIA).
Objective To discuss the latest laws and judgments and their implications for
investigation and prosecution, and to deliberate on new legislation/ criminal
law amendments and systematic changes for meeting new challenges in
investigation.
Conference envisages to
Provide an annual national platform to all the officers of law enforcement

agencies engaged in investigation tasks
Adoption of latest technology in forensic sciences for expeditious and

professional investigation and to share best practices followed by different
investigation agencies which could be implemented by others.
There will be sessions on show-casing the best practices in investigation

being followed in various States/UTs and investigation agencies.
Leading experts and practitioners in these areas would present their

views.
Help in
Improving the quality of investigation which has been a long felt demand
of public.
Conference offers sessions by investigation experts of national repute on

themes of Combating Economic and Organized crime, Digital and
Technology driven crime, Terrorist Crime Investigation, Legal issue
relating to Investigation and Ideas from States: Sharing good practices.

(PIB)- 15th Aug to 21th Aug, 2016
ARCHIVES
GS-2
Birth certificates and AADHAR Cards to street children
(Topic: Women and child development)
About- Minister of Women and Child Development, held Regional consultations
with Civil Society Organizations on the draft Trafficking of Persons Bill, 2016
in Chennai
Suggestion come forward
Timelines for repatriation of trafficked victims should be included in the

Act itself.
Begging is an important area where trafficking is rampant and should be

taken up seriously under the Act.
Project Abhayam-
Abhayam is an initiative of the NGO Dayaa Foundation.
Purpose- For safety, rescue and rehabilitation of children in the city of

Chennai.
Establish a Citizen Council for child safety initiative of bringing citizens

together for protecting children
Steps taken by WCD Ministry
It will be starting a new initiative for providing birth certificates and

AADHAR Cards to street children will help street children obtain an
identity for their future use to move ahead in life.
Measures being taken by Government for safety, protection and care of

children
o Childrens helpline i.e. Childline,

o Initiative with railways on missing children,
o New Juvenile Justice Act,
o New Foster Care programme
o Reform of Adoption System
Scaling up Citizens Participation in SBM (U)
(Topic: Government policies and scheme and interventions for
development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design
and implementation)
About- Union Minister for Urban Minister inaugurated a consultative workshop
on Scaling up Citizens Participation in Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) {SBM
(U)} to a Jan Andolan in New Delhi.
Organised by- Ministry of Urban Development & Tata Institute of Social
Sciences
Help- To share ideas, experiences and also to know the good practices this will
help to bridge the gaps in SBM
Steps for increasing citizens participation
Swachh Survekshan, thematic drives with citizen participation, engaging

students and Self-Help Groups- drivers and change agents for social
behaviour change
Engaging nearly 20,000 swachhagrahisacross the country to motivate

communities to stop open defecation
Intensive PR and social media campaigns being run continuously to

engage with citizens to trigger and sustain their motivation to participate
in cleanliness drives
Creation of infrastructure- be it construction of individual and

community/public toilets, facilitate waste processing into value-added
products, setting up technology-enabled collection and transportation
systems for solid waste, setting up waste-to-compost and waste-to-energy
plants for waste processing
To encourage production of city compost from solid waste, it has now

been made mandatory for fertilizer companies in states to purchase the
compost produced by city compost manufacturers. India is now looking
at a potential compost production of 23 lakh MT per annum by March
2017, which is likely to go up even further
Progress:
About 122 cities have achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status so far
and a total of 739 cities will achieve ODF status in this financial year.
Three States Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala have committed to be

100% ODF by March 2017.
Launch of TARANG e-Trans & DEEP
(Topic: Government policies and scheme and interventions for

development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design
and implementation)
About- Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy
and Mines launched the TARANG Mobile App, e-Trans & DEEP e-bidding
web portals, developed by Rural Electrification Corporation Transmission
Projects Company Limited (RECTPCL), a subsidiary of REC Ltd, in New Delhi.
Aim- To enhance transparency in power transmission sector of the country by
launching
TARANG- a powerful monitoring tool that tracks upcoming transmission
projects and monitors the progress of Inter-State & Intra-State transmission
systems in the country, being developed through Regulated tariff mechanism
as well as Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) route.
TARANG (Transmission App for Real Time Monitoring & Growth)

Mobile App & Web Portalhas been developed by RECTPCL, under the
guidance of Ministry of Power.
Introduction of the electronic platform shall enhance ease, accountability

& transparency and would boost confidence of investors in power
transmission sector.
Better price discovery shall ultimately benefit the power consumers in

India.
TARANG shall also include status of stalled/delayed transmission

systems in country which would enable the stakeholders viz. Ministry of
Power, State Governments, all private sector transmission developers and
PSUs like Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd., for expeditious
completion of such projects.
Green Energy Corridors, an important component of our renewable

energy mission, would also be monitored through TARANG and help to
meet our ambitious targets in same on time.
e-Trans- web platform for e-bidding and e-reverse auction for Tariff Based
Competitive Bidding (TBCB) in transmission projects
DEEP
Launch of the DEEP (Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price) eBidding portal for medium term (1-5 years) purchase of power
Portal will provide a common e-bidding platform with e-reverse auction

facility to facilitate nation-wide power procurement through a wider
network so as to bring uniformity and transparency in the process of
power procurement.
Benefits
Introduction of e-Bidding and e-reverse auction process for medium term

(1-5 years), the time span of the complete bidding process and the cost of
procurement of power is expected to be reduced substantially, thereby
significantly benefiting the ultimate consumers.
System of e-reverse auction is being introduced with concept of L-1

matching. The provision of multiple progressive bidding based on the fuel
choice has also been incorporated in the system.
2nd Meeting of BRICS: Disaster Management

involving India and affecting Indias interests)
About- 2nd Meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, and China & South Africa)
Ministers for Disaster Management will be held in Udaipur, Rajasthan on
August 22-23, 2016.
Focus on
Flood Risk Management
Forecasting of Extreme Weather Events in the context of Changing

Climate.
Outcome of-
Recognizing the common challenge posed by natural and man-made

disasters, BRICS countries have identified Disaster Management as an
important area of collaboration.
The Ufa Declaration signed by BRICS Nations at the 7th BRICS Summit
on July 9, 2015 identified the need to promote cooperation in preventing
and developing responses to emergency situations.
Declaration also acknowledged the fruitful discussions on natural

disasters within the context of BRICS cooperation in Science, Technology
and Innovation.
It also reiterated BRICS commitment to mitigate the negative impact of

climate change. All the five BRICS countries have signed the Paris
Agreement on Climate Change.
They are also parties to the adoption of the Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in March, 2015 and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015. A number of SDGs have
specific targets related to Disaster Risk Management (DRM).
Objectives of this meeting are
To share experiences on flood risk management particularly with regards

to Flood risk assessment, Flood forecasting and Early warning and
emergency response
To share experiences on current systems in each country for forecasting

extreme weather events heat and cold waves, and episodes of extreme
rainfall particularly in the context of a changing climate
To identify opportunities for- Collaboration between institutions of

respective BRICS countries in the area of flood risk management and
extreme weather related events.
Challenges for Disaster Risk Management
Mainstreaming DRR in key development sectors
Capacity building at local level
Strengthening of response mechanism
Forecasting and early warning on floods and extreme weather events
Key early warning challenges
Highlights of recent scientific and technical developments
Lessons learnt for ensuring last mile connectivity/community level action

on early warning
Disaster risk in a changing climate
Emerging disaster risks as a result of climate change
DRM practices evolving in view of emerging disaster risks in a changing

climate.
NMCG and IOC sign MoU for industrial use of treated water
involving India and affecting Indias interests)
About- Foundation laying of STP in Mathura which will provide treated water
for industrial use.
Industrial use of treated water
MoU was also signed to this effect between National Mission for Clean
Ganga (NMCG) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
Adoption of hybrid annuity mode by NMCG the complexion of Yamuna

will change completely in Mathura-Vrindavan by the year 2018.
Every effort will be made to stop the flow of polluted water of Yamuna
from Delhi to Mathura Vrindavan.
Use of pressure technology in irrigation we would be able to save about

60 percent water of Ganga and Yamuna which will help to maintain good
e-flow of water in these rivers.
NMPB to launch National campaign on Medicinal Plants at Jaipur

(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of social sector/
services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)
About-National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) of the Ministry of AYUSH will
launch a National campaign on Medicinal Plants on 20th 21st August, 2016
at Jaipur.
Campaign will be organised at- State Institute of Agriculture Management
(SIAM), Durgapura, in Jaipur.
Participants- Approximately 500 farmers who are cultivating medicinal plants
from across the country will participate.
Benefit- Most of the stakeholders will be benefited through this event.
NMPB
NMPB has been working for the growth and development of medicinal
plants in the country since its inception in year 2000.
At present, NMPB promotes medicinal plants conservation, cultivation,

research, marketing, quality and other activities under Central Sector
Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of
Medicinal Plants and Medicinal Plants component under the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission for cultivation of
medicinal plants.
Health Minister inaugurates 3rd World Trauma Congress

(Topic: Issues relating to development and management of social sector/
services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)
About- Health Ministry will soon come out with a National Injury Control
Program to provide trauma healthcare and save lives of the lakhs of persons
lost in accidents and to injury.
Objectives- To exchange ideas, experiences and lessons learned about the role
of internationally accepted systems and protocols in the field of trauma care,
mass causality incidents, and disasters.
Need of such program
Road traffic injuries are among the three leading causes of death for
people between 5 and 44 years of age.
Unless immediate and effective action is taken, road traffic injuries are
predicted to become the 5th leading cause of death in the world, resulting
in an estimated 24 lakh deaths each year.
Road injuries and deaths cause a colossal economic cost of up to 1.5% of

the Gross National Product (GNP) in the low- and middle-income
countries.
Latest statistic
In India 52 persons died every hour in various accidents in 2014, the

major causes of accidental deaths in India are Traffic accident,
Drowning, and Poisoning and Accidental fire.
India has the highest Road crash mortality in the world.
As per the statistics quoted in the report of the action for road safety,
each year nearly 16 lakh people die globally as a result of a road traffic
collision more than 3000 deaths each dayand more than half of
these people are not travelling in a car.
About 2 to 5 crore more people sustain non-fatal injuries from a

collision, and these injuries are an important cause of disability
worldwide.
Ninety percent of road traffic deaths occur in low-income and middleincome countries, which claim less than half the worlds registered
vehicle fleet.
Important reasons of increased mortality-
Non-availability of trauma systems which include care from the injury

site till rehabilitation
Pre-hospital care is absent in many states, and in some states very

primitive without the state of the art ambulances, trained manpower and
proper organization in a definite geographical area
In-hospital trauma care infrastructure presently cannot cater to the

needs of multiply injured patients due to lack of trained manpower and
resources
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Legislation is not uniformly adapted
Only state of Gujarat has enacted it;
Lack of authentic data and trauma related research
Non-existent or few rehabilitation facilities
WTC1st WTC: Rio de Jenario

2nd WTC: Frankfurt
3rd WTC: India
Additional facilities extended to persons residing in India on Long-Term
Visa (LTV)
(Topic: Steps taken for upliftment of minority community)
About- Central Government has extended certain facilities in last two years to
persons from Minority community of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan,
namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians staying on
Long Term Visa (LTV) in India, such as affidavit in place of renunciation
certificate, LTV for five years instead of two years, facilities for education and
employment, etc.
Aim- To provide them fair opportunities for a more comfortable living and
hassle-free movement and pursuit of economic activities within the territory of
India, Government has decided to extend the following additional facilities to

this class of LTV holders
Permission to open bank account
Permission for purchase of property for self occupation and suitable

accommodation for carrying out selfemployment
Permission to take self employment
Issuance of driving licence, PAN card and Aadhar number
Allowing free movement within the State/UT where they are staying
Transfer of LTV papers from one State to other
Reduction of penalty amount to Rs.100, Rs.200 and Rs.500 instead of

existing amount of $30, $130, $230 on nonextension of short term
Visa /LTV.
Permission to apply for LTV from the place of present residence when the
applicants have changed place without permission.
GS-3
India set to seize big opportunity in logistic costs saving through
Sagarmala
(Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.)
Augmenting operational efficiency of ports & optimizing logistics evacuation
can give boost to Indian trade and help seize the big opportunity of growth in
Indian cargo traffic at ports which is estimated to increase to 2.5 bn. MMTPA
by 2025. The origin destination study on cargo traffic projections & logistics
bottlenecks lays emphasis on the need for creation of efficient infrastructure at
requisite demand and logistic chain centres.
Indias logistic cost
Currently 95% of Indias trade by value and 70 % by volume take place through
maritime transport. Globally, maritime nations such as China, South Korea
and Japan have effectively used their coastline for port-led development. It is
therefore essential for India to optimize logistics cost and identify capacity
additions required at different portsto prepare for future traffic flow.
Focusing on the total demand and supply situation of major EXIM flow of key
commodities currently being handled by ports, the report suggests
Opportunities to optimize logistics cost for existing and future cargo

capacities
Capacity additions or reconfigurations needed at various ports to prepare

for future traffic flow, including new ports development.
Study estimates
Potential to save around INR 35,000-40,000 Crores per annum by

optimizing logistics flows for key commodities by 2025.
Some of the key drivers identified for this are promoting coastal shipping
of bulk commodities like coal, setting-up coastal clusters for bulk
commodities like cement & steel, and providing last-mile connectivity of
ports with National Highways and Railway network.
Programme aims
To change the way logistics evacuation happens in India
Save logistics costs nationwide for cargo handling and evacuation

through seaports
Boost overall economic development through ports
Empower coastal communities.
Identifying the opportunity of increase in cargo traffic to 2.5 bn MMTPA

by 2025
Establishing new trans-shipment port, creating dedicated coastal berths

ports for coastal shipping, setting up storage capacities at origin-
destination ports to shorten turnaround time and developing adequate

ship-repair facilities in the maritime states
Scope of Sagarmala implies
Partnership with and support from key stakeholders
Aligning with the governments Make in India campaign, private-sector

participation through PPP models will be explored for developing port
infrastructure, railway infrastructure and coastal shipping.
NHAI collaborates with PFCAdopt a Green Highway Program

(Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc)
About- National Green Highways Mission (NGHM) under NHAI has collaborated
with Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (PFC) for plantations work on NH 7 in
Nagpur region (Borkhedi Wadner, & Khatara Kelapur) covering 87 km
stretch. Power Finance Corporation Ltd. has provided financial assistance of
Rs. 13 crore for plantation and five year maintenance under their CSR funds.
Adopt a Green Highway Program
This event is historic as this marks the first collaboration with the
National Green Highways Mission NHAI under their Adopt a Green
Highways
Adopt a Green Highway Program is an initiative by NGHM to engage

Corporates, Public Sector Units, Governmental organizations,
institutions and individuals under CSR and Public Private Partnership
for developing green corridor along NHs
This will open new vistas for PSUs & Corporate houses to utilize their
CSR funds for greening of highways and creation of ecological assets.
Discussions with other PSUs such as Coal India Ltd and other
corporates are under process to promote Greening of Highways.
For the proposed work in Nagpur, NGHM has engaged four empanelled
agencies to execute plantation and maintenance work. The agencies have
been mandated to engage at least 70% work force from the local
community, thereby enhancing livelihood opportunity. Out of these four
agencies, 3 are start-ups, which is in line with the vision of PM to

promote start-up India campaign.
BARC develops portable kit for detection of Chromium-contamination of
water
(Topic: Achievements of Indians in science and technology;
indigenization of technology and developing new technology)
About Chromium
Chromium is widely used in various industries like leather, steel, chrome

plating, paint manufacturing, wood preservation etc.
Untreated effluents from these industries cause widespread

contamination of water as been reported in several parts of the country.
Chromium in the environment primarily exists as Trivalent Chromium Cr

(III) and Hexavalent Chromium Cr (VI). The later is toxic and the World
Health Organization has classified it as carcinogenic and can cause
stomach ulcers, and cancers and severe damage to kidneys and liver.
As per Indian standard IS10500 for drinking water, the maximum

permissible concentration of Cr (VI) in drinking water is 50 microgram
per litre. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a
still lower permissible concentration of 10 microgram per liter.
Detection of Cr (VI)At such low levels is not only technically challenging but also expensive and
time consuming since it involves collection of water samples from affected
areas, transportation to the laboratory, storage and finally analysis. The
method can be used for limited water samples with errors due to conversion of
Cr (III) to Cr (VI) and vice versa during transport and storage.
BARC
BARC has developed a simple, user friendly, quick and cost effective kit
for onsite determination of Cr (VI), which meets IS10500 as well as EPA
criterion.
It provides the much needed solution to measure the level of Chromium

contamination in drinking water and tap water, lakes, rivers as well as
ground water.
Procedure involves adding a specified amount of specific reagents to the

water sample and identifying the developed color.
Color chart
Color develops within 5 minutes and the distinction can be made with
naked eye.
For ease of comparison a color chart is provided with the kit.
Water samples can be immediately categorized as being safe or toxic for

drinking from Chromium (VI) point of view.
Kit provides several advantages including onsite detection and

instantaneous results, elimination of use of sophisticated instruments for
analysis, low investment on infrastructure for production of the kit, easy
availability of raw materials and very good accuracy for the intended
purpose.
BRO Launches Ambitious Tree Plantation Drive

(Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation,
environmental impact assessment)
About- Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under Ministry of Defence, which is
one of the premier road construction agencies of the country, launched a
massive tree plantation drive in the Northern & Eastern states of India.
Plantation Drive
Almost two lakh saplings will be planted across the country under this
programme.
Aim is to protect the ecology and increase the green cover along the
border areas of the Country
Apart from planting of the saplings, the most important thing is to

ensure their maintenance and care.
Effort is also aimed at saving the precious life and land from soil erosion
and consequent flash floods caused by the incessant rains and also to
make the people aware about the importance of tree plantation.
BRO also plans to conduct numerous activities to create awareness

amongst the people, by way of organizing community participation,
competitions for children and by organizing a mini-marathon with the
theme Run for the Roads in the near future.

(PIB)- 22nd Aug to 28th Aug, 2016
ARCHIVES
GS-2
BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction meet adopts Udaipur Declaration
(Topic: Global grouping and agreements involving India and/or affecting
Indias interests)
Udaipur Declaration
Udaipur meeting has successfully adopted the Udaipur Declaration

whereby have resolved to set up a dedicated Joint Task Force for
Disaster Risk Management for-> Regular dialogue+ Exchange + Mutual
support + Collaboration among BRICS Countries.
Roadmap for implementation of the three-year Joint Action Plan (JAP) for
BRICS emergency services (2016-18) was also finalised.
JAP was agreed upon at the first meeting of BRICS Ministers for Disaster
Management at St. Petersburg in Russia
Agreed on a road map for implementation of the Joint Action Plan where
all have resolved to work together on exchange of
Information/experiences on disaster management, research & technology
exchange on forecasting and early warning for floods and extreme
weather events and capacity building of stakeholders for disaster
management.
Issues discussed
BRICS nations have made a clear move from relief-centric to a holistic

approach to disasters with a greater emphasis on prevention, mitigation
and preparedness.
Highlights the importance of forecasting and early warning systems to

help authorities in alerting the communities as well as responding swiftly
to a situation.
Meeting discussed the advances in technology and knowledge sharing

amongst member countries to enable them in leveraging it to reduce
disaster risk.
Possible solutions
Mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction, use of advanced technology in

providing early warning, need for adequate funding to deal with
rehabilitation and reconstruction after a disaster and the impact of
climate change on disasters are common challenges faced by all of us.
Deliberations have been very useful and the participating countries got
an opportunity to learn about the disaster management structure,
system and processes followed in other BRICS countries.
India, the current BRICS chair, will host the 8th BRICS Summit in Goa in
October, 2016.
India and Germany join hands on skill agenda

About New project
It will run for three years starting August 2016 with a budget of EUR
3,000,000 (22.6 Crores INR) made available by the German
Government and aims to foster conditions which will help create and
improve cooperative workplace-based vocational training in Indias
industrial clusters.
Project will be implemented in three selected clusters, which include the

Automobile cluster in Maharashtra and Electronics cluster in Bangalore.
Play an important role in supporting MSDEs existing programmes to

scale up apprenticeship training.
Project will be implemented under the umbrella of the Joint

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Skill Development
and Vocational Education and Training (VET), signed during the IndoGerman intergovernmental consultations on 5th October 2015 in New
Delhi.
German technical assistance will be used to- Enhance industry institute

partnerships between Indian and German organizations, build capacity of local
training institutions and foster industry linkages which will help adapt
elements of the German dual system, into the Indian context.
Indo-German partnership
India recognize the fact that Germanys dual system is widely acclaimed
as one of the best in the world, noted for its close linkages between
industry and training institutions.
Provides a competitive edge to German industry and businesses. Need to

adapt elements of the German VET system to the Indian context to
ensure that skill training in India is closely aligned with the
requirements of industry.
Why Germany?
Germany has been one of countries which is on top of the manufacturing

and innovation pyramid and continues to develop most high end
products. It has some of the best working models in sustainable
workforce development which is the reason for the countrys economic
progress.
Partnership with Germany will help strengthen our skill development

initiatives. The recent budget allocations that have been made for
promoting apprenticeship programs in the country will help our plans
see daylight
Germany is known for its excellent vocational education system that

relies on the strong participation and engagement of the private sector.
Having a very long standing partnership with India, Germany is pleased
to support the Skill India and Make in India initiatives with a new
bilateral programme on vocational education and training.
Engagement of private enterprises, including German firms, as carriers

for skill development will be crucial for the success. Launch of a new
bilateral partner programme at the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
MoU with South Africa: To establish cooperation in Grassroots Innovation

(Topic:Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving
India and/or affecting Indias interests)
About- Union Cabinet chaired by the PM has been apprised of the signing of a
MoU between India and South Africa to establish cooperation in Grassroots
Innovation. MoU was signed on July 07, 2016 at Pretoria in pursuance to the
Inter-Government Agreement between two countries for cooperation in Science
& Technology.
MoU
Both countries will jointly organise various programmes such as forums,

seminars, workshops, and training on matters related to innovation
Share open source technologies with each other and jointly develop
projects (and including partnering with relevant industries in the
respective countries) to assist innovators in converting their ideas into
commercially viable innovations leading to joint technology development
and transfer of technology for Societal benefit.
MoU will provide a mechanism and help in creating an ecosystem that

will promote inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship at the grass-root
level in both countries with particular focus on indigenous knowledge
systems and Agriculture Biotechnology.
Interactive Meet for Discovered Small Field Bid Round 2016 held at
Dubai, UAE
Interactive Meet for Discovered Small Field
Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), the technical arm of MoPNG

highlighted the offering of 46 Contract Areas consisting of 67 small fields
for exploration and production of oil and gas in India having 625 Million
Barrels of Oil and Oil Equivalent Gas (O+OEG) in-place volumes, spread
over 1500 sq. km.
This initiative under the broad policy framework of Hydrocarbon and

Exploration License Policy (HELP) is in line with PMs vision of
reducing import dependency on oil and gas by 10% by 2022 in India.
As part of the new bid round 2016, a single uniform policy would be
issued for exploration and development of conventional as well as
unconventional hydrocarbon resources, based on Revenue Sharing
Contract Model replacing the earlier Production Sharing Contract Model.
Other incentives would include no signature bonus, no mandatory work

programme and fiscal incentives such as no oil cess, exemption of
custom duty and graded royalty rates.
There were multiple presentations with regards to Ease of Doing

Business in India as well as on details of the new bid round.
Key Highlights
Presentations given during the sessions highlighted the key statistics and
overall macroeconomic scenario of Indian economy with oil and gas
focus, the advantages of the operating environment in India, and also
discussed Indias positive upstream investment environment and the
attractiveness of the Indian economy, compared to other Asian
economies.
Presentations were also made on the Indian Taxation Regime for E&P
sector discussing the direct and indirect tax law pertaining to the oil and
gas sector, and on the facilities and infrastructure available near the
offered fields for the use of prospective bidders.
A virtual data room was launched to assist investors to view geoscientific

and geophysical data onlineto help investors have a broad and initial
understanding of the financial viability of the contract areas on offer and
a facilitation cell to handle queries, was also informed.
Sugamya Pustakalaya- An online library for persons with visual disabilities

launched
(Topic: Government Schemes)
About- Sugamya Pustakalaya: A step towards an Accessible Digital India (An
online library for persons with visual disabilities)
It is an online platform that makes accessible content available to printdisabled people. The library houses publications across diverse subjects
and languages and multiple accessible formats.
Created by- Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

(Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in
collaboration with member organizations of Daisy Forum of India and
powered by TCS Access.
Books are available in Accessible formats for people with visual

impairment and other print disabilities.
Integrating libraries across India and the Globe, including the largest
international library, Bookshare.
In case of End User i.e. person with Print Disability
The next time a person with Print Disability needs to read a book, he can
skip the laborious process of looking for volunteers to read them to him
or scan and edit them.
A quick search on the Sugamya Pustakalaya will help him access the
book of his choice at the click of a button. He will need to be a registered
print-disabled member with one of the member DFI organizations to
download the book or procure it offline through their member
organization.
He can access all the books in the library at a click of a button. He can
read the publications on any device of his choice- mobile phones, tablets,
computers, DAISY players or even in braille using refreshable braille
displays. He could also request for a braille copy through member
organizations that have Braille presses.
GS-3
Electropreneur Park bolsters domestic electronics manufacturing with
early stage start-up incubation
(Topic: Electronics manufacturing)
About- Initiatives like Make in India, Digital India and Design in India along
with Startup India taken by Government of India have injected new hopes in
Indias electronics system design and product development space. Taking the
vision forward, Electropreneur Park has been set-up at University of Delhi,
South Campus to incubate 50 early stage start-ups and create atleast 5 global
companies over a period of 5 years.
Initiative was taken by- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY), managed by Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and
implemented by India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA).
Objective-
The park will focus on IP creation and Product Development to result in

increased domestic value addition and will witness a unique integration
of academia, industry, government and other incubation eco-system
elements.
Platform will also encourage R&D, innovation, Entrepreneurship in the

ESDM sector in India and provide assistance during prototyping,
development and commercialization for the products, conceptualized at
Electropreneur Park, produced through the scheme for India and other
growth markets.
Best-in-class facilities- Initiative will provide the selected entrepreneurs with
State-of-art laboratories as per international standard,
ESDM mentorship by industry veterans and academicians,
Efficient supply chain
An eco-system that will bring in a bouquet of shared services and

facilities to the incubatees like Taxation, Legal, Finance, Accounting,
Patent Search, Training, interns, business counselling, etc.
EP will also provide access to funding agencies to facilitate seed funding

for the promising ventures and ensure a smooth transition from an
incubatee to a self-sufficient electronics company.
About Electropreneur Park
Funded by Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), Government of India, the

Electropreneur Park is an Incubation Centre under PPP mode in the
Electronic Systems Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) sector.
Electropreneur Park will develop, promote, recruit, incubate, mentor, and

create breakthrough innovations in the ESDM sector
First training program on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for

Government users
(Topic: Marketplace and government programmes)
Participants- The training session was attended by more than 60 procurement

officers from about 20 Central Government organizations based in Delhi and is
the first such training program to be followed by similar pan-India training
sessions for all the Central Government procurement officers.
What is GeM?
GeM is a completely online and end-to-end integrated e-procurement

portal for products and services that has been developed by DGS&D with
technical support from NeGD.
GeM will enable Government buyers to make use of new technologies to

procure goods and services in a more transparent, accountable and
efficient manner and with the same ease and efficiency that is presently
offered by e-commerce sites.
It has been made mandatory on GeM to make payment to the vendors

within 10 days of receipt of goods/services, efforts should be made to
further reduce this time span as time is money and ultimately the cost of
delayed payment is born by the Government.
GeM has a potential to grow and will bring in a lot of credibility and
comfort in procurement decision making within the Government.
Delhi poised to get New Air Force Aerospace Museum

(Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways)
About- Delhi will soon have a sprawling new Aerospace Museum close to the
international airport focused mainly on Nations rich aviation history.
Aim- New Aerospace Museum is not only meant to preserve the glorious
tradition of the IAF but also to create awareness in general public about Indias
rich Aerospace heritage.
The IAF believes that the Museum would be a popular tourist attraction and a
landmark in Indias capital city. The new museum would be ready for the
tourists within 3-5 years.
IAF presently has a museum near the technical area of Air Force Station
Palam, which was established in 1967. The museum has an average footfall
of 500 tourists daily and exhibits details about combat operations undertaken
by the IAF depicting IAFs rich history since its formation in 1932 to present
date, along with the display of various aircraft and equipment on the IAFs
inventory, since its inception.
Government planning to set up Indian Council for Fertilizers Research
(Topic: Fertilizers, storage and supply)
About- Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs has
advocated a 3 A approach towards fertilizers in the country, these being
authenticity (Quality), availability and affordability.
Aim- Government should be able to provide last mile timely availability of
quality fertilizers at affordable rates to the farmers. This would ensure the
fertilizers security of the country which is essential for the food security.
Shortage and recovery of Urea
Till two years back, there used to be shortage of urea, leading to its
hoarding, black-marketing and smuggling.
Indian Fertilizer manufacturers for running the plants at over 100 per
cent capacity and achieving an all time record of 245 lakh MT urea
production last year.
Minister said that the timely imports, pre-positioning of the fertilizers,

contribution of the States in timely distribution, and cooperation of the
Railways through Good Rake Movement also helped in making the
fertilizer position comfortable in the country.
Enforcement of quality checks
State Government officials to enforce quality checks on the fertilizers,

undertake district level planning for supply of fertilizers, ensure early
turnaround of rakes, provide adequate storage facilities, and take benefit
of pre-positioning.
States to initiate a drive against those who indulge in hoarding, blackmarketing, diversion and smuggling of fertilizers.
The unethical practices of the retailers/companies to tag certain items

for selling to farmers along with the required fertilizers, should be
discouraged.
Minister also emphasized on the issue of soil security and ways to

compost initiative. Government is reviving the sick fertilizer PSU and the
basic principle of producing where it is being consumed.
Indian Council for Fertilizers Research
Government is soon planning to set up Indian Council for Fertilizers

Research, on the lines of ICMR and ICAR.
Research is very much required to discover and develop various means

and ways of producing quality fertilizers, fortified fertilizers, hybrid
fertilizers, nutrients and various combinations which are good for the
soil.
Research has a role to play in the all aspects of the fertilizer chain which
includes production, transportation, storage, availability, application, etc.
Central and the State Government officials dealing with the various
aspects of fertilizers discussed various issues concerning the sector
including- Availability and supply of fertilizers, implementation of Direct
Benefit Transfer Scheme, fertilization and neem-coating of urea, quality control
of fertilizers, issues in Fertilizer Monitoring System and promotion of city
compost.
Regional Connectivity Scheme
(Topic: Infrastructure- Civil Aviation)
About- Ministry of Civil Aviation, State Government of Maharashtra and
Airports Authority of India today signed a tri-partite Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU), thereby kicking off the collaborative process of the three
agencies coming together for successful launch of the Regional Connectivity
Scheme.
State Government of Maharashtra has formally agreed to Provide the

concessions required from the State Governments in the Regional Connectivity
Scheme, thereby becoming the first state in the country to do so.
Discussion on various other aviation related issues
The subject of rehabilitation of slums (that have come up right next to

the Mumbai International Airport) was deliberated upon in details. Early
operationlization of several available airports and airstrips in the State
(like Shirdi, Kolhapur, Nasik, Sholapur etc) also figured prominently in
the discussions.
Emphasis on timely completion of the project by following timelines for all

sub-activities

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IASbaba Press Information Bureau

(PIB)- 1st Aug to 7th Aug, 2016

Two cultural assemblage found i.e. Early-Harappan and MatureHarappan

Represented by various antiquities such as fish-hook, arrowheads, knife,

Harappan seal made of steatite depicting figure of unicorn with five

The structures of Early-Harappan period were made of mud bricks

In the Early-Harappan phase Hakara ware (incised and mud appliqu

1. Rukministhan, District, Nalanda, Bihar, 2015-16

These structures as per their nature and associated antiquities and

The important antiquities like terracotta sealing, inscribed tablets,

1. Suabarei, District Puri (Odisha) V, Bhubaneswar, 2015-16

It was an important Neo-Chalcolithic site in between the Daya River and

They were subsisted by hunting, gathering, fishing and farming as

Presence of carnivorous canine teeth also indicates the hunting of wild

1. Vadnagar, District, Mehsana, Gujarat, 2015-16

A multidisciplinary approach involving archaeology (geo and landscape

At Kirti Torana revealed remains of the 9th-10th Century CE so far. A few

1. Keeladi, District, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 2015-16

Evinced interesting finds like Rouletted and Arretine pot sherds

At a later date these varieties were imitated and manufactured locally at

Inscribed pot sherds having names of individuals written in Tamil

1. Vangchhia, District Champai, Mizoram- 2015-16

Discovered one of the Biggest Necropolis (Burials/related structures) in

Capacity building assistance would be a part of the S&D provisions.

Negotiations on fishery subsidies discipline, which was on hold since

Since then, members have been showing interest for recommencing

In these negotiations, India and some of the WTO member countries

Indian Leather Development Programme

Assistance is provided for technology up-gradation/modernization of

1. Human Resource Development (HRD)

Assistance is provided for placement linked skill development training to

Assistance is provided for skill up-gradation training to employed workers

Placement of 75% of trained persons is mandatory for availing assistance

1. Mega Leather Cluster scheme

Providing infrastructure support to the Leather Industry by

Minimum land area required for Mega Leather Cluster is 25 acres to be

Assistance upto 50% of the project cost is provided by the Government of

1. Support to Artisan scheme

For formation of Self-help groups (SHGs), product development, capacity

1. Leather Technology, Innovation & Environmental Issues

Assistance is provided for up-gradation/installation of Common Effluent

Pilot Projects under Technology Benchmarking for leather units,

1. Establishment of Institutional Facilities

Establishment of two new branches of Footwear Design and Development

Measures Taken by the Government for Upliftment of Women in

Of the total cultivators (118.7 million), 30.3% are female.

Out of 144.3 million agricultural labourers 42.6 % are Women.

In 2001, female agricultural labourers were 21% which increased to 23%

About: The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare

Implemented by Ministry of Rural Development

To empower women in agriculture by making systematic investments to

Measures taken by the Government for upliftment of women in the agriculture

Ensuring utilization of minimum 30% of resources on programmes and

To encourage women farmers participation in planning and decision

1. Sub Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)

Training is provided under the components of the Scheme Seed Village

1. National Food Security Mission (NFSM)

30% of allocation of fund is being earmarked for women farmer.

An intervention under NFSM providing cropping system based training to

1. National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)

30% of budgetary allocation is being earmarked for women

Concerned implementing agencies will be responsible for monitoring

1. Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

31 drudgery reducing technologies for women in agriculture developed by