PIB Analysis for UPSC CSE
Topics Covered
- Portal Santusht
- Technical Textiles
- National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA)
- Live attenuated Classical Swine Fever (CSF) cell culture vaccine
- SAMPRITI-IX
- Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI)
- Find the Incredible You Campaign
- SFURTI
- Facts for Prelims
1 . Portal Santusht
About Portal Santusht
- Santusht – Implementation Monitoring Cell (IMC) has been constituted in the Office of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment in January 2020.
- The objective of ‘Santusht’ is to promote transparency, accountability, effective delivery of public services and implementation of policies, schemes of Ministry of Labour and Employment at grassroot level through constant monitoring.
- For public grievances, Centralized Public Grievance Redresal and Monitoring System (CPGRAM) portal is already functional. Besides, written grievances as received from stakeholders are also disposed by the Ministry. Further, online portal under ‘Santusht’ for public grievances has not been started so far.
2 . Technical Textiles
Context : A National Technical Textiles Mission Proposed in Union Budget
About Technical Textiles
- Technical textiles are material and products manufactured primarily for their technical properties and functional requirements rather than for aesthetic characteristics.
- The scope of use of technical textiles encompasses a wide range of applications such as agro-textiles, medical textiles, geo-textiles, protection-textiles, industrial-textiles, sports-textiles and many other usages.
- Use of technical textiles have benefits of increased productivity in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture fields, better protection of military, para-military, police and security forces, stronger and sturdier transportation infrastructure for highways, railways, ports and airports and in improving hygiene and healthcare of general public.
- In India, technical textiles hold immense growth opportunities both for the industry as well as across various applications.
3 . National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA)
Context : The government in its budget 2020 has announced a National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA) with a total budget outlay of Rs 8000 Crore for a period of five years to be implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST).
About Quantum Technologies
- Quantum Technology is based on the principles of quantum theory, which explains the nature of energy and matter on the atomic and subatomic level. It concerns the control and manipulation of quantum systems, with the goal of achieving information processing beyond the limits of the classical world.
- Quantum principles will be used for engineering solutions to extremely complex problems in computing, communications, sensing, chemistry, cryptography, imaging and mechanics. Quantum field has not yet matured for commercialization, due to the extreme scientific challenges involved.
- Quantum computers store and process information using quantum two level systems (quantum bits or qubits) which unlike classical bits, can be prepared in superposition states.
- This key ability makes quantum computers extremely powerful compared to conventional computers when solving certain kinds of problems like finding prime factors of large numbers and searching large databases.
- The prime factorization quantum algorithm has important implications for security as it can be used to break RSA encryption, a popular method for secure communication. Indian physicists and engineers are preparing for a deep dive into the quantum world that holds the secrets for developing exciting technologies for computing, communication, cryptography and many more.
Importance of Quantum Technology Mission
- Quantum technology is opening up new frontiers in computing, communications, cyber security with wide-spread applications. It is expected that lots of commercial applications would emerge from theoretical constructs which are developing in this area.
- Budget proposed to provide an outlay of ` 8000 crore over a period five years for the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications
- Quantum technologies are rapidly developing globally with a huge disruptive potential. The next generation transformative technologies that will receive a push under this mission include quantum computers and computing, quantum communication, quantum key distribution, encryption, crypt analysis, quantum devices, quantum sensing, quantum materials, quantum clock and so on. The areas of focus for the Mission will be in fundamental science, translation, technology development, human and infrastructural resource generation, innovation and start-ups to address issues concerning national priorities.
- Their applications which will receive boost include those in aero-space engineering, numerical weather prediction, simulations, securing the communications & financial transactions, cyber security, advanced manufacturing, health, agriculture, education and other important sectors with focus on creation of high skilled jobs, human resources development, start-ups & entrepreneurship leading to technology lead economic growth.
- The Mission will be able address the ever increasing technological requirements of the society, and take into account the international technology trends and road maps of leading countries for development of next generation technologies.
- Implementation of the mission would help develop and bring quantum computers, secured communications through fibre and free space, quantum encryption and crypt-analysis and associated technologies within reach in the country and help address India specific national and regional issues.
- The mission will help prepare next generation skilled manpower, boost translational research and also encourage entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem development. By promoting advanced research in quantum science and technology, technology development and higher education in science, technology and engineering disciplines India can be brought at par with other advanced countries and can derive several direct and indirect benefits.
4 . Live attenuated Classical Swine Fever (CSF) cell culture vaccine
Context : IVRI releases Live attenuated Classical Swine Fever (CSF) cell culture vaccine (Indigenous strain)
About Classical Swine Fever
- CSF is one of the most important diseases of pigs causing high mortality with annual loss of approx. Rs.4.299 billion.
- A lapinized CSF vaccine (Weybridge strain, UK) is being used in India since 1964 for controlling the disease. The vaccine is produced by sacrificing large numbers of rabbits for each batch.
About the New Vaccine
- In order to do away sacrificing of rabbits and increase the productivity, IVRI had earlier developed a cell culture CSF vaccine by adapting the lapinized vaccine virus in cell culture. The technology has been transferred to M/s Indian Immunologicals, Hyderabad and Government of Punjab during 2016 and 2018, respectively.
- Since the cell culture vaccine is from a foreign strain (Weybridge Strain, UK), IVRI has further developed a new CSF Cell Culture Vaccine by attenuating an indigenous virulent CSF virus in cell culture. The vaccine virus has very high titre and lakhs of doses can be produced very easily in cell culture and country’s requirement can be easily fulfilled using this new vaccine.
- The new vaccine is ready for release and commercial production will be completed in less than a year. The vaccine would be the best choice for use in the CSF Control Programme (CSF-CP) already launched by DAHD (CSF-CP).
- New vaccine will be part of the Government’s One Health Initiative and result in huge savings as it will nip the spread of the virus at animal stage so that it does not pass on to the human population.
5 . SAMPRITI-IX
About Sampriti – IX
- SAMPRITI series of bilateral exercise is one of the major bilateral defence cooperation initiatives between India and Bangladesh Army.
- The Ninth edition of Indo-Bangladesh Joint Military Exercise “SAMPRITI-IX” commenced at Umroi, Meghalaya on 03 Feb 2020.
- The main focus of this edition of the fourteen days joint exercise is on Counter Terrorism Operations in mountainous and jungle terrain.
- To achieve interoperability in joint operations, a Command Post Exercise (CPX) and a Field Training Exercise (FTX) will be conducted simultaneously. A delegation comprising of 31 officers and 138 other ranks of Bangladesh Army and a Company Group of Indian Army will participate in the joint military exercise.
6 . Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI)
About SATHI Programme
- To address the need for building shared, professionally managed and strong Science and Technology infrastructure in the country which is readily accessible to academia, start-ups, manufacturing, industry and R&D labs, the Department of Science & Technology has launched a unique scheme called “Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI)”.
- These Centres are expected to house major analytical instruments to provide common services of high-end analytical testing, thus avoiding duplication and reduced dependency on foreign sources. These would be operated with a transparent, open access policy.
- DST has already set up three such centres in the country, one each at IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU at a total cost of Rs 375 Cores. It is planned to set up five SATHI Centres every year for the next four years.
- SATHI will address the problems of accessibility, maintenance, redundancy and duplication of expensive equipment in our Institutions, while reaching out to the less endowed organizations in need, e.g., industry, MSMEs, startups and State Universities. This will also foster a strong culture of collaboration between institutions and across disciplines to take advantage of developments, innovations and expertise in diverse areas.
7 . Find the Incredible You Campaign
About Find the Incredible You Campaign
- Find the Incredible You Campaign focuses on the promotion of niche tourism products of the Country on digital and social media. It focuses on transformative experiences brought alive through unique storytelling in the format of autobiographies of travellers, with the tagline ‘Find the Incredible you’. The Campaign was the winner of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award 2019.
- PATA awards this year attracted 197 entries from 78 Organizations and individuals worldwide. The winners were selected by an independent judging Committee. The PATA grand awards are presented to outstanding entries in four principal categories: Marketing; Education and Training; Environment and Heritage and Culture. India won the award in ‘Marketing – Primary Government Destination’ category.
- The Ministry has launched the ‘Incredible India 2.0’ campaign in the Country in September 2017, which marks a shift from generic promotions undertaken across the world to market specific promotional plans and content creation. The campaign focuses on digital and social media and the promotion of Niche tourism products, including yoga, wellness, luxury, cuisine, wildlife etc.
8 . SFURTI
Context : Ministry of MSME is implementing a ‘Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries’ (SFURTI) Scheme under which financial support is being provided for setting up of traditional industries clusters viz. Khadi, Coir & Village industries clusters.
The objectives of the SFURTI Scheme are:
- To develop clusters of traditional industries in the country over a period of five years.
- To make traditional industries more competitive, market-driven, productive and profitable.
- To strengthen the local governance system of industry clusters, with active participation of the local stakeholders, so that they are enabled to development initiatives.
- To build up innovated and traditional skills, improved technologies, advanced processes, market intelligence and new models of public-private partnerships, so as to gradually replicate similar models of cluster-based regenerated traditional industries.
9 . Facts for Prelims
Ujh Multipurpose (National) Project
- Ujh Multipurpose (National) Project is in Jammu & Kashmir
- Project after completion will enhance utilization of waters of Eastern Rivers allotted to India as per the Indus Water Treaty