PIB Summary- 16th September, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Quality Council of India (QCI) Launches New Award

• Quality Council of India (QCI) launches Prof. S.K. Joshi Laboratory Excellence Award.
• The above information was provided by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry in the Lok Sabha.

About the Award

• This is India’s first laboratory excellence award.
• This Award has been instituted to promote Laboratory Quality and performance improvement in the country.
• The award has been incepted to ensure the laboratory’s commitment to achieve excellence in providing high precision testing and calibration services in line with the prevalent national/international quality systems legislations, including Health, Safety & Environment.
• This award will be open to all currently operational laboratories pertaining to Testing, Calibration & Medical including their Proficiency Testing Providers & Reference Material Producers located in India.
• The award has been named after Padma Bhushan awardee, late Prof. S.K. Joshi, a luminary in the field of science and academia.

About the QCI

• The Quality Council of India (QCI) works for the promotion of Quality Standards across various economic and social sectors such as manufacturing, education, health and environment.
• The QCI has been established as a national body for accreditation on the recommendation of an Expert Mission of the EU after consultation in Inter-Ministerial Task Force, Committee of Secretaries and Group of Ministers through a Cabinet decision in 1996.
• Accordingly, the QCI was set up through a PPP model as an independent autonomous organization with the support of the GOI and the Indian industry represented by the three premier industry associations, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
• The QCI is the umbrella organisation of five boards:
  • NABL – National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories
  • NABH- National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare
  • NABET- National Accreditation Board for Education and Training
  • NABCB- National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies
  • NBQP- National Board for Quality Promotion
• Besides carrying out accreditation, certification, empanelment and third-party assessment activities through its Boards, QCI is also involved in project initiation, planning & development and its successful execution for various ministries, Government departments and State Governments.

PLI Scheme for White Goods

The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods in India is approved by the Government taking a step forward towards the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat‘. 

What are White Goods?

1. White goods refer to heavy consumer durables or large home appliances, which were traditionally available only in white. 
2. The white goods industry consists of air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and dryers, dishwashers, and LED Lights.
3. The term may also refer to white fabrics, especially linen or cotton articles such as curtains, towels, or sheets that historically used to be made of white cloth.

PLI Scheme for White Goods in India

1. The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights) with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,238 crore in April 2021.
2. The PLI Scheme will be implemented over a period of 5 years during Financial Year 2022 to 2029, while 2019-20 will be treated as the base year.
3. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade- DPIIT on June 4th 2021 notified the guidelines for Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods such as air conditioners and LED lights manufacturers in India.
4. The prime objective of the White Goods PLI scheme is to make manufacturing in India globally competitive by removing sectoral disabilities, creating economies of scale and ensuring efficiencies. Check out the ranking of India in Global Competitiveness Report on the given link.
5. The PLI Scheme for White Goods is designed to create a complete component ecosystem in India and make India an integral part of the global supply chains. 
6. The Scheme will be implemented as a pan India scheme and is not specific to any location, area or segment of population. Check out the details on Demographics of India on the page link provided here.

Significance of White Goods PLI Scheme 

1. The scheme is expected to attract global investments, generate large scale employment opportunities and enhance exports substantially.
2. The PLI Scheme for White Goods shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India for a period of five years to companies engaged in manufacturing of Air Conditioners and LED Lights. 
3. Different segments have been earmarked for different types of components separately to specifically target global investments into desired areas.
4. Selection of companies for the Scheme shall be done so as to incentivize manufacturing of components or sub-assemblies which are not manufactured in India presently with sufficient capacity. Mere assembly of finished goods shall not be incentivized.

Eligibility under the PLI Scheme of White Goods

1. Companies meeting the pre-qualification criteria for different target segments will be eligible to participate in the Scheme.
2. An entity availing benefits under any other PLI Scheme of government of India will not be eligible under this scheme for the same products but the entity may take benefits under other applicable schemes of Government of India or schemes of State governments.
3. Incentives shall be open to companies making brown field or green field Investments.
4. The applicant will have to declare an annual plan for domestic value addition, employment generation and exports during the tenure of the scheme. 

Estimated benefits of White Goods PLI Scheme 

1. A number of global and domestic companies, including a number of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) are likely to benefit from the Scheme.
2. The Scheme is expected to be instrumental in achieving growth rates that are much higher than existing ones for AC and LED industries, develop complete component eco-systems in India and create global champions manufacturing in India. 
3. It will also lead to investments in innovation and research and development and upgradation of technology.
4. It is estimated that over the period of five years, the PLI Scheme will lead to incremental investment of Rs. 7,920 Crore, incremental Production worth Rs. 1,68,000 Crore, exports worth Rs 64,400 Crore, earn direct and indirect revenues of Rs 49,300 crore and create additional four lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Market of White Goods in India

1. Flexible government policies, such as liberalization of license rules, have majorly driven the consumer market for white goods in India. 
2. The India white goods market is segmented based on product and end user. On the basis of product, the market is classified into air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines. By end user, it is divided into private sector, domestic, corporate, public sector, government, and hospitals.
3. According to India Brand Equity Foundation- IBEF, the white goods industry in India is highly concentrated. The top five players of washing machine and refrigerator segments garner more than 75% of the market share. In addition, 30–35% of the share is procured by the top five players in the kitchen appliances segment.
4. Also, increase in digital access, which leads to rise in product awareness, shift in lifestyle patterns, increase in middle-class population, and improvement in standard of living are the ongoing factors leading to growth in consumer spending on electronics and home appliances, thus driving the white goods market growth in the country. 
5. However, the availability of counterfeit brands in the market serves as a challenge for white goods manufacturers. 

Global Ozone Day

About World/Global Ozone Day:

• World Ozone Day is celebrated on 16th September each year to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol.
• The Day is celebrated every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of Ozone Layer and the measures taken/to be taken to preserve it.
• The Government of India (Ozone Cell, MoEF&CC) started observing this Day in 1995.
• The theme of World Ozone Day 2021 was “Montreal Protocol – Keeping us, our food and vaccines cool”.

India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP)

• The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP), the first of its kind in the world, was developed by the MoEF&CC, and addresses cooling requirements across sectors and lists out actions which can help reduce the cooling demand through synergies in actions for securing both environmental and socio-economic benefits.
• The ICAP aims to reduce both direct and indirect emissions.
• It was launched in March 2019 by the Environment Ministry.
• The ICAP provides a 20-year perspective and outlines actions needed to provide access to sustainable cooling.
• The Plan seeks to
  • reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20% to 25% by 2037-38,
  • reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by 2037-38,
  • reduce cooling energy requirements by 25% to 40% by 2037-38,
  • recognise “cooling and related areas” as a thrust area of research under national Science and Technology Programme,
  • training and certification of 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022-23, synergizing with Skill India Mission.
• The following benefits would accrue to the society over and above the environmental benefits:
  • Thermal comfort for all – provision for cooling for EWS and LIG housing
  • Sustainable cooling – low GHG emissions related to cooling
  • Doubling Farmers Income – better cold chain infrastructure – better value of produce to farmers, less wastage of produce
  • Skilled workforce for better livelihoods and environmental protection
  • Make in India – domestic manufacturing of air-conditioning and related cooling equipment
  • Robust R&D on alternative cooling technologies – to provide push to innovation in cooling sector

15th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers Meeting

Details

• The theme of the meeting “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”, aimed at coordinating efforts of ASEAN countries in pursuing the goal of energy security and energy transition that will benefit the people of the region.
• The Indian Power Minister participated in the meeting.

Euro Green Bond

Details

• State-run power sector lender PFC became the first Indian entity to launch Euro-denominated green bond with a €300-million (about $352 million) issuance that was oversubscribed by 2.6 times by institutional investors across Asia and Europe.
• It is also the first Euro issuance by an Indian NBFC and the first Euro bond issuance from India since 2017.
• The pricing of 1.8% achieved is the lowest yield locked in by an Indian issuer in the Euro markets.
• The bond would help PFC in diversifying its currency book and the investor base.
• With the issuance, PFC has also forayed in the European market for its international fund raising.

What are green bonds?
Green bonds work just like any other corporate or government bond. Borrowers issue these securities in order to secure financing for projects that will have a positive environmental impact, such as ecosystem restoration or reducing pollution. Investors who purchase these bonds can expect to make as the bond matures.

Report on Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India

Context: NITI Aayog Launches Report on Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India.

Details

• The report is titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’.
• The report has been developed by NITI Aayog, in consultation with concerned ministries and eminent experts in the domain of urban and regional planning.
• It presents a condensed outcome of the extensive deliberations and consultations conducted over a period of 9 months.

Report Highlights

• India is home to 11% of the total global urban population. By 2027, India will surpass China as the most populous country in the world. Unplanned urbanization, however, exerts great strain on our cities.
• Recommendations made:
  • Programmatic Intervention for Planning of Healthy Cities: The report recommends a Central Sector Scheme ‘500 Healthy Cities Programme’, for a period of 5 years, wherein priority cities and towns would be selected jointly by the states and local bodies.
  • Programmatic Intervention for Optimum Utilization of Urban Land: All the cities and towns under the proposed ‘Healthy Cities Programme’ should strengthen development control regulations based on scientific evidence to maximize the efficiency of urban land (or planning area). The report recommends a sub-scheme ‘Preparation/Revision of Development Control Regulations’ for this purpose.
  • Ramping Up of Human Resources: To combat the shortage of urban planners in the public sector, the report recommends that the states/UTs may need to
    • Expedite the filling up of vacant positions of town planners, and
    • Additionally sanction 8268 town planners’ posts as lateral entry positions
  • Ensuring Qualified Professionals for Undertaking Urban Planning: States may need to undertake requisite amendments in their recruitment rules to ensure the entry of qualified candidates into town-planning positions.
  • Re-engineering of Urban Governance: The report recommends the constitution of a high-powered committee to re-engineer the present urban-planning governance structure.
  • Revision of Town and Country Planning Acts: The formation of an apex committee at the state level is recommended to undertake a regular review of planning legislations.
  • Demystifying Planning and Involving Citizens: The committee recommends a ‘Citizen Outreach Campaign’ for demystifying urban planning.
  • Steps for Enhancing the Role of Private Sector: The report recommends that concerted measures must be taken at multiple levels to strengthen the role of the private sector to improve the overall planning capacity in the country.
  • Steps for Strengthening Urban Planning Education System
  • Measures for Strengthening Human Resource and Match Demand–Supply: The report recommends the constitution of a ‘National Council of Town and Country Planners’ as a statutory body of the Government of India. Also, a ‘National Digital Platform of Town and Country Planners’ is suggested to be created within the National Urban Innovation Stack of MoHUA.