International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA), an Indian initiative, was launched jointly Prime Minister of India and President of France in Paris, France on the side-lines of the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• The Alliance, recognising that solar energy provides potential member solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, with an unprecedented opportunity to bring prosperity, energy security and sustainable development to their peoples, opened ISA Framework Agreement for signature on 15 November 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco, on the side-lines of COP-22.
• In conformity with the ISA Framework Agreement, 30 days after ratification by the 15th country, on 6 December 2017, ISA became the first full-fledged treaty based international intergovernmental organization headquartered in India.
• Through this initiative, the countries, inter alia, share the collective ambition:
  • To address obstacles that stand in the way of rapid and massive scale-up of solar energy.
  • To undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation, mobilise more than 1000 Billion US Dollars of investments by 2030.

Financial Inclusion Index

• The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, launched the Financial Inclusion Index after his Annual Performance Review Meeting with CEOs of the Public Sector Banks in New Delhi today.
• Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance will release an Annual Financial Inclusion Index (FII) which will be a measure of access and usage of a basket of formal financial products and services that includes savings, remittances, credit, insurance and pension products.
• The index will have three measurement dimensions;
  • Access to financial services
  • Usage of financial services
  • Quality.

Purpose and Function

• The single composite index gives a snap shot of level of financial inclusion that would guide Macro Policy perspective.
• The various components of the index will also help to measure financial services for use of internal policy making.
• Financial Inclusion Index can be used directly as a composite measure in development indicators.
• It enables fulfilment of G20 Financial Inclusion Indicators requirements.
• It will also facilitate researchers to study the impact of financial inclusion and other macro-economic variables.

Parakram Parv

• Indian Armed Forces have always brought laurels to the Nation. Their contribution in war and peace are of immense value to every Indian.
• It is the contribution of our Armed Forces that we proudly celebrate Vijay Diwas, Kargil Vijay Diwas Day and many such battle honour days.
• Indian Army conducted surgical strikes in 2016 which had strategic ramifications and were aimed to dissuade inimical adversary from adopting the path of violence and to ensure an environment of peace for the Nation.
• To showcase the courage, valour and sacrifice of Armed Forces, ‘Parakram Parv’ is being observed from 28-30 September 2018.
• The main event is planned in India Gate Lawns, Rajpath, New Delhi. Similarly, 53 locations in 51 cities across the Nation shall be showcasing the events highlighting valour of Indian Armed Forces in general and Special Forces in particular.

Defence Acquisition Council

It was instituted to counter corruption and speed up decision-making in military procurements. Head of the Council is Defence Minister

Other members

• Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (member secretary)
• The Minister of State of Defence,
• The Defence Secretary,
• The head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO),
• The Chief of Defence Staff (when appointed) and
• Chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force
• The Secretary, Defence Production,
• The Financial Adviser
• The Vice-Chief of Defence Staff (VCDS)
• The Special Secretary (acquisition)

Countering Corruption

• The DAC structure ensures that there are in-built checks and balances in relation to procurements.
• For instance, the armed forces are well represented, ensuring that the defence bureaucracy does not exercise overwhelming influence on decision- making.
• The adequate mix of bureaucracy and service officers is also reflected in other bodies involved in acquisition, under the overall supervision of the DAC.

Functions of DAC:

• Will give policy guidelines to acquisitions, based on long-term procurement plans
• Will also clear all acquisitions, including imported equipment and those produced indigenously or under a foreign licence

Microsoft, Adobe, SAP in data alliance,Technology giants come together to offer their clients a unified view of data across systems

• Microsoft, Adobe Systems and SAP have formed an alliance to offer clients using their applications a unified view of data on their respective end-customers.
• As data starts to explode, clients have a right to ask for lower cost of operation.
• With Open Data Initiative, critical step is being taken to help companies achieve a level of customer and business understanding that has never before been possible.
• Organisations have a massive opportunity to build Artificial Intelligence-powered digital feedback loops for predictive power, automated workflows and improved business outcomes.
• As customers of technology seek to raise their own respective customer retention rates, data analysis and artificial intelligence play a key role.