India deploys platoon of women peacekeepers in UN mission in Abyei (GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
Why in news?
- India is deploying a platoon of women peacekeepers in Abyei, the country’s largest single unit of female Blue Helmets in a UN mission since 2007.
Details:
- The platoon of women peacekeepers will be deployed in Abyei as part of the Indian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Security Force, Abyei (UNISFA).
- This will be India’s largest single unit of women Peacekeepers in a UN Mission since the first-ever all-women’s contingent in Liberia in 2007.
- The Indian contingent, comprising two officers and 25 other ranks, will form part of an engagement platoon and specialise in community outreach and will be performing extensive security-related tasks as well.
Background:
- The women peacekeepers are “highly regarded” in UN missions throughout the world for their ability to reach out and connect with women and children in local populations, especially victims of sexual violence in conflict zones.
- In 2014, Shakti Devi of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who was deployed in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), was named the recipient of the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award by the UN’s Police Division for her “exceptional achievements” with the UN mission in Afghanistan, including her efforts towards helping victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
India’s contribution:
- As of October 31, 2022, India is the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions with 5887 troops and personnel deployed across 12 missions, after Bangladesh (7,017).
PM Modi launches Aspirational Block Programme, asks chief secretaries to end 'mindless compliances'
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Prime Minister launched the Aspirational Block Programme on the lines of a similar exercise aimed at developing backward districts.
- He asserted that India is focussing on the four pillars of infrastructure, investment, innovation and inclusion to be a developed country.
Second national conference on chief secretaries:
- Chairing the second national conference on chief secretaries from states, PM Modi said the entire world is looking to India to bring stability to the global supply chain and asked them to take steps for making the MSME sector ''global champions'' and a part of the global value chain.
- He said the country can take full advantage of this only if states take lead by maintaining focus on quality and making decisions with an ''India-first'' approach.
- He said the states should focus on pro-development governance, ease of doing business, ease of living and provision of robust infrastructure.
About Aspirational Block Programme:
- The Aspirational Blocks Programme is on the lines of the Aspirational District Programme that was launched in 2018 and covers 112 districts across the country.
- This new programme is aimed at improving performance of blocks lagging on various development parameters.
- This will enable holistic development in those areas that require added assistance.
- The programme will cover 500 districts across 31 states and Union Territories initially.
- Over half of these blocks are in 6 states—Uttar Pradesh (68 blocks), Bihar (61), Madhya Pradesh (42), Jharkhand (34), Odisha (29) and West Bengal (29).
Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline likely to be commissioned
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Why in news?
- The ambitious 130-km long Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline (IBFPL), constructed at a cost of Rs 377.08 crore, is likely to be commissioned soon.
Details:
- The international oil pipeline, IBFPL, will carry fuel from Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Ltd's (NRL) marketing terminal at Siliguri in West Bengal to the Parbatipur depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).
- In NRL, Oil India Ltd has 69.63 per cent stake, while Assam Government and Engineers India Ltd have 26 per cent and 4.37 per cent holding respectively.
Background:
- The ground breaking ceremony for the 130-km IBFPL was held in September 2018 in the presence of Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh through video conferencing.
- Indian Prime Minister in 2017 had agreed to finance this pipeline with a capacity of one million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA).
- The total project cost for construction of the IBFPL is Rs 377.08 crore. Out of this, NRL's investment is Rs 91.84 crore for the India portion of the pipeline, while the remaining Rs 285.24 crore for Bangladesh portion is being funded by the Indian government as grant-in-aid.
Way Forward:
- The IBFPL has been successfully implemented because of the true friendship between India and Bangladesh, and it will remain as a testimony of best relationship between the two South East Asian nations, she added.
