India Attended OIC Summit

Recently, India's External Affairs minister (EAM) attended 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• India was invited by the host UAE as the "Guest of Honour” to attend the inaugural session of the OIC.
• Even though Pakistan is a founding member of OIC. It absented itself during the session.

• 2019 is the 50th anniversary of OIC.

India’s address at OIC

• At the summit, EAM has said that the fight is against terrorism and not a confrontation with any religion.
• Without naming Pakistan, EAM said countries that provided shelter and funding to terrorists must be asked to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorist camps and stop providing funding and shelter to terror organizations based in their countries.
• EAM also said that India is home to more than 185 million Muslims and they practice their respective beliefs and live in harmony with each other and with their non-Muslim brethren.

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

• The OIC was formed in 1969 after a summit in Rabat, the Kingdom of Morocco on 25 September 1969 following the fire in Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is among the largest inter-governmental organizations in the world.
  • The term intergovernmental organization (IGO) refers to an entity created by treaty, involving two or more nations, to work in good faith, on issues of common interest. In the absence of a treaty, an IGO does not exist in the legal sense.
• It has 57 member states and 12 observers including the United Nations.
• The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world. It endeavors to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.
• The OIC members constitute more than one-fourth of the members of the United Nations, and nearly a quarter of humanity. It is an organization, that has a key role in shaping our world.

Significance of Invitation

• The invitation to address the OIC can be seen as a major diplomatic victory as this is the first time that an Indian EAM was invited.
• This can be seen as a part of India's efforts to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.
• In 1969, the invite to then union minister Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was withdrawn at Pakistan's insistence.
• The official announcement by the UAE mentioned, that the invitation to India was extended in recognition of India's global political stature as well as its time-honored and deep-rooted cultural and historical legacy and its important Islamic component.

Critical analysis of India attending OIC

• India is a secular country, regardless of all the religions here, India does not prefer religion above nationality. Thus, the government must carefully consider its engagement with OIC.
• The major basis of the OIC is of the Muslim Brotherhood and that Muslims everywhere can be clubbed together because of their faith. But, India does not support such a philosophy of a collective identity based on religion. Thus, if India decides to engage with OIC it should be on the basis of our national interest not on account of religion.
• There are issues with respect to OIC's stands on Kashmir in past. Recently, the OIC has condemned Indian Airforce strikes in Pakistan.
  • OIC stand on Kashmir
    • The 45th session had a very strong statement on Kashmir which "condemned" India and supported third-party intervention and self-determination. The statement also called the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani as "extra-judicial" and called the elections in Kashmir "farcical".
• In past decades, India had to spend lots of diplomatic capital to counter OIC's stands at many international organizations. By attending it, we are validating the same organization.
  • Diplomatic capital refers to the trust, goodwill, and influence which a diplomat, or a state represented by its diplomats, has within international diplomacy.

More about India and OIC 

Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana

Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana.

• The scheme will be supported financially by Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to Second Generation (2G) Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.

Key Terms

• Viability Gap Funding (VGF) means a grant one-time or deferred, provided to support infrastructure projects that are economically justified but fall short of financial viability.
• Lignocellulosic biomass (or LC biomass) refers to plant biomass that is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. For examples: cereal straw, bagasse, forest residues, and purpose-grown energy crops such as vegetative grasses. 

Features

• The objective of the scheme is to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and boost to Research and Development in 2G Ethanol sector.
• Under the scheme funds have been allocated for supporting 12 Commercial projects, 10 Demonstration Projects:
  • Phase-I (2018-19 to 2022-23) 6 Commercial and 5 demonstration projects will be supported.
  • Phase-II (2018-19 to 2022-23) Remaining 6 Commercial and 5 demonstration projects will be supported.
• The ethanol produced by the scheme beneficiaries will be mandatorily supplied to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to further enhance the blending percentage under Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP).
• Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical body under the aegis of MoP&NG, will be the implementation Agency for the scheme.

Benefits

• This scheme is promoting Second Generation (2G) Biofuels Technology moving away from food crops used in First Generation(1G) to feedstocks, nonfood crops agricultural residues or waste.
• Making progressive Blending/Substitution of fossil fuels for achieving Green House Gas emission reduction targets.
• Stopping burning of biomass/ crop residues & improve the health of citizens and improving farmer income.
• Creating Employment opportunities in 2G Ethanol projects and Biomass supply chain.
• Contributing towards Swacch Bharat Mission by disposing of non­food biofuel feedstocks such as waste biomass and urban waste.
• Development of Second Generation Biomass to Ethanol technologies in the country by promoting Research & Development.

Background

• The government of India launched Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme in 2003 for undertaking blending of ethanol in Petrol to address environmental concerns due to fossil fuel burning,  provide remuneration to farmers, subsidize crude imports and achieve forex savings.
• Presently, EBP is being run in 21 States and 4 UTs of the country. Under the EBP programme, OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies) are to blend up to 10% of ethanol in Petrol.
• Despite efforts of the Government such as higher ethanol prices and simplification of ethanol purchase system, the highest ever ethanol procurement stands around 150 crore liters during Ethanol supply year 2017-18 which is hardly sufficient for around 4.22% blending on Pan India basis.
• To enhance blending up to 10% of ethanol in Petrol, an alternate route viz. Second Generation (2G) Ethanol from biomass and other wastes is being explored by MoP&NG to bridge the supply gap for EBP programme.
• Therefore, "Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana" is being launched as a tool to create 2G Ethanol capacity in the country and attract investments in this new sector.

Biofuels

• Biofuels are fuels manufactured from biomass.
• Biomass resources are the biodegradable fraction of products, wastes, and residues from agriculture, forestry and related industries as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal wastes.

BIOFUELS
GENERATION	CHARACTERISTICS	REMARKS
FIRST	Produced from food crops like maize, corn, sugar cane, rapeseed, palm, and soybean into ethanol and biodiesel, using a similar process to that used in beer and wine-making.	Impose significant costs on food security by demanding a share of staple crops, traditionally used solely for food and feed. Resulting in a conflict between fuel and food security. At the same time, lift the price of staple crops
SECOND	Produced from non-food crops and organic agricultural waste, which contain cellulose.	Grasses like switchgrass, non-edible oil seeds like Jatropha, castor seed can be transformed into biofuels.
THIRD	Derived from algae. Also known as green hydrocarbons	The list of fuels that can be derived from algae includes: Bio-diesel, Ethanol, and Jet-fuel.
FOURTH	Produce sustainable energy as well as capture and store CO2 by converting biomass materials, which have absorbed CO2 while growing, into fuel.	At all stages of production, the CO2 is captured using various processes. Rather than simply being carbon neutral, the fourth generation biofuel production is carbon negative, since it ‘locks’ away more carbon than it produces and also lowers CO2 emissions by substituting fossil fuels.

Key Advantages of Biofuel

• Renewable Energy source.
• Non-toxic & Biodegradable.
• Contains no sulfur that causes acid rain.
• Environment friendly-less emissions.
• Has rural employment potential.

FAME India Phase II

Recently the Union cabinet has approved the proposal for implementation of 'Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase II (FAME India Phase II)' scheme for promotion of Electric Mobility in the country.

• The scheme with total outlay of Rs 10000 Crores over the period of three years (2019-20 to 2021-22) will be implemented with effect from 1st April 2019.
• This scheme is the expanded version of the present scheme titled 'FAME India1’ which was launched on 1st April 2015, with total outlay of Rs. 895 crores.

Objectives

• Encourage Faster adoption of Electric and hybrid vehicle by way of offering upfront Incentive on purchase of Electric vehicles.
• Establish a necessary charging Infrastructure for electric vehicles.
• The scheme will help in addressing the issue of environmental pollution and fuel security.

Salient Features

• Emphasis on electrification of the public transportation that includes shared transport.
• In 3-Wheel (W) and 4-Wheel (W) segment incentives will be applicable mainly to vehicles used for public transport or registered for commercial purposes.
• In the 2-Wheel (W) segment, the focus will be on the private vehicles.
• To encourage advance technologies, the benefits of incentives, will be extended to only those vehicles which are fitted with advance battery like a Lithium Ion battery and other new technology batteries.
• The scheme proposes for establishment of charging infrastructure, whereby about 2700 charging stations will be established in metros, other million plus cities, smart cities and cities of Hilly states across the country so that there will be availability of at least one charging station in a grid of 3 km x 3 km.
• Establishment of Charging stations are also proposed on major highways connecting major city clusters.
  • On such highways, charging stations will be established on both sides of the road at an interval of about 25 km each.

Important Fact For Prelims (2nd March 2019)

7^th Guinness Book of World Record

• Recently the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has created “7^th Guinness Book of World Record”.
• The record was created for implanting ‘Modern Artificial Limbs (Legs)’ on 260 Divyangjans within eight hours.
• It can be noted that the DEPwD has already created Six World Records in other categories.
• This was announced by the Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment on the occasion of National Conference on “Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)”.
• The Conference was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• The objective of the conference was to sensitize the stakeholders of the scheme i.e. Programme Implementing Agencies (PIAs), District level officers & State Government officers.
• Recently the second edition of the Indian Sign Language dictionary was launched by Indian Sign Language Research and training Center ( ISLRTC) for the hearing impaired Divyangjans.

Construction Technology India-2019

• Recently, the Prime Minister of India has inaugurated Construction Technology India -2019 conference.
• The aim of the conference is to identify proven, innovative & globally established technologies for use in the Indian context.
• The conference is being organized as a component of the Global Housing Technology Challenge.

Global Housing Technology Challenge

• Global Housing Technology Challenge – India is an initiative by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Govt. of India, with an aim to identify, evaluate and shortlist a basket of proven & potential innovative technologies from across the globe and subsequently mainstream them in the Indian construction sector that is sustainable, green, disaster resilient.
• GHTC-India has the following three components:
  • Component 1 - Conduct of EXPO-Cum-Conference
  • Component 2 - Identifying Proven Demonstrable Technologies: Inducting suitable established technologies from across the globe to the Indian market through shortlisting and actual construction of Light House Projects.
    • The selected sites for lighthouse projects will be used as an ‘open laboratory’ for live demonstration and will receive due attention from academia, practitioners, policy makers (Central/ State) and media apart from felicitation/ recognition in Grand Expo-cum-Conference.
  • Component 3 - Establishment of Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators India (ASHA-India) for Indian technologies which have potential but not market ready yet.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) – PMAY-U- Housing For All

• PMAY (U) is a Mission to provide housing for all by 2022 and is being implemented from June 2015 by Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
• It provides central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other implementing agencies through States/UTs for in-situ Rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers.
• The scheme emphasises on using land as a resource with private participation, Credit Linked Subsidy, Affordable Housing in Partnership and Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction/enhancement.
• PMAY-U targets the construction of 1 Crore housing units by 2022.

Poshan Pakhwada

• The Minister for Women and Child Development has announced that the Government will celebrate ‘Poshan Pakhwada’ from 8th to 22nd March 2019 across the Country.
• The celebrations will mark the first anniversary of POSHAN Abhiyaan on 8th March (International Women’s Day), 2019 by organising Poshan Pakhwada across the Country.
• The Poshan Pakhwada will be celebrated on lines of ‘Poshan Maah’ held in the month of September, 2018.
• Following activities will be undertaken during the observance of Poshan Pakhwada:
  • Poshan Melas, Rally on nutrition at all level, Session on nutrition at schools, Self help group meetings, anaemia camps, etc.
  • Further Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities through mass media, and Social Media will be carried out.
  • Social Media Campaign Hashtag #PoshanPakhwada through media partners and team of Swasth Bharat Preraks would be carried out for maximum reach.