Additional Information

• The central banks of the two countries have given permission to use local currencies (rupees and Dirhams) for cross-border transactions including trade, remittance, and investment flows. 
• India’s payment system, UPI, was linked with UAE’s instant payment system Aani in a move likely to benefit over 3.5 million Indians living in the UAE, and travellers between the two countries.
•  India’s Rupay cards can also be used in the UAE.
• India-UAE trade, valued at US$ 180 million per annum in the 1970s, reached US$ 84 billion in 2023-24 making UAE, India’s third largest trading partner after China and US.
• While UAE is India’s second top export destination after the US, India is UAE’s second largest trading partner after China.
• In FY23, UAE emerged as the fourth largest foreign investor into India from being in the seventh spot in FY22. 

Additional Information

• The Swiss Peace Process for Ukraine refers to diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, utilizing Switzerland’s neutral status as a platform for dialogue and negotiation.
• Origin and Purpose: The Swiss Peace Process includes a series of international summits and meetings hosted in Switzerland, known for its neutrality and diplomatic mediation capabilities. The primary goal is to establish a framework for peace that addresses the core issues of the conflict and involves all relevant stakeholders.
• A significant event in this process was the Bürgenstock Summit, held in  June , 2024, which followed a series of four earlier international meetings.
  •  This summit aimed to consolidate international support and outline actionable steps toward resolving the conflict. Despite the absence of Russian representatives, the summit brought together delegates from 92 nations and several international organizations.
• India has maintained a cautious stance regarding the Swiss Peace Process and has not endorsed the Joint Communiqué from the Bürgenstock Summit because of Russian non-participation. 

Additional Information

• • Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has been established to promote research and development and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India’s Universities, Colleges, Research Institutions, and R&D laboratories.
  •  ANRF acts as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy. 
  • With the establishment of ANRF, the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) established by an act of Parliament in 2008 has been subsumed into ANRF. 
  • Functions of NRF:  NRF will be the apex body in the country to provide strategic direction for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the fields of: (i) natural sciences including mathematics, (ii) engineering and technology, (iii) environmental and earth sciences, (iv) health and agriculture, and (v) scientific and technological interfaces of humanities and social sciences.
  • Key functions of NRF include: (i) preparing short-term, medium-term, and long-term roadmaps and formulating programs for research and development (R&D), (ii) facilitating and financing the growth of R&D and related infrastructure in universities, colleges, and research institutions, (iii) providing grants for research proposals, (iv) supporting translation of research into capital intensive technology, (v) encouraging international collaboration, (vi) encouraging investments in the Foundation by private and public sector entities, and (vii) undertaking annual survey of scientific research, outcomes, and spending.
  • Funds for NRF: The Foundation will be financed through: (i) grants and loans from the central government, (ii) donations to the fund, (iii) income from investments of the amounts received by the Foundation, and (iv) all amounts with the Fund for Science and Engineering Research set up under the 2008 Act.
  • Governing Board: NRF will have a Governing Board headed by the Prime Minister of India.  The Board will provide strategic direction to the Foundation and monitor the implementation.  Other members of the Board are: (i) the Union Ministers of Science and Technology, Education as Vice Presidents, (ii) the Principal Scientific Advisor as Member Secretary, and (iii) Secretaries to the Departments of Science and Technology, Biotechnology, and Scientific and Industrial Research.
• For more information-Click Me

Additional Information

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)

• The board is ‘advisory’ in nature and can only advise the Government on policy making for conservation of wildlife.
• Primary function of the Board is to promote the conservation and development of wildlife and forests.
• It has power to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries.
• Composition: The NBWL is chaired by the Prime Minister. It has 47 members including the Prime Minister. Among these, 19 members are ex-officio members. Other members include three Members of Parliament (two from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha), five NGOs and 10 eminent ecologists, conservationists and environmentalists.
• The standing committee of NBWL is chaired by the Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change.
  • The standing committee approves all the projects falling within protected wildlife areas or within 10 km of them.

are  parameters that will result in automatic exclusion from PMAY-Gramin.

Additional Information

• To achieve the objective of “Housing for All” in rural areas, the Government of India had launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana -Gramin (PMAY-G) with effect from April 2016 with a target of construction of 2.95 crore houses with basic amenities to be achieved in phases till March 2024.
• Ministry Involved: Ministry of Rural development
• Two crore more houses will be constructed under the PMAY-G during next five years from FY 2024-2029 to address housing need arisen over the years.

• The Government has relaxed the “automatic exclusion” criteria under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), allowing families owning “two-wheelers, motorised fishing boats, refrigerators, landline phones” and earning “up to Rs 15,000 per month” to now avail the rural housing scheme.
• The parameters that will continue to result in “automatic exclusion” are: (Owning) motorised three/four-wheelers; mechanised three/ four-wheeler agricultural equipment; Kisan Credit Card with credit limit of Rs 50,000 or above; Household with any member as a Government employee; Household with non-agricultural enterprises registered with Government; Any member of family paying income tax; Paying professional tax; Land ownership ceiling of 2.5 acres or more of irrigated land.
• Under the PMAY-G, each beneficiary gets up to Rs 1.2 lakh in the plains and Rs 1.30 lakh in hilly states, difficult areas, and tribal and backward districts under the Integrated Action Plan (IAP).
•  The Centre and states share expenses in the 60:40 ratio in case of plain areas, and 90:10 for Northeastern states, two Himalayan states and the UT of J&K. The Centre bears 100% cost in case of other UTs including Ladakh.
• A willing beneficiary can avail of institutional finance (loan) of up to ₹ 70,000 at 3% lower interest rate, to build a permanent house. The maximum principal amount for which subsidy can be sought is ₹ 2,00,000.
• The minimum size of the house shall be is 25 sq m including a dedicated area for hygienic cooking.
• In convergence with Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), the beneficiaries get financial assistance of up to ₹ 12,000 for the construction of toilets.
• In convergence with MGNREGA, the beneficiary is entitled to employment as unskilled labor (Rural Mason Training) at ₹ 90.95 per day for 95 days.
• In convergence with Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, one LPG connection per house is provided.
• Convergence with different government programmes for piped drinking water, electricity connection, clean & efficient cooking fuel, treatment of social and liquid waste, etc.
• Payments are made electronically directly to bank accounts or post office accounts that are linked to Aadhaar.

Source-

1.https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/pmay-g

2.Centre relaxes exclusion criteria under PMAY; find out who is eligible to avail govt’s rural housing scheme | India News – The Indian Express