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17-05-2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis
Govt launches online dashboard to monitor info on movement of migrants: MHA
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has developed ‘National Migrant Information System (NMIS)’, a central online repository on Migrant Workers to facilitate their seamless movement across States.
About:
The online portal would maintain a central repository on migrant workers and help in speedy inter-State communication/co-ordination to facilitate their smooth movement to native places.
It has additional advantages like contact tracing, which may be useful in overall COVID-19 response work.
The key data pertaining to the persons migrating has been standardized for uploading such as name, age, mobile no., originating and destination district, date of travel etc., which States are already collecting.
States will be able to visualize how many people are going out from where and how many are reaching destination States.
Source : Times of India ( Social Issues )
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WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SOCIETY DAY (WTISD)
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2020 is being observed on 17 May with the theme “Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
About:
Objective of WTISD: To help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies.
Date of observance: It has been celebrated annually on 17 May since 1969, marking the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865.
Important Info :
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)?
Relationship with UN: ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). It is a member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDP).Mandate: It is responsible for issues that concern information and communication technologies.Established in: 1865. Based in: Geneva, Switzerland.Membership: It has membership of 193 countries and nearly 800 private sector entities and academic institutions.India and ITU: India has been an active member of the ITU since 1869 and has been a regular member of the ITU Council since 1952. In November 2018, India was elected as a Member of the ITU Council for another 4-year term (2019-2022).
Source : United Nations ( Science & Technology )
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Biodegradable metal implants
Scientists at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) has developed new generation Iron-Manganese based alloys for biodegradable metal implants for use in humans.
About:
Iron-Manganese based alloy Fe-Mn (having Mn composition of more than 29% by weight) is a promising biodegradable metallic implant which exhibits single austenitic phase (non-magnetic form of iron) with MRI compatibility.
The alloy also showed a degradation rate in the range of 0.14-0.026 mm per year in the simulated body fluid, which means that the Fe-Mn alloy exhibits mechanical integrity for 3-6 months and completely disappears from the body in 12-24 months.
The newly developed Fe-Mn based alloys are suitable for biodegradable stent and orthopedic implant applications.
Important Info :
Significance:
These Biodegradable materials (Fe, Mg, Zn, and polymer) can participate in the healing process and then degrade gradually by maintaining the mechanical integrity without leaving any implant residues in the human body.These are better alternatives to currently used metallic implants which remain permanently in the human body and can cause long-term side effects like systemic toxicity, chronic inflammation, and thrombosis.
Source : All India Radio ( Science & Technology )
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Third tranche of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’: Agriculture sector gets ₹1.5-lakh-cr booster
Measures to strengthen Infrastructure Logistics and Capacity Building for Agriculture & Allied Sectors:
Financing facility of Rs. One Lakh crore will be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farm-gate & aggregation points. It will be financed and managed by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
A Rs. 10,000 crore scheme will be launched for Formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE). It will help 2 lakh MFEs who need technical upgradation to attain FSSAI food standards, build brands and marketing.
The Government will launch the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore for marine and inland fisheries.
An Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund of Rs. 15,000 crore will be set up to support private investment in Dairy Processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure.
The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) will cover 10,00,000 hectare under Herbal cultivation in next two years with outlay of Rs. 4,000 crore.
Beekeeping initiatives (worth Rs 500 crore): Government will implement a scheme for Infrastructure development related to Integrated Beekeeping Development Centres, Collection, Marketing and Storage Centres, Post-Harvest & value Addition facilities etc; and Implementation of standards & Developing traceability system.
“Operation Greens” run by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) will be extended from Tomatoes, onion and potatoes (TOP) crops to ALL fruit and vegetables.
Important Info :
Measures for Governance and Administrative Reforms for Agriculture Sector:
Government will amend Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to deregulate Agriculture food stuffs including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato. Stock limit will be imposed under very exceptional circumstances.A Central law will be formulated for Agriculture Marketing Reforms to provide adequate choices to the farmer to sell their produce at remunerative price; barrier free Inter-State Trade; and a framework for e-trading of agriculture produce.The Government will finalise a facilitative legal framework to enable farmers to engage with processors, aggregators, large retailers, exporters etc. in a transparent manner.
Source : PIB ( Economy )
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HQDA G-3-5-7 Mobilization Division Tour Of Duty
The Indian Army is considering a proposal that entails allowing common citizens to voluntarily join the force for three years as part of a model called “Tour of Duty”.
About:
The proposed model of Tour of Duty (ToD) has been proposed to be implemented on a trial basis for officers and other ranks in the army for a limited number of vacancies which would be increased later if the model is successful.
The proposal is a shift from the concept of permanent service in the armed forces towards an “internship” for 3 years.
The army is also examining giving a ‘token’ lump sum amount to officers and jawans exiting from the ToD scheme, to make it more attractive.
Important Info :
Expected benefits:
Army will benefit by getting younger manpower and the society will benefit by getting people who are disciplined and have imbibed the ethos of the army.The cost, including training, pay and allowances, incurred on people joining under the new model would be Rs 80-85 lakhs, as compared to over Rs 6 crore for an officer under the Short Service Commission, who serve up to 14 years.With the ToD concept implementation, there is likely to be an exponential reduction in salary and pension budgets. These savings can be used for Army’s modernisation.Corporates can also benefit from individuals who would serve in the army for three years due to their training and exposure. As per an initial survey, corporates favour individuals aged 26 or 27 who have been trained by the military.
Source : Economic Times ( Defence & Security )
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61st CAVALRY
The Indian Army is planning to convert its famous 61st Cavalry, the only active serving horse cavalry regiment in the world, into a regular armoured regiment with tanks.
About:
The 61st Cavalry was raised in 1953 after amalgamating the horse-mounted cavalry units of the erstwhile princely states of British India.
The Teen Murti Memorial in New Delhi was constructed during the British Raj to commemorate the heroic role played by the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers during the legendary Battle of Haifa (now in modern-day Israel) in 1918 during World War I.
The Indian Army celebrates “Haifa Day” on September 23 every year as part of its overall tradition to honour the valour of its regiments.
At present, the ceremonial President’s Bodyguard (PBG) based at Rashtrapati Bhavan and the 61st Cavalry are the only horse-mounted units in the Army.
Important Info :
Proposed Plan:
The aim is to transform the Jaipur-based 61st Cavalry into “a combat force” from its present role of being “largely a ceremonial unit” that also engages in sporting activities like polo.The commanding officer (CO) of 61st Calvary, which is likely to be rechristened the 61st Armoured Regiment at Jaipur, will have three “independent squadrons” of tanks under him.It has sparked outrage among purists in military circles, who assert the “short-sighted step will destroy a glorious historical tradition”.
Source : Times of India ( Defecne & Security )
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Short Service Commission to be made more attractive
Chief of the Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said that efforts are on to make the Short Service Commission (SSC) more attractive so as to reduce the mounting pension burden of the Army.
About:
Short Service commission (SSC) in Indian Army is the tenure of officers.
Currently, the SSC is for 10 years, which can be extended by up to four years. At the end of 14 years, there is an option for permanent commission (PC).
The training academy for SSC Short Service commission officers is Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai.
Proposed steps to make SSC more attractive:
A one-year training course will be given to SSC officers while exiting after 14 years. The courses can be professional or technical courses such as MBA or M.Tech. to give the skills for a second employment as a civilian.
About 25%-30% of the SSC officers would be granted Permanent Commission (PC) so that they are kept motivated and they compete to get PC. The rest can leave.
Other incentives include a lumpsum amount and medical facilities under the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme.
Important Info :
Pension burden of army?
The Army’s pay and pension bill has been increasing over the years, accounting for 60% of its budgetary allocation.During the last five years, though the growth in the defence budget has been 68% and the growth in salaries 75%, the pensions have increased by a staggering 146%.
Source : The Hindu ( Defence & Security )
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SUPER-EARTH
Scientists from the University of Canterbury (UC) have discovered a rare new Super-Earth planet that lies towards the centre of the galaxy, also called the Galactic Bulge.
About:
The planet is one of ‘only a handful of extra-solar planets that have been discovered with both size and orbit comparable to that of Earth.
The host star is 10 percent the mass of our Sun and that the planet has a year of approximately 617 days. The planet has a mass somewhere between that of Earth and Neptune. It orbits at a location between Venus and Earth from the parent star.
The planet was discovered using a technique called ‘Gravitational Microlensing’ where the combined gravity of the planet and its host star causes light from a more distant background star to be magnified in a particular manner.
Important Info :
Super Earth?
What is it? It is an extrasolar planet with a mass higher than Earth's, but substantially below the masses of the Solar System's ice giants, Uranus and Neptune.What is it not? This term refers only to the mass of the planet, and does not imply anything about the habitability or surface conditions.
Source : Hindustan Times ( Science & Technology )
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CORONAVIRUS IN CATS
Researchers have published a paper with evidence that cats can transmit the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 to one another, and without showing symptoms.
Previous cases:
The previous most famous case of coronavirus infection among cats, big or domestic, has been that of four-year-old Nadia, a Malayan tiger at New York’s Bronx Zoo. She tested positive in April 2020. Within weeks, a few more tigers and lions at the zoo tested positive.
Among domestic cats, the first known infection happened in Belgium.
Recent research:
The key finding in recent research is that cats can be asymptomatic while carrying the virus. Also, all the cats went on to clear the virus. The latest findings suggest that cats may be capable of becoming infected when exposed to people or other cats positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Other researchers have previously suggested reasons why cats may be vulnerable to infection from humans: feline and human cells have similar ACE2 receptors, which are enzymes that facilitate the coronavirus’s entry in the body.
The general view remains that a cat is more likely to get Covid-19 from a human, than a human getting it from a cat.
Source : Indian Express ( Health )
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NATIONAL DENGUE DAY
On the occasion of National Dengue Day (May 16), Health Ministry has listed a series of simple measures through which Dengue can be prevented.
About:
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection.
The dengue virus (DEN) comprises four distinct serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4) which belong to the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main vector that transmits the viruses that cause dengue.
It is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. It is very common after rainy season.
Once infected, humans become the main carriers and multipliers of the virus, serving as a source of the virus for uninfected mosquitoes. The infection causes flu-like illness, and occasionally develops into lethal complication called severe dengue.
Dengue can affect everybody, irrespective of their age and gender.
Source : All India Radio ( Health )
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Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.
ISRO, DRDO sign MoUs for Gaganyaan mission.
Some of the critical technologies to be provided by the DRDO to ISRO include space food, space crew health monitoring and emergency survival kit, radiation measurement and protection, parachutes for the safe recovery of the crew module, the ministry said in a statement.
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07th & 8th June Current affairs Daily News Analysis
World oceans day is being celebrated on June 8, 2020 under the theme "Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean"
About:
The United Nations celebrates World Oceans Day every year on 8 June.
In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as of 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day”.
World Oceans Day is uniting conservation action to grow the global movement calling on world leaders to protect 30% of our blue planet by 2030. This critical need is called 30x30.
Source : United Nations (Environment)
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Coal India Subsidiary Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) opened 3 new coal mines in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh having combined annual production capacity of 2.9 million tonnes (MT)
About:
The three mines which WCL has opened, areAdasa Mine, an underground to open cast mine, in Nagpur Area of Maharashtra,
Sharda underground Mine in Kanhan Area and
Dhankasa underground mine in Pench Area of Madhya Pradesh.
The company launched a surveillance System named ‘WCL EYE’ to monitor operations of 15 major mines of the company round the clock. It will also help monitor coal stocks.
It also launched an App named SAMVAAD to connect with its employees and stakeholders on this occasion.
Source : PIB (Economy)
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A group of senior lawmakers from eight democracies including the US have launched the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China to counter China
About:
It is a new cross-parliamentary alliance to help counter what the threat posed by China’s growing influence to global trade, security and human rights.
The group aims to “construct appropriate and coordinated responses, and to help craft a proactive and strategic approach on issues related to China.”
The list of participating nations includes the US, Germany, UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Norway, as well as members of the European parliament.
Source : Times of India (International Relations)
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External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar asserted that India’s overall objective during the fresh tenure in the UN Security Council will be the achievement of “N.O.R.M.S. , New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System”
About:
He said this at the launch event of a brochure outlining India’s priorities for its forthcoming campaign to secure an elected seat in the UN Security Council.
India is guaranteed a place in the UNSC as it is the sole candidate for Asia-Pacific Group, but needs two-thirds of the 193-member General Assembly to vote in its favour in a secret ballot scheduled for June 17 in New York.
This will be the eighth time India will occupy a non-permanent UNSC seat, with its last stint in 2011-2012.
Source : All India Radio (International Relations)
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The State of India’s Environment, 2020 report was released by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a research and advocacy organisation. CSE also publishes the environment magazine Down to Earth
Key findings:
19 major extreme weather events claimed 1,357 lives last year.
Internal displacement:There were more than 50 lakh internal displacements in India in 2019, the highest in the world. India had one in five of all internal displacements caused by disasters across the world in 2019, mostly caused by floods, cyclones and drought.
Flooding caused by the southwest monsoon led to 26 lakh displacements, while Cyclone Fani alone led to 18 lakh displacements, followed by cyclones Vayu and Bulbul. On the other hand, drought conditions in 19 States led to another 63,000 displacements.
Migrants: The report also broke down 2011 census data on migrant populations.There were over 45 crore migrants in the country at the time, with the vast majority migrating within their own State.
In 2011, over 1.7 crore new migrants had moved for employment purposes, mostly from rural to urban areas.
Source : The Hindu (Environment)
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Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched three advisories on the occasion of World Environment Day
About:
These advisories are: (1) Advisory on Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), (2) Advisory on Landfill Reclamation and (3) a Draft advisory on On-site and Off-site Sewage Management Practices.
These advisories have been prepared by the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).
The documents released are part of an effort to find and facilitate sustainable solutions to some of the key problems hindering holistic sanitation and solid waste management. He said, when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi
On the occasion a toolkit for a communication campaign on faecal sludge management titled ‘Malasur- The Demon of Defeca’ was also released. It aims at heightening the risk perception of faecal sludge.
Important Info :
Due to the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) in 2014, scientific processing of solid waste, which stood at a mere 18 per cent in 2014 , has more than tripled and now stands at 65 per cent.
Source : All India Radio (Environment)
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NASA has announced that 163348 (2002 NN4), a giant asteroid is expected to pass Earth (at a safe distance) in June. The asteroid is a Near-Earth Object (NEO) and is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)
NASA defines NEOs as comets and asteroids nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits which allows them to enter the Earth’s neighbourhood.
NEOs occasionally approach close to the Earth as they orbit the Sun. These objects are composed mostly of water ice with embedded dust particles.
The scientific interest in comets and asteroids is largely due to their status as relatively unchanged remnant debris from the solar system formation process over 4.6 billion years ago.
Significantly, among all the causes that will eventually cause the extinction of life on Earth, an asteroid hit is widely acknowledged as one of the likeliest.
Important Info :
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
This asteroid 163348 (2002 NN4) is classified as a PHA, which means the asteroid has the potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth.Asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of about 0.05 (AU is the distance between the Earth and the Sun and is roughly 150 million km), which is about 7,480,000 km or less and an absolute magnitude (H) of 22 (smaller than about 150 m or 500 feet in diameter) or less are considered PHAs.
Source : Indian Express (Science & Technology)
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Thousands defied a police ban to gather with candles in Hong Kong to mark China’s bloody Tiananmen Square democracy crackdown in 1989 and accuse China of stifling freedoms too on their semi-autonomous territory
About:
The Tiananmen Square protests were student-led demonstrations held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing during 1989 calling for democracy, free speech and a free press in China.
Background to protests:The protests were set off by the death of pro-reform Communist general secretary Hu Yaobang in April 1989, amid the backdrop of rapid economic development and social changes in post-Mao China.
Common grievances at the time included inflation, corruption, limited preparedness of graduates for the new economy, and restrictions on political participation.
Tiananmen Square Massacre:The protests started on April 15 and were forcibly suppressed in a bloody crackdown, known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre, by the Chinese government on June 4 and 5, 1989.
On June 4, the government declared martial law and sent the military to occupy central parts of Beijing. Troops with assault rifles and tanks fired at the demonstrators.
Estimates of the death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand, with thousands more wounded.
Source : The Hindu (History)
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The second World Food Safety Day (WFSD) is being celebrated on 7 June 2020 under the theme “Food safety, everyone’s business”
About:
Background: WFSD was first celebrated in 2019, to strengthen commitment to scale up food safety made by the Addis Ababa Conference and the Geneva Forum in 2019 under the umbrella of “The Future of Food Safety”.
Objective of the day: Through the World Food Safety Day, WHO in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) pursues its efforts to mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce the burden of foodborne diseases globally.
Date of observance: Every year on 7 June.
Source : United Nations (Health)
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PM Modi condoled the demise of Ved Marwah, former Police Commissioner of Delhi and former Governor of Manipur, Mizoram and Jharkhand
About:
Ved Prakash Marwah (1934 – 2020) was an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.
He served as the Commissioner of Police (1985-88), Delhi; and Director General of the National Security Guard (1988-90).
After retirement, he served as governor of Manipur, Mizoram and Jharkhand.
In 1995, Marwah authored the book ‘Uncivil Wars: Pathology of Terrorism in India’.
He was awarded Padma Shri in 1989.
Source : Indian Express (Polity & Governance)
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Union Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the UNDP national awareness campaign on ‘Prevention of Human and Animal Mortality on Highways’
About:
It aims at generating awareness and education for the masses at large towards reducing or eliminating mortality on the roads.
The country witnesses nearly five lakh road accidents every year, in which about 1.5 lakh lives are lost. Aim of the government under the campaign is to bring down these figures by 20 to 25 per cent by March next year.
Over 5000 black spots have been identified, and the process for their rectification including temporary and permanent measures is being carried out on urgent basis.
Source : All India Radio (Environment)
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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has created a Rs 500-crore Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) to encourage acquirers to deploy Points of Sale (PoS) infrastructure — both physical and digital modes — in tier-3 to tier-6 centres and north eastern states
About:
Governance: The PIDF will be governed through an Advisory Council and managed and administered by RBI.
Funding:RBI will make an initial contribution of ₹250 crore to the PIDF, covering half of the fund, while the remaining contribution will be from card-issuing banks and card networks operating in the country.
The PIDF will also receive recurring contributions to cover operational expenses from card-issuing banks and card networks. RBI will also contribute to yearly shortfalls, if necessary.
Background: The setting up of this fund is in line with the recommendations of the report of the committee on deepening of digital payments, chaired by Nandan Nilekani.
Need of PIDF: Given the high cost of merchant acquisition and merchant terminalisation, most of the POS terminals in the country are concentrated in tier 1 and 2 cities and towns and other regions have been left out.
Source : Indian Express (Economy)
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On occasion of World Environment Day, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) MAITREE program, launched the “Healthy and Energy Efficient Buildings” initiative to make workplaces healthier and greener
About:
“Healthy and Energy Efficient Buildings” Initiative will address the challenges of retrofitting existing buildings and air conditioning systems so that they are both healthy and energy efficient.
The Market Integration and Transformation Program for Energy Efficiency (MAITREE), under which this initiative has been launched, is a part of the US-India bilateral Partnership between the Ministry of Power and USAID. It is aimed at accelerating the adoption of cost-effective energy efficiency as a standard practice within buildings, and specifically focuses on cooling.
Important Info :
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the administration of Ministry of Power, is working towards mainstreaming energy efficiency and is implementing the world’s largest energy efficiency portfolio in the country.
Source : PIB (Environment)
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Union Power Minister launched the ‘#iCommit’ initiative on the occasion of World Environment Day
About:
The initiative is a clarion call to all stakeholders and individuals to continue moving towards energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability to create a robust and resilient energy system in the future.
The ‘#iCommit’ initiative, driven by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the administration of Ministry of Power is uniting a diverse set of players such as Governments, Corporates, Multilateral and Bilateral Organisations, Think Tanks and Individuals.
The initiative will also promote key undertakings of Government of India such as National Electric Mobility Mission 2020, FAME 1 and 2,Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana etc.
Source : PIB (Environment)
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Union Environment Minister launched the Urban Forest program (Nagar Van scheme) on the occasion of World Environment Day
About:
In the initial phase, under this program, forests will be developed in 200 corporations and cities in the country across the country over the next five years.
The scheme will be, in part, paid for by the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016) funds.
The forests were to come up either on existing forest land or on any other vacant land offered by urban local bodies.
The Environment Minister highlighted the success of Wajre Urban forest in the city of Pune, Maharashtra which has been developed on a 40 acre degraded land area.
Source : Indian Express (Environment)
Union Government has promulgated an ordinance to amend Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)
About:
Under it, fresh insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) will not be initiated against companies for defaults due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Default on repayments from 25th of March, the day when the nationwide lockdown began to curb Corona virus infections, will not be considered for initiating insolvency proceedings for a period of six months, which could be extended to one year.
It suspends sections 7,9 and 10 of the IBC for a period of 6 months with an enabling provision allowing for it to be extended upto 1 year.
Important Info :
Under the IBC, an entity can seek insolvency proceedings against a company even if the default is only one day. This is subject to the minimum threshold of Rs 1 crore. Earlier, the threshold was Rs 1 lakh.
Source : All India Radio (Economy)
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06th June 2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis
Sixth mass extinction may be one of the most serious environmental threats
The ongoing sixth mass extinction may be one of the most serious environmental threats to the persistence of civilisation, according to new research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS)
About:
Names: This ongoing extinction of species, which coincides with the present Holocene epoch is known as Holocene extinction, Sixth extinction or Anthropocene extinction.
Background: In the history of Earth we’ve had five major extinction events in the history of life.The five mass extinctions that took place in the last 450 million years have led to the destruction of 70-95 % of the species of plants, animals and microorganisms that existed earlier.
The most recent was about 65 million years ago when an asteroid crashed into the Yucatán and took out the dinosaurs, changing the climate dramatically.
Important Info :
Sixth extinction vs earlier five extinctions
This ongoing extinction of species is a result of human activity. Earlier extinctions were caused by “catastrophic alterations” to the environment, such as massive volcanic eruptions, depletion of oceanic oxygen or collision with an asteroid.The current rate of extinction of species is estimated at 100 to 1,000 times higher than natural background rates.This large number of extinctions spans numerous families of plants and animals, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and arthropods.
Source : Indian Express (Environment)
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The Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Ranking for 2020 was launched recently
About:
Times Higher Education (THE) is a weekly magazine based in London, reporting specifically on news and issues related to higher education.
The Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2020 use the same 13 performance indicators as the THE World University Rankings.
The universities are judged in four core areas: (1) Teaching, (2) Research, (3) Knowledge Transfer and (4) International Outlook.
Key Findings:
China is home to the continent’s top two universities for the first time this year, as Tsinghua University is ranked 1 and Peking University is ranked 2.
With eight institutes in the top 100, India is the third most represented country in the Ranking.
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore retains its top position in the country by attaining the 36th spot globally. Eight Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have also been featured in the top 100.
Source : Indian Express (Education)
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At the virtual UK-hosted Global Vaccine Summit 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will contribute $15 million to an international vaccine alliance, GAVI
GAVI
GAVI, officially Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public–private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.
GAVI has observer status at the World Health Assembly.
It was founded in 2000 and is located at Geneva, Switzerland.
The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners.
Important Info :
Global Vaccine Summit 2020 London
At the summit, GAVI launched the ‘Gavi Advance Market Commitment for COVID-19 Vaccines (Gavi Covax AMC)’, a new financing instrument aimed at incentivising vaccine manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of eventual COVID-19 vaccines, and to ensure access for developing countries.The Gavi Covax AMC is being launched with an initial goal of raising US$ 2 billion.
Source : Times of India (International Relations)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The survey was conducted during July 2018-June 2019
Key Findings:
India’s unemployment rate improved from the 45-year high of 6.1% in 2017-18 to 5.8% in 2018-19.
Women’s unemployment fell from 5.7% to 5.2%, while male unemployment only fell from 6.2% to 6%.
Urban unemployment was still at a high of 7.7% in 2018-19, a marginal drop from 7.8% in 2017-18, while rural unemployment fell from 5.3% to 5%.
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) also improved marginally, from 36.9% in 2017-18 to 37.5% in 2018-19.
Unemployment rate, however, rose among Scheduled Castes to 6.4 % from 6.3 %, and for Scheduled Tribes to 4.5 % from 4.3 %. But unemployment rate among Other Backward Classes inched lower to 5.9 % from 6 %.
In 2018-19, unemployment rate for youth in the 15-29 years age bracket was 17.3 %, as against 17.8 % a year ago. Unemployment rate among urban youth was higher than the all-India number at 20.2 % as against 20.6 % a year ago.
Important Info :
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.Worker Population Ratio (WPR) is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.Unemployment Rate (UR) is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
Source : Indian Express (Economy)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Retirement fund body, Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) said it has released Rs 868 crore pension along with Rs 105 crore arrear on account of restoration of commuted value of pension
About:
The government, had, in February this year notified the restoration of full pension after 15 years of retirement for pensioners who have commuted part of their pension at the time of retirement.
This has resulted in a substantial increase in pension for those EPFO pensioners who retired before September, 26, 2008 and had opted for partial commutation of pension. Commutation of pension will cost the government Rs 1500 crore.
The higher pension benefit will be restored after 15 years from the date of receiving commuted pension at the time of retirement. This means an individual who retired on April 1, 2005, would be eligible to receive the benefit of higher pension after 15 years i.e. from April 1, 2020.
Important Info :
As per Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) rules, an EPFO member who retired before September 26, 2008 could get maximum one-third of pension as lump-sum i.e. commuted pension and remaining two-thirds was paid as monthly pension to an employee for his/her lifetime. As per current EPF rules, EPFO members do not have an option to receive the commutation benefit.EPFO is an organisation under labour ministry that administers EPF and EPS schemes.
Source : Economic Times (Economy)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Union Electronics and IT Minister announced three schemes, with a ₹48,000-crore outlay, for setting up of large number of electronic and mobile manufacturing units in the country
Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing (outlay of nearly ₹41,000 crore)
The PLI Scheme shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales (over base year) of goods manufactured in India and covered under the target segments, to eligible companies, for a period of five years subsequent to the base year.
Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS) (outlay of about ₹3,300 crore)
The SPECS shall provide financial incentive of 25% on capital expenditure for the identified list of electronic goods, i.e., electronic components, semiconductor/ display fabrication units, Assembly, Test, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) units, specialized sub-assemblies and capital goods for manufacture of aforesaid goods.
Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme (about ₹3,800 crore)
The EMC 2.0 shall provide support for creation of world class infrastructure along with common facilities and amenities, including Ready Built Factory (RBF) sheds / Plug and Play facilities for attracting major global electronics manufacturers, along with their supply chains.
Important Info :
Benefits
The Schemes will help offset the disability for domestic electronics manufacturing and hence, strengthen the electronics manufacturing ecosystem in the country.The three new schemes are expected to attract substantial investments, increase production of mobile phones and their parts to around 10 lakh crore by 2025. It will also generate around five lakh direct and 15 lakh indirect jobs.
Do you know?
According to Union Electronics Minister, India’s global share in electronics has risen form 1.3 % in 2012 to 3 % in 2018. India has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world. From just two mobile manufacturing factories, the country has now 200 such units.
Source : All India Radio (Economy)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency after 20,000 tonnes of diesel oil to spilled into Ambarnaya river, turning its surface crimson red
About:
Ambarnaya is a shallow river in Siberia, Russia which flows in a northerly direction into Lake Pyasino. On leaving Lake Pyasino, the waters emerge as the Pyasina River.
The Ambarnaya river is part of a network that flows into the environmentally sensitive Arctic Ocean.
Important Info :
May 2020 Diesel spill
On May 29, 2020, an estimated 20,000 tonnes of Diesel oil leaked into the river following the collapse of a power plant owned by Norilsk Nickel.With a 12 km stretch of river seriously affected, Russia's president Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency within Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region, located in the Siberian peninsula.
Source : Indian Express (Geography)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Supreme Court ordered that a plea to change India’s name exclusively to ‘Bharat’ be converted into a representation and forwarded to the Union government, primarily the Ministry of Home Affairs, for an appropriate decision
About:
The petition, seeks an amendment to Article 1 of the Constitution, to change India’s name exclusively to ‘Bharat’. It wants ‘India’ to be struck off from the Article.
Bharat and India are both names given in the Constitution. India is already called ‘Bharat’ in the Constitution. Article 1 of the Constitution, says “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States”.
Important Info :
Arguments By Petitioner:
‘India’ is a name of foreign origin. The name can be traced back to the Greek term ‘Indica’. Instead, The word ‘Bharat’ is closely associated to our Freedom Struggle. The cry was ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.”This will ensure citizens of this country to get over the colonial past and instil a sense of pride in our nationality. It will also justify the hard fought freedom by our freedom fightersThere should be uniformity in the name of the nation. There are many names of India like Republic of India, Bharat, India, Bharat Ganarajya, etc, thus creating confusion.
Arguments against:
The Supreme Court had dismissed a similar petition in 2016. Then CJI T.S. Thakur had said that every Indian had the right to choose between calling his country ‘Bharat’ or ‘India’.The name India derives ultimately from Sanskrit Síndhu which was the name of the Indus River as well as the country at the lower Indus basin.
Source : Times of India (Polity & Goverance)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, the torchbearer of Hindi ‘middle-of-the-road’ cinema. He passed away due to age-related illness at the age of 90
About:
Basu Chatterjee (1930 – 2020) was an Indian film director and screenwriter.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, alongwith filmmakers such as Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya, he was the torchbearer of Hindi middle-of-the-road cinemae. the light-hearted, middle class, family dramas that emerged as a parallel narrative to the more mainstream Angry Young Man movies.
He is best known for his films Chhoti Si Baat, Chitchor, Rajnigandha, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla etc.
He directed the TV Series Byomkesh Bakshi and the popular Rajani (TV series) for Doordarshan both of which were successful TV serials.
Source : The Hindu (Person in News)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Pangong Tso is the site of eye-to-eye confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops, following a scuffle in early May. Both sides have ramped up their troop presence but "disengagement" process is also underway
About:
Pangong Tso is a long narrow, deep, endorheic (landlocked) lake situated at a height of about 4,350 m in the Ladakh Himalayas. It is 134 km long and 5 km wide at its broadest point.
In the Ladakhi language, Pangong means extensive concavity, and Tso is lake in Tibetan.
The brackish water lake freezes over in winter, and becomes ideal for ice skating and polo.
It is not a part of the Indus river basin area and geographically a separate landlocked river basin.
The lake is not a Ramsar site yet. It is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance.
Important Info :
Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Pangong Tso lake
The disputed boundary between India and China, also known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), mostly passes on the land, but Pangong Tso is a unique case where it passes through the water as well.The points in the water at which the Indian claim ends and Chinese claim begins are not agreed upon mutually. As things stand, 45 km-long western portion of the lake is under Indian control, while the rest is under China’s control.By itself, the lake does not have major tactical significance. But it lies in the path of the Chushul approach, one of the main approaches that China can use for an offensive into Indian-held territory.
Fingers in the lake:
The barren mountains on the lake’s northern bank, called the Chang Chenmo, jut out like a palm and the various protrusions are referred to as 'fingers.'While India claims that the LAC starts at Finger 8, China claims that it starts at Finger 2, which is presently dominated by India. India physically controls area only up to Finger 4.
Source : Indian Express (Geography)
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Daily Current affairs and News Analysis
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06th June 2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis
Sixth mass extinction may be one of the most serious environmental threats
The ongoing sixth mass extinction may be one of the most serious environmental threats to the persistence of civilisation, according to new research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS)
About:
Names: This ongoing extinction of species, which coincides with the present Holocene epoch is known as Holocene extinction, Sixth extinction or Anthropocene extinction.
Background: In the history of Earth we’ve had five major extinction events in the history of life.The five mass extinctions that took place in the last 450 million years have led to the destruction of 70-95 % of the species of plants, animals and microorganisms that existed earlier.
The most recent was about 65 million years ago when an asteroid crashed into the Yucatán and took out the dinosaurs, changing the climate dramatically.
Important Info :
Sixth extinction vs earlier five extinctions
This ongoing extinction of species is a result of human activity. Earlier extinctions were caused by “catastrophic alterations” to the environment, such as massive volcanic eruptions, depletion of oceanic oxygen or collision with an asteroid.The current rate of extinction of species is estimated at 100 to 1,000 times higher than natural background rates.This large number of extinctions spans numerous families of plants and animals, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and arthropods.
Source : Indian Express (Environment)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
The Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Ranking for 2020 was launched recently
About:
Times Higher Education (THE) is a weekly magazine based in London, reporting specifically on news and issues related to higher education.
The Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2020 use the same 13 performance indicators as the THE World University Rankings.
The universities are judged in four core areas: (1) Teaching, (2) Research, (3) Knowledge Transfer and (4) International Outlook.
Key Findings:
China is home to the continent’s top two universities for the first time this year, as Tsinghua University is ranked 1 and Peking University is ranked 2.
With eight institutes in the top 100, India is the third most represented country in the Ranking.
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore retains its top position in the country by attaining the 36th spot globally. Eight Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have also been featured in the top 100.
Source : Indian Express (Education)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
At the virtual UK-hosted Global Vaccine Summit 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will contribute $15 million to an international vaccine alliance, GAVI
GAVI
GAVI, officially Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public–private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.
GAVI has observer status at the World Health Assembly.
It was founded in 2000 and is located at Geneva, Switzerland.
The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners.
Important Info :
Global Vaccine Summit 2020 London
At the summit, GAVI launched the ‘Gavi Advance Market Commitment for COVID-19 Vaccines (Gavi Covax AMC)’, a new financing instrument aimed at incentivising vaccine manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of eventual COVID-19 vaccines, and to ensure access for developing countries.The Gavi Covax AMC is being launched with an initial goal of raising US$ 2 billion.
Source : Times of India (International Relations)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The survey was conducted during July 2018-June 2019
Key Findings:
India’s unemployment rate improved from the 45-year high of 6.1% in 2017-18 to 5.8% in 2018-19.
Women’s unemployment fell from 5.7% to 5.2%, while male unemployment only fell from 6.2% to 6%.
Urban unemployment was still at a high of 7.7% in 2018-19, a marginal drop from 7.8% in 2017-18, while rural unemployment fell from 5.3% to 5%.
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) also improved marginally, from 36.9% in 2017-18 to 37.5% in 2018-19.
Unemployment rate, however, rose among Scheduled Castes to 6.4 % from 6.3 %, and for Scheduled Tribes to 4.5 % from 4.3 %. But unemployment rate among Other Backward Classes inched lower to 5.9 % from 6 %.
In 2018-19, unemployment rate for youth in the 15-29 years age bracket was 17.3 %, as against 17.8 % a year ago. Unemployment rate among urban youth was higher than the all-India number at 20.2 % as against 20.6 % a year ago.
Important Info :
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.Worker Population Ratio (WPR) is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.Unemployment Rate (UR) is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
Source : Indian Express (Economy)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Retirement fund body, Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) said it has released Rs 868 crore pension along with Rs 105 crore arrear on account of restoration of commuted value of pension
About:
The government, had, in February this year notified the restoration of full pension after 15 years of retirement for pensioners who have commuted part of their pension at the time of retirement.
This has resulted in a substantial increase in pension for those EPFO pensioners who retired before September, 26, 2008 and had opted for partial commutation of pension. Commutation of pension will cost the government Rs 1500 crore.
The higher pension benefit will be restored after 15 years from the date of receiving commuted pension at the time of retirement. This means an individual who retired on April 1, 2005, would be eligible to receive the benefit of higher pension after 15 years i.e. from April 1, 2020.
Important Info :
As per Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) rules, an EPFO member who retired before September 26, 2008 could get maximum one-third of pension as lump-sum i.e. commuted pension and remaining two-thirds was paid as monthly pension to an employee for his/her lifetime. As per current EPF rules, EPFO members do not have an option to receive the commutation benefit.EPFO is an organisation under labour ministry that administers EPF and EPS schemes.
Source : Economic Times (Economy)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Union Electronics and IT Minister announced three schemes, with a ₹48,000-crore outlay, for setting up of large number of electronic and mobile manufacturing units in the country
Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing (outlay of nearly ₹41,000 crore)
The PLI Scheme shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales (over base year) of goods manufactured in India and covered under the target segments, to eligible companies, for a period of five years subsequent to the base year.
Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS) (outlay of about ₹3,300 crore)
The SPECS shall provide financial incentive of 25% on capital expenditure for the identified list of electronic goods, i.e., electronic components, semiconductor/ display fabrication units, Assembly, Test, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) units, specialized sub-assemblies and capital goods for manufacture of aforesaid goods.
Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme (about ₹3,800 crore)
The EMC 2.0 shall provide support for creation of world class infrastructure along with common facilities and amenities, including Ready Built Factory (RBF) sheds / Plug and Play facilities for attracting major global electronics manufacturers, along with their supply chains.
Important Info :
Benefits
The Schemes will help offset the disability for domestic electronics manufacturing and hence, strengthen the electronics manufacturing ecosystem in the country.The three new schemes are expected to attract substantial investments, increase production of mobile phones and their parts to around 10 lakh crore by 2025. It will also generate around five lakh direct and 15 lakh indirect jobs.
Do you know?
According to Union Electronics Minister, India’s global share in electronics has risen form 1.3 % in 2012 to 3 % in 2018. India has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world. From just two mobile manufacturing factories, the country has now 200 such units.
Source : All India Radio (Economy)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency after 20,000 tonnes of diesel oil to spilled into Ambarnaya river, turning its surface crimson red
About:
Ambarnaya is a shallow river in Siberia, Russia which flows in a northerly direction into Lake Pyasino. On leaving Lake Pyasino, the waters emerge as the Pyasina River.
The Ambarnaya river is part of a network that flows into the environmentally sensitive Arctic Ocean.
Important Info :
May 2020 Diesel spill
On May 29, 2020, an estimated 20,000 tonnes of Diesel oil leaked into the river following the collapse of a power plant owned by Norilsk Nickel.With a 12 km stretch of river seriously affected, Russia's president Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency within Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region, located in the Siberian peninsula.
Source : Indian Express (Geography)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Supreme Court ordered that a plea to change India’s name exclusively to ‘Bharat’ be converted into a representation and forwarded to the Union government, primarily the Ministry of Home Affairs, for an appropriate decision
About:
The petition, seeks an amendment to Article 1 of the Constitution, to change India’s name exclusively to ‘Bharat’. It wants ‘India’ to be struck off from the Article.
Bharat and India are both names given in the Constitution. India is already called ‘Bharat’ in the Constitution. Article 1 of the Constitution, says “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States”.
Important Info :
Arguments By Petitioner:
‘India’ is a name of foreign origin. The name can be traced back to the Greek term ‘Indica’. Instead, The word ‘Bharat’ is closely associated to our Freedom Struggle. The cry was ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.”This will ensure citizens of this country to get over the colonial past and instil a sense of pride in our nationality. It will also justify the hard fought freedom by our freedom fightersThere should be uniformity in the name of the nation. There are many names of India like Republic of India, Bharat, India, Bharat Ganarajya, etc, thus creating confusion.
Arguments against:
The Supreme Court had dismissed a similar petition in 2016. Then CJI T.S. Thakur had said that every Indian had the right to choose between calling his country ‘Bharat’ or ‘India’.The name India derives ultimately from Sanskrit Síndhu which was the name of the Indus River as well as the country at the lower Indus basin.
Source : Times of India (Polity & Goverance)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, the torchbearer of Hindi ‘middle-of-the-road’ cinema. He passed away due to age-related illness at the age of 90
About:
Basu Chatterjee (1930 – 2020) was an Indian film director and screenwriter.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, alongwith filmmakers such as Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya, he was the torchbearer of Hindi middle-of-the-road cinemae. the light-hearted, middle class, family dramas that emerged as a parallel narrative to the more mainstream Angry Young Man movies.
He is best known for his films Chhoti Si Baat, Chitchor, Rajnigandha, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla etc.
He directed the TV Series Byomkesh Bakshi and the popular Rajani (TV series) for Doordarshan both of which were successful TV serials.
Source : The Hindu (Person in News)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Pangong Tso is the site of eye-to-eye confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops, following a scuffle in early May. Both sides have ramped up their troop presence but "disengagement" process is also underway
About:
Pangong Tso is a long narrow, deep, endorheic (landlocked) lake situated at a height of about 4,350 m in the Ladakh Himalayas. It is 134 km long and 5 km wide at its broadest point.
In the Ladakhi language, Pangong means extensive concavity, and Tso is lake in Tibetan.
The brackish water lake freezes over in winter, and becomes ideal for ice skating and polo.
It is not a part of the Indus river basin area and geographically a separate landlocked river basin.
The lake is not a Ramsar site yet. It is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance.
Important Info :
Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Pangong Tso lake
The disputed boundary between India and China, also known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), mostly passes on the land, but Pangong Tso is a unique case where it passes through the water as well.The points in the water at which the Indian claim ends and Chinese claim begins are not agreed upon mutually. As things stand, 45 km-long western portion of the lake is under Indian control, while the rest is under China’s control.By itself, the lake does not have major tactical significance. But it lies in the path of the Chushul approach, one of the main approaches that China can use for an offensive into Indian-held territory.
Fingers in the lake:
The barren mountains on the lake’s northern bank, called the Chang Chenmo, jut out like a palm and the various protrusions are referred to as 'fingers.'While India claims that the LAC starts at Finger 8, China claims that it starts at Finger 2, which is presently dominated by India. India physically controls area only up to Finger 4.
Source : Indian Express (Geography)
Best UPSC Civil Services Current affairs
Daily Current affairs and News Analysis
Best IAS Coaching institutes in Bangalore Vignan IAS Academy
Contact Vignan IAS Academy
Enroll For IAS Foundation Course from Best IAS / IPS Training Academy in Bangalore
Latest Current affairs
Read the full article
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03rd & 04th June 2020 - Current Affairs & Daily News Analysis
On the western coast of India, Cyclone Nisarga is headed towards the coastline of north Maharashtra and south Gujarat
About:
In strength and intensity, Cyclone Nisarga would be much weaker than Cyclone Amphan that struck on May 20 and passed through West Bengal on its way to Bangladesh.
Cyclones formed in the Bay of Bengal side of the north Indian Ocean are more frequent and stonger than those on the Arabian Sea side.
The relatively cold waters of the Arabian Sea discourage the kind of very strong cyclones that are formed on the Bay of Bengal side; Odisha and Andhra Pradesh face the brunt of these cyclones every year.
Source : Indian Express (Geography)
US President Donald Trump has postponed the G7 Summit till September. He has expressed his desire to expand the Group to G10 or G11, including India and three other nations Russia, Australia and South Korea to the grouping of the world's top economies
About:
The G-7 or ‘Group of Seven’ are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The G-7 nations meet at annual summits that are presided over by leaders of member countries on a rotational basis. The summit is an informal gathering that lasts two days, in which leaders of member countries discuss a wide range of global issues.
The G-7 does not have a formal constitution or a fixed headquarters.
The decisions taken by leaders during annual summits are non-binding.
Timeline:
It is an intergovernmental organisation that was formed in 1975 by the top economies of the time as an informal forum to discuss pressing world issues.
Canada joined the group in 1976, and the European Union began attending in 1977.
The G-7 was known as the ‘G-8’ for several years after the original seven were joined by Russia in 1997. The Group returned to being called G-7 after Russia was expelled as a member in 2014 following the latter’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.
Important Info :
G-7 vs G-20?
The G-20 is a larger group of countries, which also includes G7 members.The G-20 was formed in 1999, in response to a felt need to bring more countries on board to address global economic concerns.Apart from the G-7 countries, the G-20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey.Together, the G-20 countries make up around 80% of the world’s economy. As opposed to the G-7, which discusses a broad range of issues, deliberations at the G-20 are confined to those concerning the global economy and financial markets.
Source : Indian Express (International Relations)
The Third World Bicycle Day is being observed on 3 June 2020
About:
In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as International World Bicycle Day.
It recognizes "the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the Bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport."
World Bicycle Day is now being associated with promoting a healthy lifestyle for those with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Source : United Nations (International Relations)
Seeking to assign blame for the protests that have convulsed cities across the country, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S. would designate Antifa a terrorist organisation
About:
History: Antifa has been around for several decades, with some dating it as far back as Nazi Germany.
Etymology: Antifa is borrowed from German Antifa, short for antifaschistisch ‘anti-fascist’, in Antifaschistische Aktion (multiparty front initiated by the German Communist Party in 1932 to counter Nazism) and in other collocations.
Global presence: While the movement has had a presence in several European countries and has now come into focus in the United States following the election of President Trump in 2016, with violence marking some of its protests and demonstrations.
Membership: Antifa does not have a formal organisational structure. It draws its members from other movements such as Black Lives Matter and the Occupy movement.
Functioning: Antifa members typically dress in black and often wear a mask at their demonstrations, and follow far-left ideologies such as anti-capitalism. They take up causes such as LGBTQ and indigenous rights. What makes them stand out is the violence.
Source : Indian Express (International Relations)
World Health Organisation (WHO) Funding - With President Donald Trump announcing that the US will be "terminating" its relationship with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is set to become the biggest funder of the organisation
About:
A private foundation becoming the biggest funder, and hence the biggest influence, on a United Nations agency would be a first.
In fact, though the WHO is meant to be a body accountable to its members countries, among the top 10 donors to the organisation only four are member countries and one is the European Commission. The rest are all non-state actors or philanthropies.
When the WHO was constituted, its constitution stipulated that it should primarily be financed through regular contributions from member countries, called "assessed contributions", relative to the country’s wealth and population.
Source : Times of India (International Relations)
Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers said that mandatory public procurement of chemicals and petrochemicals to boost manufacturing and production of goods and services will promote Make in India
About:
Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, DPIIT has recently revised the public procurement order to encourage Make in India initiative with an aim to enhance income and employment generation in the country.
subsequently, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals prescribed minimum 60 per cent for 2020-21, 70 per cent for 2021-23 and 80 per cent local content for 2023-25 respectively of local chemicals and petrochemical contents in public procurement.
Source : All India Radio (Economy)
An Expert Committees on Rationalisation of Film Media Units and Review of Autonomous Bodies submitted its report to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Committee was chaired by Bimal Julka
About:
The committee has found overlapping activities being undertaken by multiple institutes.
It has suggested an umbrella configuration with 4 broad verticals under which institutes should work. They are - Production, Festival, Heritage and Knowledge. It has recommended that these verticals be headed by professionals.
It has also recommended creation of Film Promotion Fund for independent filmmakers for making commercial films.
Source : All India Radio (Polity & Governance)
The country’s two power exchanges — Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and Power Exchange India (PXIL) — commenced real-time electricity market (RTM) on their platforms
About:
The RTM enables consumers, including distribution companies (discoms) and captive users, to buy power on exchanges just an hour before delivery.RTM will help consumers purchase electricity just an hour in advance.
With RTM, both sellers and buyers now get an opportunity to continuously manage their portfolio optimally through a transparent and efficient marketplace.
In December 2019, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) approved the framework for RTM trading by power exchanges. Till now, the exchanges had day-ahead, week-ahead, and season-ahead markets, as well as renewable energy certificates trading.
There are two energy exchanges in India -- IEX and PXIL -- where electricity is traded.
Source : Business Standard (Economy)
Scientists at multiple CSIR laboratories have identified a type of coronavirus that may be the second most prevalent in India, and may comprise 3.5% of the genomes globally
About:
The most dominant coronavirus clade in India is the A2a, and of 213 genomes analysed by the group, 62% of them were A2a.
The newly identified type, that the scientists have christened A3i, comprised 41% of those analysed. With this, there are 11 SARS-CoV-2 types identified globally, with at least six of them identified in India.
Important Info :
The coronavirus type, or clade, is a cluster of SARS-CoV-2 viruses that share evolutionary similarities.Such classifications are useful in establishing whether certain strains are particularly virulent, spread more easily, how they are likely to evolve over time and whether some could be less vulnerable to certain kinds of vaccines.
Source : The Hindu (Health)
Reports of a heavy Chinese presence at Depsang, an area at a crucial dip (called the Bulge) on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), have increased tensions between Indian and Chinese troops
About:
The Depsang Plains are located at the Line of Actual Control (in the Western Sector) that separates the Indian and Chinese controlled regions.
India controls the western portion of the plains as part of Ladakh, whereas the eastern portion is part of the Aksai Chin region, which is controlled by China and claimed by India.
In April 2013, the Chinese PLA troops set up a temporary camp in the Depsang Bulge, but later withdrew as a result of a diplomatic agreement with India.
Source : The Hindu (International Relations)
An agreement has been finalised between China and Pakistan to implement the Kohala hydroelectric power project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
About:
China under the multi-billion-dollar CPEC will set up the Kohala hydropower project, a 1,124-megawatt power project in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
A tripartite agreement has been finalised among China's Three Gorges Corporation, the authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) to implement this project under the CPEC framework.
The project will be built on the Jhelum River and aims at annually providing more than five billion units of clean and low-cost electricity for consumers in Pakistan.
India had protested Pakistan’s plans to build a dam in Gilgit-Baltistan, saying such projects in territories under Pakistan’s illegal occupation was not proper.
Important Info :
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)?
The 3,000-km-long CEPC is aimed at connecting China and Pakistan with rail, road, pipelines and optical cable fiber networks.It connects China's Xinjiang province with Pakistan Gwadar port, providing access to China to the Arabian Sea. The CPEC passes through PoK, over which India has conveyed its protests to China.
Source : Economic Times (International Relations)
Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) downgraded the Government of India’s foreign-currency and local-currency long-term issuer ratings to “Baa3” from “Baa2”. It stated that the outlook remained “negative”
About:
The latest downgrade reduces India to the lowest investment grade of ratings.
The negative outlook reflects dominant, mutually-reinforcing, downside risks from deeper stresses in the economy and financial system that could lead to a more severe and prolonged erosion in fiscal strength than Moody’s currently projects”.
In other words, a “negative” implies India could be rated down further.
Reason for this downgrade
There are four main reasons why Moody’s has taken the decision.
Weak implementation of economic reforms since 2017
Relatively low economic growth over a sustained period
A significant deterioration in the fiscal position of governments (central and state)
And the rising stress in India’s financial sector
Important Info :
Implications of this downgrade
A rating downgrade means that bonds issued by the Indian governments are now “riskier” than before, because weaker economic growth and worsening fiscal health undermine a government’s ability to pay back.Lower risk is better because it allows governments and companies of that country to raise debts at a lower rate of interest.When India’s sovereign rating is downgraded, it becomes costlier for the Indian government as well as all Indian companies to raise funds because now the world sees such debt as a riskier proposition.
Source : Indian Express (Economy)
The World Bank released its Global Economic Prospects (GEP) June 2020 report
Key highlights of the report:
The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have “severe” short and long-term effects on economic growth.
Current estimates show that 60 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty in 2020. These estimates are likely to rise further.
EMDEs (Emerging Market and Developing Economies) are especially vulnerable. These countries are expected to have a 3-8% output loss in the short term.
Important Info :
The Global Economic Prospects (GEP) is the World Bank’s semi-annual flagship publication on the state of the world economy.
Source : The Hindu (Economy)
The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is being observed on 4 June
About:
The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is annually observed by United Nations on 4 June.
It was established in 1982 in the background of victims of the 1982 Lebanon War.
The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse. This day affirms the UN's commitment to protect the rights of children.
Its work is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history.
Source : United Nations (International Relations)
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing the MoU between the Government of India and Bhutan on Cooperation in the areas of Environment
About:
The MoU will cover the following areas of environment: (1) Air; (2) Waste; (3) Chemical Management; (4) Climate Change; and () Any other areas jointly decided upon.
This MoU shall enter into force on the date of signature and shall continue to remain in force for a period of ten years.
It will facilitate exchange of best practices and technical knowhow through both public and private sectors and shall contribute to sustainable development. It provides the possibility for joint projects in areas of mutual interest. However, no significant employment generation is envisaged.
Important Info :
Background:
A MoU was signed between the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment, India and the National Environment Commission (NEC) of Bhutan in 2013.This MoU expired in 2016. Noting the benefits of the earlier MoU, both sides have decided to continue cooperation and collaboration in the field of Environment.
Source : PIB (Enivornment )
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for setting up of an “Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) and Project Development Cells (PDCs) in Ministries/Departments of Government of Indiafor attracting investments in India”
Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS)
Objective of EGoS: To provide investment support to global investors by bringing synergies and ensure timely clearances from different departments and Ministries.
Composition of EGoS:Cabinet Secretary (Chairperson);
Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (Member Convenor)
CEO, Niti Aayog (Member); Secretary, Department of Commerce (Member), Secretary, Department of Revenue (Member), Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (Member); Secretary of Department concerned (to be co-opted).
Project Development Cell (PDC)
A ‘Project Development Cell’ (PDC) is also approved for the development of investible projects in coordination between the Central Government and State Governments and thereby grow the pipeline of investible projects in India and in turn increase FDI inflows.
Under the guidance of the Secretary, an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary of each relevant central line Ministry, who will be in-charge of the PDC will be tasked to conceptualize, implement, and disseminate details with respect to investable projects.
Source : The Hindu (Economy)
Union Cabinet has given its approval to re-establish Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) as Subordinate Office under Ministry of AYUSH
About:
This is being done by merging into it the Pharmacopoeia Laboratory for Indian Medicine (PLIM) and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory (HPL) – the two central laboratories established at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh since 1975.
Presently, Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) is an autonomous body under the aegis of Ministry of AYUSH established since 2010.
The merger is aimed at optimising the use of resources of the three organizations for enhancing the standardisation outcomes of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs towards their effective regulation and quality control.
It is also intended to accord legal status to the merged structure of PCIM&H and its laboratory by virtue of making amendments in the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1945.
Source : PIB (Health)
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29-05-2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis
EK BHARAT SHRESHTHA BHARAT PROGRAMME
Union Ministry of HRD has decided to take forward the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) programme by using innovative ways in view of the prevailing conditions of COVID 19.
During the recent meeting, following was decided:
To move towards digital mediums for the carrying on the activities under EBSB by each participating Ministry/ Department. To organise webinars on Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat themes for their wide dissemination.
To have a common repository for the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat digital resources that can be used by every Ministry. This repository may be hosted on a common portal.
Important Info :
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) programme?
Origin: The programme was announced by the Prime Minister in 2015 on the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Subsequently, the initiative was announced in the Union Budget for 2016-17.Objective: To promote engagement and thereby understanding amongst the people of different states/UTs to ensure ensure a stronger united India.The Ministry of Human Resource Development has been designated Nodal Ministry for co-ordination of the programme.
Source : PIB ( Education )
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DELIMITATION COMMISSION
Lok Sabha Speaker has nominated the Associate Members of Delimitation Commission for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir along with Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur under Article 5 of the Delimitation Act, 2002.
About:
The members nominated in J&K are MoS PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh and Members of Parliament, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Hasnain Masoodi and Jugal Kishore Sharma.
Jammu and Kashmir at present has no legislative assembly as it is a Union Territory with a provision of a legislature.
Members of Parliament and legislative assemblies of states, for which the Delimitation Commission is set up, are drawn in as associate members to assist the panel in its task.
The commission will delimit the constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019.According to section 60 of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall be increased from 107 to 114.
Source : All India Radio ( Polity & Governance )
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FINANCIAL STABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (FSDC)
Union Finance Minister chaired the 22nd Meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) to review the current global and domestic macro-economic situation, financial stability and vulnerabilities issues etc.
About:
Background: It was setup in 2010 by Indian Government as an executive body. It replaced the High Level Coordination Committee on Financial Markets (HLCCFM). The idea to create such a super regulatory body was first mooted by the Raghuram Rajan Committee in 2008.
Status: FSDC is not a statutory body. No funds are separately allocated to the council for undertaking its activities.
Objective: Its objectives are to strengthen and institutionalize the mechanism for maintaining financial stability and Enhancing inter-regulatory coordination.
Composition: It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister of India. The other 12 members areGovernor, RBI,
Chairman, SEBI,
Chairman, IRDA,
Chairman, PFRDA,
Minister of state responsible for the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA),
Secretary of Department of Electronics and Information Technology’,
Revenue secretary,
Finance Secretary and/or Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs;
Secretary, Department of Financial Services;
Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs,
Chief Economic Adviser and
Chairperson of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
Sub-committee of FSDC: A sub-committee of FSDC has also been set up under the chairmanship of Governor RBI. It discusses and decides on a range of issues relating to financial sector development and stability including substantive issues relating to inter-regulatory coordination.
Source : LiveMint ( Economy )
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WHO FOUNDATION
World Health Organization Director General announced the creation of the ‘WHO Foundation’ that will enable it to tap new sources of funding, including the general public.
About:
The WHO Foundation is an independent grant-making foundation that will support WHO efforts to address the most pressing global health challenges by raising new funding from "non-traditional sources".
By funding high-impact initiatives and advancing strategies of innovation, effectiveness, and rapid response, it will support the global health ecosystem.
It is Headquartered in Geneva.
The foundation is legally independent from the WHO. It is established under the laws of Switzerland.
Source : Times of India ( International )
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CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF PETROCHEMICALS ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (CIPET)
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET) has been renamed as Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET).
About:
The changed name has been registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975.
According to government, with changed name, now CIPET will be in a position to fully devote itself for the growth of entire petrochemical sector.
Important Info :
CIPET is a premier national institution under the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.It was established in 1968 by Government of India with the assistance of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at Chennai.
Source : DD News ( Science & Technology )
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INSTANT PAN THROUGH AADHAAR BASED E-KYC
The Union Finance Minister formally launched a facility for instant allotment of online PAN (permanent account number) card (on near to real time basis) on furnishing of Aadhaar details.
About:
This facility is now available for those PAN applicants who possess a valid Aadhaar number and have a mobile number registered with Aadhaar. The allotment process is paperless and an electronic PAN (e-PAN) is issued to the applicants free of cost.
In the Union Budget, 2020, Finance Minister had announced that in order to ease the process of allotment of PAN, she will soon launch a system under which PAN shall be instantly allotted online on the basis of Aadhaar without any requirement for filling up of detailed application form.”
Important Info :
Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a ten-digit alphanumeric number issued by the Income Tax Department.PAN enables the department to link all transactions of the "person" with the department. These transactions include tax payments, TDS/TCS credits, returns of income, specified transactions, correspondence, and so on. PAN, thus, acts as an identifier for the "person" with the tax department.It is mandatory to quote PAN on return of income, all correspondence with any income tax authority. From 1 January 2005 it has become mandatory to quote PAN on challans for any payments due to Income Tax Department.
Source : Times of India ( Economy )
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UNITED NATIONS “MILITARY GENDER ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD”
Women peacekeepers from India and Brazil – Major Suman Gawani of the Indian Army, a Military Observer formerly deployed with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo, a Brazilian Naval officer – have jointly won the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year 2019 Award.
About:
For the first time, two peacekeepers will receive the award jointly for their contribution to this important cause.
They received the award on the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers (observed on May 29).
Important Info :
The United Nations “Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award” was created in 2016.It recognizes the dedication and effort of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in a peace operation context.
Source : All India Radio ( Awards )
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LARRY KRAMER
Larry Kramer, an author, playwright and film producer who helped shape U.S. healthcare policy with his early advocacy of a national response to AIDS when it first emerged in the 1980s, died at the age of 84.
About:
Laurence David Kramer (1935 – 2020) was an American playwright, author, film producer, public health advocate, and LGBT rights activist.
He co-founded the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), which has become the world's largest private organization assisting people living with AIDS.
His political activism continued with the founding of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in 1987, an influential direct action protest organization with the aim of gaining more public action to fight the AIDS crisis.
Kramer, whose works include the award-winning 1985 play, “The Normal Heart,” established himself as a fierce advocate for LGBTQ rights as the gay community, including many of his friends, became afflicted with AIDS, a newly emergent disease in the 1980s.
According to UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, “His contribution to the global AIDS response was invaluable.”
Source : News18 ( Person In News )
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CHARRU MUSSEL
An invasive mussel native to the South and Central American coasts is spreading quickly in the backwaters of Kerala, elbowing out other mussel and clam species and threatening the livelihoods of fishermen engaged in molluscan fisheries.
About:
The rapid spread of the Charru mussel (Mytella strigata) in Kerala may have been triggered by Cyclone Ockhi which struck the region in 2017.
Externally, the Charru mussel resembles the green and brown mussels (kallummekkaya in Malayalam), but is much smaller in size. Its colour varies from black to brown, purple or dark green.
It has replaced the Asian green mussel (Perna viridis) and the edible oyster Magallana bilineata (known locally as muringa) backwaters of Kerala
In Ashtamudi Lake, the Charru mussel had established breeding populations in 2018 and 2019, acquiring the moniker ‘varathan kakka’ (alien mollusc).
Important Info :
The term mussel is used for several families of bivalve mollusks inhabiting lakes, rivers, and creeks, as well as intertidal areas along coastlines worldwide. The mussel's external shell is composed of two valves that protect it from predators and desiccation.
Source : The Hindu ( Environment )
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HERBAL ROADS PROJECT
Uttar Pradesh government will develop 800 km roads as Herbal roads in the state.
About:
These herbal roads will have medicinal and herbal trees – like Peepal, Neem, Sehjan along with other herb varieties like Brahmi, Ashvagandha and Jatrofa – along with the land on their both sides.
These plants will provide raw material for the medicines and will also help in curbing the erosion of land.
These 800 kilometer roads will be along national and state highways passing through state and the herbal garden along with them will keep air-borne, bacterial and other diseases at bay.
Source : All India Radio ( Environment )
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27-05-2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis
CHARDHAM PARIYOJANA
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways inaugurated the breakthrough event of Chamba Tunnel under Chardham Pariyojana.
About:
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) achieved this major milestone by digging up a 440 m long Tunnel below the busy Chamba town on Rishikesh-Dharasu road Highway (NH 94).
Opening of this tunnel will ease out congestion though the Chamba town and reduce the distance by one kilometre. This Project will be completed by October 2020.
Under prestigious Chardham Project costing around Rs 12,000 Crore with approximate length of 889 Km, BRO is constructing 250 Km of National Highways leading to holy shrine Gangotri and Badrinath.
Source : DD News ( Geography )
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APOE
A new study has found a link between the severity of Covid-19 and a gene linked to dementia. Having a faulty gene linked to dementia doubles the risk of developing severe COVID-19.
About:
The gene is called APOE, and exists in a different forms, one of which is termed e4e4.
The team found that people with the APOE e4e4 genotype were at double the risk of developing severe Covid-19, compared to those with the common e3e3 form of the APOE gene.
Important Info :
APOE (Apolipoprotein E) is a Protein Coding gene.APOE transports lipids, fat-soluble vitamins, and cholesterol into the lymph system and then into the blood.It is implicated in Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease.
Source : Indian Express (Health)
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AROGYA SETU
The source code of Aarogya Setu App has now been made open source. Opening of the source code upto the developer community signifies Government of India's commitment to Transparency Principle.
About:
On 2nd April 2020, India launched Aarogya Setu mobile App for helping augment the efforts of limiting the spread of COVID19, with an objective of enabling Bluetooth based contact tracing, mapping of likely hotspots and dissemination of relevant information about COVID19.
The App has over 114 million users as on 26th May, which is more than any other Contact Tracing App in the world.
The App is available in 12 languages and on Android, iOS and KaiOS platforms.
Source : All India Radio ( Health )
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‘FAITH’ TRIALS
With the number of COVID-19 patients rising in India, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. will conduct ‘FAITH’ trials to test combined efficacy of two antiviral drugs — Favipiravir and Umifenovir — as potential COVID-19 treatment strategy.
About:
The two antiviral drugs have different mechanisms of action, and their combination may demonstrate improved treatment efficacy by effectively tackling high viral loads in patients during early stages of the disease.
The new combination clinical trial will be called FAITH – (FA vipiravir plus Um I fenovir (efficacy and safety) Trial in Indian Hospital setting).
As many as 158 hospitalised patients of moderate COVID-19 infection will be enrolled in the combination study and randomised in two groups.
Source : The Hindu ( Health )
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REC LIMITED
REC Foundation, the CSR arm of REC Limited, has partnered with TajSATS (a joint venture of IHCL and SATS Ltd) to distribute specially-made nutritious meal packets for medical staff in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
About:
REC Limited is a central PSU under Ministry of Power and one of India’s largest power financiers.
REC Limited (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited) is a Navratna NBFC focusing on Power Sector Financing and Development across India.
it was established in 1969.
It provides financial assistance across the power-sector value chain. Apart from this, REC is also the nodal agency for Govt. of India flagship schemes in the Power sector like Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Saubhagya, etc.
Source : DD News ( Economy )
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HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECTS IN MADHYA PRADESH
Power Finance Corporation (PFC) entered into an agreement with Narmada Basin Projects Company Ltd. (NBPCL) to fund projects worth Rs.22,000 crore for 225 MW hydro-electric projects & multipurpose projects in the State of Madhya Pradesh.
About:
The funds will be deployed by NBPCL for setting up hydroelectric projects of 225 MW and power components of 12 major multipurpose projects in Madhya Pradesh.
The MoU will help PFC to actively partner with NBPCL and provide finance for hydro-electric plants totaling 225 MW along with power components of multipurpose projects as part of state government’s endeavor to implement twelve major multipurpose projects.
Some of the major multipurpose projects that will be financed under the MoU are Basaniya Multipurpose Project Dindori, Chinki Boras Multipurpose Project Narsinghpur Raisen Hoshangabad, Sakkar Pench Link Narsinghpur Chhindwara, Dudhi Project Chhindwara Hoshangabad, etc.
Important Info :
Power Finance Corporation (PFC) is the central PSU under Ministry of Power and India's leading NBFC.Narmada Basin Projects Company Ltd. (NBPCL) is a wholly-owned company of Govt. of Madhya Pradesh.
Source : LiveMint ( Economy )
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RAMKINKAR BAIJ
Ministry of Culture’s National Gallery of Modern Art organised a virtual tour titled “Ramkinkar Baij | Journey through silent transformation and expressions” to commemorate the 115th Birth Anniversary of Ramkinkar Baij.
About:
Ramkinkar Baij (1906-1980), one of the most seminal artists of modern India, was an iconic sculptor, painter and graphic artist.
He was born in Bankura, West Bengal. In 1925, he made his way to Kala Bhavana, the art school at Santiniketan and was under the guidance of Nandalal Bose.
He along with Nandalal Bose and Benodebehari Mukherjee played a pivotal role in making Santiniketan one of the most important centres for modern art in pre-Independent India.
In 1970, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan. In 1976 he was made a Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi.
Source : PIB ( Culture )
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NGC 3895
NASA's Hubble telescope released an image of a spiral galaxy, NGC 3895, that, in colour and shape, resembles a coffee made by a barista.
About:
The galaxy's existence was known earlier as well and it has been captured by the telescope in the past as well. However, the current image is trending online for its aesthetic beauty.
The Hubble Space Telescope released the image under the title "One Large Stellar Latte To Go".
The galaxy, located at a distance of over 161 million light-years, is a part of Ursa Major.
It was discovered by German-born British astronomer William Herschel on March 18, 1790.
The galaxy has a diameter of approximately 45,000 light-years.
Source : Times of India ( Science & Technology )
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TIANWEN-1
In July, China will launch its first Mars mission, the ‘Tianwen-1’, which is expected to land on the Red Planet’s surface in the first quarter of 2021.
About:
Tianwen-1, an all-in-one orbiter, lander and rover will search the Martian surface for water, ice, investigate soil characteristics, and study the atmosphere, among completing other objectives.
The Tianwen-1 mission will lift off on a Long March 5 rocket. The success of the mission will make China the third country to achieve a Mars landing after the USSR and the United States.
The Chinese mission is expected to take off in late July, around the same time when NASA is launching its own Mars mission– the ambitious ‘Perseverance’ which aims to collect Martian samples and bring them back to Earth in a two-part campaign.
Important Info :
Previous Mars missions?
The USSR in 1971 became the first country to carry out a Mars landing– its ‘Mars 3’ lander being able to transmit data for 20 seconds from the Martian surface before failing.The second country to reach Mars’s surface, the US, holds the record for the most number of Mars landings. Since 1976, it has achieved 8 successful Mars landings, the latest being the ‘InSight’ in 2019 (launched in 2018).India and the European Space Agency have been able to place their spacecraft in Mars’s orbit. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or ‘Mangalyaan’ was able to do so in September 2014, almost a year after its launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh.
Source : Indian Express ( Science & Technology )
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KHEER BHAWANI MELA
In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Annual Kheer Bhawani Mela on 30th May this year in Tulmulla village of Ganderbal district has been cancelled by the Dharmarth Trust of Jammu and Kashmir because of outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic.
About:
Ragyna Devi Temple in Tulmulla Ganderbal village, near Srinagar (J&K) is popularly known as "Mata Kheer Bhawani temple"
Deity: The temple is dedicated to the Goddess kheer Bhawani. The deity is also called as Maharagya Devi, Ragnya Devi, Rajni, Ragnya Bhagwati. The term kheerrefers to rice pudding that is offered in the spring located in the temple to Please the Goddess.
This is the most important temple for Kashmiri Pandits.
Mela Kheer Bhawani: It is an Annual Festival during which the devotees of the Goddess Mata Kheer Bhawani fast and gather here on the day of "Zeshta Ashtami," the eighth day of the full moon in the month of May/ June when, according to belief, the Goddess changes the colour of the spring's waters.
Source : All India Radio ( Culture )
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20-05-2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis
Govt to further revise criteria for classifying 'medium' enterprises under MSME definition: Gadkari
Days after changing the definition of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the government has decided to further revise the criteria for medium units by enhancing the investment and turnover limits to up to ₹50 crore and ₹200 crore respectively.
About:
As per the revised definition, any firm with investment up to ₹1 crore and turnover under ₹5 crore will be classified as “micro”.
A company with investment up to ₹10 crore and turnover up to ₹50 crore will be classified as “small” and a firm with investment up to ₹20 crore and turnover under ₹100 crore will be classified as “medium”.
The previous criteria for classifying enterprises in the “medium” category was investment up to ₹10 crore and turnover of up to ₹5 crore.
Source : The Hindu ( Economy )
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Govt launches National Test Abhyas mobile app for candidates to take mock tests for JEE Main and NEET
Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister launched a new mobile app called the ‘National Test Abhyas'.
About:
The AI-powered mobile App has been developed by National Testing Agency (NTA) to enable candidates to take mock tests for upcoming exams such as JEE Main, NEET under the NTA’s purview.
The app has been launched to facilitate candidates’ access to high quality mock tests in their homes since there was a demand for making up the loss to students due to closure of educational institutions and NTA’s Test-Practice Centers (TPCs) due to the continuing lockdown.
Source : PIB ( Education )
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mRNA-1273
US stock markets went soaring on the back of promising results from mRNA-1273 vaccine against novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) developed by US pharmaceutical company Moderna.
About:
mRNA-1273 is the working name of Moderna’s vaccine, which is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials under the aegis of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
The mRNA in the name means messenger RNA, which carries the genetic formula for the coding of a specific protein.
In this vaccine, the particular mRNA used codes for the most distinguishing feature of the SARS-CoV2 — the spike protein — which is also the appendage that the virus uses to enter the cell and replicate.
The vaccine, when injected into a person, codes for the spike protein. Thus even without the introduction of an attenuated (recognisable but not harmful) virus into the body, the body learns what the virus looks like and arms itself with the antibodies that are required to act against it.
Source : Indian Express ( Health )
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India resumes purchase of Malaysian palm oil: Report
Indian buyers have resumed purchases of Malaysian palm oil after a four-month gap following a diplomatic row, with buying spurred by a fall in domestic inventories and discounted prices.
About:
The renewed purchases come amid improving trade relations between the two countries after the formation of a new government in Kuala Lumpur, with Malaysia signing a deal last week to buy a record 100,000 tonnes of Indian rice.
Leading Indian importers last week contracted up to 200,000 tonnes of crude palm oil from Malaysia, the world’s No.2 producer after Indonesia, to be shipped in June and July.
A restart to buying by India, the world’s biggest edible oil importer, could further support Malaysian palm oil prices.
India buys more than 9 million tonnes of palm oil a year, accounting for nearly two-thirds of its total edible oil imports, and took a record 4.4 million tonnes of Malaysian palm oil in 2019.
Source : Times of India ( Economy )
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EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND (EPF)
Government has notified cut in Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contribution to 10% for May, June, July.
About:
The Centre has notified the reduction in statutory rate of contributions from 12 per cent to 10 per cent for wage months period from May to July, 2020 for all class of establishments covered under the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 .
Reduction in rate of EPF contributions from 12 per cent to 10 percent of basic wages and Dearness allowances is intended to benefit both 4.3 Crore employees. As a result of reduction in statutory rate of contributions, the employee will have a higher take home pay.
Important Info :
Exemptions?
This reduction of rate of contribution is not applicable to establishments like Central and State Public Sector enterprises or any other establishment owned or controlled by or under control of the Central or State Government.The reduced rate is also not applicable for Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana-PMGKY beneficiaries.
Source : All India Radio ( Economy )
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WAG12
The Indian Railways has operationalised its first 12,000 hp electric locomotive manufactured locally by French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom. The loco is named WAG12 with Number 60027.
About:
The locomotive made its maiden commercial run between Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Station to Shivpur.
India became the sixth country in the world to join the club of countries producing high horsepower locomotive indigenously.
It has been manufactured at the Madhepura Electric Locomotive Pvt. Ltd. (MELPL), in Bihar, which is a joint venture between the French major and the Indian railways holding an equity share of 74% and 26% respectively. The joint venture remains the largest Foreign Direct Investment in the railways sector.
Entry of WAG 12B (e-loco) into the Indian Railways fleet will allow faster and safer movement of heavier freight trains capable to haul around 6000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 kmph.
It is the first time, high horse power locomotive has been operationalised on broad gauge track in the world.
Source : Economic Times ( Economy )
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73rd WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health participated in the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) through Video Conference.
About:
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of World Health Organization (WHO).
It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.
The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget.
The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.
Important Info :
At the assembly, more than 100 countries including India backed a resolution drafted by the European Union calling for an independent inquiry into the pandemic, which has claimed more than 3 lakh lives globally so far.
Source : PIB ( International )
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WORLD BEE DAY 2020
World Bee Day 2020 is being celebated on May 20 under the theme “Save the Bees.”
About:
To raise awareness of the importance of Bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day.
Why 20 May? 20 May coincides with the birthday of Anton Janša, who in the 18th century pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in his native Slovenia and praised the bees for their ability to work so hard, while needing so little attention.
Important Info :
Recognizing the dimensions of the pollination crisis and its links to biodiversity and human livelihoods, the Convention on Biological Diversity has made the conservation and sustainable use of pollinators a priority.In 2000, the International Pollinator Initiative (IPI) was established at the Fifth Conference of Parties (COP V) as a cross-cutting initiative to promote the sustainable use of pollinators in agriculture and related ecosystems.
Source : United Nations ( Environment )
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NEPAL-INDIA BORDER DISPUTE
The Nepal government has decided it will release a new, updated political map which will include the disputed areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as part of Nepali territory.
About:
This comes after the Indian defence ministry recently inaugurated a link road to the China border that passes through Lipulekh. The Kalapani territory is an area under Indian administration as part of Pithoragarh district in the Uttarakhand state.
Following the road inauguration, the Nepal government released a press note stating that the eastern area from Mahakali River belongs to Nepal as per the Sugauli Treaty, 1816.
But the Indian government said that it had constructed the road in its own territory. A few days later, the Indian Army chief General M.M. Naravane accused Nepal of acting ‘at the behest of someone else,’ a thinly veiled reference to China.
Source : The Wire ( International )
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SOLAR MINIMUM
The sun is said to have gone into a state called the 'solar minimum' and is about to enter the deepest period of 'sunshine recession' as sunspots are virtually not visibly at all. Some reports suggest that it has been almost 100 days this year when the sun has shown zero sunspots.
About:
Sun has a cycle that lasts on average 11 years, and right now we are at the peak of that cycle.
Every 11 years or so, sunspots fade away, bringing a period of relative calm. This is called the solar minimum. And it’s a regular part of the sunspot cycle.
While intense activity such as sunspots and solar flares subside during solar minimum, that doesn’t mean the sun becomes dull. Solar activity simply changes form. For instance, during solar minimum we can see the development of long-lived coronal holes.
This may cause health risks to astronauts travelling through space as "the sun’s magnetic field weakens and provides less shielding from these cosmic rays.
Source : Times Now ( Science & Technology )
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15-05-2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis
Haryana: National Institute of Technology-Kurukshetra implements ERP ‘SAMARTH’
NIT Kurukshetra has implemented Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP), SAMARTH to enhance productivity through better information management and automating the process in the institute.
About:
SAMARTH, an e-Governance platform, is an Open Standard Open Source Architecture Automation Engine for Universities and Higher Educational Institutions. It caters to faculty, students and staff at a University/Higher Educational Institutions.
It has been developed under National Mission of Education in Information and Communication Technology Scheme (NMEICT) of Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD).
This initiative will enhance the productivity through better information management in the institutes by seamless access to information, and its utilization for various purposes.
Source : PIB ( Education )
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Govt introduces Interest subvention on Working Capital Loans for Dairy sector
Union Government has introduced a new scheme of Interest Subvention on Working Capital Loans for Dairy sector for supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities for implementation during 2020-21.
About:
Interest subvention will be given to Cooperatives and Farmer owned milk producer companies on working capital loan taken from banks and financial institutions between 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021 for conversion of milk into conserved commodities and other milk products.
The scheme has made provisions for providing interest subvention of 2% per annum, with an additional incentive of 2% per annum interest subvention to be given in case of prompt and timely repayment/interest servicing.
The modified scheme envisages a budgetary provision of 100 crore rupees earmarked for the component Interest Subvention on Working Capital Loans for Dairy sector during 2020-21.
The scheme will be implemented by this Department of Animal Husbandry through National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Anand.
Benefits: The scheme will help in providing stable market access to milk producers. This will help to ease out the working capital crisis for handling surplus milk and enable timely payment to the farmers.
Source : All India Radio ( Economy )
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Patent filed for low cost Personal Protective Equipment by Navy
In a major step towards rapid mass production of the Medical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) developed by the Indian Navy, a patent has been successfully filed by the Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell (IPFC) of Ministry of Defence, in association with National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), of Ministry of Science & Technology.
About:
The low cost PPE has been developed by a Doctor of Indian Navy, posted at the recently created Innovation Cell at Institute of Naval Medicine (INM), Mumbai.
The PPE developed by the Navy is made of a special fabric which affords high level of protection along with high ‘breathability’ as against other PPEs.
The team of Innovators from Navy is working in close coordination with IPFC which was set up under Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti (which was launched in 2018).
Source : DD News ( Science & Technology )
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FM Nirmala Sitharaman announces second tranche of economic stimulus for farmers, migrant workers, traders under Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
Union Finance Minister announced short-term and long-term measures under Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India Movement) for supporting the poor, including migrants, farmers, tiny businesses and street vendors.
Measures announced:
Free food grains will be supplied to all Migrant labourers for 2 months i.e. May and June, 2020.
Technology system to be used enable Migrants to access PDS (Ration) from any Fair Price Shops in India so as to achieve 100% National portability by March, 2021 under One Nation one Ration Card scheme.
Central Government will launch a scheme for migrant workers and urban poor to provide ease of living at affordable rent.
Government of India will provide Interest subvention of 2% for prompt payees for a period of 12 months to MUDRA Shishu loanees, who have loans below Rs 50,000.The current portfolio of MUDRA Shishu loans is around Rs 1.62 Lakh crore.
A special scheme will be launched within a month to facilitate easy access to credit to Street vendors. 50 lakh street vendors will be benefitted under this scheme and credit of Rs. 5,000 crore would flow to them.
Rs 70,000 crore boost is given to housing sector and middle income group (MIG) through extension of Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for MIG under PMAY(Urban) up to March 2021.
6,000 crore of funds under Compensatory Afforestation Management & Planning Authority (CAMPA) will be used for Afforestation and Plantation works, including in urban areas. This will create job opportunities.
NABARD will extend additional re-finance support of Rs 30,000 crore for meeting crop loan requirement of Rural Cooperative Banks and RRBs. This refinance will be front-loaded and available on tap.
A special drive to be conducted to provide concessional credit to PM-KISAN beneficiaries through Kisan Credit Cards. Fisherman and Animal Husbandry Farmers will also be included. This will inject additional liquidity of Rs 2 lakh crore in the farm sector.
Source : LiveMint ( Economy )
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COBAS 6800
Union Health Minister dedicated the COBAS 6800 testing machine to the nation.
About:
COBAS 6800 is for performing real time PCR testing COVID-19. COBAS 6800 can also detect other pathogens like Viral Hepatitis B & C, HIV, MTb (both rifampicin and isoniazide resistance), Papilloma, CMV, Chlamydia, Neiserreia etc.
COBAS 6800 will provide quality, high-volume testing with a high throughput of test around 1200 samples in 24 hours. It will largely increase the testing capacity with reduction in pendency.
This is the first such testing machine that has been procured by the Government for testing of COVID-19 cases and is installed at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi. As the machine requires a minimum BSL2+ containment level for testing, it cannot be placed at just any facility.
Source : PIB ( Health )
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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILIES 2020
The International Day of Families 2020 is being observed on 15th of May with the theme “Families in Development: Copenhagen & Beijing+25.”
About:
Objective of the day: To promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting them.
Day of observance: 15th of May every year.
History: The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993.
Important Info :
This year is the 25th anniversary of Copenhagen Declaration and Beijing Platform for Action.At the World Summit for Social Development held at Copenhagen in 1995, Governments reached a new consensus on the need to put people at the centre of development and adopted the Copenhagen Declaration.The Beijing Declaration was a resolution adopted by the UN at the end of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing. The resolution adopted to promulgate a set of principles concerning the equality of men and women.
Source : United Nations ( Social Issues )
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‘Integrated Battle Groups will soon be operational’
Army chief Gen. Manoj Naravane announced that the Army’s new concept of agile Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) as part of the overall force transformation will be operationalised very soon.
About:
The IBGs are brigade sized agile self-sufficient combat formations which, can swiftly launch strikes against adversary. They will be able to mobilise within 12-48 hours based on the location.
Each IBG would be tailor made based on Threat, Terrain and Task and resources will be allotted based on the three Ts.
The Army has extensively “test bedded” the IBGs to fine-tune the concept.
Source : The Hindu ( Defence & Security )
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Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products
Union Home Ministry has decided that all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will now sell only indigenous products. This will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country from 1st June 2020. With this decision, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products.
About:
Article 355 of the Constitution of India assigns the Central Government the responsibility of protecting every part of India from external aggression and internal disturbances.
Under items 1 to 2A of List I (Union List) of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, the deployment of naval, military & air forces; and any other armed forces of Union are vested in the Central Government.
To fulfil its constitutional responsibilities, the Central Government has raised seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). These areFour Border Guarding Forces (BFGs): Assam Rifles (AR), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Border Security Force (BSF).
Three Non-Border Guarding CAPFs used for internal security: Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and National Security Guard (NSG).
Source : All India Radio ( Defence & Security )
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NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (NDMA)
In the wake of the gas leak at a factory in Visakhapatnam, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued detailed guidelines for restarting industries after the lockdown and the precautions to be taken for the safety of the plants as well as the workers.
About NDMA:
Parent body: Ministry of Home Affairs.
Primary Objective: To coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response.
Origin: NDMA was established through the Disaster Management Act enacted in 2005.
HQ: Delhi.
Organisation setup: The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairperson of the NDMA, who chairs a 9-member board. The day-to-day management of the agency is overseen by the office of the Vice Chair.
Important Info :
Functions:
It is responsible for framing policies, laying down guidelines and best-practices and coordinating with the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) to ensure a holistic and distributed approach to disaster management.It collaborates with the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy to impart training to administration and police officers in planning and incident response.It monitors and develops guidelines for the local Firefighting Services across the country.It collaborates with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in developing emergency health and ambulance services.
Source : Economic Times ( Disaster Management )
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DIBANG MULTIPURPOSE PROJECT
The Forest Advisory Committee, the apex body of the Environment Ministry tasked with deciding whether forest land can be diverted for industrial projects, has once again deferred its decision on Dibang project in Arunachal Pradesh. The project has been delayed for over six years because it required diverting 1,165 hectares of forest in a region of rich biodiversity.
About:
Location: The Project is located on river Dibang, in Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal Pradesh.
Power Generation: The project shall generate 2880MW (12x240MW) power to produce 11223MU of energy in a 90% dependable year. This is the largest ever Hydro Electric Project to be constructed in India.
Type of dam: The project envisages construction of a Concrete Gravity Dam.
Height: The dam is 278 metres high and will be the highest dam in India once completed.
Source : The Hindu ( Geography )
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24-04-2020 Daily Current Affairs & News Analysis
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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MULTILATERALISM AND DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE
On April 24 2020, the second official International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace is being celebrated.
About:
Date of international observance: 24 April of every year.
Background: The International Day was officially approved on 12 December, 2018 by United Nations General Assembly through a resolution.
Objective: To disseminate the advantages of multilateralism and diplomacy for peace through educational and public awareness-raising activities.
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Facebook buys 9.99% stake in Reliance Jio for Rs 43,574 crore
Social media giant Facebook has picked up a 9.99 % stake in Reliance Industries’ Jio Platforms at Rs 43,574 crore ($5.7 billion) making it the largest FDI for minority investment in India.
About:
Jio Platforms is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited that works on digital apps, digital ecosystems and the mobile service.
The investment by Facebook put the value of Jio Platforms at Rs 4.62 lakh crore pre-money enterprise value — that is $65.95 billion at a conversion rate of Rs 70 to a Dollar. The first collaboration will happen around the Jio Mart.
Important Info :
Significance:
This brings one of the world’s largest Internet companies on the table with India’s largest telecom player.The $5.7-billion deal pushes the Indian conglomerate ahead in its plans of de-leveraging its balance sheet. in August 2019, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani had said the group had prepared a roadmap for becoming a zero net-debt company within 18 months.It not only marks Facebook’s long-pending formal entry into India’s telecom sector but also catapults it to a place among the biggest foreign investors in India’s technology space.The arrangement among Reliance Retail, Jio Platforms and Facebook-owned WhatsApp to offer consumers the ability to access the nearest kiranas, or grocery stores, by transacting with JioMart using WhatsApp, has come at a very opportune time.
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NOOR
Iran announced that it successfully launched Noor, the nation’s first military satellite.
About:
The satellite, dubbed “Noor” or light, was sent into orbit using a long-range rocket.
Such a launch raised concerns among experts on whether the technology used could help Iran develop intercontinental ballistic missiles. This is another move in the fight between U.S and Iran over the regime’s missile programs.
source: Indian Express (International Relations)
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National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF) boosts new varieties of Anthurium, a flower with high market value, by lady innovator from Kerala.
About:
Anthurium (Anthurium spp.) is a vast group of beautiful blooming plants available in a wide range of colors.
Salient features of the Anthurium varieties are: Large beautiful flowers; Different colors of spathe and spadix; Long stalks; Better shelf life and Good market value.
They are beautiful but also purify the surrounding air and remove harmful airborne chemicals like formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene, xylene, and allergens.
Due to Its importance of removing toxic substances from the air, NASA has placed it in the list of air purifier plants.
Important Info :
Recent Development:
Vasini Bai, a women innovator from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has developed ten varieties of Anthurium by cross-pollination. In 2017, she was awarded with the state award at the Ninth National Biennial competition organized by National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF).Now, NIF has facilitated mass multiplication and large scale production of these varieties.
Source : PIB (Environment)
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100% quota for tribal teachers: Supreme Court
A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held it unconstitutional to provide 100% reservation for tribal teachers in schools located in Scheduled Areas across the country.
Key highlights of the Judgement:
The court held that 100% reservation is discriminatory and impermissible. The opportunity of public employment is not the prerogative of few.
It is an obnoxious idea that tribals only should teach the tribals. When there are other local residents, why they cannot teach?
Merit cannot be denied in toto by providing reservation.
A 100% reservation to the Scheduled Tribes has deprived Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes also of their due representation.
The court also referred to the Indira Sawhney judgment, which caps reservation at 50%.
The government is “duty-bound” to periodically review the reservation process to ensure that the benefits “trickle down and are not usurped by” the affluent in these categories (OBCs and the SC/STs).
Important Info :
Background:
The case stemmed from a legal challenge to a order issued in 2000 by the Andhra Pradesh Bench providing 100% reservation to the Scheduled Tribe candidates, out of whom 33.1/3% shall be women, for the post of teachers in schools located in the Scheduled Areas of the State.
Source : The Hindu (Social Issues)
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NanoBlitz 3D & 4D
Scientists from International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) an autonomous institute under the Department of Science &Technology, has developed NanoBlitz 3D.
About:
NanoBlitz 3D is an advanced tool for mapping nano-mechanical properties of materials like multi-phase alloys, composites, and multi-layered coatings.
It enables the performance of a large array, typically consisting of 1000s high-speed nano-indentation tests, wherein each indentation tests takes less than one second to measure hardness and elastic modulus of a givenmaterial.
The high-speed mapping capabilities of the tool can also be used to quickly establish structure-property linkages at a micrometer length scale or higher, which can help to understand multiscale mechanics and aid in development of hierarchical materials.
This, in turn, expedites the development of high-performance novel materials under an Integrated Computational Material Engineering (ICME) approach.
Source : PIB (Science and Technology)
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KASOWAL BRIDGE
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has constructed and opened a new permanent bridge on the ‘Ravi River’ connecting Kasowal enclave in Punjab to the rest of the country.
About:
The 484-meter bridge was built by Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) of Project Chetak.
The enclave of around 35 square kilometres had hitherto been connected via pontoon bridge of limited load capacity which used to be dismantled every year prior to the Monsoon or else it would have got washed away in the strong currents of the river.
Source : PIB (Geography)
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Litchi has nothing to do with encephalitis:
Litchi farmers in Bihar anticipate huge losses due to the ongoing lockdown as the supply chain will be disrupted during the peak season.
About:
Litchi (Litchi chinensis) is a fruit belonging to Sapindaceae family.
The origin of litchi is from southern China. Litchi reached India through Myanmar and North East region during the 18th Century.
India is the second largest producer of litchi in the World after China.
Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand are major producers of Litchi in the country. Bihar, especially Muzaffarpur district, accounts for almost 40% of the total litchi production in the country.
The National Research Centre on Litchi (NRCL), located at Mushahari in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, is a premier national institute for conducting research and developments on litchi. It was established in 2001 by Ministry of Agriculture under the aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It started functioning from 2002.
Source : The Hindu (Economy)
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Centre, State can fix sugarcane price, says Supreme Court
A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that both the Central and State governments have the power to fix the price of sugarcane under the Concurrent List of the Constitution.
About:
However, the Bench said that even though a State cannot fix a “minimum price” if the Centre has already fixed it, the State is always welcome to fix the “advised price”.
The advised or remunerative price shall be higher than the minimum price in accordance with the provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, issued under Section 16 of the Uttar Pradesh Sugarcane (Regulation of Supply and Purchase) Act, 1953.
The case revolved around a petition by the Western Uttar Pradesh Sugar Mills Association questioning if the State had the power to fix a minimum price when a similar price had already been set by a Central legislation.
Source : The Hindu (Economy)
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Quality mangoes from Jagtial flood national markets
The prevailing lockdown has impacted the harvest and sale of Jagtial mangoes.
About:
The ‘Benishan’ or Banganapalli variety of Mangoes is widely grown in Jagtial district of Telangana.
Marketed as “Jagtial mango - Telangana” in Delhi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Gwalior and Srinagar, the mangoes are popular for their quality, taste and long shelf-life and hence are more in demand in the export market,
The Jagtial mangoes arrive late into the market after the first week of April, have less water content and more shelf-life and hence are more in demand in the export market.
Source : Times of India ( Economy)
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Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.
India gets its first national essential diagnostics list.
India has got its first National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) finalised by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which aims to bridge the current regulatory system’s gap that do not cover all the medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic device (IVD).
#BestiascoachingcentreinHyderabad#BestiascoachingcentreinBangalore#BestiascoachingcentreinPune#BestiascoachingcentreinTirupathi#IAS#Coaching#Hyderabad#Bangalore#Pune#Tirupathi#Pragnyaiasacademy#pragnya#BestcivilservicecoachingcentreinHyderabad#BestcivilservicecoachingcentreinBangalore#BestcivilservicecoachingcentreinPune#BestcivilservicecoachingcentreinTirupathi#India#FirstNationalEssential#DiagnosticsList#NEDL#ICMR#IVD
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Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.
Four New Products get GI Tag.
GI is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
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