PIB Summary- 18th June, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Atlas on General Elections 2019

• The Atlas encompasses all the data and statistical figures of the 2019 general elections held in India.
• It has 42 thematic maps and 90 tables depicting various facets of the elections. The Atlas also shares interesting facts, anecdotes and legal provisions related to the Indian elections.
• Since the first General Elections in 1951-52, the Commission has been publishing compilation of electoral data in the form of narrative and statistical books.
• The 17th General Elections conducted in 2019 were the largest democratic exercise in human history which witnessed the participation of 61.468 crore voters at 10.378 lakh polling stations spread over 32 lakh square kilometre territory of India.
• How is electoral data collected?
  • In Indian elections, electoral data is primarily collected during the preparation of Electoral Roll by the Electoral Registration Officers and also in the process of conduct of elections by the Returning Officers.
  • This data is then collated by these statutory authorities.
  • Thereafter, after the culmination of the electoral process, the Election Commission of India collects this electoral data and prepares various reports for compilation, record and dissemination purposes.
• The e-Atlas is available at the official website.

Indian Certification of Medical Devices (ICMED) Plus Scheme

• The QCI and the Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices (AiMeD) have added more features to the ICMED Scheme launched in 2016.
• The new scheme is named ICMED 13485 PLUS.
• The scheme will undertake verification of the quality, safety and efficacy of medical devices.
• Features:
  • ICMED 13485 Plus has been designed to integrate the Quality Management System components and product related quality validation processes through witness testing of products with reference to the defined product standards and specifications.
  • This is the first scheme around the world in which quality management systems along with product certification standards are integrated with regulatory requirements.
  • This scheme will be an end to end quality assurance scheme for the medical devices sector in India.
• The scheme will aid the procurement agencies to tackle counterfeit products and fake certification.
• This will also help eliminate the challenges of sub-standard products being used and causing serious health hazards.

About ICMED Scheme:

• The ICMED Scheme is a voluntary quality certification scheme for the medical device industry rolled out by the QCI and the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) in collaboration with the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED).
• The Scheme has been launched with two levels of certification:-
  • ICMED 9000 certification which is ISO 9001 plus additional requirements
  • ICMED 13485 which is ISO 13485 plus additional requirements

Flag Satyagraha/Jhanda Satyagraha

The anniversary of the ‘Jhanda Satyagraha’ was celebrated in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
About the Flag Satyagraha:

• It was on March 18, 1923 that the first Tricolour was hoisted in Jabalpur, marking the start of ‘Jhanda Satyagraha’.
• The Flag Satyagraha is a campaign of peaceful civil disobedience during the Indian independence movement that focused on exercising the right and freedom to hoist the nationalist flag and challenge the legitimacy of the British Rule in India through the defiance of laws prohibiting the hoisting of nationalist flags and restricting civil freedoms.
• The movement was largely held in Jabalpur and Nagpur in 1923 but it also spread to some other parts of the country.
• Nationalist leaders like Vallabhbhai Patel, C Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad and others organised the movement which saw thousands of people from all over the country travel to Nagpur and other parts in the Central Provinces.

India – Bhutan

Context:
India and Bhutan signed MOU for developing cooperation in the area of environment.

Details:

• The MoU is expected to open new vistas of bilateral cooperation in the areas of climate change, waste management, air pollution, chemical management, etc.
• The MoU will also strengthen technological, scientific and management capabilities and expand the areas of cooperation in the field of environment to promote a mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries.