News in Shorts: 06 December 2024

National Legal Metrology Portal (eMaap)

Context: The National Legal Metrology Portal (eMaap) is being developed by the Department of Consumer Affairs to integrate State Legal Metrology Departments and their portals into a unified National System. 

About National Legal Metrology Portal (eMaap)

• Aim: To streamline processes for issuing licenses, conducting verifications and managing enforcement and compliance. 
• Importance: 
  • Database: eMaap will create a centralized database and eliminate the need to register on multiple State Portals, fostering ease of doing business and transparency in trade practices.
  • Simplification: To simplify critical procedures such as issuing, renewing, and amending licenses, as well as handling verification & stamping of weighing & measuring instruments, registration certificates, and appeals, etc.  
  • Ease of doing Business: It minimizes compliance burdens for traders and industries and reduces paperwork by ensuring timely adherence to the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
  • Facilitates Policy Formation: eMaap will enable data-driven decision-making by streamlining enforcement activities ensuring a robust and efficient regulatory framework.

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About Legal Metrology

• Metrology is the scientific study of measurement and Legal metrology helps in providing standards for the control of measurements and measuring instruments. 
  • Legal metrology also safeguards public safety, the environment, customers, and merchants, and is essential for fair trade.
• Legal Metrology Act, 2009: The sale or distribution of all packaged goods in India, such as export goods, food items, and consumer products, requires a Legal Metrology Certificate from the Metrology Department of Consumer Affairs, as per the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
• Authority: Director of Legal Metrology is a statutory authority under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 relating to inter-state trade and commerce of weights and measures including pre-packaged commodities.
• Enforcement:  It is done by the State Governments by the Controller of Legal Metrology and other Legal Metrology Officers as per the provisions of Act.

Repo Rate unchanged at 6.5%

Context: The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee has for the 11th consecutive time kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent maintaining the status quo.

• The RBI has maintained the repo rate at 6.5 per cent since February 2023.
• The standing deposit facility (SDF) rate remains at 6.25 per cent, while the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate remain at 6.75 per cent
• Stance: The RBI MPC has decided to maintain its ‘neutral’ stance, with a 4:2 majority to ensure that inflation aligned with the 4 per cent target while supporting growth.
• RBI’s Real GDP Projection: For financial year 2024-25, RBI lowered its Real GDP growth forecast to 6.6 per cent, down significantly from earlier projections of 7.2 per cent.
• Inflation: RBI revised its projections for consumer price index (CPI)-based inflation to 4.8 per cent from 4.5 per cent for financial year 2024-25.
  • Inflation growth is driven by high food prices as well as geopolitical disruptions severely affecting global supply chains.

‘Anna Chakra’ platform

Context: The Food and Consumer Affairs Minister launched ‘Anna Chakra’, a new tool to enhance the efficiency of the Public Distribution System (PDS).

More on the news

• Simultaneously, a SCAN  (subsidy claim application for NFSA)  portal was also launched for states to submit and process food subsidies. 

About Anna Chakra Platform

• It was developed in collaboration with the World Food Programme and IIT-Delhi using advanced algorithms.
• Key Features
  • Efficient Foodgrain Movement: Uses advanced algorithms to streamline logistics across the country.
  • Wide Coverage:
    • Includes 4.37 lakh Fair Price Shops and 6,700 warehouses.
    • Supports the food security program benefiting 81 crore people.
  • Cost and Efficiency Gains:
    • Projected savings of ₹250 crore annually.
    • Reduction in transportation workload by ₹58 crore in quantity-kilometer metrics.
  • Technological Integration
    • Linked with the Railways’ Freight Operations Information System.
    • Connected to the PM Gati Shakti platform, enhancing logistics technology.

Benefits of the Initiatives

• Economic Efficiency: Reduces transportation costs for food distribution.
• Environmental Sustainability: Lowers carbon emissions through optimized logistics.

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IWAI’s Kalughat IMT gets recognition for sustainable infrastructure project

Context: Inland Waterways Authority of India’s Intermodal Terminal (IMT) at Kalughat in Bihar has received five star SVAGRIHA rating from GRIHA council.

IMT Kalughat, Bihar

• Developed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) for capacity enhancement of National Waterway 1 (NW 1) on River Ganga.
• Cost: ₹82.48 crore; Capacity: 77,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
• Provides critical connectivity for cargo transport in North Bihar and EXIM cargo to Nepal.

SVAGRIHA Rating

• Simple Versatile Affordable GRIHA (SVAGRIHA) is a green building rating system under the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), developed for standalone small-scale projects like residences, offices, schools, etc.
• Purpose: Reduces environmental impact of small developments by providing sustainability guidelines.

National Waterway 1 (NW-1)

• Known as the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System.
• Length: 1,620 km, from Haldia (West Bengal) to Allahabad (Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh).
• States Covered: Passes through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
• Management: Developed and maintained by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) since its declaration in 1986.
• Development under Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP): Funded by the World Bank for infrastructure and capacity enhancement of NW-1.
• Multi-Modal Terminals (MMTs): Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia