Insights Daily Current Events, 20 February 2015
India Votes
The first copy of Election Commission’s prestigious publication ‘INDIA VOTES’ was presented to the President of India recently.
About the Book:
- The book ‘INDIA VOTES’ attempts to encapsulate the most critical and outstanding features of the Indian elections for a concise yet comprehensive, fact-filled and inside-eye view of the Indian elections, with special emphasis on the 2014 Lok Sabha Election, which became famous as the largest democratic exercise on earth so far.
- The book traces the details of the process of the elections right from the training of the electoral teams at ECI Headquarter to the grassroots levels, through the process of the precise and thorough planning for the process.
Sources: The Hindu.
Eleven government services launched on eBiz Portal
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry recently announced the launch of 11 Central Government Services on eBiz portal. These services are required for starting a business in the country.
How is it helpful?
- With the integration of the 11 services on eBiz portal, a business user can avail all these 11 services 24*7 online end-to-end i.e., online submission of forms, attachments, payments, tracking of status and also obtain the license/permit from eBiz portal.
- The eBiz platform enables a transformational shift in the Governments’ service delivery approach from being department-centric to customer-centric as a single window portal.
eBiz:
eBiz is one of the integrated services projects and part of the 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) under the National E-Governance Plan (NEGP) of the Government of India.
- eBiz is being implemented by Infosys Technologies Limited (Infosys) under the guidance and aegis of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
- The focus of eBiz is to improve the business environment in the country by enabling fast and efficient access to Government-to-Business (G2B) services through an online portal. This will help in reducing unnecessary delays in various regulatory processes required to start and run businesses.
Aim of the Project: This project aims at creating an investor-friendly business environment in India by making all regulatory information – starting from the establishment of a business, through its ongoing operations, and even its possible closure – easily available to the various stakeholders concerned. In effect, it aims to develop a transparent, efficient and convenient interface, through which the government and businesses can interact in a timely and cost effective manner, in the future.
Benefits:
- eBiz provides a one-stop shop for providing G2B services to investors and business communities in India.
- The portal will also help in reducing the delays and complexity in obtaining information and services.
Sources: PIB, ebiz.gov.in.
‘Soil Health Card’ scheme
The Soil Health Card scheme was recently launched by the Prime Minister. Under this scheme the Centre plans to target over 14 crore farmers in the next three years to check the excess use of fertilisers.
About the Scheme:
It is a scheme to provide every farmer a Soil Health Card in a Mission mode. It is a scheme under which the Central Government provides assistance to State Governments for setting up Soil Testing Laboratories for issuing Soil Health Cards to farmers.
- The scheme will be implemented in all states to promote soil testing services, issue of soil health cards and development of nutrient management practices.
- State Governments have adopted innovative practices like involvement of agricultural students, NGOs and private sector in soil testing, determining average soil health of villages, etc., to issue Soil Health Cards.
- The state governments will prepare yearly action plan on the issue and the cost will be shared in the ratio of 75:25 between the Centre and states.
- The scheme assumes importance as the imbalanced application of fertilisers have caused deficiency of primary nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), secondary nutrients (such as sulphur), and micro-nutrients (boron, zinc, copper etc.) in most parts of country.
- Though a few states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have made progress in soil testing but no uniform norms are followed in the country for soil analysis and distribution of soil health cards. The central scheme aims to address this issue.
Soil Health Cards:
- A Soil Health Card is used to assess the current status of soil health and, when used over time, to determine changes in soil health that are affected by land management.
- A Soil Health Card displays soil health indicators and associated descriptive terms. The indicators are typically based on farmers’ practical experience and knowledge of local natural resources.
- The card lists soil health indicators that can be assessed without the aid of technical or laboratory equipment.
- The card, which will carry crop-wise recommendation of fertilisers required for farm lands, will help farmers identify health of soil and judiciously use soil nutrients.
Sources: PIB.
Prithvi-II missile successfully test fired
Prithvi-II missile was successfully test fired recently.
Quick facts:
- The missile is indigenously developed nuclear capable surface-to-surface missile with a strike range of 350 km.
- The missile is thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines.
- It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory.
- It is the first missile to be developed by DRDO under India’s prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program).
Sources: ET.
Mock questions:
1) Consider the following statements regarding eBiz service:
- eBiz is a part of the 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) under the National E-Governance Plan (NEGP) of the Government of India.
- It is being implemented by Infosys Technologies Limited (Infosys) under the guidance and aegis of Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
Which of the above statements are true?
a)Only 1.
b)Only 2
c)Both
d) None
2) Consider the following statements regarding “Soil Health Card” Scheme:
- It is a scheme to provide every farmer a Soil Health Card in a Mission mode.
- It is a scheme under which the Central Government provides assistance to State Governments for setting up Soil Testing Laboratories.
- Under the Scheme the cost will be shared in the ratio of 90:10 between the Centre and states.
Which of the above statements are true?
a)Only 1.
b)Only 2 & 3.
c)Only 1 &2
d)None
3) Consider the following statements regarding Prithvi-II missile:
- It is nuclear capable.
- It is a surface-to-surface missile.
- It is the first missile to be developed by ISRO under India’s IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program).
Which of the above statements are true?
a)Only 1 & 2.
b)Only 2 & 3.
c)All
d)None
