Prelim Bits 07-02-2019

Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme

Under the scheme, each MP of Lok Sabha has the choice to suggest to the District Collector for works upto Rs.5 crores/annum to be taken up in his/her constituency.
The responsibility of implementation of MPLADS is taken care by the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Division.
The division is under the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, which has issued guidelines including implementation and monitoring of the scheme.
The Rajya Sabha MP can recommend works in one or more districts in the State from where he/she has been elected.
The Nominated Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha may select any one or more Districts from any one State in the Country for implementation of their choice of work under the scheme.

Agri-Market infrastructure fund

The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs gave its approval for the creation of a corpus of Rs.2000 crore for Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund (AMIF).
The fund is to be created with National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development.
The fund is for development and up-gradation of agricultural marketing infrastructure in Gramin Agricultural Markets and Regulated Wholesale Markets.
States may also access AMIF for innovative, integrated marketing infrastructure projects, including Hub and Spoke mode and in the Public Private Partnership mode.

Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for establishment of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog for Conservation protection and development of cows and their progeny.
The scheme was announced in the Interim Budget 2019-20.
It will provide the policy framework and direction for the cow conservation and development programs in the country.
It is for ensuring proper implementation of laws with respect to the welfare of cows.
It will result in increased growth of livestock sector, which is more inclusive, benefitting women, and small and marginal farmers.

Indo-Saracenic Architecture

It represents a synthesis of Islamic designs and Indian materials developed by British architects in India.
The style was prevalent during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.
The architecture style is characterized by a combined diverse architectural elements of Hindu and Mughal with cusped arches, domes, spires, tracery, minarets and stained glass.
Chepauk Palace in Chennai designed by Paul Benfield is said to be the first Indo-Saracenic building in India.
The other outstanding examples are Muir college in Allahabad, Napier Museum in Thiruvananthapuram, Gateway of India in Mumbai, the Palaces at Mysore and Bangalore.

Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)

The meeting of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Cluster Group on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) to strengthen cooperation in disaster response concluded recently.
It is an intergovernmental organization which was established on 1997.
It is a dynamic organisation of 22 Member States and 9 Dialogue Partners.
All sovereign States of the Indian Ocean Rim are eligible for membership of the Association.
India is a member.
IORA’s apex body is the Council of Foreign Ministers (COM) which meets annually.
The Republic of South Africa assumed the role of chair for 2017-2019.

World Economic Situation and Prospect 2019

The report is a joint product of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the 5 United Nations regional commissions.
According to the 2019 report, Global growth is expected to remain at 3% in 2019 and 2020.
However, the steady pace of expansion in the global economy masks an increase in downside risks that could potentially exacerbate development challenges in many parts of the world,.
The global economy is facing a confluence of risks, which could severely disrupt economic activity and inflict significant damage on longer-term development prospects.
These risks include

India will continue to remain the world's fastest-growing large economy in 2019 as well as in 2020.
India's GDP growth is expected to accelerate to 7.6% in 2019
China, it said the growth is expected to moderate to 6.3% in 2019 from 6.6% in 2018.

Source: PIB, The Hindu, The Indian Express