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Type: PIB

  • Innovations in Sciences, IT, Computers, Robotics and Nanotechnology

    Explaining Lithium increase in the Universe

    7 July 2020 | PIB | Science and Technology
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-15.Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Explaining the increase of Li in the the Universe

    Mains level: Not much

    In a study recently published in Nature Astronomy scientists from Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) along with their international collaborators have provided a robust observational evidence for the first time that Li production is common among low mass Sun-like stars during their He-core burning phase.

    Importance of lithium in our life

    • Light inflammable, metal lithium (Li) has brought about transformation in modern communication devices and transportation.
    • A great deal of today’s technology is powered by lithium in its various shades [remember Li-ion battery!].
    • But where does the element come from?
    • The origin of much of the Li can be traced to a single event, the Big-Bang that happened about 13.7 Billion years ago, from which the present-day Universe was also born.

    Why lithium was thought to be different?

    • Li content in the physical Universe has increased by about a factor of four over the life of the Universe.
    • However, the rest of the elements carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, nickel and so on which grew about a million times over the lifetime of the Universe.
    • Li, however, understood to be an exemption!
    • Current understanding is that lithium in stars like our Sun only gets destroyed over their lifetime.
    • As a matter of fact, the composition of all the elements in the Sun and the Earth is similar.
    • But, the measured content of Li in the Sun is a factor of 100 lower than that of the Earth, though both are known to have formed together.

    So, what the new finding suggests?

    • This discovery challenges the long-held idea that stars only destroy lithium during their lifetime.
    • It implies that the Sun itself will manufacture lithium in the future.
    • This is not predicted by models, indicating that there is some physical process missing in stellar theory.
    • Further, the authors identified “He flash”.
    • “He flash” is an on-set of He-ignition at the star’s core via violent eruption at the end of the star’s core hydrogen-burning phase, as the source of Li production.
    • Our Sun will reach this phase in about 6-7 billion years.

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  • Swachh Bharat Mission

    Prerak Dauur Samman

    4 July 2020 | PIB | Governance
    Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: SBM , Prerak Dauur Samman

    Mains level: SBM and its success

    The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced a new category of awards titled ‘Prerak Dauur Samman’ as part of Swachh Survekshan 2021.

    Try this question:

    Q. The Prerak Dauur Samman recently seen in news is related to:

    a) Swachh Bharat b) Literature c) Health Services d) Visual Arts

    Prerak Dauur Samman

    • The Prerak Dauur Samman has a total of five additional subcategories -Divya (Platinum), Anupam (Gold), Ujjwal (Silver), Udit (Bronze), Aarohi (Aspiring) – with top three cities being recognized in each.
    • In a departure from the present criteria of evaluating cities on ‘population category’, this new category will categorize cities on the basis of six select indicator wise performance criteria which are as follows:

    1) Segregation of waste into Wet, Dry and Hazard categories

    2) Processing capacity against wet waste generated

    3) Processing and recycling of wet and dry waste

    4) Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste processing

    5) Percentage of waste going to landfills

    6) Sanitation status of cities

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  • Promoting Science and Technology – Missions,Policies & Schemes

    ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ Scheme

    2 July 2020 | PIBSchemes | Science and Technology
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-15.Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ Scheme

    Mains level: Research facilitation schemes in India

    To provide a single platform for research internships, capacity building programs and workshops across the country, the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) has launched a new scheme called ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ (AV).

    Note the following things about the ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ Scheme:

    1) Implementing agency/ Nodal Ministry

    2) Primary objective

    3) Target beneficiaries

    4) Its components

    ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ Scheme

    • Accelerate Vigyan (AV) strives to provide a big push to high-end scientific research and prepare scientific manpower which can venture into research careers and knowledge-based economy.
    • The primary objective of this scheme is to give more thrust on encouraging high-end scientific research and preparing scientific manpower, which can lead to research careers and knowledge-based economy.
    • AV will initiate and strengthen mechanisms of identifying research potential, mentoring, training and hands-on workshop on a national scale.
    • The aim is to expand the research base in the country, with three broad goals – consolidation / aggregation of all scientific training programs, initiating High-end Orientation Workshops and creating opportunities for Research Internships.

    Components of AV

    1) ABHYAAS

    • It is an attempt to boost research and development in the country by enabling and grooming potential PG/PhD students by means of developing their research skills in selected areas across different disciplines or fields.
    • It has two components: High-End Workshops (‘KARYASHALA’) and Research Internships (‘VRITIKA’).
    • This is especially important for those researchers who have limited opportunities to access such learning capacities/facilities/infrastructure.

    2) SAMOOHAN

    • Mission ‘SAMOOHAN’ marks the beginning of Accelerate Vigyan.
    • It aims to encourage, aggregate and consolidate all scientific interactions in the country under one common roof.
    • It has been sub-divided into ‘SAYONJIKA’ and ‘SANGOSHTI’.
    • SAYONJIKA is an open-ended program to catalogue the capacity building activities in science and technology supported by all government funding agencies in the country.
    • SANGOSHTI is a pre-existing program of SERB.

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  • Tax Reforms

    Stamp Duty on Mutual Fund Purchases

    1 July 2020 | PIB | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Mutual Funds, Stamp Duty

    Mains level: Regulation of capital market in India

    The Amendments in the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 has been brought through Finance Act 2019 for Rationalized Collection Mechanism of Stamp Duty across India with respect to Securities Market Instruments.

    Up till now, we knew that stamp duties are levied on property transactions, registrations etc. With the Finance Act 2019, the stamp duties are also levied on Mutual Funds.

    What is Stamp Duty?

    • Stamp duty is a legal tax payable in full and acts as evidence for any sale or purchase of a property. It is payable under Section 3 of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899.
    • The levy of stamp duty is a state subject and thus the rates of stamp duty vary from state to state.
    • The Centre levies stamp duty on specified instruments and also fixes the rates for these instruments.
    • It is usually paid by the buyer with regardless of agreement and in case of property exchange, both seller and the buyer has to share the stamp duty equally.
    • A stamp duty paid instrument/document is considered a proper and legal instrument/document and has evidentiary value and is admitted as evidence in courts.

    What is the move?

    • Beginning July 1, all shares and mutual fund purchases will attract a stamp duty of 0.005 per cent and any transfer of security will attract a stamp duty of 0.015 per cent.
    • The government had introduced changes to the Stamp duty Act last year by introducing a uniform rate of stamp duty on the trading of shares and commodities.
    • All categories of mutual funds (except for ETFs) will attract stamp duty for the first time.
    • Shares purchased by individuals at stock exchanges were charged stamp duty at different rates by respective states.

    Where all will it be applicable?

    • The stamp duty will be applicable on all transactions, including shares, debt instruments, commodities and all categories of mutual fund schemes.
    • As for mutual funds, it will be applicable on all fresh purchases, including the fresh monthly purchases in previously registered Systematic Investment Plans.
    • It will also be applicable if investors switch from one scheme to another and also in case of dividend reinvestment transactions.
    • Transfers of units from one Demat account to another, including market/off-market transfers, will also attract stamp duty.

    How does it impact the investor?

    • The impact on long-term investments by a retail investor is nominal.
    • Since the stamp duty will be charged a one-time charge, if an investor invests Rs 1 lakh in a mutual fund scheme or in stock and holds it for two years, he will have to pay a duty of only Rs 5.
    • In fact, it will be marginally lower as the stamp duty is applicable on the net investment value i.e gross investment amount less than any other deduction like transaction charge.
    • There is no duty at the time of redemption.

    What about big investors?

    • The impact is higher for investors with short-term investment horizons such as banks and corporates who invest in liquid and overnight schemes of mutual funds.

    How much revenue can it generate for the government?

    • In the financial year 2019-20, the mutual fund industry mobilized aggregate funds of over Rs 188 lakh crore.
    • A high portion of that was in overnight funds or liquid funds.
    • A 0.005 per cent stamp duty on this amount works out to Rs 940 crore.
    • If the industry continues to mobilise funds to the tune of Rs 190 lakh crore or higher, it will generate revenues of nearly Rs 1,000 crore for the government from mutual fund transactions itself.

    Back2Basics: Mutual Funds

    • MF is a trust that collects money from a number of investors who share a common investment objective.
    • Then, it invests the money in equities, bonds, money market instruments and/or other securities.
    • Each investor owns units, which represent a portion of the holdings of the fund.
    • The income/gains generated from this collective investment are distributed proportionately amongst the investors after deducting certain expenses, by calculating a scheme’s “Net Asset Value or NAV.
    • It is one of the most viable investment options for the common man as it offers an opportunity to invest in a diversified, professionally managed basket of securities at a relatively low cost.
    • All funds carry some level of risk. With mutual funds, one may lose some or all of the money invested because the securities held by a fund can go down in value.

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  • Food Processing Industry: Issues and Developments

    PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) Scheme

    30 June 2020 | PIBSchemes | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-10.Food processing and related industries in India-scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: PM-FME scheme

    Mains level: Food processing industry and the required reforms

    The Ministry for Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has launched the PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) as a part of “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan”.

    Practice question for mains:

    Q.What is the PM FME Scheme? Discuss its potential to neutralize various challenges faced by India’s unorganized food industries.

    PM FME Scheme

    • It aims to provide financial, technical and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.
    • It is a centrally sponsored scheme to be implemented over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore.
    • The expenditure under the scheme would to be shared in 60:40 ratios between Central and State Governments, in 90:10 ratios with NE and the Himalayan States, 60:40 ratio with UTs with the legislature and 100% by Centre for other UTs.

    Features of the scheme

    • The Scheme adopts One District One Product (ODODP) approach to reap the benefit of scale in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products.
    • The States would identify food product for a district keeping in view the existing clusters and availability of raw material.
    • The ODOP product could be a perishable produce based product or cereal-based products or a food product widely produced in a district and their allied sectors.
    • An illustrative list of such products includes mango, potato, litchi, tomato, tapioca, kinnu, bhujia, petha, papad, pickle, millet-based products, fisheries, poultry, meat as well as animal feed among others.
    • The Scheme also place focus on waste to wealth products, minor forest products and Aspirational Districts.

    Credit facility provided

    • Existing Individual micro food processing units desirous of upgradation of their unit can avail credit-linked capital subsidy @35% of the eligible project cost with a maximum ceiling of Rs.10 lakh per unit.
    • Seed capital @ Rs. 40,000/- per SHG member would be provided for working capital and purchase of small tools.
    • FPOs/ SHGs/ producer cooperatives would be provided a credit-linked grant of 35% for capital investment along the value chain.
    • Support for marketing & branding would be provided to develop brands for micro-units and groups with 50% grant at State or regional level which could benefit a large number of micro-units in clusters.

    Why need such a scheme?

    • The unorganized food processing sector comprising nearly 25 lakh units contribute to 74% of employment in the food processing sector.
    • Nearly 66% of these units are located in rural areas and about 80% of them are family-based enterprises supporting livelihood rural household and minimizing their migration to urban areas.

    Challenges faced

    • The unorganised food processing sector faces a number of challenges which limit their performance and their growth.
    • These challenges include lack of access to modern technology & equipment, training, access institutional credit, lack of basic awareness on quality control of products; and lack of branding & marketing skills etc.
    • Owing to these challenges; the unorganised food processing sector contributes much less in terms of value addition and output despite its huge potential.

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  • New Species of Plants and Animals Discovered

    Coccolithophores: The Ancient Algae

    26 June 2020 | PIB | Science and Technology
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Coccolithophores

    Mains level: Not Much

    A study of microscopic ancient marine algae (Coccolithophores) has found that there is a decrease in the concentration of oceanic calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the Southern Indian Ocean.

    Try this question:

    Q.The Coccolithophores sometimes seen in news are-

    (a) Diatoms

    (b) Algae

    (c) Coral Polyps

    (d) Sea grass

    Coccolithophores

    • Coccolithophores are single-celled algae living in the upper layers of the world’s oceans.
    • They have been playing a key role in marine ecosystems and the global carbon cycle for millions of years.
    • They calcify marine phytoplankton that produces up to 40% of open ocean calcium carbonate and responsible for 20% of the global net marine primary productivity.
    • They build exoskeletons from individual CaCO3 plates consisting of chalk and seashells building the tiny plates on their exterior.

    Role as a carbon sink

    • Though carbon dioxide is produced during the formation of these plates, coccolithophores help in removing it from the atmosphere and ocean by consuming it during photosynthesis.
    • At equilibrium, they absorb more carbon dioxide than they produce, which is beneficial for the ocean ecosystem.
    • These investigations are important for future intervention to bring positive changes in the marine ecosystem and the global carbon cycle.

    Threats

    • The reduction of coccolithophores is due to an increase in the presence of diatom algae, which occurs after sea ice breakdown with climate change and ocean acidification, and increases the silicate concentration in the waters of the Southern Ocean.
    • Their existence is highly dependent on time and influenced by various environmental factors such as silicate concentrations, calcium carbonate concentration, diatom abundance, light intensity and availability of macro and possibly micronutrient concentrations.

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  • Skilling India – Skill India Mission,PMKVY, NSDC, etc.

    Learning Platform “Skills Build Reignite”

    26 June 2020 | PIB | Governance
    Mains Paper 2: GS2-13.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Skills Build Reignite

    Mains level: NA

    MSDE-IBM Partnership has unveiled Free Digital Learning Platform “Skills Build Reignite” to reach more job seekers & provide new resources to business owners in India.

    There are various web/portals/apps with Hindi acronyms such as YUKTI, DISHA, SWAYAM etc. Their core purpose is similar with slight differences. Pen them down on a separate sheet under the title various digital HRD initiatives.

    Skills Build Reignite

    • The SkillsBuild Reignite tends to provide job seekers and entrepreneurs, with access to free online coursework and mentoring support designed to help them reinvent their careers and businesses.
    • It is a long term institutional training to the nation’s youth through its network of training institutes and infrastructure.
    • IBM will provide multifaceted digital skill training in the area of Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to students & trainers across the nation in the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and ITIs.
    • Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is responsible for implementing the program.
    • Job seekers, individual business owners, entrepreneurs and any individual with learning aspirations can now tap into host of industry-relevant content on topics including AI, Cloud, Data analytics etc.

    Features

    • Its special feature is the personalized coaching for entrepreneurs, seeking advice to help establish or restart their small businesses as they begin to focus on recovery to emerge out of the COVID 19 pandemic.
    • Courses for small business owners include, for example, financial management, business strategy, digital strategy, legal support and more.
    • Plus, IBM volunteers will serve as mentors to some of the 30,000 SkillsBuild users in 100 communities in at least five major regions worldwide to help reinvigorate local communities.

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  • Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries Sector – Pashudhan Sanjivani, E- Pashudhan Haat, etc

    Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF)

    25 June 2020 | PIB | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-09.Economics of Animal Rearing

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: AHIDF

    Mains level: Animal husbandary sector of India

    The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved setting up of Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) worth Rs. 15000 crore.

    Practice question for mains:

    Q. In pursuit of doubling farmer’s income, development of animal husbandry has to play a crucial role. Discuss.

    About AHIDF

    • The fund is part of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus packages to help people affected by the lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
    • The AHIDF would promote infrastructure investments in dairy, meat processing and animal feed plants.
    • Farmer producer organizations (FPOs), MSMEs, Section 8 companies, private companies and individual entrepreneurs would be eligible to benefit from the fund.
    • It will ensure the availability of capital to meet upfront investment required for these projects and also help enhance overall returns/ payback for investors.

    Provisions of the AHIDF

    • The beneficiaries will have to contribute 10 per cent margin towards the proposed infra project and the rest 90 per cent would be a loan component to be made available to them by scheduled banks.
    • The balance 90% would be the loan component to be made available by scheduled banks.
    • Government of India will provide 3% interest subvention to eligible beneficiaries.
    • There will be 2 years moratorium period for the principal loan amount and 6 years repayment period thereafter.

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  • Air Pollution

    ‘Decarbonizing Transport in India (DTI)’ Project

    23 June 2020 | PIB | Environment
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-18.Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: ITF, OECD

    Mains level: Policy measures for cleaner transportation

    http://www.newsonair.com/writereaddata/News_Pictures/NAT/2020/Jun/NPIC-2020622172010.jpg

    NITI Aayog in collaboration with International Transport Forum (ITF) is set to launch the “Decarbonising Transport in India” project with the intention to develop a pathway towards a low-carbon transport system for India.

    Note the following things about ‘Decarbonising Transport in India (DTI)’ Project:

    1. Associated international institution

    2. Whether the institution is a UN body or not

    3. If India is a member of that body

    The DTI Project

    • The India project is carried out in the wider context of the International Transport Forum’s “Decarbonising Transport” initiative.
    • It is part of the “Decarbonising Transport in Emerging Economies” (DTEE) family of projects, which supports transport decarbonisation across different world regions.
    • India, Argentina, Azerbaijan, and Morocco are current participants.
    • The DTEE is a collaboration between the ITF and the Wuppertal Institute, supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment.

    Objectives of the project

    • The project will design a tailor-made transport emissions assessment framework for India.
    • It will provide the government with a detailed understanding of current and future transport activity and the related CO2 emissions as a basis for their decision-making.

    About International Transport Forum (ITF)

    • The ITF is an inter-governmental organisation within the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) system.
    • It is the only global body with a mandate for all modes of transport.
    • It acts as a think tank for transport policy issues and organises the annual global summit of transport ministers.
    • The ITF’s motto is “Global dialogue for better transport”.
    • India has been a member of ITF since 2008.

    Back2Basics: OCED

    • The OECD is an international, intergovernmental economic organization of 36 countries.
    • OECD was founded in the year 1961 to stimulate world trade and economic progress.
    • OECD originated in 1948, as the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC).
    • The Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) was founded to govern the predominantly US-funded Marshall Plan for post-war reconstruction on the continent.
    • The OEEC was instrumental in helping the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC has evolved into the European Union (EU) to establish a European Free Trade Area.
    • India is NOT a member of OECD.

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  • Innovations in Biotechnology and Medical Sciences

    What is Foldscope?

    23 June 2020 | PIB | Science and Technology
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Foldscope

    Mains level: NA

    Indian researchers have explored and validated the clinical utility of Foldscope in the diagnosis of diseases using various patient samples.

    Though trivial, Foldscope is a significant invention with most crucial applications. It somehow offers an alternative to costly microscopes for some basic diagnosis.

    What is Foldscope?

    • Foldscope is an affordable origami-based microscopy device composed of a series of paper clippings.
    • Upon assembly, the device can hold a specimen slide for observation, and this specimen can be viewed via a mobile phone camera attached to it.

    How does it work?

    • Foldscope can be assembled using paper clips and mounted on a cell phone using coupler and glue drops.
    • To do the assessment, a patient sample like urine is smeared on a transparent glass slide and visualized under a Foldscope mounted on a cell phone.
    • Sample images can be enlarged using the zoom function of the mobile, which can be stored on the mobile memory card for later reference/patient records.
    • Foldscope visualizes calcium oxalate crystals, which are a major cause of kidney stones.

    Utility of Foldscope

    • Foldscope is particularly convenient to diagnose urinary tract infection (UTI) and monitor kidney stone.
    • The study evaluated the use of Foldscope in the clinical diagnosis of oral and urinary tract infections.
    • Using this tool, one can easily monitor own-kidney stone status at home with a simple glass-slide, a Foldscope and a phone in hand.
    • Such monitoring could perhaps avoid kidney stone reaching a painful state or surgery in recurring cases.

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