Biweekly Sept-2024 First Edition

BIOE3 POLICY: ENHANCING BIOECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY

The Union Cabinet has recently approved the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment) Policy, aimed at advancing high-performance bio manufacturing. This policy underscores India’s commitment to harnessing biotechnology for economic growth, environmental sustainability, and job creation.

INTRODUCTION

The BioE3 policy represents a pivotal framework designed to integrate biological processes into economic, environmental, and energy strategies. By emphasizing the potential of biological innovations to drive sustainable development, the policy aligns with India’s broader goals of economic growth, environmental protection, and energy efficiency.

OBJECTIVES OF THE BIOE3 POLICY

Promote Bio economy: The BioE3 policy aims to stimulate the bio economy by leveraging biological resources, processes, and systems to create value across various sectors. This includes:

• Biotechnology Innovations: Advancing biotechnological research to develop new products and processes that can drive economic growth.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability through bio-based inputs and practices.
• Industrial Biotechnology: Promoting the use of biological processes in industrial applications to replace traditional chemical processes, thereby reducing environmental impact.

Environmental Protection: Environmental sustainability is a cornerstone of the BioE3 policy. Key goals include:

• Pollution Reduction: Using biological methods to clean up pollutants and manage waste more effectively.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Protecting and utilizing biological diversity in a way that maintains ecosystem balance and resilience.
• Climate Change Mitigation: Implementing biotechnological solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change impacts.

Enhance Energy Efficiency: The policy focuses on improving energy efficiency through:

• Bioenergy Development: Promoting the use of biological materials as renewable energy sources, such as biofuels and biogas.
• Energy Conservation: Utilizing biological processes to enhance energy efficiency in industrial and residential settings.
• Innovation in Energy Technologies: Supporting research and development of cutting-edge biotechnologies for energy production and management.

KEY COMPONENTS OF THE BIOE3 POLICY

1. Research and Development (R&D):
   • Funding and Support: Allocating resources for R&D in biotechnology, environmental management, and energy efficiency.
   • Collaborative Platforms: Encouraging partnerships between academic institutions, research organizations, and industries to foster innovation.
2. Regulatory Framework:
   • Standards and Guidelines: Developing and enforcing standards for biotechnological products and processes to ensure safety and efficacy.
   • Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): Strengthening IPR frameworks to protect innovations and incentivize research.
3. Capacity Building:
   • Skill Development: Training and upskilling the workforce in biotechnology and environmental management.
   • Educational Programs: Integrating bio economy, environmental, and energy efficiency topics into academic curricula.
4. Public-Private Partnerships:
   • Investment and Incentives: Providing financial incentives for private sector investments in bio economy and clean technologies.
   • Joint Ventures: Encouraging collaborations between government agencies and private companies to scale up innovations.
5. Implementation Mechanisms:
   • Policy Coordination: Establishing a central body to oversee the implementation and coordination of BioE3 initiatives.
   • Monitoring and Evaluation: Implementing robust monitoring systems to assess the effectiveness of policies and programs.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

1. National Bio Economy Strategy (NBS):
   • Objective: To enhance India’s bio economy by fostering innovation, improving infrastructure, and supporting biotech start-ups.
   • Components: Includes funding for R&D, support for technology transfer, and development of biotech clusters.
2. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY):
   • Objective: While primarily a health insurance scheme, it indirectly supports bio economy by promoting healthcare innovations and biotechnology research.
   • Components: Provides financial protection for health services, thereby creating a demand for advanced biotech solutions.
3. National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF):
   • Objective: To finance innovative clean energy technologies, including bioenergy projects.
   • Components: Provides grants and loans for the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies.
4. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC):
   • Objective: To support biotech start-ups and innovations through funding and mentoring.
   • Components: Offers grants, equity funding, and incubation support to emerging biotech enterprises.
5. Bioenergy Programmes:
   • Objective: To promote the use of biological resources for energy production.
   • Components: Includes subsidies for biofuel production, support for biogas plants, and incentives for research in bioenergy technologies.

CHALLENGES

1. Funding and Investment:
   • Limited Resources: Adequate funding for R&D and implementation remains a challenge.
   • Investment Risks: High-risk nature of biotech ventures may deter private investment.
2. Regulatory Hurdles:
   • Complex Regulations: Navigating regulatory requirements can be cumbersome for innovators.
   • Intellectual Property Issues: Protecting innovations while fostering an open research environment is challenging.
3. Infrastructure Constraints:
   • Lack of Facilities: Insufficient infrastructure for advanced biotechnological research and development.
   • Capacity Gaps: Inadequate facilities for scaling up bioenergy and environmental technologies.
4. Skill Shortages:
   • Workforce Skills: There is a shortage of skilled professionals in biotechnology and environmental management fields.
   • Training Needs: Continuous skill development is necessary to keep pace with technological advancements.

WAY FORWARD

1. Enhanced Investment:
   • Increase Funding: Government and private sectors should increase investment in biotech R&D, environmental technologies, and bioenergy projects.
   • Support Start-ups: Provide targeted financial support and incentives for biotech start-ups and innovation hubs.
2. Streamline Regulations:
   • Simplify Processes: Simplify regulatory processes to facilitate innovation while ensuring safety and efficacy.
   • Strengthen IPR Protections: Enhance intellectual property protections to encourage investment in new technologies.

CONCLUSION

India’s health sector is at a crucial juncture, facing the dual challenge of addressing immediate health needs while preparing for future demands. By adopting a comprehensive approach that integrates preventive and curative care, strengthens public health infrastructure, and ensures equitable access, India can build a more robust and inclusive health system. The ongoing economic, demographic, and epidemiological transitions necessitate a forward-thinking strategy to effectively address these challenges and improve overall health outcomes for the population.

PRELIMS IN-BRIEF BI-WEEKLY

HISTORY

Guru Padmasambhava

Name: Guru Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche)

Era: 8th century

Region: Ancient India, with significant impact in Tibet and the Himalayan region

Contributions:

• Revered figure in Buddha Dhamma and Tibetan Buddhism
• Credited with spreading Buddhism to the Himalayan belt, including regions such as India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Tibet
• Known for his role in founding Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet (arrived in 749 A.D.)

Teaching Location: Nalanda, a renowned centre of Buddhist studies in India

Cultural Impact:

• Integrated various cultural elements including Yogic and Tantric practices
• Influenced meditation, art, music, dance, magic, folklore, and religious teachings

Saora Tribe

Location: Primarily in Odisha; also found in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam.

Language: Sora, a Munda language; has its own script called SorangSompeng.

Physical Characteristics: Show racial affinity to Proto Australoid traits, common among Central and Southern Indian aborigines.

Religion: Worship a variety of gods and spirits; intricate religious practices and customs; traditional tattooing practice called ‘Tantangbo’.

Economic Classes:

• Sudha Saora: Engage in wet cultivation, wage earning, and firewood selling.
• Lanjia Saora: Practice shifting and terraced cultivation on hill slopes.

Settlement Pattern:

• No specific settlement pattern; houses are scattered.
• Megaliths erected for deceased kin are nearby.
• Village guardian deity, Kitungsum, is installed at the village entrance.
• Typical house: One-roomed, thatched, with stone and mud walls, low roof, high plinth, front verandah, and walls colored with red earth.

Thanjavur Veena

Types:

• Ekantha Veena: Carved from a single block of wood.
• Sada Veena: Composed of three sections—resonator (kudam), neck (dandi), and head, with joints.

Construction Material: Made from fresh bark of the Jack Fruit Tree, which undergoes multiple rounds of testing.

Frets: Features 24 fixed frets (Mettu) to accommodate all ragas.

Production Time: Takes approximately 15-20 days to complete, involving cutting, carving, shaping, and assembling.

Types of Veena:

• Hindustani Classical Music: Rudra veena, Vichitra veena.
• Carnatic Classical Music: Saraswati veena, Chitra veena.

Unique Aspect: Thanjavur is renowned for the manufacture of the Saraswati veena. Saraswati, the goddess of learning and arts, is traditionally depicted with a veena.

Konyak Tribe

Geographical Distribution: Primarily found in the Mon district of Nagaland and the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Etymology:

Name Origin: The term ‘Konyak’ is derived from ‘Whao’ (head) and ‘Nyak’ (black), translating to ‘men with black hair’.

Social Structure:

• Thendu: “Tattooed Face” group.
• Thentho: “White Face” group.
• Patriarchy: The society follows a patriarchal system where the eldest son inherits the paternal property.
• Ethnic Origin: Mongoloid.
• Religion: Approximately 95% of the Konyak population adheres to Christianity.

Language:

Linguistic Classification: The Konyak language is part of the Northern Naga subgroup within the Sal branch of the Sino-Tibetan family.

Major Festivals:

• Aolingmonyu: Celebrates the arrival of spring.
• Aonyimo: Marks agricultural activities.
• Laoun-ongmo: A traditional festival with cultural significance.

Enemy Property Act 1968

Definition of Enemy: A country (and its citizens) that has committed external aggression against India, specifically Pakistan and China.

Enemy Property: Property belonging to or managed on behalf of an enemy, enemy subject, or enemy firm, including properties left behind by individuals who became citizens of Pakistan or China after leaving India during partition or after the 1962 war.

The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016:

• Amendments: Expanded definitions of “enemy subject” and “enemy firm” to include legal heirs and successors of enemies, regardless of nationality. Enemy property remains vested in the Custodian even if the enemy or their legal heir ceases to be an enemy due to various reasons (death, change of nationality, etc.).
• Impact: The amended law continues to vest enemy properties in the Custodian despite changes in the enemy status of individuals or firms.
• Distribution of Enemy Properties in India:
  • Maximum number in Uttar Pradesh: 4,991.
  • Bengal: 2,735.
  • Delhi: 487.

GEOGRAPHY

Madeira River

Major Tributary: Of the Amazon River.

Formation: Junction of the Mamoré and Beni rivers at Villa Bella, Bolivia.

Course: Flows northward and forms the border between Bolivia and Brazil for approximately 100 km (60 miles).

Basin:

Area: Encompasses approximately 1,300,000 square kilometers (502,000 square miles), covering about 19% of the Amazon Basin.

Distribution: Approximately 50% in Bolivia, 40% in Brazil, and 10% in Peru.

Significance:

• Hydrological Role: Crucial to the Amazon Basin’s hydrology.
• Ecosystem: Supports diverse flora and fauna as a vital component of the region’s ecosystem.

Eturunagaram Wildlife Sanctuary

Established: Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1953.

Location: Borders Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.

Rivers:

• Dayyam Vagu: A perennial river flowing through and dividing the sanctuary into two parts.
• Godavari River: Also passes through the sanctuary.

Vegetation: Tropical dry deciduous type.

Notable Event: Hosts Sammakkka Sarakka Jathra, one of Asia’s largest tribal festivals, held every two years.

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR)

Location: Pilibhit District, Lakhimpur Kheri District, and Bahraich District, Uttar Pradesh.

Geography:

• Lies along the India-Nepal border.
• Located in the foothills of the Himalayas and the Terai plains.
• River Gomti originates here.
• Sharda Sagar Dam is on the boundary of the reserve.

Chital (Spotted Deer)

Distribution: Indian subcontinent (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan).

Habitat: Subtropical grasslands and forests.

Physical Characteristics:

• Lifespan: 20 to 30 years.
• Height: ~35 inches; Weight: ~187 pounds.
• Color: Reddish brown with white spots.
• Antlers: Present only in males; males are larger than females.

Behavior: Social animals, often found in herds of 10 to 50.

Diet: Primarily grasses, herbs, shrubs, foliage, and fruits.

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

Uri-I Hydroelectric Project

Location: Jhelum River, Jammu & Kashmir.

Commissioned: 1997.

Installed Capacity: 480 MW.

Ownership: Central Government.

Operating Company: National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC).

Jhelum River:

Flow Path: Originates from Verinag Spring, Anantnag, Kashmir Valley; flows through Srinagar, Wular Lake; enters Pakistan, joins Chenab River near Trimmu.

Major Tributaries:

• Kishenganga (Neelum) River.
• Kunhar River.
• Sandran River.
• Bringi River.
• Arapath River.
• Watlara River.
• Lidder River.
• Veshaw River.

Significance: Main waterway of Kashmir Valley, largest and most western river of the five Punjab rivers.

Cocoa Tree

Importance: Grown primarily for chocolate production.

Origin: Native to the Amazon basin of South America.

Geographic Range: Grows between 20° north and south of the equator in humid tropics, including West Africa and South America.

Required Climatic Conditions:

• Altitude: Can be cultivated up to 300 meters above mean sea level.
• Rainfall: Requires 1500-2000 mm of annual rainfall.
• Temperature: Ideal temperature range is 15°C-39°C, with an optimum of 25°C.
• Soil: Prefers deep, well-drained soils; commonly grown on clay loam and sandy loam soils. Optimal pH range is 6.5 to 7.0.
• Shade Requirement: Thrives as an understorey crop with about 50% of light available in plantations.

Major Producing Regions:

• Global: Approximately 70% of the world’s cocoa beans come from four West African countries: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon.
• India: Cultivated primarily in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, often intercropped with Arecanut and Coconut.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Location: Situated in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts of Karnataka. Geographical confluence of the Western and Eastern Ghats.

Boundaries:

• North-West: Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (separated by Kabini Reservoir).
• South: Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
• South-West: Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

Rivers:

• Kabini River to the north.
• Moyar River to the south.

History:

• Established in 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park by the Maharaja of Mysore.
• Renamed and expanded as Bandipur Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1973.

Part of: Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Fauna: Hosts the largest population of wild Asian elephants in South Asia.

IndOBIS:

Indian Ocean Biodiversity Information System (IndOBIS) is the Indian regional node of the global Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). It is hosted by the Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi.

IndOBIS collects data of taxonomically resolved marine species occurrence records from the Indian Ocean and contributes to the OBIS as one of the 30 regional nodes of the Ocean Biodiversity Information System OBIS.

What is OBIS?

• It is one of the largest global repositories of information on marine species, containing millions of records from thousands of datasets contributed by researchers, governments, and organisations worldwide.
• It provides detailed information on species distribution across the world’s oceans, including data on their occurrence, habitats, and environmental parameters.
• It offers tools and services that allow users to search, visualise, and download biodiversity data.

IndOBIS:

Indian Ocean Biodiversity Information System (IndOBIS) is the Indian regional node of the global Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). It is hosted by the Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi.

IndOBIS collects data of taxonomically resolved marine species occurrence records from the Indian Ocean and contributes to the OBIS as one of the 30 regional nodes of the Ocean Biodiversity Information System OBIS.

What is OBIS?

• It is one of the largest global repositories of information on marine species, containing millions of records from thousands of datasets contributed by researchers, governments, and organisations worldwide.
• It provides detailed information on species distribution across the world’s oceans, including data on their occurrence, habitats, and environmental parameters.
• It offers tools and services that allow users to search, visualise, and download biodiversity data.
• It is supported by a network of nearly 30 regional nodes contributing data while ensuring the data’s quality and accessibility.
• It is a ready reference resource in marine science, conservation, and education.
• It has been set up by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO for promoting marine science, conservation, and sustainable development.
• It is now an integral component of the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) of IOC.

Krishna River

Location and Importance: The Krishna River is located in south-central India. It is the fourth-largest river in India by water inflows and basin size, following the Ganga, Godavari, and Brahmaputra.

Course:

• Origin: The Krishna River rises in the Western Ghats of western Maharashtra, near the town of Mahabaleshwar, approximately 64 km from the Arabian Sea.
• Path: It flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Destination: It empties into the Bay of Bengal at Hamasaladeevi in Andhra Pradesh.

Geographical Boundaries:

• North: Bounded by the Balaghat range.
• South and East: Bounded by the Eastern Ghats.
• West: Bounded by the Western Ghats.

Tributaries:

• Right Bank Tributaries: Ghatprabha, Malprabha, Tungabhadra.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

BPaLM Regimen

Purpose: New treatment regimen for multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Introduced By: Union Health Ministry under the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP).

Composition: Combines four drugs:

• Bedaquiline
• Pretomanid
• Linezolid
• Optionally, Moxifloxacin

Approval: Pretomanid was approved and licensed for use in India by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

Efficacy:

• Safer and more effective compared to traditional MDR-TB treatments.
• All-oral regimen with a low overall pill burden, enhancing patient compliance.
• Cure rate for drug-resistant TB in six months, compared to up to 20 months with previous treatments.
• Associated with fewer side effects.

Agni-4 Missile

Type: Intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Launch Site: Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha.

Operational Control: Conducted under the Strategic Forces Command, part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA).

Features:

• Range: Up to 4,000 kilometres.
• Length: 20 metres.
• Payload Capacity: 1,000 kg.
• Firing Platform: Road-mobile launcher.
• Missile Type: Surface-to-surface.
• Propulsion: Mobile, two-stage solid-fuel system.

Development: Designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis)

Caused by: The fungus Coccidioides.

Found in: Soil in southwestern U.S., south-central Washington, Mexico, and parts of Central and South America.

Transmission: Inhalation of fungal spores from dust or disturbed soil.

Symptoms: Can be asymptomatic or mild; severe cases can lead to pneumonia, pleural effusion, empyema, ARDS, hydropneumothorax, disseminated coccidioidomycosis, or coccidioidal meningitis.

Treatment: Mild cases often resolve on their own; severe cases require antifungal medications.

Fluoxetine

Definition: Fluoxetine is a common antidepressant medication.

Mechanism of Action: Inhibits the reuptake of serotonin by nerve cells (neurons), thereby increasing serotonin levels in the brain.

Uses:

• Treats depression
• Manages panic disorders
• Addreses anxiety
• Helps with obsessive-compulsive symptoms

Effects on Male Guppy Fish:

Low Concentrations:

• Reduced activity levels
• Increased refuge-seeking behaviour
• Altered body condition
• Enlarged reproductive organs
• Reduced sperm velocity
• Suppressed behavioural plasticity, limiting flexible responses to the environment

High Concentrations:

• Increased variation in body condition between individuals
• Increased variation in sperm numbers

Implications:

• Potential impacts on mating success and reproductive fitness in polluted waters.
• Effects on behavioural and reproductive metrics may have ecological significance.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)

Definition: Severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock with significant economic impact.

Affected Animals: Cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.

Susceptibility: Intensively reared animals are more susceptible than traditional breeds.

Disease Status: Transboundary animal disease (TAD) affecting livestock production and disrupting trade; not a human health or food safety threat.

Virus: Aphthovirus, family Picornaviridae.

Strains: Seven strains (A, O, C, SAT1, SAT2, SAT3, Asia1), endemic in different regions.

Immunity: Immunity to one strain does not protect against other strains or subtypes.

Transmission:

• Found in all excretions and secretions from infected animals.
• Aerosolized virus from breathing can infect others via respiratory or oral routes.

Impact: Severe production losses; animals often recover but may remain weakened and debilitated.

Vaccines: Available but must match the specific virus type and subtype.

Acetanilide

Physical Properties: White, odourless solid.

Chemical Relation: Related to acetic acid.

Historical Use:

• Introduced in 1886 as a fever-reducing drug.
• Effective for pain relief; used as an alternative to aspirin for treating headaches, menstrual cramps, and rheumatism.

Toxicity: Excessive or prolonged use can cause toxic side effects by interfering with haemoglobin function.

Metabolism:

• Primarily converted to acetaminophen (paracetamol) in the body.
• Acetaminophen has largely replaced acetanilide due to fewer blood disorder risks.

Industrial Use: Used as an intermediate in producing dyes, rubber, and other chemicals.

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and 2D Materials

Definition: Uniformly structured porous materials that are multifunctional coordination polymers.

Features:

• Large surface area
• High functionality
• Versatile optoelectronic properties

Applications:

• Solid-phase extraction
• Electrochemical and optical sensors
• Detection of bacteria, aflatoxins, heavy metals
• Development into disposable electrodes, optical kits, fiber optic sensors, colorimetric strips

Zombie Fungus and Tarantulas

Scientific Name: Ophiocordyceps unilateralis

Characteristics:

• Drains host of nutrients and fills host body with spores for reproduction.
• Seizes control of host’s mind and motor functions before consuming the host’s body.

Hosts:

• Primarily infects insects such as ants and spiders.
• Commonly targets carpenter ants.

Tarantulas

Species: Over 900 species worldwide (except Antarctica).

Physical Characteristics:

• Large, hairy spiders.
• Adult tarantulas average 5 inches (13 cm) in body length.

Behavior:

• Move slowly on eight hairy legs.
• Nocturnal predators.

Samudra Pratap

The vessel will help to check the oil spillage in the country’s sea coast.

The ship was launched and named as ‘Samudra Pratap’.

It is built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the Indian Coast Guard.

It is the first time these types of vessels are being designed and built indigenously in India.

Features:

• It boasts a length of 114.5 meters, a breadth of 16.5 meters, and a displacement of 4,170 tons. The vessel will be manned by 14 officers and 115 sailors and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for pollution control.
• Notably, it features side-sweeping arms to contain oil spills while in motion, an advanced radar system for oil spill detection, and facilities to recover and store various types of oil.

Significance: The vessel is a crucial addition to the Indian Coast Guard’s fleet, enhancing its capacity to manage oil spill response operations in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and beyond.

Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (2018)

Purpose: Governs the manufacture, storage, and sale of Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani medicines to control inappropriate advertisements.

Introduction: Implemented in response to a parliamentary standing committee’s concerns about misleading claims in advertisements.

Advertising Restrictions: AYUSH drug manufacturers must obtain approval and a unique identification number from the state licensing authority before advertising.

Required Submissions: Manufacturers must provide textual references, rationale from authoritative books, evidence of safety, effectiveness, and quality.

Rejection Criteria: Application may be rejected for:

• Absence of contact details.
• Obscene or vulgar content.
• Products promoting enhancement of sexual organs.
• Use of celebrity or government official endorsements.
• References to government organizations.
• Misleading or exaggerated claims.

Digital Bus Initiative

Joint Venture: National Digital India Mission and NIIT Foundation.

Started: 2017.

Objectives:

• Bridge the digital divide in remote areas.
• Link communities to government programs and initiatives.
• Enhance learning interest and introduce a multidisciplinary approach to education.
• Promote collaborative learning and interpersonal skill development.
• Raise technology awareness in rural communities.
• Provide equal opportunities for rural youth.

Features of the Buses:

• Solar-powered and 5G-enabled.
• Fully equipped classrooms with computers, Internet access, and camera/video facilities.
• Preinstalled e-courses available free of cost.

Focus of Courses:

• Fundamental skills such as using e-mail, the Internet, and applications.
• Career programs to assist beneficiaries in finding jobs in nearby cities or towns.

VisioNxt Initiative

Description: India’s first trend insights and forecasting initiative, focused on the Indian fashion and retail market.

Establishment: Conceived at NIFT Delhi (Creative Lab) and NIFT Chennai (Insights Lab) with support from the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, in 2018.

Centralization: Now centralized in Chennai.

Mission: To identify, map, and analyze geo-specific trends reflecting India’s cultural diversity and socioeconomic nuances.

Services: Offers trend-related consultancy, academic courses, workshops, and fashion trend forecasts.

Technology: Combines Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) to generate insights.

Significance: Reduces dependence on global forecasting agencies, provides unique insights into Indian fashion consumers, integrates IT with textiles, and combines AI with human intelligence.

Accessibility: Reports available in Hindi and English via the VisioNxt portal.

Notable Development: Introduction of the “DeepVision” prediction model to decode and interpret fashion trends in India.

Upcoming Launch: “Paridhi,” the first inclusive fashion trend forecast by VisioNxt, along with a web portal to disseminate India-specific fashion trends.

SAMRIDH Scheme

Full Form: Software Products Accelerated Growth for MSMEs and Startups (SAMRIDH).

Launched: August 2021.

Objective: To support and accelerate IT-based startups.

Focus: Provides customer connect, investors connect, and access to international markets.

Eligibility for Accelerators:

• Must be a registered Section-8 Society or Not-for-Profit Company with operations in India.
• Should have more than 3 years of experience and have supported over 50 startups (with at least 10 receiving external investment).
• Must have experience running startup program cohorts.

Implementation: Managed by MeitY Start-up Hub (MSH) and Digital India Corporation (DIC).

Centralized Pension Payment System (CPPS)

Description: National-level centralized system for pension payouts.

Replaces: The decentralized system where EPFO Zonal/Regional Offices have limited arrangements with banks.

Eligibility for Pension:

• Must be a member of EPFO.
• Must have completed 10 years of service.
• Must be at least 58 years old (or 50 years for early withdrawal at a reduced rate).
• Can defer pension up to age 60 for an additional 4% per year.

Implementation: Part of EPFO’s IT modernization project Centralized IT Enabled System (CITES 2.01), launching on 1st January 2025.

Benefits:

• Simplifies pension disbursement across India.
• Eliminates the need for transferring Pension Payment Orders (PPO) when relocating or changing banks.
• Estimated to benefit over 78 lakh EPFO EPS pensioners.

e-Shram Portal

Launch Year: 2021

Launched by: Ministry of Labour and Employment

Purpose: Registration and creation of a comprehensive National Database of Unorganized Workers.

Features:

• Aadhaar Integration: Registration is Aadhaar verified and Aadhaar seeded.
• Self-Declaration Basis: Unorganised workers can register themselves.

Occupations: Covers over 400 occupations across 30 broad sectors.

Integration: Connected with National Career Service (NCS) Portal, Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), myScheme portal, and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhaan (PMSYM) scheme.

Objective: Facilitate access to various social security schemes for unorganised workers.

AgriSURE Fund

Name and Objective: The AgriSURE Fund, also known as the Agri Fund for Start-ups & Rural Enterprises, aims to revolutionize the agricultural landscape in India by focusing on technology-driven and high-impact ventures.

Focus Area: The fund primarily targets technology-driven innovations, high-risk ventures, and impactful projects in agriculture and rural enterprises.

Funding Structure:

• The fund is a Blended Capital Fund with a total corpus of ₹750 crore.
• Contributions include ₹250 crore from the Government of India, ₹250 crore from NABARD, and ₹250 crore mobilized from banks, insurance companies, and private investors.
• It is classified under SEBI Registered Category II, Alternative Investment Fund (AIF).

Key Objectives:

• Promote innovative, technology-driven initiatives in agriculture.
• Enhance the farm produce value chain.
• Create rural ecosystem linkages and infrastructure.
• Generate employment and support Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs).

Focus Areas for Investment:

• IT-based solutions and machinery rental services for farmers.
• Encouraging entrepreneurship and driving sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.

Fund Management: NABVENTURES, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NABARD, will manage the AgriSURE Fund.

POSHAN TRACKER INITIATIVE

Objective and Purpose:

• Primary Focus: Identifying and addressing growth issues among children aged 0-6 years.
• Tools Used: Real-time monitoring, WHO growth charts.
• Outcome: Ensures optimal nutritional outcomes.

Role of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs): Evaluating children’s health status and implementing interventions based on detected deviations from growth patterns.

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