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

UNITAR

Context: PM expresses gratitude to UNITAR.

What is UNITAR?

• The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) provides innovative learning solutions to individuals, organizations and institutions to enhance global decision-making and support country-level action for shaping a better future.
• UNITAR was created in 1963 to train and equip young diplomats from newly-independent UN Member States with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate through the diplomatic environment.
• With a strategy fully focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNITAR supports Governments to implement the 2030 Agenda.
• It is now a leading institute in the provision of customized and creative learning solutions to institutions and individuals from both public and private sectors.
• UNITAR provides training and capacity development activities to assist mainly developing countries with special attention to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other groups and communities who are most vulnerable, including those in conflict situations.
• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has offices in New York and Hiroshima.
• UNITAR is financed entirely from voluntary contributions derived mainly from UN Member States, other UN agencies, international and intergovernmental organizations, foundations NGOs and the private sector.

List of International Organizations and their Headquarters

Champion Services Sector (CSS) Scheme

Context: This information was given by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Background

• The Union Cabinet, in 2018, approved the proposal of the Department of Commerce to give focused attention to 12 identified champion services sectors for promoting their development and realising their potential.
• The 12 sectors are IT & ITES, tourism and hospitality services, medical value travel, transport and logistics services, accounting and finance services, audio visual services, legal services, communication services, construction and related engineering services, environmental services, financial services and education services.

About the CSS Scheme

• It is an umbrella scheme for the period 2019-20 to 2023-24.
• It is a central sector scheme of the Dept. of Commerce.
• The aims of the scheme are:
  • Unleash the full potential of the services sector and achieve their sustained growth.
  • Diversification across a broad range of services sectors.
  • Enhance global competitiveness of India’s services sectors and position India as a services hub of the world.
• The states objectives of the scheme are:
  • Addressing sectoral and cross-cutting issues including domestic regulatory reforms.
  • ‘New’ initiatives including new processes, new infrastructure, new mindset, new sectors and new standards to prevent India’s services sector from losing its competitive position in the global market.
  • Enhance gross value added contributed by the domestic services sectors.
  • Boosting India’s exports across a broad range of services sectors.
  • Skill training and employment creation.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has initiated the following projects under CSS scheme:
  • Future Skills PRIME: It is a programme for reskilling/upskilling of IT manpower for employability.
  • Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS): The NGIS aims to create a vibrant software product ecosystem to complement the robust IT industry.

India Meteorological Department (IMD)

Context: World Meteorological Day celebrations.

Details

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) celebrated the World Meteorological Day on 23rd
• The Climate Data Services Portal of the IMD was also inaugurated on the occasion.

About the Climate Data Services Portal

• The Climate Data Services Portal has been developed by IMD, Pune with user-friendly platforms for climate data management and supply to the users.
• It complements fully automated climate data management process from real-time data acquisition to expeditious data dissemination.
• The major components of the portal are:
  • Real-Time monitoring of weather observations recorded by IMD Observatories.
  • Encapsulated IMD Metadata Portal, other reports and dashboards
  • Online access to meteorological data through Data Supply Portal.
  • Free download facility for Gridded Temperature and Rainfall Data of India.
  • Climatological Tables, Extremes and Normal.
  • Information on Monsoon Rainfall and Cyclone frequencies.
  • Data analytics and info graphics.

About World Meteorological Day

• The World Meteorological Day (23 March) is celebrated to commemorate the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
• The day highlights the importance of the behaviour of Earth’s atmosphere.
• The theme for 2021 is “The ocean, our climate, and weather”.

Safe City Project

Context: Safe City Projects have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme in 8 cities.

Details

• The eight cities are Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow & Mumbai.
• These projects involve identification of hot spots for crimes against women and deployment of various components including infrastructure, technology adoption, and capacity building in community through awareness programmes.
• The project implementation is regularly reviewed by the State Level Apex Committee.

Prelims Facts

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)

• BCAS was initially set up as a Cell in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in January 1978 on the recommendation of the Pande Committee.
• The BCAS was reorganized into an independent department under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1987.
• The main responsibilities of BCAS include laying down standards and measures with respect to security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India.
• It also monitors the implementation of security rules and regulations. Additionally, BCAS also engages in planning and coordination of aviation security matters.
• BCAS is headquartered in New Delhi.