PIB Analysis for UPSC CSE
- Draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020
- Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI),
- BHARAT AIRFIBER
- Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission
- Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN)
- Facts for Prelims
1 . Draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020
Context : In order to provide impetus to self-reliance in defence manufacturing, multiple announcements were made under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Package’. In implementing such framework and to position India amongst the leading countries of the world in defence and aerospace sectors, Ministry of Defence (MoD) has formulated a draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 (DPEPP 2020).
About DEPP 2020
The DPEPP 2020 is envisaged as overarching guiding document of MoD to provide a focused, structured and significant thrust to defence production capabilities of the country for self-reliance and exports.
The policy has laid out following goals and objectives:
- To achieve a turnover of Rs 1,75,000 Crores (US$ 25Bn) including export of Rs 35,000 Crore (US$ 5 Billion) in Aerospace and Defence goods and services by 2025.
- To develop a dynamic, robust and competitive Defence industry, including Aerospace and Naval Shipbuilding industry to cater to the needs of Armed forces with quality products.
- To reduce dependence on imports and take forward “Make in India” initiatives through domestic design and development.
- To promote export of defence products and become part of the global defence value chains.
- To create an environment that encourages R&D, rewards innovation, creates Indian IP ownership and promotes a robust and self-reliant defence industry.
The Policy brings out multiple strategies under the following focus areas:
- Procurement Reforms
- Indigenization & Support to MSMEs/Startups
- Optimize Resource Allocation
- Investment Promotion, FDI & Ease of Doing Business
- Innovation and R&D
- DPSUs and OFB
- Quality Assurance & Testing Infrastructure
- Export Promotion
2 . Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI)
About PLI Scheme
- Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI)for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing was notified on 1st April, 2020.
- PLI Scheme extends an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales (over base year) of goods under target segments that are manufactured in India to eligible companies, for a period of five years subsequent to the base year (FY2019-20).
Benefits
- Over the next 5 years, the Scheme is expected to lead to total production of about INR 11,50,000 crore (INR 11.5 lakh crore). Out of the total production, companies under Mobile Phone (Invoice Value INR 15,000 and above) segment have proposed a production of over INR 9,00,000 crore, The companies under Mobile Phone (Domestic Companies) segment have proposed a production of about INR 2,00,000 crore and those under Specified Electronic Components segment have proposed a production of over INR 45,000 crore.
- The scheme is expected to promote exports significantly. Out of the total production of INR 11,50,000 crore in the next 5 years, more than 60% will be contributed by exports of the order of INR 7,00,000 crore.
- The scheme will bring additional investment in electronics manufacturing to the tune of INR 11,000 crore.
- The scheme will generate approximately 3 lakh direct employment opportunities in next 5 years along with creation of additional indirect employment of nearly 3 times the direct employment. Domestic Value Addition is expected to grow from the current 15-20% to 35-40% in case of Mobile Phones and 45-50% for electronic components.
- With the demand for electronics in India expected to grow manifold by 2025, Hon’ble Minister expressed confidence that PLI scheme and other initiatives to promote electronics manufacturing will help in making India a competitive destination for electronics manufacturing and give boost to AtmaNirbhar Bharat. Creation of domestic champion companies in electronics manufacturing under the Scheme will give fillip to vocal for local while aiming for global scale.
3 . BHARAT AIRFIBER
Context : Shri. Sanjay Dhotre, Union Minister of State for HRD, Electronics, Communication, and IT, Govt Of India, inaugurated “Bharat Air Fibre Services” at Akola in Maharashtra.
About Bharat Airfiber Services
- The Bharat Air Fibre services are introduced by BSNL as part of digital India initiates by the Government of India and it aims of providing Wireless Connectivity in the range of 20 KMs from the BSNL Locations and thus customers at remote places also will be benefitted as BSNL comes with cheapest services with support of Telecom Infrastructure Partners (TIPs).
Benefits
- These Bharat Air Fibre services opens new way of fastest Wireless internet connectivity as well Voice services in reasonable cost. BSNL provides Bharat Air Fibre connectivity upto 100 Mbps speed.
- BSNL is offering attractive Broadband plans in Wireline & Wireless segments and during lockdown BSNL has come up as most reliable brand for Internet connectivity there by successfully implementing the Work From Home started by Government as well as many private firms.
4 . Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission
Context : Union Minister for MSME, Shri Nitin Gadkari has approved a unique employment generation program proposed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to make India Aatmanirbhar in Agarbatti production.
About the Mission
- The program named as “Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission” aims at creating employment for unemployed and migrant workers in different parts of the country while increasing domestic Agarbatti production substantially.
- The pilot project will be launched soon and on full-fledged implementation of the project, thousands of jobs will be created in the Agarbatti industry.
- The scheme designed by KVIC on PPP mode is unique in the sense that in a very less investment, it will create sustainable employment and help private Agarbatti manufacturers to scale up Agarbatti production without any capital investment by them
- Under the scheme, KVIC will provide Automatic Agarbatti making machines and powder mixing machines to the artisans through the successful private Agarbatti manufacturers who will sign the agreement as business partners. KVIC has decided to procure only locally made machines by Indian manufacturers which also aims at encouraging local production.
- KVIC will provide 25% subsidy on the cost of the machines and will recover the remaining 75% of the cost from the artisans in easy installments every month. The business partner will provide the raw material to the artisans for making Agarbatti and will pay them wages on job work basis. Cost of artisans’ training will be shared between KVIC and the private business partner wherein KVIC will bear 75% of the cost while 25% will be paid by the business partner.
- As per the scheme, the wages to the artisans will be provided by the business partners on weekly basis directly in their accounts through DBT only. Supply of raw material to the artisans, logistics, quality control and marketing of the final product will be the sole responsibility of the business partner. After recovery of the 75% cost, the ownership of the machines will automatically be transferred to the artisans.
Importance
- The scheme has been designed in wake of the two major decisions – import restriction on Raw Agarbatti and increase in import duty on Bamboo sticks – taken by the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Finance respectively on the initiative of Shri Gadkari.
- The program aims at handholding artisans and supporting the local Agarbatti industry. The current consumption of Agarbatti in the country is approximately 1490 MT per day; however, India’s per day production of Agarbatti is just 760 MT. There is a huge gap between the demand and the supply and hence, immense scope for job creation.
5 . Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN)
About EVIN
- The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) is an innovative technological solution aimed at strengthening immunization supply chain systems across the country.
- This is being implemented under National Health Mission (NHM) by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- eVIN aims to provide real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in the country.
- This robust system has been used with the requisite customization during the COVID pandemic for ensuring continuation of the essential immunization services and protecting our children and pregnant mothers against vaccine preventable diseases.
- eVIN combines state-of-the-art technology, a strong IT infrastructure and trained human resource to enable real time monitoring of stock and storage temperature of the vaccines kept in multiple locations across the country.
Benefits
- The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network has helped create a big data architecture that generates actionable analytics encouraging data-driven decision-making and consumption based planning that helps in maintaining optimum stocks of vaccines leading to cost savings.
- Vaccine availability at all times has increased to 99% in most health centers. An activity rate of more than 99% reflects high adoption of the technology across all health centers where eVIN is currently operational.
- While instances of stock-outs have reduced by 80%, the time taken to replenish stocks has also decreased by more than half, on an average. This has ensured that every child who reaches the immunization session site is immunized, and not turned back due to unavailability of vaccines.
- To support the Government of India’s efforts to combat COVID-19, eVIN India is helping the State/UT governments monitor the supply chain of COVID response material.
- This strong platform has the potential to be leveraged for any new vaccine including COVID-19 vaccine, as and when available.
6 . Facts for Prelims
Khadi’s Gift Box of Silk Mask
- Union Minister for MSME, Shri Nitin Gadkari yesterday launched the Gift Box, developed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The gift box consists of four handcrafted silk masks in different colors and prints. The masks are packed in a beautifully crafted handmade paper box in black color with golden embossed printing.
- The gift boxes will have one printed Silk Mask and three other masks in solid attractive colors. These triple-layered silk masks are skin-friendly, washable, reusable and bio-degradable. The Silk Masks have three pleats and come with adjustable ear loops and attractive beads. It has two inner layers of 100% Khadi cotton fabric and one top layer of Silk fabric.
Catract
- Cataract is a major form of blindness that occurs when the structure of crystallin proteins that make up the lens in our eyes deteriorates, causing damaged or disorganised proteins to aggregate and form a milky blue or brown layer, which ultimately affects lens transparency.
- Thus, prevention of the formation of these aggregates as well as their destruction in the early stage of disease progression is a major treatment strategy for cataracts, and materials that can carry out this task could make cataract prevention affordable and accessible.