GS- 2nd Paper
Topic- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.
Prime Minister Van Dhan Yojana
Context
Trifed Celebrates 100 days of Prime Minister Van Dhan Yojana and Forges Association with Global Fashion Designer Ritu Beri.
About
- Pradhan Mantri Van DhanYojana (PMVDY)’, is a national programme driven by TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- It aimed at empowering tribal all over the country to make them entrepreneurs.
- TRIFED has partnered with UNICEF for promoting Van Dhan program through the tribal Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Commerce.
- Tribes India has partnered with RituBeri.
Benefits of partnership
- A partnership of one of India’s finest designers with the nation’s biggest promoter of tribal crafts and culture has immense potential.
- By partnering with TRIFED as the Chief Design Consultant of Tribes India, Ms. Beri will help make Tribes India a household name with her demonstrated and well-established expertise in the fashion world.
- TRIFED’s initiative #GoTribal with Tribes India will now find echo and resonance all over the country and the world under the aegis of Ms Beri.
What is Van Dhan Scheme?
- The Van Dhan Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED.
- It was launched on 14th April, 2018 and seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of tribal products.
Objectives
The scheme aims at- the economic development of tribal involved in the collection of Minor Food Produces (MFPs) by helping them in optimum utilization of natural resources and providing them with a sustainable livelihood.
Implementation
- The scheme will be implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.
- At State level, the State Nodal Agency for MFPs and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at grassroot level.
- Under this scheme, the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras constituted, provide skill up-gradation and capacity building training and setting up of primary processing and value addition facilities.
- Locally the Kendras are proposed to be managed by a Managing Committee (an SHG) consisting of representatives of Van Dhan SHGs in the cluster.
Significance of PMVDY
- Minor Forest Produce (MFP) is a major source of livelihood for tribal living in forest areas.
- Around 100 million forest dwellers depend on MFPs for food, shelter, medicines and cash income.
- PMVDY provides them critical subsistence during the lean seasons, particularly for primitive tribal groups such as hunter gatherers, and the landless.
- This activity has strong linkage to women’s financial empowerment as most of the MFPs are collected and used/sold by women.
- MFP sector has the potential to create about 10 million workdays annually in the country.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
Project SURE
Highlights
- The SURE project to set a sustainable pathway for the Indian fashion industry.
- SURE stands for ‘Sustainable Resolution’ – a firm commitment from the industry to move towards fashion that contributes to a clean environment.
- The project has been launched by the union Textiles Ministry, along with Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI); United Nations in India; and IMG Reliance.
- This framework would help the industry-
- Reduce its carbon emissions,
- Increase resource efficiency,
- Tackle waste and water management,
- Create positive social impact to achieve long-term sustainability targets.
The five-point Sustainable Resolution of Project Sure
- Develop a complete understanding of the environmental impact of the garments being currently produced by our brand.
- Develop a sustainable sourcing policy for consistently prioritizing and utilizing certified raw materials that have a positive impact on the environment.
- Make the right decisions about how, where, and what we source across the value chain by selecting sustainable and renewable materials and processes and ensuring their traceability.
- Communicate our sustainability initiatives effectively to consumers and media through our online and physical stores, product tags/labelling, social media, advertising campaigns and events.
- Through these actions, shift a significant percentage of our supply chain to a sustainable chain by the year 2025, addressing critical global issues such as climate change, contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and building a world that is safe for the future generations, as an acceptance of a responsibility we all share.
Significance
- It will address the needs of an increasingly conscious consumer who would prefer to buy from a brand that is environmentally conscious and engages in environmental protection.
- It will also underline the need for collaboration across the sector in order to bring about innovation and transformative change.
- Project SU.RE aims to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, especially SDG-12 for responsible consumption and production.
- This framework would help the industry reduce its carbon emissions, increase resource efficiency, tackle waste and water management, and create positive social impact to achieve long-term sustainability targets.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ (PMBJP)
Context
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers launched a mobile application “Janaushadhi Sugam”.
About
- Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. Of India launched a campaign ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ (PMBJP).
- Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra (PMBJK) has been set up to provide generic drugs.
- These are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy as expensive branded drugs.
- Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementing agency of PMBJP.
Objective
- It aims to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through special kendra’s known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra.
Janaushadhi Sugam
- Government has launced Janaushadhi Sugam, a mobile application.
- It will be used to locate nearby Janaushadhikendra, direction guidance for location of the Janaushadhikendra through Google Map.
- It will search Janaushadhi generic medicines, analyse product comparison of Generic vs Branded medicine in form of MRP & overall Savings, etc.
Significance of the Scheme
- It will ensure access to quality medicines.
- It would extend the coverage of quality generic medicines and reduce the out of pocket expenditure on medicines.
- The campaign will create awareness about generic medicines through education and publicity so that quality is not synonymous with only high price.
- It will create demand for generic medicines by improving access to better healthcare through low treatment cost and easy availability wherever needed in all therapeutic categories.
What are the Generic Medicines?
- A generic drug is a medication created to be the same as an already marketed brand-name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use.
- Generic medicines are unbranded medicines which are equally safe and having the same efficacy as that of branded medicines in terms of their therapeutic value.
- These similarities help to demonstrate bioequivalence, which means that a generic medicine works in the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as its brand-name version.
- The prices of generic medicines are much cheaper than their branded equivalent.
For Prelims
8th National Photography Awards
Highlights
- Photo Division, Press Information Bureau, under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, has invited entries for the 8th National Photography Awards.
- The National Photography Awards are conferred under three categories –
- Lifetime Achievement Award,
- Award for Professional Photographers,
- Award for Amateur Photographers.
- The Lifetime Achievement Award carries a Cash Prize of Rs. 3,00,000/-.
- Themes – This year’s theme for the Professional Photographers is ‘Life and Water.’
- This year’s theme for the Amateur Photographers is ‘Cultural Heritage of India.’
Exercise Hand-In-Hand-2019
Highlights
- Exercise Hand-In-Hand-2019, is a joint training exercise between India and China.
- The Eighth Edition of joint training exercise is being conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya.
- The People’s Liberations Army (PLA) contingent from the Tibet Military Command& Indian Army contingent comprising of one Infantry company are participating in the 14 days long joint training exercise.
- The exercise aims to enrich both the contingents from each other’s experience in counter – terrorism operations.
- Besides counter-terrorism operations, discussions on Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) operations will also be conducted as part of the exercise.
