PIB Analysis : 11th and 12th August 2022

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PIB Analysis for UPSC CSE

  1. National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission
  2. Rice Fortification
  3. Contribution of Aurobindo
  4. Ayush Grid
  5. Facts for Prelims

1 . National Intellectual Property awareness mission

PIB Release : https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1850898 

Context: National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) has achieved target of imparting Intellectual Property (IP) awareness and basic training to 1 million students on 31st July 2022, ahead of the deadline which was 15 August 2022.   

About National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) 

  • NIPAM, a flagship program to impart IP awareness and basic training, was launched on 8 Dec 2021 as a part of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations.  
  • The program is being implemented by Intellectual Property Office, the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.  

2 . Rice Fortification

PIB Release – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1850981 

Context: Announcement of the supply of Fortified Rice in every scheme of Government of India throughout the country by 2024 in a phased manner, has completed one year. 

Rice Fortification

  • Fortification is the process of adding Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), containing FSSAI prescribed micronutrients (Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12) to normal Rice (Custom Milled Rice) in the ratio of 1:100 (Mixing 1 Kg of FRK with 100 Kg custom milled rice). 
  • Fortified rice is nearly identical to traditional rice in aroma, taste, and texture. This process is done in the rice mills at the time of milling of rice. 

Benefits

  • Fortification of rice is found to be a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets with low turnaround time (TAT) and a step towards nutritional security and helps in fighting anaemia and malnutrition in the country.

Fortification Standards

  • FSSAI the regulatory/licensing authority for food fortification, has drafted Standards for FRK, Pre-mix and provided the direction to all the stakeholders for operationalization of draft standards with immediate effect.   
  • Bureau of Indian Standards has also notified the standards for FRK, Pre-Mix (vitamins and minerals), Machineries (Blenders, Extruders and other allied machineries etc.)  
  • Efforts are being made to educate the public about the nutritional benefits of fortified rice through IEC campaigns, involving FSSAI, experts and Development Partners. 

3 . Contribution of Aurbindo

PIB Release – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1850967

Context: On the occasions of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Maharshi Aurobindo and the 75th Year of  Independence, the Ministry of Culture is commemorating the life and philosophy of Shri Aurobindo by undertaking Spiritual Programmes in 75 prisons across the nation between 12th August and 15th August, 2022. 

About Maharshi Aurobindo

  • In 1871 Sri Aurobindo was born of at Calcutta, in Bengal, in a reputed Ghosh family of Konnagar.
  • From school Aurobindo went to King’s College, Cambridge, where he distinguished himself as a student of European classics.
  • He passed the Indian Civil Service Examination with great credit in 1890. Failing, however, to stand the required test in horsemanship, he was not allowed to enter the Covenantal Service of the Indian Government. But, returning to India, he became the Vice-principal of the State college in Baroda.
  • Aurobindo was an accomplished scholar in Greek. He got high distinction in Latin. He learnt French very well and picked up a little of German and Italian to study Goethe and Dante in the original. He was steeped in the lore of our ancient Vedic scriptures.

Contributions

  • Aurobindo edited the English daily Bande Mataram and wrote fearless and pointed editorials. He started the English weekly Dharma. He spread his message: “Our ideal of Swaraj is absolute autonomy, absolute self-rule, free from foreign control”.
  • Aurobindo openly advocated the boycott of British goods, British courts and everything British. He always asked the people to prepare themselves for passive resistance.
  • He was in the forefront of the national struggle during the days of the partition of Bengal.
  • The famous Alipore Bomb Case was the turning point in Sri Aurobindo’s life. For a year Aurobindo was an undertrial prisoner in solitary confinement in the Alipore Central Jail.
  • He utilized this period of incarceration for an intense study and practice of the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Chittaranjan Das defended Sri Aurobindo, who was acquitted after a memorable trial.

Life Post 1904

  • Aurobindo began his Yoga in 1904. He had no helper or Guru in Yoga till he met Lele, a Maharashtrian Yogi in Baroda; and that was only for a short time. 
  • Sri Aurobindo migrated from Calcutta to Chandranagar and later reached Pondicherry on April 4, 1910. At first, he lived there with four or five companions. Gradually the number of members increased. An Ashram grew up around him.
  • Now there are hundreds of inmates in the Ashram accommodated in more than a hundred houses. The Ashramites are engaged in various activities connected with the Ashram—some in the dairy, some in the vegetable garden, yet, others in the laundry and the small bakery.
  • To the Ashram inmates, all activities form a part of their Sadhana. Here life is an undivided whole, not consisting of water-tight compartments.
  • The Ashram has a school of its own. Here stress is laid on physical culture. Vocational education is imparted to pupils between the ages of 14 to 18.
  • In 1920, Mira, a French lady who was imbued with the same ideal, joined the Sri Aurobindo circle. She, became the Mother and presided over the Ashram.

4 . Ayush Grid project

PIB Release – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1851293 

Context: An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for providing technical support to Ministry of Ayush for digitalisation of Ayush Sector under the Ayush Grid project for a period of 3 years. 

Ayush Grid project

  • The Ayush Grid platform is envisaged to be the IT backbone; allowing integration of all stakeholders and functions/ services related to Ayush systems of health care.  
  • Ministry of Ayush has conceptualized ‘Ayush Grid’ Project, as part of the Digital India Program, which leverages ‘Information and Technology’ to transform operational efficiency, improve service delivery and enhance quality of services. 
  • From a user’s perspective, Ayush Grid is the proposed central IT platform offering multiple IT services for all systems of medicines under Ayush viz. Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homeopathy across functional areas, namely, healthcare delivery, education, research, capacity building, drug licensing and standardization along with media outreach. 

Earlier initiatives of MeitY for providing technical support to Ministry of Ayush for digitalisation: 

  • NeGD supported for development of AyushSanjivani mobile application, Monitoring dashboard, 
  •  BISAG-N for development of Ayush GIS, Ayush education related modules, 
  •  DIC for development of Ayush Information Hub, website of the Ministry, Ayusoft,   
  • C-DAC for imparting training to Ayush doctors.  
  • NeGD and BISAG-N provided valuable inputs in finalization of various technical documents like technical solution design & DPR of the Project. 

5 . Facts for Prelims 

“Badhe Chalo – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1851061 

  • Badhe chalo is a movement to involve the youth of the country encouraging them to come forward and imbibe the true spirit of our democracy and celebrate 75 years of India’s independence with youthful fervour. 
  • To connect and to bring the youth and people together from across the country on one platform, Badhe Chalo will feature Flash Dances, where dancers will perform on a specially created ‘Youth Anthem’. Through these Flash Dances the Ministry aims to spread the message and spirit of the Amrit Mahotsav in an entertaining and enthusiastic manner. 
  • Through this mass movement or ‘Jan Bhagidari’ initiative, the Ministry of Culture also intends to amplify and support the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ movement.  This movement has been initiated by the Honourable Prime Minister and Home Minister and it calls upon every Indian to hoist a Tiranga in their homes between August 13th– 15th, 2022. 
  • Badhe Chalo is being held across 10 cities every day from 5th August to 11th August, 2022. These events will culminate with a Grand Finale on 12th August, 2022 at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi. 

Mount Trishul 

  • Trisul is a group of three Himalayan Mountain peaks of western Kumaun, named Trisul I, Trisul II, and Trisul III, with the highest (Trisul I) reaching 7120m. 
  • The three peaks resemble a trident – in Hindi/Sanskrit, Trishula, trident, is the weapon of Shiva. 
  • The Trishul group forms the southwest corner of the ring of peaks enclosing the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. 

World elephant day – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1851260 

  • World Elephant Day is an international annual event on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world’s elephants. 
  • The Union Ministery of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MEF&CC) released “Elephant Reserves of India: An Atlas”, “Elephant Reserves of India: Land Use Land Cover Classification”, “Caring for elephants: Managing health and welfare in captivity” and the Special edition of “Trumpet” on the occasion. 
  • More than 60% of wild Asian elephants are in India. According to the last count in 2017, there were 29,964 elephants in India. Which is a slight increase from 2012’s mean of 29,576 elephants.. 
  • India has 31 Elephant Reserves. In the last 3 years, Dandeli Elephant Reserve has been notified by the state of Karnataka, Singphan Elephant Reserve by Nagaland and Lemru Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh.  
  • This has brought the total area under Elephant Reserves in India to about 76,508 sqkm across 14 states of the country. 

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1851346 

  • The I4C was set up under the Cyber and Information Security (CIS) division of the MHA in 2018, as an Agency for coordinating at the Central level and to support States/UTs by providing a common framework in their fight against cybercrimes. 
  • The I4C will assist in centralising cyber security investigations, prioritise the development of response tools and bring together private companies to contain the menace. 
  • I4C is also spreading mass awareness through various social media handles in the name of ‘CyberDost’ by providing cyber safety tips at frequent intervals for the public. 

Nano urea – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1851374 

  • Nano Urea is an innovative nano fertilizer developed indigenously. It is a perfect example of initiatives undertaken under the AATMANIRBHAR KRISHI & AATMANIRBHAR BHARAT for ensuring food and nutritional security of the nation. 
  • Nano Urea is produced by an energy efficient environment friendly production process with less carbon footprints.  
  • Its application to crops as foliar fertilization enhances crop productivity to the tune of 8% with commensurate benefits in terms of better soil, air and water, and farmers profitability.  
  • Scaling up of production and sales as well as application of Nano Urea will also lead to reduction in green House Gas (GHGs) emissions over a period of time. 

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