MNREGA

• MNREGA will help implement direct benefit transfers.
• MNREGA has brought momentum in the financial inclusion of our rural population. More than four crore accounts have been opened in banks while more than that have been opened in post offices. These accounts will assist us in reaching the incentives of the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme to the rural population

Earn While You Earn

Earn While You Learn

Organisation : Ministry of Tourism

Objective : To inculcate appropriate tourism travel traits and knowledge amongst trainees to enable them to work as ‘student volunteers’.

Features : The salient features of the Scheme are: 
i. College-going students pursuing graduation courses or graduates in the age group of 18 to 25 years will be eligible for the training programme. i. The candidates are selected by following a transparent procedure. 

iii. The duration of each programme is 21 working days. 

iv. The course contents is finalized by the Ministry of Tourism/ implementing Institutes in consultation with stakeholders. 

The Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM), had been authorized to conduct the training programmes at its Centres in Gwalior, Delhi and Bhubaneshwar and one in the city of Hyderabad. Besides, the Jamia Milia Islamia University was also authorized to conduct a training programme at its campus in Delhi.

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill,2013

• The Rajya Sabha on Sep 2013 passed a Constitution amendment Bill to create a Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) which will replace the collegium system of appointing judges to higher courts.


• The Constitution (120th Amendment) Bill, 2013 envisages setting up of the JAC, to be decided by Parliament, that will recommend appointment and transfer of Supreme Court and High Court judges. Currently, the collegium consisting of five top judges of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India, decides the appointment of

Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill

Introduction :

Surrogacy in commercial form is legal in India with the landmark Supreme Court judgment and later, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Guidelines 2005 which prescribed conduct and use of ART procedures or treatment by fertility clinics. Subsequent to this the ART (Regulation) Bill 2010 was formulated by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, which is still awaiting enforcement. The ART Bill legalised commercial surrogacy by providing for payment as “monetary compensation” to the surrogate mother by the

Farmer Club

                                            

Definition : 

• Grassroot level informal forums of farmers


• Such Clubs are organized by rural branches of banks with the support and financial assistance of NABARD for the mutual benefit of the banks concerned and the village farming community/rural people.


• All Institutional Agencies (Commercial Banks, Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks) and all grassroot level organisations (NGOs, PRIs, State Agricultural Universities, KVKs, ATMA, Post Offices etc.) are eligible to form Farmers’ Clubs.

Flexible Use of Airspace

• In the fast changing environment of air warfare and national security, there is an urgent sense of need of airspace use by the military. Therefore, sharing of airspace on a need basis, by civil and military users was an urgent national requirement.
• This will be achieved via direct routing between 7 city pairs of: Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi–Chennai, Delhi-Hyderabad, Delhi- Begaluru, Kolkata-Chennai and Chennai-Mumbai for which the information is available.
• First step would be implementation of a National High Level Airspace Policy Body (NHLAPB) for airspace use will be set up in order to take up the job of strategic planning and assess/reassess the national airspace requirements of various stakeholders.
• The NHLAPB will be chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation with representation from Ministry of Defence, Indian Air force, Indian Navy, Indian Space Research Organization, Airport Authority of India and Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It can co-opt new members in future depending upon requirement.

Project Arrow

• Introduced in 2008 by department of Posts
• Objective: To transform the existing India Post infrastructure across the country by upgrading key postal operations such as mail delivery, remittance and banking services.
• Under the project, the exterior and interior of the post offices have undergone a transformation. Service delivery has been upgraded through information technology-enabled procedures.

Electronic Project Proposal System

The Electronic Project Proposal System (e-PPS) is a web-based system that covers the complete life-cycle of funding of R&D projects, starting from online submission of project proposals for funds, to monitoring and management of funded projects. It supports the following processes:

• Online submission of project proposals
• Evaluation of proposals by experts
• Project recommendations
• Project Monitoring

Viability Gap Fund

• VGF is a government’s initiative to assist private investors or entities to set up projects of high economic worth
• Private investors are not interested in building infrastructure as financial return is less so government extends its support to the investors by sharing a fraction of the cost, making the project viable.
• Typically, VGF is provided in competitively bid projects. The central government meets up to 20% of capital cost of a project being implemented in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode by a central ministry, state government, statutory entity or a local body. The state government, sponsoring ministry or the project authority can provide another 20% to attract .
• Those needing the least VGF assistance will be awarded the project. The Ministry of Finance administers the scheme. 
• Projects in a number of sectors such as roads, ports, airports, railways, inland waterways, urban transport, power, water supply, other physical infrastructure in urban areas, infrastructure projects in special eco-nomic zones, tourism infrastructure projects are generally eligible for VGF. 
• The Viability Gap Funding Scheme provides financial support in the form of grants, one time or deferred, to infrastructure projects undertaken through public private partnerships with a view to make them commercially viable. GoI has established a Viability Gap Fund to aid the PPP infrastructure projects which face the viability gap due to inherent nature of the project. 

Antyodaya Anna Yojana

What is Antyodaya Anna Yojana?

• AAY was launched by the cetral government in December 2000.
• Under the scheme 1 crore of the poorest among the BPL families covered under the targeted public distribution system are identified.
• Twenty five kilograms (kg) of food grains were made available to each eligible family at a highly subsidized rate of Rs. 2 per kg for wheat and Rs.3 per kg for rice. This quantity has been enhanced from 25 to 35 kgs with effect from April, 2002.
• The scheme has been further expanded in June 2003 by adding another 50 lakh BPL families. 

NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change)

• NAPCC is a comprehensive action plan which outlines measures on climate change related adaptation and mitigation while simultaneously advancing development
• It has 8 missions : 
• I. National Solar Mission
  Objective:
  
• Make solar energy competitive with fossil-based energy options.
• Launch an R&D programme facilitating international co-operation to enable the creation of affordable, more convenient solar energy systems.
• II. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
  
• The Energy Conservation Act of 2001 provides a legal mandate for the implementation of energy efficiency measures through the mechanisms of The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in the designated agencies in the country.
• A number of schemes and programmes have been initiated which aim to save about 10,000 MW by the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan in 2012.
• III. National Mission on Sustainable Habitats
  Objective:
  
• Make habitats sustainable through improvements in energy efficiency in buildings, management of solid waste and a modal shift to public transport.
• IV. National Water Mission
  Objective:
  
• Conserving water, minimizing wastage, and ensuring more equitable distribution and management of water resources.
• Optimizing water use efficiency by 20% by developing a framework of regulatory mechanisms.
• V. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
  Objective:
  
• Empowering local communities especially Panchayats to play a greater role in managing ecological resources.
• VI. National Mission for a Green India
  Objective:
  
• To increase ecosystem services including carbon sinks.
• To increase forest and tree cover in India to 33% from current 23%.
• VII. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
  Objective:
  
• Make Indian agriculture more resilient to climate change by identifying new varieties of crops (example: thermally resistant crops) and alternative cropping patterns.
• Make suggestions for safeguarding farmers from climate change like introducing new credit and insurance mechanisms and greater access to information.
• 
  VIII. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change
  Objective:
  
  • Work with the global community in research and technology development by collaboration through different mechanisms. It also has its own research agenda supported by climate change related institutions and a Climate Research Fund.
  • Encourage initiatives from the private sector for developing innovative technologies for mitigation and adaptation.

National Investment Fund

• NIF was established in 2005 to channelize the proceeds generated through the sale of minority shareholding of CPSEs(Central Public Sector Enterprise). The Fund would be maintained outside the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Government  sells part of its shares in the market, and get ca$h. (it is called Disinvestment)
• Government puts that cash in this NIF, instead of the consolidated fund of India.
• The income from the Fund is to be used for the following broad investment objectives:
• 75% to finance selected social sector schemes, which promote education, health and employment
• 25% to meet the capital investment requirements of profitable and revivable CPSEs that yield adequate returns, in order to enlarge their capital base to finance expansion/diversification
• However, because of the difficult economic situation caused by global slowdown, the government in November 2009 decided to utilize proceeds from disinvestment only for social sector spending. This exemption is applicable till March 2013.
• NIF fund managers are:
• UTI Asset Management Company Ltd.
• SBI Funds Management Company (Pvt.) Ltd.
• LIC Mutual Fund Asset Management Company Ltd.
• No approval is required to get money out of this fund.

Health Minister's Discretionary Grant

• Under the HMDG scheme, a maximum help of Rs. 50,000 was provided to the poor and needy as part of the expenditure made on hospitalization for major surgical interventions and treatment of major diseases including heart ailments, kidney transplant, hip and knee replacement, cancer, AIDS, hepatitis and tumour.
• Current guidelines: Help is granted up to Rs. 20,000 if the cost of treatment is Rs. 50,000; up to Rs. 40,000 if the cost is above Rs. 50,000 and up to Rs. 50,000 if it is above Rs. 1,00,000
• Fresh Guidelines : Assistance of Rs. 50,000 if the estimated cost of treatment is Rs. 1,00,000; Rs. 75,000 (above Rs. 1,00,000 and up to 1,50,000) and Rs 1,00,000 (above Rs 1,50,000).
• The new areas urology, nephrology, gastroenterology, liver transplant and surgery for portal hypertension, cases of complicated diabetes which require one-time treatment such as amputation or renal transplant.
• 
  

Science ,Technology and Innovation Policy 2013

• PM Manmohan Singh inaugurated a new science policy, the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STI) 2013that lays greater emphasis on innovation, setting up research institutes and encouraging women scientists with an aspiration to place itself among the top five scientific powers in the world by 2020.
• Objectives :
• Private Partners in R&D : Create a policy environment for enhanced private sector collaboration in research and innovation and to form international alliances to fulfill the national agenda.
• Increase Gross Expenditure : Increasing gross expenditure in R&D to 2% of GDP from the current 1% in this decade
• Speed Delivery : Expedite the pace of discovery and delivery of science-led solutions for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth.
• Careers : Make careers in science, research and innovation lucrative, setting up world-class infrastructure for R&D for gaining global leadership in some select frontier areas of science.
• India introduced its first Scientific Policy Resolution in 1958 which was directed to "foster, promote and sustain" the cultivation of science and scientific research in all its aspects. 
• It focused on the need to attain technological competence and self reliance.        

Insurance Sector Schemes

Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana

• Launched in 2007
• Covers death and disability insurance for the benefit of rural landless households.
• Insurance to the head of the family or earning member of the family of rural landless households b/w the age of 18 and 59 years against natural death or accidental death and partial/permanent disability.
• Annual premium payable is Rs 200
• 50% of the premium shall be payable by the Union Government from a separate fund created by the govt and operated by LIC and the remaining 50% by the State Government.
• Also provides for educational aid to the beneficiaries’ children studying from 9^th to 12^th standard as an extended benefit.
• A separate fund has been set up for providing scholarship to the children of beneficiaries.

Janashree Bima Yojana

• Launched in August 2000
• Life insurance protection to people who are BPL or marginally above poverty line.
• Persons aged b/w 18 years and 59 years and who are members of the identified 45 occupational groups are eligible for the scheme.
• Premium of Rs 200 per member
• 50% of premium comes from Social Security Fund maintained by LIC, rest 50% borne by the member and/or nodal agency.

New Urea Investment Policy

• It aims to entice fresh investment of about Rs.35,000 crore to boost domestic production by 8 million tonnes.
• 12-20 % post-tax return will be given by the government on fresh capital infused by the manufacturers for establishing new plants as well as for expansion and refurbishment of the existing ones.
• To ensure this return, the government would cover the entire cost of natural gas, which is the main feedstock of urea, and accounts for 80 % of the cost.
• Urea sector is controlled by the government and it has fixed the maximum retail price (MRP) at Rs.5,360 a tonne.
• The difference between the MRP and the cost of production is given as subsidy to manufacturers.
• The government has set a floor and ceiling price of urea, based on the price of natural gas plus 12-20 per cent equity returns in order to determine the cost of production of new plants to be established after the policy comes into effect.
• India produces 22 million tonnes of urea, against the requirement of 32 million tonnes.

12th Five Year Plan

Anti Piracy Scheme

• A scheme by Information & Broadcasting Ministry for carrying out an anti-piracy initiative in the audio-visual sector. 
• Activities :
• Campaign on piracy through audio-visual, internet and print media 
• Dedicated web portal 
• Training programmes and workshops to sensitize police, judicial, administrative officials, multiplex and cinema hall owners about the Copyright Act 
• Conduct research on effects of piracy and develop public-private strategies to combat piracy 
• Production of a film/documentary 
• Efforts at inclusion of anti-piracy awareness material in the curriculum of the schools and colleges 
• Spreading awareness via road shows/street plays and programme in schools and colleges. 

IBIN – ‘India Backbone Implementation Network’

• Montek Singh Ahluwalia (The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission) recently launched the India Backbone Implementation Network (IBIN).
• Objective : To improve execution of policies, programs, and projects, which the 12th Five Year Plan has set as the vital requisite for speeding up more inclusive and quicker growth by removing choke points.
• A study of projects and schemes has brought out that the key reasons of chokepoints in execution are conflict amongst stakeholders and poor coordination between agencies.
• Modeled on the very successful Total Quality Movement (TQM) in Japan.
• IBIN will spread techniques and skills for collaboration, coordination, and improve planning via a network of agencies in India. The partners in IBIN already comprise institutions such as the Administrative Staff College of India, the Indian School of Business, SEWA, WISCOMP, UNDP, GIZ, the World Bank, FISME, etc.
• The IBIN network will form around nodes 
• The Planning Commission partnered with India@75 to launch IBIN and incubating it in India@75
• India@75 is a  3-Dimensional development idea  for India which was articulated by Prof C.K.Prahalad  and then accepted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on May 8, 2008.
• IDEA : economic strength,technological vitality,moral leadership by 75 years of independence i.e. YEAR 2022.

TechVIL

• TECHVIL, a technology village to improve the quality of life of people living below poverty line through science & technology interventions is being established under a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) initiative at Mandollagudem Gram Panchayat in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh.
• CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) is setting up TECHVIL at Mandollagudem in Choutuppal mandal.
• In each TECHVIL, a Grameen Vigyan Kutir (GVK) will be constructed to house need-based rural technologies for use by local villages to improve their livelihood.
• Under CSIR-800, technology focus areas are; (i) Affordable health and Nutrition; (ii) Potable Water and Sanitation; (iii) Affordable Housing; (iv) Sustainable Energy, (V) Value-added agriculture; (vi) Energy Efficiency; and (vii) Waste to Wealth.
•  CSIR has adopted six clusters for the purpose of enhancing technological base of MSME. They are (i) Mango Cluster, Krishnagiri; (ii) Brass Cluster, Moradabad; (iii) Bamboo Cluster, Agartala; (iv) Auto Cluster, Faridabad; (v) Ayurveda Cluster, Thrissur; and (vI) Life Sciences Cluster, Ahmedabad
• CSIR has been adopting villages to promote employment generation and income augmentation.

RGESS (Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme)

• Tax benefits for investing up to Rs 50,000 in the capital markets for first-time retail investors with an annual income of Rs 10 lakh. 
• The scheme initially announced in Budget 2012 had allowed tax benefits for investments in stocks. Later, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and MFs were included under its ambit. 
• Open to retail investors who have opened demat accounts but have not made any transactions in equity or derivatives till the notification of the scheme. 
• Open to retail investors who have opened demat accounts but have not made any transactions in equity or derivatives till the notification of the scheme. 
• All those opening fresh accounts would also be eligible to participate in RGESS. 
• Investments can be made in various installments during a year.
• Total lock-in period: 3 years,including an initial lock-in of one year in the stock/ETF/MF in which the money has been invested. 
• Stocks listed under BSE 100 or CNX 100 or those of PSUs which are Navratnas, Maharatnas and Miniratnas would be eligible. 
• Investment in follow-on offers of these companies would also be eligible for tax deduction. 

National Electronics Policy 2012

• The Union Cabinet approved the National Policy on Electronics 2012.
• The Policy envisages that a turnover of USD 400 billion will create an employment for two million people.

Objectives :

• Global product :To achieve Electronic System Design and Manufacturing(ESDM) system at global level to achieve a turnover of $400 billion by 2020 that will require investment of $100 billion and to provide employment to 28 million people.
• Raw Material : To raise domestic supply of raw material from existing level of 20-25% to 60% by 2020
• Export : To increase the export in ESDM sector from USD 5.5 billion to USD 80 billion by 2020. 
• Manpower : Special focus for augmenting postgraduate education and to produce about 2500 PhDs annually by 2020.
•  Standards :  mandating standards and certification for electronic products and services to strengthen quality assessment infrastructure nationwide.
• Security: To develop an appropriate cyber security ecosystem in ESDM.
•  Global Leader : To become a global leader in creating Intellectual Property (IP) in the ESDM sector by increasing fund flow for R&D
• Domestic Needs :  To use technology to develop electronic products catering to domestic needs, including rural needs and conditions.
• E-waste Management :  To use technology to develop electronic products catering to domestic needs, including rural needs and conditions

News for Sept 2012

• Aishwarya Bachchan : Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS.
• Persons in News: A.A.Manavalan : Saraswati Samman 
• India and Burundi ink major pacts : 
• Kabu –16 Hydro-electric project
• MOU for Rural development,health and medicine,education.
• Deepika Kumari won silver in recurve event at World Archery.
• Youth Unite for Voter Awareness” (YUVA) 
• to encourage increased participation of young women and men in the electoral process by EC of India
• India, Britain ink pact on urban regeneration & development
• Foreign Investment limit raised to 74% for Broadcasting Services.
• Broadcast content companies (news channel and FM) : have only 26%
• The Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was conferred with the US Congress highest Civilian Honor.
• Mariamma Koshy becomes President of Hockey India
• AGNI-IV was successfully test fired from the Wheeler’s Island in Odisha.
• ‘Track Child’: A web portal by Women and Child Development Ministry
• Union Government to launch “Saksham” to Educate Adolescent Boys :
• Young boys in the age group of :10-18 yr
• by giving lessons in gender sensitivity and instilling in them respect for women.
• India inks MoU with Egypt for their ongoing cooperation in the domain of election management and administration.
• Shonkaliya region of Ajmer to breed Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican (endangered)
• Virat Kohli: ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year
• · The ICC Cricketer of the year, ICC Test Cricketer of the Year and the People`s Choice Award:  Kumar Sangakkara
• · The ICC Twenty20 International Performance of the Year : Richard Levi (SA)
•   Jal Satyagraha was a unique demonstration in which 51 farmers from Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh stood in the neck dip water of Omkareshwar Dam on Narmada river for 17 days continuously demanding for their rehabilitation came to an end
• Cabinet allowed 51% FDI in multi-brand retail and also 49% FDI in the aviation domain.
• But the Govt left it to the state governments to allow establishment of multi-brand retail stores.
• India, Myanmar and Thailand decided to implement Trilateral Connectivity Project by 2016
• It is a trilateral highway construction project that aims to connect India, Myanmar and Thailand. 
• The idea was conceived at the trilateral ministerial meeting on transport linkages in Yangon in April 2002. The trilateral highway will connect Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar. 
• Andy Murray: First British man to win a Grand Slam title after 76 years defeated Novak Djokovic.(before this Fred Perry).
• Andy Murray is also the first British player, who bagged an Olympic Gold medal in 100 years.
• RuPay cards will be acceptable at all PoS by January, 2013: National Payment Corporation of India 
• RuPay card is a domestic debic card, launched by NPCI in April 2011. 
• The card provides a platform to carry out electronic transactions at PoS terminals.
• Serena Williams clinches Women's Singles US Open 2012
• Government chooses 3 institutes to assess the quantum of black money by Indians
• National Institute of Public Finance and Policy
• National Institute of Finance Management
• National Council for Applied Economic Research