CSIR and FSSAI

Why in NEWS?

• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sign MoU for collaborative research on food and nutrition.

About

• The MoU is a very significant step that will create a brighter future for India seeking collaborative research and information dissemination in the area of food and nutrition, and food and consumer safety solutions in India.
• The two organisations will collaborate towards strengthening the quality assurance of laboratory networks across the country aimed at development and validation of methods for reliable reporting on quality and safety of food products.
• The collaboration between these two premier institutions of India will contribute in fulfilling the vision of New Food System 2050, which will also see an enhanced focus on climate-friendly food production systems, conservation of land and water resources, reduction in food loss and food wastage across the value chain, increase in small scale production units for self-sustaining local economies, use of environment friendly packaging alternatives, and repurposing of waste.

CSIR

• It is the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India established in September 1942 and located in New Delhi.
• CSIR has a pan-India presence and provides significant technological intervention in many areas with regard to societal efforts which include the environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, farm and non-farm sectors.
• CSIR is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and it operates as an autonomous body through the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

FSSAI

• It is an autonomous statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) and headquartered at Delhi.
• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the administrative Ministry of FSSAI.

Functions of FSSAI-

• Granting FSSAI food safety license and certification for food businesses.
• Framing of regulations to lay down the standards and guidelines and Promote general awareness of food safety.
• Providing suggestions to the government in framing the policies.
• Laying down procedure and guidelines for laboratories in food businesses.
• To collect data regarding contaminants in foods products, identification of emerging risks and introduction of rapid alert system.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India

IN NEWS

• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India amends the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) Regulations, 2016

ABOUT

• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) is the regulator for overseeing insolvency proceedings and entities like Insolvency Professional Agencies (IPA), Insolvency Professionals (IP) and Information Utilities (IU) in India.
• It was established on 1st October 2016 and given statutory powers through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, which was passed by Lok Sabha on 5th May 2016.
• It covers Individuals, Companies,Limited Liability Partnerships and Partnership firms. The new code will speed up the resolution process for stressed assets in the country.
• It attempts to simplify the process of insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings. It handles the cases using two tribunals like NCLT (National company law tribunal) and Debt recovery tribunal.
• It is a unique regulator: regulates a profession as well as processes. It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals, Insolvency Professional Agencies, Insolvency Professional Entities and Information Utilities.

POWER AND FUNCTIONS OF IBBI

• IBBI is entrusted to administer the insolvency and bankruptcy regime in the country. It performs tasks like registration of insolvency professional’s agencies, and certifies and monitors insolvency resolution professionals. IBBI is also responsible to create information utilities and renew them as and when required.

STRUCTURE OF IBBI

• IBBI is constituted by ten-member committee which includes one chairman, three members from Central Government who cannot be below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent, One member is nominated by RBI (Reserve Bank of India) in this committee, and rest five members are nominated by Central Government of which three should function as full time members.

CONCLUSION

• IBBI came into existence because there was absence of properly structured organization to take care of falling companies and their liquidation.
• This vacuum was creating mistrust amongst the stakeholders in the market and thus genuine people who needed the credit were suffering out of it.
• This was also framed to support the falling companies to stand again on their feet by restructuring their credits so that they can repay them easily and make a fresh start.

Uttarakhand, Maharashtra had Highest Leopard Poaching in India: Traffic Study

IN NEWS

• A recent study by TRAFFIC India on the seizure and mortality of ‘common leopards’ (Panthera pardus fusca) revealed that of the total of 747 leopard deaths between 2015-2019 in India, 596 were linked to illegal wildlife trade and activities related to poaching.

ABOUT

• These records indicated that 140 leopards were killed by poachers and their carcasses were recovered from the forest areas, whereas body parts belonging to the equivalent of 456 leopards were seized during various operations by law enforcement agencies during the study period.

LEOPARD CENSUS

• The last formal census on India’s leopards was conducted in 2014, which estimated the population between 12,000 and 14,000. The results of a recent census of leopard sightings are likely to be released soon by the Wildlife Institute of India.

ABOUT TRAFFIC

• TRAFFIC, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, is the leading non-governmental organisation working globally on the trade of wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity and sustainable development. It was founded in 1976 as a strategic alliance of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• Founded in 1979, TRAFFIC's headquarters are located in Cambridge, United Kingdom, with offices located in 15 strategically important locations in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Oceania. Operations are supported over the globe in countries ranging from Madagascar and Japan to Iceland through collaboration projects with other non-profit organisations and governments.

CONCLUSION

• Plight of leopards in illegal wildlife trade has been highlighted from time to time through investigative reports and studies, and through various wildlife enforcement actions across the country. However, this has not deterred wildlife smugglers, who are lured by high profits and low risk of detection, to target the species.