General Studies-III
Topic– Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
Context
Tripura gets its first SEZ
About
- The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has notified the setting up of the first ever Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tripura.
- The SEZ is being set-up at Paschim Jalefa, Sabroom, South Tripura District.
- It will be a Sector Specific Economic Zone for Agro-Based Food Processing.
- The estimated investment in the project will be around 1550 Crore.
- The developer of the SEZ will be Tripura Industrial Development Corporation (TIDC) Ltd.
- The SEZ is estimated to generate 12,000 skilled jobs.
- Rubber based industries, textile and Apparel Industries, bamboo and Agri-food Processing Industries will be set-up in the SEZ.
Setting up of the SEZ in Sabroom will open up new avenues to attract private investment considering the proximity of the Chittagong Port and construction of the bridge across Feni River in South Tripura which is underway.
What are Special Economic Zones (SEZs)?
- Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are geographically delineated ‘enclaves’ in which regulations and practices related to business and trade differ from the rest of the country.
- SEZ are set up under Special Economic Zones Act, 2005.
- SEZ are allowed for manufacturing, trading and service activities.
- A single window SEZ approval mechanism by Board of Approval.
- Application recommended by states/UTs are approved by BOA.
Key features of SEZ
- SEZ is a designated duty free enclave to be treated as foreign territory for the purpose of trade operations and duties and tariffs.
- SEZ does not require a license for imports.
- The units must become net foreign exchange earners within 3 years,
- SEZ are allowed manufacturing, trading and service activities.
- They have full freedom for subcontracting.
Duties- The domestic sales from the SEZ are subject to fulfill custom duties and import policy is in force, when they sell their produce to domestic markets.
- There was no routine examination by the custom authorities.
- The corporation in SEZs will not have to pay any income tax on their profits for the first five years and only 50% of the tax for 2 more years thereafter.
- If half of the profit is reinvested in the corporation, the concession of 50% tax is extendable for next 3 years.
- For SEZ developers , the raw material from cement to steel to electrical parts are subject to zero tax and duty.
Conditions for Land Allotment- For the SEZ, the Government acquires vast land tracts and gives to the developers.
- The basic condition involves that 25% of the area of the SEZ must be used only for export related activities.
- Rest 75% area can be used for economical and social infrastructure.
- However, all SEZ benefits are applicable over the entire SEZ area. here were provisions for sector specific SEZs and Multiproduct SEZs.
Facilities in SEZ- The Sector specific SEZ may have 7500 houses, hotels with 100 rooms, 5 bed hospital, schools and other institutions, a multiplex in 50000 sq. meters.
- Multiproduct SEZ are allowed to build 25000 houses. 250 room hotel and 100 bed hospital along with a multiplex with 2 lakh sq. meters.
Benefits of SEZ in Tripura
- Setting up of the SEZ in Sabroom will open up new avenues to attract private investment considering the proximity of the Chittagong Port and construction of the bridge across Feni River in South Tripura which is underway.
- After it is set up, 100 percent Income Tax exemption will be provided on export income for SEZ units for the first 5 years.
- Also 50 percent exemption will be provided for the next 5 years and 50 percent of the ploughed back export profit for another 5 years.
General Studies- II
Topic– Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
Quality Council of India (QCI)
Context
QCI Conclave is being held in Uttarakhand
About
Quality Council of India (QCI) along with PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) is organizing its 11th Regional Quality Conclave (RQC).
The QCI conclave will be held at Rudrapur, district Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand.
Theme
The theme of the RudrapurRQC is “Advance Manufacturing with Quality, Innovation & Technology Interventions.”
Objective
- To create awareness about significance of quality culture in businesses,
- To deliberate on how organizations could continuously improve and innovate ,and
- To share the technological advancement like Industry 4.0 and predictive maintenance.
About Quality Council of India
- Quality Council of India (QCI) was set up in 1997 as an autonomous body .
- It was setup jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations –
- Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM),
- Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and
- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
Aim: It aims to establish and operate national accreditation structure and promote quality through National Quality Campaign.
- The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is the nodal ministry for QCI.
- Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on recommendation of the industry to the government.
General Studies- II
Topic- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes;
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) mission
Context
The Centre has decided to extend the mission period of its flagship initiative AMRUT mission by two more years.
About
- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is the new avatar of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
- In a significant departure from the earlier mission, the Centre will not appraise individual projects.
- AMRUT along with Smart Cities Mission was jointly planned to transform urban living conditions through infrastructure upgradation.
- AMRUT provides for basic civic amenities like water supply, sewerage, urban transport, parks as to improve the quality of life for all, especially the poor and the disadvantaged.
- AMRUT is aimed at transforming 500 cities and towns into efficient urban living spaces over a period of five years.
- AMRUT is a centrally sponsored scheme with 80% budgetary support from the Centre.
Focus of Mission
- Water Supply.
- Sewerage and septage management.
- Storm Water Drainage to reduce flooding
- Non-motorized Urban Transport.
- Green space/parks.
Eligibility conditions for AMRUT
- Five hundred cities have been selected under AMRUT.
- All Cities and Towns with a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities as per Census 2011, including Cantonment Boards (Civilian areas).
- All Capital Cities/Towns of States/ UTs, not covered in above.
- All Cities/ Towns classified as Heritage Cities by MoHUA under the HRIDAY Scheme.
- Thirteen Cities and Towns on the stem of the main rivers with a population above 75,000 and less than 1 lakh.
- Ten Cities from hill states, islands and tourist destinations (not more than one from each State).
For prelims
SahityaAkademi Awards
- Sahitya Akademi announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards in 23 languages.
- Seven books of poetry, four of novel, six of short stories, three of essays and one each of non-fiction, autobiography and biography have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2019.
Highlights
SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARD 2019
Assamese- Chanakya (Novel)- Joysree Goswami Mahanta
Bengali – Ghumer Darja Thele (Essays)- Chinmoy Guha
Bodo – Akhai Athumniphrai (Poetry)- Phukan Ch. Basumatary
Dogri – Bandralta Darpan (Essays)- Om Sharma Jandriari
English- An Era of Darkness (Non-Fiction)- Shashi Tharoor
Gujarati- Mojma Revu Re (Essays)- Ratilal Borisagar
Hindi – Chheelate Hue Apne Ko (Poetry)- Nand Kishore Acharya
Kannada – Kudi Esaru (Autobiography)- Vijaya
Kashmiri – Akh Yaad Akh Qayamat (Short Stories) – Abdul Ahad Hajini
Konkani – The Words (Poetry)- Nilba A. Khandekar
Maithili- Jingik Oriaon Karait (Poetry) – Kumar Manish Arvind
Malayalam- Achan Piranna Veedu (Poetry)- V. Madhusoodanan Nair
Manipuri- Ei Amadi Adungeigi Eethat (Novel)- L. Birmangol Singh (Beryl Thanga)
Marathi – Kadachit Ajoonahi (Poetry)- Anuradha Patil
Odia – Bhaswati (Short Stories) – Tarun Kanti Mishra
Punjabi – Antheen (Short Stories) – Kirpal Kazak
Rajasthani – Bareek Baat (Short Stories) – Ramsawroop Kisan
Sanskrit – Prajnachakshusham (Poetry)- Penna Madhusudan
Santali – Sisirjali (Short Stories)- Kali Charan Hembram
Sindhi- Jeejal (Short Stories)- Ishwar Moorjani
Tamil – Sool (Novel) – Cho. Dharman
Telugu – Septabhoomi (Novel) Bandi Narayana Swamy
Urdu – Sawaneh-E-Sir Syed: Ek Bazdeed (Biography) Shafey Kidwai
