1. Centre approves Rs.1,043 crores as Disaster Response Fund to Rajasthan and Nagaland
Tags: State News National News
A high-level committee headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 17 approved additional central assistance of Rs 1,043 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to Rajasthan and Nagaland, which were affected by drought during 2021-22.
The committee approved additional central assistance of ₹ 1,043.23 crore, of which ₹ 1,003.95 crore would be received by Rajasthan and ₹ 39.28 crore for Nagaland.
During the financial year 2021-22, the central government has released Rs 17,747.20 crore to 28 states in their SDRF and Rs 7,342.30 crore from NDRF to 11 states.
National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)
It is a fund managed by the Central Government.
It is used to meet the expenses of emergency response, relief and rehabilitation for any disaster situation.
It was earlier called National Disaster Contingency Fund (NCCF).
In 2005, the Disaster Management Act was enacted and its name was changed to National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
NDRF was established in accordance with Section 46 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
In June 2020, the Finance Ministry approved a proposal to allow individuals and institutions to contribute directly to the NDRF.
State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF)
It has been constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
It was constituted on the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission.
It is the primary fund available with the State Governments to meet the expenditure for providing immediate relief for the response to notified disasters.
The Centre contributes 75% of the SDRF allocation for general category States and Union Territories.
The Centre contributes 90% for special category States and Union Territories (northeastern States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir).
Disaster covered under SDRF are Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, frost and cold waves.
2. India-Japan hold finance dialogue in New Delhi
Tags: International Relations
India and Japan held a Finance Dialogue on 16 June 2022 in New Delhi to exchange views on the macroeconomic situation, financial system, financial digitization and investment environment in both the countries.
Japan's Finance Minister for International Affairs Masato Kanda and Ajay Seth, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, held the first India-Japan Finance Dialogue.
The Japanese delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Financial Services Agency and financial institutions.
On the Indian side, representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Reserve Bank of India, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India and financial institutions participated in the discussion.
Participants confirmed that the two sides will continue to work closely together as they preside over the G20 and G7 next year.
The two sides agreed to continue discussions to promote financial cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties, and agreed to agree on the possibility of holding the next round of talks in Tokyo.
Importance of Japan for India
Japan is the fifth largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India after Singapore, USA, Mauritius, Netherlands (April 2014 to August 2021).
It has invested $36.2 billion in India since 2000.
Japan is the largest provider of assistance to India amongst all countries.
There are 1,455 Japanese companies in India. Eleven Japan Industrial Townships (JIT) have been established, with Neemrana in Rajasthan and Sri City in Andhra Pradesh having the maximum number of companies.
Japan is helping in setting up a High Speed Rail corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Important fact about Japan
Japan is also called as Nihon or Nippon
It is an archipelago in the western pacific ocean in East Asia.
It is composed of four main islands Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Honshu is the largest island of Japan.
It is separated from the Asian mainland by the Sea of Japan.
Its highest mountain is Mount Fuji.
It is the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China.
It is the only country in the world where atom bomb was dropped. In 1945 the U.S. dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima on 6 August (bomb name Little Boy) and Nagasaki on 9 August (Bomb name Fat Man).
The capital of Japan : Tokyo
Currency of Japan : Yen
For more information please visit 21 march 2022 news
3. PM to dedicate to nation Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project on 19th June
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the main tunnel and five underpasses of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project to the nation on June 19.
About Integrated Transit Corridor Project
It is an integral part of Pragati Maidan Redevelopment Project.
The project has been built at a cost of over Rs 920 crore.
It aims to provide hassle free and easy access to the new world class Exhibition and Convention Centre being developed at Pragati Maidan.
The main tunnel connects Ring Road to India Gate via Purana Qila Road passing through Pragati Maidan.
Along with the tunnel, there will be six underpasses these are- four on Mathura Road, one on Bhairon Marg and one at the intersection of Ring Road and Bhairon Marg.
This project will ensure hassle free vehicular movement thereby saving time and money of the commuters.
It is part of the central government's broader vision to make people's lives easier with changes in urban infrastructure.
4. U.S. to fund 3 Indian research institutions
Tags: Science and Technology National News
The United States of America has announced $122 million in funding to the top three Indian medical research institutes to help prevent preventable pandemics, early detection of disease threats, and prompt and effective response.
A total amount of US$ 122,475,000 will be disbursed to three top Indian health research institutes over a period of five years.
These three research institutes are Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai.
The fund will accelerate progress towards India that protects against infectious disease threats by focusing on emerging pathogens.
The fund will help in detecting and controlling zoonotic disease outbreaks through a ‘one health’ approach, evaluate vaccine safety monitoring systems, capacitance of the public health workforce in epidemiology and outbreak response.
Starting from September 30, 2022, eligibility for funding is limited to ICMR, and ICMR institutions, which are the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, and the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
It is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world headquartered in New Delhi for the coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
It works under the Department of Health Services (DHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
It was established in 1911 as Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA).
Later in 1949 its name was changed to ICMR.
National Institute of Virology (NIV)
It is one of the major institutes of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
It was established at Pune, Maharashtra in 1952.
It was established as Virus Research Center (VRC) under the aegis of ICMR and Rockefeller Foundation (RF), USA.
National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE)
It is a permanent premier institute of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) established on 2 July 1999.
It was established by merging the Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy (CJIL Field Unit), Avadi with the Institute for Research in Medical Statistics (IRMS), Chennai.
The objectives of the Institute are conducting epidemiological studies, development of human resources in epidemiology and bio-statistics etc.
5. Industrial Decarbonization Summit - 2022
Tags: National News
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Industrial Decarbonization Summit 2022 in New Delhi on 16 June.
He stressed on maintaining a balance between ecology, environment and development.
He said that green hydrogen is the priority of the government and by using biotechnology we can increase the productivity of biomass.
By the use of biomass, we can make Bio-ethanol, Bio-LNG and Bio-CNG
He said that the use of methanol and ethanol will reduce pollution.
What is Decarbonisation?
It refers to the process of reducing 'carbon intensity', which reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the burning of fossil fuels.
It specifically uses renewable energy sources such as wind power, solar energy and biomass.
Decreasing carbon intensity in the power and transportation sectors could help achieve the net zero emissions target.
6. India's first Display Fabrication Unit in Hyderabad
Tags: Popular National News
Recently Telangana Government has signed an MoU with Bengaluru based Elest to set up India's first Display Fabrication Unit in Hyderabad.
This display fabrication unit will be set up with an investment of Rs 24,000 crore.
It will be set up under the India Semiconductor Mission program of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The Generation 6 AMOLED Displays FAB will be set up in Hyderabad to manufacture next generation displays for tablet computers, smartphones and laptops.
Importance of Display Fab
Setting up Display Fab in Telangana will put India on the global map along with countries like the US, China and Japan.
Having a display fab in Telangana will give a boost to the electronics and IT ecosystem in the state and its subsidiaries.
Ever since the Bharat Semiconductor Mission has been announced, the Telangana government is working on a mission mode to set up the fabs in the state.
Semiconductor mission
ISM was launched in 2021 under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore.
The scheme is a part of a comprehensive program for the development of the semiconductor and display ecosystem in India.
It was launched with the aim of providing financial assistance to companies investing in semiconductors, design ecosystem and display manufacturing.
7. Ministry of Textile inaugurated the 'Lota Shop' at National Crafts Museum, New Delhi
Tags: National News
The Ministry of Textile inaugurated the 'Lota Shop' at National Crafts Museum, New Delhi on 14 June.
Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Limited (CCIC), popularly known as Central Cottage Industries Emporium, has opened 'Lota Shop'.
It displays the finest handicrafts, souvenirs, handicrafts and textiles based on the traditional craft forms of India.
It has immense potential to attract foreign tourists and buyers.
It will give a new direction to the handicrafts sector as well as the artisans in the light of the 'One Nation One Product' initiative launched by the Centre.
The centre is also working towards one district one product which will give impetus to the handicrafts sector as well as the artisans.
The museum provides accommodation facilities and also provides audio-visual facilities for the visitors.
What is One District One Product scheme?
It aims to realize the true potential of a district, promote economic development and generate employment and rural entrepreneurship.
The Ministry of Food Processing had entered into an agreement with NAFED to develop 10 brands into one district one product brand.
Of this, six brands have been launched till now.
All products will be available across NAFED markets, e-commerce platforms and leading retail stores across India.
It was launched by the Uttar Pradesh government in January, 2018, and was later adopted by the central government after seeing its success.
Its aim is to identify, promote and brand a product from one district.
8. India's first road constructed from steel slag inaugurated in Surat
Tags: State News National News
Union Steel Minister Ram Chandra Prasad Singh on June 15 inaugurated the first 6-lane highway built using steel slag in Gujarat's Surat city to connect the port with the city.
The road, built using 100 percent steel-processed slag, is a true example of "converting waste into wealth" and improving the sustainability of steel plants.
The Minister emphasized the need to promote circular economy and resource efficiency by converting all waste into money.
Promoting a circular economy is the need of the hour as all types of natural resources are getting depleted in the world.
The use of such material in road construction will not only increase the durability but will also help in reducing the cost of construction as the slag-based material has better properties.
The production of steel slag through various processes in India is expected to increase by 2030.
What is a steel slag road?
The slag is generated from a steel furnace burning at around 1,500-1,600 degree centigrade in the form of molten flux material as an impurity.
The molten material is then poured into slag pits for cooling as per the optimized process and further processed to develop stable steel slag aggregates.
It is a substitute for natural aggregates commonly used in road construction with better physical properties.
What is a circular economy?
In the current economy, products are made from materials taken from the earth, and they are finally thrown away as waste.
In a circular economy, by contrast, we first stop producing waste.
In such an economy, all kinds of waste such as clothing, scrap metals and obsolete electronics are returned to the economy or used more efficiently.
The circular economy is based on three principles-
Eliminate waste and pollution
Circulating products and materials (at their highest value)
Nature of regenerate
9. Indian Railways flags off country’s first private train under Bharat Gaurav scheme
Tags: Popular National News
The first train to be operated between Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Shirdi (Maharashtra) by a private operator under the "Bharat Gaurav" scheme of the Indian Railways was flagged off on June 14.
With this Southern Railway became the first zone of the Indian Railways to be the first registered service provider under the "Bharat Gaurav" scheme.
The stoppages of the train are Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Yelahanka, Dharmavaram, Mantralayam Road and Wadi.
South Star Rail based in Coimbatore is the registered service provider operating the train.
The service provider company has paid Rs 1 crore as security deposit to Southern Railway for the rake having 20 coach structure.
Features of the train
First AC Coach -1, 2-tier AC coaches – 3, 3-tier AC coaches-8, Sleeper Class coaches-5 , Pantry car-1 and Luggage-cum-Brake Vans-2. (Total – 20 coaches).
About Bharat Gaurav Scheme
In November 2021, Indian Railways introduced Bharat Gaurav trains which will be operated by private operators and will run on theme-based circuits.
Through this scheme operators have the “Right of Use” of railway rakes and infrastructure.
Under this scheme, private players and tour operators can buy trains on lease from the Railways and operate them on any circuit of their choice and decide the fares, route and quality of services.
Till now, railways used to operate the passenger section and goods section but now the tourism section has also been added under this scheme.
The scheme has been developed after extensive discussions with several state governments including Odisha, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and stakeholders.
10. ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meet
Tags: Popular International News
India is hosting the special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi from June 16-17 to mark the 30th anniversary of the dialogue relations. It also marks the 10th anniversary of India's strategic partnership with ASEAN.
The year 2022 has been designated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
This is the first time that India is hosting such a special meeting with ASEAN foreign ministers.
External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar and Vivian Balakrishnan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Singapore will co-chair the meeting.
Myanmar's foreign minister is unlikely to attend the 24th ASEAN-India Ministerial Summit.
Foreign Ministers of other ASEAN Member States and ASEAN Secretary General will participate in the meeting.
The theme of the meeting - Building Bridges in the Indo-Pacific.
ASEAN-India dialogue
It was initiated in 1992 with the establishment of the Regional Partnership, which evolved into a Full Dialogue in December 1995, a Summit-level Partnership in 2002, and a Strategic Partnership in 2012.
At present, the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership stands on a strong foundation.
ASEAN is central to India's Act East Policy and the Comprehensive Indo-Pacific Strategy.
This multi-faceted partnership includes several regional dialogue mechanisms and working groups that meet regularly at various levels and include annual summits, ministerial and senior officials' meetings.
Ongoing India-ASEAN cooperation is guided by the 2021-2025 Action Plan that was adopted in 2020.
About ASEAN
Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN is an international organisation formed in Bangkok,Thailand in 1967.
It promotes economic development, peace, security, social progress and cultural development in the Southeast Asian region.
ASEAN Secretariat – Indonesia, Jakarta.
General Secretary of ASEAN - Lim Jock Hoi, Brunei
Official Languages - Burmese, Filipino, Indonesian, Khmer, Lao, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, Thai and Vietnamese
Working Language - English
ASEAN Summit is the supreme policy making body of ASEAN.
ASEAN is third largest market in the world
It is the sixth largest economy in the world, third in Asia.
ASEAN has Free-trade agreements (FTAs) with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.
ASEAN Member Countries
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Brunei
Vietnam
Laos
Myanmar
Cambodia
For more details please visit News of 13 May 2022
