PIB Summary- 29th August, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Guru Granth Sahib

Why in News?
The Prime Minister has greeted the people on the sacred occasion of the Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

About Guru Granth Sahib

• The Guru Granth Sahib was first compiled by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev, in 1604 in the city of Amritsar.
• Its second and last version was the handiwork of Guru Gobind Singh, and it was finalized at Damdama Sahib in the year 1705.
• He added the hymns of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Ninth Master, and a couplet of his own to the volume wrought a century earlier.
• One of the greatest glories of the Guru Granth Sahib is its catholic character.
•  Perhaps it is the only scripture of its kind which contains within its sacred covers the songs, hymns and utterances of a wide variety of saints, sages and bards.
• It is instructive to note that a fairly substantial part of the volume carries the compositions of Hindu bhaktas, Muslim divines, Sufi poets and other God-intoxicated souls.
• The idea of Guru Arjan Dev was to affirm the fundamental unity of all religions, and the unitary character of all mystic experience.
•  It may be observed that Guru Granth Sahib comprehends the compositions and utterances of the high-born Brahmins and the proud Kashatriyas as also of the so called lowly Shudras and the unlettered Jats. This was done at a time when the caste system in India had paralysed the conscience of man.
• The revolutionary egalitarianism which such a step symbolized was, therefore, to become the creed of the Sikhs. Above all, a poetic and mystic collage bespeaks the essential humility of the Sikh mind, for humility has been given pride of place in the table of virtues drawn up by the Gurus. The Guru Granth Sahib, then, is a sui generis scripture in the world.
•  In showing the path to spiritual salvation, the Guru Granth does not ignore the secular and creative side of man.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority

Why in News?
To commemorate 25 years of existence of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), a programme is being organised at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath.

About National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority

• NPPA is an organization under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers which was set up in 1997 to revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 1995.
• The prices are now fixed/revised under Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 2013.
• It also monitors the prices of decontrolled drugs in order to keep them at reasonable levels.

Functions of NPPA

• To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO), 1995/2013  in accordance with the powers delegated to it.
• To undertake and/or sponsor relevant studies in respect of pricing of drugs/formulations.
• To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps.
• To collect/maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc. for bulk drugs and formulations.
• To deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the Authority.
• To render advice to the Central Government on changes/revisions in the drug policy.
• To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to the drug pricing.

How does the Pricing Mechanism work?

• All drugs covered by the NLEM are subject to price controls. The NLEM comprises routinely used medicines like paracetamol and azithromycin, as well as drugs used to treat fever, infection, heart disease, hypertension, and anaemia.
  • The Health Ministry compiles a list of pharmaceuticals that are eligible for price restriction, which is then added to Schedule 1 of the DPCO by the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
  • The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) will examine the list with the help of the Standing Committee on Affordable Medicines and Health Products (SCAMHP). The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) then sets the prices for medications in this Schedule.
• Scheduled pharmaceuticals, which account for around 15% of the pharma market, are allowed a rise by the government based on the WPI (Wholesale Price Index), while the remaining 85% are allowed an automatic increase of 10% every year under the Drugs (Prices) Control Order 2013.
  • The annual change in the price of scheduled pharmaceuticals is closely monitored and rarely exceeds 5%.
  • The Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 classifies drugs into schedules and establishes rules for their storage, display, sale, dispensing, dosing, and prescribing.
• Rather than using the WPI, the pharma industry is now requesting at least a 10% rise for scheduled pharmaceuticals.
  • Input costs have risen sharply in recent years. One of the causes is that China supplies 60 percent to 70 percent of the country’s medical needs.

Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO)

• The Drugs Prices Control Order, 1995 is an order issued by the Government of India under Sec. 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to regulate the prices of drugs.
• The Order inter alia provides the list of price controlled drugs, procedures for fixation of prices of drugs, method of implementation of prices fixed by Govt., penalties for contravention of provisions etc.
• For the purpose of implementing provisions of DPCO, powers of Government have been vested in NPPA.

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana

Why in News?
Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) – National Mission for Financial Inclusion, completed 8 years of successful implementation.

About Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana

Background  
Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to financial services, namely, Banking/ Savings & Deposit Accounts, Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Pension in an affordable manner.

Objectives

• Ensure access of financial products & services at an affordable cost
• Use of technology to lower cost & widen reach

Basic tenets of the scheme

• Banking the unbanked – Opening of basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account with minimal paperwork, relaxed KYC, e-KYC, account opening in camp mode, zero balance & zero charges
• Securing the unsecured – Issuance of Indigenous Debit cards for cash withdrawals & payments at merchant locations, with free accident insurance coverage of Rs. 2 lakhs.
• Funding the unfunded – Other financial products like micro-insurance, overdraft for consumption, micro-pension & micro-credit.

Initial Features: 6 Pillars based on which the scheme was launched

• Universal access to banking services – Branch and BC
• Basic savings bank accounts with overdraft facility of Rs. 10,000/- to every household
• Financial Literacy Program– Promoting savings, use of ATMs, getting ready for credit, availing insurance and pensions, using basic mobile phones for banking
• Creation of Credit Guarantee Fund – To provide banks some guarantee against defaults
• Insurance – Accident cover up to Rs. 1,00,000 and life cover of   Rs. 30,000 on account opened between 15 Aug 2014 to 31 January 2015
• Pension scheme for Unorganized sector

Important approach adopted in PMJDY based on past experience

• Accounts opened are online accounts in core banking system of banks, in place of earlier method of offline accounts opening with technology lock-in with the vendor
• Inter-operability through RuPay debit card or Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS)
• Fixed-point Business Correspondents
• Simplified KYC / e-KYC in place of cumbersome KYC formalities

Extension of PMJDY with New features
The Government decided to extend the comprehensive PMJDY program with some modifications

• Focus shift from ‘Every Household’ to Every Unbanked Adult’
• RuPay Card Insurance – Free accidental insurance cover on RuPay cards increased from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh for PMJDY accounts opened after 28.8.2018.
• Enhancement in overdraft facilities –
• OD limit doubled from Rs 5,000/- to Rs 10,000/-;  OD upto Rs 2,000/- (without conditions).
• Increase in upper age limit for OD from 60 to 65 years

Jan Dhan Darshak App

• A mobile application, was launched to provide a citizen centric platform for locating banking touch points such as bank branches, ATMs, Bank Mitras, Post Offices, etc. in the country.
• The facilities under Jan Dhan Darshak App could be availed as per the need and convenience of common people.

The road ahead

• Endeavour to ensure coverage of PMJDY account holders under micro insurance schemes. Eligible PMJDY accountholders will be sought to be covered under PMJJBY and PMSBY. Banks have already been communicated about the same.
• Promotion of digital payments including RuPay debit card usage amongst PMJDY accountholders through creation of acceptance infrastructure across India
• Improving access of PMJDY account holders to Micro-credit and micro investment such as flexi-recurring deposit etc. 

Association of Renewable Energy of States

Why in News?
Association of Renewable Energy of States (AREAS) celebrated  8th Foundation Day.

About Association of Renewable Energy of States

• Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the nodal agency at the central level for promotion of grid-connected and off-grid renewable energy in the country.
• Ministry’s programmes are implemented in close coordination with State Nodal Agencies (SNAs) for renewable energy (RE).
• Over the period the SNAs have developed considerable knowledge and experience in planning and implementation of RE programmes.
• In this background it is important that SNAs interact and learn from each other’s experiences and also share their best practices and knowledge regarding technologies and schemes/programmes.
• MNRE took an initiative in this regard in consultation with SNAs, and Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of States (abbreviated as “AREAS) has been formed and registered as a society on 27 August 2014 under Society Registration Act 1860.

Composition

• Hon’ble Union Minister in-charge of New & Renewable Energy is the Ex-Officio Patron of the Association and Secretary
• MNRE is the ex-officio President of the Association.
• All SNAs are the member of the Association.
• Transaction of business of the AREAS to be carried out by an Executive Committee (EC) which is presided over by the President of the AREAS.
• Vice President to be elected by the members and Joint Secretary, MNRE to be the ex-officio member of EC.
• In addition, Executive Director, two SNAs from each zone (North, South, East, West and North-East, and UTs) are also members of the Executive Committee.

Under AREAS the following three Standing Committees are constituted

• Standing Committee on Technology and Resource Assessment
• Standing Committee on Policy and Finance
• Standing Committee on IT & IMS