Prelim Bits 25-08-2018

Fame India Scheme

• FAME India Scheme [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India] was launched in 2015.
• Its objective is to support hybrid/electric vehicles market development and Manufacturing eco-system.
• The FAME India Scheme is aimed at incentivising all vehicle segments i.e. 2 Wheeler, 3 Wheeler Auto, Passenger 4 Wheeler Vehicle, Light Commercial Vehicles and Buses.
• It has 4 focus areas i.e. Technology development, Demand Creation, Pilot Projects and Charging Infrastructure.
• The phase I of FAME expires on March 31, 2018.
• In phase II, the government is targeting a fully (100%) electric fleet for public transport, including buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws.
• An inter-ministerial panel has recently finalised the roadmap for the II phase spanning over five years and subsidy support for all types of electric vehicles.
• At present, the incentive is being offered on purchase of strong hybrid and electric cars, two-wheelers and three-wheelers.
• The panel decided to offer subsidy to all categories of electric vehicles, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers.

National Mission for Manuscripts

• National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) is developing an app to make 3 lakhs manuscripts online accessible.
• NMM was set up in 2003 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to identify, document, conserve, digitise and publish Indian manuscripts.
• A manuscript is a handwritten composition on paper, bark, cloth, metal, palm leaf or any other material dating back at least seventy-five years that has significant scientific, historical or aesthetic value.
• NMM is working towards fulfilling its motto, ‘conserving the past for the future’.
• India possesses an estimate of 10 million manuscripts, probably the largest collection in the world, which covers a variety of themes, textures and aesthetics, scripts, languages, calligraphies, illuminations and illustrations.

Biodiversity Heritage Sites

• The Tamil Nadu State Biodiversity Board has initiated steps to identify and declare Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS).
• BHS are well defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems.
• Under Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BDA), the State Government in consultation with local bodies may notify in the official gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS).
• The State Government in consultation with the Central Government may frame rules for the management and conservation of BHS.
• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) issues the guidelines for selection and management of the BHS.
• It covers terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and, marine ecosystems  having rich biodiversity.
• Ameenpur lake in Telangana is the first waterbody in the country to be declared as a BHS.

QUAD Grouping

• Indo-Pacific Quadrilateral is a closed group consisting of India, Australia, Japan & USA.
• Japan pioneered the initiative about a decade ago as a coalition of maritime democracies.
• Securing a rules-based global order, liberal trading system and freedom of navigation are believed to the guiding principles.
• It aims to contain a rising China and its “predatory” economic and trade policies.
• The purpose is also to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Report on stability was recently launched by four think tanks from the Quad countries at the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF).
• The report was published by Quadripartite Commission on Indian Ocean Regional Security, which put out a series of 20 policy recommendations for stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• It recommended that the four countries should work to oppose the establishment of permanent Chinese military bases in the IOR.

3D Printed Reef

• World's largest 3D-printed reef was installed in Maldives to help save corals.
• The artificial reef was developed using computer modelling and a 3D printer at a lab in Melbourne, Australia,.
• It was designed to resemble reef structures typically found in the Maldives.
• It aims to help coral reefs survive the ravages of climate change and warming waters.
• 3D printing technology offers a new way of saving the corals to fight with global warming, bleaching and environmental pollution.

Source: Indian Express, PIB