1. NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY (NIA)

Former police officer and “encounter specialist” Pradeep Sharma was called by NIA for questioning in connection with the Mukesh Ambani terror scare case.

About:

• National Investigation Agency (NIA) is the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India.
• Parent agency: Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Establishment: NIA was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008.
• Jurisdiction: The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states.
• A State Government may request the Central Government to hand over the investigation of a case to the NIA, provided the case has been registered for the offences as contained in the schedule to the NIA Act.

NIA special courts:

• Various Special Courts have been notified by the Govt. of India for trial of the cases arising out of offences committed in various states of the Union.
• These are presided over by a judge appointed by the Central Government on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the High Court with jurisdiction in that region.
• Offices: it is headquartered in Delhi and has branch offices in 8 locations.

NOTES:

• National Investigative Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019
• In 2019, the Parliament passed the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• The amendment strengthens the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to speed up trials in terrorism-related cases. By designating special courts, the cases would be expedited and transfers or delay in appointments of judges would not delay them.
• The agency will be able to investigate terrorist acts against Indian embassies and assets abroad and take up cases of drug, arms and women trafficking apart from cyber-terrorism.

Source : Indian Express

2. INDIA – JAPAN RELATIONS

The Union Cabinet is apprised of a MoU signed between National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Dept of Space, Government of India and Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan for Academic and Research Cooperation and Exchange in November, 2020.

Objectives:

• This MoU shall enable NARL and RISH to continue their cooperation in areas of atmospheric science and technology.
• This MoU would lead to mutual utilization of facilities such as the Middle and Upper atmosphere (MU) radar in Shigaraki, Japan, the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) in Kototabang, Indonesia etc.

Background

• NARL and RISH have been collaborating in the area of atmospheric science and technology as well as exchange of scientists.
• This arrangement was formalised in 2008 through an MoU which was renewed in the year 2013.
• A fresh MOU to promote collaborative research, as per the new guidelines, was signed in November 2020 by both sides and exchanged.

Source : DD News

3. INS SARVEKSHAK

INS Sarvekshak, a hydrographic survey ship, is on a deployment to Mauritius for undertaking joint hydrographic surveys along with their Mauritian counterparts.

About:

• During the deployment, training of Mauritian personnel on advanced hydrographic equipment and practices will also be undertaken. The ship visited Port Louis, Mauritius and commenced the hydrographic survey of ‘Deep sea area off Port Louis’.
• INS Sarvekshak, a specialised survey ship is fitted with state-of-the-art survey equipment like Deep Sea Multi-Beam Echo Sounder, Side Scan Sonars and a fully automated digital surveying and processing system.
• In addition, the ship carries an integral Chetak helicopter, which would be extensively deployed during the survey.
• INS Sarvekshak has undertaken various foreign cooperation surveys over the last few years in Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania and Kenya.

Source : PIB

4. VACCINES FOR ANIMALS

The ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh transferred the Technology - CSF and Sheep Pox Vaccines to M/s Hester Biosciences through Agrinnovate India Limited.

About:

Live Attenuated Indigenous CSF Cell Culture Vaccine (IVRI-CSF-BS):

• The Classical Swine Fever (CSF) is an important disease of pigs that causes 100% mortality. 
• In India, the disease is controlled by a lapinized CSF vaccine (Weybridge Strain, U.K.) produced by killing large numbers of rabbits. 
• To avoid this, the ICAR-IVRI developed a Cell Culture CSF Vaccine using the Lapinized Vaccine Virus from foreign strain. 

NOTES:

• Indigenous Live Attenuated Sheep Pox Vaccine [SPPV Srin 38/00]:
• Sheep pox is a severe viral disease in sheep. 
• A live attenuated Sheep Pox Vaccine using indigenous strain was developed by the Institute for preventive vaccination in the sheep population. 
• The developed Vaccine uses indigenous Sheep Pox Virus Strain [SPPV Srin 38/00] and is adapted to grow in the Vero cell line which makes the Vaccine production to be easily scalable.

Source : PIB

5. ‘LAB ON WHEELS’ PROGRAMME

Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia has inaugurated Delhi Technological University's 'Lab on Wheels' programme.

About:

• It will have students of the university travelling in a bus across Delhi to teach government school students and underprivileged children.
• The idea is to impart education in the fields of Mathematics and Science to those students who come from marginalised and poor economic backgrounds, in order to pique their interests in these subjects while pursuing higher education.
• In the end, the hope is that it becomes mutually beneficial, if some of these students decide to take admission in DTU once they finish schooling.
• The ‘Lab on Wheels’ will comprise 16 computers, two televisions, one 3D printer, one laptop, cameras and one printer. It will be Wi-Fi enabled, with 100 per cent power back up and fully air-conditioned.

Source : Indian Express

6. PLI SCHEME FOR WHITE GOODS (AIR CONDITIONERS AND LED LIGHTS)

The Union Cabinet approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights) with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,238 crore.

About:

• The PLI Scheme for White Goods shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India for a period of five years to companies engaged in manufacturing of Air Conditioners and LED Lights.
• An entity availing benefits under any other PLI Scheme of Govt. India will not be eligible under this scheme for the same products but the entity may take benefits under other applicable schemes of Govt. of India or schemes of State governments.
• The Scheme will be implemented as a pan India scheme and is not specific to any location, area or segment of population. A number of global and domestic companies, including a number of MSMEs are likely to benefit from the Scheme.
• Benefits: It is estimated that over the period of five years, the PLI Scheme will lead to incremental investment of Rs. 7,920 Crore, incremental Production worth Rs. 1,68,000 Crore, exports worth Rs 64,400 Crore, earn direct and indirect revenues of Rs 49,300 crore and create additional four lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.

White goods?

• A major appliance, also known as a large domestic appliance or large electric appliance is a non-portable or semi-portable machine used for routine housekeeping tasks such as cooking, washing laundry, or food preservation.
• Such appliances are sometimes collectively known as white goods, as the products were traditionally white in colour, although a variety of colours are now available.

Source : PIB

7. E9 PARTNERSHIP

Minister for Education (India) addressed the consultation meeting of Education Ministers of E9 countries on E9 initiative: Scaling up digital learning to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education.

About:

• Spearheaded by the United Nations (UN), the E9 Partnership was first established in 1993.
• E9 Countries include Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
• The initiative aims to advance the Sustainable Development Goal 4 agenda by driving rapid change in education systems in three of the 2020 Global Education Meeting priorities: (i) support to teachers; (ii) investment in skills; and (iii) narrowing of the digital divide.

Source : PIB

8. PLI SCHEME 'NATIONAL PROGRAMME ON HIGH EFFICIENCY SOLAR PV MODULES'

The Union Cabinet has approved the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy's proposal for implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme 'National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV (Photo Voltic) Modules' for achieving manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt (GW) scale in high efficiency solar PV modules with an outlay of Rs.4,500 crore.

About:

• Solar PV manufacturers will be selected through a transparent competitive bidding process.
• PLI will be disbursed for 5 years post commissioning of solar PV manufacturing plants, on sales of high efficiency solar PV modules.
• The outcomes/ benefits expected from the scheme are as follows:
• Additional 10,000 MW capacity of integrated solar PV manufacturing plants,
• Direct investment of around Rs.17,200 crore in solar PV manufacturing projects
• Demand of Rs.17,500 crore over 5 years for 'Balance of Materials',
• Direct employment of about 30,000 and Indirect employment of about1,20,000 persons,
• Import substitution of around Rs.17,500 crore every year, and
• Impetus to Research & Development to achieve higher efficiency in solar PV modules.

Source : Business Standard

9. MONETARY POLICY

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to keep its short term lending rate or the repo rate unchanged at 4 per cent, in line with market expectations.

About:

• Announcing the monetary policy, RBI Governor said the central bank will maintain its ‘accommodative stance’ as long as required to sustain growth on a durable basis.
• The RBI maintained its GDP growth forecast at 10.5 per cent for 2021-22.
• Measures for liquidity announced
• RBI also announced a series of measures to inject liquidity in the government securities market and the financial system.
• RBI will ensure orderly conduct of government borrowing programme. In this respect, the central bank announced a secondary market government securities (G-sec) acquisition plan worth Rs 1 lakh crore for April-June.
• Amid the government plans to support a new asset reconstruction company being set up by banks, the RBI has decided to set up a committee to review the working of ARCs to ensure how better these entities can support the financial sector.
• In the policy review, the RBI decided to extend the RTGS and NEFT payments platforms to prepaid payment instruments, white label ATMs as well.

Source : Indian Express