7.Economy-98 T Flashcards

Question

9.2.2. EASTERN DEDICATED FREIGHT CORRIDOR

Answer 1

Why in News  Recently, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IRBD), part of the World Bank Group, signed an agreement with the Union government to lend $650 million to DFCCIL for the third phase of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor.  The first two phases of the EDFC are already being implemented by the DFCCIL with the help of financial assistance provided by the World Bank in the form of loans worth $975 million and $1,100 million respectively. ``` Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) is a SPV set up under the administrative control of Ministry of Railways to undertake planning & development, mobilization of financial resources and construction, maintenance and operation of the Dedicated Freight Corridors. DFCCIL was incorporated in October 2006 under Indian Companies Act 1956. ```

Answer 2

Why in news?  Railway Ministry has unveiled the Railways’ first non-fare revenue policy. Provisions of the policies  The non-fare revenue policy includes  Selling outdoor spaces at railway stations for advertising hoardings and billboards.  Providing radio and video content through Wi-Fi on stations and on trains.  Leasing out spaces at platforms to ATMs.  Selling branding of rights of trains and stations.  Train branding policy would allow advertising of vinyl wraps on train exteriors and interiors on a 10 year contract basis.  Out-of-home advertising policy shall allow advertising at areas hitherto unused. Eg. Road Over Bridges, Level Crossing Gates etc. Significance of the policy  It would provide recreational activities for the passengers on their personal electronics. This will boost customer satisfaction.  The move will reduce its dependence on traditional revenue streams such as passenger and freight traffic.  Move can increase rail competitiveness compared to other transport sectors like airways and roads. As a spill over, it may decongest roads and also make public travel cheaper.

Answer 3

Why in news?  The Railways Ministry is planning to consult the World Bank to identify areas that require investment from the special rail safety fund announced in the Budget. Background The union budget 2017-18 made following announcements for rail safety:  For passenger safety, a Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh will be created with a corpus of ` 1 lakh crores over a period of 5 years. It will be a nonlapsable fund  Government will lay down clear cut guidelines and timeline for implementing various safety works to be funded from this Kosh.  Unmanned level crossings on Broad Gauge lines will be eliminated by 2020.  Expert international assistance will be harnessed to improve safety preparedness and maintenance practices.  The ICF (Integral Coach Factory) design refers to the conventional design of coaches seen across trains in India  LHB (Linke-Hoffman-Busch) coaches are characterised by a sleeker finish than ICF coaches, better suspension, sound reduction and ride quality, not to mention significantly larger windows that lack the heavy tinting seen in the most ICF AC coaches.  They are also safer than ICF coaches in the event of an accident or collision. LHB coaches are longer than ICF coaches, and seat layouts in LHB and ICF coaches differ.

Answer 4

 Railways are setting up a Rs 30,000 crores fund, first-of-its-kind for the national transporter, for implementation of remunerative projects across the country.  Investors like World Bank, National Infrastructure Investment Fund, pension and insurance fund and other institutional investors are expected to be part of the RIDF.  However, the RIDF will invest only on those rail projects having higher rate of returns with minimum rates ranging between 14 per cent and 16 per cent.  RIDF will focus on new lines for freight movement or redevelopment of stations and will not invest in nonremunerative projects.  Since freight lines are more remunerative than passenger line, RIFD will focus on goods movement.  Currently, Railways has undertaken many new projects which are socially desirable but economically nonviable.

Answer 5

 Union Railway Ministry has unveiled ‘Mission 41K’ to save Rs. 41,000 crore on the Indian Railways’ expenditure on energy consumption over the next 10 years.  This target of ‘Mission 41K will be achieved by taking a slew of measures which include moving 90% of traffic to electric traction over diesel from present 50% of the total rail traffic.  The railways will also procure more and more electricity at cheaper rates through open market instead of sourcing it through DISCOMs.  The Electrification Mission will help Indian Railways to reduce dependence on imported fuel, change energy mix, and rationalize the cost of energy for Railways.

Answer 6

 Union Ministry of Railways and PEC University of Technology have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up of Kalpana Chawla Chair on Geospatial Technology for Indian Railways at the University.  The academic chair is being instituted in memory of Indo–American Astronaut and Alumnus of PEC Late Kalpana Chawla.  The objective of the chair is to encourage research activities of Indian Railways in Geo-spatial Technology.  It will also help to strengthen Railway projects where use of remote sensing data, Geographical information System (GIS) and global positioning system (GPS) is predominant.

Answer 7

Terrain imaging for diesel drivers Infra-red, Enhanced Optical & Radar Assisted system  Ministry of Railways, Railway Board has initiated a proposal to install TRI-NETRA systems on locomotives for enhancing the vision of Locomotive Pilots in inclement weather.  TRI-NETRA system shall be made up of high-resolution optical video camera, high sensitivity infra-red video camera and additionally a radar-based terrain mapping system.  TRI-NETRA is designed to “see” the terrain ahead of the running locomotive during inclement weather by combining the images captured by the three sub-systems and to create a composite video image which shall be displayed in front of the Loco Pilot on a computer monitor

Answer 8

Research, Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO), situated at Lucknow, is the sole Research and Development (R&D) organisation of Indian Railways and functions as the technical advisor to Railway Board and Zonal Railways. The aims and objectives assigned to RDSO include the following:  Development, adoption and absorption of new technology for use on Indian Railways  Development of overall system standards  Development of specifications for equipment, components & materials  Testing and Recommending authority for Statutory clearances (including Metro system)  Assistance in technical investigations  Quality Assurance of delegated items

Answer 9

The Committee submitted its report on Railway had made 106 recommendations covering various aspects viz.  General Safety Matters,  Organizational Structure,  Empowerment at Working Level,  Safety Related Works and Issues  Filling up of vacancies in critical safety categories and Manpower Planning Issues,  Plugging the shortage of critical Safety Spares,  External Interferences – Removal of Encroachment and Sabotage,  Upgradation of Signaling, Telecommunication and Train Protection System,  Upgradation of Rolling Stock, Track, Bridges, Elimination of Level Crossings, Human Resource Development with emphasis on Education and Training Institutes on Indian Railways,  Eco-system and Safety Architectures on Indian Railways

Answer 10

 Mission Raftar has been announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17  The mission envisages the target of doubling of average speed of freight trains and increasing the average speed of all passenger trains by 25 kmph.  Time Frame is 5 years.  It is a part of the 7 mission mode activities under Avataran Avataran  Mission 25 Tonne: It aims to increase revenue by augmenting carrying capacity  Mission Zero Accident: Elimination of unmanned level crossings & TCAS (Train Collision Avoidance System)  Mission PACE: Procurement and Consumption Efficiency  Mission Hundred: This mission will commission at least a hundred sidings in the next 2 years  Mission beyond book-keeping: It will establish an accounting system where outcomes can be tracked to inputs  Mission Capacity Utilisation  Mission Raftaar

Answer 11

Why in news?  Website of National Rail Plan 2030 (NRP 2030) was launched by the Railway Minister.  It will be used by all stakeholders including State Govts, public representatives and relevant Ministries to give their inputs for purposeful study in order to develop NRP 2030. About National Rail Plan  NRP 2030 will provide long term perspective to planning for augmenting the railway network.  It will harmonise and integrate the rail network with other modes of transport and create synergy for achieving seamless multi modal transportation network across the country.  It will also realize vision of integrated planning and cost optimization of the transportation network by laying the new railway lines and new highways together in tunnels and over mega-bridges. Objectives of the NRP 2030  Facilitate easy movement of freight and passengers and access to services with reliability, safety and convenience.  Stimulating economic growth by creating required rail infrastructure complementing other modes of transport.  Meet the strategic requirement along international border.  To build an economically competitive rail transport system.

Answer 12

Why in news  Union cabinet approved Major Ports Authority Bill, 2016 that will replace Major Ports Trusts Act, 1963. Highlights of the bill  New Bill is more compact in comparison to Major Ports Trusts Act, 1963 as no. of sections has been reduced from 134 to 65 by eliminating overlapping and obsolete provisions.  It proposes to simplify composition of Board of Port Authority (BPA) comprising of only 11 members including 3-4 independent directors from present 17-19 members.  Bill propose to divest Tariff Authority of Major Ports (TAMP) of its power to regulate tariffs and delegate this power to BPA to fix tariff which will act as a reference tariff for purpose of bidding PPP projects.  BPA will be empowered to lease land for port related use for upto 40 years and for non-port related use upto 20 years and also fix rates for other port services and assets like land.  Bill propose to introduce internal audit of Central Ports as mentioned in companies act 2013 including provisions of CSR and development of infrastructure by port authority.  Independent Review Board (IRB) will be setup to carry out the residual function of TAMP like looking into disputes between port and PPP concessionaires, to review stressed PPP projects and suggest measures to cope with stressed PPP projects.  IRB will also look into complaints regarding services rendered by the private operators. LANDLORD PORT MODEL Ownership of the port remains with port authority. Infrastructure is leased to private firms that provide and maintain their own superstructure and install own equipment to handle cargo. In return, the landlord port gets a share of the revenue from the private entity. SERVICE PORT MODEL Port authority owns the land and all available assetsfixed and mobile-and performs all regulatory and port functions. The port trust is both landlord and the cargo terminal operator.

Answer 13

Why in news?  The Union Cabinet has given its in-principle approval for setting up a Major port at Enayam near Colachel in Tamil Nadu. On completion the port will become country’s 13th major port. Background  Presently, India has 12 major and 187 non-major ports.  Currently, around 78% of the marine traffic from the east coast ports of India is trans-shipped to Colombo, Singapore and Klang (Malaysia), as most of the Indian ports don’t have a draught to match global cargo handling efficiencies and function as a trans-shipment hub. Enayam port  Aimed to make India a destination on the global eastwest trade route.  To act as a major gateway container port for Indian cargo that is presently trans-shipped outside the country.  It will help to reduce the logistics cost for exporters/importers in South India who currently depend on trans-shipment from other foreign ports, incurring additional port handling charges.  Can save about 1,500 Crores Rupees of revenues each year by preventing diversion to other countries  The Enayam port has a natural deep draught of about 20 meters that makes it feasible for larger vessels.  It has 10 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) capacity and later can be expanded to 18 million TEUs. What are major ports?  Ports are under concurrent list.  The Major Ports are administered by the central government’s shipping ministry.  They handle nearly 75% of India’s cargo traffic.  The major ports of India moving from east to west are: Haldia, Paradip, Vishakhapatnam, Ennore (private), Chennai, Tuticorin, Enayam, Kochi, Panambur Port (Mangalore), Marmagoa, NhavaSheva- Maharashtra, Mumbai Port, Kandla Port- Gujarat. Also Port Blair- Andaman.

Answer 14

 The central government has recently approved Rs.515 crore grant for making the Sagar port.  It is a proposed Rs. 12,000 crore deep sea port at Sagar islands in West Bengal.  The Kolkata and Haldia ports cannot handle big ships due to the shallow depth of the Hooghly River. Thus, an alternative port in West Bengal is needed.

Answer 15

About  India has planned to build its first Eastern Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) from West Bengal to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.  As part of the project, recently, the Asian Development Bank approved a $631 million loan for the construction of industrial corridor between Vishakhapatnam and Chennai (VCIC).  The fund will help develop the first key 800-km section of the planned 2,500-km East Coast Economic Corridor. The remaining $215 million will be funded by the Andhra Pradesh government.  The idea is to not just build new ports or upgrade old ones but raise entire industrial ecosystems that encompass several such ports.  The ADB loan will help the government build state-of-the art industrial clusters, roads, efficient transport, and reliable water and power supplies with a skilled workforce and good business policies. Maritime Clusters and CEZ  Maritime clusters are to be one of focal points for economic development along India’s coastline, according to a draft report prepared under Sagarmala Programme of the Ministry of Shipping.  The report on port-led-industrial development of the coastal economic clusters identifies two major maritime clusters in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat as areas with potential. Coastal Economic Zones  Coastal location allows companies to operate in the world markets unhindered by the poor infrastructure in the hinterland. This was successfully done in China.  The NITI Ayog, thus, suggests that India should also work on building a coastal economic zone. This becomes further attractive in the light of Sagarmala initiative.

Answer 16

Why in news?  The Cabinet approved a new Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016. It provides for repealing of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, as well as the Coasting Vessels Act, 1838. Key Features of Bill  Augmentation of Indian tonnage promotion  allowing substantially-owned vessels to be registered as Indian flag vessels;  recognising Indian controlled tonnage as a separate category;  development of coastal shipping in India by:-  dispensing with the requirement for issuing of licences to Indian flag vessels for coastal operation and for port clearance by the Customs authorities; and  making separate rules for coastal vessels to develop & promote coastal shipping.  Introduction of welfare measures for seafarers, such as:  seafarers held in captivity of pirates will receive wages till they are released and reach home back safely;  Registration of certain residuary category of vessels not covered under any statute and to make provisions for security-related aspects.  Incorporation of all International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Conventions /Protocols (see box)  The Coasting Vessels Act, 1838, which is an archaic legislation of the British era providing for registration of non-mechanically propelled vessels to a limited jurisdiction of Saurashtra and Kutch, is proposed to be repealed since in the Merchant Shipping Bill 2016 provisions have been introduced for registration of all vessels for the whole of India IMO conventions  the Intervention Convention 1969,  the Search and Rescue Convention 1979  the Protocol for Prevention of Pollution from Ships Annex VI to Marine Pollution Convention,  the Convention for Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004,  the Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention, 2007,  the Salvage Convention 1989 and  the International Convention for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001.

Answer 17

Why in news?  Ministry of Railways has decided to take up 21 port-rail connectivity projects, at an estimated cost of Rs 20,000 crore, under the under the port-connectivity enhancement objective of Sagarmala which is under Ministry of Shipping.  Another six projects are being considered by the Indian Port Rail Corporation Limited (IPRCL).  As part of the National Perspective Plan, prepared under the Sagarmala Programme of the Ministry of Shipping, 7 Multi-Modal Logistic Parks (MMLPs) were proposed in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Objectives  To strengthen evacuation network and boost last-mile connectivity to the country's ports.  To simplify procedures used at ports for cargo movement.  Help in reducing logistics cost and time for cargo movement making Indian trade more competitive.  This also promotes usage of electronic channels for information exchange leading to quick, efficient, hassle-free and seamless cargo movement. Background  The National Perspective Plan for Sagarmala Programme identifies projects under the 4 major objectives of the programme - i) Port Modernization & New Port Development, ii) Port Connectivity Enhancement, iii) Port-led Industrialization and iv) Coastal Community Development. Sagarmala Programme  Sagarmala is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Shipping for promoting port-led development in India.  It aims to achieve capacity expansion and modernization of sea-ports along India’s coastline, enhance port connectivity to the hinterland, facilitate port led- industrialisation to promote trade and sustainable development of coastal communities.  The National Perspective Plan (NPP) prepared under Sagarmala Programme was released in April 2016 by the Prime Minister.  More than 150 projects have been identified which will mobilize investment of over Rs. 4 lac Crore and generate close to 1 Crore new jobs, including 40 lac direct jobs, over a period of 10 years.  In order to execute the last mile connectivity, of the Major Ports, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) – The Indian Port Rail Corporation (IPRC) is incorporated under the Companies Act 2013, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Shipping.  90% of equity of the company has been provided by the 11 Major Ports and 10% by the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.

Answer 18

 Jawaharlal Nehru Port becomes the first port in the country to implement logistics data tagging of containers.  It will help importers/exporters track their goods in transit through logistics data bank service.  An RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Tag) tag would be attached to each container which would be tracked through RIFD readers installed at different locations. RFID  Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects.  The tags contain electronically stored information. Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader's interrogating radio waves.

Answer 19

 The Government of India has deployed the Coastal Research Vessel [CRV] Sagar Purvi to study about ocean parameters along the coastal waters of India.  CRV Sagar Purvi was deployed for implementing various programmes of Ministry of Earth Sciences such as:  Monitoring of marine pollution levels  conservation and management of coastal resources including coral reef  Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM)  survey of the Exclusive Economic Zone of India (EEZ).

Answer 20

 As part of promoting coastal shipping in the country under Sagarmala programme, the Ministry of Shipping has sanctioned the Capital Dredging Project for Ro Pax Ferry Services between Gogha & Dahej, in Gulf of Cambay in Gujarat.  The project is first of its kinds in India as it will be executed in the area of world’s 2nd highest tidal range.  It would also help in utilisation of inland waterways through River Narmada for shipping goods from industries located upstream.

Answer 21

 The port city of Paradip is to be develop as World Class Smart Industrial Port City.  The rationale behind developing Paradip as a smart city is that:  Paradip already have a Major Port and  Strong mineral resource presence in the region

Answer 22

 The Ministry of Shipping has proposed a new Model Concession Agreement (MCA) for the Port Sector.  The proposed MCA will replace the existing Model Concession Agreement which came into existence in January, 2008.  The salient changes proposed in the Revised Model Concession Agreements are:  Change in equity holding to provide exit route  Providing for refinancing provision in MCA  Provision for mid-term review of concession  Improved Utilization of Project Assets and Higher Productivity  Grievance Redressal System  Tariff Guidelines etc.

Answer 23

 Ministry of Shipping has started ‘Project Green Ports’ to make major ports across India cleaner and greener.  Project Green Ports’ will have two verticals – one is ‘Green Ports Initiatives’ related to environmental issues and second is ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’.  Under ‘Green Ports Initiatives’, 12 initiatives will be implemented

Answer 24

Why in news? The Union Cabinet recently cleared the Civil Aviation Policy in order to boost the domestic aviation sector and provide passenger-friendly fares. This new policy aims at providing various benefits to domestic airline passengers. The Policy aims at  India to become 3rd largest civil aviation market by 2022 from 9th.  Domestic ticketing to grow from 8 crore in 2015 to 30 crore by 2022. To grow domestic passenger traffic nearly four-fold to 300 million by 2022.  Airports having scheduled commercial flights to increase from 77 in 2016 to 127 by 2019.  Cargo volumes to increase by 4 times to 10 million tonnes by 2027.  Enhancing ease of doing business through deregulation, simplified procedures and e-governance.  Promoting ‘Make In India’ in Civil Aviation Sector.  Ensuring availability of quality certified 3.3 lakh skilled personnel by 2025. Highlights of NCAP  The cornerstones of the new civil aviation policy are  competition  consumers  connectivity (within India and with the rest of the world)\  investment-both from domestic and foreign investors  Regional Connectivity Scheme (covered in subsequent section)  Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG)  MoCA will categorize the air traffic routes into 3 categories.  5/20 rule scrapped.  Replaced with a scheme which provides a level playing field  All airlines can now commence international operations provided that they deploy 20 aircraft or 20% of total capacity, whichever is higher for domestic operations.  Bilateral Traffic Rights  GoI will enter into 'Open Sky' ASA on a reciprocal basis with SAARC countries and countries located beyond 5000 km from Delhi. i.e., these countries will have unlimited access, in terms of number of flights and seats, to Indian airports, leading to increased flight frequencies with these countries.  Ease of doing business  A single window for all aviation related transactions, complaints, etc.  More focus on ease-of-doing business as government plans to liberalize regime of regional flights.  Permission for Indian carriers to get into code-sharing agreement with foreign carriers for any destination within India.  The earlier proposed 2% cess on all regional flights has been done away with. The cess was proposed to collect funds to improve regional infrastructure.  Infrastructure development  Restoration of air strips at a maximum cost of Rs 50 crore through Airports Authority of India (AAI).  Four Heli-hubs to be developed. Helicopter Emergency Medical Services to be facilitated  Development of Greenfield and Brownfield airports by State government, private sector or in PPP mode to be encouraged.  Future tariffs at all airports will be calculated on a 'hybrid till'basis  Strategic partnership between Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Civil Aviation to boost skill initiatives in aviation sector.

Answer 25

About  UDAN is an innovative scheme to develop the regional aviation market. The objective of the scheme was “Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik”. Key Features  UDAN will be applicable on flights which cover between 200 km and 800 km with no lower limit set for hilly, remote, island and security sensitive regions.  The scheme seeks to reserve a minimum number of UDAN seats i.e. seats at subsidized rates and also cap the fare for short distance flights at Rs 1,200 for 30 minutes and Rs 2,500 for hour-long flights.  This would be achieved through two means: o A financial stimulus in the form of concessions from Central and State governments and airport operators like tax concessions, exemptions from parking and landing charges etc. o A Viability Gap Funding to the interested airlines to kick-off operations from such airports so that the passenger fares are kept affordable.  A Regional Connectivity Fund would be created to meet the VGF requirements under the scheme. The RCF levy per departure will be applied to certain domestic flights along with 20% contribution from states.  For balanced regional growth, the allocations under the scheme would be equitably spread across the five geographical regions of the country viz. North, West, South, East and North-east.  The selection of airports where UDAN operations would start would be done in consultation with State Government and after confirmation of their concessions.  The scheme UDAN envisages providing connectivity to un-served and under-served airports of the country through revival of existing air-strips and airports as No-Frills Airports at an indicative cost of Rs.50 crore to Rs100 crore  The scheme would be in operation for a period of 10 years.

Answer 26

Why in news? Minister of Civil Aviation launched AirSewa portal to provide a hassle-free and comfortable air travel experience to people. Features  It will be operated through an interactive web portal as well as through a mobile app.  The portal will include a mechanism for grievance redressal, backoffice operations for grievance handling, flight status/schedule information, airport Information and FAQs.  AirSewa attempts to provide a systematic approach to redressing passenger grievances by getting the various players who are a part of the civil aviation ecosystem on to a common platform.  Nodal officers have been selected for all stakeholder agencies who will address the grievance in a time bound manner. Airport information provided through the portal will include basic details and contact information regarding airport services, such as wheelchair, transport / parking and Wi-Fi services. ``` Airports Authority of India ● It is a statutory body constituted in 1995. ● It is entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure both on the ground and air space in the country. ```

Answer 27

 ICAN – 2016 were held recently in Nassau.  The major issues resolved by India were: o Increase in traffic rights o Open Skies agreement: allows unlimited number of flights to six metro airports namely Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai, was signed with six countries namely Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. o New Air Service Agreements were signed with Jamaica and Guyana. o Code Shares: provide seamless connectivity to the travelling passengers and make possible connectivity between far off destinations not served by direct flights.  Open sky refers to an agreement between two countries to allow any number of airlines to fly from either of them without any restriction on number of flights, number of destinations, number of seats, price and so on. However, this is a general definition. In actual practice, there are always some restrictions.

Answer 28

Why in News?  To address the challenges of urbanization, the Ministry of Urban Development has come out with a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy. Background  Transit Oriented Development projects are already being taken up in Ahmedabad, Delhi (Kakardooma), Naya Raipur, Nagpur and Navi Mumbai.  Current progress of Transit Oriented Development is seen in the fact that – o Over 300 km of Metro lines are operational in seven cities and another 600 km of metro line projects are under construction. o Bus Rapid Transport Systems in 12 cities are under different stages of progress. o Mass Rail Transit System of 380 km length is being taken up in Delhi. About the Policy  The city densification will be promoted along mass transit corridors througho Vertical building construction by enhancing Floor Area Ratio. o Promotion of Non-motorized Transport for walking and cycling. o Seamless integration of different transport modes with first and last mile connectivity through feeder services.  It seeks to enhance understanding of States and UTs on TOD as a solution to rising urban challenges  It is proposed to be financed by channelizing a part of increases in property values after investments in transit corridors through Betterment Levies and Value Capture Financing.  It also aims at inclusive development by having mixed neighbourhood development with a range of housing choices including affordable housing and ensuring spaces for street vendors.  States and UTs will be required to o Incorporate TOD in the Master Plans and Development Plans. o Identifying ‘Influence Zones’ from transit corridors for tapping revenue streams. Transit Oriented Development It enables people to live within walking or cycling distance from transit corridors like the Metros, Monorail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors. ``` Floor Area Ratio It is the ratio of a building's total floor area as compared to the size of the land upon which it is built. ``` ``` Other policies to promote Transit Oriented Development  TOD is also being incentivized under two more initiatives viz., Metro Policy and Green Urban Mobility Scheme.  Under the new Metro Policy, TOD has been made mandatory while under Green Urban Mobility Scheme, TOD is recommended as an essential reform with priority in central assistance. ```

Answer 29

Why in News?  The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is using social media platform WhatsApp to issue directives to airports for improving customer service. What is Project Disha?  AAI unveiled Project DISHA – Driving Improvement in Service and Hospitality at Airports – last year to improve customer service.  It was aimed at -  Improving customer convenience  Improving airport facilities such as toilets,  Improving navigation  Offering best and affordable food and beverages.  The project is being implemented at 10 airports – Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Pune, Goa, Guwahati, Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram.

Answer 30

Sports Sector Gets the Infrastructure Status  Ministry of Finance after discussions with different agencies including RBI have decided that sports infrastructure will be included under the Harmonized Master List of Infrastructure Subsectors.  It includes the provision of Sports Stadia and Infrastructure for Academies for Training / Research in Sports and Sports-related activities.  Benefits  It will now be eligible for obtaining long term financial support from banks and other financial institutions.  It will encourage private investment in a public good which has socio-economic externalities.  It will bolster investment in sports infrastructure sector which will contribute to the economy, promote health and fitness and will provide opportunities for employment.  The country can become a sporting power in future. Extra Budgetary Resources for Infrastructure  The Union Cabinet has given its approval for raising a total of Rs. 31,300 crore in the financial year 2016-17 to augment infrastructure spending  The move is intended to supplement the efforts of the Government to improve infrastructure spending and to improve the revenue-capital mix of the expenditure for a more sustainable growth.

Answer 31

 Union Cabinet has approved a proposal for improving telecom connectivity in Andaman & Nicobar Islands by connecting the union territory with Chennai via an undersea optical fibre cable at a cost of Rs. 1,102.38 crore.  The dedicated submarine OFC will connect Mainland (Chennai) and Port Blair and five other islands- Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Havelock, Kamorta and Great Nicobar.  Presently, the telecom connectivity is through satellites which is costly and has limited bandwidth.  The connectivity would help in the socio-economic development of the islands. o It would allow the implementation of e-governance initiatives, establishment of enterprises and ecommerce facilities in the islands. o It would also support the educational institutes for knowledge-sharing and availability of job opportunities.

Answer 32

Why in News?  GoI launched Coal Mitra web portal to facilitate coal swapping among government and private firms.  There is inadequate supply of fuel like coal and gas to power generating station. CIL supply is only 65% of total requirement so most of demand is met through import thus escalating generation cost. Key features  It will show data on Operational parameters and financial health of each coal based station.  Central/state power generating stations can use the portal to display information regarding norms fixed for electricity charges, previous month variable charges of electricity and margin available for additional generation for utilities to identify stations for transfer of coal.

Answer 33

About  Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Urja Ganga, the highly ambitious gas pipeline project in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.  It aims to provide piped cooking gas (PNG) to residents of the eastern region of the country and CNG gas for the vehicles. Key Features  The project envisages laying a 2,050-km pipeline connecting Jagdishpur (UP) to Haldia (West Bengal) by 2018. It will include five states including UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.  The project is being implemented by state-run gas utility GAIL.  Seven East India cities Varanasi, Jamshedpur, Patna, Ranchi, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack – will be the major beneficiary of this network development.

Answer 34

 The renewable energy sector has for the first time surpassed hydro power generation.  According to the Central Electricity Authority data, the total capacity of renewable energy sector increased to 42,849.38 MW, surpassing the total capacity of hydro power sector at 42,783.42 MW, out of the nation’s total installed capacity of a little over 3 lakh MW on April 30, 2016. ``` Power generation in India Thermal- 69.3% in which coal accounts for 60.8%. Hydro - 14.0% Nuclear- 1.9% Renewable Source- 14.9% ```

Answer 35

 It is part of eight core mission of NAPCC.  Recently targets has been revised upwards  to generate 100 GW of solar power by the year 2021-22.  To generate 60 GW ground mounted gridconnected solar power and 40 GW through roof-top grid interactive solar power.  The target for the current year is 2,000 MW and next year target is 12,000 MW. Solar power potential in India As per the study conducted by ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE), India’s solar power potential is as high as 748 GW, against our country’s cumulative installed capacity from all sources at around 275 GW. Solar power getting cheaper  Solar panels made from materials called perovskites.  Recent bids by companies such as SkyPower, SunEdison were at Rs. 5-6/ unit which is very much comparable to thermal power plants. Less practical than conventional energy  Solar energy works only when the sun is shining  Solar systems do not operate efficiently during monsoons or winters when there is fog.  Blending of solar energy in the grid with thermal energy – and that poses all sorts of practical problems.  Capital costs of solar installation are also higher.  Domestic manufacturing remains a weak link:  Indian products are of low technology.  Self-sufficiency is needed for success of Make in India. Will save $42 billion in equipment imports by 2030 and create 50,000 direct jobs and at least 125,000 indirect jobs

Answer 36

 India had introduced a ‘buy-local’ provision under its National Solar Mission for large solar projects. Under it the projects were entitled to subsidy and assured government procurement if the equipment was manufactured locally.  The World Trade Organization (WTO) had earlier this year ruled against this provision in order to remove any disadvantage to imported solar equipment in India.  As per WTO the local content requirements undermine our efforts to promote clean energy by requiring the use of more expensive and less efficient equipment, making it more difficult for clean energy sources to be cost-competitive  India had filed an appeal before WTO on this issue. However, the appeal got dismissed recently.

Answer 37

Who are Suryamitras? Suryamitras are skilled technicians who can install, operate, repair and maintain, provide servicing for solar powered panels, solar power plants and equipment (For ex: solar cookers, solar heaters, solar pumps etc.) Suryamitra initiative  “Suryamitra” is a residential program which is 100% funded by Govt. of India and implemented by NISE across the country.  MNRE set a target of 50,000 “Suryamitras” of skilled manpower in solar energy sector in next 3 years. As on date more than 3,200 Suryamitra are trained under the program. The target for FY 2016-17 is to train 7,000 Suryamitra’s. About National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE)  An autonomous institution of Ministry of New and Renewable (MNRE), is the apex National R&D institution in the field Solar Energy. ``` Suryamitra mobile app  “Surya Mitra” is a GPS based mobile App developed by National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE).  This App is a high-end technology platform, which can handle thousands of calls simultaneously and can efficiently monitor all visits of Suryamitras. ```

Answer 38

Why in News?  Cabinet has approved the doubling of solar park capacity to 40,000 MW. New energy.  State will identify the solar park developer and also the land on which it would be built. Eligibility of the scheme  All the States and UTs are eligible for this scheme.  Solar Energy Corporation India (SECI) will administer the scheme under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)  It is a not-for-profit company under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.  It is currently the implementing agency of many solar programs of government of India

Answer 39

 In Andhra Pradesh, six nuclear centres could be created, totaling thousands of megawatts in capacity having both American and Russian participation in nuclear energy generation.  If all the projects under consideration from Russia, the U.S. and NPCIL were to actually go through, Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) in Andhra could account for more than 30,000 MW of the Modi government’s goal of 63,000 MW installed capacity by 2031.  The “American participation” of Toshiba-Westinghouse to set up 6 AP1000 reactors of 1,100 megawatts each, planned in Gujarat's MithiVirdi, could be moved to Andhra Pradesh due to “stiff protests from farmers” during the land acquisition  The State has planned its nuclear park in Kovvada where another U.S. company GE-Hitachi had also been allocated a site to provide 6 Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactors (ESBWRs) of 1594 MW which has gone slow due to doubts over the technology.  Russian-owned Rosatomcould also will build its next phase of six reactors in Andhra Pradesh. The site for the next set of six Russian reactors is believed to be Kavali in Nellore district, for which announcement could be made during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in October.  Another Russian project, to build 6 ‘VVER’ (Water-Water Energy) Reactors of 1000 MWe in West Bengal’s Haripur may also be moved to Andhra Pradesh due to local protests.

Answer 40

Why in news? India’s first insurance policy covering public liability to an atomic power plant operator has been issued to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). Background  India has ratified the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC) for Nuclear Damage.  Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool was launched by the state-owned General Insurance Corporation-Reinsurer (GIC-Re) and other Indian insurance companies in June, 2015.  This pool offers an insurance product for NPCIL for covering the operator’s liability under the provisions of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act 2010.  It provides for Rs. 1,500 crore as maximum liability for nuclear damage ```  Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is a Public Sector Enterprise under Department of Atomic Energy  NPCIL is responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors.  It is presently operating 21 nuclear power reactors with an installed capacity of 5780 MW. ```

Answer 41

 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced come out with draft policy for 2nd generation ethanol.  In December 2014, the Cabinet had approved usage of non-food feedstocks besides molasses as source of ethanol to be used for blending in fuel.  The policy is for using resources other than molasses for producing ethanol, since there is a shortage of molasses.  Ministries of renewable energy and science and technology will find a way to produce second-generation ethanol from biomass, bamboo, rice straw, wheat straw, and cotton straw etc. to power vehicles.

Answer 42

 India ranked 4th in the Global Wind Power Installed Capacity index with cumulative installed wind power generation capacity of 25,088 MW in 2015.  The index was released as part of Global Wind Report: Annual Market, flagship publication of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).  The index was topped by China, followed by US and Germany with cumulative installed wind power generation capacity of 145362 MW, 74471 MW and 44947 MW respectively.  India has achieved the largest-ever wind power capacity addition of 3,423 MW in 2015-16, exceeding the target by 44%.

Answer 43

 #Gas4India is a unified cross-country, multimedia, multi-event campaign to communicate the national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the fuel of choice to every citizen.  The campaign includes social engagement via Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and its official blogsite, as well as hyper local, offline events to directly connect with consumers through discussions, workshops and cultural events.

Answer 44

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated three flagship 800 MW Hydro Power Station of NTPC- Koldam, 520 MW Parvati Project of NHPC and 412 MW Rampur Hydro Station of SJVNL projects to the Nation in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

Answer 45

Why in News?  Tamil Nadu Govt. has signed a MoU with Ministry of Power, GOI for Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana.  The state has also signed up for the “24X7 Power for All” initiative. Background  “24X7 PFA” aims to provide 24X7 power access in the country anywhere any time by 2019.  With TN signing the MoU, roadmap for all states except UP have been finalized and under implementation.  Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan were the first states to sign up to provide 24X7 power.  Rigorous analysis showed that the states lacked financial viability to provide power for all.  This led to the formation of UDAY, to replenish loss-making DISCOMs (distribution companies).  Apart from UDAY, the government has also launched several other initiatives in the past two years to achieve 24X7 PFA such as UJALA (distribution of LED light bulbs), DDUGJY and IPDS.  Allocations forDDUGJY (Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna) and IPDS (Integrated Power Development Scheme) have been increased by 25% in budget 2017-18 to achieve 24X7 PFA. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY)  Flagship programme of power ministry to facilitate 24*7 power supply esp in rural area villages.  It was launched in 2015 in Patna.  Earlier scheme for rural electrification called Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) has been subsumed in this scheme.

Answer 46

Why in News?  Power ministry launched GARV app to provide real time data about rural electrification in all (6 lakh) villages of the country.  Earlier GARV app only provided data about rural electrification regarding 18,452 unelectrified villages while GARV II will provide real time data about all villages. Key features of GARV APP  Villages with more than 15 lakh habitation has been mapped.  It has a citizen engagement window called “SAMVAD” through which people can provide their feedback and suggestion which will be automatically forwarded to concerned authorities.  It will have a latest update on release of funds to states sanctioned under DDUGJY.  Progress of the various work will be updated on day to day by implementing agencies of state government. Meaning of Electrification of a Village According to the definition of electrification that came into effect from 2004-05, a village would be declared electrified if,  Basic infrastructure such as Distribution Transformer and Distribution lines are provided in the inhabited locality as well as the Dalit Basti hamlet where it exists.  Electricity is provided to public places like Schools, Panchayat Office, Health Centers, Dispensaries, Community centers etc.  The number of households electrified should be at least 10% of the total number of households in the village.

Answer 47

Why in News?  Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines launched TARANG mobile app, e-trans and DEEP e-bidding portals.  The portals have been launched with the objective to bring transparency in the power transmission sector of the country. TARANG (mobile app and web portal)  It stands for Transmission App for Real Time Monitoring and Growth.  It will act as a monitoring tool to track upcoming projects.  It will also monitor Green Energy Corridors. E-trans  It is web platform for e-bidding and e-reverse auction for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) for transmission projects.  Reverse auction is also being introduced in the transmission sector with e-trans. DEEP (Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price)  It is an e-bidding portal for medium term (1-5 years) purchase of power.  It will provide a common e-bidding platform with e-reverse auction facility to facilitate nation-wide power procurement through a wider network.

Answer 48

Why in news?  Central Electricity Authority released the draft National Electricity Plan (generation). Key features of the draft Plan  The document assumes capacity addition from gas at 4,340 MW, hydro at 15,330 MW, nuclear at 2,800 MW and renewable sources at 115,326 MW as committed capacity during 2017-22.  For the period 2022-27, priority has been given to development of hydro and nuclear based projects for power generation.  Coal based capacity addition will not be required in this period, as a capacity of 50 GW is already under construction against a requirement of 44 GW.  It said that the renewable energy generation will contribute about 20.3 per cent and 24.2 per cent of the total energy requirement in 2021-22 and 2026-27, respectively.  It scaled down India's peak power demand over the next 10 years than the corresponding projections made by 18th Electric Power Survey (EPS) report due to energy conservation measures. ```  Central Electricity Authority (CEA): It is a statutory organization under the Electricity Act, 2003.  It is required to prepare a National Electricity Plan in accordance with the National Electricity Policy. ```

Answer 49

 The government used to plan generation with deficit of power in the past in its LGBRs, which are brought out every year to project electricity demand and supply situation.  The report covers the month-wise anticipated energy requirement and availability as well as peak demand and availability for the year against an all India annual generation target.  The LGBR is finalised by the Central Electricity Authority and approved by the Power Ministry after detailed discussions with the States/ utilities and Central/State/Private generation companies.

Answer 50

``` Why in News?  Under the Draft Energy Savings Certificates regulations, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has approved the trading of ESCs on power exchanges. Proposal  The Power System Operation Corporation Limited has to perform the role of registry of the ESCs.  The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has been assigned the role of administrator for exchange of ESCs.  CERC will supervise and approve the procedures as framed by the Administrator from time to time. It would also exercise market oversight over the power markets. ``` Perform Achieve and Trade scheme  It is a scheme under the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency.  It was introduced as an instrument to reducing specific energy consumption in energy-intensive industries.  It is aimed at major industries like thermal power, fertilizer, cement etc.  It is a market-based mechanism that allows the trading of ESCerts (energy saving Certificate) o ESCerts were introduced in 2013 by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for industries which achieved energy efficiency standards. o They are issued by BEE or Ministry of Power. o One certificate is equal to the energy consumed in terms of one metric tonne of oil equivalent (mtoe). Renewable Energy Certificates:  It addresses the mismatch between availability of Renewable Energy sources and mandatory Renewable Purchase Obligations.  Its value is equivalent to 1 MWh of electricity injected from renewable energy sources

Answer 51

 The Bureau of Energy Efficiency initiated the Standards & Labeling programme for equipment and appliances in 2006  The scheme is invoked for 21 equipment/appliances including 7 for which it is mandatory.  The equipment/appliances are given a star rating of one to five; five stars being the most energy efficient.  Some of the equipment/appliances covered under this programme include frost free (no frost) refrigerators, tubular fluorescent lamps (TFLs), room air-conditioners, direct cool refrigerators, distribution transformers, induction motors, pump sets, ceiling fans, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves, electric geysers, ballasts, computers, office equipment, and colour televisions .

Answer 52

Energy Efficient Fans Programme (EEFP)  Under this programme, 50 watt fans are provided by EESL at Rs. 1,150 per unit on upfront payment, or at total of Rs. 1,200, if taken on equated monthly instalments (EMI).  The EMI is adjusted against electricity bills of consumers. Energy Efficient Agriculture Pumps Programme  It is launched by EESL to replace the old and inefficient pump sets of farmers free of cost.  EESL would also provide smart control panels to enhance the ease of operation of pumps by the farmers.  The energy efficient pumps, which are 4 or 5 star rated, ensure a minimum of 30% reduction in energy consumption.

Answer 53

 It will be the integrated headquarters building for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.  At present the office of MNRE is located in three different building blocks at CGO Complex with its current strength of about 400 officials.  It would be a state-of- the art, Net-Zero-Energy Green Building designed on the concept of Solar Passive Architecture.  This interactive and use-responsive building will have an Urja pavilion showcasing Renewable Energy systems and devices.

Answer 54

 It is the World’s Largest Street Light Replacement Programme, which is being implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture under the Ministry of Power, Government of India.  The SLNP was launched in January 2015.  Under the programme around 3.5 crore conventional street lights will be replaced with smart and energy efficient LED street lights by March 2019.  Rajasthan was the first state to adopt this scheme.

Answer 55

 Union Government on 1 April 2015 launched Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) – India Scheme.  The scheme was launched as part of the National Mission for Electric Mobility to boost eco-friendly vehicles sales in the country.  Objective- to support the hybrid or electric vehicles market development and its manufacturing ecosystem in the country in order to achieve self-sustenance in stipulated period.  The overall scheme is proposed to be implemented over a period next 6 years i.e. till 2020.  It will be implemented in phases. The Phase-1 will be implemented over a two year period in FY15-16 and FY16-17.  Four focus areas of scheme- Technology development, Pilot Projects, Demand Creation and Charging Infrastructure.  The Department of Heavy Industries under the aegis of Union Ministry of Heavy Industries will be will be nodal department for the scheme

Answer 56

 India was on 131 rank in the latest UNDP report on account of rise in life expectancy and per capita income.  The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living.  The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions.

Answer 57

This index was launched by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung  It is a report for tracking SDG progress and ensuring accountability by identifying priorities for early action.  India has ranked a low 110 out of 149 nations assessed whereas Sweden has topped.  The index shows all countries face major challenges in achieving these ambitious goals.  The countries which are closest to fulfilling the goals are not the biggest economies but comparably small, developed countries

Answer 58

 This index is published by Geneva based World Economic Forum.  It ranks 130 countries on how well they are developing and deploying their talent.  The index takes a life-course approach to human capital, evaluating the levels of education, skills and employment available to people in five distinct age groups, starting from under 15 years to over 65 years.  This year’s edition also explores new data sources to reveal fresh insights on skills diversity, the gig economy and talent mobility.  India is ranked low at 105th position globally in the index which was topped by Finland

Answer 59

 It is a study by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).  India ranks a low 39th in terms of fixed broadband adoption among Asia Pacific countries in 2015. Only 1.3 per cent of India’s citizens subscribe to fixed broadband service About ESCAP  It is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. It involves 53 Member States and 9 Associate Members.  It provides the most comprehensive multilateral platform for promoting cooperation among member States to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific.

Answer 60

 It is released by India’s leading public policy think tank, Centre for Civil Society in collaboration with Canada’s Fraser Institute.  It measures the degree of economic freedom in countries in five broad areas.  The report is based on data from 2014  India has slipped 10 positions in the Index in 2016. Hong Kong topped the index, followed by Singapore and New Zealand.

Answer 61

 It is released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC).  India remains near the bottom in 2017 index also with a rank of 43 out of 45 countries (only above Pakistan and Venezuela)  The index is based on 30 criteria including patent, copyright and trademark protections, enforcement, and engagement in international treaties.

Answer 62

 It was released by World Economic Forum in its ‘Inclusive Growth and Development Report 2017’  India has been ranked 60th among 79 developing economies, below neighboring China and Pakistan, with Lithuania topping the list  The Inclusive Development Index (IDI) is based on 12 performance indicators and three pillars — o Growth and Development o Inclusion and Intergenerational Equity o Sustainability  IDI scores are based on a scale of 1-7. Advanced and developing economy IDI scores are not strictly comparable due to different definitions of poverty.

Answer 63

Why in News? The World Economic Forum, NITI Aayog, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Cornell University will work together to develop an India Innovation Index. More about India Innovation Index  It will be a "first-of-its-kind online platform" where Global Innovation Index (GII) indicators and Indiacentric data from various states will be updated periodically.  The index will measure and rank the innovation performance of all Indian states  It will be structured based on the best practices followed in Global Innovation Index (GII) indicators and additionally by adding India-centric parameters those truly reflect the Indian innovation ecosystem.  The index will be based on key pillars of innovation and sub-indices that together will assist in tailoring policies that promote inclusive growth.  The pillars include the strength of institutions, capacity of human capital and research, supporting infrastructure and the level of business sophistication, among others.  The first ranking is expected to be released at the India Economic Summit in New Delhi on October 4-6, 2017. GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX  GII is co-published by World-Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University and INSEAD with CII as a Knowledge Partner  Since inception in 2007, it has been ranking world economies according to their innovation capabilities and outcomes using 82 indicators among a host of other important parameters  India currently ranks 66th out of 128 countries on the Global innovation Index (GII) 2016.

Answer 64

 The World Bank ranks the economies on their ease of doing business.  A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.  The rankings are determined by sorting the aggregate distance to frontier scores on 10 topics, each consisting of several indicators, giving equal weight to each topic.  India has ranked poorly on this ranking for past few years. In the recent rankings for 2017, it has moved one rank up to the 130th position..

Answer 65

 One of the reason for improvement in EoDB rankings is launch of SWIFT (Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade) What is SWIFT?  Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) launched SWIFT on 1st April, 2016 as one of the initiative to facilitate trade and improve ease of doing business.  SWIFT enables importers/exporters to file a common electronic integrated declaration on ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange Gateway)  The integrated declaration compiles the information required for Customs, FSSAI, Plant Quarantine, Animal Quarantine, Drug Controller, Wild Life Control Bureau and Textile Committee

Answer 66

 India was placed at 91st position in the recently released 2016 Networked Readiness Index (NRI) by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF).  It measures countries’ success in creating the necessary conditions for a transition to a digitised economy and society. About WEF  It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.  The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Answer 67

 The present index is produced by the U.S.-based Heritage Foundation in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal.  The index is a measure of economic prosperity on per capita GDP basis.  The 2016 report of the Economic Freedom of the World has placed India at 112th position out of 159 countries, a slip of 10 positions from previous year.  Essentially, economic freedom is dependent on the following broad dimensions: Security of privatelyowned property, levels of personal choice, ability to enter markets and the rule of law.

Answer 68

Why in news India’s position improved to 39th rank in the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Competitiveness Index. Key facts  India improved 16 places to 39, making it the fastest riser up the ranks among 138 countries surveyed.  India’s competitiveness improved across the board, particularly in goods market efficiency (60), business sophistication (35) and innovation (29).  India is also the second most competitive country among BRICS nations (China on 28th).

Answer 69

Why in News?  International Labour Organization recently released the World Employment and Social Outlook-Trends 2016 Report. Findings of the Report  It predicts that the number of jobless in India will increase from 17.7 million in 2016 to 18 million by 2018. It also predicts the employment rate to go down from 3.5% to 3.4% in 2017.  The report included predictions related to ‘vulnerable employment’. About International Labour Organization  It was established in 1919 as a part of Treaty of Versailles post WWI. It is the only tripartite UN agency, brings together governments, employers and workers of member states.  Its aim is to set labour standards, policies and programmes to promote decent work for all women and men.  India is the founding member of ILO.  It has three main bodies: o International Labour Conference– It sets the labour standards and broad policies. o Governing Body– It is the executive body taking the final decisions. o International Labour Office– It is the permanent secretariat of ILO supervised by Governing Body. ``` Vulnerable Employment  As per ILO, vulnerable employment covers the own account workers and unpaid family workers.  They most likely lack decent working conditions, social security or any representation in unions ```

Answer 70

 WTO has introduced a new World Trade Outlook Indicator (WTOI) to provide “real time” information on trends in global trade.  The WTOI gives a headline figure to show performance against trend.  A reading of 100 would indicate trade growth in line with recent trends, a reading greater than 100 would suggest above trend growth, while a reading below 100 indicates below trend growth.  The WTOI will be updated on a quarterly basis.

Answer 71

Why in news? UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released the World Investment Report 2016. About UNCTAD  United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues. The organization's goals are to: "maximize the trade, investment and development opportunities of developing countries.”  It organizes: World Investment Forum  It publishes reports like:  World Investment Report  Technology and Innovation Report

Answer 72

 In the Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), released by AT Kearney, India jumped 13 positions and was placed second in retail potential in the 2016.  30 developing countries were profiled to analyses them on 25 macroeconomic and retail-specific variables, to identify the markets attractive today, and those with future potential.  The report thus helps retailers devise successful global strategies to identify emerging market investment opportunities.  According to the report, India's retail sector expanded at a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% between 2013 and 2015, domestic funding from independent and unorganized retail markets drove most of it.  E-commerce is propelling India's growth and it is the world's second largest internet market

Answer 73

Why in news? The World Bank Group recently launched its bi-annual report ‘connecting to Compete 2016: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy’. What is Logistics Performance Index (LPI)? LPI is a measure that captures the relative ease and efficiency with which products can be moved into and within a country. Salient Points  India has improved its ranking, from 54th in 2014 to 35th in 2016.  LPI captures the extent of costs and inefficiency in moving goods internally, especially across states where internal barriers are known to exist.

Answer 74

The Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR) is an annual publication of Trade, Investment and Innovation Division of United Nations ESCAP.  This report helps to understand trends and developments in trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region