Daily PIB Analysis For UPSC/IAS/Civil Services

Table of Contents

Vice President’s Secretariat –

• Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu whilst addressing the gathering after releasing five Books authored by the Members of Indian Council of World Affairs.
•India cannot have talks with countries that have trained their guns at our country.
•It is baffling to see some educated leaders suggesting that we have to engage in a dialogue with one of our neighbours who is by all accounts fomenting trouble and encouraging cross-border terrorism.
•India’s diplomacy relies on building bridges across the world with dialogue as the sole sustainable method to resolve disputes.
•Our central principles have been friendship, respect for all countries and de-escalation of tension, he added.
•India’s love for peace is more out of a concern for the welfare of humanity rather than because we are weak and are incapable of fighting.

Prime Minister’s Office

• Shri Narendra Modi, will inaugurate the 2018 edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS 2018)
• WSDS is the flagship forum of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
• Seeks to bring together on a common platform, global leaders and thinkers in the fields of sustainable development, energy and environment sectors.
• Theme: ‘Partnerships for a Resilient Planet’ Prime Minister’s Office –
• WSDS 2018 seeks to create action frameworks to resolve some of the most urgent challenges facing developing economies in the backdrop of climate change.
• The Summit will address a wide variety of issues, including
• combating land degradation
• effective waste management mechanisms to make cities free of landfills free
• combat air pollution effectively
• measures to increase resource and energy efficiency
• facilitate transition to clean energy and create financial mechanisms to enable effective climate change mitigation

Ministry of Finance –

•India has signed the second loan agreement with New Development Bank, NDB, for 100 million dollars for Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for Desert Areas.
• This is the first tranche loan approved by the NDB under the Multi Tranche Financing Facility of 345 Million dollars for this project.
• The project implementation period is six years.
• Rajasthan government will implement the project primarily through its Water Resources Department.
• The objective of this project is to rehabilitate the 678 kilometre long Indira Gandhi Canal system built during 1958 to 1963 to prevent seepage, conserve water, and enhance water use efficiency as mandated by both national and state level policies on water use.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare

• Small and marginal farmers, who are unable to meet agriculture expenditure, can switch to organic farming as it is cost-effective and profitable.
•Organic farming is highly favourable in dry and lowlyirrigated regions, hilly states, north-eastern states and islands.
• Sikkim has been declared 100% organic state and many states are now following its footsteps.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare –
• Andaman and Nicobar Island has been adopting organic farming at a small-scale (321 hectares) and that the Island has immense potential and is favourably placed for organic farming due to less use of chemical fertilizers and abundant species.
•Organic soybean occupies the top slot in organic exports with 70% followed by food grains and Bajra at 6% and chemical fertilizer at 5%.
• Apart from them, organic spices, tea and cloth etc., also have immense potential.
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• The Minister asserted that Organic farming should be promoted with the same spirit as Green Revolution.
•He said that the country should progress to be an organic nation and fulfil Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of being a chemical-free country.
•He urged all stakeholders to join hands to make this mission successful

MEA-

•Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reached Hyderabad this evening on a three-day visit to India.
•He was accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival at Begumpet Airport.
•He will visit Makkah Masjid and interact with Iranian community tomorrow.
•He will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
MEA-
• Both leaders will review the progress achieved in bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
• After the talks, both sides will exchange agreements in various fields.
• Mr Rouhani will also meet President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu during his stay in Delhi.
• Mr Modi had paid a visit to Iran in May 2016

Ministry of Science & Technology

• The Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship was conceived in the year 2006-07 with the idea of encouraging scientists (Indian Nationals) working outside the country and would like to return to the home country to pursue their research interests in Modern Biology, Biotechnology, Life Sciences and other related areas.
• The principal aim of the scheme is to improve the country’s human resource capacity in life sciences, modern biology and biotechnology research – both in terms of development, translation and diffusion by means of attracting young scientists settled abroad. Ministry of Science & Technology –
•During the last ten years, 1492 applications were received and out of these 396 were offered fellowship and 280 have already taken up positions in Indian Laboratories.
• So far, 188 fellows have already been able to seek permanent faculty positions in various host institutes in India.
• Fellows have performed extremely well and they have been able to publish their research work in peer reviewed National and International scientific journals.