PIB Analysis : 2/1/2019

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PIB ANALYSIS FOR UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAM

TOPICS COVERED

  1. First-ever three way merger in Indian Banking
  2. Amendment to the Trade Unions Act, 1926
  3. Rastriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme
  4. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2018
  5. Umbrella scheme for Family Welfare and Other Health Interventions
  6. Interest Equalisation Scheme (1ES)
  7. Initiative have been taken to make agriculture more adaptive and resilient to climate variability
  8. Green – Ag: Transforming Indian Agriculture for global environment benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes
  9. National bamboo mission
  10. Yarn bank scheme
  11. National Health Authority
  12. Clause 6 of Assam Accord

1 . First-ever three way merger in Indian Banking

Cabinet approves first-ever three way merger in Indian Banking with amalgamation of Vijaya, Dena and Bank of Baroda

About the Release

  • The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the scheme of amalgamation for amalgamating Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank, with Bank of Baroda as the transferee bank and Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank as transferor banks.
  • The amalgamation will be the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with the amalgamated bank being India’s second largest Public Sector Bank.
  • The amalgamation will help create a strong globally competitive bank with economies of scale and enable realisation of wide-ranging synergies. Leveraging of networks, low-cost deposits and subsidiaries of the three banks has the potential of yielding significant synergies for positioning the consolidated entity for substantial rise in customer base, market reach, operational efficiency, wider bouquet of products and services, and improved access for customers.
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2 . Amendment to the Trade Unions Act, 1926

  • The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved Amendment to the Trade Unions Act, 1926 to make provisions regarding Recognition of Trade Unions.

Benefits

  • Recognition of Trade Unions at Central and State level;
  • Ensure true representation of workers in the tripartite bodies;
  • Check on the arbitrary nomination of workers’ representatives by the Government; and
  • Reduce litigations and industrial unrest.
  • The proposed Bill will ensure that the nomination of workers’ representatives in tripartite bodies by the government will become more transparent. Trade Unions so recognized would be accountable in maintaining industrial harmony.  Recognition of Trade Unions at Central/State level would reduce duplicacy of such exercise by different departments. Recognized Trade Unions may be assigned specific roles at Central or State level.

3 . Rastriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme

Background

  • The Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and has been continuing since 12th Five Year Plan.
  • The Scheme aims to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation building activities.
  • The Scheme beneficiaries are the youth in the age-group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of ‘youth’ in the National Youth Policy, 2014.
  • In case of programme components specifically meant for the adolescents, the age-group is 10-19 years.

Following are eight sub-schemes under Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram:

  1. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan(NYKS);
  2. National Youth Corps (NYC);
  3. National Programme for Youth & Adolescent Development (NPYAD);
  4. International Cooperation;
  5. Youth Hostels (YH);
  6. Assistance to Scouting & Guiding Organizations;
  7. National Discipline Scheme (NDS); and
  8. National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)

5 . The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2018

About the Amendment

  1. Deletion of Abor – Removal of duplication
  2. Replace Khampti – There is no tribe called ‘Khampti’
  3. Inclusion of Mishmi-Kaman, Idu and Taraon – Existing entry is only of ‘Mishmi’.  There is reportedly no such community.
  4. Inclusion of Monpa, Memba, Sartang, Wancho – Existing entry is of ‘Any Naga Tribes’.  These are reportedly the only Naga tribes in the State.
  5. Inclusion of Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa, Wancho – Existing entry is of ‘Any Naga Tribes’.  These are reportedly the only Naga tribes in the State.

6 . Interest Equalisation Scheme (1ES

Cabinet allows inclusion of merchant exporters under Interest Equalisation Scheme (1ES) for Pre and Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit

What is Interest Equalisation Scheme

Background

  • In 2015 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for Interest Equalisation Scheme (earlier called Interest Subvention Scheme) on Pre & Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit with effect from 1st April, 2015 for five years. The scheme will be evaluated after three years.  Currently exporters get loans at 10-11 per cent. Now it will be 3 per cent lower than this rate.

Features of the Interest Equalisation Scheme:

  • The rate of interest equalisation would be 3 percent. The scheme would be available to all exports of MSME and 416 tariff lines. Scheme would not be available to merchant exporters.
  • The duration of the scheme would be five years with effect from 1.4.2015.
  • The scheme would be funded from the funds available with Department of Commerce under non-plan during 2015-16 and the restructured scheme would be funded from plan side from 2016-17 onwards,
  • Ministry of Commerce & Industry may place funds in advance with RBI for requirement of one month and reimbursement can be made on a monthly basis through a revolving fund system,
  • On  completion  of three years of operation  of the  scheme,   Department of Commerce may initiate a study on impact of the scheme on export promotion and its further continuation. The study may be done through one of the IIMs.
  • The operational instructions of the scheme would be issued by RBI.
  • The scheme covers mostly labour intensive and employment generating

WTO and Interest Equalisation schemes

  • The interest subvention scheme is also well within the WTO norms, according to market players.
  • Usually interest subvention given to exporters to compete globally is not a subsidy under the WTO regime. Also, it is not a matter of concern as long as the interest rates are in tune with the global rates
  • Even after the subvention, the interest rates charged to Indian exporters will be higher than the rates that prevail in other countries. “Interest in China is 6.25 per cent and in Bangladesh it is 6.75 per cent. These rates are still lower than that offered to exporters, even after the 3 per cent subvention

About the release

  • The present scheme, which is in-force from 1.4.2015 for five years, provides interest equalization rate of 3% on Pre and Post Shipment Rupee Credit tor all manufacturing exporters exporting identified 416 four digit tariff lines and 5% on all merchandise products manufactured and exported by MSMEs.
  • Now merchant exporters are also covered under the scheme.

7 . Initiative have been taken to make agriculture more adaptive and resilient to climate variability

  • Increasing the area under System of Rice Intensification (SRI) as an alternative to transplanted paddy.
  • Deployment of zero tillage drill machines and other residue management equipment which enable planting of rabi crop in the standing residue of rice crop to avoid its burning.
  • Alternate wetting and drying, direct seeded rice system of rice cultivation, use of slow release nitrogen fertilizers, integrated nutrient management practices, leaf colour chart-based nitrogen application, use of urea super granules etc.
  • Mandatory Neem coating of urea.
  • Promotion of micro irrigation under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)-Per Drop More Crop.
  • Planting of trees under National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), Sub-Mission on Agro Forestry (SMAF) and National Bamboo Mission (NBM).
  • 45 models of Integrated Farming System (IFS) have been developed for replication in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and in the States for enabling climate resilient agriculture.
  • Climate resilient villages have been developed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), one in each of 151 districts. Climate Vulnerability Atlas has been prepared under National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).  District Agriculture Contingency Plans have been developed for 633 districts in order to give real time agro advisories for overcoming climate risks

8 . Green – Ag: Transforming Indian Agriculture for global environment benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes

  • The government has launched a Global Environment Facility (GEF) assisted project namely, “Green – Ag: Transforming Indian Agriculture for global environment benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes” in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) during September, 2018 in high-conservation-value landscapes of five States namely (i) Madhya Pradesh : Chambal Landscape, (ii) Mizoram: Dampa Landscape, (iii) Odisha: Similipal Landscape, (iv) Rajasthan: Desert National Park Landscape and v) Uttarakhand: Corbett-Rajaji Landscape.
  • The project seeks to mainstream biodiversity, climate change and sustainable land management objectives and practices into Indian agriculture.
  • The overall objective of the project is to catalyze transformative change of India’s agricultural sector to support achievement of national and global environmental benefits and conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes.
  • The project will support harmonization between India’s agricultural and environmental sector priorities and investments so that the achievement of national and global environmental benefits can be fully realized without compromising India’s ability to strengthen rural livelihoods and meet its food and nutrition security.

9 . National Bamboo Mission

About National Bamboo Mission

  • The scheme aims to supplement farm income of farmers with focus on the development of complete value chain of bamboo sector to link growers with consumers.  Major objectives of the Mission are:
  1. To increase the area under bamboo plantation in non forest Government and private lands to supplement farm income and contribute towards resilience to climate change as well as availability of quality raw material requirement of industries.
  2. To improve post-harvest management through establishment of innovative primary processing units near the source of production, primary treatment and seasoning plants, preservation technologies and market infrastructure. 
  3. To promote product development keeping in view market demand, by assisting R&D, entrepreneurship & business models at micro small and medium levels and feed bigger industry.
  4. To rejuvenate the under developed bamboo industry in India.
  5. To promote skill development capacity building, awareness generation for development of bamboo sector from production to market demand.
  6. To re-align efforts so as to reduce dependency on import of bamboo and bamboo products by way of improved productivity and suitability of domestic raw material for industry, so as to enhance income of the primary producers.

10 . Yarn Bank Scheme

  • To avoid fluctuation in yarn price, government has launched a Yarn Bank Scheme as one of the component of PowerTex India
  • The Scheme provides interest free corpus fund up to Rs.2.00 crore to the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)/Consortium formed by powerloom weavers to enable them to purchase yarn at wholesale rate and give the yarn at reasonable price to the small weavers to avoid middleman and local supplier’s brokerage charge on sales of yarn.

11 . National Health Authority

12 . Clause 6 of Assam Accord

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