उत्तराखंड स्वास्थ्य सिस्टम विकास परियोजना

भारत और विश्व बैंक ने "उत्तराखंड स्वास्थ्य सिस्टम विकास परियोजना" के लिए 100 मिलियन डॉलर के आईडीए क्रेडिट के लिए साइन्स फाइनेंसिंग एग्रीमेंट गिने हैं परियोजना का उद्देश्य गुणवत्ता स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं तक पहुंच में सुधार करना है, विशेष रूप से राज्य के पहाड़ी जिलों में और राज्य के निवासियों के लिए स्वास्थ्य वित्तीय जोखिम संरक्षण का विस्तार करना। प्रमुख तथ्य परियोजना के दो मुख्य घटक हैं, (i) निजी क्षेत्र को आकर्षक बनाने के नवाचार और (ii) नेतृत्व और प्रणाली में सुधार कुल परियोजना आकार 125 मिलियन डॉलर में, 25 मिलियन अमरीकी राज्य सरकार का योगदान होगा। परियोजना विशेष रूप से राज्य के पहाड़ी जिलों के निवासियों को लाभ देगा परियोजना के योजनाबद्ध डिजाइन में पीपीपी आधार पर ऑपरेटरों द्वारा प्रबंधित नैदानिक ​​सेवाओं के कई आत्मनिहित क्लस्टर शामिल होते हैं। यह राज्य में विस्तारित स्वास्थ्य बीमा कार्यक्रम के साथ पूरी तरह से एकीकृत एक मजबूत निरीक्षण और निगरानी तंत्र द्वारा समर्थित मुफ्त या कम से कम शुल्क के लिए सेवाएं प्रदान करता है। यह परियोजना को लागू करने के लिए राज्य की क्षमता को मजबूत करने के साथ समवर्ती है। यह सितंबर, 2023 तक कार्यात्मक होगा।

HEALTH SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WITH INDIA AND WORLD BAK 

India and World Bank have signed Signs Financing Agreement for $ 100 million IDA Credit for "Uttarakhand Health System Development Project". The purpose of the project is to improve access to quality health services, especially in the hill districts of the state and in the state Expand health financial risk protection for residents of The key facts are the main components of the project, (i) innovation to make the private sector attractive and (ii) improvement in leadership and system, the total project size will be of $ 125 million, 25 million US State Government contributions. The project will benefit especially the residents of the hill districts of the state. The schematic design of the project consists of several self-contained clusters of diagnostic services managed by operators on PPP basis. It provides services for free or at a minimum fee supported by a strong inspection and surveillance system fully integrated with the extended health insurance program in the state. It is concurrent with the strengthening of the state's capacity to implement the project. This will be functional until September 2023.

Aruna Sethi appointed as head of Indian Cost Accounts Service

Principal Adviser (Cost) Mrs. Aruna Sethi has been appointed as head of Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS). With this, she becomes first lady ICoAS officer to the topmost post. Mrs. Aruna Sethi is a 1985 batch ICoAS officer. Earlier she had held important portfolios in the different Union Government ministries including Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Defence etc. About Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS) ICoAS is one of the six Organized Accounting Services of the Union Government. It was constituted in 1978 and is comparatively young Accounting Service. It is a professional body staffed by qualified Cost/ Chartered Accountants. This Office is responsible for advising the Union Ministries and Government Undertakings on matters related to cost accounts and on their behalf undertakes cost investigation work.

United States removed nuclear sanctions against Iran

United States (US) has removed a wide range of nuclear sanctions against Iran after it has meet its commitments to roll back its nuclear programme. These sanctions were lifted after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran has met its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) or Vienna agreement with P5+1 countries signed in July 2015. So called P5+1 countries include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) viz. USA, Russia, China, UK, France and non- permanent member Germany. Key facts US has only removed secondary sanctions on Iran that mainly restricts dealings of other countries with Iran. These lifted secondary sanctions include financial services, banking, insurance, energy and petrochemicals, shipping and ports. However, primary sanctions imposed by US on Iran still remains in force. These sanctions bar US citizens and companies from doing business with Iran. Benefits to India Lifting of primary sanctions will benefit India with lower oil prices on imports from its traditional supplier Iran and also boost trade opportunities. It will also bring proposed India-Pakistan-Iran (IPI) gas pipeline closer to reality. Give impetus to development and construction of strategic Chabbar port which is focal point of India’s gateway to energy rice central Asia and eastern Europe through proposed International North South Trade Corridor (INSTC).

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Faced with two consecutive drought years, the Centre on Wednesday cleared a crop insurance scheme under which farmers’ premium has been kept at a maximum of 2 per cent for foodgrains and oilseeds and up to 5 per cent for horticulture/cotton crops. To be rolled out from the kharif season this year, the much awaited scheme — Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana — was cleared at the Cabinet meeting. PMFBY will replace the existing two schemes National Agricultural Insurance Scheme as well as Modified NAIS which have had some inherent drawbacks. The cabinet has cleared the Agriculture Ministry’s proposal on new crop insurance scheme. It has approved farmers’ premium between 1.5 to 2 per cent for foodgrains and oilseeds crops, and up to 5 per cent for horticultural and cotton crops.The farmers’ premium would be 1.5 per cent for rabi foodgrains and oilseeds crops, while 2 per cent for kharif foodgrains and oilseeds crops. For horticutural and cotton crops it has been fixed at up to 5 per cent for both the seasons. According to sources, PMFBY will increase the insurance coverage to 50 per cent of the total crop area of 194.40 million hectare from the existing level of about 25—27 per cent crop area. The expenditure is expected to be around Rs 9,500 crore. In PMFBY, there will not be a cap on the premium and reduction of the sum insured, they said. Besides, 25 per cent of the likely claim will be settled directly on farmers account and there will be one insurance company for the entire state as well as farm level assessment of loss for localised risks and post harvest loss. Private insurance companies, along with the Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd, will implement the scheme. All claim liability will be on insurer and the government would give upfront premium subsidy. The new scheme is significant as the country is facing drought for the second straight year due to poor monsoon rains and the government wants to enhance insurance coverage to more crop area to protect farmers from vagaries of monsoon.

New Defence Procurement Procedure

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has approved major changes in the new Defence Procurement Procedure (DDP) 2016. These changes were made in DPP 2016 to streamline defence acquisitions and give a big impetus to indigenisation of Defence sector through the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Some of the changes were based on recommendations of the expert committee headed by former Home Secretary Dhirendra Singh. Major Changes are Addition of new category to promote domestic manufacturing, including government funding. The funding will be mainly in technology development for Research & Development (R&D) and recognition of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). New category Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) platforms have been added and it will be the priority route for procurements. Under IDDM, there will be two sub-categories one with mandatory 40 percent domestic content for a domestic design. Other will be for mandating 60 percent local content if the design is not domestic. Under it, eligible domestic companies will have majority Indian control and operated by Indian nationals. Government will fund private R&D for building a defence technology base in the country for which various norms have been stipulated. Under it companies are eligible for up to 90 percent funding. Contentious issue of offsets has been amended from the current 300 crore rupees to 2000 crore rupees to give flexibility for foreign companies. Currently, offset clause mandates that a foreign company should invest 30 percent of the contract value back into the country with a view to bring in technology.

Space industry enclaves two parks

Two space industry enclaves or “parks” that have been conceived — one for launchers at Sriharikota and a smaller one at an existing Bengaluru spacecraft campus — signal increased privatisation of the nation’s space programme over the next five years. For now, the facilities will be “captive” to drive the future missions of the Indian Space Research Organisation. First, ISRO wants to groom and engage domestic industry in the launch vehicles area from integrating sub-systems up to assembling, and even launching the PSLV. This well-established rocket has put Indian and foreign satellites of up to 1,600 kg into space. ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, A.S. Kiran Kumar, told The Hindu: “Internal discussions have just started on the mechanism of forming a (launch vehicle) consortium. A few key industry players working in the space programme have been sounded.” Eventually the future consortium will be fully responsible for building and launching the light-lift PSLV rocket. Currently industries such as Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Godrej & Boyce, Larsen & Toubro, MTAR and Walchandnagar Industries produce 80 per cent of the launch vehicle parts and sub-units. These production works are scattered across their respective locations. The launch industry initiative must be close to ISRO’s launch complex, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, at the 145-sq km Sriharikota range, on the lines of the launch complex of Europe’s Arianespace in French Guiana.