PM lauds Tripura Government’s decision to go paperless.

Topic: GS2 – governance

Context:

• • • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised the Tripura government’s decision to go paperless.
    • He appreciated the state’s efforts to adopt technology for the betterment of citizens.
    • The Prime Minister’s comments suggest that he supports Tripura’s paperless initiative.

Advantages of paperless governance:

• • • Environmental conservation: Paperless governance reduces the use of paper, which helps preserve natural resources and reduces carbon footprint.
    • Cost-effective: Eliminating paper usage reduces the cost of printing, storage, and transportation, which can save a significant amount of money.
    • Improved efficiency: Digitising government processes can streamline workflows, reduce errors, and speed up decision-making, leading to better efficiency and faster turnaround times.
    • Increased accessibility: Paperless governance allows citizens to access government services and information remotely from anywhere, anytime, reducing the need for physical presence.
    • Improved transparency: Digitising government processes makes information more accessible and reduces the potential for corruption or loss of data.
    • Better data management: Digital records are easier to store, retrieve, and analyse, allowing for better decision-making and data-driven policies.

Steps taken by the Indian government for paperless governance:

• • • Digital India initiative: Launched in 2015, this initiative aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It includes several projects and initiatives promoting paperless governance, such as the Digital Locker, eSign, and DigiLocker.
    • eOffice: This digital platform enables government offices to handle files and documents electronically. It is currently being implemented in several ministries and departments.
    • Mobile apps: The government has developed several mobile apps to promote paperless governance, such as the BHIM app for digital payments and the mParivahan app for digital driving licenses and vehicle registration.
    • Aadhaar: The Aadhaar system, which provides a unique identification number to Indian residents, has been instrumental in promoting paperless governance by enabling online verification of identities.
    • E-procurement: The government has implemented an e-procurement system that enables online bidding and tendering for government contracts, reducing the need for paper-based processes.
    • National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP): This policy promotes the sharing and reusing of government data through digital platforms, reducing the need for physical documents.
    • Digital payment systems: The government has promoted using digital payment systems to reduce the need for physical currency and paper-based transactions.
    • Online portals: The government has developed several online outlets for citizen services, such as the Passport Seva portal for passport applications and the e-Courts portal for online access to court records. These portals enable citizens to access government services and information electronically, reducing the need for physical documents.
      

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Path-breaking India-UAE CEPA negotiated in just 88 days.

Topic: GS2, GS3 – governance, economy.

Context:

• • • Sh. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of DPIIT and H.E. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, inaugurated the events to commemorate the first anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the UAE.

Issue:

• • • CEPA is the first in the region for India and the first-ever CEPA for UAE.
    • Since the entry into force of CEPA, bilateral trade between India and UAE has witnessed tremendous growth of 20% compared to the previous year.
    • India’s exports to the UAE also recorded a remarkable growth of 12%, reaching U.S. $ 31.3 billion in 2022-2023.
      

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NeGD organises the 36th CISO Deep-Dive Training Programme Under Cyber Surakshit Bharat.

Topic: GS3 – cyber security.

Context:

• • • National e-Governance Division (NeGD) organised the 36th CISO Deep-Dive training programme from 8th-12th May 2023.

Issue:

• • • The five-day intensive training programme is designed for designated CISOs from Central and State/U.T. Governments, subordinate agencies/PSUs, technical wings of police and security forces, CTOs and members of technical/PMU teams, and officers responsible for observing the security of I.T. systems.
    • The Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) aims to spread awareness about cybercrime and build capacities of CISOs and frontline I.T. officials across all government departments.
    • The deep-dive training program aims to educate and enable CISOs to understand cyber-attacks comprehensively, the latest technologies of safeguard and legal provisions, and build concrete cyber crisis management plans.
    • The programme brings together an array of subject matter experts from the industry, academia, and government to speak on crucial domain issues of cyber security.
    • The CISO training is the first-of-its-kind partnership between the Government and industry consortium under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
      

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Students pledge to ban single-use plastics and act as “Green warriors” under Mission LiFE.

Topic: GS3 – pollution and environment conservation.

Context:

• • • Several institutions and organisations in India organise mass mobilisation events for Mission LiFE during World Environment Day (June 5).

Issue:

• • • Zoological Survey of India initiated phase one of the mass mobilisation of students in Kolkata. About 100 students and faculty from Vivekananda College vowed to ban single-use plastics and adopt healthy lifestyles as “Green warriors” under Mission LiFE.
    • GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Ecology conducted an awareness program on biodiversity conservation and environment-friendly habits with 40 participants, including students, researchers, and scientists.
    • NCSCM organised a cleanup along the Adyar River bank in Chennai, where 65 participants collected about 250 kg of plastic waste, including 130 kilograms of discarded nets. The accumulated waste was taken to a plastic recycling facility.

About Mission LiFE:

• • • Mission Life (Lifestyle for Environment) is a national campaign launched by India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainable living.
    • The mission aims to encourage citizens to adopt a green lifestyle by making small changes in their daily routine, such as reducing the use of single-use plastic, conserving water and energy, and promoting waste management.
    • The campaign focuses on mass mobilising people from all walks of life, including schools, colleges, and communities, to come together and take the pledge to protect the environment.
    • Mission LiFE is a part of India’s efforts to meet its commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
      

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Project Cheetah.

Topic: GS3 – environment and wildlife.

Issue:

• • • The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) sent a team of experts to Kuno National Park in India to review the progress of Project Cheetah, which aims to reintroduce cheetahs to their historical range in India.
    • The team reported that 20 cheetahs from southern Africa had been successfully translocated to KNP. The project would provide up to 100,000 km2 of habitat in legally protected areas and an additional 600,000 km2 habitable landscape for the species.
    • The project aims to enhance ecosystem health in India by restoring the unique ecological role of the cheetah within the carnivore hierarchy.
    • The team observed that releasing the cheetahs into free-roaming conditions poses substantial risks, as no Protected Areas in India are fenced.
    • Therefore, the team recommended that monitoring teams follow the released cheetahs 24 hours a day in rotating shifts until the individual cheetahs have established home ranges.
    • The team also evaluated the current procedures and protocols for managing the animals and agreed with the Forest Department officials in KNP on the next steps in the future.
    • Five more cheetahs will be released into free-roaming conditions in KNP before the monsoon rains in June. The remaining 10 cheetahs will remain in the acclimatisation camps for the monsoon season.
      

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Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the 27th Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) Meeting.

Topic: GS3 – Indian economy.

Context:

• • • The 27th Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) meeting was chaired today by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.
    • This was her first time chairing the meeting after the Budget 2023-24 was announced.

About the financial stability and Development Council (FSDC):

• • • The Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) is a statutory body established in 2010 under the Ministry of Finance in India.
    • The council’s mandate is to monitor and assess financial sector developments and risks to financial stability and to coordinate efforts to strengthen and develop the country’s financial sector.
    • The council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and comprises the heads of various financial sector regulators and representatives from relevant ministries and departments.
    • The FSDC meets periodically to discuss financial stability and development issues and formulate policies and strategies to address them.
      

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MoHUA and MoR jointly ink MoU with JICA for Project SMART.

Topic: GS3 – Indian economy.

Issue:

• • • The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Ministry of Railways signed an MoU with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) stations.
    • The project is called Project-SMART and aims to enhance accessibility and convenience of commuters, promote economic activities, and improve institutional capacity to plan, develop and manage surrounding areas of MAHSR stations.
    • The MoU is for four High-Speed Rail Stations – Sabarmati, Surat, Virar and Thane out of 12 stations in-route.
    • The project involves organising seminars and field visits in Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, which will contribute to the preparation of Station Area Development Plans for the HSR Stations and a model handbook on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Station Area Development.
    • The first seminar of the Series has already been organised at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi, on May 8 2023, with the participation of officers from the Japan Embassy, JICA HQ, JICA India Office, JICA experts’ team, Ministry of Railway, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited, MoHUA, TCPO.