Contents
- Ease of Living Index 2020 and Municipal Performance Index 2020
- QS World University Rankings by subject 2021
- Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
- CSIR Floriculture Mission
EASE OF LIVING INDEX 2020 AND MUNICIPAL PERFORMANCE INDEX 2020
Focus: Indian society, Prelims
Why in news?
Rankings for Ease of Living Index 2020 and Municipal Performance Index 2020 announced.
Ease of Living Index 2020:
Released by: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- It is an assessment tool that evaluates the quality of life and the impact of various initiatives for urban development.
- It provides a comprehensive understanding of participating cities across India based on quality of life, economic ability of a city, and its sustainability and resilience.
- The assessment also incorporates the residents’ view on the services provided by city administration through a Citizen Perception Survey.
- The rankings under Ease of Living Index 2020 were announced for cities with a population of more than a million, and cities with less than a million people.
- Bengaluru emerged as the top performer in the Million+ category, followed by Pune, Ahmedabad.
- Shimla was ranked the highest in the Less than Million category followed by Bhubaneshwar, Silvassa.
Municipal Performance Index 2020:
Released by: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- It was launched as an accompaniment to the Ease of Living Index.
- It seeks to examine local government practice in municipalities across areas of services, finance, policy, technology and governance.
- It seeks to simplify and evaluate the complexities in local governance practice and promote the ethos of transparency and accountability.
- The rankings under Municipal Performance Index 2020 were announced for cities with a population of more than a million, and cities with less than a million people.
- Indore emerged as the top performer in the Million+ category, followed by Surat and Bhopal.
- New Delhi NC was ranked the highest in the Less than Million category followed by, Tirupati, Gandhinagar.
QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS BY SUBJECT 2021
Focus: GS II-Education, Prelims
Why in news?
Union Education Minister addressed at the unveiling of QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 and 12 Indian Institutions secure position in top 100.
Key points:
- It is published annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British company specialising in the analysis of higher education institutions around the world.
- 12 Indian institutions have made it to the top 100 of the world – IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IISC Bangalore, IIT Guwahati, IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, JNU, Anna University, University of Delhi, and O.P Jindal University.
- Amongst these top 100 ranked institutions, IIT Madras has been ranked 30th in the world for Petroleum Engineering, IIT Bombay has been ranked 41st and IIT Kharagpur has been ranked 44th in the world for Minerals and Mining Engineering, and University of Delhi has been ranked 50th in the world for Development Studies.
EMPLOYEES’ PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION (EPFO)
Focus: GS III- Indian Economy
Why in news?
EPFO extended social security benefits to the subscribers of J&K and Ladakh.
About Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
Nodal: Ministry of Labour & Employment
- It is a government organization that manages provident fund and pension accounts of member employees and implements the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
- The Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 provides for the institution of provident funds for employees in factories and other establishments.
- It is one of the World’s largest Social Security Organisations in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken.
Employees Pension Scheme (EPS):
It is a social security scheme that was launched in 1995. It offers pension on disablement, widow pension, and pension for nominees.
The scheme, provided by EPFO, makes provisions for pensions for the employees in the organized sector after the retirement at the age of 58 years.
Main features:
- Employees who are members of EPF automatically become members of EPS.
- Both employer and employee contribute 12% of employee’s monthly salary (basic wages plus dearness allowance) to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) scheme.
- EPF scheme is mandatory for employees who draw a basic wage of Rs. 15,000 per month.
- Of the employer’s share of 12 %, 8.33 % is diverted towards the EPS.
- Central Govt. also contributes 1.16% of employees’ monthly salary.
- Maximum service for the calculation of service is 35 years.
- No pensioner can receive more than one EPF Pension.
CSIR FLORICULTURE MISSION
Focus: GS III-Agriculture
Why in news?
CSIR Floriculture Mission has been approved for implementation in 21 States and Union Territories of India wherein available knowledgebase in CSIR Institutes will be utilized and leveraged to help Indian farmers and industry re-position itself to meet the import requirements.
About Mission:
- This Mission is being implemented in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Directorate of Floriculture; Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC); Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce; Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED); Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Universities.
- It is expected to create opportunity for entrepreneurship development in floriculture. Infusion of latest technologies in the field of floriculture can be successfully led by CSIR.
- It will focus on commercial floral crops, seasonal/annual crops, wild ornaments and cultivation of flower crops for honeybee rearing.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research
- It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- It is headquartered at New Delhi.
- It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
Nodal: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
- KVIC is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.
- The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programmes for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
TRIFED:
Nodal: Ministry of tribal affairs
- The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in 1987.
- It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Objectives
- The ultimate objective of TRIFED is socio-economic development of tribal people in the country by way of marketing development of the tribal products.
- TRIFED acts as a facilitator and service provider for tribes to sell their product.
- The approach by TRIFED aims to empower tribal people with knowledge, tools and pool of information so that they can undertake their operations in a more systematic and scientific manner.
APEDA
Nodal: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985
- The Authority has its headquarters in New Delhi.
Functions
- APEDA is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of the scheduled products viz. fruits, vegetables and their products; meat and meat products; poultry and poultry products; dairy products; confectionery, biscuits and bakery products; honey, jaggery and sugar products; cocoa and its products, chocolates of all kinds; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; cereal and cereal products; groundnuts, peanuts and walnuts, pickles, papads and chutneys; guar gum; floriculture and floriculture products; herbal and medicinal plants.
- APEDA has been entrusted with the responsibility to monitor import of sugar.
