WHY IN THE NEWS?

Indian Railways has opened the first Pod retiring rooms for passengers of Indian Railways as well as common people, at the Mumbai Central station.

About:

• As per a senior Western Railway (WR) official, one is required to pay Rs 999 for 12 hours and Rs 1,999 for 24 hours to stay in this pod hotel.
• It will also provide facilities like Wi-Fi, TV, adjustable mirror, small locker, and reading lights.
• The pod hotel was inaugurated virtually by the Union minister of state for Railways Raosaheb Danve.

What is a pod hotel?

• Pod hotel or capsule hotel comprises of small bed-sized capsules and provide affordable overnight accommodation.
• Total cost of the projects and facilities is worth Rs 230 crore.

Key Features of the pod hotel

• Pod hotels are a significant feature of international tourism in Japan. It allows travellers to find accommodation at cheaper rates as compared to conventional hotels.
• Japanese-style pod hotel in Mumbai comprises of building with multiple small capsules, which will offer overnight stay for the passengers.
• These pods will provide facilities like Wi-Fi, key card access, air conditioning, CCTV surveillance, washrooms and other basic amenities.
• Waiting rooms have been constructed on the first floor of the station. The cheapest pod will cost Rs 999 for 12 hours. For 24 hours, it will cost Rs 1,999.
• For private pod, passengers will require to pay Rs 1249 for 12 hours, and Rs 2499 for 24 hours.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

The 21st Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Annual Council of Minister’s (COM) Meeting was held in Dhaka.

About:

• India took part in the conference in virtual mode.
• India was led by Minister of State External Affairs (MoS), Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
• IORA COM was held in a hybrid format in Dhaka.
• At the end of this meeting, Dhaka Communique was adopted.

India’s affirmation at the summit

• While addressing the summit, the MoS reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to strengthening IORA, which is the largest and pre-eminent organization in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• India also reaffirmed the commitment to promote peace, security and prosperity in IOR, as well as in the wider Indo-Pacific.
• Minister also noted the contributions made by India as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management (DRM).
• While addressing the “Strategic Dialogue on “Impact of COVID-19 and perspectives of economic recovery in IOR” MoS highlighted India’s assistance as the first responder to several countries in Indo-Pacific during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Steps were taken by India to strengthen IORA

In order to strengthen IORA, India undertook several initiatives during 2021:

1. Assistance to the IORA Secretariat,
2. Capacity building workshops in areas including Yoga, traditional medicines to Remote sensing.
3. UNCLOS and Ocean Data Management
4. Discussions on various issues under IORA.

Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)

IORA is an international organisation comprising of 23 states surrounding the Indian Ocean. It is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, to bring together representatives of Government, Academia and Business in order to promote co-operation and closer interaction among them. The Coordinating Secretariat of IORA is at Ebene, Mauritius.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

‘Water Heroes – Share Your Stories’ Contest will be launched by Jal Shakti Ministry from December 1, 2021.

About:

• This contest is organised with the aim of encouraging and collecting best practices in water conservation and management from the entire of India.
• It also aims to encourage such efforts in India, in a bid to boost transformational action in the water sector.

Entries to the contest

Following the launch of the contest, entries will be invited for consideration of awards per month. A maximum of 10 entries will be considered for the awards. All the selected entries will be awarded a cash prize of 10 thousand rupees, along with a certificate.

How one can participate in the contest?

The participants will require to post their success stories in video format regarding water conservation and management, in order to take part in this contest. The video should be of duration between one to 5 minutes along with a write-up in around 300 words. The participants can share videos with the link of their YouTube video on the “MyGov portal”.

Water Heroes – Share Your Stories’ Contest

The “Water Heroes – Share Your Stories” Contest is organised by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, working under the parent head of the Ministry of Jal Shakti. This contest seeks to promote the value of water in general as well as to support efforts made across India on water conservation and the sustainable development of water resources. Its objective is to make water conservation a “people’s movement”.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the “First Global Innovation Summit of Pharmaceuticals sector”.

About:

• The global innovation summit will be launched at 4 PM in virtual mode.
• It is a two-day Summit comprising of 12 Sessions.
• In the summit, around 40 national and international speakers will deliberate on several subjects including the regulatory environment, industry-academia collaboration, funding for innovation, and innovation infrastructure.
• The Summit will see the participation of leading members of domestic & global Pharma Industries, investors, officials, and researchers from institutes like- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, IIM Ahmedabad, John Hopkins Institute etc.

Aim of the Summit

This summit is a distinctive initiative, that will be held with the aim of bringing together the key Indian and international stakeholders from the government, academia, industry, investors, and researchers for discussing and strategizing priorities to foster an innovation ecosystem in the pharmaceuticals industry in India. The summit will also highlight the opportunities in the Indian Pharmaceuticals industry, that has huge potential for growth.

Pharmaceutical industry in India

Pharmaceutical industry in India is the world’s 3rd largest by overall volume. It is also the world’s largest with respect to providing generic medicines worldwide. In 2021, it accounted for 20% of total global pharmaceutical exports by volume and 3.5% share by value.

Major pharmaceutical hubs in India

Vadodara, Vapi (Gujarat) Ahmedabad, Ankleshwar (Gujarat), Sikkim, Baddi (Himachal Pradesh), Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Aurangabad and Chennai.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Recently, Bribery Risk Matrix 2021 was released by TRACE, an anti-bribery standard-setting organisation.

About the Matrix:

• It measures business bribery risk in 194 countries, territories, and autonomous and semi-autonomous regions.
• It was originally published in 2014 to meet a need in the business community for more reliable and nuanced information about the risks of commercial bribery worldwide.
• It aggregates relevant data obtained from leading public interest and international organisations, including the United Nations, World Bank, V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg and World Economic Forum.

Calculation Methods: Score is calculated on the basis of four factors:

• Enforcement and anti-bribery deterrence.
• Business interactions with the government.
• Government and civil service transparency.
• Capacity for civil society oversight which includes the media’s role.

Performance of the Countries:

• India:
  • India has slipped to 82nd position in 2021, five places down from 77th rank last year.
    • In 2020, India ranked 77 with a score of 45 while this year, the country stood at 82nd position with a score of 44.
  • India fared better than its neighbours – Pakistan, China, Nepal and Bangladesh. Bhutan, meanwhile, secured 62nd rank.
• World:
  • North Korea, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Eritrea pose the highest commercial bribery risk, while Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and New Zealand present the lowest.
  • Over the past five years, the business bribery risk environment in the United States worsened significantly when compared with global trends.
  • From 2020 to 2021, all of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries saw an increase in commercial bribery risk.

• • Related Steps Taken by India: India, in pursuance of its commitment to “Zero Tolerance Against Corruption” has taken several measures to combat corruption which, inter alia, include:

• Systemic improvements and reforms to provide transparent citizen-friendly services and reduce corruption. These, inter alia, include:

• • • Disbursement of welfare benefits directly to the citizens under various schemes of the Government in a transparent manner through the Direct Benefit Transfer initiative.
    • Implementation of E-tendering in public procurements.
    • Introduction of e-Governance and simplification of procedure and systems.
    • Introduction of Government procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
  • The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988:
    • It clearly criminalizes the act of giving bribes and will help check big-ticket corruption by creating a vicarious liability in respect of senior management of commercial organizations.
  • Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), through various orders and circulars recommended the adoption of the Integrity Pact to all the organizations in major procurement activities and to ensure effective and expeditious investigation wherever any irregularity/misconduct is noticed.
  • The institution of Lokpal has been operationalised by the appointment of Chairperson and Members.
    • Lokpal is statutorily mandated to directly receive and process complaints as regards alleged offences against public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act,1988.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Clean Ocean International Expert Group of UN Decade for Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, is going to present its short list of activities & goals as well as “Clean Ocean Manifesto”.

About:

• The group has set up two aims, in order to help United Nations in attaining the goal of clean ocean:

1. Reducing marine debris by 50-90 per cent and
2. globe circling & high-tech system of monitors.

• The expert group is co-chaired by:

1. Angelika Brandt from Germany- A Southern Ocean & Antarctica biodiversity expert, and
2. Elva Escobar Briones from Mexico- A deep sea biodiversity expert.

• It highlights the challenges and opportunities which Ocean Decade can provide for attaining a clean ocean.
• The expert group also underline that, this process should aim to define and attract financial support in order to meet the initial set of goals for 2025. It should then be followed by goals of 2030.

• Objectives for 2030

The statement notes direct route to a clean ocean, highlighting following objectives for 2030:

1. Enlarge understanding of pathways for spread & fate of pollutants,
2. Reduce and remove top-priority forms of pollution up to 90 per cent and
3. To prevent recurrence, reduce sources or emission of pollutants.

• Three-day online conference

The three-day online conference will also highlight around 30 activities in place or in development across the world, which can make significant contributions by 2030 to clean ocean. These include initiatives of:

1. Successfully and consistently monitoring marine debris from space
2. Operating deep sea observatories from Atlantic
3. Observing vast Southern Ocean to provide early warnings of possible

WHY IN THE NEWS?

India successfully launched the 41st Scientific Expedition to Antarctica, recently.

About:

• The first batch of Indian contingent arrived at the southern white continent.
• First batch comprises of 23 scientists and support staff. They reached the Indian Antarctic station Maitri recently.
• Four more batches will land in Antarctica by air using DROMLAN facility. They will land by mid-January 2021, onboard chartered ice-class vessel MV Vasiliy Golovnin.

Major Programs of 41st expedition

41st expedition comprises of two major programs:

1. The first program is “geological exploration of Amery ice shelf” at Bharati station. This programme will help in exploring the link between India and Antarctica in past.
2. The second program is “reconnaissance surveys and preparatory work” to drill 500 meters of ice core near Maitri. This programme will help in improving the understanding of Antarctic climate, sea-ice, greenhouse gases from a single climate, and westerly winds.

Apart from accomplishing scientific programs, 41st expedition will replenish annual supplies of fuel, food as well as provisions & spares for operation & maintenance of life support systems set up at Maitri & Bharti.

How ice core drilling will be done?

The ice core drilling will be done in association with British Antarctic Survey and Norwegian Polar Institute.

The Indian Antarctic programs

Indian Antarctic programs started in 1981. It has completed 40 scientific expeditions. The programs helped in building three permanent research base stations in Antarctica:

1. Dakshin Gangotri in 1983,
2. Maitri in 1988 and
3. Bharati in 2012.

Base stations Maitri and Bharati are fully operational, as of now.

Who manages the Indian Antarctic program?

The entire Indian Antarctic program is managed by “National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa”. NCPOR is an autonomous institute working under Ministry of Earth Sciences.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched a week-long awareness campaign on SafaiMitra Suraksha Challenge (SSC) as part of the ‘World Toilet Day’ (19th November) celebrations, to run up to the ‘Swachh Amrit Diwas’.

• The Swachh Amrit Diwas is an award ceremony to recognize the role and efforts of the states, cities, ULBs (Urban Local Bodies) and Cantonment Board in Swachh Survekshan 2021, and Garbage Free Star Rating certification on 20th November 2021.

 About:

• A total of 246 cities are participating in SSC which is being conducted across the country. The state capitals, urban local bodies and smart cities will be eligible to participate.
• Cities will be awarded in three sub-categories – with a population of more than 10 lakhs, 3-10 lakhs and upto 3 lakhs, with a total prize money of Rs. 52 crore.
• It is one of the government efforts to combat manual scavenging.

SafaiMitra Suraksha Challenge (SSC):

• SSC was launched on 19th November 2020 on the occasion of World Toilet Day.
• SSC is aimed to encourage cities to mechanise their sewer and septic tank cleaning operations in order to prevent deaths and fatalities of sanitation workers from ‘hazardous entry’.
  • The Government launched this “challenge” for all states to make sewer-cleaning mechanised by April 2021 — if any human needs to enter a sewer line in case of unavoidable emergency, proper gear and oxygen tanks, etc., are to be provided.

Initiatives Taken:

• Under SSC, National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, supported by MoHUA are organizing Loan Melas across the country.
  • The aim is to help Safaimitras avail loans under the Swachhata Udyami Yojana (SUY) for procurement of sewer/ septic tank cleaning machine/ equipment for mechanized cleaning.
• Skill development training of Safaimitras have also been conducted through the support of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment via NSKFDC in 115 cities.
• Call Centre and Helpline number have been operationalized in 345 cities for safe cleaning of septic tanks/sewers and registering complaints on hazardous cleaning.
• 31 states/UTs have established a Responsible Sanitation Authority (RSA) and 210 cities are having the Sanitation Response Units (SRU).
• All 246 participating cities have already notified a ban on single-use plastic (SUP).

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Recently, the Prime Minister unveiled the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India to mark the First Audit Diwas (16th November 2021).

About:

• It is celebrated to mark the historic origins of the institution of the CAG. It aims to highlight the rich contributions of the CAG to boost transparency and good governance.
• Girish Chandra Murmu assumed office as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on 8th August 2020.

• •  Constitutional Body: Article 148 provides for an independent office of the CAG. It is the supreme audit institution of India.
    • Other Provisions Related to CAG include Articles 149-151 (Duties & Powers, Form of Accounts of the Union and the States and Audit Reports), Article 279 (calculation of net proceeds, etc.) and Third Schedule (Oath or Affirmation) and Sixth Schedule (Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram).

• Profile in Brief:

• • CAG: Head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department – created in 1753.
  • Guardian of the public purse and controls the entire financial system of the country at both the levels–the Centre and the state.
  • One of the bulwarks of the democratic system of government in India.
    • The others being the Supreme Court, the Election Commission and the Union Public Service Commission.
  • The accountability of the executive (i.e. Council of Ministers) to the Parliament in the sphere of financial administration is secured through audit reports of the CAG.
• Appointment: Appointed by the President of India by a warrant under his hand and seal.
• Tenure: A period of six years or upto the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• Removal: CAG can be removed by the President on the same grounds and in the same manner as a judge of the Supreme Court. He does not hold his office till the pleasure of the President.
  • In other words, he can be removed by the President on the basis of a resolution passed to that effect by both the Houses of Parliament with special majority, either on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

Other Related Points:

• Not eligible for further office, either under the Government of India or of any state, after he ceases to hold his office.
• Salary and other service conditions are determined by the Parliament.
• The administrative expenses of the office of the CAG, including all salaries, allowances and pensions of persons serving in that office are charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India (thus are not subject to the vote of Parliament).
• No minister can represent the CAG in Parliament.

Duties & Powers as also under the CAG’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971:

• Audits the accounts related to all expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India, consolidated fund of each state and consolidated fund of each union territory having a Legislative Assembly.
• Audits all expenditure from the Contingency Fund of India and the Public Account of India as well as the contingency fund of each state and the public account of each state.
• Audits profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and other subsidiary accounts kept by any department of the Central Government and state governments.
• Audits the receipts and expenditure of the following:
  • Bodies and authorities substantially financed from the Central or state revenues,
  • Government companies, and
  • Other corporations and bodies, when so required by related laws.
• Audits the accounts of any other authority when requested by the President or Governor. For example, the audit of local bodies.
• Acts as a guide, friend and philosopher of the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Recently, Pochampally village in Telangana was selected as one of the Best Tourism Villages byUnited Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

• The award will be given on the occasion of the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly in December 2021 in Madrid, Spain.
• The Union Ministry of Tourism has also drafted a Rural Tourism Policy which will not only promote tourism within our villages but also revitalise local arts and crafts and promote the rural economy.
• Earlier, Rudreswara Temple, (also known as the Ramappa Temple) at Mulugu district, Telangana was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

About:

• Pochampally Village:

• • • Pochampally in Nalgonda district is often referred to as the silk city of India for the exquisite sarees that are woven through a unique style called Ikat.
      • This style, Pochampally Ikat, received a Geographical Indicator (GI Status) in 2004.
    • Pochampally’s unique weaving styles and patterns received special focus through the Prime Minister’s mantra of Vocal 4 Local as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
      • In 2015, to recognise the diversity of weaving techniques and our rich handloom tradition, the Prime Minister inaugurated the first National Handloom Day on 7th August as a tribute to the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement that was made in a meeting at the Calcutta Town hall on the same day in 1905.
    • Pochampally is also known as Bhoodan Pochampally to commemorate the Bhoodan Movement that was launched by Acharya Vinobha Bhave from this village on 18th April 1951.
      • Vinoba Bhabe was the first international figure to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1958. He was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1983.
    • The Ministry of Tourism recommended three villages for the UNWTO Best Tourism Village entry from India. However, Pochampally was awarded as one of the best Tourism Villages by UNWTO.
      • These were Kongthong in Meghalaya, Ladhpura Khas, Madhya Pradesh and Pochampally in Telangana.

• Best Tourism Villages Initiative:

• • It is a Pilot initiative by UNWTO to highlight those villages where tourism preserves cultures and traditions, celebrates diversity, provides opportunities and safeguards biodiversity.
  • It aims to award those villages which are outstanding examples of rural destinations and showcase good practises in line with its specified nine evaluation areas.
  • It also aims to support villages to enhance their rural tourism potential through training and access to opportunities for improvement.