KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 20 July 2023
NITI's Export Preparedness Index 2022
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)

Tamil Nadu has pipped Maharashtra and Gujarat to emerge as the top state in the Niti Aayog's Export Preparedness Index 2022. The index is aimed at assessing the readiness of the states in terms of their export potential and performance. Gujarat had topped the chart in the last two rankings.

More about the Index

Tamil Nadu with an overall score of 80.89 topped the third edition of rankings. Maharashtra with a score of 78.20 was second while Karnataka (76.36) was third.
Gujarat with a score of 73.22 was fourth, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Kerala in that order in the ranking of coastal states, according to the government think tank's report released on 17 July 2023.
Among hilly/Himalayan states, Uttarakhand (59.13) has ranked at the top position. It is followed by Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram in that order.
Haryana (63.65) topped the chart among the landlocked regions. It was followed by Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
In the category of union territories/small states, Goa (51.58) was ranked first. Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar and Ladakh were ranked second, third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Flashback

The index can be used by the regions to benchmark their performance against their peers and analyse potential challenges to develop better policy mechanisms to foster export-led growth at the sub-national level.
The ranking is based on four main pillars: policy, business ecosystem, export ecosystem and export performance.
The index is also aimed at promoting competition among all states (coastal, landlocked, Himalayan and UTs) to bring about favourable policies, ease the regulatory framework, create necessary infrastructure and assist in identifying strategic recommendations for improving export competitiveness.

#upsc #news #nitis #economy #tamilnadu #maharashtra #gujarat #nitiaayog #performance #ranking #karnataka #andhrapradesh #coastalstates #uttarakhand #himachalpradesh #manipur #mizoram #arunachalpradesh #haryana #telangana #uttarpradesh #madhyapradesh #ecosystem #strategic #mechanisms

1.3K viewsKOL KSG India, 04:30

Today's Headlines - 28 July 2023
The Biodiversity Act approved for amendment
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

Lok Sabha gave its approval to a Bill to amend some provisions of the Biological Diversity Act of 2002. The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill seeks to address concerns of several central ministries, state governments, researchers, industry, and other stakeholders, regarding the implementation of the 20-year-old law that is meant to preserve the country’s biological diversity and to ensure its sustainable use.

What is the biodiversity law, and why does India need one?

Biological diversity refers to all kinds of life forms — animals, plants and microorganisms — their gene pools, and the ecosystems that they inhabit.
The 2002 Act was a response to the global need to protect and conserve biological resources, which are under threat due to human activities.
The extent of the damage was highlighted, much later, in a landmark 2019 report by the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a scientific body similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
That report issued a stark warning: about 1 million animal and plant species, out of a total of about 8 million, were facing the threat of extinction.
About 75 per cent of the Earth’s land surface and 66 per cent of the oceans had been “significantly altered”, it said.
But efforts to protect biological diversity had begun much earlier. In 1994, countries including India had agreed to a Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an international framework agreement similar to the more famous one on climate change.
There was a general agreement on three things: (i) that indiscriminate use of biological resources needed to be halted, (ii) that sustainable use of these resources, for their medicinal properties for example, needed to be regulated, and (iii) that people and communities helping in protecting and maintaining these resources needed to be rewarded for their efforts.
India’s Biological Diversity Act of 2002 was enacted by the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with these objectives in mind.
It set up a National Biodiversity Authority as a regulatory body, and prescribed the conditions in, and purposes for, which biological resources could be utilised. The purposes are mainly related to scientific research and commercial use.
What amendments have been proposed in the biodiversity law?

The Bill passed makes several amendments to the 2002 Act, addressing most of the concerns raised by the practitioners of traditional systems of medicine, the seed sector, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Certain categories of users of biological resources, like practitioners of Indian systems of medicine, have been exempted from making payments towards the access and benefit-sharing mechanism.
Companies registered in India and controlled by Indians are now treated as Indian companies, even if they have foreign equity or partnership, thereby reducing the restrictions on them.
Provisions have been included to speed up the approval process in cases of use of biological resources in scientific research, or for filing of patent applications. The penalty provisions for wrongdoing by user agencies have been rationalised.

#upsc #news #todayheadline #biodiversity #amendment #enviroment #bill #microorganisms #ecosystem #intergovernmental #IPBES #IPCC #extinction #CBD #national #authority #traditional #medicine #rationalised

1.2K viewsKOL KSG India, 04:42

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 31 July 2023
India targets $300 billion worth bioeconomy
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said India has a target of $300 billion in bioeconomy by 2030.

More about Bioeconomy

Bioeconomy is the production, utilization, and conservation of biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, to provide information, products, processes, and services across all economic sectors.
The Indian biotech industry is aligned around five major segments -- BioPharma, BioAgriculture, BioIndustrial, Bio-energy and a combined segment of BioServices comprising of BioIT, CROs, and Research Services. Bioeconomy is seen as a means to address societal challenges.
For example, the use of bio-mass or renewable resources in energy production processes, use of green chemicals and materials, biofertilizers, and waste reduction may impact and have a cascading effect on carbon footprint, food and nutrition, health, energy independence, and environmental sustainability.
New innovative solutions are expected from the biotech Industry, research institutes, and growing biotech startup ecosystem.
The number of biotech Startups in the country has increased from 50 to over 5,300 in the last 10 years, because of the growing enabling ecosystem and prioritization provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The minister had also launched a special Biotech Ignition Grant call for the northeast Region (BIG-NER) and announced financial support of up to Rs 50 Lakhs each to 25 startups and entrepreneurs from North East Region to develop biotech solutions.

#upsc #news #headline #bioeconomy #economy #technology #ministerstate #utilization #biofertlizer #biopharma #bioagriculture #targets #bioindustrial #bioenergy #ecosystem

1.0K viewsKOL KSG India, 05:45

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 05 August 2023
Mineral iron is important in ocean ecosystems
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

According to new research published in Nature, mineral forms of iron play an important role in regulating the cycling of this bio-essential nutrient in the ocean. The discoveries pave the way for future research into the relationship between the iron and carbon cycles, as well as how changing ocean oxygen levels may interact.

More about the research

The research, led by the University of Liverpool and involving collaborators from the United States, Australia, and France, aims to fill a knowledge gap in ocean science.
The early Earth's ocean was low in oxygen and high in iron, which served as a catalyst in many biological reactions. These include photosynthesis, which oxygenated the earth's system through its proliferation.
Because iron is less soluble in well-oxygenated seawater, precipitation and sinking of iron oxides resulted in a decrease in iron levels.
As a result, iron now plays a critical role in regulating ocean productivity and thus ecosystems throughout the modern ocean.
It is thought that organic molecules called ligands, which bind iron, regulate iron levels above their soluble thresholds.
This viewpoint has underpinned the representation of the marine iron cycle in global models used to investigate how future climate changes will affect levels of biological productivity.
However, oceanographers have been perplexed as to why there appeared to be a much larger loss of iron due to insolubility in the ocean than would be expected based on the measured high levels of ligands.
In general, ocean models built in accordance with the expected pattern have performed poorly in reproducing observations.

#upsc #news #headline #mineral #iron #ocean #ecosystem #enviroment #bioessential #nutrient #carboncycles #oxygenlevels #liverpool #US #Australia #france #photosynthesis #ligands #climatechanges #bindiron #regulateiron #seawater #earth

1.4K viewsKOL KSG India, 06:45

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 07 August 2023
Draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)

The office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government put out a draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) for public comment, following two versions that were iterated at high levels with other government departments, academia and stakeholder firms. The policy seeks to “ensure India’s position in the global deep tech value chain,” in areas such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and space tech.

More about the Policy

The policy seeks to bolster research and development in deep tech start-ups, which work on fundamental and technical problems, unlike firms that monetise technology with distinguished business models.
The policy also seeks to find approaches to provide financing to deep tech start-ups at critical moments, such as before they go to market with their products or ideas.
Additionally, the policy seeks to simplify the intellectual property regime for such start-ups, ease regulatory requirements, and proposes a slew of measures to promote these firms.
For instance, the NDTSP suggests that an Export Promotion Board be created to ease barriers of entry for Indian deep tech start-ups into foreign markets and those clauses to ease such market access be included in foreign trade agreements.
The policy also includes resource-intensive policy approaches to attract global talent, such as offering “networking opportunities to international deep tech startups and experts interested in relocating and contributing to the local ecosystem.
Since expertise and regulatory overview of different aspects of deep tech and its supply chains are under different Ministries, the policy suggests the creation of an “Inter Ministerial Deep Tech Committee” to regularly review the requirements of enabling the deep tech ecosystem to function better.

International agreement

The policy restates the government’s disappointment with international agreements that it argues have left India on the backfoot in terms of manufacturing and development power.
India’s experience with some aspects of international cooperation has had a deleterious effect on the domestic ecosystem. A key example of this is the Information Technology Agreement-I that India joined in 1997.
The policy calls for a more multi-pronged approach to protect Indian interests. The need of the hour is a coordinated, comprehensive push to optimally engage with international partners and multilateral institutions to push the Indian Deep Tech Ecosystem, the policy says.

#upsc #news #headline #Draftnational #Deeptech #Startup #policy #economy #principal #scientific #adviser #NDTSP #global #AI #semiconductors #artificial #intelligence #spacetech #fundamental #technical #technology #monetise #critical #property #resource #networking #indian #internationalagreement #ecosystem

1.4K viewsKOL KSG India, 08:01

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 16 August 2023
Wildfires ravage Hawaii’s Maui Island
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

The images of the aftermath of the devastating fire in Hawaii’s Maui Island have grabbed the world’s attention. The wildfires, which have already killed nearly 100 people and left thousands homeless, have become part of a wider global list of unusually intense blazes that have raged across Europe, Canada and the United States.

What happened in Hawaii

Hawaii is no stranger to fires, which burn on a smaller scale with some regularity, especially in the drier parts of the island.
The current fires – active in Lahaina, Upcountry and Pūlehu/Kīhei – are believed to have started with the one in Lahaina spreading quickly across the town.
The exact cause of the fires is still under investigation, but experts agree that the fires were bolstered by strong winds from Category-4 Hurricane Dora, which was passing through the Pacific Ocean – far to the southwest of the island.
Low humidity and dry vegetation too precipitated the issue. Initial reports suggest that the changing land-use patterns in Hawaii, which has seen farm and forest lands being replaced by flammable non-native species of grasses like Guinea grass, are a likely cause for the easy spread of the fire.
Over the past few decades, wildfire has been increasing in Hawaii as a result of changing climate, as a result of increases in invasive species, and a lot of our active agriculture going out… and becoming fallow.

What is the link between wildfires and climate change?

Wildfires have been a part of life on Earth, usually following a seasonal pattern during the June-August period.
Be it natural or human-made, the phenomenon is a critical part of the ecosystem. A healthy fire is key to ensuring that forests remain robust and resilient.
It also aids the natural replenishment of nutrients in the soil, helps sunlight reach the forest floors, and encourages the germination of seeds.
It is the increasingly intense nature of the wildfires – aided by the warming weather, dry conditions and change in rain cycles – that is now becoming a source of worry.
Experts have compared it akin to the difference between throwing a lighted matchstick on a pile of wet, green wood and on dry kindling. And increasingly, climate change is determining the degree of dryness of the latter.
Besides the destruction of lives and livelihoods, these catastrophic wildfires also release an immense amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
There is also one immediate issue – these immense fires contribute adversely to air pollution, leading to long-term and short-term respiratory issues, heart disease and lung cancer.

#upsc #news #headline #wildfires #hawaiimaui #island #enviroment #worldattention #europe #US #fires #pulehu #kihei #lahaina #pacific #ocean #humidity #category #guinea #forest #ecosystem #natural #peroid #seeds #catastrophic #greenhouse #gases #cancer #airpollution #respiratory #heart #disease

1.4K viewsKOL KSG India, 04:36

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 22 August 2023
Extreme heat mean for the Mediterranean Sea
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

Frequent heat waves cause huge damage to underwater ecosystems and researchers expect more of them in the future.

What are the solutions to heat stress?

Extreme heat has plagued the Mediterranean for weeks. Wildfires raged across at least nine countries in the region from Algeria to Greece.
But the soaring temperatures are not only a danger for people and ecosystems on land; they’re also harming marine life.
Without a doubt global climate change is the main reason for the heat waves in the sea. It’s causing the ocean to warm.
Why are high sea temperatures a problem?

In a warming world, marine creatures are in danger of suffocating. Gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide dissolve better at colder temperatures, so that means the warmer the water; the less oxygen is available to breathe.
Conversely, higher temperatures also cause an increase in metabolism, which in turn means animals have to breathe even more than usual). That combination also heightens the risk of death by starvation for marine life.
The rise in temperature accelerates metabolism, and the organisms need more food to maintain this metabolic rate.
Algal blooms are more common in hotter waters too. Such blooms can further deplete oxygen levels and produce toxins harmful for fish, marine mammals and birds, for instance.
What species and ecosystems are worst hit by marine heat waves?

High water temperatures are most harmful for animals living at the bottom of oceans, lakes or rivers.
These benthic species include corals, mussels, sponges, starfish and plants like sea grasses, and are often attached to rock or solid ground. They can’t migrate when it gets too hot.
Scientists observed mass deaths of benthic species along thousands of kilometers of Mediterranean coastline between 2015 and 2019.
Many benthic species are crucial to the marine ecosystem. They filter the water and keep seas, rivers and lakes clean by eating dead organisms.
Some species are an important food source for other creatures or are harvested by humans. Benthics like soft corals, seaweed and seagrasses provide some of the main ocean habitats.
Heat is particularly harmful for Posidonia oceanica or Neptune grass. And the large, slow-growing seagrass is found only in the Mediterranean. Previous heat waves have decimated the species, which is bad news for the climate.
What does extreme heat in the Mediterranean mean for people?

Warming seas are already affecting fishing activities in the area. Fishermen are catching fewer familiar species and instead are finding more invasive fish which they have difficulty selling.
Rabbitfish and lionfish are edible, but other invasive fish aren’t. Some are even poisonous, like the puffer fish.
Habitat loss could also lead to an overall decline in fish populations, while disappearing seagrass means coasts will be more exposed to future storms.
This could also have a knock-on effect for tourism because divers will be less likely to visit an impoverished underwater landscape.

#upsc #news #headline #extreme #mediterranean #sea #enviroment #heat #ecosystem #future #undrwater #wildfires #algeria #greece #global #climate #temperature #ocean #metabolism #algalblooms #birds #marine #oxygen #levels #lakes #rivers #soildground #benthic #mediterranean #coastline #foodsource #organisms #soft #corals #seaweed #rabbitfish #stroms #populations #lionfish #activities #neptunegrass #posidoniaoceanica #toxins #breathe

1.2K viewsKOL KSG India, 06:01

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 23 August 2023
The vegetated canopies for creating green spaces
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

As Europe battles scorching temperatures this summer and wildfires blaze across the continent from the Mediterranean to Spain, the role of climate change in making heatwaves hotter and more frequent has come into focus. At a broader level, greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have heated the planet by about 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. These grim predictions have brought attention to a range of mitigation measures. One such initiative to bring greenery back to urban spaces in Spain involves installing vegetated awnings or canopies.

What are vegetated canopies?

Introduced in Santa Maria Street in Valladolid, Spain, the awnings are tensioned sail-like structures that have been anchored to the facades of surrounding buildings. They mimic natural canopies found in forests and various plant species.
The lightness and ease of installation of the ‘Greenshades’ allow for shade and the presence of greenery in commercial streets and public spaces, where trees or other vegetation are often absent.
Here is how they work:

The sails with anchors and supports are prepared by laying down the specific geotextile substrate or material. An irrigation system is installed at the highest side, from where the water falls by gravity, soaking the entire substrate.
In addition to water, fertilizer keeps the vegetation in perfect condition. The excess water is collected at the lowest point and into a connected drainage system.
The seed mixture is then projected onto the geotextile. After four months, the shade is expected to be completely covered with vegetation.
The awnings can be placed in streets, where planting trees may not be feasible owing to the lack of space. The plants grow hydroponically, with a water supply point and water outlet for draining purposes.
What are their advantages?

The plants chosen for these awnings belong to species that are optimised for the absorption of gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide.
The substrate also absorbs sound waves, reducing noise pollution. A square metre of a vegetated canopy generates the oxygen required by a person for the whole year, apart from filtering harmful gases, according to the company.
The hanging planter also allows for the centralisation of water and light installations.
This is meant to induce savings as the lights are equipped with movement sensors that illuminate the street according to its need.
The adoption of such canopies could eventually contribute to urban biodiversity, creating a healthier ecosystem that supports a variety of wildlife.

#upsc #news #headline #vegetated #canopies #greenspace #enviroment #europe #battle #temperature #wildfires #blaze #mediterranean #emissions #spain #climatechange #heatwaves #hotter #preindustrial #structures #forests #greenery #commercial #greenshades #mimic #natural #work #gravaity #planting #lackofspace #hydroponically #gases #species #carbonmonoxide #hangingplanter #wildlife #biodiversity #ecosystem #illuminate

1.3K viewsKOL KSG India, 04:39

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 07 September 2023
IPBES report on Biodiversity loss
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

In the most extensive study on invasive species carried out till date, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in its new publication – the “Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control’’ – has found that there are 37,000 alien species, including plants and animals, that have been introduced by many human activities to regions and biomes around the world, including more than 3,500 invasive alien species and that invasive alien species have played a key role in 60% of global plant and animal extinctions recorded.

Highlight of the report

The report, which was released on 4 September 2023, said that invasive alien species are one of the five major direct drivers of biodiversity loss globally, alongside land and sea use change, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, and pollution.
The report has noted that the number of alien species (species introduced to new regions through human activities) has been rising continuously for centuries in all regions, but are now increasing at unprecedented rates, with increased human travel, trade and the expansion of the global economy.
Not all alien species establish and spread with negative impacts on biodiversity, local ecosystems and species, but a significant proportion do – then becoming known as invasive alien species.
About 6% of alien plants; 22% of alien invertebrates; 14% of alien vertebrates; and 11% of alien microbes are known to be invasive, posing major risks to nature and to people, the IPBES has said.
The report further noted that many invasive alien species have been intentionally introduced for their perceived benefits, “without consideration or knowledge of their negative impacts’’ – in forestry, agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, or as pets.
Nearly 80% of the documented impacts of invasive species on nature’s contribution to people are negative.
The water hyacinth is the world’s most widespread invasive alien species on land. Lantana, a flowering shrub, and the black rat are the second and third most widespread globally. The brown rat and the house mouse are also widespread invasive alien species.
The report said that the annual costs of invasive alien species have at least quadrupled every decade since 1970, as global trade and human travel increased. In 2019, the global economic cost of invasive alien species exceeded $423 billion annually.
These trends are projected to accelerate as the global economy expands, land and seas are used more intensively, and demographic change takes place, the report said.
Invasive alien specieslike Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegyptii spread diseases such as malaria, Zika and West Nile Fever, while others also have an impact on livelihood such as the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria in East Africa led to the depletion of tilapia, impacting local fisheries.
The IPBES report has further warned thatwarming temperatures and climate change could favour the “expansion of invasive species’’.
Flashback

The IPBES released its report following a week- long plenary from 28th August, with representatives of the 143 member States which have approved the report.
IPBES is an independent intergovernmental body established to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services, working in a similar way to the IPCC, which is the UN’s climate science body.
The study, which has taken place over a period of four years, has been by 86 leading experts from 49 countries, drawing on more than 13,000 references.

#upsc #news #headline #IPBES #biodiversity #loss #enviroment #alien #species #ecosystem #biomes #animals #climate #pollution #chnage #lantana #housemouse #hyacinth #travel

1.4K viewsKOL KSG India, 05:01

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 09 September 2023
Cabinet approves VGF for battery storage system
GS Paper - 3 (Energy)

The Union Cabinet has approved a scheme for providing viability gap funding (VGF) for developing battery storage of 4 gigawatt (Gw) by 2030-31. The VGF for the battery energy storage system (BESS) will have an initial outlay of Rs 9,400 crore and this will include a budgetary grant of Rs 3,700 crore.

More about the News

The VGF would be disbursed in five tranches and be linked with the various stages of implementation of BESS projects. The scheme is aimed at supporting the energy storage needs of the renewable energy sector, especially solar and wind.
Given their restricted hours/seasons of operation, energy storage ensures round-the-clock green energy.
The VGF scheme for BESS projects was first announced in Budget 2023. Through the scheme, the Centre is aiming to bring down the cost of battery storage systems and increase their viability.
By offering VGF support, the scheme targets achieving a Levelized Cost of Storage (LCoS) ranging from Rs 5.50-6.60 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), making stored renewable energy a viable option for managing peak power demand across the country, said a statement by the ministry of power.
The statement further said that 85 percent of BESS projects under the scheme would be provided to the power distribution companies (discoms).
This will not only enhance the integration of renewable energy into the electricity grid but also minimise wastage while optimising the utilisation of transmission networks. Consequently, this will reduce the need for costly infrastructure upgrades.
Developers for these BESS projects would be selected through a competitive bidding process, to be open for both public and private sector. This approach will foster healthy competition and encourage the growth of a robust ecosystem for BESS, attracting significant investments and generating opportunities for associated industries.

#upsc #headline #news #cabinet #VGF #battery #storage #system #energy #unioncabinet #gigawatt #BESS #budgetary #fivetranches #scheme #projects #LCOS #kilowatt #hour #discoms #minimise #wastage #optimising #utlisation #networks #healthy #competition #robust #ecosystem #privatesectors #upgrades #investments #peakpower #country #ministrypower #support #devloping #crore #seasons #solar #wind #viability

1.3K viewsKOL KSG India, 07:02

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

Today's Headlines - 11 September 2023
National Strategy for Robotics
GS Paper - 3 (Emerging technology)

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has invited public comments as well as inputs from stakeholders on the draft "National Strategy for Robotics" (NSR). The strategy is aimed at "strengthening all pillars in the innovation cycle of robotic technology, while also providing a robust institutional framework for ensuring the effective implementation of these interventions. Presently, in terms of annual industrial installations, India ranks 10th globally as per the World Robotics Report, 2022.

What's in the draft?

The draft NSR proposes a policy framework for the implementation of robotics in various sectors, with the aim of making India a global robotics leader by 2030.
It also builds upon the mandates of the Make in India 2.0 plans, which identify robotics as one of the 27 sub-sectors to further enhance India's integration in the global value chain.
The draft has so far identified manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and national security as the four core sectors to prioritise robotics automation.
According to the current draft, MeitY will serve as the nodal agency for robotics, with a two-tier institutional framework to facilitate the implementation of the NSR.
The implementation will be directly undertaken under MeitY's 'National Robotics Mission' or the NRM.
The draft also proposes fiscal and non-fiscal interventions by the NRM, for upscaling innovation in robotics.
These interventions will be specifically aimed at developing funding mechanisms for robotics start-ups as well as promoting exports.
Major recommendations of the draft NFR

First and foremost, the NFR has recommended the creation of a robust regulatory framework, led by the Robotics Innovation Unit (RIU), an independent agency that will function under MeitY as a part of India AI.
The NFR also proposes the implementation of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Robotics.
The CoEs will be categorised under foundational and applied research. The NFR suggests that for application-based research, CoEs should enlist private sector intervention in priority sectors to help with experimental prototyping, as well as small-volume production for the initial phase of commercialisation.
The current draft also lays out clear plans for providing advisory support to start-ups, harnessing the research potential of higher education institutes, and the development of robotics industrial zones.
Why is the NFR needed?

Besides the aim of integrating robotics into the identified sectors, the draft also points out that "there is a general lack of adoption and growth of the robotics ecosystem in India."
The primary challenges are high import dependence, costly hardware components, and insufficient investments in research and development.
Robots consist of numerous complex and minute parts that need precise knowledge and skills for assembling.
The current state adoption of robotics in the country is "too ambitious, keeping in mind the lack of skilled resources, technical expertise impeding the growth of the robotics ecosystem in the country.

#upsc #headine #news #national #strategy #robotics #emerging #technology #ministry #technology #NSR #world #makeinindia #sectors #global #chain #policy #framework #Meity #pillars #cycle #healthcare #agriculture #security #implementation #draft #fiscal #nonfiscal #mechanisms #RIU #hardware #components #ambitious #resourses #technical #ecosystem

1.3K viewsKOL KSG India, 08:02

KSG IAS - KSG India (Official Telegram Channel)

HONEY BEE

Get the detailed coverage.

#ksgias #ksgcurrentaffairs #KsgCurrentConnect #enviroment #colonialinsect #bee #ecosystem #honeybees #floweraura #KSGDailyheadlines #UPSC #CSE #UpscGeneralstudies

1.2K viewsKOL KSG India, 07:30

About

Blog

Apps

Platform