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GS Paper: GS3-13.Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc:

  • FMC Projects to push coal out of mines quicker

    coal

    The coal ministry has announced several first-mile connectivity (FMC) projects, in line with the government’s coal logistics policy.

    What is first-mile connectivity in coal?

    • FMC refers to transportation of coal from pitheads to dispatch points from where it would be transported to consumers.
    • Under FMC, coal producers adopt alternate transport methods—such as mechanized conveyor systems and computerized loading on to railway rakes—to replace road transport.
    • FMC projects reduce manual intervention and loading time.
    • It also quickens the evacuation process or the movement of coal from pitheads.

    What does the coal logistics policy say?

    According to the draft, the policy is aimed at developing a “technologically enabled, integrated, cost-efficient, resilient, sustainable and trusted logistics ecosystem in the country for accelerated and inclusive growth”.

    • Optimal infrastructure: In other words, it aims to create an optimal infrastructure for coal transportation at the origin and destination points for quicker transport.
    • Integrated evacuation: It also seeks to develop an eco-friendly, multi-modal integrated national coal evacuation infrastructure.
    • Dedicated corridors: The other goal is to establish smart coal logistics corridors to ensure complete oversight from the mine to the consumption point.

    Why is the government emphasizing on FMC?

    There are several missing links in the coal supply chain, which would now be plugged through planned projects.

    • FMC is part of the government’s plans to achieve energy security and end import dependence.
    • FMC would also lower carbon emissions since it reduces dependence on road transport for evacuation of coal.

    Economic significance of FMCs

    • Artificial shortages: Last year, India witnessed a power crisis due to a shortage of coal.
    • Low availability of railway rakes: Along with the scarcity of domestic coal, the low availability of railway rakes added to the crisis. Post that, the government made efforts to boost the availability of rakes.
    • Logistics boost: Noting that power demand is set to increase with growing economic activity, a robust logistics ecosystem for coal has become imperative.
    • Last-mile energy connectivity: In addition to first mile connectivity, India is keen to strengthen the last mile as well.

    Progress till date

    • Under the draft policy, setting up FMC would be made part of the mine allocation process. So, more such projects are set to come up.
    • The coal ministry has taken up additional 19 FMC projects for Coal India and Singareni Collieries with a capacity of 330 million tonne per annum (MTPA).
    • These projects will be implemented by FY27.

     

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  • Centre clears National Green Hydrogen Mission

    hydrogen

    The Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which is aimed at making India the global hub for the production of green hydrogen.

    What is Green Hydrogen?

    • Green hydrogen is hydrogen gas produced through the electrolysis of water.
    • It is an energy-intensive process for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen— using renewable power to achieve this.
    • The current cost of green hydrogen in India is ₹300 to ₹400 per kg.

    Green Hydrogen Mission

    • The National Hydrogen Mission was launched on August 15, 2021, with a view to cutting down carbon emissions and increasing the use of renewable sources of energy.
    • The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will formulate the scheme guidelines for implementation.

    Key features

    • Power capacity: The mission seeks to promote the development of green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country by 2030.
    • Job creation: It envisages an investment of over ₹8 lakh crore and creation of over 6 lakh jobs by 2030.
    • Reducing energy import bill: It will also result in a cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports of over ₹1 lakh crore and abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
    • Export promotion: The mission will facilitate demand creation, production, utilisation and export of green hydrogen.
    • Incentivization: Under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT), two distinct financial incentive mechanisms targeting domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and production of green hydrogen will be provided under the mission.
    • Green Hydrogen Hubs: Regions capable of supporting large-scale production and/or utilisation of hydrogen will be identified and developed as Green Hydrogen Hubs.

    Hydrogen Energy: A Backgrounder

    • Hydrogen is an important source of energy since it has zero carbon content and is a non-polluting source of energy in contrast to hydrocarbons that have net carbon content in the range of 75–85 per cent.
    • Hydrogen energy is expected to reduce carbon emissions that are set to jump by 1.5 billion tons in 2021.
    • It has the highest energy content by weight and lowest energy content by volume.
    • As per International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Hydrogen shall make up 6 per cent of total energy consumption by 2050.
    • Hydrogen energy is currently at a nascent stage of development, but has considerable potential for aiding the process of energy transition from hydrocarbons to renewable.

    Why hydrogen?

    • Better properties: At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a nontoxic, nonmetallic, odourless, tasteless, colourless, and highly combustible diatomic gas.
    • Clean fuel: Hydrogen fuel is a zero-emission fuel when burned with oxygen. It can be used in fuel cells or internal combustion engines. It is also used as a fuel for spacecraft propulsion.
    • Ample sources: Hydrogen can be sourced from natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind.
    • Phasing out carbon: India remains committed to environmental and climate causes with a massive thrust on deploying renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.
    • Diversification of our energy basket: This would be the key lever enabling this transition. That’s why the emergence of hydrogen at the centre stage is a welcome development.

    How Hydrogen can be produced?

    Commercially viable Hydrogen can be produced from –

    1. Hydrocarbons including natural gas, oil and coal through processes like steam methane reforming, partial oxidation and coal gasification
    2. Renewables like water, sunlight and wind through electrolysis and photolysis and other thermo-chemical processes.

    How is Green Hydrogen produced?

    • For source material, green hydrogen today is typically generated from water through a process known as electrolysis, which uses an electric current to split water into its component molecules of hydrogen and oxygen.
    • This is done using a device called an electrolyzer,  which utilizes a cathode and an anode (positively and negatively charged electrodes).
    • This process produces only oxygen – or steam – as a by-product.
    • As for energy supply, to qualify as “green hydrogen,” the source of electricity used for electrolysis must derive from renewable power, such as wind or solar energy.
    • Currently the production of green hydrogen is two or three times more expensive than blue hydrogen.

    How can green hydrogen be used?

    Hydrogen can be used in broadly two ways. It can be burnt to produce heat or fed into a fuel cell to make electricity.

    • Fuel-cell  Mobility: Hydrogen electric cars and trucks
    • Container ships powered by liquid ammonia made from hydrogen
    • “Green steel” refineries burning hydrogen as a heat source rather than coal
    • Hydrogen-powered electricity turbines that can generate electricity at times of peak demand to help firm the electricity grid

    Challenges in producing Green Hydrogen

    India’s transition towards a green hydrogen economy (GHE) can only happen once certain key issues are addressed.

    • Supply-Chain Issues: GHE hinges upon the creation of a supply chain, starting from the manufacture of electrolysers to the production of green hydrogen, using electricity from a renewable energy source.
    • Technology: Green hydrogen needs electrolysers to be built on a scale larger than we’ve yet seen.
    • Storage: Either very high pressures or very high temperatures are required, both with their own technical difficulties.
    • Explosion Hazard: It is hazardous because of its low ignition energy and high combustion energy.
    • Risk to use: Automotive fuels are highly inflammable, but a vehicle laden with hydrogen is likely to be more vulnerable in case of a major accident.
    • High Cost of Production: To become competitive, the price per kilogram of green hydrogen has to reduce to a benchmark of $2/kg. At these prices, green hydrogen can compete with natural gas.
    • Energy intensivity: Creating green hydrogen needs a huge amount of electricity, which means an enormous increase in the amount of wind and solar power to meet global targets.
    • Lack of proper infrastructure, only 500 Hydrogen stations exist globally. Only countable manufacturers are involved as market players in this technology.
    • Others: Low user acceptance and social awareness. Developing after-sales service for hydrogen technology.

    Policy and Economic Challenges

    • Economic sustainability: One of the biggest challenges faced by the industry for using hydrogen commercially is the economic sustainability of extracting green or blue hydrogen.
    • Technological challenges: The technology used in production and use of hydrogen like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and hydrogen fuel cell technology are at nascent stage.
    • Cost Factor: These technologies are expensive which in turn increases the cost of production of hydrogen and will require a lot of investment which in turn add fiscal pressure on government.
    • Higher Maintenance costs: Maintenance costs for fuel cells post-completion of a plant can be costly.
    • Need for legal and administrative adherence: Certification mechanisms, recommendations, and regulations for different components of the system.

    Way forward

    • Hydrogen energy is at a nascent stage of development but has significant potential for realizing the energy transition in India.
    • The new policy is a futuristic vision that can help the country not only cut down its carbon emissions but also diversify its energy basket and reduce external reliance.
    • India’s transition can be a testament to the world on the achievement of energy security, without compromising the goal of sustainable development.
    • The GoI must strongly pursue the objective of creating a GHE to make India a global manufacturing hub and place itself at the top of the green hydrogen export market.

  • Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) Scheme

    bind

    The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the “Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND)” scheme to upgrade Prasar Bharati to expand the public service broadcasting infrastructure across the country.

    Prasar Bharati

    • Prasar Bharati is India’s state-owned public broadcaster, headquartered in New Delhi.
    • It is a statutory autonomous body set up by Prasar Bharati Act, 1990.
    • It comprises the Doordarshan Television Network and Akashvani All India Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

     

    BIND Scheme

    • BIND scheme is the vehicle for providing financial support to Prasar Bharati for expenses related to expansion and upgradation of its broadcasting infrastructure, content development and civil work.
    • Its features include-
    1. Outreach expansion: It will enable the public broadcaster to undertake a major upgradation of its facilities with better infrastructure which will widen its reach, in the LWE, border and strategic areas and provide high quality content to the viewers.
    2. Quality content: Another major priority area of the scheme is the development of high-quality content for both domestic and international audience and ensuring availability of diverse content to the viewers.
    3. More TV channels: It seeks to upgrade the capacity of DTH platform to accommodate more channels.
    4. Expansion of radio coverage: The scheme will increase coverage of AIR FM transmitters in the country to 66 percent by geographical area and 80 percent by population up from 59 percent and 68 percent respectively.
    5. Free DISH services: The scheme also envisages free distribution of over 8 lakh DD Free Dish STBs to people living in remote, tribal, left wing extremism inflicted and border areas.

    Benefits provided

    Ans. Employment generation

    • The project has the potential to generate indirect employment by way of manufacturing and services related to supply and installation of broadcast equipment.
    • Content generation and content innovation for AIR and DD has the potential of indirect employment of persons with varied experience of different media fields in the content production sector including TV/radio production, transmission and associated media-related services.
    • Further, the project for expansion of the reach of DD Free Dish is expected to generate employment opportunities in the manufacturing of the DD Free Dish DTH boxes.

     

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  • Indian road accident scenario: More serious than Covid-19

    accident

    Context

    • Cricketer Rishabh Pant’s accident near Roorkee resulting in some injuries, has once again drawn attention to the problem of road safety in India. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, recently said that the Indian road accident scenario, with 415 deaths and many injured every day, is more serious than Covid-19. This is a frank admission that even with comprehensive road safety programmes, India’s record shows little signs of improvement.

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    Road Accidents in India A lookover

    • In spite of several years of policymaking to improve road safety, India remains among the worst-performing countries in this area.
    • Total 1,47,913 lives lost to road traffic accidents in 2017 as per Ministry of Road Transport and Highways statistics.
    • The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figure for the same year is 1,50,093 road accident deaths.

    An overall apathy: Road safety and traffic norms violation

    • Easy licences without basic road signage knowledge: The fact of the matter is that simple but serious issues, like road users’ inept understanding of the basic traffic rules and road signage, easier access to driving licences without a meaningful ground scrutiny of skills and unchecked selfish and aggressive driving behaviour continue to dominate Indian road traffic.
    • Road traffic rules are grossly violated and goes unchecked: Deadly violations of lane driving, speed limits and traffic signals, instances of at-will parking on the fast-developing modern, smooth highways all these go mostly unchecked and unquestioned.
    • Human errors are major factors: The causes of road crashes, such as the ones above, are well known. Human error on the roads is admittedly the single-largest factor responsible.
    • Lack of understanding of basic traffic rules: Nobody seems to know which lane they’re supposed to be in; not even the traffic police personnel on duty can tell.
    • Charges are often framed against the driver but rarely against the officials: Further, in case of a serious road crash, charges are framed against the erring drivers, but rarely (or, never) against the road-safety public officials for non-performance, non-enforcement of traffic rules, not taking urgent corrective action on conspicuous road-hazards and the black spots.
    • Engaged more in paperwork than ion ground: At the macro level, various institutions of road safety, both at the national level and in the states, are engaged in routine paperwork and bear no accountability for the failure to produce desired results.

    What is road safety?

    • Road safety means methods and measures aimed at reducing the likelihood or the risk of persons using the road network getting involved in a collision or an incident that may cause property damages, serious injuries and/or death.

    What needs to be done?

    • The enforcement of traffic norms is the key to road safety: All ongoing programmes towards enhancing safe road conditions and vehicles have to go on. However, the priority goal and the global mandate is to significantly reduce the rising number of road crashes.
    • Scare resources and complex nature of road safety: The central and state governments run complex road safety programmes with their scarce resources, with little success. The World Bank has chipped in with a $250 million loan to India to tackle the high rate of road crashes through road-safety institutional reforms and the results-based interventions.
    • Wise administration and enforcement of rules is necessary: Regular, professional enforcement of rules and swift and innovative solutions to traffic indiscipline and bottlenecks by the administration could help evolve a healthy safe-road culture.
    • An example to be followed: In Delhi too the government’s insistence on drawing a bus lane on the city’s major roads has been accepted overnight, and largely implemented. The lessons from such sporadic but crucial initiatives are apparent and inspiring.

    What are the proposed measures?

    • To begin with, identify the two worst roads in a specific area:
    1. Notify each identified road as a Zone of Excellence (ZOE) in road safety (RS) This could include a state or national highway/road/part thereof and adjoining areas
    2. Provide road marking/written instructions on road-surface/road signage
    3. Take care to provide lanes for emergency vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians etc, as feasible
    4. Ensure adherence to basic traffic rules/ safety norms. Create multiple checkpoints (CP), every 2-4 kms for example, with each CP supported by road safety volunteers in addition to police
    5. Use tech aids, judiciously combined with manual interventions/ volunteers
    6. Supplement enforcement with road safety education/ awareness measures
    7. Station ambulances and lift cranes for swift response to accidents
    8. Make reliable arrangements with hospitals/ trauma centres through formal MoUs
    • The administrative structure for the implementation of road safety can be set up in three tiers.
    1. Tier 1 would be the Managing Group (MG), which would look after day-to-day operations and would be autonomous and financially empowered. The MG would meet daily to introspect, analyse issues, incorporate suggestions and assign tasks. It would organise training and refresher programmes for traffic police and road safety volunteers.
    2. Tier 2 would have district level monitoring. Exclusive personnel would be earmarked for ZoEs with a district. This is where urgent solutions would be sought, budgetary allocations made and review modes fixed. It would also ensure adherence to targets.
    3. Tier 3 would have top management and control, represented at the level of the Union or state government. It is at this level that a dynamic road-safety ecosystem would be developed. Existing road safety institutions would either be dismantled or rejuvenated, and there would be monthly reviews, with directions, accountability and disciplinary action
    • The expected results would include:
    1. A logical, simple, practical and convincing model that would add new perspective to road safety measures
    2. A potentially effective action plan, plus a dynamic live-experiment lab for road safety
    3. Application of best practices, both local and global
    4. Proactive engagement of elected public representatives, NGOs, RWAs, educational institutes and voluteers
    5. An evolving standing expert think tank
    6. Revitalisation and development of existing and new institutions of road safety
    7. Employment generation
    8. Traffic decongestion and lane discipline
    9. A carnival of road safety on the ground overnight, throughout the country, which would make road safety visible and respectable
    10. A model that would be replicable in other low and middle-income countries

    Way ahead

    • The need here is to return to the basics, with courage and coordination: A newly power-packed Motor Vehicles Act, a decentralised federal structure, down to the level of district and panchayat administration, and the Supreme Court committee on road safety and its regular monitoring of the related issues.
    • Regular monitoring: What is further required is a specific regime whereby road safety authorities are given clear targets for reducing road crashes over a defined period.
    • Ensuring accountability: Further, the authorities should be subjected to close and regular monitoring, review and accountability.

    Conclusion

    • In spite of several years of policymaking to improve road safety, India remains among the worst-performing countries in this area. It is absolutely necessary for citizens to follow road safety norms but government cannot look away from its responsibility.

    Mains question

    Q. Road accidents in India is a serious and a silent pandemic. Discuss where lies the overall apathy and discuss mention few proposed measures.

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  • Vibrant Village Programme (VVP)

    village

    Union Home Minister said that borders can be permanently secured only when border villages are populated by patriotic citizens who are concerned for the country, asking the border-guarding forces to use the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) for the same.

    Vibrant Village Programme

    • The program aims to improve infrastructure in villages along India’s border with China.
    • Infrastructure will be improved in states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh.
    • Under the programme, residential and tourist centres will be constructed.
    • It will also provide for improvement in road connectivity and development of decentralized renewable energy sources.
    • Apart from that, direct access of Doordarshan and education related channels will be provided. Support will be provided for livelihood.

    Key focus areas

    • It focuses on livelihood generation, road connectivity, housing, rural infrastructure, renewable energy, television and broadband connections.
    • This objective will be met by strengthening infrastructure across villages located near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

    Need for such scheme

    • The programme is a counter to China’s model villages but the name has been carefully chosen so as to not cause any consternation in the neighbouring country.
    • China has established new villages along the LAC in the past few years, particularly across the Arunachal Pradesh border.
    • While China has been settling new residents in border areas, villages on the Indian side of the frontier have seen unprecedented out-migration.

     

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  • India’s first Waste-to-Hydrogen Project

    Hydrogen

    Context

    • India assumed the Presidency of the Group of 20 this December. The world’s third largest emitter is moving beyond a transition strategy based squarely on solar development by branching out into emerging fields such as hydrogen.

    Present Energy status and future Predictions

    • Only country to keep promise: India is one of the few countries that has kept to its Paris Agreement (21st Conference of Parties or COP21 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) commitments, with an exponential increase in renewable energy capacity.
    • Energy through renewables: It is anticipated that by 2050, 80-85 per cent of India’s overall power capacity will come from renewables by achieving the nationally determined contributions commitments.
    • Reducing the fossil fuel: India had committed to increasing the share of non-fossil fuels to 40 per cent of the total electricity generation capacity by 2030.

    Hydrogen

    Potential of hydrogen energy

    • 6 million tonnes hydrogen: India consumes about six million tonnes of hydrogen annually to produce ammonia and methanol in industrial sectors, including fertilisers and refineries.
    • Rising demand of hydrogen: This could increase to 28 million tonnes by 2050, principally due to the rising demand from the industry.

    Efforts to promote Green Hydrogen

    • Search for technology to generate: Ever since the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) shared that it is time for green hydrogen, private players have been looking for new technologies to generate it.
    • Electrolyser is inefficient: With the challenges of electrolyser capacity for generating green hydrogen globally, finding alternatives to foster green hydrogen in the country is essential.
    • Incentives from central government: The central government, the prime facilitator of such projects, has been coming up with new initiatives, policies and schemes to unleash the potential of green hydrogen generation and boost its demand.
    • Rational utilization of resources: The long-term low-emission development strategy of the country submitted to UNFCCC at COP27 focused on the rational utilisation of national resources for energy security in a just, smooth and sustainable manner.

    Idea proposed by Pune Municipal Commission

    • Partnership with private player: PMC has partnered with business management consultant The Green Billions (TGBL) to manage its waste and generate it into useable green hydrogen. TGBL’s special purpose vehicle or subsidiary, Variate Pune Waste to Energy Private Ltd, will be undertaking the work.
    • Waste management: The new facility for generating hydrogen from waste will solve major problems of Inefficient waste management and carbon emissions. Waste management is one of the prime issues in the country, which is blamed for generating pollution in the surroundings.
    • Reducing carbon emissions: Pune, the second largest city in Maharashtra, hosts many industries, including steel, fertilisers and pharmaceutical industries. The emissions in the city increased by 12 per cent to 1.64-tonne carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2Eq) per capita in 2017 from 1.46 tonne tCO2Eq per capita in 2012.

    Hydrogen

    How Hydrogen will be generated?

    • Hydrogen generation for 30 years: Variate Pune Waste to Energy Private Ltd will be managing and utilising the municipal waste of 350 tonnes per day (TPD) for generating hydrogen for 30 years. This waste will comprise biodegradable, non-biodegradable and domestic hazardous waste.
    • Plasma gasification technology: The Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) from the waste would later be utilised to generate hydrogen using plasma gasification technology. The technology has been developed while closely working with the Bhabha Atomic Research Institute (BARC) and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
    • 9MT Tonnes of H2: It is estimated that 150TPD RDF and 9MT tonnes of H2 would be generated out of 350 TPD waste.
    • Decarbonising the city: The hydrogen generated at the facility will be utilised locally to help the city lower its emissions. As the Centre is focusing on industrial decarbonisation and facing the challenges of just transition, the project can prove to be a game-changer in helping industries reduce carbon emissions.

    Hydrogen

    Conclusion

    • In India, where the hydrogen industry is nascent, it is imperative to keep the cost of hydrogen competitive to expand its usage in various sectors. TGBL will work on the same by making hydrogen affordable and easier to switch in the just-transition.

  • Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

    The Ministry of Railways, as part of its station redevelopment drive, has formulated Amrit Bharat Station Scheme to modernize over 1,000 small stations over the coming years.

    Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

    • Under this, stations will be equipped with facilities inspired by the mega-upgradation of marquee stations such as New Delhi and Ahmedabad, albeit at a lower cost.
    • Key features of these proposed stations include provisions for roof top plazas, longer platforms, ballast-less tracks, and 5G connectivity.
    • The scheme will subsume all previous redevelopment projects where work is yet to begin.

    Implementation strategy

    • The model envisages low-cost redevelopment of stations which can be executed timely.
    • Zonal railways have been given the responsibility of selecting stations, which will then be approved by a committee of senior railway officials.
    • Plans and consequent budgets will only be approved on the basis of factors such as footfall and inputs from stakeholders.

    Facilities Planned under this Scheme

    • Provision for Roof Plaza to be created in future
    • Free Wi-Fi, space for 5G mobile towers
    • Smooth access by widening of roads, removal of unwanted structures, properly designed signages, dedicated pedestrian pathways, well-planned parking areas, improved lighting etc.
    • High level platforms (760-840 mm) at all stations with a length of 600 metres
    • Special amenities for the disabled

     

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  • AVGC-Extended Reality Mission for Gaming Sector

    avgc gaming

    The Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Promotion Task Force report has proposed a national AVGC-Extended Reality Mission with a budget outlay to be created for integrated promotion and growth of the sector.

    What is AVGC?

    • While the etymology of the word surrounds everything to do with Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics, the overarching term is an umbrella for all the sub-sectors that are contributing to India’s digital economy.
    • This includes-
    1. Animation Studios
    2. VFX Studios
    3. Game Development Studios
    4. Platforms
    5. Hardware Manufacturers
    6. Software developers
    7. Virtual Production Studios and many more entities
    • The sector saw immense growth with technological adoption as is, but it witnessed steep uptake with the onset of the pandemic.

    Why focus on the AVGC sector?

    • Emerging sector: The global AVGC industry amounts to $800 billion, and the Indian AVGC sector is brimming with the potential to bag up to 5 percent of the global share ($40 billion).
    • India’s IT prowess: India today contributes about $2.5-3 billion of the estimated $260-275 billion worldwide AVGC market.
    • Skilled workforce availability: According to industry experts, the Indian market which currently employs about 1.85 lakh AVGC professionals, can witness a growth of 14-16% in the next decade.
    • Employment generation: Not only does the sector contribute significantly to the economy, it also creates an abundance of employment opportunities for several skilled sectors, with over 160,000 jobs that it could provide yearly.

    Key recommendations by the task force

    The report has also recommended-

    • “Create in India” campaign with an exclusive focus on content creation
    • Establishment of AVGC accelerators and innovation hubs in academic institutions
    • Democratizing AVGC technologies by promoting subscription-based pricing models for MSME, Start-ups and institutions;
    • Indigenous technology development through incentive schemes and Intellectual Property creation; and
    • Setting up a dedicated production fund for domestic content creation from across India to promote the country’s culture and heritage globally.
    • Memorandum of Cooperation with developed global AVGC markets — U.S., Japan, South Korea, Germany etc.

    Way forward

    • Policy vision: Because of the wide range of sub-sectors that are amass under AVGC’s wide umbrella, there is a need for a broad vision to help further incubate this industry.
    • Up-skilling: There is a requirement for not only financing and resource allocation for the sector, but also education and talent development.
    • Collaboration: Gaming, VFX, and animation markets in the likes of the US or South Korea, for instance, has been heavily incubated, and are thus at the crest of the wave on a global scale today.

    Conclusion

    • If it gets the correct atmosphere to grow in–especially one that covers all the bases under it, the Indian AVGC sector has the capacity to become the zenith of Digital India and the hallmark of the ‘Brand India’ dream that PM envisages.

     

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  •  ‘PRASAD’ Scheme to create a slew of facilities at Srisailam

    President of India inaugurated ‘PRASAD’ project at the tourism facilitation centre in the pilgrim town of Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh.

    About Srisailam

    • The temple at Srisailam is the ancient and sacred place of South India.
    • The presiding deity of the place is Brahmaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy in natural stone formations in the shape of Lingam.
    • It is listed as one of the twelve Jyotirlingams existing in the country.

    Development with PRASAD scheme

    • The pilgrim town will get a pilgrim complex, amenities centres, an amphitheatre, sound and light show, digital intervention, parking areas among others.
    • There is total outlay of ₹48.03 crore under the PRASAD project.

    Back2Basics: PRASAD Scheme

    • PRASAD stands for Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD).
    • It is 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Tourism Ministry.
    • Provisions under the scheme include-
    1. Tourism Promotion and Tourist Ecosystem
    2. Vocational Training for Tourists and Hospitality Business
    3. Hunar se Rozgar tak (HSRT) and earn while you learn programs
    4. Improving Tourist Infrastructure

     

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  • Anti-dumping duty on viscose fibre from Indonesia

    The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended the levy of anti-dumping duty (ADD) on viscose staple fibre imported from Indonesia.

    What is Dumping?

    • Dumping is a process wherein a company exports a product at a price that is significantly lower than the price it normally charges in its home (or its domestic) market.
    • This is an unfair trade practice which can have a distortive effect on international trade.
    • Anti-dumping is a measure to rectify the situation arising out of the dumping of goods and its trade distortive effect.

    What is Anti-Dumping Duty?

    • An anti-dumping duty is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports that it believes are priced below fair market value.
    • In order to protect their respective economy, many countries impose duties on products they believe are being dumped in their national market.
    • In fact, anti-dumping is an instrument for ensuring fair trade and is not a measure of protection per se for the domestic industry.
    • Such ‘dumped’ products have the potential to undercut local businesses and the local economy.
    • Anti-dumping duties provide relief to the domestic industry against the injury caused by dumping.

    Mechanism in India

    • The Department of Commerce recommends the anti-dumping duty, provisional or final.
    • The Department of Revenue in Finance Ministry acts upon the recommendation within three months and imposes such duties.

    WTO and Anti-Dumping Duties

    • The WTO operates a set of international trade rules, including the international regulation of anti-dumping measures.
    • It does NOT intervene in the activities of companies engaged in dumping.
    • Instead, it focuses on how governments can—or cannot—react to the practice of dumping.
    • In general, the WTO agreement permits governments to act against dumping if it causes or threatens material injury to an established domestic industry.

    Issues with such duties

    • Anti-dumping duties have the potential to distort the market.
    • In a free market, governments cannot normally determine what constitutes a fair market price for any good or service.

    Back2Basics: Viscose Fibre

    • Viscose is a type of rayon. Originally known as artificial silk, in the late 19th century, the term “rayon” came into effect in 1924.
    • The name “viscose” derived from the way this fibre is manufactured; a viscous organic liquid used to make both rayon and cellophane.
    • It is the generalised term for a regenerated manufactured fibre, made from cellulose, obtained by the viscose process.
    • As a manufactured regenerated cellulose fibre, it is neither truly natural (like cotton, wool or silk) nor truly synthetic (like nylon or polyester) – it falls somewhere in between.
    • Chemically, viscose resembles cotton, but it can also take on many different qualities depending on how it is manufactured.

     

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