PIB – 8 DECEMBER 2021

CONTENTS:

1. FAME INDIA SCHEME
2. FOREIGN TRADE POLICY
3. ‘SHE IS A CHANGEMAKER’ PROGRAMME
4. WASTE-WISE CITIES-BY NITI AAYOG

FAME INDIA SCHEME

Focus: GS Paper – 2: Government Policies & Interventions, GS Paper – 3: Environmental Pollution & Degradation

Why in news?

Ministry of Heavy industries sanctions 520 Charging Stations under the Phase-I of FAME India Scheme.

Key Points:

• The demand incentive for electric two wheelers has been increased to Rs. 15,000/kWh from Rs. 10,000/kWh with an increase in cap from 20% to 40% of the cost of vehicle from 11th June, 2021.
• Creation of charging infrastructure is being supported under the FAME India Scheme to address range anxiety among users of electric vehicles
• Out of 520 charging stations, 452 EV charging stations have been installed.
• In Phase-II of FAME-India Scheme, Rs. 1000 Cr. is allocated for the development of charging infrastructure.

About Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) Scheme:

• It is aimed at incentivising all vehicle segments.
• The scheme covers Hybrid & Electric technologies like Mild Hybrid, Strong Hybrid, Plug in Hybrid & Battery Electric Vehicles.
• The scheme was launched under National Mission on Electric Mobility in 2011/ National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020, unveiled in 2013.
• The scheme is monitored by the Department of Heavy Industries, the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

Objectives:

• Encourage faster adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Establish a necessary charging Infrastructure for electric vehicles.
• To address the issue of environmental pollution and fuel security.

Phase I:

• The First Phase of the scheme was initially approved for a period of 2years, commencing from 1st April, 2015 and was completed on 31st March, 2019
• It aims to encourage progressive induction of reliable, affordable and efficient electric and hybrid vehicles.

Phase II:

• Government has approved Phase-II of FAME Scheme with an outlay of  Rs. 10,000 Crore for a period of 3 years commencing from 1st April 2019.
• This phase aims to generate demand by way of supporting 7000 Electric Buses (e-bus), 5 lakh Electric Three Wheelers (e-3W), 55000 Electric Four Wheeler Passenger Cars (including Strong Hybrid) (e-4W)and 10 lakh Electric Two Wheelers (e-2W).
• In addition, creation of Charging Infrastructure will also be supported under the Scheme.

FOREIGN TRADE POLICY

Focus: GS Paper – 3: Growth & Development, Liberalization Industrial Policy, Industrial Growth

Why in news?

The Permanent Mission of India to the WTO in Geneva (PMI), the Centre for Trade and Investment Law, New Delhi (CTIL), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, and the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration of The Graduate Institute, Geneva (CTEI) signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Geneva to begin collaboration towards research and capacity-building in the field of international trade law and policy.

Aim:

To enhance India’s capacity in formulating its foreign trade policy and contribute towards ensuring stability in the global trade regime through

• Exchange of faculties and staff for study, research or teaching purposes
• Through an internship programme for CTEI students at CTIL
• Submission of India focused projects to CTIL/CTEI TradeLab, a clinical legal education project on trade and investment law.

Significance:

• It is an important initiative in providing valuable global academic and research opportunities in the field of trade and investment law to Indian government officials, CTIL professional staff and Indian students focused in this discipline.

Foreign Trade Policy of India:

• It outlines government strategies and steps to promote domestic production and exports to drive economic growth.
• India’s Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) provides the basic framework of policy and strategy for promoting exports and trade.
• It is periodically reviewed to adapt to the changing domestic and international scenario.
• These are established by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the governing body for the promotion and facilitation of exports and imports under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• New Foreign Trade Policy 2021-26: With the new trade policy 2021-26, the government plans to increase merchandise exports with emphasis on the higher share of MSMEs.

SHE IS A CHANGEMAKER PROGRAMME

Focus: GS Paper – 1: GS Paper – 2, Issues Related to Women, Women’s Issues, Inclusive Growth, Human Resource, Government Policies & Interventions, Parliament

Why in news?

The National Commission for Women (NCW) today launched a pan-India capacity building programme, ‘She is a Changemaker’ for women.

Aims:

• To improve leadership skills of grassroot women political leaders.
• To undertake capacity building of women political leaders and improve their decision making and communication skills including, oration, writing, etc.

Key points:

• Covers representatives at all levels, gram panchayats to parliament members and political workers including office bearers of National/State political parties.
• The capacity building programme will be undertaken in association with region-wise training institutes

Significance:

• Increased women participation in politics is the need of the hour.
• Their participation is crucial in the policy formulation and regulation as they represent nearly half of total population.
• They could act as role model for women empowerment and could bring behavioural change in the society towards the women.
• More focused policies relating to women safety, education, child care, MMR, child marriage, Domestic violence etc if women are involved in decision making owing to their emotional quotient towards these issues.
• For building a nation where women thrive and feel safe and respected
• Places with women representatives have seen less corruption and improved efficiency.
• India ranks 140 out of 156 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index (GGI) 2021. India’s score declined in political empowerment index as well by 13.5 percentage points, and a decline in the number of women ministers, from 23.1% in 2019 to 9.1% in 2021.
• In the last 75 years of independence, women’s representation in Lok Sabha has not even increased by 10%.
• As of October 2021, Women represent 10.5% of the total members of the Parliament.

Government Initiatives:

• The Preamble begins with the words “WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA …” which includes men and women of all castes, religions, etc.
• The Constitution envisages to render “EQUALITY of status and of opportunity” to every man and woman.
• The Women’s Reservation Bill 2008: It proposes to amend the Constitution of India to reserve 1/3rd of all seats in the Lower house of Parliament of India, the Lok Sabha, and in all state legislative assemblies for women.
• Article 243D of the Constitution: It ensures participation of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions by mandating not less than one-third reservation for women out of total number of seats to be filled by direct election and number of offices of chairpersons of Panchayats.
• The Committee on Empowerment of Women:  It was constituted for the first time in 1997 during the 11th Lok Sabha of the Parliament for improving the status of women.

WASTE-WISE CITIES-BY NITI AAYOG

Focus: General studies 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation

Why in news?

Waste-wise Cities: Best practices in municipal solid waste management – a comprehensive knowledge repository of how Indian cities are managing their solid waste – was released on 6th December by NITI Aayog.

Key Points:

• It documents best practices from 28 cities in 15 states of India.
• The new report is the result of a country-wide study and survey jointly conducted by NITI Aayog and CSE.
• The key aspects range from source segregation, material recovery and technological innovations to the management of different kinds of wastes and systems such as biodegradables, plastics, e-waste, C&D waste and landfills.
• It stressed on the need to promote source segregation and circularity in waste management as business practices along with necessary rules and regulations.
• Cities need to become the agent of change in this sector for smooth transition to a circular economy.
• Learning from the best practices including, behaviour change communication, source segregation of waste, innovative models of circular economy, advance data management and technology like GIS tracking of waste transportation vehicles etc.

Government Initiatives:

• India’s solid waste management sector has witnessed unparalleled growth in last few years.
• The Swachh Bharat Mission Phase 2: It was launched to further strengthen the efforts for a clean India.
• Replacing of Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2000 with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 whereby expanding the ambit of rule application to every urban local body, including outgrowths in urban agglomerations, census towns and areas under Railways and airports.
• Recently the Government organised ‘Kachra Alag Karo Amrit Diwas’ all over India. It is a Door to door campaign by groups of Swachhagrahis for source segregation by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in wards/Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) will be undertaken.