PIB 3

1. UN will carry greater credibility and legitimacy and will be more representative and effective in addressing the challenges of the 21st century. Trends in demography, urbanization and migrations are posing new challenges. Climate change and terrorism are new concerns. Cyber and Space are entirely new frontiers of opportunities and challenges.

2. every district must have its own skill based program. Prior to this one will have to perceive the facts that what are the small industries in vogue in a district and to know the aspirations of education among people living in district level.

3. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was a success for the first commitment period ending in 2012. Demand-supply mismatch and low ambition for emission reduction expressed by developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol is a major cause for the slowdown of the well-established CDM market thereafter. In addition, the unilateral decision taken by some countries to restrict the benefits of CDM to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) only, and not to other developing countries like India, has further reduced the confidence in the Market mechanism. The real issue is how to make available the critical technologies for the developing world at an affordable cost. To this end, India is proposing that part of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) should be used for this purpose, which will be a win-win proposal for all the stakeholders”

4. the current grid is not designed for carrying the 175 GigaWatts (GW) of renewable energy that India is targeting, and therefore a complimentary effort is required on the grid side. Kochi Airport becoming a solar-powered airport,

5. the State of Mizoram has a very bright opportunity to develop itself and earn the distinction of being a “Bamboo State” of the Indian Union. He said, the high level of production of bamboo from Mizoram can turn out to be a major source of not only furniture but also paper to the rest of the country. This could not only help generate revenue for the State but also create job opportunities for youth outside the State-skill development initiatives

6. the National Forest Policy envisages 33% of the geographical area should be under forest or tree cover, but the notified forest cover is only about 22%. The implementation of new Green Highways Policy can help in bridging this gap

PIB report 2

1. Disaster Management should not only involve relief operation, rescue, rehabilitation, reconstruction but also strike the root cause of it and prevent the disaster. That is where the research should be precise. Shri Rijiju appealed the private sector to take part in the Disaster Management. The country has understood how to deal with disaster management and disaster preparedness and we have to integrate the same with the research.

2. Parrikar Asks DRDO to Focus on Core Defence Technology Areas. close interface of DRDO with Navy in developing technology products is well matured. DRDO should now develop similar level of interface with Army and IAF.

3. Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yonaja (PMKKKY). This is the new programme meant to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining related operations. The most productive mining areas in the country are largely areas inhabited by scheduled tribes. They also are mainly located in the areas covered by the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. The PMKKKY is, therefore, very sharply focused on safeguarding the health, environment and economic conditions of the tribals and providing them with opportunities to benefit from the vast mineral resources that are extracted from the areas where they live. The PMKKKY envisions to substantially raising the all-round standard of living of mining affected people by utilising 60% of its fund for sustained high priority areas like drinking water supply, health care, education etc. and the balance amount for creating a supportive and conducive infrastructural environment. Also District Mineral Foundation. Planned development of Mineral Sector in India is need of the hour. One big shortcoming in our mining sector has been very small scale of exploration. To overcome this, we have established National Mineral Exploration Trust. To achieve our common goal of sustainable and inclusive growth, government, planners, policymakers, mining industry, technology suppliers, service providers and communities will have to work together.

4. 100 smart cities which would include in its blueprint adequate provisions for power generation, usage of renewables and energy efficiency technologies, comprehensive waste management programme; usage of waste to energy technologies etc.

5. Collaboration in the area of fracking of shale gas, especially water less fracking in India were identified as areas of future cooperation under the Energy Dialogue. challenges of greening the grid, i.e., to integrate large scale renewable energy sources into the electricity grid. off-grid clean energy access, The Indian delegation urged the US to share technology related to supercritical coal plants as well as share best practices and tools to improve efficiency and carbon footprint of existing power plants.

6.The key to “Good Governance”, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, lies in reducing red-tapism, expediting procedures through electronic and digital means, riddance from rules which are obstructionist and providing an environment which enables officers to perform their best.

7. The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is a significant initiative by the Government to secure bank finance to the vast segment of the population occupied in the informal sector which does not have access to formal bank credit and is forced to rely on informal sources of finance at high cost.

8. The water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country as on September 23, 2015 was 95.313 BCM, which is 60% of total storage capacity of these reservoirs.

Famous quotes 6

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing (Edmund Burke)

The punishment suffered by the wise who refuse to take part in government, is to suffer under the government of bad men (-Plato)

Righteousness is the foundation of good governance and peace. (Confucius)

Man himself must become righteous and then only there shall be righteousness in the world.

Be the change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi)

The line separating good and evil passes not between states nor between classes… but through the middle of every human heart. (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)

Law should be so succinct that it can be carried in the pocket of the coat and it should be so simple that it can be understood by a peasant (-Napoleon)

The purpose of a government is to make it easy for people to do good and difficult to do evil (British PM Gladstone)

Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy, as they undoubtedly are today (Gandhi)

The Rig-Veda declares: "Truth is one; sages call it various names- Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti." The Upanishads declare that all the paths lead to the same goal, just as cows of variegated colours yield the same white milk.

PIB reports

 1. Our robust external sector has facilitated the lower depreciation of the IndianRupee vis. a. vis currencies of other major EMEs.

 2. On this very day(11 sep) 50 years ago the Indian Armed Forces had captured the strategic Hajipir Pass in response to Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar, aimed at wresting Kashmir by sending in armed infiltrators.On 01 Sep 65, Pakistan had launched Operation Grand Slam to severe Rajouri and Punch from rest of the country.

 3. Steps to control prices of pulses and onions:The government has authorized institutions like Mother Diary to procure sensitive commodities like onion. The cost incurred would be borne out of Price Stabilisation Fund. Raised Minimum Export Price of onions, to increase availability in domestic market.Stock limits have been imposed on pulses(and onions).The government has requested the states to check hoarding and black-marketing of pulses and onions by using its powers under Essential Commodities Act. Pulses are imported to the tune of 5000 MT to check prices.Future trading in pulses like Urad and Tur had been already suspended.Export of pulses banned.Zero import duties on pulses.

 4.National Lab Policy is needed to address the testing, standardization and certification renewable energy projects in the country. proper standardization will facilitate financing options for deployment.eg:improved biomass cook stoves in villages for clean energy.

 5.The Water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country as on September 10, 2015 was 92.379 BCM which is 59% of total storage capacity of these reservoirs. This storage is 77% of the storage of corresponding period of last year and 81% of storage of average of last ten years.

 6.The challenge of urbanization should be addressed jointly by the people and their representatives. Responsibilities should be shared between the electors and elected.-President of India,speaking on the eve of 151st Year Celebrations of Nagpur Mahanagarpalika at Nagpur today (September 14, 2015).

 7.. Revival of 13 Stranded Gas Based Power Generation Plants With an Installed Capacity Of 8262.08 MW Successfully Bid Through a Transparent and Competitive Reverse E-Auction Process

 8. Decentralization of Power is the Fastest Way to Provide Energy Access

to the People”- Shri Piyush Goyal-small scale biogas stoves

Famous Quotes 5

Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress-Mahatma Gandhi

The introduction of the railways has been historically the most powerful single initiator of take-offs-W.W.Rostow

Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding-Mahatma Gandhi

Since the industrial revolution, no country has become a major economy without becoming an industrial power-Lee Kuan Yew,delivering the Jawaharlal memorial lecture in New Delhi,2005

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong-Mahatma Gandhi

I feel more and more that we must function more from below than from the top...too much of centralisation means decay at the roots and ultimately a withering of branches, leaves and flowers-Jawaharlal Nehru

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, and then fight you....then you win-Mahatma Gandhi

We want to promote cooperative federalism in the country. At the same time, we want a competitive element among the states. I call this form of federalism cooperative and competitive federalism-Narendra Modi

Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary-Mahatma gandhi

Where there is love, there is life-Mahatma Gandhi

The nature of transactions between the government and the governed/ creditors and debtors on which the welfare of the masses/kingdom depends, shall always be scrutinised-Kautilya in Arthashastra around 3rd century BC

There is more to life than simply increasing its speed-Mahatma Gandhi

My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is God.Non-violence is the means of realising him-Mahatma Gandhi

Sarva Dharma Samantva (Equality of all religions), Swadeshi(use of locally made goods) and Sparshbhavna(Untouchability)

Gandhiji said that the basic teaching of all religions is unique.  He likened all the religions to different rivers that converged into a single ocean. As all the rivers have the same nature of water, different religions also deliver the unique message-the message of love, harmony and compassion. Therefore, the sectarian notions and inter-religious hatredness are the artificial creations of vested interests in order to meet their selfish ends. Gandhi had read the sacred books of various religions-the Holy Bible, the Quran and the Bhagavad Gita. After much thought, analysis and deliberation, Gandhi concurred that the tenets of all religions have the same ethos and essence. True religious equanimity and tolerance would be born from the seeds of broad and inclusive perspective of religion, and a compassionate understanding of it.

In Gandhi’s view, an appropriate way to render national service is to use locally made goods for one’s consumption. This idea was propagated by what he commonly referred to as ‘swadeshi’. In his article in the periodical Young India in 1919, he said “My foremost loyalty and sense of alliance is with my next-door neighbor, and I would bear this in my mind at all times”. The crux of this message lies in his urge to adopt swadeshi goods for boosting domestic demand and hence domestic productivity. A nation can truly progress only when it is free from the dependence on foreign goods and products.

Gandhiji repudiated untouchability in every form. He considered untouchability as an unmitigated evil that hinders the development of free spirit and inclusiveness.  The evil of untouchability is a barrier to national integration that was so crucial for the development of a nation. Gandhiji condemened untouchability in the December 1920 issue of Young India” I consider untouchability as a heinous crime against humanity. It is not an act of self-restraint but an arrogant assumption of superiority”

Economic Survey 2014-15 part 7

28)The two pillars of fiscal reforms are revenue augmentation and expenditure rationalization.

29)The Trade Facilitation Agreement(TFA) endorsed by India at the ninth ministerial conference(Bali,2013) is basically aimed at greater transparency and simplification of customs procedures, use of electronic payments and risk management techniques, and faster clearance at ports. Trade facilitation was put on the agenda mainly by the developed countries while the issue of rules relating to public stock-holding for food security purposes was put on the agenda by G-33 group of 46 developing countries including India.

30)Post Bali, the focus of the developed countries was only on the implementation of TFA.India took a firm stand in July 2014 that without a firm commitment to implement the other Bali decisions, it would be difficult to join the consensus on the Protocol of Amendment to incorporate the TFA into the umbrella WTO agreement.

31)On 27 Nov,2014,the General Council of the WTO adopted a decision on Public stockholding for food security purposes, a decision on the TFA and a decision on Post Bali work. It includes a commitment to find a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security purposes by 31 Dec,2015.

32)The major dev driving the stubborn inflation down were falling global commodity prices, especially of crude oil, decline in the growth rate of rural wages, moderation in increase in MSPs, as also slack in economic activity. For sustainability of low inflation, the policy focus should be on enhancing the resilience of agr sector and eliminating leakages, inclusion and exclusion errors, and various distortions created by the present food policy.