PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS 26-APRIL-2018
Topic: Statutory, regulatory and various
quasi-judicial bodies.
Zonal Council
Context: The 23rd meeting of the Western Zonal
Council was recently held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat and the Union Home Minister
Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting.
What are zonal councils?
Zonal councils have been established by the
Parliament to promote interstate cooperation and coordination. They are
statutory bodies established under the States Reorganisation Act 1956 and not
constitutional bodies. They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.
There are 5 five Zonal councils
namely:
§ The Northern Zonal Council, comprising the
States of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan,
National Capital Territory of Delhi and Union Territory of Chandigarh.
§ The Central Zonal Council, comprising the
States of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
§ The Eastern Zonal Council, comprising the States
of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and West Bengal.
§ The Western Zonal Council, comprising the
States of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Union Territories of Daman &
Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
§ The Southern Zonal Council, comprising the
States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory
of Puducherry.
Composition:
§ Chairman – The Union Home Minister is the
Chairman of each of these Councils.
§ Vice Chairman – The Chief Ministers of the
States included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that
zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time.
§ Members- Chief Minister and two other
Ministers as nominated by the Governor from each of the States and two members
from Union Territories included in the zone.
§ Advisers- One person nominated by the
Planning Commission (which has been replaced by NITI Ayog now) for each of the
Zonal Councils, Chief Secretaries and another officer/Development Commissioner
nominated by each of the States included in the Zone.
§ Union Ministers are also invited to
participate in the meetings of Zonal Councils depending upon necessity.
The main objectives of setting up of
Zonal Councils are:
§ Bringing out national integration.
§ Arresting the growth of acute State
consciousness, regionalism, linguism and particularistic tendencies.
§ Enabling the Centre and the States to
co-operate and exchange ideas and experiences.
§ Establishing a climate of co-operation
amongst the States for successful and speedy execution of development projects.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: Zonal Councils and their
composition.
§ For Mains: Zonal Councils and their
significance.
Sources: pib.
Topic: Separation of powers between various organs
dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
Scheduled areas
Context: The Union Cabinet has given approval to
the declaration of Scheduled Areas in respect of Rajasthan under Fifth Schedule
to the Constitution of India. This will ensure that the Scheduled Tribes of
Rajasthan will get benefits of protective measures available under the Fifth
Schedule to the Constitution of India.
What are scheduled areas?
As per the Fifth Schedule {Article
244(1)} to
the Constitution of India, the expression ‘Scheduled Areas’ means ‘such areas
as the President may by order declare to be Scheduled Areas’.
Alternation of boundaries: In accordance with the provisions of
paragraph 6(2) of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, the President may at
any time by order increase the area of any Scheduled Area in a State after
consultation with the Governor of that State; rescind, in relation to any State
or States, any order or orders made under this paragraph, and in consultation
with the Governor of the State concerned, make fresh orders redefining the
areas which are to be Scheduled Areas.
The current fifth scheduled areas are in the states of Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan.
Administration of these areas:
§ The Executive power of the Union shall extend
to giving directions to the respective States regarding the administration of
the Scheduled Areas.
§ The Governors of the State in which there are
“Scheduled areas” have to submit reports to the President regarding the
administration of such Areas, annually or whenever required by the President.
§ Tribes Advisory Councils are to be
constituted to give advice on such matters as welfare and advancement of the
Scheduled Tribes.
§ The Governor is authorised to direct that any
particular Act of Parliament or of the Legislature of the State shall not apply
to a Scheduled Area or shall apply, only subject to exceptions or
modifications. The Governor is also authorised to make regulations to prohibit
or restrict the transfer of land by, or among members of the Scheduled Tribes.
§ The Governor may make regulations for the
peace and good government of any area in a State which is for the time being a
Scheduled Area.
§ These provisions of the Constitution relating
to the administration of the Scheduled Areas and Tribes may be altered by
Parliament or by ordinary legislation.
§ The Constitution provides for the appointment
of a Commission to report on the administration of the Scheduled Areas and the
welfare of the Scheduled Tribes in the States.
§ The President may appoint such Commission at
any time, but the appointment of such Commission at the end of 10 years from
the commencement of the Constitution was obligatory.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: TAC, Fifth schedule areas.
§ For Mains: Schedule areas- their
significance, need, administration and challenges.
Sources: pib.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for
development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and
implementation.
National Biopharma Mission
Context: The Union Government has entered into
agreement with World Bank for flexible financing arrangement to accelerate
research towards early development for biopharmaceuticals under National
Biopharma Mission.
The agreement was signed between the
project implementing agency – BIRAC a
PSU of DBT, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India
and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (on behalf of World
Bank).
About National Biopharma Mission:
§ The National Biopharma Mission is being
implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) – a
Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
§ It aims to make India a hub for design and
development of novel, affordable and effective biopharmaceutical products such
as vaccines, biologics and medical devices for combating public health
concerns.
Significance of the programme:
§ The programme will specifically focus on the
development of new vaccines, bio-therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices
to better address the rising burden of diseases in the country.
§ It will also bring isolated centres of
excellence together, enhance regional capabilities and strengthen the current
bio-clusters network in terms of capacities as well as quantity and quality of
output.
§ This would strengthen translational
capability of academic researchers; empower bio-entrepreneurs and SMEs by
decreasing the cost and risk during early stages of product development and
also elevate the innovation quotient of the industry.
Challenges:
India has been an active player in the
pharmaceutical industry and has contributed globally towards making life saving
drugs and low cost pharmaceutical products accessible and affordable for those
in need. Be it the Rotavirus vaccine, heart valve prosthesis or
affordable insulin, India has been a forerunner in these and many more.
Despite, these advances Indian biopharmaceutical industry is still 10-15 years
behind their counterparts in the developed countries and faces stiff
competition from China, Korea and others. The lacuna primarily exists due to
disconnected centers of excellence, less focus on translational research and
staggered funding.
What’s important?
For Prelims and Mains: National Biopharma
Mission and its significance, BIRAC.
Sources: pib.
Topic: Development processes and the development
industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors,
charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0
Context: Human Resource Development Ministry has
launched Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0.
About Unnat Bharat Abhiyan:
§ Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a flagship programme
of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, with the intention to enrich
Rural India.
§ It aims to leverage the knowledge base and
resources of the Premier Institutions of the country to bring in
transformational change in rural developmental process.
§ It also aims to create a vibrant relationship
between the society and the higher educational institutes, with the latter
providing the knowledge and technology support to improve the livelihoods in
rural areas and to upgrade the capabilities of both the public and private
organisations in the society.
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0:
§ Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, the
institutions have been selected on a Challenge Mode and the scheme has been
extended to 750 reputed Higher Educational Institutes (both public and private)
of the country.
§ Also, scope for providing Subject Expert
Groups and Regional Coordinating Institutes to handhold and guide the
participating institutions has been strengthened.
§ IIT Delhi has been designated to
function as the National Coordinating Institute for this programme and the Ministry intends to extend the
coverage to all the reputed Higher Educational Institutes, in a phased manner.
Each selected institute would adopt a cluster of villages / panchayats and
gradually expand the outreach over a period of time.
Significance of the programme:
Institutes through their faculty and
students, will carry out studies of living conditions in the adopted villages,
assess the local problems and needs, workout the possibilities of leveraging
the technological interventions and the need to improve the processes in
implementation of various government schemes, prepare workable action plans for
the selected villages. Such knowledge inputs would make their way into the
development programmes in rural areas.
The Institutes would be expected to closely
coordinate with the district administration, elected public representatives of
panchayat / villages and other stakeholders and will become very much a part of
the process of development planning and implementation. In this process, faculty
and students of such institutes would be re-oriented and connected to the rural
realities so that their learning and research work also becomes more relevant
to the society.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.
§ For Mains: Need for involvement of premier
institutions in bringing transformational change in rural developmental
process.
Sources: pib.
Paper 3:
Topic: Technology missions.
National Bamboo Mission
Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic
Affairs has approved Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Bamboo Mission
(NBM) under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) during
remaining period of Fourteenth Finance Commission (2018-19 & 2019-20). The
Mission would ensure holistic development of the bamboo sector by addressing
complete value chain and establishing effective linkage of producers (farmers)
with industry.
The restructured NBM strives to:
§ To increase the area under bamboo plantation
in non forest Government and private lands to supplement farm income and
contribute towards resilience to climate change.
§ To improve post-harvest management through
establishment of innovative primary processing units, treatment and seasoning
plants, primary treatment and seasoning plants, preservation technologies and
market infrastructure.
§ To promote product development at micro,
small and medium levels and feed bigger industry.
§ To rejuvenate the under developed bamboo
industry in India.
§ To promote skill development, capacity
building, awareness generation for development of bamboo sector.
Implementation:
§ The Mission will focus on development of
bamboo in limited States where it has social, commercial and economical
advantage with focus on genetically superior planting material of bamboo
species of commercial and industrial demand.
§ Adoption of end to end solution in bamboo sector
i.e. complete value chain approach starting from bamboo growers to consumers
would be emphasized.
§ Mission has been developed as a platform for
integration of Ministries/ Departments/Agencies with implementation
responsibilities given based on their mandate.
§ Capacity building of the officials, field
functionaries, entrepreneurs and farmers through skill development and
trainings will be emphasised.
§ Focus will be given on Research &
Development (R&D) to increase the production and productivity of bamboo.
Beneficiaries:
The scheme will benefit directly and
indirectly the farmers as well as local artisans and associated personnels
engaged in bamboo sector including associated industries. Since it is proposed
to bring about one lakh ha area under plantation, it is expected that about one
lakh farmers would be directly benefitted in terms of plantation.
States/ districts covered:
The Mission will focus on development of
bamboo in limited States where it has social, commercial and economical
advantage, particularly in the North Eastern region and States including Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
What was the need for restructuring?
National Bamboo Mission (NBM) started as a
Centrally Sponsored Scheme in 2006-07, was mainly emphasizing on propagation
and cultivation of bamboo, with limited efforts on processing, product
development and value addition. There, was weak linkage between the producers
(farmers) and the industry. The restructured proposal gives simultaneous
emphasis to propagation of quality plantations of bamboo, product development
and value addition including primary processing and treatment; micro, small
& medium enterprises as well as high value products; markets and skill
development, thus addressing the complete value chain for growth of the bamboo
sector.
What’s important?
For Prelims and Mains: NBM and its
significance.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and
their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in
science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new
technology.
Atal New India Challenge
Context: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under
the NITI Aayog has launched the Atal New India Challenge.
About the Atal New India Challenge:
It shall be run in collaboration with various
ministries- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Ministry of Agriculture
& Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Water
Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking
Water & Sanitation.
What it does? Under the Atal New India Challenge, AIM
will invite prospective innovators/MSMEs/start-ups to design market-ready
products, using cutting edge technologies or prototypes across 17 identified
focus areas such as Climate Smart Agriculture, Smart Mobility, Predictive
Maintenance of Rolling Stock, Waste Management etc.
Grants: Applicants showing capability, intent
and potential to productize technologies will be awarded grants up to Rs. One
crore. This grant will be further supplemented by mentoring, handholding,
incubating and other support as needed at various stages of commercialisation,
while generating wider deployment for the product.
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.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: AIM, Atal new India Challenge.
§ For Mains: Need for innovation and support by
the government.
Sources: pib.
Facts for Prelims:
HARIMAU SHAKTI 2018:
Context: As part of ongoing Indo-Malaysian
defence cooperation, a joint training exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI is being
conducted in Malaysia.
The exercise is aimed at bolstering
cooperation & coordination between armed forces of both the nations and to
share the expertise of both the contingents in conduct of counter insurgency
operations in jungle terrain.
Bhabha Kavach:
What is it? It is an armour panel developed
by BARC which gives personal protection against bullets of different threat
levels.
Key features:
§ Bhabha Kavach made up of BARC Nano-Sheets are
lighter in weight with reduced trauma level with respect to the existing
jackets.
§ The jacket is made using extremely hard boron
carbide ceramics that is hot-pressed with carbon nano-tubes and composite
polymer.
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