May 25 and 26th Current Affairs

1. INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence

IN NEWS:

India and Israel sign a three-year work program for cooperation in Agriculture.

The work program 2021-2023 will strengthen India-Israel bilateral relationship: Shri Narendra Singh Tomar

KEY POINTS:

• Indo-Israel villages of excellence to create a model ecosystem in Agriculture.
• India and Israel are implementing the “INDO-ISRAEL Agricultural Project Centres of Excellence” and “INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence”.
• MIDH, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, Government of India, and MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation – are leading Israel’s largest G2G cooperation, with 29 operational Centres of Excellence (COEs) across India in 12 States, implementing Advanced-Intensive agriculture farms with Israeli Agro-Technology tailored to local conditions.
• The Centres of Excellence generate knowledge, demonstrate best practices and train farmers. Every year, these COEs produce more than 25 million quality vegetable seedlings, more than 387 thousand quality fruit plants and train more than 1.2 lakh farmers about latest technology in the field of horticulture.
• The work program will aim to grow existing Centres of Excellence, establish new centers, increase CoE’s value chain, bring the Centres of Excellence into the self-sufficient mode, and encourage private sector companies and collaboration.

• As for the “INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence”, this is a new concept aimed at creating a model ecosystem in agriculture across eight states, alongside 13 Centers of Excellence within 75 villages.
• The program will promote the increase of net income and better the livelihood of the individual farmer, transforming traditional farms into modern-intensive farms based on IIAP standards. Large-scale and complete value chain approach with economic sustainability, embedded with Israeli novel technologies and methodologies will be tailored to local conditions.
• The IIVOE program will focus on: (1) Modern Agriculture infrastructure, (2) Capacity Building, (3) Market linkage

SOURCE:PIB

2. Shahi Litchi

IN NEWS:

First consignment of GI certified Shahi Litchi from Bihar exported to the U.K.

KEY POINTS:

• In a major boost to export of GI certified products, season’s first consignment of Shahi Litchi from Bihar was exported to United Kingdom by air route.
• The phyto-sanitary certification for exports of Shahi Litchiwas issued from newly established certification facility at Patna.
• The fruit is being exported by Cira Enterprises and sourced from farmers in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The Litchi is being imported by H & J Veg, London.
• APEDA collaborated with Department of Agriculture, Bihar along with other stakeholders such as farmers, exporters and importers for facilitating exports of Shahi Litchi.
• Shahi litchi was the fourth agricultural products to get GI certification from Bihar in 2018, afterJardalu mango, Katarni rice and Magahi paan.  GI registration for Shahi Litchi is held with the Muzaffarpur-based Litchi Growers Association of Bihar.
• Muzzafarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Champaran, Begusarai districts and adjoining areas of Bihar have favorable climate for growing Shahi Litchi.
• India is the second largest producer of litchi (Litchi chin) in the world, after China.
• The translucent, flavoured aril or edible flesh of the litchi is popular as a table fruit in India, while in China and Japan it is preferred in dried or canned form.
• Bihar tops in terms of production of litchi.

SOURCE:PIB

3. MCA21 Version 3.0

IN NEWS:

• Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Anurag Singh Thakur launches 1st Phase of MCA21 Version 3.0.
• Revamped website, e.Book, e.Consultation module and new email services deployed for better stakeholders’ experience introduced.

KEY POINTS:

• The MCA V3.0 is going to be implemented in two phases.
• The second and final phase shall be launched from October 2021 onwards.
• The entire project is proposed to be launched within this Financial Year and will be data analytics and machine learning driven.
• The MCA21 V3.0 in its entirety will not only improve the existing services and modules, but will also create new functionalities like e-adjudication, compliance management system, advanced helpdesk, feedback services, user dashboards , self-reporting tools and  revamped master data services.
• MCA21 has been part of Mission Mode projects of the Government of India.
• Bagging several accolades in past, the project has now reached its 3rd version.
• MCA21 V3.0 is part of this year’s Budget announcement and will leverage the use of latest technologies to further streamline the Corporate Compliance and stakeholders experience.
• The e-consultation module will facilitate:
• virtual public consultation of proposed amendments and new legislations to be introduced by MCA from time to time.
• leverage Artificial intelligence for compiling, grouping and categorizing comments/inputs received from stakeholders and create analytical reports for quick policy decision making.
• new email service for officers of MCA will provide them with advanced features and capabilities for organised and managed communication with internal as well as external stakeholders.

SOURCE:PIB

4. LDA:

IN NEWS:

People of Lakshadweep are Discontent over the creation of a Lakshadweep Development Authority (LDA) by the new administrator Praful Khoda Patel.

KEY POINTS:

• Mr Patel is the first political appointee as Administrator, a post mostly held by retired civil servants.
• Islanders have pointed out that the legislation is out of sync with the social and environmental realities of the archipelago.
• The creation of the Lakshadweep Development Authority (LDA) with extensive powers includes eviction of land owners.
• It is widely seen as being pushed by the real estate lobby and against the interest of the islanders.
• Hundreds of islanders have written to the administrator demanding the withdrawal of the proposed Regulation.
• It includes provisions such as:
• orderly and progressive development of land in both urban and rural areas and to preserve and improve the amenities thereof;
• grant of permission to develop land and for other powers of control over the use of land;
• conferring additional powers in respect of the acquisition and development of land for planning.

SOURCE:TH

5. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI)

IN NEWS:

Measures taken by the Government on the fronts of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy reforms, investment facilitation and ease of doing business have resulted in increased FDI inflows into the country.

KEY POINTS:

• India has attracted highest ever total FDI inflow of US$ 81.72 billion during the financial year 2020-21 and it is 10% higher as compared to the last financial year 2019-20 (US$ 74.39 billion).
• FDI equity inflow grew by 19% in the F.Y. 2020-21 (US$ 59.64 billion) compared to the previous year F.Y. 2019-20 (US$ 49.98 billion).
• In terms of top investor countries, ‘Singapore’ is at the apex with 29%, followed by the U.S.A (23%) and Mauritius (9%) for the F.Y. 2020-21.
• ‘Computer Software & Hardware’ has emerged as the top sector during F.Y. 2020-21 with around 44% share of the total FDI Equity inflow followed by Construction (Infrastructure) Activities (13%) and Services Sector (8%) respectively.
• Under the sector `Computer Software & Hardware’, the major recipient states are Gujarat (78%), Karnataka (9%) and Delhi (5%) in F.Y. 2020-21.
• Gujarat is the top recipient state during the F.Y. 2020-21 with 37% share of the total FDI Equity inflows followed by Maharashtra (27%) and Karnataka (13%).
• Out of top 10 countries, Saudi Arabia is the top investor in terms of percentage increase during F.Y. 2020-21.
• It invested US$ 2816.08 million in comparison to US$ 89.93 million reported in the previous financial year.

SOURCE:IE

6. Vesak

IN NEWS:

• The Prime Minister addressed “Virtual Vesak Global Celebrations” on Buddha Purnima.
• The event is being organised by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) and will witness the participation of all the supreme heads of the Buddhist Sanghas from around the world.

KEY POINTS:

• Vesak is the most sacred day for Buddhists around the world.
• It is also known as Buddha Purnima and Buddha Day.
• Significance: The day commemorates birth, enlightenment and Death (or Parinirvana) of Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, all of which is said to have taken place on the same day.
• Vesak, falls on the full moon day (Purnima) of the month Vaishakha (May)
• Recognition by United Nations (UN): The General Assembly, by its resolution in 1999, recognized internationally the Day of Vesak.
• It was done to acknowledge the contribution that Buddhism made to humanity.

SOURCE:IE

7. NDRFA:

IN NEWS:

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for creation of one post of Director in Senior Administrative Grade (SAG), at National Disaster Response Force Academy, Nagpur.

KEY POINTS:

• National Disaster Response Force Academy was established in year 2018 at Nagpur by merging with it National Civil Defence College (NCDC).
• The main campus of the Academy is under construction, till then it is functioning from the existing campus of NCDC.
• The Academy presently imparts training to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)/ State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)/ Civil Defence volunteers and other stakeholders and is envisaged to grow into a premier training institution of international repute.

• It will also provide specialized training to disaster response personnel of SAARC and other countries.
• With the creation of the post of Director, NDRF Academy, the command and control of the organisation will be entrusted to a senior and experienced officer, who can steer the institution as per the intended objectives.

SOURCE:TH

8. National Mission on use of Biomass in coal based thermal power plants.

IN NEWS:

Ministry of Power decides to set up a National Mission on use of Biomass in coal based thermal power plants.

KEY POINTS:

Significance:

• In order to address the issue of air pollution due to farm stubble burning and to reduce carbon footprints of thermal power generation, Ministry of Power has decided to set up a National Mission on use of Biomass in coal based thermal power plants.
• This would further support the energy transition in the country and our targets to move towards cleaner energy sources.

Objectives;

• To increase the level of co-firing from present 5% to higher levels to have a larger share of carbon neutral power generation from the thermal power plants.
• To take up R&D activity in boiler design to handle the higher amount of silica, alkalis in the biomass pellets.
• To facilitate overcoming the constraints in supply chain of bio mass pellets and agro- residue and its transport upto to the power plants.
• To consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing.

Features:

• The Mission would have a Steering Committee headed by Secretary (Power) comprising of all stakeholders including representatives from Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) etc.
• The Executive Committee would be headed by Member (Thermal), CEA.
• The duration of proposed National Mission would be a minimum 5 years.

SOURCE:PIB

9. USBRL

IN NEWS:

Shri Piyush Goyal Minister for Railways and Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution reviews the progress of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL).

Budget of USBRL for year 2021-22 is Rs. 4200 Cr.

KEY POINTS:

About the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL)

Project background:

• Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL) having length of 272 Km long Railway Line from Udhampur to Baramulla joining the Kashmir valley with rest of the country and has been declared as National Project in 2002.
• Out of 272 Km of USBRL Project, work has been completed on 161 Km and commissioned. Status of work sub-divided into three legs is as under:
• Udhampur – Katra -25km  (commissioned in July 2014)
• Quazigund – Baramulla – 118km (commissioned in Oct., 2009)
• Banihal – Quazigund – 18km  (commissioned in June 2013)
• Katra to Banihal- 111km in progress (Target 2022-23)

Important Information:

Katra- Banihal Section of USBRL Project

• The work on intervening stretch of Katra-Banihal section (111 km) is in progress and this section predominantly involves tunnelling i.e. 97 Km out of 111 Km (i.e. 87%) of length of Katra-Banihal section is in tunnels and maximum length of tunnel T-49 is 12.75 Km.
• There are 27 Main tunnel and 37 Bridges.
• These bridges include the iconic Chenab Bridge which will be the highest railway bridge in the world. Arch Launching of Chenab bridge was completed on 05.04. 2021.
• Indian railway’s first cable-stayed bridge is also being constructed on Anji Khad. Ancillary viaduct portion of Anji khad Bridge has been completed.

SOURCE:IE