Daily PIB Analysis For UPSC/IAS/Civil Services

Table of Contents

President

•• India and Madagascar have signed an umbrella agreement in the field of defence to explore various ways of co-operation.
• An amended air service agreement was also signed to support efforts towards improving connectivity between the two countries.
• Both the countries will have co-sharing agreement with Air Seychelles through Air India and Air Madagascar.
• This was announced by President Ram Nath Kovind after delegation level talks with his Madagascar counterpart in Antananarivo today.
President-
• Indian ocean region: exchanged views and acknowledged the need for maintenance and stability in the area.
• Terrorism poses a grave threat to humanity and the two countries should work together to develop a strong global response to this menace.
• India has offered a Line of Credit worth 80.7 million dollar for agriculture development and farm mechanization
• India recognises the importance of agriculture in Madagascar’s national development plan and is ready to assist in this key sector.
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• Mr Kovind announced a donation of 1000 tonnes of rice and a cash grant of 2 million dollars towards multiple calamities relief in Madagascar.
•He said, education and training are other important areas of cooperation with Madagascar.
• The Madagascar President decorated President Kovind with the second highest civilian honour Grand Cross.

Prime Minister’s Office

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has saluted the brave CRPF personnel who were martyred in the attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh.
• “India salutes the brave CRPF personnel who were martyred in the attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. My thoughts are with the families and friends of the brave martyrs. The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with them in this hour of grief”, the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister’s Office and Home Ministry –
•In Chhattisgarh, nine personnel of Central Reserve Police Force- CRPF including two ASI were martyred and two security personnel injured in a Maoist attack in Sukma district today.
• A team of CRPF’s 212 battalion was on a patrolling in Kistaram area of Sukma district today morning.
• Maoists ambushed the team when it was on the way to Kistaram to Palodi.
• Maoists first triggered an IED blast and blew up the Anti landmine vehicle,
• Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed grief over the loss of lives of police personnel in Sukma blast.
• Mr Singh said, he has asked the Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir to reach Chhattisgarh in the wake of naxal attack.
• He asked Director General of CRPF to leave for Chhattisgarh.
• He bowed to each and every security personnel who attained martyrdom while serving the nation. He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans.

Cabinet

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved continuation of Urea Subsidy Scheme from 2017 to 2020
• Ensure that adequate quantity of urea is made available to the farmers at statutory controlled price.
• Estimated cost: one lakh 65 thousand crore rupees •Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for disbursement of fertilizer subsidy.
Cabinet-
• A study conducted by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) had found the effects of Neem Coating of Urea
Improvement in soil health.
Reduction in costs with respect to plant protection chemicals.
Reduction in pest and disease attack.
An increase in yield of paddy to an extent of 5.79 per cent.
An increase in yield of sugarcane to extent of 17.5 per cent.
An increase in yield of maize to the extent of 7.14 per cent.
An increase in yield of Soybean to the extent of 7.4 per cent.
An increase in yield of Tur/Red Gram to the extent of 16.88 per cent.
• Neem Coating also had an additional positive impact – plugging the diversion of the subsidized Urea towards non-agricultural purposes.
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• Approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between India and Iran in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine.
•India is blessed with well- developed systems of traditional medicine including medicinal plants, which hold tremendous potential in the global health scenario.

Department of Atomic Energy

•• Government of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with the Department of Natural Resources of Canada concerning cooperation in the fields of science, technology and innovation.
• The MoU is a broad framework arrangement for enhancing cooperation in research and development activities with Canada.
• The MoU facilitates mutual consultations on the areas of new material development and testing, design of advanced Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), structural components of reactor systems including inspection and quality assurance programs, sharing of operational
information, nonpower application of radiation isotope technology, etc.
• The MoU will be valid for a period of 5 years and can be renewed further through mutual consultations.

Ministry of Coal-

• For the better management of fly ash waste from thermal power plants across country, Government has reduced the GST rates on fly ash and its products to 5%.
• Further, to facilitate 100% ash utilization by all coal based thermal power plants, a web portal for monitoring of fly ash generation and utilization data of Thermal Power Plants and a mobile based application titled “ASHTRACK” has been launched that will help to establish a link between fly ash users and power plants executives for obtaining fly ash for its use in various
areas.