PIB Summary- 24th December, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Heat  ‘ABHYAS’

Why in news?

DRDO successfully conducted the flight test of Indigenously developed High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) Abhyas today from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast, Odisha. 

Key points:

• Designed and developed by:  Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), bengaluru based DRDO laboratory  along with other DRDO laboratories
• This indigenous unmanned aerial target system was developed to meet the requirement of aerial targets of Indian Armed Forces.
• Features:
  (i) It is provided with a small turbo jet engine is used to sustain high subsonic speed with long endurance.
  (ii) The aircraft is controlled from a ground based controller and an indigenously developed MEMS based Inertial Navigation System along with the Flight Control Computer which helps it to follow the pre-designated path in a fully autonomous mode. 

Samajik Adhikarita Shivir

Why in news?

A ‘Samajik Adhikarita Shivir’ for distribution of aids and assistive devices to ‘Divyangjan’ under the ADIP Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India will be organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in association with ALIMCO and District Administration North Mumbai on 24 December 2021.

Key points:

• A total of 2588 aids and assistive devices worth Rs. 1.34 crore will be distributed free of cost to 1416 Divyangjan of North East Constituency, Mumbai.
• Different kind of Assistive Devices for different categories of Disabilities like Tricycle, Wheelchair, Crutches, Hearing Aid Machine, Braille Kit, Smart Phone, ADL Kit for leprosy effected persons, C.P Chair etc. will be distributed in the camp

About Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) Scheme:

• The ADIP Scheme is in operation since 1981.
• Objective: To assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhance their economic potential.  
  (i) Assistive devices are given to PwDs with an aim to improve their independent functioning and to arrest the extent of disability and occurrence of secondary disability. 
• Features:
  (i) The scheme also envisages conduct of corrective surgeries, wherever required, before providing an assistive device.
  (ii) Grants-in-aid are released to various implementing agencies for purchase and distribution of aids and assistive devices.  
  (iii) Aids/appliances which do not cost more than Rs. 10,000 are covered under the Scheme for single disability. However, in some cases the limit would be raised to Rs.12,000.
  (iv) In the case of multiple disabilities, the limit will apply to individual items separately in case more than one aid/appliance is required.
  (v) Full cost of aid/appliance is provided if the income is up to Rs. 15,000 per month and 50% of the cost of aid/appliance is provided if the income is between Rs. 15,001 to Rs. 20,000 per month.

Trifed

Why in news?

Several noteworthy initiatives of TRIFED were launched by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs on December 23, 2021.

Key points:

• TRIFED VanDhan Chronicle:  An in-depth resource on the Van Dhan Yojana and TRIFED’s activities was launched.
  (i) It will help in in communicating about the large number  of livelihood activities  that TRIFED has undertaken which have impacted the life of more than 16 lakh tribals
  (ii) Serve as a manual for the officers who will work on these activities in future.
• Launch of the comprehensive MIS portal: It will ensure ready availability of procurement data that can help in effective decision making and enhancing overall transparency.
• UNICEF and TRIFED signed an MoU on Tribal Samvaad Network: It will help in connecting, interacting and bringing prosperity among the tribals who have suffering from neglect over a long period of time. 
• 14 Honey  Farmer Producer Organisations were inaugurated:
  (i) Beekeeping activity has been recognized as one of the important activities by Govt of India for its promotion and development to achieve “Sweet Revolution” in the endeavor of enhancing income of farmers.
  (ii) A central scheme titled “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)” was launched to ensure economies of scale for farmers over the next five years.
  (iii) The National Bee Board (NBB), under the National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NHBM), has planned to develop the scientific bee-keeping value chain for honey across 100 clusters in the country.
  (iv) TRIFED has been made the implementing agency by Ministry of Agriculture to undertake the formation of 14 Honey FPOs 

About Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED):

• It was established in 1987 under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984 by the Government of India as a National level Cooperative body
• It works under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Aim: To bring about socio-economic development of tribals of the country by institutionalizing the trade of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) & Surplus Agricultural Produce (SAP) collected/ cultivated by them.
• The philosophy behind this approach is to empower tribal people with knowledge, tools and pool of information so that they can undertake their operations in a more systematic and scientific manner.
• Approach:
  (i) Capacity building of the tribal people through sensitization,
  (ii) Formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and imparting training to them for undertaking a particular activity
  (iii) Exploring marketing possibilities in national as well as international markets
  (iv) Creating opportunities for marketing tribal products on a sustainable basis and creating a brand.