Daily Current Affairs 6 February 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) Karanj: Third Scorpene submarine of Indian Navy

• The third Scorpene submarine,  Karanj, will be delivered to the Indian Navy by December and all six submarine deliveries would be completed by 2022, Nicolas de La Villemarque, Vice President India, Asia and Pacific of Naval Group, said
• Discussions were on to fit Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) modules on all Scorpenes beginning 2023. “The Scorpene submarine can be equipped with an AIP system. The first AIP will be equipped during the first refit of the first Scorpene
• Talks were underway with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and the Navy. A design agreement was expected to be signed with the DRDO by the year-end
• Karanj was launched into the water in January 2018 and is currently in advanced stages of sea trials. The first Scorpene,  Kulvari, was commissioned in 2018. The second Scorpene Khanderi was inducted in September last year.

Source: The Hindu

2) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has pulled up 14 thermal power plants

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has pulled up 14 thermal power plants for not complying with a December 31, 2019 deadline to limit sulfur dioxide emissions.
• These are 5 plants in Haryana, 3 in Punjab, 2 in Uttar Pradesh, 2 in Andhra Pradesh, 2 in Telangana and 1 in Tamil Nadu with a total capacity of approx 15 GW that have missed the deadline.
• To limit particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emission from thermal plants, India put in place a phased­approach that directs 440 coal­fired units responsible for about 166,000 MW of power to put in place measures to limit pollution by December 2022.
• However, 11 plants in a 300 km radius of Delhi were to comply by December 31, 2019, because of the poor air quality in the city as well as the surrounding Gangetic plain.
• Some of them claimed to have set in place the process for acquiring flu­gas desulphurization technology whereas others said they were yet to award tenders. Only one of these plants has actually implemented technology to limit emissions.

About CPCB

• The CPCB has the power to impose steep fines or shut a unit under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act. As per Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) estimates, these norms can help reduce PM emissions by about 35%, nitrogen oxide emissions by about 70%, and sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 85% by 2026­27 against a business­as­usual scenario with no pollution control technologies.

Source: The Hindu

3) India's Growth in Defence export

• India became the world’s largest arms importer as it did not utilize its capacities to full potential after Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated and asserted that India was looking to achieve defense exports worth ₹35,000 crores in the next five years.
• India's policies and strategies remained focused on import. India thus became the largest arms importer in the world. After 2014, the government had undertaken several policy reforms, he pointed out. 
• India turning into a manufacturing hub for military platforms and noted that defense manufacturing had found new energy. “In the last two years, defense exports worth ₹17,000 crores has been achieved; it is up from ₹2,000 crores in 2014
• A long­term integrated defense plan was being conceptualized with emphasis on start­ups and Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises (MSMEs). Two hundred defense start­ups were likely to come up to give a push to indigenization. “Defence manufacturing will not only make us self­reliant but also ensure we are prepared to help friendly countries in the region if required

Source: The Hindu

4) Cabinet gives in-principle approval for setting up a new Major Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its 'in-principle' approval for setting up a Major Port at Vadhavan near Dahanu in Maharashtra.
• The total cost of the project is likely to be Rs.65,544.54 crore.
• Vadhavan port will be developed on the "landlord model". ASpecial Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) as the lead partner with equity participation equal to or more than 50% to implement the project. The SPV will develop the port infrastructure including reclamation, construction of a breakwater, besides establishing connectivity to the hinterland. All the business activities would be undertaken under PPP mode by private developers.
• The position of JN Port, the biggest container port in India is 28thin the world with a traffic of 5.1 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units). Even after the completion of the 4th terminal at JN Port with a capacity increase upto10 million TEUs by 2023, it will stand as the 17thlargest container port in the world. With the development of Vadhavan port, India will break into the countries with the top 10 container ports in the world.
• Maharashtra has India's largest container port at JNPT which caters to the hinterland of Maharashtra, North Karnataka, Telangana and secondary hinterland of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, NCR, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. There is a need for a deep draft port that will accommodate the largest Container Ships in the world and also cater to the spillover traffic from JNPT port once its planned capacity of 10 million TEUs is fully utilized. JNPT and Mundra, the two largest container handling ports of the country (for mid-size container ships only), have drafts of 15 M and 16 M respectively, while the world's largest container-handling modern deep draft ports require a draft of 18M-20M. The Vadhavan port has a natural draft of about 20 meters close to the shore, making it possible for it to handle bigger vessels at the port. Development of Vadhavan port will enable the call of container vessels of 16,000-25,000 TEUs capacity, giving advantages of economies of scale & reducing logistics cost.
• The ever increasing size of container ships makes it imperative that a deep-draft container port on the West Coast of India is developed. Increasing containerization of cargo in the wake of the value-added manufacturing sector makes it important to prepare our port infrastructure for handling value-added import and export to facilitate manufacturing activity. Container traffic in the JNPT hinterland is expected to grow from 4.5 MTEUs currently to 10.1 MTEUs by 2022-25 when JNPT's potential will be fully exhausted. The demand for container traffic will further accelerate after the plans for improving logistics infrastructure fructify and the 'Make in India' push drives greater exports and manufacturing sourcing to India.

Source: PIB

5) Soil Health Card scheme of Central Govt

• The Soil Health Card scheme launched by the Modi Government during the financial year 2014-15 to address the decline of soil nutrients, has started reaping fruit. In the second phase of the scheme 11.69 crores, Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers in the last two years.
• Under the guidance of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and directions of the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, the Ministry is issuing the Soil Health Cards. This has enabled the farmers to understand the soil health parameters and improve its productivity by judicious application of soil nutrients.
• A study conducted by the National Productivity Council (NPC) says the application of Soil Health Card recommendations has led to a decline of 8-10% in the use of chemical fertilizers and also raised productivity by 5-6%.
• Under the Central Government’s Soil Health Card Scheme Phase-I (Years 2015 to 2017) 10.74 crore cards were distributed, while under the Phase-II 11.69 crore cards have been giving away during the period 2017-19.
• In the current financial year a pilot project “Development of Model Villages” is being implemented under which the sampling and testing of cultivable soil are being encouraged in partnership with the farmers. Under the project, a Model Village has been selected for aggregation of soil samples and analysis of each agricultural holding. As part of the scheme 13.53 lakh, Soil Health Cards have been distributed during the year 2019-20.
• For the setting up of Soil Health Laboratories under the scheme, the states have been sanctioned 429 static labs, 102 new mobile labs, 8,752 mini-labs, 1,562 village-level laboratories and strengthening of 800 existing labs.
• The scheme provides for the analysis of soil composition by the State Governments once in every two years so that remedial steps can be taken to improve soil nutrients. Farmers can track their soil samples and also obtain their Soil Health Card report.
• While the Soil Health Management Scheme has turned out to be a blessing for the farmers, it is also creating jobs for the agrarian youth. Under the scheme village, youth and farmers up to 40 years of age are eligible to set up Soil Health Laboratories and undertake to test. A laboratory costs up to Rupees Five Lakhs, 75% of which can be funded by the Central and State Governments. The same provisions apply to Self Help Groups, Farmers’ Cooperative Societies, Farmers Groups, and Agricultural Producing Organisations.

Source: PIB

6) Cabinet approves the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the following: -

• Introduction of the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020
• Ex-post facto to 21 posts of Directors, one each in 20 IIITs (PPP) and one in IIITDM Kurnool (IIIT-CFTI)
• Ex-post facto to 21 posts of Registrars, one each in 20 IITs (PPP) and one in IIITDM Kurnool (IIT-CFTI)

Impact

The Bill will declare the remaining 5 IIITs-PPP along with the existing 15 Indian Institutes of Information Technology in Public-Private Partnership mode as 'Institutions of National Importance' with powers to award degrees. This will entitle them to use the nomenclature of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) or Master of Technology (M.Tech) or Ph.D. degree as issued by a University or Institution of National Importance. It will also enable the Institutes to attract enough students required to develop a strong research base in the country in the field of information technology.

Details

• Introduction of the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020; for amending the principal Acts of 2014 and 2017
• to grant statutory status to five Indian Institutes of Information Technology in Public-Private Partnership mode at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur and declare them as Institutions of National Importance along with already existing 15 Indian Institutes of Information Technology under the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017.

Objective

The objective of the approval is for the formalization of IIITs at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala, and Raichur. These IIITs are already functioning as Societies registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. They will now be covered under the IIIT (PPP) Act, 2017, similar to the other 15 IIITs established under the scheme in PPP mode. Further, IIITDM Kurnool has been established as per the IIIT Act, 2014 and is functioning with the other 4 IIITs namely IIIT Allahabad, IIITM Gwalior, IIITDM Jabalpur, IIITDM Kancheepuram. The post of Director and Registrar in these IIITs are already existing and the present proposal merely formalizes them without any additional financial outgo.

Background

• IIITs are envisaged to promote higher education and research in the field of Information Technology.
• Under the Scheme of Setting up of 20 new IIITs in Public-Private Partnership (IIT PPP) mode as approved by the Union Cabinet on 26.11.2010, 15 IIITs are already covered by the IIIT (PPP) Act, 2017, while remaining 5 IIITs are to be included under the Schedule of the Act.
• The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Act of 2014 and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017 are the unique initiatives of the Government of India to impart knowledge in the field of Information Technology to provide solutions to the challenges faced by the country.

Source: PIB

7) New Pension Schemes for Unorganised Sector

• Government of India has introduced two voluntary and Contributory Pension Schemes, i.e.(1) Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojna, (PM-SYM), a  pension scheme for the  Unorganised Workers and (2) National Pension Scheme for the  Traders and  Self Employed  Persons (NPS-Traders)  (for the Vyapari’s) under section 3(1) of  Unorganised  Workers Social Security  Act, 2008 to provide old age protection to them.
• The schemes envisage for providing minimum assured monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- after attaining the age of 60 years. If the subscriber dies,  the spouse of the beneficiary shall be entitled to receive  50%  of the pension as a family pension. Family pension is applicable only to a spouse. The monthly contribution ranges from Rs.55-Rs.200/- depending upon the entry age of the beneficiary.
• PM-SYM is meant for old age protection and social security of  Unorganised  Workers (UW) who are mostly engaged as rickshaw pullers, street vendor, mid-day meal workers,  head loaders,  brick kiln workers, cobblers, rag pickers, domestic workers, washermen, home-based, agricultural workers,  construction workers,  beedi workers,  handloom workers,  leather workers, audio-visual workers or in similar other occupations. There is an estimated 42 crore such as unorganized workers in the country. The entry age for the beneficiary is  18-40 years and he/she should not be a member of  ESIC/EPFO or an income taxpayer.
• The NPS-Traders scheme is meant for old age protection and social security of  Vyapaaris (retail traders/ shopkeepers and self-employed persons) whose annual turnover is not exceeding  Rs.1.5 Crore. These retail traders / petty shopkeepers and self-employed persons are mostly working as shop owners,  retail traders,  rice mill owners,  oil mill owners,  workshop owners,  commission agents, brokers of real estate,  owners of small hotels, restaurants and other  Vyapaaris. The entry age for the scheme is  18-40 years and the Vyapaari should not be a  member of  ESIC/EPFO/PM-SYM or an income taxpayer.
• The schemes are being implemented through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India and Common Service Centres. LIC is the Fund Manager and responsible for pension pay-out. Common Service Centre is the enrolment agency responsible for the enrolment of the beneficiaries through its 3.50 lakhs Centres across India. 
• For creating awareness among to public, TV/Radio campaign has been issued. Information Education and Communication (IEC) material like pamphlets, posters, banners has been provided to State /UT Governments in regional languages. Rs. 20.00 Crore has been distributed among State/UT Governments for publicity and public awareness programs. Pension Week was celebrated from 30th Nov. to 06th Dec 2019, public meeting were organized at CSC, district and State HQ levels. State Level Monitoring Committees with Chief Secretary as Chairman and District Level Implementation Committee with DM/Collector / DC as Chairman have been formed in almost all the districts and States.

Source: PIB

8) IOCL signs first Term contract for importing Russian crude oil to India

• The Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Mr. Igor Sechin, CEO, and Chairman of Rosneft held the bilateral meeting
• Both leaders also witnessed the signing of the first-ever Term Contract between IOCL and Rosneft for importing 2 Million Metric Tonnes of Urals grade crude oil during the year 2020 to India. Sourcing of Russian crude oil through long term contracts is a part of India’s strategy for diversifying the country’s crude oil supplies from non-OPEC countries, and a part of the five-year roadmap for bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector that was signed during Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to Vladivostok last September.
• The addition of Russia as a new source for crude oil imports by India’s largest refiner will go a long way in mitigating the risks arising out of geopolitical disruptions. The new arrangement would also usher in price stability and energy security for India, which is witnessing robust growth in demand for petroleum products. It will also open up the avenues for other PSU oil refiners to enter into similar term contracts for the import of Russian crude oil.
• Both sides agreed to take forward mutually aligned priorities, including preparing a roadmap for Indian investments in the Eastern Cluster projects of Russia. It was noted that the four Indian oil and gas Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have already submitted the Expression of Interest to Rosneft to participate in the project. In order to negotiate the terms of Indian companies entering Vostok Oil in the shortest time possible, it was agreed to create a working group of representatives of Russian and Indian companies.
• During the meeting, both leaders reviewed the ongoing investments between Indian oil & gas PSUs and Rosneft, and discussed further enhancing energy cooperation and strengthening hydrocarbons engagement, both on investment front as well as sourcing natural gas and crude oil. During the meeting, Shri Pradhan said that hydrocarbon is an important pillar of the bilateral Strategic Partnership. “Indian oil and gas companies value their association with Rosneft, one of the important companies partnering in India’s energy security objectives.” Both sides agreed to take forward mutually aligned priorities discussed during Shri Pradhan’s visit to Russia in September last year, including preparing a road-map for Indian investments in the Eastern Cluster projects of Russia, especially in the Arctic.  Shri Pradhan said that Indian companies especially Engineers India Limited have considerable expertise in providing engineering consultancy as well as executing mega projects across the hydrocarbon value chain.
• The crude oil, being sourced under the contract, will be loaded in Suezmax vessels at Novorossiysk port of Russia and will come to India, bypassing Straits of Hormuz.

Source: PIB