PIB Analysis Date : 11/12/2018

PIB ANALYSIS FOR UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAM

Topics Covered

1. Partners forum
2. ENSURE Portal
3. PCS 1x
4. Subramanian Bharatiyar
5. Vision of New India (Ministry of Commerce)

1 . Partners Forum

PM Modi to inaugurate Partners’ Forum 2018

About the Conference

• Who is Conducting – The Government of India, in association with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH),
• Purpose – to improve the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents.
• Countries invited – The invited countries have been selected from across all regions and income levels and include countries that are currently chairing key global and regional bodies (e.g. G7, G20, BRICS, etc.)

About Partner’s Forum

• What is it – It is a global health partnership launched in September 2005 to accelerate efforts to reduce child and maternal mortality, improve adolescent, child, newborn and maternal health
• Partnership is an alliance of more than 1,000 plus members, across 10 constituencies in 92 countries: academic, research and teaching institutions; donors and foundations; health care professionals; multilateral agencies; non-governmental organizations; partner countries; global financing mechanisms and the private sector

About PMNCH

• PMNCH’s mission is to support the global health community to work successfully towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the health related SDGs as articulated in the Strategy for Women’s Children’s and Adolescents’ Health in support of ‘Every Woman Every Child’ (EWEC) movement.

2 . ENSURE PORTAL

To connect with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), an online portal “ENSURE” has been launched
The portal will provide a very simple, useful and transparent system to the beneficiary

About the Portal

• Developed by – NABARD
• Purpose – Under National Livestock Mission’s component called Entrepreneurship Development and Employment Generation (EDEG), subsidy payment for activities related to poultry, small ruminants, pigs etc. through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) goes directly to the beneficiary’s account. In order to make it better, simpler and transparent, the NABARD has developed an online portal “ENSURE” so that the information related to beneficiary and processing of application can be made readily available.
• How it works – Under the new process, controlling officer/branch manager of the bank, after scrutinizing & sanctioning of proposal, uploads the subsidy claims in the portal. The subsidy will be approved within 30 days from the date of sanction of loan
• Advantages –Earlier, even after the loan approval, subsidy took a long time to reach the beneficiary’s account. Through this process, the flow of information/funds will also be quicker and more accountable. The burden of extra interest due to delay in the disbursal of the subsidy would now be reduced after the launch of the portal

3 . PCS 1x (Port Community System)

Indian Ports Association Launches ‘PCS 1x’ to Increase Ease of Doing Business

About PCS 1x

• Port Community System (PCS) is intended to integrate the electronic flow of trade related document/information and function as the centralized hub for the ports of India and other stakeholders like Shipping Lines/Agents, Surveyors, Stevedores, Banks, Container Freight Stations, Customs House agents, Importers, Exporters, Railways/CONCOR, Government regulatory agencies, etc. for exchanging electronic messages in secure manner.

The main objectives of the PCS are :

• Develop A Centralized Web-Based Application, Which Act As SINGLE WINDOW, For The Port Community Members/Stakeholders To Exchange Messages Electronically In Secure Fashion.
• Reduce Transaction Time & Cost In Port Business
• Achieve Paperless Regime In Port Sector
• Implement An E-Commerce Portal For Port Community
• DATA RESPOSITORY For Research And Analysis

Features of PCS 1X

• PCS 1x is a cloud based new generation technology, with user-friendly interface.  This system seamlessly integrates 8 new stakeholders besides the 19 existing stakeholders from the maritime trade on a single platform.
• The platform offers value added services such as notification engine, workflow, mobile application, track and trace, better user interface, better security features, improved inclusion by offering dashboard for those with no IT capability.
• A unique feature of ‘PCS1x’ is that it can latch on to third party software which provides services to the maritime industry thereby enabling the stakeholders to access wide network of services.
• The system enables single sign on facility to provide one stop interface to all the functionalities across all stakeholders.
• Another major feature is the deployment of a world class state of the art payment aggregator solution which removes dependency on bank specific payment eco system.
• This system will enable trade to have an improved communication with the customs as they have also embarked on an Application Programming Interface (API) based architecture, thereby enabling real time interaction.
• This System offers a database that acts as a single data point to all transactions. It captures and stores data on its first occurrence thereby reducing manual intervention, the need to enter transaction data at various points and thereby reducing errors in the process.
• It is estimated that this feature alone will reduce 11/2 to 2 days in a life of transaction. The application will have a cascading effect in reducing dwell time and overall cost of transaction.
• The platform has the potential to revolutionize maritime trade in India and bring it at par with global best practices and pave the way to improve the Ease of Doing Business world ranking and Logistics Performance Index (LPI) ranks.

Conclusion

• To summarize, the implementation of PCS in India transforms Indian Ports from antiquated Ports to modern Ports by bringing in a paperless regime. It minimises transaction time and cost to Indian export-import trade. Contribution of PCS to Indian trade, though not quantifiable in exact terms, will definitely herald new chapter in India by way of e-trade. However, it is expected to reduce a transaction cost at ports and empowered Indian Ports to join the premiere league of international technology advanced e-ports.

4 . Subramanian Bharatiyar

Mahakavi Subramania Bharatiyar ignited resurgence in Tamil literature: Vice President
He shown his large heartedness by describing Telugu as ‘Sundara Telungu’;
Bharatiyar was also an ardent Indian nationalist and a fervent advocate of social reform;
Pays tributes to Subramania Bharatiyar on his Birth Anniversary

About Subramanian Bharatiyar

• C. Subramaniya Bharathiyar was a poet, freedom fighter and social reformer from Tamil Nadu. He was known as Mahakavi Bharathiyar and the laudatory epithet Mahakavi means a great poet. He is considered as one of India’s greatest poets. His songs on nationalism and freedom of India helped to rally the masses to support the Indian Independence Movement in Tamil Nadu.
• Subramaniya Bharathiyar was born on 11^th December 1882, in a village called Ettayapuram in Tirunelveli District in Tamil Nadu and his childhood name was Subbiah. His father was Chinnaswamy Iyer and his mother was Lakshmi Ammal.
• At the age of seven, Subbiah started writing poems in Tamil. When he was eleven, he wrote in such a way that even learned men praised him for his great knowledge and skill.
• In the eleventh year, Subbiah felt that he had to establish his credentials.He threw a challenge to the eminent men in the assembly of scholars that they should have a contest with him in a debate on any subject without any previous notice or preparation.
• The contest was held at a special sitting of the Ettayapuram Durbar at which the Rajah (the ruler) himself was present. The subject chosen was “Education”. Subbiah efficiently won the debate. This was a memorable moment in Subbiah’s life. The boy who was till then referred to as “Ettayapuram Subbiah” came henceforth to be known as“Bharathi”, and later he was respectfully referred to as “Bharathiar” by nationalists and by millions of Tamil lovers all over the globe.
• In June 1897, Bharathi was hardly fifteen when his marriage took place, and his child-bride was Chellammal.  Bharathi left for Benaras which was also known as Kashi and Varanasi. He spent there the next two years with his aunt Kuppammal and her husband Krishna Sivan. Speedily gaining a fair knowledge of Sanskrit, Hindi and English, he duly passed with credit the Entrance Examination of the Allahabad University. The Banaras stay brought about a tremendous change in Bharathi’s personality. Outwardly, he sported a moustache and a Sikh turban and acquired a bold swing in his walk.

Bharathi: A poet and a Nationalist

• Significantly, a new age in Tamil literature began with Subramaniya Bharathi. Most part of his compositions are classifiable as short lyrical outpourings on patriotic, devotional and mystic themes. Bharathi was essentially a lyrical poet. “Kannan Pattu” “Nilavum Vanminum Katrum” “Panchali Sabatam” “Kuyil Pattu” are examples of Bharathi’s great poetic output.
• Bharathi is considered as a national poet due to his number of poems of the patriotic flavour through which he exhorted the people to join the independence struggle and work vigorously for the liberation of the country. Instead of merely being proud of his country he also outlined his vision for a free India. He published the sensational “Sudesa Geethangal” in 1908.

Bharathi as a Journalist

• Many years of Bharathi’s life were spent in the field of journalism, Bharathi, as a young man began his career as a journalist and as a sub-editor in “Swadesamitran” in November 1904.
• “India” saw the light of the day in May, 1906. It declared as its motto the three slogans of the French Revolution, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. It blazed a new trail in Tamil Journalism. In order to proclaim its revolutionary ardour, Bharathi had the weekly printed in red paper. “India” was the first paper in Tamil Nadu to publish political cartoons. He also published and edited a few other journals like “Vijaya”.
• It is not surprising therefore that soon a warrant was waiting at the door of the “India” office for the arrest of the editor of the magazine. It was because of this worsening situation in 1908 that Bharathi decided to go away to Pondicherry, a French territory at that time, and continue to publish the “India” magazine. Bharathi resided in Pondicherry for sometime to escape the wrath of the British imperialists.
• During his exile, Bharathi had the opportunity to mingle with many leaders of the militant wing of the independence movement such as Aurobindo, Lajpat Rai and V.V.S. Aiyar, who had also sought asylum in the French, Pondicherry. The most profitable years of Bharathi’s life were the ten years he spent in Pondicherry.
• From Pondicherry, he guided the Tamil youth of Madras to tread in the path of nationalism. This increased the anger of the British towards Bharathi’s writings as they felt that it was his writings that induce and influence the patriotic spirit of the Tamil youth. Bharathi met Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 in Rajaji’s home at Madras. Bharathi entered British India near Cuddalore in November 1918 and was promptly arrested. Even in prison, he spent his time in writing poems on freedom, nationalism and country’s welfare.
• In his early days of youth he had good relations with Nationalist Tamil Leaders like V.O.Chidambaram, Subramanya Siva, Mandayam Thirumalachariar and Srinivasachari. Along with these leaders he used to discuss the problems facing the country due to British rule. Bharathi used to attend the Annual sessions of Indian National Congress and discuss national issues with extremist Indian National Leaders like Bipin Chandra Pal, B.G. Tilak and V.V.S. Iyer. His participation and activities in Benaras Session (1905) and Surat Session (1907) of the Indian National Congress impressed many national leaders about his patriotic fervour. Bharathi had maintained good relations with some of the national leaders and shared his thoughts and views on the nation and offered his suggestions to strengthen the nationalist movement. Undoubtedly, his wise suggestions and steadfast support to the cause of nationalism rejuvenated many national leaders. Thus Bharathi played a pivotal role in the freedom of India.

Bharthi as a social reformer

• Bharathi was also against caste system. He declared that there were only two castes-men and women and nothing more than that. Above all, he himself had removed his sacred thread. He had also adorned many Dalits with sacred thread.  He used to take tea sold in shops run by Muslims.
• He along with his family members attended church on all festival occasions. He advocated temple entry of Dalits. For all his reforms, he had to face opposition from his neighbours. But Bharathi was very clear that unless Indians unite as children of Mother India, they could not achieve freedom. He believed in women’s rights, gender equality and women emancipation. He opposed child marriage, dowry and supported widow remarriage.
• Bharathi died on 11^th September 1921. Bharathi as a poet, journalist, freedom fighter and social reformer had made a great impact not only on the Tamil society but also on the entire human society. He followed what all he preached and it is here that his greatness is manifested. His prophecy during the colonial period about the independence of India came true after two and half decades after his demise.
• His vision about a glorious India has been taking a shape in the post-Independence era. Bharathi did not live for himself but for the people and nation. That is why he is respectfully called as Bharathiyar.

6 . Vision of New India 

Vision of a New India – USD 5 Trillion Economy
First ever agriculture export policy launched 
India shines in Ease of Doing Business Rankings

Vision of New India