PIB 17

1. apart from natural calamities, cyber disaster pose a new threat in the present day situation and there is a need to address this challenge where the DRDO and other stakeholders can contribute immensely. natural hazards affects nearly six percent of India’s population and 24 percent of deaths in Asia caused by disasters.

2. The Ministry of Road Transport & highways has issued a draft notification for implementation of BS-V and BS-VI norms for the automobile sector, covering the four wheeler category. The ministry has decided to advance the date for implementation of the higher level emission standards.

3. India re-elected as Member of International Maritime Council for coming two years (2016-17). India has been one of the earliest members of the IMO, having ratified its Convention and joined it as a member-state in the year 1959. It may also be recalled that vulnerable areas were defined as High Risk Area (HRA), characterized by piracy attacks and / or hijackings and in 2008, the HRA line in the Indian Ocean region was designated at 65 degrees East longitude. from its existing position of 78 degrees East longitude to 65 degrees East longitude. This shift will come into effect from December 1, 2015. This will result in huge savings for India’s EXIM trade and consumers on account of reduced insurance premium and consequently freight costs. It will improve safety of fishermen and fishing boats, and will also improve the security along India’s coastline.

4. As per Para 4(1) of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, there shall be TAC in each State having Scheduled Areas therein and , if the President should directs, also in any State having Scheduled Tribes but non-Scheduled Areas. As per provisions of Fifth Schedule, the members of TAC should be not more than 20 of whom, as nearly as may be, three-fourths shall be the representatives of the STs in the Legislative Assemble in the State. To advise on such matters pertaining to the welfare and advancement of the Scheduled Tribes in the State as may be referred to them by the Governor.

5. NITI Aayog with its mandate of cooperative federalism has been regularly engaging with States, particularly during the meetings of the Sub group of Chief Ministers constituted specifically with themes such as Rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), Skill Development and Swacch Bharat Abhiyan in addition to Task Forces on Agriculture and Poverty Elimination. The States were broadly in agreement with the reduced role of NITI in allocative decisions and desired that NITI Aayog should play the role of a Knowledge organization.

6. Eight Higher Educational institutions from India have been listed in the top 500 universities in the World by the QS rankings in 2015. However, since many of these ranking systems attach considerable importance to perception, despite faring well in the research, many institutions from India have not secured the ranks as per their performance. While working on their strengths, the Indian higher education institutions would need to work on improving their perception index if they have to better their global rankings. For a more objective assessment based on performance, Government has brought out the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for Higher Education Institutions.Under this, each institution is evaluated on 5 broad parameters namely – 1) Teaching / Learning resources, 2) Research 3) Graduation Outcomes, 4) Outreach / Inclusive nature and 5) The public perception.