TheEconomic Survey 2019-20 posits that India’s aspiration to become a $5 trillion economy

The Survey posits that India’s aspiration to become a $5 trillion economy depends critically on strengthening the invisible hand of markets together with the hand of trust that can support markets. The invisible hand needs to be strengthened by promoting pro-business policies to (i) provide equal opportunities for new entrants, enable fair competition and ease doing business, (ii) eliminate policies that undermine markets through government intervention even where it is not necessary, (iii) enable trade for job creation, and (iv) efficiently scale up the banking sector to be proportionate to the size of the Indian economy. Introducing the idea of “trust as a public good that gets enhanced with greater use”, the Survey suggests that policies must empower transparency and effective enforcement using data and technology to enhance this public good.

National Startup Advisory Council

The Central Government has notified the structure of the National Startup Advisory Council to advise the Government on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in the country to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities. The individual names will be notified later.

The Council will suggest measures to foster a culture of innovation amongst citizens and students in particular, promote innovation in all sectors of economy across the country, including semi-urban and rural areas, support creative and innovative ideas through incubation and research and development to transform them into valuable products, processes or solutions to improve productivity and efficiency and create an environment of absorption of innovation in industry. It will also suggest measures to facilitate public organizations to assimilate innovation with a view to improving public service delivery, promote creation, protection and commercialization of intellectual property rights, make it easier to start, operate, grow and exit businesses by reducing regulatory compliances and costs, promote ease of access to capital for startups, incentivize domestic capital for investments into startups, mobilize global capital for investments in Indian startups, keep control of startups with original promoters and provide access to global markets for Indian startups.

The National Startup Advisory Council will be chaired by Minster for Commerce & Industry. The Council will consist of the non-official members, to be nominated by Central Government, from various categories like founders of successful startups, veterans who have grown and scaled companies in India, persons capable of representing interests of investors into startups, persons capable of representing interests of incubators and accelerators and representatives of associations of stakeholders of startups and representatives of industry associations. The term of the non-official members of the Startup Advisory Council will be for a period of two years.

Tele-Law

The Tele-Law initiative was launched on April 20, 2017 with an aim to provide legal advices in the villages through CSCs. A Pilot project started in 1800 CSCs in 11 States in UP, Bihar, North Eastern States and UT of Jammu and Kashmir. This scheme has been expanded to 115 Aspirational Districts in 100 days programme of the Government of India.

A dedicated website on Tele-Law is maintained by the Department of Justice which has been designed with support from CSC eGovernance and has translated in to 22 languages. A Tele-Law mobile application is available for the PLVs to pre-register Tele-Law cases. A Tele-Law Dashboard is also developed with decentralized features for login and registration of cases and view the status of cases added for Panel Lawyers, Para Legal Volunteers etc.   

Tele-Law,  is an initiative to provide pre-litigation advice to the needy people,

Tele-Law provided a platform give pre-litigation advice to the needy and unreached sections of the society. A need was felt to strengthen this programme to combine digital technology with persons having knowledge of law for better functioning

Tele-Law Team has trained 930 Master Trainers who will in turn train about 56 thousand Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs) and Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) all over the country. A better and regular training is needed for PLVs and VLEs for providing a better advice to the people, he added.

The participants were also addressed on the subject of Citizen Duties. It was stressed that one must always remember that we have rights along with duties and we have to perform our duties with highest degree of sincerity.  

CompletlePhase out of HCFC - 141 b

India has successfully achieved the complete phase out of Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-141 b, which is a chemical used by foam manufacturing enterprises and one of the most potent ozone depleting chemical after Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) .(HCFC)-141 b is used mainly as a blowing agent in the production of rigid polyurethane (PU) foams.

India has consciously chosen a path for environment friendly and energy efficient technologies while phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs). Importantly, India is one among the few countries globally and a pioneer in some cases in the use of technologies, which are non-Ozone Depleting and have a low Global Warming Potential (GWP).

India had proactively and successfully taken the challenge of complete phase out of Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-141 b, which is a chemical used by foam manufacturing enterprises by 1.1.2020.  On 31 December, 2019, as part of the Government’s commitment for moving towards environment friendly technologies, in a significant first, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) brought out a notification in the Gazette of India through which the issuance of import license for HCFC-141b is prohibited from 1st January, 2020 under Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2019 issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

HCFC-141b is not produced in the country and all the domestic requirements are met through imports. With this notification, prohibiting the import of HCFC-141 b, the country has completely phased out the important ozone depleting chemical. Simultaneously, the use of HCFC-141 b by foam manufacturing industry has also been closed as on 1st January, 2020 under the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014.

Nearly, 50 % of the consumption of ozone depleting chemicals in the country was attributable to HCFC-141 b in the foam sector. The Ministry adopted a structured approach to engage with foam manufacturing enterprises for providing technical and financial assistance in order to transition to non-ODS and low GWP technologies under HCFC Phase out Management Plan (HPMP). Around 175 foam manufacturing enterprises have been covered under HPMP out of which, 163 enterprises are covered under stage II of HPMP. The complete phase out of HCFC 141 b from the country in foam sector is among the first at this scale in Article 5 parties (developing countries) under the Montreal Protocol. The implementation of HPMP through regulatory and policy actions, implementation of technology conversion projects has removed around 7800 Metric Tonnes of HCFC 141-b from the baseline level of 2009 and 2010 of the country. 

The phase out of HCFC-141b from the country has twin environmental benefits viz. (i) assisting the healing of the stratospheric ozone layer,and (ii) towards the climate change mitigation due to transitioning of foam manufacturing enterprises at this scale under HPMP to low global warming potential alternative technologies.

The polyurethane foam sector has links with important economic sectors related to buildings, cold storages and cold chain infrastructure, automobiles, commercial refrigeration, domestic appliances such as refrigerators, water geysers, thermo ware, office and domestic furniture applications, specific high value niche applications etc. In India, the foam manufacturing sector is mix of large, medium and small enterprises having varying capacities, with preponderance of MSMEs

Clusters of Mangoes

Meeting have been organized in the clusters of Mangoes in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Banana in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Pomegranate in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, Onion in Maharashtra, Potato in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab, orange and grapes in Maharashtra, dairy products in Gujarat and poultry products and eggs in Tamil Nadu.

Padma Awards

Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 141 Padma Awards including 4 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises of 7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri Awards. 33 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 18 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 12 Posthumous awardees.

26th January importance

Seven decades ago, on 26th January, our Constitution came into effect. Even before that, this date had acquired special significance. Having resolved to attain ‘Purna Swaraj’, our people had been celebrating ‘Purna Swaraj Day’ on every 26th January from 1930 to 1947. That is why, in 1950 we embarked our journey as a Republic on the 26th January, affirming to the principles laid down in our Constitution. Since then, every year we celebrate our Republic Day on 26th January.

ADTCR

 DRDO-developed products such as surface-to-air-missile ‘Akash’, Mobile Bridging System ‘Sarvatra’, beyond visual range air-to-air missile ‘Astra’, Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, Air Defence Tactical Control Radar (ADTCR) and Anti-Satellite Missile (ASAT) were displayed as part of different tableaux of DRDO and the Armed Forces. 

The DRDO showcased the ASAT missile used in Mission Shakti. Maiden successful trial of ASAT was carried out on March 27, 2019. Mission Shakti, the test mission, was a major breakthrough in demonstrating the nation’s anti-satellite technology and precision strike capability. ASAT will play a critical role in providing necessary deterrence against rogue satellites as well as intercontinental ballistic missiles. 

The ADTCR, the other presentation from DRDO, is used for volumetric surveillance, detection, tracking and friend/foe identification of aerial targets of different types. The radar is capable of detecting very small targets and low flying targets.

Bru-Reang Agreement

 Bru-Reang Agreement closes over two decade old refugee crisis providing succour and relief to over 34,000 refugees in Mizoram.

 “This problem pertains to the 90s. In 1997, ethnic tension forced the Bru-Reang tribe to leave Mizoram and take refuge in Tripura.

 These refugees were kept in temporary camps in Kanchanpur in North Tripura. It's painful that the Bru-Reang community lost a significant part of their life as refugees. Life in camps meant that they were deprived of all basic amenities. For 23 years – no home, no land, no medical treatment for their families, no education facilities for their kids.”

“It's a result of that belief that their life is on the threshold of a new dawn today. As per the agreement, the path to a dignified life has been opened for them. 

Finally the new decade of 2020, has brought a new ray of hope in the life of the Bru-Reang community”, he said.

Explaining the benefits of the agreement, it is  said, “Around 34000 Bru refugees will be rehabilitated in Tripura. 

Not just that, the government will provide an assistance of close to Rs.600 crores for their rehabilitation and all-round development. Each displaced family will be provided a plot of land. 

They will be assisted in construction of a house. In addition, rations will be provided to them. 

They will now be able to benefit from the public welfare schemes of the state and central governments.”

12 new Ramsar sites

Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services such as food, water, fibre, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion control and climate regulation. They are, in fact, are a major source of water and our main supply of freshwater comes from an array of wetlands which help soak rainfall and recharge groundwater. 

In the past six months, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has prepared a four pronged strategy for the restoration of wetlands which includes preparing a baseline data, wetland health cards, enlisting wetland mitras and preparing targeted Integrated Management Plans. Conservation of wetlands would also go a long way in achieving our PM’s dream of ‘Nal se Jal’ in each household

In a major recognition towards Government of India’s effort towards conservation, restoration and rejuvenation of its wetlands, Ramsar has declared 10 more wetland sites from India as sites of international importance. The Ramsar Convention signed on February 2, 1971, is one of the oldest inter-governmental accord signed by members countries to preserve the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance. 

The aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits. Wetlands declared as Ramsar sites are protected under strict guidelines of the convention. 

conservation of wetlands would also go a long way in achieving our Prime Minister’s dream of ‘Nal se Jal’ in each household. The government has recently in July launched the new 'Nal se Jal' scheme, which aims to provide piped water connection to every household by 2024.

With this, the numbers of Ramsar sites in India are now 37 and the surface area covered by these sites is now 1,067,939 hectares. Maharashtra gets its first Ramsar site (Nandur Madhameshwar) , Punjab which already had 3 Ramsar sites adds 3 more (Keshopur-Miani, Beas Conservation Reserve, Nangal) and UP with 1 Ramsar site has added 6 more (Nawabganj, Parvati Agra, Saman, Samaspur, Sandi and SarsaiNawar).