13-07-21 Daily-Kerala-KPSC Current Affairs

For new industries minister P Rajeev, the job at hand is not easy. His aim is to take Kerala from the 28th spot in Ease-of-Doing-Business (EoDB-2019) index to within the top 10 in the country and it begins at a time when the ongoing Kitex debacle is making an impact in the minds of investors who already view Kerala as a graveyard of industries.

Kerala government has implemented K-Swift (online single-window clearance mechanism) and all top officials across departments know this system. But, local-level officers in departments, including LSGD, should be equally wellversed in the new system. This can significantly improve EoDB in state, said chairman of CIIs Kerala State Council Sreenath Vishnu.

He said the best way to create awareness among panchayat-level officers is to set up a rewarding system for each local self-government, based on the number of jobs created and the direct and indirect taxes generated by new companies there. This will result in a healthy competition between panchayats to help set up businesses in their area. he added.

Considering the Geography, Small and Medium Enterprises are more suitable here, Vishnu added. Kerala has great potential in electronic products (including electronic chip) and Food Processing. Perhaps we got the best water quality in the country, making the state the best location for food industries, he said.

We have an E-Commerce platform. Improve it by transforming it into a fullfledged e-commerce portal, developed and maintained by one of the leading tech companies. Also, government should rate the products offered on the platform, he added.

Setting up a hub that can easily transport products out of Kerala is an urgent necessity, Vishnu said. At present, logistics cost of bringing a truckload from Rajasthan is Rs 1 lakh, which is high because they dont get cargo while returning. So, we need a comprehensive logistics plan to take care of this. We should give focus to exports too once the container availability improves, logistics cost in shipping will also come down, he added.

The Government of India has determined to carry Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) beneath the finance ministry. DPE was beforehand underneath the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. It has been added beneath the finance minister in a bid to ease coordination involving future plans. The Finance ministry now contains six departments, after the inclusion of DPE.

Other five departments are:
Department of Economic Affairs,
Department of Expenditure,
Department of Revenue,
Department of Investment & Public Asset Management and
Department of Financial Services.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, organised a webinar on Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.’

About Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme:

On the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel‘s 140th birth anniversary, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the initiative “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” on October 31, 2015.

It is carried out under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Education.

The scheme was established to celebrate India’s cultural vibrancy while also establishing a strong mechanism to instil nationalism and cultural awareness among our country’s citizens.

Through the concept of state/UT pairing, it aims to improve interaction and mutual understanding between people from different states/UTs.

Several initiatives have been launched as part of the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat programme.

Thus, the scheme strengthens sentimental Bonds between people from different states and fosters a sense of ‘One Nation’ among all citizens of the country.

About Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav:

It is a series of activities organized by the Indian government to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.

In the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari, it will be celebrated as a Jan-Utsav.

It is based on five pillars, namely free struggle, 75-year-old ideas, 75-year-old achievements, 75-year-old actions and 75-year-old determination, as a guiding force for progress, inspired by dreams and duties.

The BRICS countries have agreed to India’s proposed BRICS Innovation Cooperation Action Plan (2021-24), led by STI.

Highlights:

India proposed the Action Plan at the 12th Meeting of the BRICS S&T Steering Committee.

India has proposed plans to promote the sharing of experiences in mutual innovation Ecosystems and networks of innovators and entrepreneurs.

The BRICS Science, Technology, Innovation, and PARTNERSHIP (STIEP) Working Group would work out the specifics of the Action Plan.

In July 2021, the Department of Science and Technology of India hosted the twelfth meeting of the BRICS Science and Technology Steering Committee. BRICS science ministries and agencies participated in the meeting.

In addition, all countries agreed on the thematic areas proposed by India for the Sixth BRICS Conference of Young Scientists to be held in Bangalore from September 13 to 16, 2021.

The conclave will cover three topics: healthcare, energy solutions, and cyber-physical systems (CPS) and their applications.

At the Leaders Summit on Climate 2021, the LEAF (Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance) Coalition was announced. It will be one of the most significant public-private partnerships in the HISTORY of tropical forest conservation. It intends to raise at least USD 1 billion in funding for countries that are committed to protecting their tropical forests.

About LEAF Coalition:

It is a collaboration of the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway.

To participate, a country must meet certain predetermined conditions imposed by the Coalition.

LEAF will employ the results-based financing model.

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation:

+ seeks to mitigate Climate Change by incentivizing forest conservation.

It monetizes the value of carbon locked up in most developing countries’ tropical forests, propelling these countries to help mitigate climate change.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established REDD+.

The Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation between India and Italy held its 21st session.

Highlights:

The India-Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation held its 21st session virtually.

Both sides held extensive discussions on bilateral trade and , as well as economic cooperation in the fields of Food Processing, textiles, leather, railways, start-ups, and the promotion of SMEs, all of which play an important role in economic Growth and job creation.

Bilateral market access issues and non-tariff barriers were also discussed in order to facilitate trade and investment.