PIB Summary- 16th May, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal

Why in News?
The Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & IT recently launched the “GatiShakti Sanchar” portal.

About Gati Shakti Sanchar portal:

• This will provide a robust mechanism to achieve the goal of “Broadband for All” as envisaged in the National Digital Communication Policy-2.
• It aims to provide for Centralised Right of Way (RoW) approvals.
• The portal will enable applicants form various Telecom Service providers (TSPs) as well as Infrastructure providers (IPs) to apply at a common single portal for Right of Way permissions to lay down Optical Fibre Cable and for erecting mobile towers to State/UT Governments and local bodies.
• As it smoothens the process of RoW permissions as well as faster approvals; it is believed to facilitate easy rollout of 5G services, in which a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) is installed at very short intervals.
• For effective monitoring of RoW applications across the country, the portal even comes fitted with a potent dashboard showing State and District wise pendency status.
• Government of India is committed to facilitate “Ease of Doing Business” and the launch of the “GatiShakti Sanchar” portal is another step in that direction. The portal will also bring an array of advantages to the Government Bodies- both Central and State/UT. It will smoothen the RoW approval process, which will lead to:
  (i) Fast laying of more Optical Fiber Cable and thus will accelerate fiberization.
  (ii) Increased tower density which will enhance connectivity and improve the quality of various telecom services.
  (iii) Increased fiberization of telecom towers, thus ensuring better Broadband speed, across the country.

BRICS

Why in News?
Recently, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, participated in the BRICS High Level Meeting held virtually.

Highlights:

• The minister highlighted the relevance of the forum to jointly address climate change, to explore approaches to accelerate low-carbon and resilient transition, and to achieve sustainable recovery and development.
• Union Minister, in his address, underscored India’s commitment to strong climate action including the promotion of sustainable lifestyles based on mindful consumption and reduction of waste.
• The Environment Minister informed the BRICS Ministerial that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi how India is today leading by example by taking several robust steps in the field of renewable energy, sustainable habitats, creation of carbon sinks through additional forest and tree cover, transition to sustainable transport, e-mobility, mobilizing the private sector to make climate commitments, etc.
• He mentioned how India has progressively continued decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions.
• He highlighted that ambitious implementation of climate actions by developing countries is contingent on the ambitious and adequate delivery of climate finance, technology transfer, and other implementation support, as mandated by the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.
• He expressed optimism towards the delivery of the climate finance as per the Glasgow decision and the Climate Finance Delivery Plan released by the COP 26 Presidency.
• BRICS Environment Ministers expressed commitment to strengthen collaboration on climate change, and broaden and deepen the contents of cooperation.
• Further, the countries agreed to carry out policy exchanges and cooperation in areas of environment and climate change.

What is BRICS?

• BRICS is the international grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
• This was set up as a move towards greater multi­polarity; hence the spread across three continents and both hemispheres.
• In terms of GDP, China occupies the second position; India the fifth; Brazil the ninth; Russia the 11th; and South Africa the 35th.
• In terms of growth rates, China grew at 6%; India at 4.5%, Russia 1.7%, Brazil 1.2% and South Africa 0.1%.
• BRICS does not exist in form of organization, but it is an annual summit between the supreme leaders of five nations.
• The Chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, in accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-S.
• The BRICS seeks to deepen, broaden and intensify cooperation within the grouping and among the individual countries for more sustainable, equitable and mutually beneficial development.
• BRICS takes into consideration each member’s growth, development and poverty objectives to ensure relations are built on the respective country’s economic strengths and to avoid competition where possible.
• BRICS is emerging as a new and promising political-diplomatic entity with diverse objectives, far beyond the original objective of reforming global financial institutions.

National Gallery of Modern Art

Why in News?
National Gallery of Modern Art to organize a host of educational activities and programs under the theme of ‘Power of Museums’ during week long celebrations of International Museum Day from 16th-20th May.

About National Gallery of Modern Art

• Founded in 1954, as the premier museum of modern art of a newly independent nation, the National Gallery Modern Art, New Delhi, houses and showcases masterpieces of the changing art forms of modern India spanning more than one hundred and fifty years.
• The museum continues to reaffirm its role as a repository of modern and contemporary visual, plastic and new media arts.
• The museum has a seminal collection of more than 2000 artists.
• The line-up includes artists of the of stature of Raja Ravi Verma, Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil, Thomas Daniell, and a few leading international artists.
• Some of the oldest works preserved at NGMA date back to 1857.
• With 12,000 square meters of exhibition space, it is one of the world’s largest modern art museums.

Objectives:

• To acquire and preserve works of modern art from 1850s onward.
• To organize, maintain and develop galleries for permanent display.
• To organize special exhibitions not only in its own premises but in other parts of the country and abroad.
• To develop an education and documentation centre in order to acquire, maintain and preserve documents relating to works of modern art.
• To develop a specialized library of books, periodicals, photographs and other audio visual materials.
• To organize lectures, seminars and conferences, and to encourage higher studies and research in the field of art history, art criticism, art appreciation, museology and the inter-relations on visual and performing arts.