Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS)

• Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
• 27, Dec 2021

Why in News?

Prime Minister launches a Portal and Logo dedicated to the Conformity Assessment Scheme of milk products, in Varanasi’ published in PIB on 23^rd Dec 2021.

“PM inaugurates and lays the foundation of multiple projects in Varanasi” published in PIB on 23^rd Dec 2021.

What is the news?

The Prime Minister has launched several initiatives during his visit to Varanasi.

What are the initiatives launched by the Prime Minister?

Portal and Logo dedicated to the Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS) of milk products

It has been developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) with the help of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

What is the Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS) of milk products?

Why was it launched? NDDB and BIS have been involved in certification of Process and Products of Dairy Products respectively. However, there was no unified certification process. This was making it difficult for dairy plants to avail end to end certification.

What is the purpose of the CAS Scheme? It is a unified, first of its kind certification scheme for dairy Products. It has brought product and process certification under one umbrella with a unified logo featuring the earlier respective logos BIS-ISI mark & NDDB-Quality Mark and Kamdhenu Cow.

Benefits of the scheme: The scheme will,

1. Simplify the certification process,
2. Create an instantly recognisable logo for public to be reassured about dairy product quality,
3. Increase the sales of milk and milk products in organized sector and in turn enhancing income of farmers and, d) Develop a quality culture in the dairy sector.

• Gharauni: It is a rural residential rights record under the Swamitva scheme of the Union ministry of panchayati raj.It has been distributed to over 20 lakh residents of Uttar Pradesh.
• Banas Dairy Sankul: It is a dairy facility that will be located at UP State Industrial Development Authority Food Park, Varanasi. This facility can process 5 lakh litre of milk per day.
• Biogas based electricity generation plant: It has been launched at the Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Plant at Ramnagar, Varanasi to make them energy self-sufficient.

FACTS FOR PRELIMS:

UNSC Resolution 2615:

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously passed this resolution to permit a carve-out in sanctions against the Taliban to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

• This carve-out covers urgently needed humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan.
• The resolution (2615) mandates a review of the carve-out every six months.
• It also requests that an Emergency Relief Coordinator brief the UNSC every six months on the delivery of assistance and any obstacles to implementation.
• It also “calls on all parties” to respect human rights and observe international humanitarian law

 Tolkappiyam:

• The Hindi translation of Tolkappiyam and the Kannada translations of 9 works of Classical Tamil literature were recently issued by the Minister of State for Education.
• Tamil literature goes back to the Sangam Era, named after the assembly (sangam) of poets.
• Tolkappiyam was authored by Tolkappiyar and is considered the earliest of Tamil literary work.
• Though it is a work on Tamil grammar, it also provides insights on the political and socio-economic conditions of the time.
• Some in the Tamil tradition place the text in the mythical second sangam, variously in 1st millennium BCE or earlier.