The Union Cabinet has approved India's membership for European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
EBRD is an international financial institution founded in 1991 and headquartered in London.
It is owned by 65 countries and two EU institutions, and US is the biggest shareholder.
Besides Europe, member countries of the EBRD are also from other continents - North America (Canada and US), Africa (Morocco), Asia (Japan, China, South Korea) and Australia.
EBRD's core operations pertain to private sector development in their countries of operation.
The minimum initial investment towards the membership of EBRD will be approximately one million Euros.
The EBRD is not to be confused with the European Investment Bank (EIB) which is owned by EU member states and used to support EU policy.
15th Finance Commission
The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of the 15thFinance Commission.
It will decide on the distribution of tax proceeds among centre, states and local bodies in the post-goods and services tax (GST) era.
The setting up of the finance commission for every 5 years is a Constitutional obligation under Article 280 (1) of the Constitution.
The recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission are valid from 2015 to 2020.
The recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission will be implemented in the period 2020 to 2025.
The 14th Finance Commission had raised the untied share of states in net central taxes to 42% from 32% after ending discretionary resource transfers from the centre to the states.
Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra
The objective of this new scheme is to empower rural women through community participation.
Improving the child sex ratio, survival of new born girl child, girl education and empower them through several initiatives are the main motives.
It aims to create an environment in which women realize their full potential.
The scheme is envisaged to work at national, state and block level.
Under the scheme, community engagement through student volunteers is envisioned in the backward districts at block level.
Student volunteers will help in awareness generation regarding various important government programmes as well as social issues.
It will be implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development under umbrella mission for “Protection and Empowerment for Women” for the duration of 2017-18 to 2019-20.
Brahmos Missile
It is the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air based platforms.
IAF has successfully test fired the air-launched version of the brahmos for the first time from Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet.
With this launch, India has completed the cruise missile triad for land, sea and air variants.
The air launched BrahMos missile is a 2.5 ton supersonic air to surface cruise missile with ranges of more than 400 kms.
It marks a history as IAF is the first air force in the world to have successfully fired an air launched 2.8 Mach surface attack missile.
The original range was 290 km which was further extended to 450 km after joining MTCR and expected to be extended even up to 600 km.
The Union Cabinet has recently given its approval for expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao for a Pan India reach covering all the 640 districts of the country as per census 2011.
The scheme was launched in 2015 to address the issue of decline in Child Sex Ratio (CSR) in gender critical districts.
The objectives of the Scheme are
Prevent gender biased sex selective elimination
Ensure survival & protection of the girl child
Ensure education of the girl child
The initiative has two major components such as mass communication campaign and multi-sectoral action covering all States and UTs.
It is currently implemented in 161 districts which has adverse CSR.
It is being implemented in a coordinated effort by Ministry of WCD, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of HRD.
CSR - Number of girls per 1000 boys in the age group of 0-6 years. It declined sharply from 976 in 1961 to 918 in Census 2011.
Implementation period of Environmental Protocols
Paris Agreement, 2015 under UNFCCC is intended for 2020-2030 period.
First phase of the Kyoto Protocol - 2005-2012
Doha amendment, 2012 – concerning the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol
As only 75 countries have so far ratified the Doha amendments it could not be enforced which requires ratification of 144 countries.
Second phase of the Kyoto Protocol - 2013-2020
India ratified the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol.
