PIB Summary- 25th September, 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

New Vande Bharat Express

Context
Prime Minister will flag off nine Vande Bharat trains on 24th September 2023 at 12:30 PM via video conferencing.

About Vande Bharat Express

• The Train18, later named Vande Bharat Express, is an Indian semi-high-speed, intercity, EMU train which was designed and manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Perambur, Chennai under the Indian government’s Make in India initiative, over a span of 18 months.
• The train was launched on 15 February 2019.
• It is a semi-high speed trainset, each of 16 coaches, and self-propelled — they do not require an engine.
• This is called a distributed traction power system, which is increasingly becoming the norm the world over for passenger operations.
• Distributed power gives the train higher acceleration and deceleration compared to loco-hauled trains, which take a much longer time to reach top speed or to gradually come to a halt.
• It is capable of running at a maximum speed of 200 km/h (120 mph), but the tracks on which the train operates are not capable of supporting such high speeds, hence the train is operated at a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81 mph).
• This made it the fastest train to run in India and the second fastest operating train in India, behind the Gatimaan Express which operates at 160 km/h (99 mph).
• Some of its passenger friendly features include; European-style seats, diffused LED lighting, GPS-based infotainment systems, modular bio-toilets, fully sealed gangways for dust-free environment, centrally controlled entry/exit doors with sliding footsteps, divyang friendly toilet and automatic sliding cabin doors.
• It is energy-efficient as its coaches will be fitted with LED lights. Coaches will have automatic doors and retractable footsteps.

National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment

Context
Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) has released the sixth edition of National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) – Way forward Monthly Report for States/UTs, which provides a detailed overview of status of e-service delivery across States/UTs.

NeSDA Portal

• The NeSDA (National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment) framework was launched in August 2018 to evaluate the effectiveness of e-Governance service delivery mechanisms.
• The Department has released two editions of the NeSDA study: NeSDA 2019 and NeSDA 2021.
• The framework is based on the Online Service Index (OSI) of the UN eGovernment Survey.
• It covers six sectors: Finance, Labour & Employment, Education, Local Government & Utilities, Social Welfare (including Agriculture & Health), and Environment (including Fire) sectors.

Key Findings and Impact

• The NeSDA study has led to improvements in the country’s e-Governance landscape, resulting in the following key takeaways:
  • Increase in e-Service Delivery.
  • Rise in the use of Integrated/Centralized Portals for the delivery of e-Services.
  • Improvement across assessment parameter scores.

Biennial Assessment

• The Department conducts the NeSDA study every two years.
• It assesses the effectiveness of e-Governance service delivery in States, Union Territories (UTs), and focus Central Ministries.
• The study helps respective governments enhance the delivery of citizen-centric services and facilitates the sharing of best practices across the country.

Exercise Yudh Abhyas

Context
The 19th edition of “EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS” will be conducted from 25th September to 8th October 2023 in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, USA.

About Exercise Yudh Abhyas

Exercise Yudh Abhyas is an annual military exercise conducted jointly by the Indian Army and the United States Army.

Here are key details about the exercise
Joint Military Exercise:

• Exercise Yudh Abhyas is a collaborative military training exercise that brings together the Indian Army and the United States Army.

Indian Army Contingent

• The exercise features the participation of an Indian Army contingent comprising approximately 350 personnel.

Lead Battalion Affiliation

• The lead battalion representing the Indian side in the exercise is affiliated with the MARATHA Light Infantry Regiment.

Tactical Drills and Interoperability

• During the exercise, both armies engage in a series of tactical drills aimed at enhancing their interoperability in conducting United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.

Theme and Scope

• The theme of the exercise for a particular edition may vary. In this instance, the theme is ‘Employment of an Integrated Battle Group in Mountain/ Extreme Climatic Conditions‘ under Chapter VII of the United Nations mandate.
• The scope of the Field Training Exercise includes validation of Integrated Battle Groups against hostile forces at the Brigade level, Integrated Surveillance Grid at the Brigade/ Battalion level, and the employment of Heliborne/ Airborne elements and Force Multipliers, among other aspects.

Combat Skills and Best Practices

• The exercise facilitates the exchange of views and best practices in various combat skills, including combat engineering, obstruction clearance, mine and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) warfare.

Some of these exercises include Vajra Prahar (Army), MALABAR (Navy, Multilateral), Cope India (Air Force), and Red Flag (Air Force, Multilateral).