Scheme for Financial Support for Project Development Expenses of PPP Projects – ‘IIPDF Scheme’

• What is it? It is a Central Sector Scheme which will aid the development of quality PPP projects by providing necessary funding support to the project sponsoring authorities, both in the Central and State Governments.
• Funding:
  • The corpus of the IIPDF shall comprise of initial budgetary outlay of Rs. 100 Crore by the Ministry of Finance. This would be supplemented, should it become necessary, through budgetary support by the Ministry of Finance from time to time.
  • Funding under IIPDF Scheme is in addition to the already operational Scheme for Financial Support to PPPs in Infrastructure (VGF Scheme).
• Organisational Structure: The IIPDF will be administered by the Empowered Institution. The Empowered Institution will:
  • Select projects for which project development costs will be funded.
  • Set the terms and conditions under which the funding will be provided and recovered.
  • Set milestones for disbursing and recovering (where appropriate) the funding.
• The Public Private Partnership Cell of the DEA will provide support functions examine the applications received for assistance under IIPDF.

UIDAI tops Grievance Redressal Index third month in a row

• Grievance Redressal Index is published by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• UIDAI has launched its new AI/ML based Chatbot, Aadhaar Mitra to further enhance residents’ experience. The new Chatbot comes with enhanced features like – check Aadhaar enrollment/update status, tracking of Aadhaar PVC card status etc.
• UIDAI is gradually rolling out advanced and futuristic Open-Source CRM solution.

UIDAI

• It is a statutory authority established under the provisions of Aadhaar act 2016 by the Govt. of India under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.
• Its aim to provide for good governance, efficient, transparent and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits and services, the expenditure for which is incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of State to residents of India through assigning of unique identity numbers.
• Its mission is to ensure security and confidentiality of identity information and authentication records of individuals.

Ninth Round of India-ROK CEPA Up-Gradation Negotiation held

• India raised serious concerns on the growing trade deficit between the two countries and discussed market access issues. Both sides agreed to work closely to address tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepen the relationship in the services sector.
• It was agreed that the 10th round of CEPA upgradation negotiations will be hosted by India in early 2023.

India – ROK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

• ROK and India signed a CEPA in Seoul on 7th August , 2009.
• It commits both countries to lower or eliminate import tariffs on a wide range of goods, over the next 10 years. ROK is reducing tariffs on 90 percent of Indian goods while India will do so on 85 percent of Korean goods.

Types of Trade Agreements:

• Free Trade Agreement: It is an agreement in which two or more countries agree to provide preferential trade terms, tariff concession etc. to the partner country. Here a negative list of products and services is maintained on which the terms of FTA are not applicable.
• Preferential Trade Agreement: In this, two or more partners give preferential right of entry to certain products. This is done by reducing duties on an agreed number of tariff lines. India signed a PTA with Afghanistan.
• Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: It is comprehensive than an FTA. CECA/CEPA also looks into the regulatory aspect of trade.
• Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement: CECA generally covers negotiation on trade tariff and TQR rates only. It is not as comprehensive as CEPA. India has signed CECA with Malaysia.
• Framework agreement: It primarily defines the scope and provisions of orientation of the potential agreement between the trading partners. It provides for some new area of discussions and set the period for future liberalisation. India has previously signed framework agreements with the ASEAN, Japan etc.
• Early Harvest Scheme: It is a precursor to an FTA/CECA/CEPA between two trading partners. At this stage, the negotiating countries identify certain products for tariff liberalization pending the conclusion of actual FTA negotiations.

Shri Narayan Rane chairs 5th meeting of High Powered Monitoring Committee (HPMC) under National SC-ST Hub scheme

• Objective of National SC-ST Hub: Develop a supportive ecosystem for SC/ST entrepreneurs to achieve the mandated 4% procurement by the CPSEs from the SC/ST entrepreneurs as laid down in Central Government Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises.
• Scheme applicable for: Existing and Aspiring SC/ST Entrepreneurs.
• Key Benefits:
  • To achieve 4% Public Procurement target from SC-ST entrepreneurs.
  • Facilitating SC/ST Entrepreneurs to be part of vendor development programs and mentoring support.
  • Collection, collation and dissemination of information regarding SC/ST enterprises and entrepreneurs.
  • Distribution of trade specific tool kits to trained candidates.
• The key action areas: Vendor development, participation in public procurement, building reliable database, credit facilitation, technology upgradation, marketing support, and special subsidies under various schemes etc.

Aibawk cluster in the Aizwal, Mizoram becomes the first cluster to be completed under the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission

• What is SPMRM? It was launched by the Prime Minister in February 2016 with a vision to provide amenities to rural areas which are perceived to be urban and have the potential to stimulate local economic development.
• The Mission aim: Development of 300 Rurban clusters, in the next five years.
• What is a ‘Rurban Cluster’? It is a cluster of geographically contiguous villages with a population of about 25000 to 50000 in plain and coastal areas and with a population of 5000 to 15000 in desert, hilly or tribal areas.
• Selection of the ‘Rurban Clusters’
• There are two categories of clusters under SPMRM: Non-Tribal and Tribal. The process of selection varies for each of these categories.
• While selecting the Rurban cluster, the State may identify a large village/gram panchayat that are growth centers with resources available in the area that could potentially lead the economic transformation of the region. These growth centres could also be block headquarter, villages or census towns.
• The clusters could then be formed by identifying geographically contiguous villages/gram panchayats within a radius of 5–10 km (or radius appropriate to the population density and geography of the region) around the identified growth centre.

Atal Innovation Mission launches coffee table book featuring 75 successful women entrepreneurs of India

• ''Innovations For You'' is a Coffee Table Book series with 3 editions being released previously.
• The book captures success stories of start-ups supported through Atal Incubation Centres, Atal Community Innovation Centres and Atal New India Challenges, three flagship programs under the Atal Innovation Mission.
• Each edition showcases the journey of entrepreneurs working in different sectors and is dedicated to creating new, disruptive, innovative products, services, and solutions that can pave the path for a sustainable future.
• The first edition was focused on the Healthcare sector; the second on Agriculture and the Allied sector and the third on Transport and Mobility.
• Out of the 2900 plus startups supported by AIM, more than 850 plus are led by women.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM):

• Objective: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) including Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation (SETU) is Government of India''s endeavour to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship esp. in technology driven areas.
• Mission HQ: New Delhi.
• Background: In 2016, Union Cabinet approved the establishment of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation (SETU) in NITI Aayog.
• It has two core Functions:
  • (1) Entrepreneurship promotion through Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation wherein innovators will be supported to become successful entrepreneurs and
  • (2) Innovation promotion to provide a platform where innovative ideas are generated.

Provisions of Employees'' Pension Scheme 2014 ''legal and valid'', says SC

• Title:Enforcement of decrees, orders of Supreme Court and orders as to discovery, etc.
• Provisions:This article has 2 provisions –
  • 142(1): The Supreme Court may pass an order for doing complete justice.
  • 142(2):It confers three different powers on the Supreme Court. They are:
    • Securing the attendance of persons before it.
    • Discovery and production of documents and
    • Investigation and punishment of contempt of itself.

Article 142(1): Doing Complete Justice:

• The objective of Article 142(1) is that the Supreme Court must not be dependent on the executive for the enforcement of its decrees and orders.
• Such dependence would otherwise violate the principles of independence of the judiciary and separation of powers, both of which are part of the basic structure of the Constitution.
• In Supreme Court Bar Association v. Union of India (1998), it was decided that this article
  • Cannot be used to over-ride the existing law, but only to supplement the law and
  • Can be invoked for procedure purposes only.

Mathura-Vrindavan aims to become a carbon neutral tourist destination by 2041

• Tourist vehicles will be banned from the entire Braj region, which includes famous pilgrim centres such as Vrindavan and Krishna Janmabhoomi.
• Instead, only electric vehicles used as public transport will be allowed into the area.
• All 252 waterbodies and 24 forests in the area will also be revived.
• According to the plan, the Braj region’s annual pilgrim-tourist footfall is expected to multiply from the current level of 2.3 crore to six crore by 2041.
• To attain a net zero carbon emission status, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance.
• To facilitate this in Mathura-Vrindavan, the plan divides the entire region into four clusters, each containing two of the eight key cities.
• The plan proposes to form small circuits called ‘Parikrama Paths’ which the pilgrim can undertake either on foot or using electric vehicles.

Mathura-Vrindavan:

• It is located on the banks of the river Yamuna.
• It is situated the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
• The entire land is dotted with magnificent temples, dedicated to various aspects of his life.
• Some of the famous temples are:Govind Dev Temple, Rangaji Temple, Dwarikadhish Temple, Bankey Bihari Temple and the ISKCON Temple.
• Gokul, Barsana and Goverdhan are the other township associated with the legend of Lord Krishna.

India’s first ‘spy’ satellite Risat-2 re-enters Earth after 13.5-yr job, lands near Jakarta

• It was launched on 20 April 2009 by a PSLV C-12 rocket following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
• It was India’s first “eye in the sky” to keep surveillance on the country’s borders as part of anti-infiltration and anti-terrorist operations.
• It was also used to track enemy ships at sea.
• The main sensor of RISAT-2, which was able to observe in all weather conditions day and night, was Israel Aerospace Industries'' X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar.
• It carried 30 kg of fuel for an initial designed life of four years.
• Due to proper maintenance of orbit and mission planning by the spacecraft operations team in ISRO and by economical usage of fuel, RISAT-2 provided very useful payload data for 13 years.

Rahul Gandhi whips himself during Bonalu festival in Telangana

• Bonalu is a Hindu Festival where Goddess Mahakali is worshiped.
• It is an annual festival celebrated in the twin Cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad and other parts of Telangana state, India.
• Bonalu is celebrated usually during Ashada Masam that falls in July/August.
• Special poojas are performed for goddess Yellamma during the first and last day of the festival.
• The festival is considered as a form of thanksgiving to the Goddess after the fulfillment of vows.
• Bonam literally means Meal in Telugu, which is an offering to the Mother Goddess.
• Every year, the festival starts at Golconda Fort, and on the second Sunday, it moves to the Balkampet Yellamma temple in Balkampet, and the Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad. On the third Sunday, it moves to the Pochamma and Katta Maisamma temple of Chilkalguda and the Mateshwari temple of Lal Darwaza in Hyderabad.