Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC)
- Recently, the Cabinet Committee has approved the proposal of Department of Rural Development for revision of cost of SECC 2011.
- Earlier, Below Poverty Line (BPL) list was prepared by States/UTs for identifying beneficiaries for various poverty alleviation and development schemes.
- Later in 2011, Socio Economic and Caste Census were launched to avoid exclusion and inclusion errors in receiving benefits from the Government.
- SECC 2011 elicited information on identified parameters from each household for identification of deprivation and multi-dimensionality of poverty.
- The Ministry of Rural Development provided financial and technical support to the States/UTs for conducting Socio Economic and Caste Census-2011.
- The advantage of SECC is that it provides for programme specific customized priority list to suit programme objective and budget space to address specific deprivation.
- It has generated customized priority list for Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna-Gramin (PMAY-G) and Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)
- CAC is International food standards setting body.
- It facilitates evolving a common standardization process for global trade and availability.
- Codex Alimentarius (Food code) is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines, and other recommendations relating to foods, food production, and food safety.
- CAC has recently adopted three Codex standards for black, white and green pepper, cumin and thyme owing to India’s efforts to benchmark global spices trade.
- With this adoption of codex standards, spices have been included for the first time as commodities that will have such universal standards.
- It will benefit the trade from universal agreement to identify good quality spices.
Bilateral Investment Treaty
- A bilateral investment treaty (BIT) is an agreement establishing the terms and conditions for private investment by nationals and companies of one state in another state.
- The existing BIT’s are negotiated based on the Model BIT text adopted in 1993 and amended in 2003.
- The process of reviewing and revising the existing BITs was started in 2015 and the negotiations on revised Model BITs are being carried out with USA, Russia and EU.
- BIT includes fair and equitable treatment, protection from expropriation, free transfer of means and full protection and security.
- BITs are established through trade pacts and they allow for an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, through an Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS).
- BITs help to project India as an attractive Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) destination, as well as protect outbound Indian FDI.
- It boosts the confidence of investors by assuring a minimum standard of treatment and non-discrimination.
Learn and Earn Scheme
- Seekho aur Kamao (Learn and Earn) is a central sector scheme implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
- It aims to provide placement linked skill training to youths from minority communities.
- It is implemented across the country by through selected Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs).
Air Freight Corridor
- Recently, Air freight corridor was established between India and Afghanistan.
- The connectivity established through the Air Freight Corridor will promote bilateral trade and provide Afghanistan, a landlocked country, direct access to India.
- The cargo flight enables Afghan farmers quick and direct access to the Indian markets for their perishable produce.
Lingayats
- Lingayats popularly known as “Veerashaivas” in the State of Karnataka are demanding a separate religion.
- Lingayatism is a distinct shaivite religious tradition, founded by Basavanna.
- Basavanna was a 12th-century social reformer, Kannada poet, philosopher, statesman who served as the chief minister of Kalachuri dynasty ruled by King Bijjala.
- Lingyatism emphasizes on monism and bhakti (loving devotion) to Shiva.
- It is spread by the followers of Basavanna, known as “Sharanas”.
- Now, there is a division on whether the religion should be called “Lingayata Dharma” or “Veerashaiva Dharma” or “Veerashaiva/Lingayata Dharma”.
Kovvada
- Kovvada is a new nuclear plant to be set up in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
- It is a proposed light water nuclear water reactor in Srikakulam District.
- Recently, Land acquired for the construction of nuclear power plant was handed over to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
