1st October, 2024

Cruise Bharat Mission (CBM) launched

Mission has been launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
About Cruise Bharat Mission
Aim: To excel in India’s vision to become a global hub for cruise tourism and promote the country as the leading global cruise
destination. It also aims to:
double cruise passenger traffic within five years; i.e. by 2029.
♦ In 2024 passengers traffic is 4.6 lakh.
double volume of cruise calls from 254 in 2024 to 500 by 2030.
Phasewise implementation:
Phase 1 (2024 to 2025): Focus will be on forming cruise alliances with neighbouring countries, etc.
Phase 2 (2025 to 2027): Developing new cruise terminals, destinations etc.
Phase 3 (2027 to 2029): Integrating all cruise circuits across the Indian Subcontinent.
Three key cruise segments:
Ocean & Harbour Cruise segment: Encompasses
ocean cruises, including deep-sea and coastal Five Strategic Pillars
cruises, along with harbour-based yachting and
sailing cruises.
River & Inland Cruise segment: Focuses on
river and inland cruises on canals, backwaters, Sustainable Operations Regulatory, Cruise Capacity
Infrastructure Including Fiscal & Promotion & Building and
creeks, and lakes. & Capital: Technology Financial Circuit Economic
Island Cruise segment: Highlights inter-island Addresses Enabled: Policy: Integration: Research:
cruises, lighthouse tours, etc. infrastructure Aims to Launching a Focuses on Emphasizes
gaps streamline National international skill
Significance of Mission operations Cruise marketing development,
Tourism and etc.
Employment generation, creation of 4 lakh jobs in Policy investment
the revamped Cruise Sector. promotion
Promote the cultural, historical, and natural circuits
of the Indian Subcontinent.
Developing world class infrastructure which can be also leveraged for maritime trade, etc.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launches “Jal Hi AMRIT” program
Program launched under AMRUT 2.0 seeks to improve quality of treated effluent discharge and promote recycling of treated
water in urban areas.
About Jal Hi Amrit Program:
Key Purpose: To incentivize States & UTs to manage used water (sewage) treatment plants (STPs) for ensuring recyclable
good quality treated water.
Key Aspects of Initiative:
Clean Water Credit System to build competition among cities, develop capacities and incentivise them to attain good
quality used treated water.
♦ Clean water credits will be awarded to STPs in terms of Star-rating (between 3 stars to 5 stars) certificate which will
be valid for six months.
Performance Based Incentives: Provided to STPs based on star ratings/Clean Water Credit.
Encouraging water circularity
About AMRUT 2.0
Ministry: MoHUA
Tenure: Launched in 2021 for 05 years.
Purpose: To provide universal coverage of water supply through functional taps to all households in all statutory towns.
Also, coverage of septage management in 500 cities covered in 1st phase of AMRUT scheme.
♦ AMRUT 1.0 was launched in 2015 to provide basic civic amenities (E.g. water supply; Septage management; storm
water drainage etc.) in the selected cities and towns.

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 India BioEconomy Report 2024 unveiled at 4th Global Bio India Summit

Report brought out by Department of Biotechnology and BIRAC captures phenomenal progress made by Indian Bio-Economy
Sector.
Bio-economy is knowledge-based production and use of biological resources to provide products, processes and services
within frame of a sustainable economic system.
Key Findings:
India’s BioEconomy reached $151 billion (2023) accounting for 4.25% of India’s GDP & employing over 3.3 million people.
Expected to reach $300 billion by 2030.
Key Sub Sector Contributing to India’s BioEconomy
BioIndustrial (~48% ): Comprises biofuels, chemicals, bioplastics, etc,
BioAgri (~8%): E.g. Genetically modified crops like Bt Cotton.
BioPharma (~36%): Focuses on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, etc.
BioIT/Research Services (~8%): Includes contract
research, clinical trials, bioinformatics, etc. Government Initiatives to boost BioEconomy
Major achievements Made: Bio-manufacturing Initiative: Department of Biotechnology
Leading Global Vaccine Manufacturer: India supplied 25% (DBT) launched BioE3 Policy.
of WHO purchased vaccines and 20% of exports were to Intellectual Property (IP) Guidelines: In 2023, new IP
Africa. guidelines to improve commercialization of public-funded
Boost to Energy Independence: India is world’s third- research.
largest producer and consumer of ethanol. Governance and Structural Reforms: Restructuring of 14
Breakthroughs in Precision Healthcare: E.g. approval of autonomous institutes into Biotechnology Research and
country’s first gene therapy clinical trial for Hemophilia A. Innovation Council.
Rapid growth in Biotech Startups: Between 2021 and Regulatory Streamlining with BioRRAP: Biological Research
2023, number of biotech startups surged to approx 8,500 Regulatory Approval Portal (BioRRAP) simplifies approval
(59% increase). process for biological research.

Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) released by Ministry of Statistics and Programme

Implementation (MoSPI) for FY 2022-23
ASI provides insight into dynamics of change in composition, growth and structure of manufacturing industries in terms of key
economic indicators.
Key Highlights
Manufacturing Gross Value Added (GVA): Grew by 7.3% in current prices in 2022-23 over 2021-22.
Maharashtra topped followed by Gujarat in terms of Manufacturing GVA.
Growth in economic parameters: Surpassed pre-pandemic level in absolute value terms e.g. in invested capital, GVA,
employment and wages etc.
Growth drivers of Manufacturing-Sector: Manufacture of About GVA:
Basic metal, Coke & Refined Petroleum Products, Food It is defined as value of output minus value of intermediate
Products, etc. consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP
made by an individual producer, industry or sector.
Employment: 7.4% increase in manufacturing employment in
GVA = Gross Output - Intermediate consumption.
2022-23 over previous year.
Unlike the Net Value Added (GVA- Depreciation), it
Highest Employing States: Tamil Nadu followed by includes depreciation of capital.
Maharashtra.
About ASI:
Conducted by Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 except in Jammu & Kashmir (Conducted under J&K Collection of Statistics
Act, 2010).
Industries covered:
Factories registered under Sections 2m(i &ii) of Factories Act,1948
Bidi and cigar manufacturing establishments under the Bidi & Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act,1966
Electricity undertakings not registered with Central Electricity Authority (CEA)
Units with 100 or more employees registered in the Business Register of Establishments (BRE) maintained by the States.

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 India launches BharatGen, World’s First Establishment of Thematic Hubs under
Government-funded Multimodal Large National Quantum Mission (NQM)
Language Model (MLLM)
Ministry of Science & Technology announced establishment
of four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) comprising 14 Technical
BharatGen has been launched by the Ministry of Science & Groups across 17 states and 2 Union Territories under NQM.
Technology.
About T-Hubs
It is aligned with the goal of Making AI in India and Making
AI for India. Thematic areas and their respective institutions:
About BharatGen Quantum Computing (Indian Institute of Science,
Aim: Creation of Generative AI systems that can generate Bengaluru);
high-quality text (including speech) and multimodal Quantum Communication ( IIT, Madras);
content in various Indian languages. Quantum Sensing & Metrology (IIT, Bombay);
Implementing Agency: IIT Bombay under the National Quantum Materials & Devices (IIT, Delhi)
Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM- Significance of the T-Hubs: Brings together experts from
ICPS). diverse fields like physics, computer science, etc; bridges
Features: the gap between research and industry, etc.
Building and training based on Bhartiya data set: Collect Mode of operation: based on Hub-Spoke-Spike model,
and curate India-centric data, reducing dependence on creates a collaborative network, connecting central hubs
foreign models. with research projects (Spokes) and individual research
Multilingual and multimodal nature: Ensuring groups (Spikes).
representation to the country's diverse languages,
dialects, and cultural contexts. About National Quantum Mission (NQM)
Open-source platform: Accessible to all citizens: Aim: To seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial
Ensuring Industrial, Commercial, Cultural, and Inclusive R&D and create a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in
technological development. Quantum Technology (QT).
About MLLM and Generative AI Implementing agency: Department of Science & Technology
MLLM are Large Language Models (LLM) trained on large (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology.
datasets including both text and non-textual data (image, NQM is one of the nine missions under the Prime
audio, video, etc.) Minister’s Science Technology Innovation Advisory
LLM uses machine learning and is capable of Council (PMSTIAC).
recognizing and interpreting human languages or other Mission duration: 2023 to 2031.
complex data.
♦ Generative AI is the most well-known application of Targets: Developing intermediate-scale quantum
LLM. computers, Satellite-based secure quantum
Generative AI includes algorithms/deep-learning models communications, etc.
that can be used to create new content, including audio,
code, images, text, etc. Related News
Quantum Key Distribution technology (QKD)
National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems Indian Army signed a contract for Quantum Key Distribution
technology through the iDEX initiative.
(NM-ICPS), 2018
iDEX initiative: It fosters innovation in the Defence and
Objective: Brings together academia, industry, government Aerospace Sector by engaging Industries including
and international organizations to foster entrepreneurship, MSMEs, startups, individual innovators, etc.
translational research, and commercialization of CPS About QKD
technologies. Utilizes properties of quantum mechanics that enables
CPS are networked systems in which the computational two parties to share random secret keys that are known
(cyber) part is tightly integrated with the physical only to them and can be used to encrypt or decrypt
components. E.g., autonomous vehicles, etc. messages.
Implementing Agency: Department of Science and Mechanism: Works by sending photons, which are
Technology (DST). “quantum particles” of light, across optical links.

Also in News

Digital Radio Broadcasting Cyber Slavery

TRAI released consultation paper on “Formulating a Digital Radio Amid reports of ‘cyber slavery’, telecom ministry to disconnect 2.17
Broadcast Policy for Private Radio Broadcasters” crore mobile connections.
Presently Private sector radio broadcasters are licensed to About Cyber slavery
transmit programs in FM frequency band (88-108 MHz) only.
Cyber slavery is a form of modern exploitation that begins with
About Digital radio broadcasting
online deception and evolves into physical human trafficking.
It uses a process called modulation to convert audio and video
signals into a digital format that can be transmitted over airwaves. It’s emerging as a form of organized crime of unprecedented
severity and scale.
Advantage over analogue Broadcasting:
Capability of broadcasting 3 to 4 channels on a single frequency Offenders target lure individuals by giving fake promises to offer
carrier with better audio quality. them employment.
Whereas in analogue mode only 1 channel broadcasting is Recently over 5,000 Indians were reported to be trapped in
possible on a frequency carrier. Southeast Asia (Laos, Cambodia), where they are allegedly being
No need to manually tune or search for channels. coerced into carrying out cyber fraud.

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 Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Products (RoDTEP) Scheme

Government approved changes to the RoDTEP scheme. Two critically endangered species of amphibians, Micrixalus
spelunca, commonly known as cave dancing frog, and Nyctibatrachus
Key Changes indraneili, (Indraneil’s Night Frog) were found in Mudumalai Tiger
Reserve.
For Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) units: Extended by 1 year till 30th
September, 2025. About Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR):
Located in Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu
For Authorisation holders (except Deemed exports), export- It’s part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve along with Wayanad Wildlife
oriented units and special economic zone units: Applicable till Sanctuary (Kerala) , Bandipur National Park (Karnataka) ,
the end of this year. Mukurthi National Park and Silent Valley.
Applicability of New rates: From October 10th, 2024 based on the River: Moyar River flows through MTR.
recommendations of RoDTEP Committee. Forest Type: Tropical evergreen forest, moist deciduous forest,
moist teak forest, etc.
About RoDTEP Scheme
Important flora & fauna: Elephant Grass, Tiger, Elephant, Indian
Introduced in 2021 by Ministry of Commerce and Industry Gaur etc.
Aim: Refunding taxes, duties, and levies at the central, state and
local levels on the exported products. SARTHIE 1.0
It replaced the Merchandise Exports from India scheme which
was challenged at World Trade Organization. The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) and
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) launched SARTHIE 1.0.
They also signed an MoU for enhancing public awareness towards
Post-tropical Cyclone social welfare schemes for vulnerable communities.
About SARTHIE 1.0
Hurricane Helene in USA downgraded to post-tropical cyclone. Aim: Empower disadvantaged communities (like Scheduled
Castes, Transgenders, Denotified and Nomadic Tribes, etc.)
A hurricane is a tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained through awareness generation, legal support promoting effective
surface winds of 74 mph or greater (64 knots or greater). access to welfare schemes.
Offers synergy between executive and judiciary to further
What is Post-Tropical Cyclone? social justice.
A cyclone that no longer possesses sufficient tropical About NALSA
characteristics to be considered a tropical cyclone. Constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
It can continue to carry heavy rains and high winds. Functions: Provide free Legal Services to the eligible persons,
organize Lok Adalats etc.
Two specific classes:
Former tropical cyclones that have become fully extra-tropical
cyclone. White Dwarf Star
Remnant lows, no longer possesses the convective
organization required of a tropical cyclone. First rocky planet has been spotted orbiting a burned-out star called
a white dwarf.
About White dwarf Star
Exercise KAZIND-2024
It is stellar core left behind after a dying star has exhausted its
nuclear fuel and expelled its outer layers to form a planetary
8th edition of India-Kazakhstan Annual Joint Military Exercise nebula.
KAZIND-2024 commenced in Auli (Uttarakhand). Chandrasekhar limit (1.44 times mass of Sun) is maximum mass
theoretically possible for a stable white dwarf star.
Aim: Enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake
counter terrorism operations in a sub conventional scenario. A star that ends its nuclear-burning lifetime with a mass greater
than Chandrasekhar limit must become either a neutron star or a
black hole.

Place in News Albania (Capital: Tirana)

India opened new mission in Albania to boost its diplomatic footprint.

Political Features
Location: Southern Europe (western part of the Balkan Peninsula).
Balkan Peninsula is located between the Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Aegean and Black sea.
Bordering Areas: Montenegro (Northwest), Kosovo (Northeast), North Macedonia (East), Greece
(Southeast and south).
Maritime Boundaries: Adriatic Sea (West) and Ionian Sea (Southwest).
Geographical Features
Mountains: North Albanian Alps (extension of Dinaric Alps)
Highest Point: Mount Korab
Strait: Otranto (connecting Adriatic Sea with Ionian Sea).
Rivers: Drin, Seman, etc.

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