PIB Analysis : 28th June

PIB Analysis for UPSC CSE

Topics Covered

1. New Space India Limited
2. Working Group for Revision of WPI
3. Fortified Ration
4. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
5. Facts for Prelims : Closed Fuel Cycle, M15 Fuel, Atal Tinkering Lab

1 . New Space India Limited

Context : New Space India Limited (NSIL), has been incorporated as a wholly owned Government of India Undertaking/Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), under the administrative control of Department of Space (DOS) to commercially exploit the research and development work of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Centres and constituent units of DOS.

Functions of NSIL

• Small Satellite technology transfer to industry, wherein NSIL will obtain license from DOS/ISRO and sub-license it to industries
• Manufacture of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in collaboration with Private Sector
• Productionisation of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through Indian Industry
• Productionisation and marketing of Space based products and services, including launch and application;
• Transfer of technology developed by ISRO Centres and constituent units of DOS;
• Marketing spin-off technologies and products/services, both in India and abroad; and any other subject which Government of India deems fit.

2 . Working Group for Revision of WPI

Context : The Government of India has decided to constitute a Working Group for the revision of the current series of Wholesale Price Index (Base 2011-12).

Background

• The current series of Wholesale Price Index (WPI) with 2011-12 as base year was introduced in May 2017.  Since 2011-12, significant structural changes have taken place in the economy.
• Therefore, it has become necessary to examine the coverage of commodities, weighting diagram and related issues pertaining to the existing series of index numbers of Wholesale Price Index.
• Accordingly, Government has constituted the Working Group for the revision of current series of Wholesale Price Index (Base 2011-12) under Chairmanship of Dr. Ramesh Chand, Member, Niti Aayog
• The Office of Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade will be the nodal office for the Working Group and will process the report / recommendation of the Group for further necessary action.

The Terms of Reference of the Working Group

• To select the most appropriate Base Year for the preparation of a new official series of Index Numbers of Wholesale Price (WPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) in India.
• To review commodity basket of the current series of WPI and suggest additions / deletions of commodities in the light of structural changes in the economy witnessed since2011-12
• To review the existing system of price collection in particular for manufacturing sector and suggest changes for improvement.
• To decide on the computational methodology to be adopted for monthly WPI/PPI.
• To examine the existing methodology of compilation of PPI approved by Technical Advisory Committee on Series of Prices and Cost of Living and suggest further improvement in compilation and presentation. The Working Group may recommend roadmap for switch over from WPI to PPI.
• To examine the method of computing linking factor adopted so far and suggest appropriate change in method of computing linking factor, if necessary.
• To suggest any other improvements as may be necessary for enhancing the reliability of the official series of WPI / PPI.

3 . Fortified Ration

Context : Department of Food & Public Distribution has approved the “Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on Fortification of Rice & its distribution through Public Distribution System”. Financial Assistance up to 90% in case of North-Eastern, Hilly and Island States and up to 75% in case of rest of the States has been extended.

About Fortified Ration

• Under the scheme, milled rice will be mixed with a premix containing vitamins and minerals post-harvest.
• As per the Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, iron, Vitamin B12, and Folic acid are the mandatory nutrients for the fortification of rice, the kernels of which are added into the regular rice kernels in 1 to 100 ratio.
• Iron and folic acid are the two main ingredients that will be added to the food grains. Fortification norms will be in accordance with the specifications laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• Further, Government of India has also advised all States/UTs especially those States/UTs that are distributing wheat flour through Public Distribution System (PDS), to distribute fortified wheat flour through PDS
• Fortified Edible oils is also supplied to certain states through PDS

4 . Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

About Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)

• BBBP is a comprehensive programme to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of women over a life-cycle continuum. The specific objectives of the scheme include preventing gender biased sex selective elimination; ensuring survival and protection of the girl child and ensuring education and participation of the girl child
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme was launched in 2015 at Panipat in Haryana.
• Seeing the good progress and improving trend of Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) in 161 implementing districts, scheme was expanded to all parts of India covering all 640 districts (as per Census 2011)
• Out of 640 districts, 405 districts are covered under advocacy & multi-sectoral action while the remaining 235 districts are covered under media advocacy & outreach.
• It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development.
• BBBP Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% financial assistance for District level component and the fund are directly released to the DC/DM’s account for smooth operation of the Scheme.
• At the Central level, Ministry of Women and Child Development is the nodal ministry for the programme
• At the State level, Chief Secretaries heads the State Task Force (STF) with representation of Department of WCD, Health and Education to monitor the implementation of the scheme.
• The District Collectors/Deputy Commissioners (DCs) lead and coordinate action of all departments for implementation of BBBP at the District level.  
• The improving trend in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by 9 points has been seen at all India level from 918 in F.Y. 2014-15 to 927 in F.Y. 2017-18 (up to January, 2018) in as per HMIS report received from MoH&FW.

5 . Facts for Prelims

Closed Fuel Cycle

• India has adopted “closed fuel cycle”, where spent nuclear fuel is regarded as a material of resource.
• Closed fuel cycle aims at reprocessing of spent fuel for recovery of Uranium and Plutonium and recycling them back to reactor as fuel.
• This finally leads to a very small percentage of residual material present in spent nuclear fuel requiring their management as radioactive waste.

M15 Fuel

• M-15 is a blend of 15 % methanol and 85 % Gasoline.
• Use of blended fuel M-15 in BS-IV cars can result in lowering down greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by about 5 to 10 percent thereby improving air quality.
• M-15 fuel blending is available as an option and there is no proposal to make such blending mandatory in the near future.

Atal Tinkering Lab

• Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) is a program run by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog to foster curiosity and innovative mindset in young students across India to encourage research and innovation in schools across the country.
• The vision of the initiative is ‘To create One million children in India as Neoteric Innovators’.