PIB 5th February

Contents:

1. New major Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra
2. Soil Health Card Scheme
3. Promoting quality standards
4. Vizag-Chennai Industrial corridor
5. Intellectual property rights in defence
6. Social and Infrastructure Development Fund (SIDF)
7. National Cybercrime reporting portal
8. New pension schemes for unorganized sector

NEW MAJOR PORT AT VADHAVAN IN MAHARASHTRA

• Vadhavan port will be developed on “land lord model”
• A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) as the lead partner with equity participation equal to or more than 50% to implement the project.
• The SPV will develop the port infrastructure including reclamation, construction of breakwater, besides establishing connectivity to the hinterland
• Maharashtra has India’s largest container port at JNPT which caters to the hinterland of Maharashtra, North Karnataka, Telangana and secondary hinterland of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, NCR, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

What is land lord port model ?

In the landlord port model, infrastructure is leased to private operating companies or to industries such as refineries, tank terminals, and chemical plants

SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

• In the second phase of the scheme 11.69 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers in the last two years.
• A study conducted by the National Productivity Council (NPC) says the application of Soil Health Card recommendations has led to a decline of 8-10% in use of chemical fertilizers and also raised productivity by 5-6%.
• In the current financial year a pilot project “Development of Model Villages” is being implemented under which the sampling and testing of cultivable soil is being encouraged in partnership with the farmers.
• Under the project a Model Village has been selected for aggregation of soil samples and analysis of each agricultural holding.
• The scheme provides for the analysis of soil composition by the State Governments once in every two years so that remedial steps can be taken to improve soil nutrients. Farmers can track their soil samples and also obtain their Soil Health Card report

PROMOTING QUALITY STANDARDS

• The Quality Council of India (QCI) works for promotion of Quality Standards across various economic and social sectors such as manufacturing, education, health and environment.
• Was established As a National body for Accreditation on recommendation of Expert Mission of EU after consultation in Inter-Ministerial Task Force, Committee of Secretaries and Group of Ministers through a Cabinet decision in 1996
• Formed on the PPP model
  • i) Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM)
  • (ii) Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
  • (iii) Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
• The QCI is the umbrella organisation of five boards:
  • NABL – National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories;
  • NABH- National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare;
  • NABET- National Accreditation Board for Education and Training;
  • NABCB- National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies; and
  • NBQP- National Board for Quality Promotion.

YOUNG  SCIENTIST LABORATORIES

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has identified five niche technology areas and established the following Young Scientist Laboratories (YSLs) in year 2019:

• Artificial Intelligence (DYSL-AI), Bengaluru
• Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT), Mumbai
• Cognitive Technologies (DYSL-CT), Chennai
• Asymmetric Technologies (DYSL-AT), Kolkata
• Smart Materials (DYSL-SM), Hyderabad

VIZAG-CHENNAI INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR

Asian Development Bank (ADB) had prepared Conceptual Development Plan (CDP) for Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor

The loan has been agreed between State Government and Asian Development Bank (ADB). 

ADB has approved USD 631 million (in loans and grants) for VCIC,

More about ADB

• It is a regional development bank
• Established on 19 December 1966
• Headquartered — Manila, Philippines
• Official United Nations Observer
• The bank admits the members of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP, formerly the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East or ECAFE) and non-regional developed countries comprising 68 member states.

Voting rights:

• It is modeled closely on the World Bank, and has a similar weighted voting system where votes are distributed in proportion with members’ capital subscriptions.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN DEFENCE

In 2018, Ministry of Defence, Department of Defence Production has launched a programme ‘Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti (MRGS)’ to promote self-reliance and have an enabling framework for creation of Intellectual Property (IP) and management of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in Indian Defence sector.

SOCIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FUND (SIDF)

The Social and Infrastructure Development Fund (SIDF) has been created with a sum of Rs.586.20 crore in the Public Account for North Eastern Region (NER), especially for Arunachal Pradesh and other border areas facing special problems that cannot be tackled through normal schemes

NATIONAL CYBERCRIME REPORTING PORTAL

• Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) operationalised National Cybercrime Reporting Portal on 30th August, 2019 and the complaints reported are dealt by the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) of the concerned State/UT as per provisions of the law.
• 33,152 cybercrime incidents have been reported till 30.01.2020 on the portal, wherein 790 FIRs have been registered by the concerned LEAs.
• ‘Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)’ to combat cybercrime in the country, in a coordinated and effective manner.

NEW PENSION SCHEMES FOR UNORGANISED SECTOR

Government of India has introduced two voluntary and contributory Pension Schemes

• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan Yojana, (PM-SYM), a  pension scheme  for  the  Unorganized Workers
• National Pension Scheme  for  the  Traders and  Self Employed  Persons
• The schemes envisage for providing minimum assured monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- after attaining the age of 60 years.
• If  the  subscriber dies,  the  spouse  of  the  beneficiary shall  be  entitled  to receive 50%  of  the  pension  as  family  pension.
• Family pension is applicable only to spouse.
• The monthly contribution ranges from Rs.55-Rs.200/- depending upon the entry age of the beneficiary.