National Electronics Policy
Category: Economy
- The Union Cabinet approved the National Electronics Policy 2019 aimed at achieving a turnover of $400 billion (about ₹26 lakh crore) for the electronics system design and manufacturing sector by 2025, while generating employment opportunities for one crore people.
- The policy has introduced “easier to implement” incentive schemes, including an interest subvention scheme and credit default guarantee, to replace some of the existing ones under the National Electronics Policy 2012.
- It proposes to provide interest subsidy of 4% on loans up to ₹1,000 crore on plant and machinery. In case of larger loans, the subsidy would be limited to ₹1,000 crore.
- The government proposes to create a fund to provide default guarantee of up to 75% to banks for plant and machine loans of up to ₹100 crore.
- To help create an ecosystem, the policy has pitched for 2.0 version of the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster Scheme, under which infrastructure support will be provided for a group of industries that are part of the product supply chain rather than individual industries.
- It has also proposed a sovereign patent fund to acquire intellectual property for chips and chip components.
Islands
Category: Infrastructure
- Four islands in the Andamans and three in Lakshadweep have been identified for seaplane operations.
- Island Development Agency is chaired by Home Minister.
- Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, Hutbay and Long Island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Kavaratti, Agatti and Minicoy in Lakshadweep have been identified for seaplane operations.
- Key infrastructure projects such as operationalisation of the Diglipur airport for civilian aircraft and the construction of a new airport on Minicoy Island have been accorded high priority by the government
- Coastal Regulation Zone clearance (CRZ) has been accorded for ‘Middle Strait Bridge’ on Andaman Trunk Road.
112
Category: Social sector
- The government launched the panic button feature on mobile phones for safety of women and other emergency services across 16 States and Mumbai.
- In order to access an emergency service, such as police, medical and other services, a user can dial 112 from any phone.
- A smartphone user can also press the power button thrice in quick succession and a user of a basic or feature phone can long press 5 or 9 on the key pad.
- One can also download the 112 mobile application.
- Once a user presses the panic button, five calls will be made to emergency number 112 as well as call log details and the geo location of the victim will be sent by SMSes and emails to police officials at the State, district and local level.
- The panic button facility, also known as the Emergency Response Support System, is being supported under the Nirbhaya Fund set up for safety of women.
Angel tax
Category: Economy
- The Centre notified new rules pertaining to angel tax which, will exempt registered start-ups of a specified size from the tax and any scrutiny to do with its applicability.
- Angel tax is applicable to unlisted companies that have raised capital through sale of shares at a value above their fair market value. This excess capital is treated as income and taxed accordingly.
- This tax predominantly affects start-ups and the angel investments they attract.
- Investments of up to ₹25 crore in an eligible company will be exempt from the angel tax.
- In addition, investments made by a listed company of a networth of at least ₹100 crore or a turnover of at least ₹250 crore would also be exempt.
- Investments made by non-residents will also be exempt
- An eligible start-up would be one that is registered with the government, has been incorporated for less than 10 years, and has a turnover that has not exceeded ₹100 crore over that period.
Solar programme
Category: Energy
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved Phase-II of the Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Programme that aims to achieve a cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from rooftop solar projects by 2022.
- The Phase II programme provides for central financial assistance (for residential rooftop solar installations) up to 40% for rooftop systems up to 3kW and 20% for those with a capacity of 3-10kW.
- The second phase will also focus on increasing the involvement of the distribution companies (DISCOM).
- In a separate decision, the Cabinet approved the launch of the Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan aimed at providing financial and water security to farmers.
- Through the scheme, farmers will be given financial assistance to set up solar panels in their unused or fallow land.
LOFAR
Category: Science & Technology
- The known Universe just got a lot bigger. A new map of the night sky published charts hundreds of thousands of previously unknown galaxies discovered using a telescope that can detect light sources optical instruments cannot see.
- The team behind the space survey said their discovery literally shed new light on some of the Universe’s deepest secrets, including the physics of black holes and how clusters of galaxies evolve.
- The map was created by the LOFAR observations.
- Radio astronomy helps detect radiation produced when massive celestial objects interact. Ancient radiation.
- The team used the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope in the Netherlands to pick up traces — or “jets” — of ancient radiation produced when galaxies merge. These jets, previously undetected, can extend over millions of light years.
- With radio observations we can detect radiation from the tenuous medium that exists between galaxies.
