Import Policy of Paper Products
Why in News
• The import policy of major paper products has been revised from ‘Open 5’ to ‘Mukta subject to compulsory registration under Paper Import Monitoring System’. A notification in this regard was issued by DGFT.
About notification
• This order will be applicable to various paper products including newspaper printing paper, handmade paper, wallpaper base, duplicating paper, coated paper, uncoated paper, litho and offset paper, tissue paper, parchment paper, carbon paper, wall paper, envelope, Including toilet paper, cartons, ledgers, labels, bobbins, etc. This policy will be applicable to all imports made on or after October 1, 2022.
• Paper products like currency paper, bank bond and check paper, security printing paper etc. have been kept out of this policy change.
• Domestic paper industry has been raising issues of dumping of paper products in the domestic market due to under-invoicing, entry of prohibited goods through mis-declaration, import of goods through re-routing from other countries in view of trade agreements. A major portion of paper products are imported under the ‘others’ category of duty rates.
Importance:
• This initiative will also go a long way in promoting Make in India and self-reliant India.
• A user friendly interface has been developed for the implementation of Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS). Any importer can obtain the registration number online in an automated manner with the payment of a registration fee of Rs.500.
• The importer can apply for registration between the 5th day and the 75th day from the expected date of arrival of the imported consignment. The Automatic Registration Number so given shall remain valid for a period of 75 days.
• Multiple bill entries will be allowed under the same registration number within the validity period of registration for the permitted quantity. The online facility of registration will be available from 15.07.2022.
‘The ‘NIRDESHAK’’
‘Why in News’
• Ship ‘NIRDESHAK’, the second of the four Survey Vessel (Mass) (SVL) project under construction by GRSE in association with L&T Shipbuilding for the Indian Navy, was launched at Kattupalli, Chennai.
Key point
• Following the maritime tradition of the Navy, Smt. Sarbani Dasgupta launched the ship by chanting the invocation of the Atharvaveda.
• The ship takes its name from the erstwhile ‘NIRDESHAK’, an Indian Naval Survey Ship and was decommissioned in December 2014 after 32 years of illustrious service.
• Three of the four SVL ships are being partially constructed at L&T at Kattupalli under a collaborative approach between GRSE and L&T Shipbuilding.
• This public-private partnership model will lead to successful future cooperation for warship building in India.
Background:
• Earlier on October 30, 2018, a contract for construction of four SVL ships was signed between the Defense Ministry and Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
• The first class ship ‘Sandhyak’ was launched on 5th December, 2021 at GRSE, Kolkata.
• SVL ships will replace the existing Sandhyak class survey vessels with new generation hydrographic equipment for oceanographic information gathering.
• This Survey Vessel (Brihati) has a carrying capacity of about 3400 tonnes and 226 personnel. The vessel is designed to operate at a cruise speed of 14 knots and a maximum speed of 18 knots (knots).
• Bow and stern thrusters have been fitted for better maneuverability at low speeds required during shallow water survey operations.
• The hulls of these ships are made from indigenously developed DMR 249-A steel by Steel Authority of India Limited.
• With the capacity to carry four survey motor boats and an integrated helicopter, the primary role of the ships would be to undertake full scale coastal and deep water hydrographic surveys of ports and shipping channels.
• The ships will also be deployed to collect oceanographic and geophysical data for defense as well as civilian applications.
• At the same time, their secondary role is to be able to provide limited defence, apart from using ships as hospitals during emergencies.
Road ahead
• Despite the challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, GRSE has made substantial progress and aims to hand over Sandhyak, the first ship of SVL, by January 2023.
• The delivery of the second vessel i.e. ‘NIRDESHAK’ is likely by April 2023. The launch of the second survey ship reaffirms our resolve to build indigenous ships under the vision of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
• Survey Vessel (Grade) will have more than 80 per cent indigenous material on cost basis. It will also ensure that large scale defense production is executed by Indian manufacturing units, thereby creating employment and capacity within the country.
International booker prize
‘Why in News’
• Indian author Gitanjali Shree’s novel Tomb of Sand has received the famous international Booker Prize. Noted Delhi-based writer Gitanjali has become the first Indian author to win the Sri International Booker Prize.
Key point
• The novel was printed in Hindi as Sand ki Samadhi. It has been translated into English by American translator Daisy Rockwell. It has become one of the 13 books in the world that have received the International Booker Prize.
• This is the first Hindi novel to have won the International Booker Prize. This novel of Geetanjali Shree was published mainly under the name of Hindi title ‘Ret Samadhi’. This novel is the first Hindi language book to be selected for a prize of £50,000.
• This novel is a story set in the shadow of the partition of India. This novel depicts the story of an elderly woman after the death of her husband.
• This book is realistic as well as a commentary on the devastating impact of religion, countries and gender boundaries.
About Geetanjali Shree
• Geetanjali Shree is the author of many short stories and novels. His 2000 novel ‘My’ was shortlisted for the Crossword Book Award in 2001.
• Geetanjali Shree received the award for this book on 26 May 2022 in London. Geetanjali Shree received a prize money of 5 thousand pounds as a reward. She will share this prize money with Daisy Rockwell.
• Geetanjali Shri belongs to Mainpuri of Uttar Pradesh. She is the author of three novels and several short stories. His works have been translated into English, German, Serbian, French and Korean languages. Gitanjali has also translated many literary works in Urdu.
Booker Prize
• The Booker Prize is a prestigious international award. This award is given annually to a book translated into English and published in Britain or Ireland.
• This award was started in the year 2005.
80% students find distance learning cumbersome: Survey
‘Why in News’
• The Ministry of Education released its National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 report, which assesses the health of the school education system in the country through a survey of learning ability of children in classes 3, 5, 8 and 10.
About the survey
• About 34 lakh students from 1.18 lakh schools in 720 districts of government, government aided and unaided private schools participated in this exercise.
• The survey recorded the perception of sampled students on distance learning during the pandemic and found that 78% of students found it cumbersome and had too many assignments for them in one.
• A similar percentage of students (80%) also felt that learning in schools was better because of the help they got from their classmates.
• 24 per cent students said that they do not have any digital device at home. Although 45% of students found the experience “enjoyable”, 38% also said they had learning difficulties.
• The report gave Mathematics, Language and Environmental Studies (EVS) for Classes 3 and 5 Language, Mathematics, Science and Social Science for Class 8; And also assessed students’ competencies in subjects like Language, Maths, Science, Social Science and English for Class 10. It found that out of 500 marks, students from different classes performed better in languages, but fell behind in subjects like maths and science.
• For example, in Class 3, students scored highest in languages (323), followed by EVS (307) and maths (306).
• In Class 5 also, students were better in Mathematics (284) and Language (309) than in EVS (283). Class 8 students scored 302 in English, 255 in Mathematics and 250 in Science.
• In class 10, students scored 277 in English, 220 in Mathematics and 206 in Science.
• It also shows that in different subjects and classes, SC, ST and OBC students performed worse than the general category students.
• For example, in Class 8, the general category students scored an average of 260 in Mathematics, the SC students 249 marks, the ST 244 marks and the OBC 253 marks.
• The survey was conducted through an OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) based achievement test consisting of multiple choice questions with questionnaire in 22 different languages.
• This nationwide survey was administered by the Central Board of Secondary Education on a single day at a time.