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Type: PIB

  • WTO and India

    [pib] Authorised Economic Operators

    PIB | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Authorised Economic Operators

    Mains level: Not Much

    Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has inaugurated the online filing of Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) T2 and T3 applications.

    Who are Authorised Economic Operators?

    • The AEO concept is one of the main building blocks within the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards (SAFE).
    • The latter is part of the future international Customs model set out to support secure trade.
    • The growth of global trade and increasing security threats to the international movement of goods have forced customs administrations to shift their focus more and more to securing the international trade flow and away from the traditional task of collecting customs duties.
    • Recognizing these developments, the World Customs Organization, drafted the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate global trade (SAFE).
    • In the framework, several standards are included that can assist Customs administrations in meeting these new challenges.
    • Developing an Authorized Economic Operator programme is a core part of SAFE.

    AEOs in India

    • AEO is a voluntary programme.
    • It enables Indian Customs to enhance and streamline cargo security through close cooperation with the principal stakeholders of the international supply chain viz. importers, exporters, logistics providers, custodians or terminal operators, customs brokers and warehouse operators.

    Back2Basics: World Customs Organization (WCO)

    • WCO is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
    • The WCO is noted for its work in areas covering international trade facilitation, customs enforcement activities, combating counterfeiting in support of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), drugs enforcement, illegal weapons trading, integrity promotion, and delivering the sustainable capacity building to assist with customs reforms and modernization.
    • The WCO represents 179 Customs administrations that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade.
    • As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO has the tools and expertise to assist implementation of all legal, policy, procedural, technological, and human resource aspects related to trade facilitation.
    • The WCO maintains the international Harmonized System (HS) goods nomenclature and administers the technical aspects of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements on Customs Valuation and Rules of Origin.

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  • Primary and Secondary Education – RTE, Education Policy, SEQI, RMSA, Committee Reports, etc.

    [pib] NIPUN Bharat Programme

    PIB | Governance | : Health & Education

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NIPUN Bharat

    Mains level: Not Much

    Union Minister for Education has launched a National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat).

    NIPUN Bharat

    • This scheme aims for ensuring that every child in the country necessarily attains foundational literacy.
    • It has been launched under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha.
    • It would cover the learning needs of children in the age group of 3 to 9 years.
    • The unique feature is that the goals of the Mission are set in the form of Lakshya Soochi or Targets for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
    • The Lakshyas are based on the learning outcomes developed by the NCERT and international research and ORF studies.

    Envisaged outcomes

    • Foundational skills enable to keep children in class thereby reducing the dropouts and improve transition rate from primary to upper primary and secondary stages.
    • Activity-based learning and a conducive learning environment will improve the quality of education.
    • Innovative pedagogies such as toy-based and experiential learning will be used in classroom transactions thereby making learning a joyful and engaging activity.
    • Intensive capacity building of teachers
    • Since almost every child attends early grades, therefore, focus at that stage will also benefit the socio-economic disadvantageous group thus ensuring access to equitable and inclusive quality education.

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  • Forest Conservation Efforts – NFP, Western Ghats, etc.

    [pib] Project BOLD

    PIB | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Project BOLD

    Mains level: Not Much

    The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched the unique Project Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought (BOLD) in Rajasthan.

    Project BOLD

    • Project BOLD seeks to create bamboo-based green patches in arid and semi-arid land zones.
    • It is a unique scientific exercise serving the combined national objectives of reducing desertification and providing livelihood and multi-disciplinary rural industry support.
    • 5000 saplings of special bamboo species: Bambusa-Tulda and Bambusa-Polymorpha specially brought from Assam – have been planted over 25 bigha (16 acres approx) of vacant arid Gram Panchayat land.
    • KVIC has thus created a world record of planting the highest number of bamboo saplings on a single day at one location.

    Why Bamboo?

    • KVIC has judiciously chosen bamboo for developing green patches.
    • Bamboos grow very fast and in about three years’ time, they could be harvested.
    • Bamboos are also known for conserving water and reducing evaporation of water from the land surface, which is an important feature in arid and drought-prone regions.

    Significance of the move

    • The project will help in reducing the land degradation percentage of the country, while on the other hand, they will be havens of sustainable development and food security.
    • The bamboo plantation program will boost self-employment in the region.
    • It will benefit a large number of women and unemployed youths in the region by connecting them to skill development programs.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q. Consider the following statements:

    1. As per recent amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, forest dwellers have the right to fell the bamboos grown on forest areas.
    2. As per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, bamboo is a minor forest produce.
    3. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 allows ownership of minor forest produce to forest dwellers.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (CSP 2019)

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

    Back2Basics: Bamboo in India

    • Bamboos are tall treelike grasses.
    • With an amendment in 2017 in the Indian Forest Act 1927, the Bamboo has ceased to be a tree anymore.
    • Earlier, the definition of tree in the law included palm, bamboo, brushwood and cane.
    • The move aims to promote cultivation of bamboo in non-forest areas to achieve the “twin objectives” of increasing the income of farmers and also increasing the green cover of the country.
    • Bamboo grown in the forest areas would continue to be governed by the provisions of the Indian Forest Act.

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  • Goods and Services Tax (GST)

    Four years of GST Regime

    PIB | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: GST

    Mains level: Success oof the GST regime

    The Prime Minister has lauded Goods and Services Taxes (GST) on its completion of 4 years and said it has been a milestone in the economic landscape of India.

    What is GST?

    • GST is an indirect tax that has replaced many indirect taxes in India such as excise duty, VAT, services tax, etc.
    • The Goods and Service Tax Act was passed in Parliament on 29th March 2017 and came into effect on 1st July 2017. It is a single domestic indirect tax law for the entire country.
    • It is a comprehensive, multi-stage, destination-based tax that is levied on every value addition.
    • Under the GST regime, the tax is levied at every point of sale. In the case of intra-state sales, Central GST and State GST are charged. All the inter-state sales are chargeable to the Integrated GST.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.All revenues received by the Union. Government by way of taxes and other receipts for the conduct of Government business are credited to the (CSP 2015):

    (a) Contingency Fund of India

    (b) Public Account

    (c) Consolidated Fund of India

    (d) Deposits and Advances Fund

    What are the components of GST?

    There are three taxes applicable under this system:

    1. CGST: It is the tax collected by the Central Government on an intra-state sale (e.g., a transaction happening within Maharashtra)
    2. SGST: It is the tax collected by the state government on an intra-state sale (e.g., a transaction happening within Maharashtra)
    3. IGST: It is a tax collected by the Central Government for an inter-state sale (e.g., Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu)

    Advantages Of GST

    • GST has mainly removed the cascading effect on the sale of goods and services.
    • Removal of the cascading effect has impacted the cost of goods.
    • Since the GST regime eliminates the tax on tax, the cost of goods decreases.
    • Also, GST is mainly technologically driven.
    • All the activities like registration, return filing, application for refund and response to notice needs to be done online on the GST portal, which accelerates the processes.

    Issues with GST

    • High operational cost
    • GST has given rise to complexity for many business owners across the nation.
    • GST has received criticism for being called a ‘Disability Tax’ as it now taxes articles such as braille paper, wheelchairs, hearing aid etc.
    • Petrol is not under GST, which goes against the ideals of the unification of commodities.

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  • ISRO Missions and Discoveries

    [pib] What are Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) Explosion?

    PIB | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: GRB Explosions

    Mains level: Various interstellar phenomena

    The emission from the most notable Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) explosion away from 4.5 billion light-years has been traced by Indian researchers.

    What are GRB Explosions?

    • GRBs are immensely energetic explosions that have been observed in distant galaxies.
    • They are the brightest and most energetic electromagnetic events known to occur in the universe.
    • Bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several hours.
    • After an initial flash of gamma rays, a longer-lived “afterglow” is usually emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, microwave and radio).
    • The intense radiation of most observed GRBs is thought to be released during a supernova or superluminous supernova as a high-mass star implodes to form a neutron star or a black hole.

    What makes GRB special?

    • The explosions are both extremely energetic (a typical burst releases as much energy in a few seconds as the Sun will in its entire 10-billion-year lifetime) and extremely rare.
    • All observed GRBs have originated from outside the Milky Way galaxy, although a related class of phenomena, soft gamma repeater flares, are associated with magnetars within the Milky Way.
    • It has been hypothesized that a gamma-ray burst in the Milky Way, pointing directly towards the Earth, could cause a mass extinction event.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.Which of the following is/are cited by the scientists as evidence/evidences for the continued expansion of universe? (CSP 2012)
    1. Detection of microwaves in space
    2. Observation of red shift phenomenon in space
    3. Movement of asteroids in space
    4. Occurrence of supernova explosions in space
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) 1, 3 and 4

    (d) None of the above can be cited as evidence.

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  • Climate Change Impact on India and World – International Reports, Key Observations, etc.

    [pib] Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga River Basin

    PIB | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 1: Important Geophysical Phenomena

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Glacial Lake Atlas

    Mains level: Not Much

    The Ministry of Jal Shakti has released the Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga Basin.

    Glacial Lake Atlas

    • The atlas is based on the inventoried glacial lakes in part of the Ganga River basin from its origin to the foothills of the Himalayas covering a catchment area of 2,47,109 sq. km.
    • The study portion of the Ganga River basin covers part of India and the transboundary region.
    • The Atlas is available on National Hydrology Project or NHP-Bhuvan Portal.
    • It can be used by water resources professionals, researchers, disaster management authorities and other stakeholders for managing the glacial lakes as well as to mitigate the possible adverse impacts of GLOF and climate change.

    Expected utility of the atlas is:

    • The atlas provides a comprehensive and systematic glacial lake database for Ganga River basin with size > 0.25 ha
    • In the context of climate change impact analysis, the atlas can be used as reference data for carrying out change analysis, both with respect to historical and future time periods
    • The atlas also provides authentic database for regular or periodic monitoring changes in spatial extent (expansion/shrinkage), and formation of new lakes
    • The atlas can also be used in conjunction with glacier information for their retreat and climate impact studies.
    • The information on glacial lakes like their type, hydrological, topographical, and associated glaciers are useful in identifying the potential critical glacial lakes and consequent GLOF risk.
    • Central and State Disaster Management Authorities can make use of the atlas for disaster mitigation planning and related program.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.Consider the following Pairs :

    Glacier: River

    1. Bandarpunch : Yamuna
    2. Bara Shigri : Chenab
    3. Milam : Mandakini
    4. Siachen : Nubra
    5. Zemu : Manas

    Which of the following pairs given above are correctly matched? (CSP 2019)

    (a) 1,2 and 4

    (b) 1,3 and 4

    (c) 2 and 5

    (d) 3 and 5

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  • Make in India: Challenges & Prospects

    [pib] NATRAX: Asia’s longest and world’s fifth longest High-Speed Track

    PIB | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NATRAX

    Mains level: Auto sector updates

    Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has inaugurated the 11.3 km NATRAX- the High-Speed Track (HST) in Indore which is the longest such track in Asia.

    NATRAX

    • NATRAX, developed in an area of 1000 acres of land is a one-stop solution for all sorts of high-speed performance tests for the widest categories of vehicles from 2 wheelers to heavy tractor-trailers.
    • It has multiple test capabilities like measurements of maximum speed, acceleration, constant speed fuel consumption.
    • It can conduct emission tests through real road driving simulation, high-speed handling and stability evaluation during manoeuvred such as lane change, high-speed durability testing, etc.
    • Also, it is a Centre of excellence for Vehicle Dynamics.

    Features of the HST

    • The vehicle can achieve a max speed of 375 Kmph on curves with steering control and it has less banking on ovals making it also one of the safest test tracks globally.
    • It is the one-stop solution for all sorts of high-speed performance tests, being one of the largest in the world.
    • It can cater to the widest category of vehicles; say from two-wheelers to the heaviest tractor trailers

    Its significance

    • HST is used for measuring the maximum speed capability of high-end cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Tesla and so forth which cannot be measured on any of the Indian test tracks.
    • Being centrally located in Madhya Pradesh, it is accessible to most of the major OEMs.
    • Foreign OEMs will be looking at NATRAX HST for the development of prototype cars for Indian conditions.
    • At present, foreign OEMs go to their respective high-speed track abroad for high-speed test requirements.

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  • Food Processing Industry: Issues and Developments

    [pib] PMFME Scheme

    PIB | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Food Processing & Related Industries In India

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: PMFME Scheme

    Mains level: Not Much

    The centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan marks the completion of its one year.

    PMFME Scheme

    • The PMFME Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme that aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry.
    • It aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and promote formalization of the sector,
    • It further aims to promote formalization of the sector and provide support to Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain.
    • The scheme envisions to directly assist the 2,00,000 micro food processing units for providing financial, technical, and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.

    Major component of the scheme

    One District One Product

    • Under the One District One Product (ODOP) component of the PMFME Scheme, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries approved ODOP for 137 unique products.
    • The GIS ODOP digital map of India has been launched to provide details of ODOP products of all the States and UTs.
    • The digital map also has indicators for Tribal, SC, ST, and aspirational districts.
    • It will enable stakeholders to make concerted efforts for its value chain development.

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  • Fertilizer Sector reforms – NBS, bio-fertilizers, Neem coating, etc.

    [pib] India to become self-reliant in Phosphatic Fertilizers

    PIB | Agriculture | Mains Paper 3: Issues Related To Farm Subsidies & Msp

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Fertilizers

    Mains level: Fertilizer subsidies in India

    The Department of Fertilisers is ready with an Action Plan to make India Aatmanirbhar in Rock Phosphate, the key raw material of DAP and NPK Fertilizers.

    What are Phosphatic Fertilizers?

    • Phosphorus is the eleventh most abundant element on the earth. Commercial phosphate fertilizers are manufactured using phosphate rock.
    • Approximately two-thirds of the world’s phosphate resources are derived from sedimentary and marine phosphate rock deposits.
    • Ground rock phosphate has been used as a source of phosphorous for soils in the past.
    • However, due to the low concentration of phosphorous in this native material, high transportation costs, and small crop responses, the usage of rock phosphate has reduced considerably in agriculture.
    • On the other hand, the usage of phosphorous based fertilizers has grown significantly.

    Which are the most common Ph fertilizers?

    • The most commonly used phosphatic fertilizers are Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP), NPKs, and SSP.
    • DAP is the world’s most widely used phosphorus fertilizer. It is popular due to its relatively high nutrient content and its excellent physical properties.
    • DAP is an excellent source of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) for plant nutrition.
    • It provides the correct proportion of phosphorous and nitrogen for the farming of grains such as wheat, barley, fruits, and vegetables.
    • NPKs, also called compound fertilizers, are fertilizers that contain all three nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in different proportions.

    Also read

    [pib] Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) for Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers

    Why need Phosphorus?

    • Phosphorus is an essential nutrient required for plant growth. It helps in root development, plant maturation, and seed development.
    • If soils are deficient in phosphorus, food production becomes restricted, unless the nutrient is added in the form of fertilizers.
    • Hence, to increase food production, an adequate amount of phosphorus is required.
    • Along with nitrogen and potassium, phosphorus is one of the most important elements for plant life.
    • Soil gets depleted of phosphorus due to several reasons including being washed away by rain. Therefore, modern farming is reliant on the use of phosphorus-based fertilizers.

    Consumption in India

    • Rock Phosphate is the key raw material for DAP and NPK fertilisers and India is 90% dependent on imports.
    • Volatility in international prices affects the domestic prices of fertilisers and hinders the progress and development of the agriculture sector in the country.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.What are the advantages of fertigation in agriculture? (CSP 2020)

    1.Controlling the alkalinity of irrigation water is possible.
    2. Efficient application of Rock Phosphate and all other phosphatic fertilizers is possible.
    3. Increased availability of nutrients to plants is possible.
    4. Reduction in the leaching of chemical nutrients is possible.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

    (b) 1,2 and 4 only

    (c) 1,3 and 4 only

    (d) 2, 3 and 4 only

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  • Urban Transformation – Smart Cities, AMRUT, etc.

    [pib] 6 years of Urban Transformation

    PIB | Trivia | Mains Paper 1: Urbanization, Their Problems & Remedies

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Various schemes mentioned

    Mains level: Urban transformation

    The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has commemorated 6 years of the three transformative Urban Missions vis. Smart Cities Mission (SCM), Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U). All these missions were inaugurated in 2015.

    [A] Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY)

    • PMAY is an initiative in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 2 crore (20 million) affordable houses by 31 March 2022.
    • It has two components: for the urban poor and also for the rural poor.
    • This scheme is converged with other schemes to ensure houses have a toilet, Saubhagya Yojana electricity connection, Ujjwala Yojana LPG connection, access to drinking water, and Jan Dhan banking facilities, etc.

    [B] Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT)

    • AMRUT was launched with the focus to establish an infrastructure that could ensure adequate robust sewage networks and water supply for urban transformation by implementing urban revival projects.
    • The components of the AMRUT consist of capacity building, reform implementation, water supply, sewerage and septage management, stormwater drainage, urban transport, and the development of green spaces and parks.
    • During the process of planning, the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) will strive to include some smart features in the physical infrastructure components.
    • Rajasthan was the first state in the country to submit State Annual Action Plan under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

    [C] Smart Cities Mission

    • National Smart Cities Mission is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India with the mission to develop smart cities across the country, making them citizen-friendly and sustainable.
    • The Union Ministry of Urban Development is responsible for implementing the mission in collaboration with the state governments of the respective cities.
    • All the participating cities from West Bengal have withdrawn from the Smart Cities Mission.
    • Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from Maharashtra have also been withdrawn from the Smart Cities Mission.

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