PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS 29-MARCH-2018
Topic: Women
related issues.
‘WomenInTech’
forum
Context: RBS
India in association with prominent technology corporates, Academia and
government participation has setup an exclusive ‘By Invite Only’ platform ‘Women In Tech’ with
the agenda of working towards encouraging more women to take up careers in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) as a key career choice.
About the forum:
§ WomenInTech
has been conceived in association with a number of technology corporate,
academia and NGOs.
§ The forum
has been designed “to help accelerate the national agenda of Beti Bachao, Beti
Padhao and further to work in alignment with the UN’s focus area this year –
‘Turning promises into action’.
§ It would
“address the need for policy making collectively as an industry to ensure that
workplaces prod more girls to take up careers in STEM on one end and on the
other hand are conducive for working women to aspire for senior level roles”.
§ One of its
initiatives is to build an independent corpus of funds, in collaboration with
education NGOs, to sponsor the tertiary education of at least three young women
to begin with from economically weak backgrounds in the field of engineering to
top universities in the United States and United Kingdom.
Concerns:
§ According
to the World Bank, women make up 40% of the world’s workforce. Yet, the tech
field is notoriously male-dominated at all levels and fares considerably worse
that non-technology industries. Tech industry has merely 10 – 15% female
workforce.
§ While
studies continuously corroborate a strong business case for inclusion of more
women in tech for enhanced profitability and innovativeness, the percent
continues to be low and the pipeline often inconsistent and unavailable.
§ Lack of
mentoring and lack of female role models are two of the most quoted barriers
that women in technology workspace identify.
What’s important?
§ For
Prelims: Women In Tech forum.
§ For Mains:
Women in tech sector- need, significance, challenges and solutions.
Sources:
Ie.
Paper 2:
Topic: issues
related to Health.
E-Cigarettes
Context: WHO has
released a report on E- Cigarettes and its effects on health.
Highlights of the report:
§ As per the
report, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) (also known as
e-cigarettes) emits nicotine, the addictive component of tobacco products. In
addition to dependence, nicotine can have adverse effects on the development of
the foetus during pregnancy and may contribute to cardiovascular disease.
§ The WHO
report further says that although nicotine itself is not a carcinogen, it may
function as a “tumour promoter” and seems to be involved in the biology of
malignant disease, as well as of neurodegeneration.
§ Foetal and
adolescent nicotine exposure may have long-term consequences for brain
development, potentially leading to learning and anxiety disorders.
§ The
evidence is sufficient to warn children and adolescents, pregnant women, and
women of reproductive age against ENDS use and nicotine.
What are e-cigarettes?
An
electronic cigarette (or e-cig) is a battery-powered vaporizer that mimics
tobacco smoking. It works by heating up a nicotine liquid, called “juice.”
§ Nicotine
juice (or e-juice) comes in various flavors and nicotine levels. e-liquid is
composed of five ingredients: vegetable glycerin (a material used in all types
of food and personal care products, like toothpaste) and propylene glycol (a
solvent most commonly used in fog machines.) propylene glycol is the ingredient
that produces thicker clouds of vapor.
§ Proponents
of e-cigs argue that the practice is healthier than traditional cigarettes
because users are only inhaling water vapor and nicotine.
Why its hard to regulate them?
As
e-cigarettes contain nicotine and not tobacco, they do not fall within the
ambit of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of
Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and
Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA), which mandates stringent health warnings on
the packaging and advertisements of tobacco products.
Need for regulation:
The
current unregulated sale of e-cigarettes is dangerous for a country like India
where the number of smokers is on the decline (WHO Global Report, 2015) as it
increases the possibility of e-cigarettes becoming a gateway for smoking by
inducing nicotine addiction and perpetuating smoking by making it more
attractive, thereby encouraging persons to become users of tobacco as well as
e-cigarettes.
Way ahead:
The
government should also impose appropriate restrictions on the sale and
advertisement, online and otherwise, of e-cigarettes, including proper health
warnings, in order to plug the existing regulatory vacuum. This should be done
with immediate effect, and simultaneously the government should also commission
independent scientific research on the benefits and risks posed by these
products in the Indian context.
What’s important?
§ For
Prelims: E- Cigarettes.
§ For Mains:
E- Cigarette- need for regulation, challenges and the role of government.
Sources:
pib.
Topic:
Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and
issues arising out of their design and implementation.
‘Saubhagya’
scheme
Context: Aiming
to empower and uplift the rural youth and development, Ministry of Skill
Development & Entrepreneurship has partnered with the Ministry of Power to
ensure access to electricity for every household in the country through an
ambitious scheme, Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna (SAUBHAGYA).
About SAUBHAGYA Scheme:
§ Pradhan
Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – ‘Saubhagya’ was launched in September,
2017.
§ Under Saubhagya free electricity connections to all
households (both APL and poor families) in
rural areas and poor families in urban areas will be provided.
§ Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has been
designated as nodal agency for
the Saubhagya scheme.
§ The scheme
aims to achieve universal household electrification in all parts of the country
at a cost of Rs 16,320 crore, including Gross Budgetary Support of Rs 12,320
crore from the government.
§ All
DISCOMs including Private Sector DISCOMs, State Power Departments and RE
Cooperative Societies shall be eligible for financial assistance under the
scheme in line with DDUGJY.
§ The
prospective beneficiary households for free electricity connections under the
scheme would be identified using SECC 2011 data. However, un-electrified households not covered under SECC data
would also be provided electricity connections under the scheme on
payment of Rs. 500 which shall be recovered by DISCOMs in 10 instalments
through electricity bill.
Scope of the Scheme:
§ Providing
last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all un-electrified
households in rural areas.
§ Providing
Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) based standalone system for un-electrified households
located in remote and inaccessible villages / habitations, where grid extension
is not feasible or cost effective.
§ Providing
last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining
economically poor un-electrified households in urban areas. Non-poor urban
households are excluded from this scheme.
§ There are
around 4 Crore un-electrified households in the country and they are targeted
for providing electricity connections by December 2018.
What’s important?
§ For
Prelims and Mains: Saubhagya scheme and its significance.
Sources:
pib.
Topic: India
and its neighbourhood- relations.
Permanent Indus Commission
Context: India
and Pakistan will hold a meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission to discuss
various issues under the Indus Waters Treaty.
Key facts:
§ This will
be the 114th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), which should meet
at least once a year as per the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
§ The
meeting of the PIC is held alternately in India and Pakistan every year.
§ The PIC
had last met in March 2017 in Islamabad.
About Indus Water Treaty:
The Indus
Waters Treaty is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan,
brokered by the World Bank. The treaty was signed in Karachi on September 19,
1960 by Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru and President of Pakistan Ayub
Khan.
§ According
to this treaty, waters of the three western rivers (the Jhelum, the Chenab, and
the Indus itself) were allocated to Pakistan, and those of the three eastern
rivers (the Ravi, the Beas, and the Sutlej) were allocated to India.
§ The Treaty
also provides arbitration mechanism to solve disputes amicably. Though Indus
originates from Tibet, China has been kept out of the Treaty.
What is PIC?
Permanent
Indus Commission is a bilateral commission of officials from India-Pakistan,
created to implement and manage goals of Indus Waters Treaty. Under the treaty,
it is required that India and Pakistan meet every financial year. The Indus
Commission is the first step for conflict resolution. If an agreement cannot be
reached at the Commission level, the dispute is to be referred to the two
governments. If the governments too fail to reach an agreement, the Treaty
provides an arbitration mechanism. The last meeting of the commission was held
in July 2016.
What’s important?
§ For
Prelims: IWT, PIC.
§ For Mains:
IWT and its significance, dispute between India and Pakistan over river water
sharing.
Sources:
the hindu.
Topic:
Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure,
mandate.
3R Regional Forum in Asia and the Pacific
Context: India
is getting ready to host the 8th 3R Regional Forum in Asia and the Pacific in
its cleanest city, Indore in the month of April, 2018.
Key facts:
§ The event
is co-organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Government
of India, the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan (MOEJ), and the
United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD).
§ Theme:
“Achieving Clean Water, Clean Land and Clean Air through 3R and Resource
Efficiency- A 21st Century Vision for Asia-Pacific Communities”.
About the 3R Regional Forum:
The
Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific was launched in 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.
§ The United
Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) has been organizing
International Regional Forum on 3Rs since 2009 with the support of Government
of Japan.
§ It
promotes the concept of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in industry, service and
agriculture sector. The overall objective is to establish sound material cycle
society by adopting resource conservation, techniques and technologies.
§ It
provides a strategic platform for addressing the needs and priorities of 3Rs
(reduce, reuse and recycle) in Asian countries and sharing best practices from
the region, including emerging concerns in waste management.
§ In the
last seven years, the Forum has been organised in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam,
Indonesia, Maldives, Japan and Australia and has been instrumental in providing
innovative, effective and smart 3R based solutions.
Participating Countries:
Afghanistan,
Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Cook Islands,
People’s Republic of China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Republic
of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Nepal, Niue, Pakistan,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands,
Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam
Significance of this event:
The Forum
comes at an opportune time with the Indian government’s focus on scientific
management of 100% municipal solid waste through its ambitious Swachh Bharat
Mission (Urban). Through this Forum, India aims to strengthen this focus
through its ‘Mission Zero Waste’ approach thereby encouraging cities,
industries and other diverse stakeholders to look at waste as a resource.
Sources:
pib.
Paper 3:
Topic: Science
and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday
life Achievements of Indians in science & technology.
Atal Innovation Mission
Context: NITI
Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has announced the signing of a Statement
of Intent (SOI) with SAP Global to promote a culture of innovation and
entrepreneurship.
Significance of the SOI:
As part of
the SOI, SAP in 2018 will adopt 100 Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL) for five
years to nurture the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
learning among secondary school children across India. This aims to enable
students to learn advanced technology topics relevant to digital transformation
and the Internet of Things, e.g. Design Thinking methodology, introduction to
programming languages and experiential science learning.
What are tinkering labs?
ATLs are innovation play workspaces for students between
Class 6 to 12, stimulating innovations combining science
and technology.
§ These
open-ended innovation workspaces are equipped with state-of-the art
technologies like 3D printers, robotics, sensor technology kits, Internet of
Things, miniaturised electronics etc, to enable students to learn and solve
local community problems using emerging technologies.
§ The aim of
Atal Labs is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in schools,
universities and industry with a vision to “cultivate one million children in
India as the innovators of tomorrow”.
About AIM:
The Atal
Innovation Mission (AIM) is Government of India’s flagship initiative to
promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.
§ AIM is
mandated to create an umbrella structure to oversee innovation ecosystem of the
country and revolutionizing the innovation eco-system – touching upon the
entire innovation life cycle through various programs.
§ Atal
Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) create innovators, Atal Incubation Centre and
support to Established Incubation Centre will take the innovations to the
market and a network of Incubators shall help create enterprises around these
innovations.
Sources:
pib.
Facts for Prelims:
Cool EMS Service:
Context:
Department of Posts has launched Cool EMS Service between India and Japan.
What is
it?
Cool EMS
service is one-way service from Japan to India which allows customers in India
to import Japanese food items for personal use which is allowed under Indian
regulations. Initially, Cool EMS Service will be available in Delhi only.
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