GS- 2nd Paper
Topic- Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)
Context
Foundation Day Celebrations (September 26, 2019) of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) was held in New Delhi.
About CSIR
- The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was established by the Government of India on 26th September, 1942.
- It is an autonomous body registered under the Registration of Societies Act, 1860.
- It is mainly funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
- CSIR is the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India – running 37 laboratories and 39 field stations or extension centres.
- The research and development activities of CSIR include aerospace engineering, Structural engineering, ocean sciences, Life sciences, metallurgy, chemicals, mining, food, petroleum, leather, and environment.
- CSIR is ranked at 84th among 4851 institutions worldwide and is the only Indian organization among the top 100 global institutions, according to the Scimago Institutions Ranking World Report 2014.
- CSIR holds the 17th rank in Asia and leads the country at the first position.
Organization Structure
- President– Prime Minister (Ex-Officio)
- Vice President- Minister of Science & Technology, India (Ex-Officio)
- Governing Body-: The Director General is the head of the governing body.
- The other ex-officio member is the finance secretary (expenditures). Other members’ terms are three years.
- CSIR Advisory Board– 15-member body composed of prominent members from respective fields of science and technology.
- Its function is to provide S&T inputs to the governing body. Member terms are three years.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
Context
Prime Minister met with the 14 leaders of the CARICOM group of countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
What Is the CARICOM?
- The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) is a group of twenty developing countries in the Caribbean.
- CARICOM group have come together to form an economic and political community that works together to shape policies for the region and encourages economic growth and trade.
- CARICOM was formed in 1973 after the founders had enacted the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
- The Caribbean Community and Common Market was established to replace the Caribbean Free Trade Area which had failed in its mission to develop policies in the region pertaining to labor and capital.
Key Takeaways
- The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) is a regional group of nations that encourage common policy and economic goals.
- CARICOM was formed in 1973 and consists of 20 nations, including fifteen full-time members and five associate members.
- One of CARICOM’s current goals is to establish a free-trade zone and single market for increased trade and economic growth in the region.
India with CARICOM
- PM Modi announced a USD 14 million grant for community development projects in the CARICOM.
- He announced another 150 million Line of Credit for solar, renewable energy and climate- change related projects.
- India will set up the Regional Center for Excellence in Information Technology in Georgetown, Guyana and the Regional Vocational Training Center in Belize by upgrading the existing India-funded centers in these countries.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States.
PM KISAN scheme
Context
PM KISAN has given recognition and confidence to the farmers across country: 3rd India Agricultural Outlook Forum 2019 begins in New Delhi
About the PM KISAN scheme
- The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) is a cash transfer programme for farmers.
- PM KISAN is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from Government of India.
- It has become operational from 1December, 2018.
- Under the scheme an income support of Rs.6000/- per year in three equal instalments will be provided to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of upto 2 hectares.
- Definition of family for the scheme is husband, wife and minor children.
- State Goverment and UT Administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
- The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
- There are various Exclusion Categories for the scheme.
PM-Kisan scheme extended
- PM-KISAN Scheme extension to include all eligible farmer families irrespective of the size of land holdings.
- It extends the benefit of Rs 6,000 per year under the PM-KISAN scheme to all farmers in the country.
- The revised Scheme is expected to cover around 2 crore more farmers.
- It increases the coverage of PM-KISAN to around 14.5 crore beneficiaries, with an estimated expenditure by Central Government of Rs. 87,217.50 crores for year 2019-20.
Significance
- Around 12 crore small and marginal farmer families are expected to benefit from this.
- It would not only provide assured supplemental income to the most vulnerable farmer families, but would also meet their emergent needs especially before the harvest season.
- It would pave the way for the farmers to earn and live a respectable living.
Criticism of the Scheme
- PM-Kisan yojana completely disregards landless tenants and poor rural households that do not own land.
- The amount transferred under the scheme accounts only a tenth of the production cost per hectare or consumption expenditure for a poor household.
- The support is largely symbolic and not sustentative.
- The cash transfer is not linked to the size of the farmer’s landholding..
- There has been a huge delay in disbursements.
- PM-Kisan provides for a timely intervention to support the farmer’s needs.
- But this must not become the excuse for withholding the large structural reforms in agriculture the country is in dire need of, both in interests of farmers and consumers.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic- Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
Context
APEDA holds International Conference-Cum-Buyer seller meet in Agartala.
About APEDA
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December, 1985.
- The APEDA is an apex statutory export promotion organisation under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- It is mandated with responsibility of promotion and development of the export of its scheduled products which includes all agricultural products.
Functions
- Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export by way of providing financial assistance or otherwise for undertaking surveys and feasibility studies, participation in enquiry capital through joint ventures and other reliefs and subsidy schemes;
- Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products on payment of such fees as may be prescribed;
- Fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports;
- Carrying out inspection of meat and meat products in slaughter houses, processing plants, storage premises, conveyances or other places where such products are kept or handled for the purpose of ensuring the quality of such products;
- Improving of packaging of the Scheduled products;
- Improving of marketing of the Scheduled products outside India;
- Promotion of export oriented production and development of the Scheduled products;
- Collection of statistics from the owners of factories or establishments engaged in the production, processing, packaging, marketing or export of the scheduled products;
- Training in various aspects of the industries connected with the scheduled products;
- Such other matters as may be prescribed.
For Prelims-
‘Singapore India Hackathon 2019’
Context
India to host the second edition of joint international hackathon ‘Singapore India Hackathon 2019’.
Highlights
- India will host the second edition of joint international hackathon ‘Singapore India Hackathon 2019’ at IIT Madras.
- 20 teams with 6 team members each (3 members from India and 3 members from Singapore) to participate.
- Each team to have 2 mentors (1 from India and 1 from Singapore).
- The Team with the most innovative solution will be presented with the prize money of $10,000.
- The second, third and fourth winning teams will win $8,000, $6,000 and $4,000 respectively.
- There will also be the ‘Prize of Encouragement’ for 6 more teams with $2,000 per team who will come up with solutions which have high potential to take forward.
Themes
- This year the hackathon is focused on three themes–
‘Good Health and well-being’,
‘Quality Education’
‘Affordable and Clean Energy’.
