Daily PIB Analysis for UPSC CSE
Topics Covered
- AFINDEX – 19
- Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX)
- United Nations office for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) Scheme
1 . AFINDEX- 19
Context : The inaugural Africa-India Field Training Exercise-2019 for India and African nations called AFINDEX-19 scheduled from 18 March to 27 March 2019 started with a grand opening ceremony on 18 March 2019 at Aundh Military Station, Pune
About AFINDEX-19
- The aim of the exercise is to practice the participating nations in planning and conduct of Humanitarian Mine Assistance and Peace Keeping Operations under Chapter VII of United Nations Peace Keeping Operations.
- The exercise will focus on exchange of best practices between the participating nations, team building and tactical level operations in conduct of United Nations mandated tasks to include establishment of a new mission, siting of a United Nations Headquarters for Peace Keeping operations, siting of Military Observer sites during the peace keeping missions, protection of civilians, nuances of standing combat deployment, convoy protection, patrolling aspects and aspects related to Humanitarian Mine Assistance.
- Contingents of the 17 African Nations i.e. Benin, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe came together for the opening ceremony alongwith a contingent of Maratha Light Infantry representing India.
2 . Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX)
Context : Annual Theatre Level Readiness and Operational Exercise (TROPEX) recently concluded
About TROPEX
- TROPEX 2019 is the largest maritime exercise of the Indian Navy was conducted in the month of February in the Arabian Sea and North Indian Ocean.
- It was the largest in terms of geographical extent covering the IOR, and also with regard to number of units participating.
- About 60 ships of Indian Navy, 12 ships of Indian Coast Guard and 60 aircraft participated in TROPEX 19.
- The exercise also included a Tri-services Amphibious Exercise that saw the participation of Army and Air Force personnel and assets.
- As a prelude to TROPEX, the largest coastal defence exercise over codenamed ‘Sea Vigil’, was conducted on 22 and 23 Jan 19 with participation of all coastal states and union territories along with all maritime stake holders.
- Overall, the exercise validated the Navy’s readiness and capability to meet various mandated roles, in support of national objectives
3 . United Nations office for Disaster Risk Reduction
Context : The 3rd Indo-Japan Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction was held. The workshop was attended by about 140 delegates from Japan and India including experts from both the governments, top premium research institutes, city administrators, specialized Disaster Management agencies and private sector.
About United Nations office for Disaster Risk Reduction
- UNISDR was established in 1999 as a dedicated secretariat to facilitate the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR).
- It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution (56/195), to serve as the focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations system and regional organizations and activities in socio‐economic and humanitarian fields.
- It is an organisational unit of the UN Secretariat and is led by the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG).
Mandate
- UNISDR’s mandate is to serve as the focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among disaster reduction activities.
Sendai Framework
- The Sendai Framework is a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement which recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders. It aims for the following outcome:
- The substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.
- The Sendai Framework is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. It is the outcome of stakeholder consultations initiated in March 2012 and inter-governmental negotiations held from July 2014 to March 2015, which were supported by the UNISDR upon the request of the UN General Assembly.
- UNISDR has been tasked to support the implementation, follow-up and review of the Sendai Framework.
4 . Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) Scheme
Context : The Government of India has recently approved scheme for farmers for installation of solar pumps and grid connected solar power plants. Administrative Approval for the scheme has been issued by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) on 08.03.2019. DISCOMs and State Nodal agencies shall be implementing this scheme for which the detailed guidelines will be issued shortly.
About KUSUM Scheme
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has formulated a Scheme ‘Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM)’. The Scheme is currently under the process of seeking approval.
The proposal on KUSUM Scheme provides for :-
- Installation of grid-connected solar power plants each of Capacity up to 2 MW in the rural areas;
- Installation of standalone off-grid solar water pumps to fulfil irrigation needs of farmers not connected to grid; and
- Solarisation of existing grid-connected agriculture pumps to make farmers independent of grid supply and also enable them to sell surplus solar power generated to DISCOM and get extra income.