Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF)

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Trois Infotech have recently signed an agreement to Develop “Face Recognition Using Drone” Under TTDF Scheme.

• TTDF aims to support and encourage Research and Development in Telecom products and technologies to achieve Aatmanirbhar Bharat, aligning with the Hon’ble PM's call for ‘Jai Anushandhan’.
• This initiative also aims to unite telecom service providers, sensor manufacturers, CCTV suppliers, and IoT providers on a single platform to explore and exploit the potential advantages of 5G.
• It has been set up under the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) of Department of Telecom (DOT).
• The initiative seeks to develop ‘5G Intelligent Villages’ by leveraging the transformative power of 5G technology to uplift rural communities.
• Only companies/start-ups headquartered in India (not subsidiaries of foreign companies) and Indian R&D/academic institutions are eligible to receive funding from TTDF.
• Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) – Is the premier telecom R&D centre under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• C-DOT's Collaborative Programs (CCP) – The scheme is designed to fund Indian start-ups, academia, and R&D institutions, acting as a crucial enabler for the design, development and commercialization of telecommunication products and solutions.
• It aims to facilitate affordable broadband and mobile services, playing a vital role in bridging the digital divide across India.

Jalvahak Scheme

The Union government has recently launched the Jalvahak scheme to incentivize cargo movement via inland waterways.

• Jalvahak Scheme aims to incentivize cargo movement via inland waterways.
• It unlocks the trade potential of inland waterways while reducing logistics costs and decongesting road and rail networks.
• It would optimise supply chains for major shipping companies, freight forwarders, and trade bodies.
• Implementing agency – Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Inland & Coastal Shipping Ltd. (ICSL).
• Budget – Investment of Rs 95.4 crores for 3 years.
• Coverage – National Waterways (NW), such as:
  • NW1 – River Ganga
  • NW2 – River Brahmaputra
  • NW16 – River Barak
• Target – 200 million metric tons (MT) cargo movement by 2030 and 500 MT by 2047.
• Incentives – Up to 35% reimbursement on operating costs for Cargo owners transporting goods over 300 km via waterways.
• To know more about Jalvahak Scheme click here

Green Glass Ceiling

The recent analysis of International Monetary Fund has revealed that Women are being left out of jobs in sustainable sectors despite growing employment opportunities in these green sectors.

• Green glass ceiling is a hidden barrier were women are disproportionately left behind from green jobs in sectors.
• The sectors include renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and waste management.
• To know more about Green Glass Ceiling, click here

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

• The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is the intergovernmental organisation.
• Aim – Promotion of free trade and economic integration between the members.
• Members – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. (India is not a member)
• It was set up in 1960 by its then seven Member States for the promotion of free trade and economic integration between its members.
• Committees – EFTA has 3 committees with an advisory role whose mandate is to provide advice to its member states on all issues of relevance to the organisation.
  1. The EFTA Parliamentary Committee
  2. The EFTA Consultative Committee
  3. The EEA EFTA Forum
• Functions – Maintaining and developing the EFTA Convention, which regulates economic relations between the four EFTA States.
• Managing the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement), which brings together the Member States of the European Union and three of the EFTA States such as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway in a single market, also referred to as the Internal Market.
• Developing EFTA’s worldwide network of free trade agreements.
• The four EFTA States are all open, competitive economies committed to the progressive liberalisation of trade in the multinational arena and in free trade agreements.
• To know about India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement Click here

Diabetes Biobank

• Biobank is a secure place for storing human samples.
• They are critical in biomedical research, collecting, processing, storing and distributing bio-specimens to support scientific research.
• Diabetes Biobank – It is a repository of population-based biological samples.
• It aims to gather, process, store and distribute bio-specimens to assist scientific studies with the permission of the ICMR.
• It could help in the identification of novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and the development of personalised treatment strategies.
• It will facilitate advanced research on the causes of diabetes, the variations of the Indian type of diabetes and related disorders.
• India's First Diabetes Biobank was set up in joint collaboration of:
  • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
  • Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF)
• It is set up at Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), Chennai.
• To know more about India's First Diabetes Biobank and Diabetes Click here