PIB Summary- 20th September, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Vanijya Saptah

Details

• The Department of Commerce to observe ‘Vanijya Saptah’ wherein events would be conducted across the country highlighting Aatmanirbhar Bharat, showcasing India as a rising economic force and Green & Swachh Special Economic Zones.
• Vanijya Utsav will cover all 739 districts of the country.
• Seminars and export promotion events will be conducted.
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will launch the National Single Window System and an Industrial Park Rating System.
  • National Single Window System: The digital platform will allow investors to identify and apply for various pre-operations approvals required for commencing a business in India. This will provide end-to-end facilitation, support, including pre-investment advisory, information related to land banks and facilitating clearances at Central and State levels.
  • Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) recognizes best performing parks, identifying interventions and serving as a decision support system for investors and policy makers.

Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’

About Exercise Samudra Shakti

• Samudra Shakti is a bilateral exercise between the navies of India and Indonesia that was conceived in 2018.
• This is the third edition and the exercise has matured in complexity over the last two editions and will involve complex maritime operations including Military Interdiction Operations (MIO), Cross Deck Landings, Air Defence serials, Practice Weapon Firings, Replenishment Approaches and Tactical Manoeuvres.
• The exercise aims to strengthen the bilateral relationship, enhance mutual understanding and interoperability in maritime operations between the two navies.
• The exercise will also provide an appropriate platform to share best practices and develop a common understanding of Maritime Security Operations.
• The participating ships from India are INS Shivalik and INS Kadmatt and also the Anti-Submarine Warfare capable Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft P8I.

SCO Peaceful Mission 2021

• 6th edition of Exercise Peaceful Mission commenced at Orenburg, Russia.
• Indian Military Contingent participates in the 6th Edition of Exercise SCO Peaceful Mission 2021 at Orenburg, Russia.

Exercise SCO Peaceful Mission

• Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise PEACEFUL MISSION is a Multilateral Exercise, which is conducted biennially as part of military diplomacy between Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.
• The 6th edition of Exercise PEACEFUL MISSION is being hosted by Russia in the Orenburg Region of South West Russia in September 2021.
• The aim of the exercise is to foster close relations between SCO member states and to enhance abilities of the military leaders to command multi-national military contingents.
• The exercise will enable sharing of best practices between the Armed Forces of SCO nations.
• The exercise will also provide an opportunity to the Armed Forces of SCO Nations to train in Counter-Terrorism Operations in an urban scenario in a multinational and joint environment.
• The scope of the exercise includes professional interaction, mutual understanding of drills & procedures, establishment of joint command & control structures and elimination of terrorist threats.

National Florence Nightingale Award

About the National Florence Nightingale Award

• National Florence Nightingale Award is the highest national distinction a nurse can achieve in India for selfless devotion and exceptional professionalism.
• The Government of India instituted these awards in 1973.
• They are named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
• The award carries Rs 50000 cash, a certificate, a citation certificate and a medal.

Mt Kun

• Kun (7077M), the second highest peak of the Nun Kun massif is located in the upper Suru Valley.
• Being one of the highest peaks in the Zanskar Range and on the Indian side of the Line of Control, the twin peaks of Nun (7135M) and Kun are separated by a 4km long snow plateau.

Exercise Surya Kiran

Details

• The 15th India-Nepal combined battalion level military training exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN’ commenced at Pithoragarh.
• During the exercise, an Infantry Battalion each from the Indian Army and the Nepali Army will be training together to develop inter-operability and share their experience of counter terrorism operations and disaster relief operations.

Surya Kiran is a bilateral Joint Military Exercise between India and Nepal. Indian Army and Nepal Army participate in the Surya Kiran exercise. The 15th edition of Indo–Nepal Joint Military Training Exercise Surya Kiran commenced on September 20, 2021, at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.

Facts about Surya Kiran Exercise for UPSC

List of Surya Kiran Exercises between India and Nepal

Defence Cooperation between Indian and Nepal

1. The aspects of India and Nepal defence cooperation are:
   • Assistance during disasters
   • Adventure activities and
   • Bilateral visits
2. Indian Army training institutions host various training courses which number of defence personnel from Nepal army attend
3. Since 1950, India and Nepal have been awarding each other’s Army Chief with the honorary rank of General in recognition of the mutual harmonious relationship between the two armies.
4. The Gorkha regiments of the Indian Army are raised partly by recruitment from hill districts of Nepal.
5. 32,000 Gorkha Soldiers from Nepal are serving in the Indian Army.
6. There is one Military Pension Branch at Kathmandu, 2 pension paying offices and 22 District Soldier Boards in Nepal that function under the Defence Wing of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. Their functions are:
   • Disbursement of pensions
   • Organisation of welfare programmes for re-training, rehabilitating and assisting ex Gurkha soldiers and their families.

3rd State Food Safety Index

About the State Food Safety Index

• Every year, FSSAI releases the State Food Safety Index based on the overall performance of the States/UTs in the previous financial year in the domain of food safety.
• The idea is to create a positive competitive environment across the States/UTs to meet the objectives of the Food Safety and Standards Act to provide safe food to the general public.
• The first State Food Safety Index for the year 2018-19 was announced on the first-ever World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2019.
• The Index measures the performance of States and UTs on five significant parameters of Food Safety:
  • Human Resources and Institutional Data (20% weightage)
  • Compliance (30% weightage)
  • Food Testing – Infrastructure and Surveillance (20% weightage)
  • Training and Capacity Building (10% weightage)
  • Consumer Empowerment (20% weightage)
• This year, among the larger states, Gujarat was the top ranking state, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Among the smaller states, Goa stood first followed by Meghalaya and Manipur. Among UTs, Jammu & Kashmir, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and New Delhi secured top ranks.

Global Innovation Index 2021

Context: India scores 46th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2021.

Details

• India has been ranked 46th by the World Intellectual Property Organization in the Global Innovation Index 2021 rankings.
• India has improved by 2 spots from the last ranking. India has consistently been on a rising trajectory in the GII rankings. (India was ranked 81 in 2015).
• The consistent improvement in the GII ranking is owing to the immense knowledge capital, the vibrant start-up ecosystem, and the amazing work done by the public and the private research organizations.
• The GII is the fulcrum for governments across the world to assess the social and the economic changes in their respective countries. Over the years, the GII has established itself as a policy tool for various governments and helped them to reflect upon the existing status quo.