General Studies- II
Topic- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP)
Context
Open Acreage Licensing Policy Round-V (OALP-V) offer bidding process for 11 areas in oil and gas blocks.
About
- The Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) were approved in March 2016.
- In continuation to its determination for reduction in import dependency of oil and gas and accelerating E&P activities, Government notified the further policy reforms in upstream sector.
- OALP Bid Round-V was carried out under reformed policy and revised model bid documents.
About OALP
- Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) provides an option to a company looking for exploring hydrocarbons to select the exploration blocks on its own.
- Under OLAP the company do not wait for the formal bid round from the Government.
- A bidder intending to explore hydrocarbons like oil and gas, coal bed methane, gas hydrate etc., may apply to the Government seeking exploration of any new block (not already covered by exploration).
- Under OALP, oil and gas acreages will be available round the year instead of cyclic bidding rounds as in NELP.
- Setting up of National Data Repository (NDR) is one of the milestones achieved for Open Acreage Licensing Policy.
National Data Repository (NDR)
- NDR has been created to provide explorers’ data on the country’s repositories.
- It allows them to choose fields according to their capabilities.
- Data received through the National Seismic Programme, an in-depth study of 26 sedimentary basins, are continuously being added to the NDR.
Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP)
- The HELP is a Revenue Sharing Contract, single Licence for exploration and production of conventional as well as unconventional Hydrocarbon resources, marketing & pricing freedom, etc.
- The Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) replacing the erstwhile New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP).
Significance
- It is well acknowledged that there is a need for a faster vehicle of awarding blocks in order to bring more area under exploration.
- As India has vast unexplored sedimentary basins, a strategy which facilitates a time bound full coverage has become a necessity.
- Moreover, even the OALP pre-supposes offering of data to the interested companies for them to submit their bids/ interest. Hence, availability of data is no longer an option, but a pre-condition.
- To make India a favorable destination globally for Exploration of Crude Oil and Natural Gas, the Government plans to move to the OALP regime soon.
General Studies- II
Topic- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
National Road Safety Council (NRSC)
Context
To Curb Road Accidents a Roadmap on Road Safety was discussed in 18th National Road Safety Council (NRSC) meeting.
About
18th meeting of National Road Safety Council (NRSC) and 39th meeting of Transport Development Council (TDC) were held under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH).
About National Road Safety Council (NRSC)
- National Road Safety Council is an advisory body.
- It was established under section 215 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 .
- Its objective is to improve road safety aspects in road transport sector.
- The Council is chaired by the Cabinet Minister of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH).
The ‘Four E’ of MoRTH
In 2011, MoRTH formed five separate working groups on the four Es of road safety-
- Education
- Engineering of Roads
- Engineering of Vehicles
- Enforcement and Emergency Care.
Transport Development Council (TDC)
- TDC is the highest body to advise the Government on all matters relating to roads and road transport.
- The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways is the Chairman of the Council.
- It meets at least once a year.
General Studies- II
Topic- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Mandatory packaging in jute materials
Context
Cabinet committee on Economic Affairs approved extension of norms for mandatory packaging in jute material.
About
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, has accorded its approval for mandatory packaging of foodgrains and sugar in jute material for the Jute Year 2019-20.
- The Government has retained the scope of mandatory packaging norms under the Jute Packaging Material (JPM) Act, 1987as per last year.
- The decision of the Cabinet mandates that 100% of the food grains and 20% of the sugar shall be mandatorily packed in diversified jute bags.
Benefits
- Packing sugar in diversified jute bags will give an impetus to the diversification of the jute industry.
- It is also mandated that initially 10% of the indents of jute bags for packing foodgrains would be placed through reverse auction on the GeM portal.
- This will gradually usher in a regime of price discovery.
- It will benefit farmers and workers located in the Eastern and North Eastern regions of the country particularly in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura.
Background
- Nearly 3.7 lakh workers and several lakh farm families are dependent for their livelihood on the jute sectors.
- The government has been making concerted efforts for the development of jute sector–
- Increasing the quality and productivity of raw jute,
- Diversification of jute sector,
- Boosting and sustaining demand for jute products.
- The jute industry is predominantly dependent on Government sector which purchases jute bagsof value of more than Rs. 7,500 crore every year for packing foodgrains.
- This is done in order to sustain the core demand for the jute sector and to support the livelihood of the workers and farmers dependent on the sector.
Other Support provided to the Jute Sector
- Approximately two lakh jute farmers are being assisted with improved agronomic practicessuch as line sowing using seed drills, weed management by using wheel-hoeing and nail-weeders, distribution of quality certified seeds and also providing microbial assisted retting.
- These interventions have resulted in enhancing the quality and productivity of raw jute and increasing income of jute farmers by Rs. 10,000 per hectare.
- To support jute farmers, a grant of subsidy of Rs. 100 crore for two yearsstarting from 2018-19 has been approved.
- With a view to support diversification of jute sector, the National Jute Board has collaborated with National Institute of Design and a Jute Design Cellhas been opened at Gandhinagar.
- With a view to boost demand in the jute sector, Government of India has imposed Definitive Anti-Dumping Duty on import of jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepalwith effect from 5th January, 2017.
- With a view to promoting transparency in jute sector, Jute SMART, an e-govt initiativewas launched in December, 2016.
- Further, the JCI is transferring 100% funds to jute farmers online for jute procurement under MSP and commercial operations.
For Prelims
GSAT-30
Highlights
- India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-30 was successfully launched from the Spaceport in French Guiana.
- GSAT-30 was launched by Ariane 5 VA-251 from Kourou Launch
- GSAT-30 will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit
- GSAT-30 will replace INSAT-4A in orbit.
