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Union Cabinet approves Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project - 01 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the
Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & Phase III with
the financial assistance from the World Bank (WB), and Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB).
- The Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project aims to
improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams all over the
country, along with institutional strengthening with a system-wide management
approach.
- The project cost is Rs 10,211 crore.
- The project will be
implemented over a period of 10 years duration in two phases, each of six years
duration with two years overlapping from April 2021 to March 2031.
- The share of
external funding is Rs.7000 crore.
- The Project aims to improve the safety and performance of
selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner.
- DRIP focuses on strengthening the dam safety institutional
setup in participating states as well as at the central level.
- DRIP will explore the alternative incidental means at a few
selected dams to generate incidental revenue for sustainable operation and
maintenance of dams.
- The scheme envisages the comprehensive rehabilitation of 736
existing dams located across the country.
National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas ) observed on 31st October - 01 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is celebrated on 31st October annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral
tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first home minister, at the
182-metre tall Statue of Unity here on his 145th birth anniversary
- PM Narendra Modi launched the seaplane service from
Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity, Kevadia.
- Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is being celebrated as "Rashtriya Ekta Diwas" (National Unity Day) since 2014.
- On this day, several events like Run For Unity, a nationwide
marathon to increase awareness about Patel's contributions, the National Unity
pledge, Ekta Parade, etc. are organized.
- The Government unveiled the Statue of Unity in Gujarat in
2018.
- It is the tallest statue (182-meter) in the world.
- In January 2020, it was added to the 'Eight Wonders' of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel: A Brief History- Vallabai Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad,
Gujarat.
- He was the 1st Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India. Patel
Headed various Committees of the Constituent Assembly of India, namely:
Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Committee on Minorities and Tribal
and Excluded Areas, Provincial Constitution Committee.
- He integrated the
farmer’s cause in Kheda Satyagraha (1918) and Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) with
the national freedom movement.
- Women of Bardoli bestowed the title ‘Sardar’ on
Vallabhbhai Patel, which means ‘a Chief or a Leader.'
- He was said to be the "Iron Man of India" for
playing an essential role in the unification and integration of Indian princely
states into the Indian federation and for convincing princely states to align
with the Indian Union.
- He requested India's people to live together by uniting
(Ek Bharat) to create a foremost India (Shresth Bharat).
- This ideology still
reflects in the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which seeks to make India
self-reliant. He was Remembered as the ‘Patron Saint of India’s Civil Servants’
as he established the modern all-India services system.
- He passed away in
Bombay on December 15, 1950.
-
Kerala Ranked as Best Governed State by Public Affairs Index - 01 Nov 20
Highlights:
- According to the Public Affairs Index-2020, Kerala the best governed state in
the country, while Uttar Pradesh ended at the bottom in the large states
category.
- It was released by the Public Affairs Centre in Bengaluru, recently.
- In its annual report released, the city-based
not-for-profit organisation , the states were ranked on governance performance
based on a composite index in the context of sustainable development.
- The
organisation is headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
chairman K. Kasturirangan.
- Four southern states, Kerala (1.388 PAI Index point), Tamil
Nadu (0.912), Andhra Pradesh (0.531) and Karnataka (0.468) stood in the first
four ranks in the large state category in terms of governance.
- Uttar
Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar were at the bottom of the ranking, scoring negative
points in the category.
- They got – 1.461, -1.201 and -1.158 points
respectively.
- In the small state category, Goa ranked first with 1.745
points, followed by Meghalaya (0.797) and Himachal Pradesh (0.725).
- Worst
performers who scored negative points are Manipur (-0.363), Delhi (-0.289) and
Uttarakhand (-0.277), according to the PAC report.
Mansar Lake project attracts 20 lakh tourists every year - 02 Nov 20
Highlights:
- In the view of increasing tourism, Jitendra Singh, Union
Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, inaugurated the Mansar Lake
Development Plan in J & K (Jammu and Kashmir).
- The project is to attract almost 20 lakh tourists every year
& create employment for 1.15 crore person-days with an income output of 800
crore/year.
- The day is a historic day for the people of Mansar Region,
as the Mansar Lake Development Plan is getting completed after a long wait of
70 years.
- The recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir region had
received the highest priority in development, particularly the
Udhampur-Doda-Kathua parliamentary constituency.
- The numbers of national projects initiated in the region
during the last 6 years are greater than the number of projects initiated in
the earlier 7 decades.
- ShahpurKandi Irrigation Projects which were revived after
four decades and the Ujh multipurpose project, which has also been revived
after over 5 decades, the region has seen many such projects in the last six years.
- The world's highest railway bridge coming up in Reasi.
- Mansar is of importance from pilgrimage as well heritage
point of view beyond being the most scenic attraction due to vast Mansar Lake
and its flora and fauna.
- 7% of the region's GDP is contributed by tourism, but the
novel coronavirus has impacted the sector.
- Centre has given 706 crores for the tourism sector, and the
multi-pronged approach is being adopted to bring Jammu and Kashmir as one of
the most preferred tourist destinations in the World Map.
World Press Freedom Index, 2020:India ranked at 142 position - 02 Nov 20
Highlights:
- India dropped to 142 out of 180 countries in World Press
Freedom Index, 2020.
- Norway ranked first. South Asia in all was poorly
featured.
- Pakistan dropped three places to 145 and China was at 177.
- In India, there have been frequent press violations lately.
- This is the main reason for India to drop down in ranking.
- This includes
ambushes by political activists, violence against journalists, attacks by
criminal groups and corrupt officials.
- The assassination of Journalist Gauri
Lankesh in 2017 was condemned in India widely and protests took place in
several parts of the country alleging that GoI failed to protect the
journalist.
World Press Freedom Day:- The World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on May 3 by the
United Nations.
- The day is celebrated to remind the governments about the
importance of press and press freedom
World Press Freedom Conference:- The Conference is conducted by UNESCO every year.
- This year
it is to be held in December, 2020 under the theme, “Strengthening
Investigation and Prosecutions to end Impunity for Crimes against Journalists”.
- This year, in 2020, the conference is to be conducted jointly by Netherlands
and UNESCO.
- It was originally planned in April 2020. But was postponed to
December 2020 due to COVID-19.
International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists observed on November 2 - 02 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Every year, the United Nations marks the International Day
to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2.
- This year, the day is celebrated under the theme
- Theme: Protect Journalists, Protect the Truth
- Between 2006 and 2019, more than 1,200 journalists have been
killed.
- The recent assassination of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi in
October 2018 kindled worldwide criticism and scrutiny of the Saudi Government.
- The date of November 2nd was chosen to mark the
International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against journalists to commemorate
the assassination of French journalists in Mali in 2013.
National Jal Jeevan Mission organizes Conference for Rural Water Supply - 02 Nov 20
Highlights:
- National Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is organizing a virtual
conference with ministers in-charge of the rural water supply of all States/UTs
on 3rd November, 2020 through video
conference.
- The planning & implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in
States/ Union Territories (UTs) will be discussed with special focus on a
100-day campaign launched to provide piped water supply in Anganwadi centres,
ashrams and schools in rural areas.
Details Analysis:- The National Mission is constantly reviewing the progress of
implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in States and UTs to realize the goals of
the mission.
- The goals of Jal Jeevan Mission are to ensure that each and
every household have assured drinking water supply inadequate quantity of good
quality on long-term basis at affordable service.
- The prime focus is to ensure water supply to every home,
functionality of taps on long-term basis, water testing facilities for general
public, decentralized operation & management.
- The mission gives priority to water quality and main aims
are to bring reforms in drinking water.
- The focus of the video conference is to discuss all these
issues to give the desired pace & sustain the momentum for implementation
of the life-changing mission to ensure every rural home gets safe water in
their homes regularly.
- Jal Jeevan Mission focuses to bring reforms in the drinking
water sector.
- The flagship programme of the Central Government being
implemented in partnership with States, which not only aims to provide FHTC -
functional household tap connection to all homes of rural areas by 2024 but at
the same time aims at service delivery, so that rural household will get
continuous water supply in their houses.
- The Mission also focuses on the sustainability of drinking
water sources through water conservation measures, greywater treatment &
reuse as well as operation & maintenance.
- The launch of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – ‘HarGhar Jal' is to
provide assured potable piped water supply to each and every rural home is in
full swing.
- The objective of the mission is universal coverage i.e. each
and every family in every village is to get tap water connection.
- The provision of household tap facility in rural areas will
support in removing 'drudgery' of women.
- It will improve the 'ease of living'
for people living in rural areas of our country.
- The goal of the mission, have finalized the saturation plan
as below: Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTCs)
- - 100% FHTCs - 2020: Goa (Target achieved)
- - 100% FHTCs - 2021: A&N Islands, Bihar, Puducherry,
Telangana
- - 100% FHTCs - 2022:
Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh,
Meghalaya, Punjab, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh
- - 100% FHTCs - 2023:
Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Tripura
- - 100% FHTCs - 2024:
Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, West
Bengal.
Shipping Ministry introduces Draft Coastal Shipping Bill - 03 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Shipping Ministry has formed a Coastal Shipping Bill in
lieu of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.
- The bill is in accordance with the PM's vision for
augmenting people's participation and transparency in governance.
- The coastal shipping and coastal waters definition has been
expanded, and it is planned to do away with the need of trading licence for
Indian flag vessels for trading in coastal areas.
- The drafted Bill seeks to create a competitive environment
and reduce transportation costs, at the same time encouraging Indian vessels to
increase their share in coastal shipping.
- The Bill even proposes the integration of coastal maritime
transport with inland waterways.
- There is also a provision for a National Coastal and Inland
Shipping Strategic Plan.
- The shipping sector grows & evolves in the country, a
need was felt to have separate legislation on coastal shipping, that considers
it an integral part of the transport chain & recognizes the policy
priorities of the sector so that to meet the demands of the industries of
shipping in India.
CM of Assam lays foundation stone of Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence - 03 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone
of Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence for Vegetables Protected Cultivation at
Khetri on the outskirts of Guwahati in presence of Israeli Ambassador to India
Dr. Ron Malka.
- The facility is expected to provide exposure to latest
Israeli technologies to state’s farmers and helping them maximize their
production and income.
- Centre of Excellence would provide a major boost to
agricultural and horticultural production in Assam, that it would be an extra
value added to the government's efforts to double farmers' income.
- The close bond of friendship between India and Israel in
recent years and said that India and Israel is a perfect match where both
countries complement each other.
- The region has been taken from periphery to the middle of
the country’s growth narrative through substantial improvement in air, road and
river connectivity setting the stage for the state to become the gateway to SE
Asia and ASEAN.
- The region is now seen as a promising destination for
cultural exchange, trade and commerce, travel and tourism,
- Rs. 10.33-crore project is to bolster the agricultural
activities in the state by giving exposure to the latest Israeli technologies.
Center notified New land laws in J & K - 03 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Union government notified new land laws for Jammu and
Kashmir, ending the abrogated Article 370 and presently, common people and
investors outside Jammu & Kashmir can purchase land in the region of J and
K.
- This notification ended the exclusive rights of locals of
Jammu and Kashmir over the land granted under Article 370.
- The new Jammu and Kashmir Development Act rejected the
‘being a permanent resident of the State’ as criteria to purchase land.
- The Centre soon going to notify land laws separately for the
Ladakh Union Territory.
- The Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act, Samvat, 1996 -only
agriculturists of the region can buy agriculture land, and no exchange, sale,
gift and mortgage shall be valid by a non-agriculturist.
- The MHA - Ministry of Home Affairs introduced the UT of
J&K Reorganization, Adaption of Central Laws, Third Order, 2020 resulted in
the repeal of 26 state laws.
- This included the J&K Big Landed Estates Abolition Act
which resulted in the ‘Land of tiller rights’.
- The newly notified law ended the right of permanent
residents over land.
Djokovic beats Federer in Paris Masters thriller, a win away from 5th title - 04 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Novak Djokovic edged Swiss veteran Roger Federer in full
sets in a spotlight semifinal duel to set up his encounter against unseeded
Russian Karen Khachanov at the ATP Paris Masters .
- In their 47th career head-to-head, the Serbian
moved to one win away from his fifth title at the tournament after triumphing
7-6 (6), 5-7, 7-6 (3) in over three hours to improve the record to 25-22,
Xinhua reported.
- Following current world number 1 Rafael Nadal's withdrawal,
it has undoubtedly become the most highly-anticipated clash at the tournament.
- In the decider, Djokovic surrendered a glorious chance of
breaking in the ninth game, only to see his 40-15 advantage slip away.
- The
to-be world number 1 threw his racket onto the court in frustration.
- After the duel recorded another tie-break, Djokovic took the
initiative at 6-1.
- Federer displayed his persistence by saving two match
points, but still lost 7-3.
Satellites to detect drug cultivation in Odisha - 04 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The proposal - high-resolution satellite imagery may be used
for detecting cultivation of hemp (a variety of cannabis).
- Apart from developing mobile-based applications (mobile app)
for field-level officials, OSAC has also proposed to make a mechanism for
citizen reporting through a mobile app
- The state of Odisha is one of the leading cannabis-producing
states in the country of India.
- Cannabis is grown in forest regions of Boudh, Rayagada, Gajapati, Malkangiri,
Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kandhamal, Nayagarh and Angul and districts.
- Although law enforcement agencies have intensified their
raids, it is difficult to trace the cultivation on a real-time basis.
Chhattisgarh launches Fortified Rice Distribution Scheme - 04 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On the eve of Statehood Day celebrations, on November 1, 2020, the State Government of Chhattisgrah launched Fortified Rice Distribution Scheme.
- The scheme was launched to reduce malnutrition and anaemia. Under the scheme, fortified rice is distributed through fair price shops. The fortified rice is a mixture of Vitamin-B12, iron and folic acid. It helps to control malnutrition and anaemia.
- Swami Atmanand Government English Medium School Scheme
- Apart from Fortified Rice distribution scheme, the State Government also launched Swami Atmanand Government English Medium School Scheme.
- Under the scheme, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh inaugurated Rs 130 crore Swami Atmanand Government English Medium School Scheme.
- Under the scheme, 52 English medium schools are to be started.
- These schools will have computer and science lab, state-of-the-art library and lab.
- These schools will also have the facility of online education.
- The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh also initiated the following programmes along with these two schemes
- Mukhyamantri Sahari Slum Swasthya Yojana was inaugurated
- The third instalment of Rs 1500 crores for the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana was released.
- A 132/33 KV power sub station in the district of Bijapur and a 87.5 km long electricity line to supply 23 remote villages in the naxal affected regions were inaugurated.
Mukhyamantri Sahari Slum Swathya Yojana:- It is an urban slum health Yojana.
- Under the scheme, the people in urban slum are to be provided with free health checks, counselling, medicines and treatment.
- They are to be provided with family planning counselling, resources and family planning measures.
Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana:- It was launched to ensure minimum income availability to farmers.
- The scheme will bring more areas under cultivation. Under the scheme, financial aid is to be transferred to the farmers’ accounts directly.
World’s Strongest Super Typhoon Goni in Philippines - 04 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 1, 2020, the world strongest Typhoon Goni hit
the eastern part of Philippines.
- This typhoon is considered as the strongest
typhoon in the world.
- It is bringing in catastrophic violent winds and is thus
being considered as the hardest landfall on record.
- The Typhoon Goni has attained its maximum speed of 310 km
per hour. More than 347,000 people have been evacuated.
- The typhoon is expected
to damage more than 928,000 hectares of land and 58,431 hectares of corn.
What is Goni ?- Goni formed as a tropical depression and later became a
tropical storm Goni. I
- t has now intensified into Category 5 equivalent super
typhoon.
- It is called Typhoon Rollyin in Philippines. This is the second super
typhoon in the Pacific Ocean in 2020.
- Haishen was the first super typhoon to
strike the Pacific in 2020.
- Philippines is prone to tropical cyclones due to its
geographical location.
- It has following favourable conditions for the cyclones
to form
- Cyclones can form only on oceans with sea surface
temperature greater than or equal to 26 to 27 degree Celsius.
- The region should have considerably large ocean for enough
water to evaporate
- The warm air lifted should remain warmer than the surrounding
undisturbed atmosphere at least to a height of 40,000 feet.
- Cyclones are formed beyond 5° This is because for the
cyclone to form the Coriolis parameter should be larger than a specific
threshold which is obtained only after 5° of latitude.
- The Coriolis force is
zero at the equator and maximum at the poles.
- Coriolis force is the force acted
upon the earth elements due to its rotation.
- As the earth rotates in its axis,
the circulating air gets deflected towards the left in the Southern Hemisphere
and to the right in Northern Hemisphere.
- This defection is called Coriolis
effect.
Panna Biosphere Reserves under UNESCO lists - 04 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The UNESCO has recently included Panna National Park of
Madhya Pradesh under its list of Biosphere reserves.
- Along with Panna, Fuvahmulahand Addu Atoll of Maldives was
also included under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
- The UNESCO, under its Man and Biosphere programme has
included Panna Biosphere region as one of its Biosphere Reserve.
- Panna National park was included as biosphere reserve by the
Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
- The UNESCO has described the National Park as a critical
tiger habitat and has also pointed out that it is home to World Heritage site
of Khajuraho temples.
- The Ken-Betwa river linking project will inundate around 400
hectares of the Panna National Park.
- It is also a Tiger Reserve.
- It is spread over 4,300 hectares. The river linking project
involves the construction of Daudhan Dam across river Ken as well.
- On the other hand, the project will benefit 14 lakh people
providing them with drinking water and generating 78 MW of hydropower.
- Biosphere Programme was launched by UNESCO in 1971.
- It is an
intergovernmental scientific programme that aims to establish scientific basis
to improve the relationship between the people and their environment.
Duarte Pacheco elected as new President of Inter Parliamentary Union - 05 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Duarte Pacheco was elected as the new President of Inter Parliamentary Union on November 2, 2020.
- Duarte Pacheco, Member of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal.
- He will serve as the president of the union between 2020 and 2023.
- India was represented by the Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla at the session.
- The previous president of the Inter Parliamentary Union was Mexican MP Gabriela Cuevas Barron.
- It is the 206th session of the Inter Parliamentary Union began.
- Officers from 144 parliaments attended the session.
- It was led by the Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla.
- Inter Parliamentary Union was established in 1889.
- The main purpose of the union is to promote democratic governance, cooperation and accountability.
- It has played a major role in establishing United Nations, Permanent Court of Arbitration and League of Nations.
- The Slogan of IPU is “For Democracy, For Everyone”
- IPU has a four fold structure namely Governing Council, Assembly, Executive Committee, IPU President, Secretariat.
Standing Committees of the IPU:- There are three standing committees of IPU.
- They are first Standing Committee, Second Standing Committee and Third Standing Committee.
- The first standing Committee works on peace and international security.
- The second Standing Committee works on Sustainable Development and the third standing committee works on democracy and human rights.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) - 05 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Union Cabinet Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri
D.V. Sadananda Gowda holds a review meeting of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya
Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
- PMBJP (Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
Pariyojana) was launched in 2008 by the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the
Janaushadi Campaign, which was renamed as PMBJP in 2015-16.
- PMBJP scheme has achieved sales of Rs.358 crores worth of pharma products through 6600 Janaushadhi Kendras
during the first seven months of the fiscal year 2020-21 (till October 31) and
is likely to surpass Rs' sales. 600 crore for the entire year.
- The sales figure has seen a drastic increase from Rs 7.29
crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 433 crore in 2019-20.
- The BPPI (Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India) was appraised for
ensuring the supply of medicines, drugs, and other pharma products like masks
to people at affordable rates during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The implementing agency of the PMBJP is BPPI. BPPI was
established in December 2008 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals and
registered as an independent society under the Societies Registration Act,
1860.
- The scheme plans to extend the coverage of quality generic
medicines, thus reducing the out-of-pocket expenditure on drugs and redefining
the unit cost of treatment per person.
- PMBJP also aims to create awareness
about generic medicines through education and publicity so that quality is not
synonymous with only a high price.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras:- It is also known as Janaushadhi Kendras, were set up across
the country under PMBJP to provide generic drugs.
- Generic drugs are marketed
under an approved name rather than a brand name.
- Under this scheme, all drugs
procured are tested for quality assurance at the NABL (National Accreditation
Board Laboratories) accredited laboratories and are compliant with the World
Health Organisation Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO GMP) benchmarks.
Janaushadhi Week:- This week was celebrated across the country from March 1 to
March 7, 2020, to educate the general public about the benefits of price and
quality of the medicines sold at Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
Janaushadhi Sugam Application:- This application was launched in August 2019 to help people
in- Locating nearby Janaushadhi Kendra through Google Maps and searching for
Janaushadhi generic medicines.
- It helps in Analysing product comparison of
generic versus branded medicine in the form of Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and overall
savings, etc.
Academic Freedom Index (AFI):India scored low - 05 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Academic Freedom Index (AFI) report provides a score to
individual countries to specify the level of academic liberation its
universities and educational centres.
- India has scored considerably low in the international index
of academic freedom.
- The index helps to define each country’s academic freedom
level and the researchers asserted that the primary goal behind this idea is to
comprehend a university’s attractiveness in addition to its infrastructure,
research output, etc.
- The maximum value of the index is 1.
- India has an AFI of 0.352, comparable to the scores of Saudi
Arabia and Libya.
- Countries that scored higher than India are Pakistan
(0.554), Brazil (0.466), Ukraine (0.422), Somalia (0.436) and Malaysia (0.582).
- Uruguay and Portugal top the list with scores of 0.971 each,
followed closely by Latvia and Germany.
- At the bottom are North Korea (0.011), Eritrea (0.015),
Bahrain (0.039) and Iran (0.116).
- The AFI has eight components.
Components are:- Freedom to
research and teaching
- Freedom of
academic exchange and dissemination
- Institutional
autonomy
- Campus
integrity
- Freedom of
academic and cultural expression
- Constitutional
protection of academic freedom
- An
international legal commitment to academic freedom under the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Existence of
universities
Centre identifies 15 states for Fortification of Rice and its distribution through PDS - 05 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Fifteen states have been identified for implementing Centrally
Sponsored Pilot Scheme on Fortification oftf Rice & its distribution
through PDS (Public Distribution System).
- The Pilot Scheme has been approved
for three years, beginning 2019-2020, with a total budget outlay of Rs.174.6
Crore.
- 15 State Governments have identified their respective districts for
implementing the Pilot Scheme.
- In this review meeting of an existing pilot scheme which
aims to distribute fortified rice in 15 districts, it was decided that to fight
chronic anaemia and undernutrition, the government is making policies to
distribute fortified rice through the Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) and Mid Day Meal Schemes across India from the year 2021, with
particular focus on Aspirational districts.
- Fortification of rice is deliberately increasing the content
of essential micronutrients, i.e., vitamins and minerals (including trace
elements) in a portion of food, which will increase the nutritional quality of
the food supply & provide a public health benefit with minimal health risk.
- Regular milled rice is low in micronutrients & serves primarily
as a source of carbohydrate only.
- The fortification of rice is a significant possibility to
increase nutrition. Fortified rice will contain Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin
B12, Folic Acid, Iron, and Zinc.
- Procedure for fortification: The concentration of just one
micronutrient might be increased in a single food (e.g., the iodization of
salt), or, there might be a whole range of food–micronutrient combinations.
- In October 2016, FSSAI - Food Safety and Standards Authority
Of India operationalized the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods)
Regulations, 2016 for fortifying staples, namely Wheat Flour and Rice, Milk and
Edible Oil and Double Fortified Salt to reduce the high burden of micronutrient
malnutrition in India.
- India’s National Nutritional strategy, 2017, had listed food
fortification as one of the interventions to address deficiencies like anaemia,
vitamin A and iodine deficiencies apart from supplementation and dietary
diversification.
- Fortifying rice is done by grinding broken rice into powder
and mixing that powder with nutrients, and then shaping into rice-like kernels
using an extrusion process.
- Then these fortified kernels are mixed with regular
rice in a ratio ranging from 1:50 to 1:200.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS):- ICDS was launched on October 2, 1975. The Integrated Child
Development Services Scheme offers a package of six services (Supplementary
Nutrition, Immunization, Health check-up, Pre-school non-formal education,
nutrition & health education, and Referral services) to children in the age
of 0-6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
Mid-day Meal Scheme : A Fact File- The scheme was launched in 1995.
- It ensures that every child
within the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII who
enrols and attends the school shall be provided with a hot cooked meal, free of
charge every working day.
- The Mid Day Meal Scheme is under the Department of
School Education and Literacy.
- Aspirational Districts programme was launched in January 2018 to expeditiously
improve the socio-economic status of 117 districts through cooperative and
competitive federalism.
- This programme aims to rapidly transform districts
showing relatively less progress in key social areas.
PM to chair Virtual Global Investor Roundtable - 05 Nov 20
Highlights:
- PM to chair Virtual Global Investor RoundtableThe Virtual
Global Investor Roundtable(VGIR) is being organized by the Ministry of Finance,
Government of India, and National Investment & Infrastructure Fund.
Details Analysis:- The roundtable is an exclusive dialogue between leading
global institutional investors, Indian business leaders & the highest
decision-makers from the Government of India (GoI) and Financial Market
Regulators.
- The Roundtable will see participation from 20 of the world's
largest pension & sovereign wealth funds with total assets of about US 6
trillion dollars.
- The global institutional investors represent key regions
including the US, Europe, Korea, Japan, Middle East, Canada, Australia, and
Singapore.
- The roundtable will witness the participation of key
decision-makers of these funds, i.e., the CEOs and CIOs.
- The Roundtable will also see participation of a number of
top Indian Business Leaders.
- VGIR 2020 will focus on India's economic and investment
outlook, structural reforms & the government's vision for the path to a US
5 trillion dollars economy.
- The event provides an opportunity for leading global
investors & Indian business leaders to engage and deliberate with senior
policymakers on how to further accelerate the growth of international
investments in India.
- VGIR 2020 will also provide an occasion for all stakeholders
to further cement the strong partnerships that have been built and to foster
engagement with international institutional investors who are looking to
increase their Indian investments.
PM to chair Virtual Global Investor Roundtable - 05 Nov 20
Highlights:
- PM to chair Virtual Global Investor RoundtableThe Virtual
Global Investor Roundtable(VGIR) is being organized by the Ministry of Finance,
Government of India, and National Investment & Infrastructure Fund.
Details Analysis:- The roundtable is an exclusive dialogue between leading
global institutional investors, Indian business leaders & the highest
decision-makers from the Government of India (GoI) and Financial Market
Regulators.
- The Roundtable will see participation from 20 of the world's
largest pension & sovereign wealth funds with total assets of about US 6
trillion dollars.
- The global institutional investors represent key regions
including the US, Europe, Korea, Japan, Middle East, Canada, Australia, and
Singapore.
- The roundtable will witness the participation of key
decision-makers of these funds, i.e., the CEOs and CIOs.
- The Roundtable will also see participation of a number of
top Indian Business Leaders.
- VGIR 2020 will focus on India's economic and investment
outlook, structural reforms & the government's vision for the path to a US
5 trillion dollars economy.
- The event provides an opportunity for leading global
investors & Indian business leaders to engage and deliberate with senior
policymakers on how to further accelerate the growth of international
investments in India.
- VGIR 2020 will also provide an occasion for all stakeholders
to further cement the strong partnerships that have been built and to foster
engagement with international institutional investors who are looking to
increase their Indian investments.
Urban Mobility India Conference being organized - 06 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The 13th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference is being
organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- The first Urban
Mobility India UMI Conference was held in 2008 in New Delhi.
- The annual UMI (Urban Mobility India) Conference is an event
held under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India
(GoI).
- The genesis of UMI (Urban Mobility India) is from the NUTP
(National Urban Transport Policy) of the Government of India, 2006, which lays
an extreme emphasis on building capabilities at the State and also at the city
level to address the problems associated with urban transport and undertake the
task of developing sustainable urban transport systems.
- The theme of the UMI (Urban Mobility India) Conference 2020
is "Emerging Trends in Urban Mobility."
- The conference's primary objective is to disseminate
information to the cities, whose officials attend the conference, and keep
up-to-date with the best urban transport practices.
- The conference provides an opportunity for key
decision-makers and delegates to interact with other professionals, experts,
academia, industry, civil society, technology, services providers, and other
stakeholders in Urban Transport, both domestic and international, so that the
delegates can carry home ideas to develop their urban transport along a
sustainable path.
- It is also a forum to discuss key issues relevant to the sector
and suggest measures to address them.
The U.S formally exits Paris pact on curbing climate change - 06 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Some 189 countries remain committed to the 2015 Paris
accord.
- Paris Agreement is a historic international accord that
brings almost 200 countries together in setting a common target to reduce
global greenhouse emissions to fight climate change.
- The pact seeks to keep global temperature rise to below 2
degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, and to try and limit the
temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
- To this end, each country has pledged to implement targeted
action plans that will limit their greenhouse gas emissions.
- The Agreement asks rich and developed countries to provide
financial and technological support to the developing world in its quest to
fight and adapt to climate change.
Hurricane Eta hits Nicaragua - 06 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Hurricane Eta has hit northeastern Nicaragua with
life-threatening storm surges, catastrophic winds, and flash flooding over
portions of Central America.
- It comes under the Category 4 hurricane. Category
4 storm will have wind speeds between 130-156 mph, and the storm will uproot
trees and bring down power lines.
- Tropical cyclones or hurricanes use warm, moist air as their
fuel and form over warm Equatorial water. When the warm, moist air rises upward
from the ocean's surface, it creates an area of low air pressure below.
- When this happens, the air from the surrounding areas rushes
to fill this place, eventually rising when it becomes warm and moist. An eye
forms in the centre.
- It is the calmest part of the cyclone. Before the wind
reaches the centre, it gets warmed up and rises upwards.
- When the warm air rises and cools off, the moisture forms
clouds.
- This system of clouds and winds continues to grow and spin. This
disturbance is fuelled by the ocean’s heat and the water that evaporates from
its surface.
- Such storm systems rotate faster and faster. Storms that
form towards the north of the equator rotate counterclockwise, while those that
form to the south spin clockwise because of the earth's rotation.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale:- Hurricanes are categorized on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane
Wind Scale, which rates them on a scale of 1 to 5 based on wind speed.
- Hurricanes that are under category three or higher are classified as major
hurricanes.
PINAKA Rocket tested successfully - 06 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Enhanced PINAKA rocket, developed by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO), has been successfully flight tested from
Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off Odisha's coast on November 04, 2020.
- The development of the Enhanced PINAKA system was taken up
to achieve more extended range performance compared to the earlier design.
- The design and development have been carried out by Pune
based DRDO laboratories, namely Armament
Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials
Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
- A total of six rockets were launched in quick succession,
and the tests met complete mission objectives.
- Rockets tested have been manufactured by M/s Economic
Explosives Limited, Nagpur, to whom the technology has been transferred.
- All the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments
such as telemetry, radar, and Electro-Optical Tracking Systems, which confirmed
the flight performance.
- An enhanced version of the PINAKA rocket would replace the
existing PINAKA MK-I rockets currently under production.
Purchasing Managers Index was released - 07 Nov 20
Highlights:
- According to the latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)
data, India's manufacturing sector activity improved for the third straight
month in October. Companies raised their output to the greatest extent in 13
years amid robust sales growth.
- The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose from 56.8
in September to 58.9 in October, and pointed to the most vital improvement in
the sector's health in more than a decade.
- Purchasing Managers Index is an economic indicator that
indicates the business activity and economic health of both the manufacturing
& service sectors.
- Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of India is published by
Japanese firm Nikkei. It is compiled and constructed by IHS Markit which is a
London–based global information provider.
- Index of Industrial Production (IIP) indicates the changes
in production volume or output, but the Purchasing Managers' Index is an
investor sentiment tracking index and is more dynamic.
- Variables used for calculating are Output, New Orders, Employment,
Input Costs, Output Prices, Backlogs of Work, Export Orders, Quantity of
Purchases, Suppliers' Delivery Times, Stocks of Purchases and Stocks of
Finished Goods.
Government of India (GoI) plans to approve Metro Neo - 07 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Government of India is planning to approve national
standard specifications and rules for Metro Neo targeted at tier 2 & tier 3
cities.
- Metro Neo is a no-frills, low-cost urban rail transit system.
- This Metro Neo is a mass rapid transit system that provides
low-cost, energy-efficient, & eco-friendly transport solutions of urban for
tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
- Metro Neo will draw traction power from overhead wires.
- So,
Metro Neo will not run on track but road.
- This Metro opts for traffic demand places where there are
8,000 passengers or above one way in peak time.
- These Metro systems are smaller and lighter than
conventional Metro trains.
- Metro Neo costs about 25% of conventional systems but will
have similar facilities, and are cheaper than the other budget option
Metrolite, which costs about 40% of the normal Metro.
- The Maharashtra government has already given a green signal
for this state-of-the-art Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) for Nashik.
Gandhian Young Technological Awards - 07 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Union Health Minister Dr Harsha Vardhan gave away the
Gandhian Young Technological Awards to the awardees on November 06, 2020.
- The awards were given in two categories:
- SITARE-GYTI: Students Innovations for Advancement of
Research Explorations – Gandhian Young Technological Innovation [Under
Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of
Biotechnology (DBT)]
- SRISTI-GYTI: Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technological
Innovations – Gandhian Young Technological Innovation [by SRISTI]
- The
awards and appreciations are given under these two categories to encourage
technology students to set up biotech and other start-ups.
- Fourteen awards and eleven appreciations under SITARE-GYTI; seven awards and
sixteen appreciations under SRISTI-GYTI were presented.
- Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Awards celebrate the spirit of
student innovation in all the fields of engineering, science, technology, and
design through extremely affordable/economical solution or the ones pushing the
technological edge.
Dr Susanta Kar honoured with 2020 Prof.A N Bhaduri Memorial Lecture Award - 07 Nov 20
Highlights:
- To recognize the significant contributions towards defining
the survival tactics of Leishmania donovani, CSIR-CDRI Scientist,
Dr.SusantaKar, honoured with "Prof.A N Bhaduri Memorial Lecture
Award-2020" by the Society of Biological Chemists (India)
Details Analysis:- Leishmania Donovani is a protozoan parasite that infects macrophages and is a
causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar), a lethal infectious
disease affecting millions worldwide.
- Dr
SusantaKar’s research group studied Leishmania's interaction with immune cells
like macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells and the fate of these
interactions on the modulation of various intracellular signalling cascades
that ultimately affect immune response/infection progression.
- Society of Biological Chemists (India) has instituted many
awards, to recognize the meritorious and significant contributions made by the
researchers/scientists on the development of biological sciences in the
country.
- The Society of Biological Chemists (India) or SBC(I) was
founded in 1930, with its Head Quarters at the Indian Institute of Science,
Bengaluru.
- The award is conferred every two years.
- The recipient of the award should be below 50 years of age.
- The Award is given
for Biological Chemistry and Allied sciences, preferably related to parasitic
infection.
Centre of Excellence to be set up at IIT Kharagpur - 07 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, will set up a
Centre of Excellence for the Indian knowledge system.
- The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank inaugurating
the international webinar called ‘Bharata Tirtha’ organised by the institute.
- Education through the mother tongue, along with the
rejuvenation of Sanskrit, will ease the educational process for India's diverse
people and draw from the rich scholarly heritage of India.
- Initiatives such as Study in India, GIAN, GIAN+, and other
funded research programs could be the right resources to spread education and
knowledge to the global students and researchers community.
- Our responsibility is to equip the Indian Knowledge System
with Indian ethos and values and pursue excellence in every chosen field.
- The necessity to acknowledge and incentivize research work
was expressed on Indian Scientific Heritage by awarding the Shanti Swarup
Bhatnagar Prize. "Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize is a dream goal for
science and technology researchers in India.
- The three-day webinar will witness talks by international
stalwarts pioneering in Indic studies, including Arthashastra (Economics),
Sanskrit for Natural Language Processing, Vedic and Ancient Indian Mathematics
- Numeral System, Bijaganita and Jyamiti, Rasayana (Chemical Sciences),
Ayurveda (Biological Sciences), Jyotir-tatha Mahajagatika Vidya (Positional and
Astronomical Sciences), Prakriti Vidya (Terrestrial/ Material Sciences/ Ecology
and Atmospheric Sciences) and Nandana Tathya tatha Vastu Vidya (Archaeology,
Iconography, and Architecture).
India Ranks the Lowest Rank in BMI Ranking - 08 Nov 20
Highlights:
- According to the study in The Lancet, India took the position of third
and fifth from the bottom respectively among countries where 19-year-old girls
and boys have a low Body Mass Index (BMI)
- The investigation of Lancet gives new analysis to height and
Body Mass Index (BMI) patterns in 2019 across 200 nations subsequent to
breaking down information from 2,181 studies.
- India at the 196th place with respect to BMI ((body mass index) out of 200 countries.
- The normal BMI ranges between BMI ranges between 20 and 25.
- China that ranks 88th with its boys having a BMI of 23 and 119th for its girls at 22.2.
- The mean BMI of 19-year-old young men is 20.1 in India,
contrasted with a high of 29.6 in the Cook Islands and a low of 19.2 in
Ethiopia.
- For Indian young ladies, the mean BMI is again 20.1,
contrasted with a high of 29.0 in Tonga and a low of 19.6 in Timor-Leste.
- The mean height of Indian 19-year-olds is 166.5 cm for young
men and 155.2 cm for young ladies, well underneath the high of Netherlands
young men (183.8 cm) and young ladies (170 cm).
- BMI is estimated as the weight in kg isolated by the square
of the tallness in meters.
- WHO rules characterize a typical BMI range as 18.5
to 24.9, overweight as 25 or higher, and Obesity as 30 or higher.
Fund released by Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) - 08 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Ministry of MSME, Government of India, has alerted the
general public and potential entrepreneurs against cheating in the name of
Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
- The PMEGP is a central sector scheme launched in 2008.
- It is
administered by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
Details Analysis:- The PMEGP programme
is being implemented by the KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) at
the national level. It is the only one nodal agency for the implementation of
the programme.
- The Scheme is
implemented through banks, District Industries Centres (DICs), State KVIC
Directorates and State Khadi and Village Industries Boards (KVIBs) at the state
level.
- Individuals over the
age of 18 years, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Cooperative Societies engaged with
the creation, and establishments that are enlisted under the Societies
Registration Act of 1860 are qualified for benefits under this program.
- There
is no pay roof while setting up the undertaking.
- Help is given
distinctly to the new units, units that have profited government appropriations
under either the state or the central government plans; existing units are not
qualified for subsidy under PMEGP.
- To accomplish
comprehensive development the nation over, at least 75 activities will be
granted to each area.
- Physically
challenged, OBC, SC/STs, ladies, northeastern local candidates in rural regions
are qualified for a higher pace of appropriation.
National Cancer Awareness Day observed on November 7 - 08 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The National Cancer Awareness day is connected with the
birth anniversary of scientist Madame Curie.
Details Analysis:- Scientist Marie Curie is known for her discovery of radium
and polonium (radioactive materials), and also for her contribution to the
fight against cancer.
- The work by Marie Curie led to the development of
radiotherapy and nuclear energy for the treatment of cancer.
- The 1st National
Cancer Awareness Day was observed on November 07, 2014, in India.
- According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), cancer is
the 2nd leading cause of death worldwide in 2018, there were approximately 18
million cases worldwide, of which 1.5 million were from only India.
- There were about 0.8 million cancer deaths in India in 2018
against 9.5 million worldwide.
- The numbers of rising new cases are estimated to
double by 2040 in India.
- In India, around 1.1 million new cases are being
reported every year.
- Nearly two-thirds of cases are diagnosed only at an advanced
stage, that reduces patient's chances of survival.
- It is analysed that one
woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes in India.
- Tobacco use accounted for 3,17,928 deaths (approx) in men
and women in 2018.
- Oral cavity cancers and lungs cancers account for over 25%
of deaths in males and breast cancer and oral cavity cancer account for 25%
cancers in females.
- The National Cancer Control Programme was formed in 1975 to
provide cancer treatment facilities in the country.
- It was modified in 1984-85 to provide thrust
to prevention and early detection of cancer.
National Water Awards Scheduled in November - 08 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Second National Water Awards to be presented in November.
- The Ground Water Augmentation Awards and National Water Award were first
launched in the year 2007 with a target to support all stakeholders for
adopting innovative practices of groundwater augmentation by rainwater
harvesting and artificial recharge, promoting water use efficiency, recycling
& re-use of water.
- The National water grants are planned to make mindfulness
through individuals' support in the focused on zones coming about into the
manageability of groundwater assets advancement, sufficient limit working among
the partners, and so on
- Considering the way that surface water and groundwater are
vital pieces of the water cycle, it was felt important to initiate a bound
together National Water Awards with the objectives of encouraging the
stakeholders to adopt a holistic approach towards water resources management in
the country.
- In this manner, the National Water Awards 2018 were
coordinated unexpectedly. The honours were given in 2019.
- The honours are given by the Department of Water Resources,
River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, GOI.
- The honours are given in a few classes, for example, 'Best
State', 'Best District', 'Best School', 'Best Newspaper', 'Best NGO', 'Best
Industry', and so on with sub-classifications moreover.
National Legal Services Day observed on 9th November - 09 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The National Legal Services Day is observed on 9th November
annually to spread awareness for ensuring reasonable fair and justice procedure
for all citizens.
- National Legal Services Day (NLSD) was first begun by the
Supreme Court of India in 1995 to give assistance and backing to poor and more
vulnerable segments of the general public.
- Free legitimate administrations are given in issues before
Civil, Criminal and Revenue Courts, Tribunals or some other power practising
legal or semi-legal capacities.
- Article 39A of the Constitution gives that State will make
sure about that the activity of the overall set of laws advances equity on a
premise of equivalent chance
- And will specifically, give a free lawful guide,
by appropriate enactment or plans or in some other manner, to guarantee that
open doors for making sure about equity are not denied to any resident by
reason of financial or another inability.
- Articles 14 and 22(1) likewise make it mandatory for the
State to guarantee uniformity under the watchful eye of law and an overall set
of laws which advances equity on a premise of equivalent occasion to all.
- Destinations of Legal Services Authorities are:
- - Give free
legitimate guide and counsel.
- - Spread legitimate
mindfulness.
- - Coordinate lok
adalats.
- - Advance
settlements of debates through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanisms.
Different sorts of ADR components are Arbitration, Conciliation, Judicial
settlement including settlement through Lok Adalat, or Mediation.
- - Give remuneration
to survivors of wrongdoing.
- Lawful Services Institutions that offering Free Legal Types
of assistance:
National Level: National Legal Services Authority: - The
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was established under the Legal
Services Authorities Act, 1987.
- The Chief Justice of the nation is the
Patron-in-Chief.
- State Level: It is
going by the Chief Justice of the High Court of the state who is its
Patron-in-Chief.
District Level: District Legal Services Authority:- The
District Judge is its ex-officio Chairman.
- Sub-Division/Taluka Level: Sub-Divisional/Taluka Legal
Services Committee.
- It is by a senior Civil Judge.
- High Court: High Court Legal Services Committee
- High Court: Supreme Court Legal Services Committee
Fifteenth Finance Commission Report - 09 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Fifteenth Finance Commission headed by N K Singh is to
submit its report the President of India.
- The recommendations
made by the commission are as follows:
- The Commission has recommended that the states shall get 41%
of central tax revenues.
- Earlier, the fourteenth Finance Commission had
recommended 42%.
- 4.3 lakh crores for the local governments.
- Rs 1 lakh grant to health care.
- Rs 2.9 lakh crores of revenue deficit grants to 17 states.
- The commission have recommended the states to keep aside at
least 8% of their budget for building health care capacities.
- Moderninsation of Defence and Internal Security Fund
- The Finance Commission had recommended to set up
Modernisation of Defence and Internal Security Fund.
- The fund is to be called
Rashtriya Suraksha Naivedya Kosh.
- The fund is to add up to Rs 2.4 lakh crores
by 2021-26.
- Of this, Rs 1.5 lakh crore is to be directly transferred to
Consolidated Fund of India.
- The fund is to be used for capital investment for defence,
state police forces and paramilitary forces.
- The Defence Ministry will have
exclusive rights over the funds.
Yashvardhan K Sinha appointed as the new Chief Information Commissioner - 09 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind appointed Shri
Yashvardhan K Sinha as the new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India.
- The post of Chief Information Commissioner was lying vacant
over two months after Bimal Julka completed his term in August, 2020.
- Sinha was
short-listed for the post by a three-member committee headed by PM Modi.
- Besides the Prime Minister, the opposition party leader in Lok Sabha Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury and Home Minister Amit Shah were the members of the panel.
Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha: A Fact File- He was born in 1958. He joined the Indian Foreign Service.
- He was the former High commissioner of India to the UK.
- He was appointed as the
Information commissioner in 2019 and now has been appointed as the Chief
Information Commissioner.
Chief Information Commissioner:- The roles and responsibilities of the Chief Information
Commissioner are defined by the right to Information Act, 2005.
- The act also
defines the tenure, terms of service and salaries of the commissioner.
- The Right to Information rules, 2019 were notified in
October 2019.
- The Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) will hold office
for three years.
- Earlier it was five years
- The CIC and the Information commissioners will receive
salary of Rs 2,50,000 per month and Rs 2,25,000 per month respectively.
Eligibility Criteria:- The CIC and the Information Commissioners shall not be a Member of Parliament.
- Section 12(5) of the act states that he should a person of eminence in public
life, experience in law, science and technology.
- Central Information Commission was constituted in 2005.
- It acts upon complaints from
individuals those who are not able to submit information to a Central Public
Information Officer or a State Public Information Officer.
Fastags Becomes Mandatory For All Four Wheel Vehicles From New Year - 09 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified a
warning that FASTags compulsory for every four-wheel vehicle from first January
2021.
- This will apply to old vehicles just as M and N class of engine vehicles
sold before first December, 2017.
- According to Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the FASTag
had been made required for all enlistment of new four-wheeled Vehicles since
first December 2017.
- It is being provided by the Vehicle Manufacturer or their
sellers.
- For National Permit Vehicles the instalment of FASTag has
been commanded since first of 2019 October
- Ministry - a valid FASTag is also compulsory while getting a
new third Party Insurance through an amendment in the certificate of Insurance,
wherein the details of FASTag ID will be captured.
- This warning would be a significant advance for guaranteeing
that the instalment of expenses is 100% at Toll Plazas through the Electronic
Means just and that the vehicles go flawlessly through the Fee Plazas.
What is FASTag ?- FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India.
- It employs Radio Frequency Identification technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner.
- It also utilizes Radio Frequency Identification innovation for making cost instalments straightforwardly from the paid ahead of time or bank account connected to it or legitimately cost the proprietor.
NASA has Spotted FRB for The First Time - 10 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had
spotted fast Radio Burst for the first time in the Milky Way.
Details Analysis:- Fast Radio Burst (FRB) are splendid explosions of radio
waves (radio waves can be created by cosmic articles with changing attractive
fields) whose terms lie in the millisecond-scale, as a result of which it is
hard to identify them and decide their situation in the sky.
- It was first found
in 2007.
- NASA noticed a blend of X-beam and radio signals never saw
in the Milky Way.
- The X-beam bit of the synchronous blasts was identified by a
few satellites, including NASA's Wind mission.
- NASA's Wind is a turn balanced out shuttle dispatched on
first November, 1994.
- After a few circles through the magnetosphere, Wind was
put in a radiance circle around the L1 Lagrange point in mid-2004 to notice the
unperturbed sun based breeze that is going to affect the magnetosphere of
Earth.
- The radio segment was found by the Canadian Hydrogen
Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), a radio telescope situated at Dominion
Radio Astrophysical Observatory in British Columbia, which is driven by McGill
University in Montreal, the University of British Columbia, and the University
of Toronto.
- Ring is a novel radio telescope that has no moving parts.
- Initially imagined to plan the most bountiful component known to man - hydrogen
- over a decent part of the detectable universe, this irregular telescope is
streamlined to have a high "mapping speed".
Mission Karmayogi Initiative : A Nationwide Programme - 10 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to new initiatives such
as Mission Karmayogi in his speech at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy
of Administration in Mussoorie.
What is Mission Karmayogi ?- It is a nationwide initiative to
lay the foundation for capacity building of civil servants.
- Mission Karmayogi will assist the officials in finding out
about the accepted procedures over the world.
- Authoritatively called the
"National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB)",
the mission intends to change human asset the executives in the nation.
- The basic focal point of the change is the formation of a
‘citizen-centric civil service’ equipped for making and conveying
administrations helpful for financial development and public government
assistance.
- Mission Karmayogi shifts the concentration from
"Rule-based preparing to Role based preparing". More noteworthy push
has been laid on conduct change.
- Mission Karmayogi program will be conveyed by setting up a
computerized stage called iGOTKarmayogi.
- NPCSCB will be represented by the Prime Minister's Human
Resource Council, which will likewise incorporate state Chief Ministers, Union
Cabinet priests and specialists.
- This board will endorse and audit common help
limit building programs.
- Other than this, there will be a Cabinet Secretary
Coordination Unit including select secretaries and framework controlling
specialists.
- Additionally, there will be a Capacity Building Commission,
which will remember specialists for related fields and worldwide experts.
- This
commission will get ready and screen yearly limit building plans and review HR
accessible in the legislature.
- Likewise, there will be a completely possessed Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which will oversee the iGOT-Karmayogi stage.
- The SPV
will make and operationalise the substance, commercial centre and oversee key
business administrations of the iGOT-Karmayogi stage.
Joe Biden Wins US President Election With 290 Electoral Votes - 10 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Joe Biden has beaten incumbent Donald Trump to be picked as
the following President-Elect of the United States after the majority of the
main US media houses pronounced the principle landmark state of Pennsylvania
for Biden.
- Joe Biden has been chosen as the 46th President of the
United States.
- The Democrat Presidential competitor was reported as the new
President-elect after the majority of US media including CNN and the Associated
Press called the US political race brings about the kindness of Joe Biden.
- Joe Biden, who will turn 78 toward the finish of November,
will turn into the most seasoned leader of the United States when he makes the
vow in January 2021.
- Kamala Harris will turn into the primary lady, first Indian
American and first lady of shading to become Vice President of the United
States.
- Joe Biden's complete name is Joseph Robinette Biden Junior.
- He was brought up in Scranton in Pennsylvania and New Castle County in
Delaware.
- Biden had acquired his law degree from Syracuse University
in 1968 and was chosen a New Castle County Councilor in 1970.
- He had become the 6th most youthful representative in
American history when he was chosen for the US Senate from Delaware in 1972 and
proceeded to serve till 2009.
- Generally, he was reappointed to the Senate multiple times
and was the fourth-most senior congressperson when he surrendered to join
Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign as his Vice Presidential running mate in
2008.
- Joe Biden filled in as the 47th VP of the United States from
2009 to 2017.
- Obama and Biden were first chosen in 2008 and afterwards
reappointed in 2012.
- He had
ineffectively run for the Democrat Presidential assignment in 1988 and in 2008.
Action Plan For Vulture Conservation 2020 To 2025 NBWL - 10 Nov 20
Highlights:
- National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared an action
plan to be specific 'Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025'.
- Under
this arrangement, there is an idea to set up Vulture Conservation Breeding
Centers in Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- These
will be utilized by Red Headed vulture and Egyptian vulture.
- These Action plan likewise suggests setting up "Vulture
Safe Zone" in each State for the preservation of the remaining population.
- It likewise sets up 4 vulture rescue centres across India.
- They are: Pinjore in
north India, Bhopal in central India, Guwahati in upper east India Hyderabad in
south India
- Vultures, by tidying up cadavers and other natural waste in
the climate, give basically significant biological system benefits that
likewise straightforwardly advantage people.
- India has 9 vulture species in the nation. The majority of
their population are declining.
- Three of India's vulture types of the family 'Gyps' beneath
are under serious danger.
- The long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus) (Critically
Endangered)
- The slender-billed Vulture (G. tenuirostris) (Critically
Endangered)
- The white-rumped vulture (G. bengalensis) (Critically
Endangered)
- The initial two had declined by 97%, while the last one had
declined almost 99% somewhere in the range of 1992 and 2007.
- Their decrease is related to the utilization of medications
for cattle treatment which at that point end up in their stomach related
framework making them powerless against kidney disappointment and harming
National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) : A Fact File- This body is comprised of the Wildlife Protection Act
(WLPA), 1972, which is led by the Prime Minister and surveys all
wildlife-related issues.
- The NBWL has 47 members including the administrator.
- Among these, 19 individuals are ex-officio individuals.
- Each new government
establishes another board, in light of the arrangements of the WLPA, with the
new PM as the seat.
- It should meet two times every year.
- The board is warning
in its temperament with respect to the protection of natural life.
What is Diclofenac ?- Diclofenac is a typical calming drug managed to animals
(cattle and other homegrown creatures) and is utilized to treat the
manifestations of irritation, fevers or potentially torment related to
infection or wounds.
- It was generally utilized in India starting during the
1990s.
- However, for vultures which eat dead cattle, are powerless against
Diclofenac.
- This medication causes kidney disappointment in the vultures.
- Despite the fact that the medication was prohibited in 2006, it is purportedly
still accessible for use.
DRDO is Developing Fire Detection and Suppression System - 10 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)has developed a fire mitigation system in buses, which can detect fires in less than 30 seconds and extinguish it within a minute.
Details Analysis:- The wider rollout of this technology will come as a big help to check mishaps, which often result in claiming multiple lives, particularly in sleeper buses.
- Demonstrations were given on water mist-based FDSS for passenger compartment and aerosol-based FDSS for engine fire.
- The FDSS for passenger ccompartment comprises a water tank of 80 litre capacity, a 6.8 kg nitrogen cylinder pressurised to 200 bar and a network of tubing with 16 number of atomizers.
- FDSS for the engine comprises an aerosol generator with within 5 seconds of the system activation.
- The active fire protection system has been developed by the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES), a DRDO laboratory.
- CFEES has unique competency in the areas of fire risk assessement, fire suppression using different extinguishing mediums, modelling and simulation.
- It has developed systems for battle tanks, ships and submarines.
- Although the fire threat is present in all the vehicles, the concern is more for school buses and sleeper coaches for long distance travel.
- In August this year, at least five persons were killed in a bus fire in Karnataka while another similar bus fire in Kannuaj in Uttar Pradesh.
- There have been several fatal fire accidents in sleeper buses across states.
Defence Minister unveils A-Sat Missile Model in DRDO Bhawan - 11 Nov 20
Highlights:
- India directed an anti-satellite rocket test on March 27,
2019, which was named as Mission Shakti.
- The test effectively decimated a live
satellite in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
- Mission Shakti turned into a critical accomplishment for
India for it acquired the country the line (fourth situation) with the US,
Russia, and China to effectively forbid and capture a satellite in space
dependent on complete indigenous innovation.
- On March 27, 2019, an anti-satellite framework that was
created by India's R&D association, DRDO (Defense Research and Development
Organization) was tried to crush a live satellite in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
- The test was called Mission Shakti.
- India, like different countries, has her space resources
that should be secured and protected.
- Additionally, India has space programs
that are quickly developing.
- The Mission Shakti was led to show India's ability to forbid
and block a satellite in space dependent on complete indigenous innovation.
World Science Day for Peace and Development was observed on 10 November - 11 Nov 20
Highlights:
- World Science Day for Peace and Development or World
Science Day, is observed on 10 November.
- The day is observed to raise awareness of the role of
science in the development of sustainable societies.
Theme:- The theme for 2020 World Science Day for Peace and
Development is "Science for and with Society."
Objectives:- I) Promote national as well as international solidarity for
shared science between countries
- II) Strengthen and raise public awareness of the role of science
for peaceful and sustainable societies
- III) Renew commitment between the countries for the use of
science for the benefit of societies
- IV) Bring attention of the countries to the challenges faced by
science in raising support for the scientific endeavour.
World Science Day for Peace and Development : A Brief History- World Science Day for Peace and Development day was
established by UNESCO in 2001.
- The day was initiated with an aim to raise
awareness of the benefits of science worldwide.
- World Science Day is an annual
event celebrated all over the world to recall the commitment made at the
UNESCO-International Council for Science (ICSU) World Conference on Science at
Budapest in 1999.
- The day also aims to renew the national, and the
international commitment to science for peace and development.
- The main
objective of the day is to stress the responsible use of science for the
benefit of society.
National Education Day is on 11th November - 11 Nov 20
Highlights:
- National Education Day is acknowledged on November 11 every
year in the view of honouring first educational minister Mr Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad.
- The day is observed as appreciation for India's first
education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, whose birth commemoration falls on
11 November.
- In his reign as education minister from 1947 to 1958, Azad
made several significant commitments in the field of education.
- The Union HRD
Ministry (at present the Education Ministry) organized the recognition of the
National Education Day in 2008.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: A Fact File - Maulana Abul Kalam Azad has his native in Mecca of Saudi
Arabia to a Muslim researcher from Bengal with an Afghan family, Maulana
Muhammad Khairuddin and his Arab spouse.
- The family of Abul Kalam Azad had
moved to Saudi Arabia after the Revolt of 1857.
- In 1890 they got back to
Calcutta.
- Azad mastered a few dialects like Urdu, Persian, Hindi, English,
Bengali and Arabic.
- He indicated learnedness at a youthful age and was
contributing articles to magazines and educating while in his youngsters
itself.
- He was distributing a famous month to month magazine Lissan-us-Sidq
when he was only 12 years of age.
Summit of SCO Council Was Held on 10 November - 11 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The 20th Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization(SCO)
Council of Heads of State was held on November 10, 2020.
Details Analysis:- The summit was chaired by the President of the Russian
Federation Mr Vladimir Putin.
- Other Member States were represented by their Presidents,
while India and Pakistan were represented at the level of Prime Minister.
- Other participants were-Secretary General of the SCO
Secretariat, Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure,
the Presidents of the four Observers (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia) of
the SCO.
- It is the 1st meeting in Virtual Format and third meeting
that India participated after becoming a full-time member in 2017.
- India (a non-permanent member of the UNSC) beginning from 1
January 2021, will focus on the theme of 'reformed multilateralism' to bring
about desirable changes in global governance.
- India’s firm belief in regional peace,
security & prosperity, raising voice against terrorism, smuggling of illegal
weapons, drugs and money-laundering.
- India's strong cultural and historical connection with the
SCO region and reiterated India's strong responsibility towards fortifying
network in the district with activities like International North-South
Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port and Ashgabat Agreement.
- India likewise stretched out full help to noticing the
twentieth commemoration of SCO in 2021 as the "SCO Year of Culture".
- Prime Minister congratulated President EmomaliRahmon of the
Republic of Tajikistan for assuming the chairmanship of SCO next year and
assured full cooperation from India.
Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, PM of the Kingdom of Bahrain passed Away - 11 Nov 20
Highlights:
- World's longest serving Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, His Royal Highness
Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, passed Away on 11th November 2020 at the age of 84.
- After his demise, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa
named crown prince Salman al-Khalifa as the new Prime Minister of the Kingdom.
Sheikh Khalifa : A Fact File- Sheikh Khalifa was one of the world’s longest-serving Prime
Ministers.
- The al-Khalifa family has ruled the Kingdom since 1783.
- He held the post since Bahrain’s independence in 1971.
- He lead the nation’s
government for decades and survived the 2011 Arab Spring protests that demanded
his removal over corruption allegations.
PM Modi addressed the 17th ASEAN-India summit - 12 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The summit focuses on measures to recover from the economic
turmoil triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and ways to further broad base the
strategic ties.
- The participating leaders will review the Asean-India
strategic partnership and taking stock of the progress on connectivity.
- The summit will highlight the maritime cooperation, trade,
and commerce, education and capacity building between the countries.
- They will also discuss ways to strengthen ASEAN-India
engagement and will note the adoption of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for the
year 2021-2025.
ASEAN: A Fact File- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic to its regions.
- It is is one of the most significant groups in the region.
- Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and
Vietnam, are its members.
- The dialogue partners of ASEAN are India, the US,
China, Japan, and Australia.
- Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
- Founded: 8 August 1967, Indonesia
- Founders: Narciso Ramos, Abdul Razak Hussein, Adam Malik, S. Rajaratnam, Thanat Khoman
Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana launched to boost employment - 12 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Recently, Finance Minister Smt Nirmala
Sitharaman announced the fourth economic stimulus package.
- During the
announcement, the Finance Minister introduced the “Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar
Yojana”.
- The beneficiaries of the scheme include employees in EPFO
registered establishments who were on monthly wages less than Rs 15,000.
- Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana will benefit new employees
of EPFO registered organizations and the new employees who had lost jobs
between March 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020.
Features of the Scheme:- The centre under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana will
provide subsidy for two years.
- For the establishments employing up to 1000 employees, the
GoI will provide employees’ contribution (12% of wages) and employer’s
contribution (12% of the wages).
What is EPF scheme?- The Employment Provident Scheme is run by the Employees
Provident Fund Organization.
- It covers all the establishments that employs more
than 20 people. Under the scheme, the employee has to pay a certain
contribution towards the scheme.
- The equal contribution will be paid by the
employer as well. During retirement of the employee, a lumpsum amount with
interest on both is given to the employee.
- Under the scheme, a person drawing salary less than Rs
15,000 is not eligible.
- Thus, the GoI has brought in the Atma Nirbhar Bharat
Rozgar Yojana to include them as well and also help boost employment generation
in the country.
- The finance minister also announced that the PLI scheme is
being extended to 10 other sectors.
- An additional outlay of Rs 18,000 crores to
PM Awas Yojana.
- Rs 900 crores to research and development of Indian COVID-19
vaccine development.
World Pneumonia Day observed on November 12 - 12 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Every year, World Pneumonia Day is celebrated on November 12
by World Health Organization, UNICEF and several other international
organizations.
- The first World Pneumonia Day was marked in 2019 by Global
Coalition against Child Pneumonia.
- GAPP
- The Global Action Plan for Prevention and Control of
Pneumonia called GAPP was released by WHO and UNICEF in 2009.
- According to
GAPP, around 1 million children can be saved every year if treatment and
prevention of pneumonia is widely introduced in poorest countries of the world.
- About Pneumonia
- A course of antibiotics that is less than 1 USD in cost of
capable of curing the disease, provided the treatment is started in early
stages.
- Pneumonia sickens 155 million children under 5 and kills 1.6
million each year.
- This make the disease number one killer of children under 5
than that of malaria, AIDS, measles.
Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhea: A Fact File- The GAPPD was launched by UNICEF and WHO in 2009.
- The main
objective of the programme is to reduce the number of children under five who
are stunted and end preventable childhood deaths from diarrhoea and pneumonia.
- According to the World Health Organization, one in five
children in India are affected by Pneumonia.
- In 2018, Pneumonia killed more
than 1,27,000 children.
- 53% of Pneumonia in India is caused due to chold
wasting, 27% due to outdoor air pollution and 22% caused by indoor air
pollution.
- In July 2020, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)
approved the first indigenously developed pneumonia vaccine.
- It was developed
by Serum Institute of India Limited.
- By reducing the deaths of children due to Pneumonia and
Diarrhoea, one can achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of
reducing under five mortality to at least to 25 per 1,000 live births by 2030.
Public Service Broadcasting Day observed on November 12 - 12 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Public Service Broadcasting Day is celebrated every year on
November 12 as the remembrance of the first and only visit of Mahatma Gandhi to
the studio of All India Radio, Delhi in 1947.
- During his visit to the All-India
Radio station, Gandhi addressed people who were displaced after partition of
Haryana and were temporarily settled in Kurukshetra.
- Every year, a special
event is organized to observe the Public Service Broadcasting Day in the
premises of All India Radio, New Delhi.
- In January 2020, India and Bangladesh signed agreements in
the field of Information and Broadcasting. Under the agreement, content from
All India Radio has started airing on Bangladesh Radio Betar and similarly from
the Bangladesh is being aired on All India Radio in Kolkata.
- In April 2020 in an attempt to solve problems of students
during COVID-19, All India Radio started broadcasting the online classes and
other academic content through its regional channels across the country on
Radio, TV, and YouTube.
- Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash
Javadekar inaugurated a new Broadcast Auditorium of All India Radio in New
Delhi in November 2019.
All India Radio (AIR) : A Fact File- All India Radio is a public sector broadcaster of the
country established in the year 1936.
- It is a division of broadcasting agency
Prasar Bharati.
- All India Radio is the one of the largest broadcasting
organisations in the world in terms of the number of languages of broadcast and
the socio-economic spectrum and cultural diversity served by the broadcaster.
- AIR originates programming in 179 dialects and 23 languages.
- AIR has 470
Broadcasting centres across the country. Doordarshan is also a division of
Prasar Bharati.
Centre announced Rs 65,000 crore fertilizer subsidy for farmers - 12 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 65,000-crore fertilizer subsidy for farmers as part of her stimulus package to boost the economy.
- The sum amount is provided with an aim to ensure adequate
availability of fertilizers to farmers.
- Also, an additional amount of Rs.10,000 crore will be
provided for PM Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana in the current financial year.
- This
will accelerate the growth of the rural economy.
- Centre will release Rs 3,000 crore to EXIM Bank for the
promotion of 'Project Exports' through lines of credits (LOC).
- EXIM Bank extends LOC on behalf of GoI as assistance to
developing countries under the Indian Development and Economic Assistance
Scheme (IDEAS) Scheme.
Indian Navy launches fifth Scorpene Submarine “Vagir” - 13 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 12, 2020, the Indian Navy launched the fifth
Scorpene submarine “Vagir” at Mazagon Dock of south Mumbai.
- The submarine is
capable of taking missions such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface
warfare, mine laying, intelligence gathering and area surveillance.
- Vagir is a part of six Kalvari class submarine that is being
built in India.
- These submarines were designed by French Navy and an energy
company DCNS.
- The six submarines were built under Project-75 of Indian Navy.
What is Vagir ?- Vagir has been named after Sand Fish.
- It is a deep-sea
predator in the Indian Ocean.
- The first Vagir was commissioned in 1973.
- The
first Vagir submarine was from Russia.
Project 75 : A Fact File- The Project 75 aims to build six Scorprene Class attack
submarines.
- The submarines were built through transfer of technology from a
French Company DCNS at Mazagon Dock Limited.
- Under the project, the first
Scorpene submarine Kalvari was commissioned in 2017.
- The second Scorpene Class
Submarine that was commissioned under the project was Scorpene Khanderi. The
third Scorprene class submarine was INS Karanj.
- INS Vela was the fourth
Scorpene submarine.
- The fifth Scorpene submarine being inducted is INS Vagir.
- The INS Vagsheer is yet to be commissioned and is still under construction.
- Scoprene Class Submarine is a diesel-electric attack submarine that was jointly
developed by French Direction des Constructions Navales (DCNS) and Spanish
Navantia.
- The beneficial feature of these submarines is that they have
an additional air-independent propulsion.
- Air-Independent Propulsion is a marine propulsion technology that allows non-nuclear
submarine to operate without accessing surface oxygen (or atmospheric oxygen).
List of Nuclear-powered submarines in-service:- Chakra Class
- Arihant Class
- The Diesel Electric submarines that are currently in service
are as follows
- Shishumar class
- Kalvari class
- Sindhughosh class.
Second National Water Awards Winners were Declared - 13 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Ministry of Jal Shakti organized the 2nd National Water
Awards on 11th & 12th November 2020 to honour the excellence
in Water Management and Conservation across the Nation.
- Objective:
- The aim of the National Water Awards is to acknowledge
individuals/organizations doing commendable work in the field of water
conservation and management.
- Also, it strives to create awareness among the people about
the importance of water and motivate them to adopt the best water usage
practices.
- The National Water
Awards not only focused on the good work and efforts made by individual and
organisations across the country, it was a right step in the direction of
government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’.
- The event provided a good opportunity to start-ups as well
as leading organisations to engage and deliberate. The ceremony also provided
an occasion for all people and organisations to further cement a strong
partnership and engender stakeholders’ engagement in water resources
conservation and management.
National Water Awards:
A Fact File- The National Water Awards 2019 was launched in September
2019 on MyGov portal and entries were also invited by Central Groundwater
Board.
- The Jury Committee was headed by Shri Shashi Shekhar, Former
Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation.
- Two Screening Committees with members from CGWB and CWC
assisted the Jury Committee in studying the applications and selecting the
winners.
- National Water Awardees, delegates and audience joined LIVE through
virtual platform.
- The winners of the National Water Awards for the year 2019
have been declared.
- The awards are given in several categories such as ‘Best
State’, ‘Best District’, ‘Best School’, ‘Best Newspaper’, ‘Best NGO’, ‘Best
Industry’, etc. with sub-categories also.
- The Best State Awards for first 3 positions were backed
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
- Special Category States
- 1st place is given to Mizoram
- Best District Awards in Revival of Rivers and Water
Conservation were given to:
- Ayodhya and Almora - North
- Vellore and YSR Kadapa - South
- Sangli and Kachchh - West
- Bilaspur and Surajpur - East
- West Tripura (WC) - Northeast
- Khandana and Vizianagaram - Aspirational district category
China launces world’s first 6G experimental satellite - 13 Nov 20
Highlights:
- China recently launched the first 6G experimental satellite.
- The satellite will test the technology of Tetrahertz waves in space.
Details Analysis:- On November 6, 2020, china launched world’s first experimental satellite.
- It was launched into orbit along with 12 other satellites.
- The satellite weighs 70 kg approximately.
- The satellite carries technologies used for forest fire prevention and crop disaster monitoring.
- The 6G band lies between the 5G millimetre wave frequency and terahertz frequency.
- The 6G is more advantageous than the of 5G in terms of speed and lossless transmission, especially in space.
- The 14th five year plan of China (2021-25) is dedicated in becoming technologically self-reliant in artificial intelligence, semiconductor chips, fifth generation wireless technologies and autonomous vehicles.
- International Telecommunication Union on 6G
- The research for 6G was recently launched by the ITU in March 2020 during its 34th ITU Working Group meet.
- The research works are to begin by 2021.
- Both machines and humans will use 6G. In other words, 6G will be more related to Artificial Intelligence communication.
- 5G is only in its initial stages.
- There are only 82 commercial networks in the world using 5G.
- They are mainly located in US, UK and Australia.
- The Government of India is to carry out 5G spectrum auction in the first quarter of 2021.
- According to the Department of Telecommunications, the sale will include almost 8,300 megahertz of airwaves.
- The auction was to be held in 2020.
- However, it was postponed due to poor financial health.
- The range of 5G connectivity is not good as the 5G waves can travel only very short distances.
- The initial costs of 5G are high.
- It consumes more power and hence the battery drain in devices using 5G will be faster.
- The upload speeds in 5G do not match with the download speeds.
Cabinet approves Continuation and Revamping of the Scheme for Financial Support to Public Private Partnerships - 13 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved Continuation and Revamping of the Scheme for Financial Support to Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Infrastructure Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme till 2024-25.
- The total outlay of the said scheme would be Rs.8,100 cr.
- The revamped Scheme is mainly related to introduction of following two sub-schemes for mainstreaming private participation in social infrastructure:
a. Sub scheme -1- This would cater to Social Sectors such as Waste Water Treatment, Water Supply, Solid Waste Management, Health and Education sectors etc.
- These projects face bankability issues and poor revenue streams to cater fully to capital costs.
- The projects eligible under this category should have at least 100% Operational Cost recovery.
- The Central Government will provide maximum of 30% of Total Project Cost (TPC) of the project as VGF and State Government/Sponsoring Central Ministry/Statutory Entity may provide additional support up to 30% of TPC.
b. Sub scheme -2- This Sub scheme will support demonstration/pilot social sectors projects.
- The projects may be from Health and Education sectors where there is at least 50% Operational Cost recovery.
- In such projects, the Central Government and the State Governments together will provide up to 80% of capital expenditure and up-to 50% of Operation & Maintenance (O&M) costs for the first five years.
- The Central Government will provide a maximum of 40% of the TPC of the Project.
- In addition, it may provide a maximum of 25% of Operational Costs of the project in first five years of commercial operations.
- Since the inception of the scheme, 64 projects have been accorded 'final approval' with Total Project Cost of Rs. 34,228 crore and VGF of Rs. 5,639 crore.
- Till the end of Financial Year 2019-20, VGF of Rs. 4,375 crore has been disbursed.
Benefits:- The aim of the scheme is to promote PPPs in social and Economic Infrastructure leading to efficient creation of assets and ensuring their proper Operation and Maintenance and make the economically/socially essential projects commercially viable.
- The scheme would be beneficial to public at large as it would help in creation of the Infrastructure for the country.
Implementation Strategy:- The new Scheme will come into force within one month of the approval of Cabinet.
- Proposed amendments under the revamped VGF scheme would be suitably incorporated in the Guidelines for the Scheme.
- All steps will be taken up for the promotion of the revamped VGF and in monitoring of the supported projects.
Impact:- Revamping of the proposed VGF Scheme will attract more PPP projects and facilitate the private investment in the social sectors (Health, Education, Waste Water, Solid Waste Management, Water Supply etc.). Creation of new hospitals, schools will create many opportunities to boost employment generation.
Expenditure Involved:- The revamped Scheme will be financed from budgetary support of Ministry of Finance.
- The projected outlay of the revamped VGF scheme till the Financial Year 2024-2025 is as under:
Background:- The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance introduced "the Scheme for Financial Support to PPPs in Infrastructure" (Viability Gap Funding Scheme) in 2006 with a view to support infrastructure projects undertaken through PPP mode.
- These are economically justified but commercially unviable due to large capital investment requirements, long gestation periods and the inability to increase user charges to commercial levels, the existing Scheme, VGF up to 40% of the Total Project Cost (TPC) is provided by the Government, of India (Gol) and the sponsoring authority in the form of capital grant at the stage of project construction (20%+20%).
World Diabetes Day observed on November 14 - 14 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Every year, World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14.
- The celebrations of the World Diabetes Day is led by International Diabetes
Federation.
- This year the World Diabetes Day is celebrated under the theme
Theme: Nurses make the difference for Diabetes- The World Diabetes Day was launched in 1991 by the World
Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation.
- Type I diabetes is not preventable but can be managed with
insulin injections.
- Type II diabetes is preventable and treatable.
- India is home to second largest diabetes patients in the
world after China.
- Around 77 million in India suffer from diabetes.
- China leads the list
with 116 million diabetic patients.
- India contributes to 15% of global diabetes burden and only
1% to global diabetic research according to National Health Mission.
- Lately
Diabetic retinopathy has increased in India.
- Diabetic Retinopathy is the damage of blood vessels in eye due to high blood
sugar levels.
- Eventually, the retina gets damaged.
- In 2019, India released
National Diabetes and Diabetic Survey.
- According to the survey, on in 46
diabetic patients in India become visually impaired due to diabetes.
- The World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14 because,
it marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting who discovered Insulin.
- In 2010, India launched National Programme for Prevention
and Control of Cancers, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke.
- The
programme provides cost effective treatment at various levels of healthcare.
WHO Global Diabetes Compact: A Fact File- The WHO Global Diabetes Compact was launched in April 2021.
- The main goal of the initiative is to support the countries in implementing
programmes that help prevent diabetes and manage diabetes.
- Around 6% of world
population is suffering from diabetes.
- This is four times the number as
compared to that of 1980.
- The number is expected to increase to 570 million in
2030.
Viability Gap Funding Scheme Approved by The Cabinet - 14 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Union Cabinet approves Continuation and Revamping of the
Scheme for Financial Support to Public-Private Partnerships(PPP) in
Infrastructure Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme.
- The approval has been given to continue the scheme till
2024-25 with a total outlay of Rs.8100 crore.
- The Revamped Scheme is principally identified with the
presentation of the accompanying two sub-plans for mainstreaming private
cooperation in social framework:
Sub-scheme 1:- caters to social sectors like wastewater
treatment, water supply, solid waste management, health and education, etc.
- These undertakings face bankability issues and helpless
income streams to provide food completely to capital expenses.
- The tasks qualified under this class ought to have in any
event 100% operational cost recuperation.
Sub-scheme 2: - It will support demonstration/pilot social sector
projects.
- The undertakings might be from the wellbeing and instruction areas
where there is at any rate 50% operational cost recovery.
- The scheme aims to advance PPPs in social and financial
framework prompting the productive making of resources and guaranteeing their
legitimate activity and upkeep and make the monetarily/socially fundamental
ventures economically reasonable.
- The plan would be valuable to people in general everywhere
as it would help in the production of foundation for the nation.
Traditional Medicine Centre to be set up in India - 14 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 13, 2020, the World Health Organization
announced that it is to set up a traditional medicine centre in India.
- The announcement of establishing the centre was made during
the inaugural ceremony of two future ready Ayurveda institutions.
- These
institutions were inaugurated in Jamnagar and Jaipur.
- The Institute of Teaching
and Research in Ayurveda was established in Jamnagar and has been conferred
with the status of Institution of National Importance.
- The National Institute
of Ayurveda that has been inaugurated at Jaipur has been designated as the
Institution Deemed to be University.
- The status for these institutions were
provided by the University Grants Commission.
- The institutes were inaugurated as part of Dhanteras
celebrations.
Traditional Medicine Centre: A fact File- The new centre of traditional medicines will support efforts
of WHO to implement WHO Strategy of Traditional Medicines 2014-23.
- The strategy
aims to develop policies and action plans to strengthen role of traditional
medicines in universal health coverage.
- Every year, Dhanteras is celebrated on Dhanvantari Jayanti.
- Also, the National Ayurveda Day is marked during Dhanteras Celebrations.
- According to the National Medicinal Plant Board, the global
trade of traditional medicines stands at 120 billion USD.
- It is predicted that
it might grow to 7 trillion USD by 2050.
- Several countries have fixed their export and import
policies based on USFDA regulations.
- Some of the European countries have even
made it mandatory for a drug to be certified by USFDA for its sale or
distribution.
- USFDA does not approve compounded drugs. On the other hand,
most of the Ayurvedic drugs are compounded.
IFSCA Approves Draft Banking Regulations For International Financial Services Centres - 15 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The International Financial Services Centres Authority
(IFSCA) approved draft Banking Regulations Act-2020 for banking operations at
IFSCs.
Details Analysis:- Banking constitutes one of the major focus areas of IFSCs
(International Financial Services Centres) and is expected to drive and
facilitate the other constituent operations in IFSCs in due course, IFSCA said
in a statement.
- A self-contained regulation laying down the major principles
of banking operations at IFSCs is thus an important step in the IFSC reaching
its desired potential.
- The authority approved the draft banking regulations at its
meeting held on Wednesday, as per the statement.
- The salient aspects of the banking regulations include
laying down the requirements for setting up IFSC Banking Units (IBUs) and
permitting persons resident outside India - having net worth of not less than
$1 million - to open foreign currency accounts in any freely convertible currency
at IBUs.
- The draft regulations provide for permitting persons
resident in India -having net worth of at least $1 million - to open foreign
currency accounts in any freely convertible currency at IBUs to undertake any
permissible current account or capital account transaction or any combination
thereof under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank of
India.
- It also lays down the permissible activities of IBUs such as
credit enhancement, credit insurance and sale, purchase of portfolios, engaging
in factoring and undertaking equipment leasing, including aircraft leasing.
- As per the draft regulations, the authority can determine
businesses that a banking unit may be permitted to conduct in INR with persons
resident in India and persons resident outside India, subject to settlement of
the financial transaction in relation to such business in freely convertible
foreign currency.
- The draft regulations will be notified by the government in
due course, the statement said.
- Gujarat-headquartered IFSCA has been authorised to regulate
all financial services at IFSCs.
- The IFSCA was established on April 27 this year with its
head office in Gandhinagar.
- Earlier, in December 2019, Parliament passed a bill to set
up a unified authority for regulating all financial activities at IFSCs in the
country.
DRDO Successfully Test-fired Quick Response Surface-to-Air Missile System (QRSAM) - 15 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Defense Research and Development Organization - DRDO
successfully tested the Quick Response Surface-to-Air Missile System (QRSAM) on
November 13, 2020.
- The test was conducted at the comprehensive test field in
Chandipur on the Odi Saha coast.
- The test is a continuation of a series of
missile tests conducted by DRDO in the past two months.
QRSAM: A Fact File- QRSAM is a tank-based system, which means it is stored and
operated from specially designed compartments.
- In the tank, the internal environment is controlled, so not
only is it easy to transport and store, but the shelf life of the weapon is
also greatly improved.
- The system can detect and track moving targets and
engage them after a short pause.
- It is a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system,
mainly designed and developed by DRDO, to provide a defensive barrier for the
army's mobile armored forces to protect them from enemy air attacks.
- The entire weapon system has been configured on a mobile
mobile platform that can provide air defense capabilities while on the move.
- It
was designed to introduce it to the Army, with a range of 25 to 30 kilometers.
- The QRSAM weapon group that functions on the move consists
of a fully automated command and control system.
- It also consists of two radars-active array battery
surveillance radar and active array battery multifunctional radar-with a
transmitter.
- Both radars have 360-degree coverage with "mobile
search" and "mobile tracking" functions.
- The system has a compact structure, uses a single-stage
solid-propelled missile, and has a midway inertial navigation system with a
two-way data link and a terminal active seeker developed by DRDO.
India contributes 1 million USD to Covid-19 ASEAN Response Fund - 15 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired India-ASEAN summit along with the
Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngyuyen Xuan Phuc.
- During the
summit, PM annoucned that India is to contribute 1 million USD to COVID-19
ASEAN Response Fund.
- The summit reviewed the status of India-ASEAN strategic
partnership.
- It focused on key
areas such as maritime cooperation, connectivity, trade and commerce, capacity
building and education.
- ASEAN is considered as an influential grouping as the ASEAN
region has high potential for upcoming markets.
- The region is expected to grow
at an average of 5.2% by 2022.
- It is to become the world largest single market by 2030.
- Therefore, India, China, Japan and Australia are competing with each other to
grab their place in the market.
- The ASEAN summit is being held amid China’s aggressive
behaviour in the South China sea.
ASEAN: A Fact File- ASEAN is Association of South East Asian Nations.
- It is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic.
- Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
- Founded: 8 August 1967, Indonesia
- Members: Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos
- Founders: Narciso Ramos, Abdul Razak Hussein, Adam Malik, S. Rajaratnam, Thanat Khoman
India-ASEAN Relationship:
- During the summit, India and ASEAN adopted “ASEAN-India Plan
of Action (2021-2025)”.
- The ten members of ASEAN include Indonesia,
Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia,
Myanmar.
- Benefits from ASEAN to India:
- India is to develop the North East Region by building its
trade and connectivity with the ASEAN countries through air, land and water.
- This is the prime focus of Act East Policy of India.
- In order to improve its
trade with ASEAN, India has increased its linkages with countries such as
Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
- India has signed an agreement to build 1,400 km
trilateral highway that will connect India, Myanmar and Thailand.
- The Kaladan
Multimodal Transport Project is under implementation.
- The project will link
Sittwe port with the state of Mizoram.
- There are plans to connect New Delhi and
Hanoi in Vietnam.
- ASEAN is the fourth largest trading partner of India.
- India’s overall trade with ASEAN stands at 10.6% of overall trade of the
country.
Fifteen Asian Asian Economies sign World largest China-backed deal in RCEP - 15 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 15, 2020, China and fourteen other countries
signed a deal to set up the world largest trading bloc.
- The negotiations to
sign the deal began in 2011.
- These 15 countries account to 30% of world
population and 30% of global GDP.
- Thus, the deal is the world largest Free
Trade Agreement.
- The deal was signed on the side lines of online ASEAN
summit.
- The agreement will lower the tariffs further. Also, it is less
comprehensive than the Trans-Pacific trade deal.
- This is the first time China
and Japan reached a bilateral tariff reduction arrangement.
- Also, it is for the
first time China, South Korea and Japan have come together in a single free
trade agreement.
- Unlike the CPTPP and the European Union Trade deal, it does
not set standards on labour and environment.
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership(RCEP):- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a free
trade agreement initiated by Indonesia, between the Asia-Pacific nations of
Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Wikipedia
- Signed: 15 November 2020
- Condition: Ratification by at least 6 ASEAN and 3 non-ASEAN
countries
- Location: Hanoi, Vietnam (Virtual host)
- The agreement has left the doors open for India.
- However, India, in 2019 opted out of the agreement mainly
due to concerns of dumping manufactured goods from China.
- And also dumping of diary products from New Zealand and
agricultural products from Australia. India also raised several concerns
regarding the deal.
- And the deal failed to address India’s concerns.
- The deal is also a coup for China. Being the biggest market
in the region with 1.3 billion people, the deal will allow China to cast itself
as a champion of multilateral cooperation and globalization.
- This will provide
China a greater influence governing the regional trade.
- Other biggest trade deals
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement(USMCA):- It is a retooled version of the North American Free Trade
Agreement
- It covers one-tenth of the world population
- Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership(CPTPP)
- It is the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the
Trans-Pacific Partnership
- It was signed in 2018 in Chile.
- It was signed between Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico,
Vietnam, Singapore, Peru, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile, Brunei.
International Day for Tolerance is celebrated on 16 November - 16 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Every year, UNESCO and several other international
organizations celebrate the International Day for Tolerance on November 16.
- This day is celebrated to raise awareness of the importance of tolerance in
society.
- It also aims to raise awareness of the negative effects of
intolerance.
- According to UNESCO, tolerance is an attribute that helps
people live in peace.
- According to UNESCO’s 1995 Declaration of Principles of
Tolerance, tolerance is the acceptance, respect and appreciation of world
cultures and human lifestyles.
- This is also the basic theme of the 2020
International Day for Tolerance.
- The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution
commemorating the International Day of Tolerance in 1996.
- UNESCO awards the Madan Jeet Singh Prize every year to
promote tolerance and non-violence.
- The award was awarded on the International
Day of Tolerance.
- The winner will receive a prize amount of 100,000 U.S. dollars.
Madan Jeet Singh: Brief History- Madan Jeet Singh is an Indian diplomat.
- He was born in
Lahore, British India in 1924. In 1942, he actively participated in the Mahatma
Gandhi movement to disperse India against Indian colonial rule.
- Madan Jeet is in jail for his actions against the British
government.
- He joined the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1953 and has
served in Greece, Yugoslavia, the Lost, Sweden, Spain, the Soviet Union,
Sweden, and Denmark.
- He joined India in 1982 as UNESCO
Ambassador.
- In 2000, Madan Jit became a goodwill ambassador to the United
Nations.
- The UNESCO Executive Board established the UNESCO Madan Jet
Singh Prize to recognize his life-long dedication to the cause of peace and
community harmony, in recognition of his tolerance and non-violence.
- UNESCO will celebrate 1995 as the United Nations Year of
Tolerance.
- This is related to the 125th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
- The 1995
celebration was funded by Madan Jeet Singh.
National Press Day observed on November 16 - 16 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Every year the National Press Day is celebrated on November
16.
- This is because the Press Council of India was established
on November 16, 1966.
- The Press Council of India acts as a moral Watchdog for
media.
- Also, the Press Council of India makes sure that the freedom
of press is not controlled by the threats or influence of other extraneous
factors.
- In India, the celebration of National Press Day is
considered as the symbol of free and responsible press in India.
Constitutional provisions:- The Article 19 of the Constitution of India provides the
right to freedom of speech and expression. However, the freedom of press is not
specifically included in the article.
- Violence against journalists in India
- Between 1992 and 2018, 48 journalists have been killed in
India.
- According to the Global Press Freedom Index, 2020, India ranked 140th out of 180 countries.
- There have been constant press freedom violations in India.
- This included ambushes by political activist, police
violence against journalist and attacks instigated by corrupt local officials
or criminal groups.
- The World Press Freedom Index (or the Global Press Freedom
Index) is being published since 2000 annually.
- It is published by the Reporters Sans Frontiers or Reporters
without borders.
- It is an independent Non-Governmental Organization.
- It has a consultative status with the UNESCO, United Nations
and the International Organization of Francophone.
- The NGO ranks the countries based on the parameters such as
media independent, pluralism, media environment, legislative Framework, quality
of infrastructure and transparency.
Nitish Kumar appointed as Chief Minister of Bihar - 16 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 16, 2020, the President of Janata Dal Nitish Kumar was appointed as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth consecutive term.
- The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor.
- The Chief Ministers and the Prime Ministers in India are appointed by the Governor and President respectively.
- On the other hand, the Members of Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament are elected by the people.
- According to Article 164, the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor.
- The Chief Minister has to communicate with Governor about decisions of council of ministers.
Nitish Kumar : A fact file- He is an Indian politician, who is serving as 22nd Chief Minister of Bihar, a state in India, since 2015 and has served in that role on five previous occasions.
- He has also served as a minister in the Union Government of India. Kumar is a member of the Janata Dal political party.
- Education: National Institute of Technology Patna (1972), Patna Science College
- Awards: CNN-IBN Indian of the Year in Politics, NDTV Indian of the Year, NDTV Indian of the Year, CNN-IBN Indian of the Year.
Tristan da Cunha becomes the largest Marine Protection Zone of Atlantic Ocean - 16 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The isolated UK overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha was
declared the largest fully protected Marine reserve of Atlantic Ocean.
- This
will prohibit sand extraction, bottom trawling fishing and deep-sea mining in
more than 90% of waters of the territory.
- It includes 687,000 square kilo
metres of water in the Atlantic ocean.
- UK is on the track of bringing 30% of world ocean under
protected zone by 2030.
- The marine waters of Tristan da Cunha has been declared
a protected zone in order to achieve this goal.
Tristan da Cunha: A Fact File- It is a small chain of islands inhabited by less than 300
humans.
- It is located at 6,000 miles from London in the South Atlantic Ocean.
- The waters around the island are the richest in the world.
- It is home to tens
of millions of seabirds, unique land birds.
- There are two endangered species
and five endangered species in the island.
- The island is also home to World
Heritage sites such as Gough and Inaccessible Islands.
- These islands are the
most important seabird islands of the world.
- The island will become largest
no-take zone in the Atlantic Ocean after joining Blue Belt programme of UK.
Blue Belt Programme : A Fact File- The programme protects the overseas territories of the
country.
- It aims to achieve sustainable management of their marine environment.
- It was launched in 2017.
- It includes British Antarctic Territories and British
Indian Ocean Territories as well.
- However, in accordance to Antarctic treaty,
the claims over the region has been suspended.
- The British Indian Ocean Territories lies 500 miles south of
Maldives. It consists of five low-lying coral atolls.
- The human activities in Antarctic are regulated by Antarctic
Treaty that was signed in 1960.
- Around 54 countries signed the treaty.
- The
treaty sets Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity in
the continent.
NE State Arunachal Pradesh Tops the Sex Ratio - 17 Nov 20
Highlights:
- According to the Registrar of India "Indian
vital statistics based on the civil registration system'', Arunachal Pradesh is the highest in the country.
- Sex ratio is a
demographic concept used to measure the ratio of women to men in a given
population.
- The sex ratio at birth is the no. of women born per 1,000 men.
- According to the report, the sex ratio in Arunachal Pradesh
is the highest in the country, while the sex ratio in Manipur is the worst.
- Arunachal Pradesh recorded 1084 women per 1,000 men,
followed by Nagaland (965) Mizoram (964), Kerala (963) and Karnataka (957).
- Manipur (757), Lakshadweep (839) and Dammam and Diu (877),
Punjab (896) and Gujarat (897) reported the most serious reports.
- The number of registered births in 2018 increased from 2.21
million in the previous year to 2.33 million.
- The number of birth registrations
increased from 81.3% in 2009 to 89.3% in 2018.
- The prescribed time limit for registration of a birth or
death is 21 days.
- However, some countries still record births and deaths even
after one year.
- The life or death reported one year later should be
registered by the first-class magistrate only after the correctness has been
verified and the prescribed fees have been paid.
China has begun to build Railway Line to Connect China and Tibet - 17 Nov 20
Highlights:
- China has begun to build a strategic railway line (this is
the second major railway line to Tibet) that will connect Sichuan Province in
southwest China with Linzhi, Tibet, near the border of Arunachal Pradesh in
India. Linzhi (also known as Nyingchi) is located near the border of Arunachal
Pradesh.
- The India-China border dispute involves a 3,488-kilometer
line of actual control, which is the actual border between the two countries.
- China claims that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of southern Tibet, but India
firmly rejected it.
- Just like the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Line (which connected
Lhasa (the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)) to the mainland in
2006), this will be the second route to connect the Tibet Autonomous Region
with the mainland.
- The Sichuan-Tibet Railway departs from Chengdu, the capital
of Sichuan Province, and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from
Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours.
- When there is a crisis on the border, the railway can act as
a "fast track" for the transportation of strategic materials.
- Since this railway runs near the southwest border of China,
it will greatly improve the efficiency and convenience of military personnel
and material transportation and logical materials.
PM Modi to attend 12th BRICS Summit - 17 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 17, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to
attend the 12th BRICS to be hosted by Russia. The summit is to
be held under the theme “Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative
Growth”.
- The BRICS members to participate in the meeting are China,
India, Brazil, Russia and South Africa.
- The meeting was to be held at St Peterburg in July 2020.
- However, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Lastly Russia chaired
the 7th BRICS summit.
BRICS - India: - India is currently in the middle of Global Geopolitics.
- It
is highly challenging for India to carve a middle path to balance its interests
between Russia, US and China.
- The BRICS platform is the best opportunity for
India to balance China-Russia axis.
- The BRICS community plays significant role in G20.
- All the
BRICS members are members of G20 as well. The BRICS countries hold a common
objective to reform the international monetary system to build a balanced
international order.
- For instance, all the BRICS countries including China and
India agreed on a debt pact to help poor countries hit by COVID-19.
- The BRICS has recently emerged as the voice of developing
countries.
- The western countries have been raising challenges on issues from
climate change to World Trade Organization.
- This is crippling the developing
countries.
- BRICS acts as a common platform to work against terrorism.
DIPAM and World Bank sign Agreement - 17 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 16, 2020, DIPAM (Department of Investment and
Public Asset Management) signed an agreement with World Bank.
- Under the agreement, the World Bank will provide advisory
services on asset monetization.
- Asset Monetization is creating new sources of revenue by
unlocking underutilized or untilized public assets.
What is DIPAM’s Plan on Asset Monetisation?- DIPAM is to facilitate monetization of non-core assets and
enemy property of Rs 100 crores. There are plans to sell minority stakes in
LIC.
- The World Bank consulting project approved by the Minister
of Finance aims to analyze India’s public asset monetization, benchmark India’s
institutions and business models against international best practices, and
support the development of business guidelines and the ability to implement
these guidelines.
- The project is expected to promote and accelerate the
monetization process of non-core assets and help release the value of these
unused/used assets, which may greatly increase financial resources for further
investment and growth.
- DIPAM has a framework to monetize the assets.
- The World Bank
advisory project will analyze public asset monetization in India, benchmark its
business and institutional models against international best practices.
- The project will accelerate the monetization process of
non-core assets.
- It will help to unlock the values of marginally used assets.
Aryna Sabalenka wins Linz Title - 17 Nov 20
Highlights:
- On November 16, 2020, Aryna Sabalenka won the Linz Open Title.
- The
22-year old Belarusian traded places with Serena Williams who has dropped to
11th in ranking.
- Serena has not played since French Open due to her Achilles
injury.
Aryna Sabalenka:- She is a Belarusian Tennis player.
- She has been ranked at
number 9 in singles and number 2 in doubles by the Women Tennis Association.
- Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam at the 2019 US Open.
- In all she has won
twelve Women Tennis Association (WTA) titles.
- Linz Open is played in hardcourts.
- It is sponsored by Generali
Gruppe. It is usually held in Linz, Austria. Since 2009, it is designated as
WTA International Tournament.
- Hard Courts are made of Acrylic to provide greater consistency of
bounce.
- They are faster than clay but not as faster than grass courts.
- The US
Open and Australian Open are played in Hard courts.
- The US Open is played in
Deco turf and the Australian Open is played in GreenSet.
Life Expectancy in India increases to 70.8 years: Lancet Report - 17 Nov 20
Highlights:
- According to the recently published Lancet medical report, the life expectancy of India has increased since 1990.
- The life expectancy of India has increased from 59.6 years
in 1992 to 70.8 years in 2019.
- Kerala has the highest life expectancy.
- In Kerala life
expectancy has increased to 77.3 years.
- The life expectancy of Uttar Pradesh was 66.9 years.
- The report says that the maternal mortality in India is
coming down.
- However, maternal malnutrition and child malnutrition are
still the major factors of illness and death in India.
- They still contribute to one-fifth of total disease burden
in States touches Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
- The cardiovascular diseases that were the fifth major cause
of death in India has now become number 1.
- The cancer rates are increasing in the country.
- In the last 30 years chronic illness including high blood
sugar, obesity and air pollution. related health issues have increased in India.
- The largest contributors to health loss in India in the last
30 years were diabetes, heart diseases, stroke and musculoskeletal disorders.
- The top five risk factors of death in India are air
pollution, high blood pressure, tobacco use, poor diet and high blood sugar.
- The air pollution contributed to 1.7 million death, high blood pressure
contributes to 1.47 million death, tobacco use to 1.23 million death, poor diet
to 1.18 million deaths and high blood sugar to 1.12 million deaths.
Maternal Mortality Rate:- According to World Health Organization, Maternal mortality
is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy
termination.
- According to the national health policy 2017, India has set a
target of achieving MMR of100 per 100000 live births by 2020.
- As of 2018,
maternal mortality ratio in India is 113.
- India has also committed to achieve the United Nations
target of sustainable development goals for maternal mortality rate of 70 per
100000 live births by 2030.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty observed on October 17 - 17 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Every year, the International Day for the Eradication of
Poverty is marked on October 17 by the United Nations.
- This year, the day is
observed under the theme
Theme: Acting together to achieve social and environmental
justice for all- The day was declared as the International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty in 1992.
- In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human
rights was signed in Paris.
- It was signed to honour the victims of poverty, hunger
and violence.
- It was the first signed where people came together to agree that
poverty is a violation of human rights.
- The United Nations defines poverty as
earning less than 1.9 USD a day.
- The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal aims to end poverty
by 2030.
- Poverty is one among the Millennium Development Goal.
Millennium Development Goal:- The eight contributors of Millennium Development Goal are
inequality in education, poverty and hunger, gender inequality, child
mortality, poor maternal health, infectious diseases, changing environment and
unsustainable development.
- Poverty in India:
- According to National Poverty Line in 2011, around 21.9% of
population are below poverty.
- The current national poverty line of India is Rs
1,059 per month in rural areas and Rs 1,286 per month in urban areas.
- The poverty estimation in India is based on consumption
expenditure and not on income levels.
- Several committees have determined
poverty line of the country.
Different Committees:- Alagh Committee was established in 1979.
- It determined the
minimum daily requirement for an adult as 2400 to 2100 calories
- The other committees that estimated poverty in India were
Lakdawala Committee in 1993, Rangarajan Committee in 2012, Tendulkar Committee
in 20019.
- The Rangarajan committee that submitted its report in 2014
estimated poverty line as Rs 1,407 per month in urban areas and Rs 972 per
month in rural areas.
- According to Rangarajan Committee, there are 454 million
people under pverty in India.
- According to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, 2018
of the United Nations, poverty rate of India halved from 55% to 28% in 10-year
period, that is, between 2006-16.
East Asia Summit being Held in Vietnam - 18 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The 15th East Asia Summit was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on
November 14, 2020.
- The East Asia Summit is a major forum in the Asia-Pacific
region, covering issues related to security and defense.
- Since its establishment in 2005, it has been playing an
important role in East Asia's strategy, geopolitics and economic development.
- The East Asia Summit is regarded as a forum led by leaders
to exchange views on strategic issues and compliance with international law,
respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, and promote a rule-based
global order.
- The summit was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and hosted by Vietnam, where the summit was initially scheduled to take place.
- The East Asia Summit is an annual meeting of national leaders from the East Asian region and adjoining countries.
- Host country-Vietnam
- Participants-EAS members.
- It includes 10 ASEAN member states, as well as India, China,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and
Russia.
GAIL Completes Kochi-Mangaluru Pipeline - 18 Nov 20
Highlights:
- The Kochi – Mangaluru natural gas pipeline project is ready for
commissioning.
- The pipeline will supply natural gas to all seven areas
(Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod)
that Kerala passes through and the hilly Wayanad area.
- The 444-kilometre-long natural gas pipeline was launched in
2009 with an estimated cost of Rs 29.15 billion.
- The project will be put into use in 2014.
- However, due to opposition in terms of security and
commercial reasons, land prices are the main obstacle, so the cost of the
project has almost doubled to 57.5 billion rupees.
- The 1st phase of the project was put into use in the Kochi
Metropolitan Area in August 2013.
- GAIL India has completed the last 540 meters of the sinister
extension of the Chandragiri River in northern Kerala.
- The pipeline will supply natural gas to all seven areas
(Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod)
that Kerala passes through and the hilly Wayanad area.
- Kuttanad is the main connection point of the pipeline, from
which the pipeline branches to Mangaluru and Bengaluru.
Benefits of the Project:- With the commissioning of the pipeline, the demand for
natural gas in Kerala is expected to increase from the current 60 million cubic
meters to 800-90 million cubic meters per year.
- Through tax alone, the country
can make a profit of 100 billion rupees, which can profit from it.
- In addition,
huge environmental benefits are also expected.
- The pipeline will supply natural
gas to all seven areas (Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode,
Kannur and Kasargod) that Kerala passes through and the hilly Wayanad area.
Kerala Fibre Optic Network Project Free Internet - 18 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Kerala’s goal is to provide free internet to poor families
and public institutions by December.
- The project aims to achieve the government's goal of making
Internet access as a "civil right."
- Aims to provide free high-speed Internet to more than 2
million families below the poverty line(BPL).
- This is a cooperation plan between the State Electricity
Company Kerala Electricity Authority and Kerala IT Infrastructure Co., Ltd.
- Internet service providers and cable TV operators can also
join fibre optic network projects to provide services.
- The state government stated that it will link up to 30,000
government offices and schools through high-speed networks.
- Once the project is launched, it will be another milestone
for the state.
- The state has achieved a number of Human Development
Indicators (HDI) that match the first world countries, especially in health.
Kris Gopalakrishnan appointed the first Chairperson of Reserve Bank Innovation Hub - 18 Nov 20
Highlights:
- Kris Gopalakrishnan, the former
co-chairman and co-founder of Infosys was appointed as the first Chairperson of
Reserve Bank Innovation Hub on November 17, 2020.
- He was appointed by the Reserve Bank of India.
- The
Reserve Bank Innovation Hub aims to promote innovation across financial sector.
- Reserve Bank Innovation Hub
- The RBI set up the hub to promote, support and hand-hold
cross thinking.
- The hub will aim to increase the use of innovative technologies
across the finance sectors.
- The hub acts as a centre for incubation and
ideation of new capabilities that can be leveraged to create innovative
financial services and products.
Objectives:- Efficient Banking services.
- Deepen Financial Inclusion.
- Strengthen consumer protection.
- Business Continuity in times of emergency.
- Kris Gopalakrishnan is to lead a Governing Council that will have nine other
members.
- The members are from IITs, IISc, National Payment Corporation of
India, etc.
- The Governing Council is to operate the Reserve Bank Innovation
Hub.
- The GoI had earlier constituted a committee under Kris
Gopalakrishnan to make recommendations about non-personal data governance in
the country.
Kris Gopalakrishnan
Committee:- The Committee was formed by the Ministry of Information
Technology in September 2019. It submitted a report on Non-Personal Data
Governance Framework in July 2020.
- Key findings and suggestions of the committee
- The committee suggested a separate authority and a separate
legislation to oversee non-personal data in the country.
- It also recommended compulsory sharing of non-personal data.
- The committee classified the non-personal data into three
main categories namely community non-personal data, public non-personal data
and private non-personal data.
- The non-personal data are highly important to unlock
innovation in the country.
What is Non-personal data?- It is a set of data that does not contain personally
identifiable information.
- In other words, an individual cannot be identified
looking at such data.
- However, the data is important to map consumer biases.
India bans import of refrigerators, Air Conditioners completely - 18 Nov 20
Highlights: