Current Affairs September 2019

For the very purpose of getting you ready for the challenge that is Current Affairs In India, we are covering the 2018 September current affairs including politics current affair, current affair news, science current affairs, general knowledge current affair, current government affair and international current affairs. Only studying India's current affairs or political current affairs is not sufficient as you have to cover international events and current affairs along with the Indian current affairs, as well as those in the field of science and sports.

International

India, Slovenia : This is the first-ever visit by any Indian President to Slovenia after it gained Independence in 1991. President of India Ram Nath Kovind held a bilateral meeting with President of Slovenia Borut Pahor at Lubliyana, the capital city of Slovenia. Both the countries signed and exchanged seven MoUs and Programmes of Cooperation in the fields of Investment, Sports, Culture, River Rejuvenation, Science and Technology and Standards in the presence of the two Presidents. At the meeting possible collaboration between the two nations on a wide range of issues were discussed by the leaders, as there was great possibility of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of clean technology, especially robotics and artificial intelligence.

President Kovind said that as India is targeting to become a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2025, so there was great potental to increase bilateral trade by diversifying our trade because of which both the Indian and Slovenian companies will finding new opportunities to do business together.  He also said that Slovenia has developed niche technology in the defence sector and is a proven leader in the field of defence equipment,Artificial Intelligence, and clean water technologies. 

During 2014 and 2018, trade between the two countries registered high growth, with India enjoying a trade surplus. The main items exported by India to Slovenia are pharmaceutical, mineral fuels, organic chemicals, tea, coffee, spices, iron and steels.

National

National Defence: India has successfully test-fired air-to-air missile Astra from Sukhoi-30 MKI. The indigenously developed missile was tested off the coast of Odisha by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday. The missile was launched as a part of Users trials.  Astra is an indigenous Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Astra missile with a range of over 70 km. The missile can fly towards its target at a speed of over 5,555 kilometres per hour. It has a 15-kilogramme high-explosive pre-fragmented warhead. It has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Environment & Climate

World Ozone Day 2019: World Ozone Day 2019 is also known as the International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer. It is observed annually on September 16 to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987.This day is celebrated so that it serves as a reminder that humans must keep up their momentum to ensure healthy people and a healthy planet. World Ozone Day 2018 theme was “Keep Cool and Carry on: The Montreal Protocol”. It aimed to urge everyone to carry on the exemplary work of protecting the ozone layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol.As per the study completed in 2018, ‘Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion’, some parts of the ozone layer has recovered at a rate of 1 to 3% per decade since 2000 and by the end of 2030 Ozone layer may heal completely in Northern hemisphere. Similarly, the ozone layer in Southern hemisphere and Polar Regions will be recovered by 2050 and 2060 respectively.

Ozone layer : The ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas that protects the Earth and its ecosystem from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun, thus help preserve life on the planet. The phase out of controlled uses of substances that deplete the ozone layer will not only protect the ozone layer for future generations but will also significantly boost global efforts to address the issue of climate change.The objective of the Montreal Protocol is to protect the ozone layer by taking appropriate measures to bring down global production and consumption of substances that harm the ozone layer. According to this protocol, there is a list of more than 100 chemicals so it sets out a timetable for the phase-out of production and consumption of those substances, with the aim of eventually eliminating them completely.

Melting Antarctic glaciers to slip faster towards ocean : The water from melting Antarctic glaciers, flowing through the ice and beneath them, is rapidly increasing further thawing of the continent’s ice sheets towards the sea  due to the surface meltwater penetrating into the ice bed, and lubricating the sliding of glaciers.As per the reports  published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers including those from the Sheffield in the Uk for the first time have found that melting on the surface impacts the flow of glaciers in Antarctica.  According to them gravity causes glaciers to move downhill with the internal deformation of ice, and by sliding over the ground beneath them by a process lubricated by liquid water called basal sliding.Researchers, used imagery and data from satellites along with regional climate modelling and found that meltwater is causing some glaciers to move 100 % faster than average which is up to 400 metres per year. The study also shows that the movement of glaciers in the Antarctic Peninsula coincides with spikes in snowmelt. According to the study, the speed at which glaciers  that move towards the sea is determined by the Antarctic temperature and as the temperature is continuously rising in the Antarctic surface melting would occur more frequently and also across a wider area.

Hawaii's coral reefs : In Hawaii, reefs are also a major part of the economy where tourism thrives largely because of coral reefs that help create and protect iconic white sand beaches, offer snorkeling and diving spots, and help form waves that draw surfers from around the world. Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed nearly half of Hawaii's coral reefs, federal researchers are predicting another round of hot water will cause some of the worst coral bleaching the region has ever seen. They have made the predictions because of the early signs of bleaching in Papa Bay and elsewhere caused by a marine heat wave that has sent temperatures soaring to record highs for months.

Researchers using high-tech equipment to monitor Hawaii's reefs are seeing early signs of bleaching in Papa Bay and elsewhere caused by a marine heat wave that has sent temperatures soaring to record highs for months. June, July and parts of August all experienced the hottest ocean temperatures ever recorded around the Hawaiian Islands. Forecasters expect high temperatures in the north Pacific that will continue to pump heat into Hawaii's waters well into October.

Indian polity

Public Safety Act (PSA) : It is the Public Safety Act, 1978 of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a defensive detention law that allows taking a person into custody to prevent him or her from acting in any matter that is prejudicial to “the security of the state or the maintenance of the public order”. As per the definition, preventive detention is meant to be protective, not punitive. When government authorities slap the PSA on an individual they give this broad definition as the most common ground for detention. Any person can be booked under PSA when an administrative order passed either by Divisional Commissioner (DC) or the District Magistrate (DM). Any detention under this act can’t be made under the order by police based on specific allegations or for a specific violation of laws.Former Jammu-Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on September 16. He had been kept under house arrest since the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.A similar act called the National Security Act (NSA) is used by the other state governments for preventive detention.

Corporate  Tax : It is also called corporation tax or company tax, it is a direct tax imposed by a jurisdiction on the income or capital of corporations or analogous legal entities. The corporate tax was slashed to enhance domestic manufacturing and Make in India scheme.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the GST Council meet in Panjim, Goa on September 20, 2019, announced that the Government has decided to bring down corporate tax for domestic, new manufacturing companies. She also announced that the Government has proposed to slash the corporate tax rates for domestic companies and for new local manufacturing companies through an ordinance. She said that the tax concessions would bring investments in Make in India, boost employment and economic activity, leading to more revenue. The Finance Minister further  added that companies could go for lower tax rate after the expiry of tax holidays and concessions that they are availing now and any new investment in manufacturing that are incorporated on or after October 1, 2019  will pay 15 %  base tax rate.

Supreme  Court : It is the highest judicial court and the final court of appeal under the Constitution of India. The Centre appointed four new judges to the Supreme Court. With the appointments, the total strength of judges is now 34 at the apex court.  It is the highest ever till date. The newly appointed judges who took oath of office in a simple function in courtroom are - Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi administered oath of office and secrecy to justices Krishna Murari, S Ravindra Bhat, V Ramasubramanian and Hrishikesh Roy. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended their names to the government last month.The Supreme Court vacancies had increased its judicial strength from 31 to 34 (including Chief Justice of India) following the enactment of Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Bill of 2019 into law. From among the newly appointed judges one of them will replace the vacancy following retirement of SC Justice A.M. Sapre.

Originally, according to Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, the maximum numbers of  judges  (excluding the chief Justice of India) was 10. It was increased to 13 by Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1960, and then to 17 in 1977. The working strength of the Supreme Court was, however, restricted to 15 judges by the cabinet (excluding the CJI) till the end of 1979. But the restriction was withdrawn at the request of the chief justice of India. Later, in 1986, the total strength of the Supreme Court was increased to 25 excluding Chief Justice of India. Then again in 1986, the total strength of the top court was increased to 25 (excluding CJI). Later, the  Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2009 further augmented the strength of SC from 25 to 30.

E-cigarette Ban: The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Promulgation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement) Ordinance, 2019. This has been approved taking into account the overall interest of public health as envisaged under Article 47 of the Constitution of India. The decision has been taken to prohibit e-cigarettes including all forms of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems [ENDS), Heat Not Burn Products, e-Hookah and the like devices to help protect population, especially the youth and children, from the risk of addiction. The current decision has come on the back of an advisory issued by the Government in 2018 to all States to consider banning e-cigarettes. 16 States and 1 UT have already banned e cigarettes in their jurisdictions. Any manufacturing, production, import, export, transport, distribution or advertisement (including online advertisement), sale (including online sale) of e-cigarettes shall be a punishable offence.

It is an electronic-cigarettes that are battery-operated devices. They produce aerosol by heating a solution containing nicotine, which is the addictive substance in combustible cigarettes. These include all forms of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, Heat Not Burn Products, e-Hookah and the like devices. As these novel products come in multiple flavours with attractive appearances the youth as well as children have started getting addicted to it and has aquired epidemic proportions in developed countries also.

Science and Technology

SoI : The Survey of India (SoI), which is country’s oldest department of central engineering agency for mapping and surveying the entire country, for the first time will deploy 300 drones for repairing unprecedented high resolution map of the country. It is affiliated to the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The aim is to map 75% of India’s geography— about 2.4 million sq km of the 3.2 million sq. km — within the next two years. Other than unprecedented detail, High-resolution maps will facilitate digitisation of land titles in villages.Currently the best SoI maps have a resolution of 1:250000, meaning a 1 cm on the map represent 2500 cm on the ground. The new maps being prepared will be of 1:500 resolution, meaning 1 cm will represent 500 cm.The drone mapping will not only help the SoI in getting unprecedented detail of country’s landscape but will also help in creating high resolution maps of land in villages facilitating digitisation of land titles there.

NCCCR&D : It is a national consortium on clean coal research and development led by IISc. Government of India through Department of Science & Technology has set up the National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development (NCCCR&D) as a national level consortium on clean coal R&D, led by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. It was inaugurated By Minister of Science & Technology Harsh Vardhan.The primary goal is to address several critical R&D challenges towards the development of clean coal technologies, in tandem with developing supercritical power plant technologies, both at the materials and system level. The new centre is aimed at meeting the energy needs of the country in terms of higher efficiency and capacity at lower operating costs and size. So in order to achieve international targets on climate change by minimizing anthropogenic emissions and also to address the ever-growing energy demand of India, development of clean coal technologies to reduce carbon emissions from coal-based power plants has become a prime necessity for India. This could be achieved by shifting towards high-efficiency advanced ultra-supercritical steam power plants as well as supercritical carbon dioxide plants, along with exploration of new combustion and gasification technologies. It would enable reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by 33% to 35% by 2030.Target beneficiaries of NCCCR&D includes national organisations such as the Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL), Bharat Heavy Electronics Ltd.(BHEL), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC),Tata Power and Triveni Turbines Ltd.

Gaganyaan  Mission : ISRO aims to launch its maiden Human Space Mission, Gaganyaan before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022. The Human Spaceflight Programme aims to carry three people to space to orbit the Earth for roughly about 7 days and bring them safely back to the ground. The crewed space mission is planned to be launched aboard ISRO’s GSLV Mk III in December 2021. So The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoU)  for development of human-centric systems for the Human Space Mission to demonstrate its human space flight capabilities. The MoU was signed by a delegation of ISRO scientists, led by Human Space Flight Centre's Director, S Unnikrishnan Nair, with various DRDO labs in this regard, to provide technologies for human-centric systems and technologies specific to the Human Space Mission.Under the agreement, the technological capabilities existing in DRDO labs for defence applications will not only be customised to meet the requirements of ISRO’s human space mission but DRDO will also be providing critical technologies to ISRO such as space crew health monitoring and emergency survival kit, space food, parachutes for the crew module’s safe recovery and radiation measurement and protection.

Economics

Himachal Pradesh : Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline ‘1100’ was launched in Himachal Pradesh  by Chief Minister Jairam Thakur. The helpline will function six days in a week from 7 AM to 10 PM. This helpline was started by the State Government so that it would deliver a speedy and time-bound redressal of public grievances by effective use of the latest technologies. Himachal Pradesh becomes the 4th state to launch this helpline after Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

Bharati Airtel and Reliance Jio : According to the Business Stadard reports, India’s leading telecom players Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have decided to shun the Chinese technology companies including the beleaguered Huawei from their 5G roll out plans.Both the companies have reportedly tied up with non-Chinese companies. While the Reliance Jio has tied up with South Korean tech giant Samsung, Bharti Airtel has finalised agreements with European tech firms Ericsson and Nokia. The move comes amid the trade tensions between United States and China, and America along with its allies banning purchase of the equipment of the Chinese telecom gear maker. The US is also pressuring other countries to ban Huawei apart from threatening companies of sanctions if they buy or sell the Chinese technology.India has not taken any decision on whether to ban Huawei from participating in the 5G trials in India. However, Chinese officials and conveyed to India’s ambassador to China that if India bans Huawei, there could be reverse sanctions on Indian companies operating in China.

BBPS :  Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is an integrated bill payment system in India initiated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expanding the scope of Bharat Bill Payment System. The objective of BBPS is to implement an integrated bill payment system that offers interoperable and accessible bill payment services to customers through a network of agents, enabling multiple payment modes, and providing instant confirmation of payment to cover all repetitive bill payments, which may include school fees, insurance premiums and municipal taxes. Currently, the facility of payment of recurring bills through BBPS is available only in five segments—direct to home (DTH), electricity, gas, telecom and water. BBPS functions under National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The move will help in greater digitisation of cash-based bill payments. BBPS payments can be made by using cash, cheques as well as through digital methods such as internet banking, debit, credit card, among others. Bill aggregators and banks function as operating units and carry out these payment transactions for customers.

NIRVIK Scheme : Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) has introduced ‘NIRVIK’ scheme to ease the lending process and enhance loan availability for exporters. The scheme was announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 14 as a part of measures to boost exports. Under the new ‘NIRVIK’ scheme, which is also called the  Export Credit Insurance Scheme (ECIS), the insurance cover guaranteed will cover up to 90 percent of the principal and interest.The increased cover will ensure that foreign and rupee export credit interest rates are below 4% and 8% respectively for the exporters. The insurance cover will include both pre and post-shipment credit. The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) currently provides credit guarantee of up to 60 per cent loss.Under this scheme, the gems, jewellery and diamond(GJD) sector borrowers with limit of over Rs 80 crores will also have a higher premium rate in comparison to the non-GJD sector borrowers of this category due to the higher loss ratio.The benefits of this scheme is that it will enhance accessibility and affordability of credit for exporters, it will help make Indian exports competitive and it will make ECGC procedures exporter friendly. It will also bring down the cost of credit due to capital relief, less provision requirement and liquidity due to quick settlement of claims. It will ensure timely and adequate working capital to the export sector.

ECGC : It is the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) is a fully government-owned company that was established in 1957 to promote exports by providing credit insurance services.The ECGC provides Export Credit Insurance to Banks (ECIB) to protect the banks from losses on account of export credit at the Pre and Post-Shipment stage given to exporters due to the risks of insolvency or protracted default of the exporter borrower.

 

Sports

World Billiards Title : Pankaj Advani, India’s most consistent sportspersons recently won his 22nd World Billiards Title at the IBSF World Billiards Championship 2019. He beat the local favourite, Myanmar’s Nay Thway Oo. This is his fourth consecutive world title in billiards short format (150-up). Advani has won a world title every year in billiards or snooker or both. He has also won more world titles in cue sports more than anyone in the world making him the greatest cueist of all time. Previously, Advani achieved a hat-trick of hat-tricks in billiards by simultaneously winning the World, Asian and Indian National Championship titles in 5 different years- 2005, 2008, 2012, 2017 and 2019. He has won a global title every year since 2003.He is also the first Indian to become a world champion in 6-red snooker. He was conferred with some of the biggest sports and civilian awards including the Arjuna Award in 2004, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2006, Padma Shri in 2009 and Padma Bhushan in 2018 by the Government of India.

Enduroman triathlon : Mayak Vaid has become first Indian to complete Enduroman triathlon in record time. He broke the previous world record set by Belgium's Julian Denair who won the race in 52 hours 30 minutes by a big margin of 2 hours 6 minutes. Vaid is the 44th person in the world to have completed this triathlon. He is also the first Asian person to complete this triathlon in solo capacity. Enduroman triathlon is one of the toughest endurance competitions around the world. Enduroman triathlon starts in London and ends in Paris.Enduroman triathlon is a race from England to France which is considered to be one of the toughest endurance competitions in the world. The ‘Enduroman – Arch to Arc’ triathlon starts from the Marble Arch in London and an athlete has to reach Arc de Triomphe in Paris to successfully complete it. The long journey involves hours of running, swimming and cycling and can be exhausting if preparations or strategy is not right.

FIBA : It is the world governing body for basketball, it is an independent association formed by 213 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is also recognized as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee World Cup(IOC).Spain captured its second FIBA basketball World Cup title after defeating Argentina 95-75 in the gold medal game at the Wukesong Arena in Beijing on Sunday. They won their first basketball World Cup title in 2006 in Japan. The Spaniards capped a dominant run as they finished undefeated at 8-0. Point guard Ricky Rubio led Spain with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, and was named most valuable player of the international competition.

Vinesh Phogat : Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian wrestler to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after holding off world number one Sarah Ann Hildebrandt with some superlative defensive display in the World Championship. Though Vinesh became the first Indian woman wrestler to win Gold in both Commonwealth and Asian games, none of her three attempts at the world championship resulted in a podium.Vinesh Phogat is an Indian wrestler who comes from a successful family of wrestlers with her cousins Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, both international wrestlers and Commonwealth Games medalists.

People In News

Justice P Lakshmana  Reddy : Justice P Lakshmana Reddy, a retired judge of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh High Court was sworn-in as the first Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh. His oath to office was administered by Governor Biswabhusan Hairchandan at a function held in Vijayawada. Chief Minister of state Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, judges of High Court and senior state government officials presided over the event. He would serve in office of Lokayukta for 5 years.He is the first Lokayukta to be assuming charge since the state bifurcated in 2014. The current YSR Congress government headed by Jagan Mohan Reddy amended the Lokayukta Act in recent state budget session. This enabled the appointment of a retired judge as Lokayukta, paving the way for constituting corruption-probing body. The legislation establishing Lokayukta is part of state government policy to provide transparent and corruption-free governance.Lokayukta is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in the Indian states. A Lokayukta investigates allegations of corruption and irregularities against officials and is tasked with speedy redressal of public grievances.

Ajay Kumar Singh : AK Singh a Political Journalist, has been appointed as the new press secretary of President Ram Nath Kovind after he was approved by The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He succeeds Ashok Malik, whose term ended in July. Ajay Kumar Singh (55) worked in various organizations during his career like Times of India, Hindustan Times, Business Standard, and Star News among others.

Nirmal Chander Dandriyal : He is a film director. The documentary film Moti Bagh directed by him has been nominated for the Oscars.The film is based on the life of a farmer called Vidyadutt, who belongs to a remote village in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal region. Film Moti Bagh shows how the 83-year-old struggles to keep his farm alive and till the uninhabited hilly lands. The film highlights the issues of migration of locals from several villages in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of the state in disturbing proportions with villages after villages lying empty and no one to till the land. It also covers Nepali farmers, who settle in the region to plug in the gap and face discrimination at the same time with locals calling them names like Nepali and Bahadur. However, the film highlights how these Nepali farmers are feeding the whole Uttarakhand.

Places In News

Kolhapur : A commemorative pillar in memory of Polish families and individuals who had escaped to India and made Kolhapur's Valivade village between 1942 and 1948 their home during World War II was unveiled at Valivade village in western Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.During the Second World War, Poland was caught between Adolf Hitler’s Germany and Josef Stalin’s Russia during the second world war. Poland was dismembered by 1939 Nazi-Soviet Union pact or ‘the Devil’s Alliance’, with cream of Poland’s officer corps, which included several members of country’s intelligentsia, massacred by NKVD (or the Soviet secret police) in Katyn Forest in 1940. This in turn led to a stream of refugees who initially endured the living hell of Soviet camps to make their way to Valivade village in Kolhapur district, 235 km from Pune. At a time when the world was torn apart by war, Europe was ravaged and parts of India were in the grip of a terrible famine, the Chhatrapatis of Kolhapur adopted these Polish families on humanitarian grounds. Around 5000 Poles lived, integrated, and worked for several years before returning to their country.The Memorial pillar was unveiled by Deputy Foreign Minister of Polish Republic Marcin Przydacz, Polish Ambassador to India Adam Burakowski and Guardia and Guardian Minister of Kolhapur Chandrakant Patil.

West Bengal : Ministry of Coal has signed an allotment agreement with the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) on the 16th of September 2019, regarding the DeochaPachamiDewanganj-Harinsingha coal block.Under the provisions of Coal Block Allocation Rules, 2017, the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) has been allocated the Deocha Pachami Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal block. The coal block is located in Birbhum district of West Bengal and covers an area of 12.28 sq km with estimated reserves of 2102 million tonnes for generation of power. The Coal Block Allocation Rules, 2017 were made under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957.The coal block allotment will generate both direct and indirect employment in West Bengal considerably and also contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.It will also address to the immediate as well as the forthcoming coal and power requirements of the region. The allotment agreement was signed by Coal Deputy Secretary Ram Shiromani Saroj and WBPDCL Director (Regulatory Affairs) Amit Bhattacharyya, in presence of Coal Secretary Sumanta Chadhuri and WBPDCL Chairman/Managing Director P B Salim.

Arts

Phool Dei: It is the Pahari harvest festival of the state Uttarakhand. Phool Dei is an auspicious folk festival which welcomes the spring season in the state. This festival is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra in the hindu calender that is March-April according to the Gregorian calendar. The festival is all about flowers and springtime. In some places especially in Pauri Garhwal region, the festival is celebrated as carnival and the celebration goes on for a month. The term 'Dei' refers to a ceremonial pudding which is the key food in this festival that is made from jaggery. White flour and curd are also offered to everyone. Young girls, on this day, conduct most of the ceremonies.

Recently, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat celebrated the traditional harvest festival “Phool Dei”. The festival also showcases the inner bonding between the communities residing in the hills.

Chaitra Jatra Festival: It is a festival celebrated in the Indian state of Odisha. It is celebrated in the month of Chaitra in the hindu calender. It is celebrated especially during the Tuesdays of this month. The celebrations takes place at the Tara Tarini hill shrine which is located on the Tara Tarini hill on the banks of Rushikulya River. It is one of the Shaktipeeths in  India. There are 51 ShaktiPeeths in India. The first all-women Indian Navy crew's boat that circumnavigated the globe sailed on sailboat Tarini was named after the shrine.

Recently, the Government of Odisha cancelled the festival due to coronavirus threat. There are big crowd on 2nd and 3rd Tuesdays and as the 2nd Tuesday falls on the 17th of March so the Government cancelled the festival.

Economics

OIL: It refers to Oil India Limited. OIL, a Navratna PSU, is a fully integrated Exploration & Production (E&P) company in the upstream sector and is the second largest national oil and gas company of India as measured by total proved plus probable oil and natural gas reserves and production in India. Its operational headquarters is in Duliajan, Assam and the main headquarters is in Noida, New Delhi. It was founded in 18 February 1959. The company is a state-owned Navratna under the administrative control of India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Recently, OIL signed the Crude Oil Sales Agreement (COSA) with Numaligarh Refinery. The agreement was signed by the finance directors of the two companies for purchase and sale of crude oil for a term of five years. The Crude Oil Sales Agreement (COSA) will come in effect from 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2025. The agreement will streamline the sale and purchase transactions of crude oil produced from fields in North East India.

Numaligarh Refinery: It is a joint venture (JV) between Bharat Petroleum (61.65%), Oil India (26%), and Government of Assam (12.35%). It is locate in Morangi, Assam and is owned by Numaligarh Refinery Limited.

Finance Commission: The Finance Commission was established by the President of India in 1951 under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution. It was formed to define the financial relations between the central government of India and the individual state governments. It was founded on 22 November 1951. It is headquartered in New Delhi.

Recently, the Finance Commission Constituted an 8-member committee under Shri N K Singh in order to build a fiscal consolidation road map for the centre and the states.

The first report by the Finance Commission was submitted to the GoI in February 2020. The Commission will submit its final report covering the financial years 2021-22 to 2025-26 by October 30.  NK Singh Committee will not only recommend the definition of deficit and debt but will also define contingent liabilities of PSUs.

FC: It refers to the Fiscal Consolidation. FC is a policy adopted by the Government to reduce the deficits. The objective behind the policy is to reduce debt stocks and deficits in the policies that are undertaken by the Government. The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 (FRBMA) is the best example for the Fiscal Consolidation measure of the Government of India.

SIDBI: It refers to the Small Industries Development Bank of India. SIDBI is a development financial institution in India. It was founded on 2 April 1990 through an Act of Parliament. It is headquartered in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.  SIDBI also coordinates the functions of institutions engaged in similar activities.

Recently, SIDBI announced its plan to launch Swavalamban Express on 5 June 2020. It seeks to empower budding entrepreneurs under its mission Swavalamban. The aim is to promote budding business aspirants and entrepreneurs. The train is to cover more than 7,000 km in 15 days during which various workshops and programmes are to be organized. The Train is to visit 11 entrepreneurial cities which are Bengaluru, Kolakata, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Delhi, Varanasi and Jammu. The train has been launched to fulfil the goal of India of 5 trillion USD by 2024-25. 

Defence

CRPF: It refers to the Central Reserve police Force. The CRPF is largest Central Armed Police Force in India. It functions under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government of India. Besides law and order and counter-insurgency duties, the CRPF has played an increasingly large role in India's general elections.

Recently, the CRPF signed a deal with a disability support NGO Aditya Mehta Foundation to train its troops, who lost their limbs in operations, in various skills including cyber operations, artificial intelligence and para-sports. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formalized between the force and the Aditya Mehta Foundation here in presence of CRPF Director General (DG) A P Maheshwari. The MoU aims to create new opportunities for such personnel who remain an integral part of the force.

As part of the CRPF Divyang Warriors Skill Development Initiative, officers and men will undergo various sports and skill development activities at Hyderabad in coordination with AMF.

The Director General also honoured 5 such specially-abled personnel of the force with DG's commendation disc and certificates for bringing laurels in the field of para-sports.

Ordnance Factory Day: The Ordnance Factory Day is observed on the 18 March. The Ordnance Factories observed its 219th foundation day across the country. It was on this day in the year March 1801 the first Ordnance Factory was established at Cossipore, Calcutta (now Kolkata). It was known as the Gun Carriage Agency (now known as Gun & Shell Factory, Cossipore). The Ordnance Factories are a conglomerate of 41 ordnance factories. It functions under the aegis of its corporate headquarters OFB, in Kolkata.

OFB: It refers to Ordnance Factory Board. The OFB is an industrial organization, functioning under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India. It works in the field of Research, Development, Production, Testing, Marketing, and Logistics. It is an organization of around 41 ordnance factories, 9 training institutes, 3 regional marketing centers and 4 regional controllers of safety. In 1712, the Dutch Ostend Company's Gun Powder Factory was established at Ichhapur. The OFB came into existence on April 2, 1979 in the new form.  It possesses 200 years of experience in defence production. The OFB is headquartered at Kolkata, West Bengal.

Tejas: It is the smallest and lightest in its class of contemporary supersonic combat aircraft. The Tejas is the second supersonic fighter developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) after the HAL HF-24 Marut. HAL's 83 fighter jets is the new advanced Mk1A version of the Tejas aircraft.

Recently, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft for Indian Air Force (IAF). The proposal which is considered as a major boost to Make in India is to be forwarded for the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). These aircrafts are expected to be the backbone of Indian Air Force.

The DAC has also approved the acquisition of indigenous defence equipments worth Rs 1,300 crore.

Defence Procurement Procedure 2020: Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched the draft of new Defence Procurement Procedure at a function in New Delhi. It was launched on 20 March 2020 with an aim to increase the indigenous manufacturing and reducing timelines for procurement of defence equipment.

The policy is aligned with the vision of the Indian government to empower the private industry through the Make in India initiative with the objective of turning India into a global manufacturing hub.

The government has introduced leasing as another category to get defense equipment in various categories at affordable rates.

Environment

Peatland: Peatlands refers to the peat soil and the wetland habitat growing on its surface. It’s formed when plant material does not fully decay in acidic and anaerobic conditions. It is composed mainly of wetland vegetation which is principally bog plants including mosses, shrubs and sedges. As it accumulates, the peat holds water as a result, this slowly creates wetter conditions that allow the area of wetland to expand. These lands are a type of wetlands that occur in almost every country on Earth. Peatlands are the world’s largest terrestrial carbon stock. It stores atleast 550 Gigatonnes of carbon globally which is more than twice the carbon stored in all the world’s forests. At present, it covers 3% of the global land surface. Peatlands in India occupy about 320 square kilo metres to 1,000 square kilo metres area.

Recently, the Food and Agriculture Organization operating under United Nations (UN) released a report on Peatlands. As per the report, the Peatlands which play a crucial role in regulating global climate by acting as carbon sinks are facing degradation and need to be urgently monitored.

The cause of their degradation is mainly due to drainage, fire, agricultural use and forestry. This could trigger release of the stored carbon in a few decades which would lead to emission of green house gases. They have the potential to release up to one giga tonne of carbon. The publication which was authored by 35 experts, highlights essential case studies from Peru, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in their attempts to map and monitor peatlands.

The Indonesian and Indian Governments both have taken corrective measures to restore the peatlands. As Indonesia has forty percent of tropical peatlands, its government has created Peat Ecosystem Restoration Information System (PRIMS), an online platform that provides information about Peatlands and their restoration efforts. Whereas,  in India restoration work of highland peatlands was also conducted in the Hindukush Himalayan (HKH) region. It was conducted to ensure water security in the region.

Niue Island: It is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. The island is commonly referred to as "The Rock", which comes from the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia". It is well known as one of the largest upraised coral atoll in the world situated in the middle of the South Pacific within a triangle boundary of Tonga, Samoan and Cook Islands. Its capital is Alofi. The currency used here is New Zealand Dollar. The Governor-General of Niue is Dame Patricia Reddy.

Recently, the tiny Niue Island was declared as the World's first 'Dark Sky Nation' by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). The IDA has approved the island's application for the protection of its sky, land and sea due to the island's efforts to restrict artificial light pollution so the starry sky can be enjoyed.

Dark Sky Place: Dark Sky Places are spaces recognized for responsible lighting policies that keep the night-time environment naturally dark. Over 130 of these accredited dark sites are present across the world.

Elpistostege watsoni: Elpistostege is an extinct genus of tetrapod-like vertebrate that lived in the Late Devonian period. The shark-like Elpistostege watsoni is 1.6m-long. It was a slippery predator that lived in what is now eastern Canada.

Recently, Paleontologists from Flinders University in Australia working with a University from Canada have discovered the almost complete skeleton of an ancient fish known as Elpistostege watsoni. Scans of the fish's fins show it had bones that resemble those found in the human hand. The researchers examined a fossil of “Elpistostege” and according to them it is the first fish fossil that is a missing link between fish and reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. It gives insights into how the human hand evolved from fish fins. It was discovered in Miguasha, Canada.

Indian Policy

TRIFED:  It refers to Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India. TRIFED is a national-level apex organization. It functions under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It was founded in 1987. It works towards marketing development of tribal products and provides marketing support to the products made by tribals through a network of retail outlets. The current Managing Director of TRIFED is Pravir Kumar.

Recently, TRIFED launched “Tech for Tribal” initiative. It was launched on 19th March 2020 by TRIFED along with IIT-Kanpur along with IIT-Roorkee, IIM Indore, Kalinga Institute of Social Science, Bhubaneshwar and SRIJAN. This programme is supported by Ministry of MSME. The main objective of the initiative is to provide entrepreneurship skills to the tribal people enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri VanDhan Yojana(PMVDY).

TRIFED has drawn out a Five Year strategy for 10X impact in Tribal development. This initiative in later stages will be linked to Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK). The main aim of VDVKs is to provide capacity building and skill upgradation.

PMVDY: It refers to Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana. PMVDY is an initiative of the GoI that was launched in 2018 in 27 states. The Scheme aims to strengthen tribal producer companies. TRIFED is the nodal agency implementing the scheme.

APEDA: It stands for Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. APEDA is an apex body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. It is responsible for the export promotion of agricultural products. It was founded in 1986. It is headquartered in New Delhi.

Recently, APEDA inked a MoU with Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium(SFAC) for the development of agriculture sector. The MoU aims to uplift the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium(SFAC) and create awareness programs, outreach programs and workshops of various stakeholders.

As per the MoU, both APEDA and SFAC will work together to link  the FPOs with the exporters. APEDA will also facilitate certification of organic produce/areas by the Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) assisted or identified by SFAC.

National Technical Textile Mission: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for creation of National Technical Textiles Mission for a period of 4 years (2020-21 to 2023-24) with an outlay of Rs.1480 crores. The National Technical Textiles Mission will have four components which are research, innovation and development, promotion and market development, export promotion and education, and training and skill development.

The focus of the Mission is on the development in usage of technical textiles in various flagship missions as well as programmes of the country. The main objective of the mission is an overall improvement in cost economy, water and soil conservation along with better agricultural productivity and higher income to farmers per acre of land.

The mission will also add to the promotion of manufacturing and exports activities in India. The use of geo-textiles in highways, railways and ports will result in robust infrastructure, reduced maintenance cost and higher life cycle of the infrastructure assets.

The work of the Mission is not only the promotion of innovation amongst young engineering /technology/ science standards and graduates along with creation of innovation and incubation centres and promotion of start-up and Ventures but also to generate 2 lakhs jobs in organized/ unorganized sector in the country along with holistic development of entire technical textile sector on pan-India basis.

Indian polity

Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020: Lok Sabha on 18 March 2020 passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 through a voice vote. The Bill was tabled in the lower house for consideration by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on 4 February 2020 to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934. According to the Civil Aviation Minister, the amendments would fulfill the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The amended Bill also seeks to convert the 3 existing bodies under the Ministry of Civil Aviation which are Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into statutory bodies. This would enable the three regulatory bodies in the Civil Aviation sector in India to become more effective, which then would lead to enhancement in the level of safety and security of aircraft operations in the country. Under the Act, the Central government may make rules on several matters that include registration of aircraft, regulating air transport services, and prohibition of flight over any specified area. Each of these 3 bodies will be headed by a Director General who will be appointed by the Centre.

Supreme Court: The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal under the Constitution of India, the highest constitutional court, with the power of constitutional review. It consists of the Chief Justice of India and a maximum of 34 judges, it has extensive powers in the form of original, appellate and advisory jurisdictions. It is regarded as the most powerful public institution in India. It was established on 26 January 1950. It’s headquartered in New Delhi. The current CJI of the Supreme Court is Sharad Arvind Bobde.

 The Supreme Court in a historic judgment, recently, granted permanent commission for women in the Indian Navy. A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said that there cannot be any gender discrimination and denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in a serious miscarriage of justice.  

Maintaining that women and men officers should be treated equally, the Supreme Court  asked the Centre to complete the modalities within three months.

Earlier the women in the Indian Armed forces like Indian Army, Indian Air force and Indian Navy were only allowed to have Short Service Commission. The Short Service Commission is basically a duty period of 10-14 years only after this one will get retired from the service. 

Rajya Sabha: The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. It is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution. At present the Rajya Sabha has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using single transferable votes through Open Ballot while the President has the power to appoint 12 members for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social services. The Upper House was founded on 3 April 1952 by the Constituent Assembly of India. It is headquartered in New Delhi. Its Chaiperson is Venkaiah Naidu.

Recently, the former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi took an oath as Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. He was nominated to Rajya Sabha by the President Ram Nath Kovind on 16 March 2020. He is the first former CJI to be nominated to Rajya Sabha. The President nominated Ranjan Gogoi for the Upper House under "sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of Article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that article".

Article 80-Clause (3): Article 80-Clause states that the President has powers to nominate persons with special knowledge to the council of states. The person eligible must have special knowledge in Literature, art, science and social service.

Ranjan Gogoi: He was the 46th Chief Justice of India.  He was appointed a permanent judge of the Gauhati High Court on February 28, 2001. On 12 February 2011 he was appointed as the Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was elevated to the top court the following year. He was appointed as CJI by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind on 3rd October 2018, and retired on 17th November 2019. He had retired from the position after delivering the historic Ayodhya Verdict. He was succeeded by SA Bobde.

Supreme Court: Supreme Court (SC) in a historic judgment, recently, removed the BJP lawmaker and Manipur Forest Cabinet Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh from the state cabinet. For the first time the Supreme Court invoked its plenary powers to remove him over Disqualification petition. He has also been restrained from entering the Legislative assembly.

Mr Shyamkumar had won the 2017 assembly elections on Congress Ticket abut later switched over to BJP to become the minister of Town Planning, forest and Environment. Disqualification petitions were filed against him to the speaker by the other MLAs. The petition filed by them was still pending before the speaker of the Manipur Assembly since 2017. The Speaker also failed to take any decision within the stipulated time period of 4 weeks which was provided by the Supreme Court in the 21st January, 2020 order. When no action was taken then the issue was appealed to Supreme Court. The apex court invoked Article 142 and removed the minister from the cabinet.

Article 142: Article 142 of the Indian constitution states that the Supreme Court can pass an order doing “complete justice” to matters pending before it.

Article 212: Article 212 of the Constitution bars courts from inquiring into proceedings of the Legislature. No members, officers of the state can be subjected to jurisdiction while exercising his duties or regulating procedures, maintaining order. However, if any matters are left unsolved the  SC can overrule this Act and invoke Article 142.

Under Anti-Defection law the winning members cannot switch parties. Any member or members involved in such an act according to the law are considered disqualified. 

 

International

Bangladesh: It is a country which is bordered by the Indian states of West Bengal to the west and north, Assam to the north, Meghalaya to the north and northeast, and Tripura and Mizoram to the east. To the southeast, it shares a boundary with Myanmar (Burma). The southern part of Bangladesh opens into the Bay of Bengal. Its Capital is Dhaka. The currency used her is Bangladeshi Taka. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh is Sheikh Hasina.

Recently, Bangladesh celebrated the birth centenary of its founder President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. However any public gatherings were barred for the event due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The day marks the beginning of the yearlong celebration of the birth centenary named ‘Mujib Barsho’ in Bangladesh and across the world. The video message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also broadcasted on the occasion. Prime Minister of India was expected to attend as a chief guest but was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: He was a Bangladeshi politician and statesman. He was a leader in the push for political autonomy for then-East Pakistan, eventually becoming a central figure in the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. He was known as Sheikh Mujib. He was also known as Bangabandhu or a Friend of Bengal. He served as the first president of Bangladesh and later as its prime minister. He was murdered along with most of his family members in a military coup on Aug. 15, 1975. The current Prime Minister of Bangladesh sheikh Hasina is the eldest daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Iraq: It is officially the Republic of Iraq. It is a country in Western Asia, bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest and Syria to the west. The capital city of Iraq is Baghdad. The currency used her is Iraqui Dinar. The current President or Iraq is Barham Salih.

Recently, the 8th President of Iraq Barham Salih apponted Adnan al-Zurfi as the new Prime Minister of Iraq. He will replace Mohammed Allawi.

Adnan al-Zurfi (54) is a former governor of the holy Shia city of Najaf heads the Nasr parliamentary grouping of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula. it is bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to the east, Oman to the southeast and Yemen to the south; it is separated from Egypt and Israel by the Gulf of Aqaba. Its Capital city is Riyadh. The currency used here is Saudi riyal.

Recently, Saudi Arabia accepted has accepted a proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold an "extraordinary" virtual G20 Summit. His Highness, Mohammed bin Salman agreed to the exercise at the level of G20 leaders. At present Saudi Arabia is the current chair of the G20 bloc. This decision was taken amid the fear of coronavirus pandemic. The G20 leaders' summit will be held in March 2020. 

G20 Summit: G20 refers to Group of Twenty. It is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union (EU). The heads of the G20 nations held summits twice in 2009 and twice in 2010. Since the November 2011 Cannes summit, G20 summits have been held annually.

International Day of Happiness: The International Day of Happiness is celebrated globally on 20 March every year. It was conceptualized and founded by Jayme Illien to advance a new paradigm which achieves the UN's global goals and the happiness, wellbeing, and freedom of all life on earth. The day aims to inspire and advance the global happiness movement. International Happiness Day was celebrated for the first time in 2013.

The theme of International Day of Happiness 2020 is  "Happiness For All, For Ever". The Theme aims at focusing on what we have in common, rather than what divides us.  The United Nations (UN) on this day called all 206 nations to adopt “Ten Steps to Global Happiness”. The United Nations also released the World Happiness Index. Finland topped the ranking.

National

National Vaccination Day: The National Vaccination Day is also known as the National Immunization Day. The day is observed on the 16th of March every year. The day is celebrated by the Government of India to make people aware of the importance of vaccination. The first dose of an oral vaccine against polio was given in India on 16 March 1995. Since then India has been observing the Pulse Polio Programme. The prime purpose behind the celebration of National Vaccination Day is to make all people aware of arming against polio and eradicating it completely from the world.

India was certified as a polio-free country along with 11 other countries of the South-East Asia Region of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the 27th of March 2014. These countries were Indonesia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Thailand and Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The last case of polio patients in India was reported on 13 January 2011.

NSM: It refers to National Supercomputing Mission. The National Super Computer Mission was launched by the GoI in 2015. It was set up to provide the country with supercomputing infrastructure to meet the increasing computational demands of academia, researchers, MSMEs, and start-ups. The main aim of the mission is to create designs and manufacture supercomputers indigenously in India. Currently India has top 5 Super Computers that are ranked in the top 500 list of Super Computers in the World.

Recently, GoI has approved of three more Super Computers to be installed at IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Hyderabad and JN Centre for Advanced Scientific Research by April 2020. Jointly implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and led by C-DAC and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, the mission supports the government's vision of 'Digital India' and 'Make in India' initiatives.

People In News

Chameli Devi Jain Award: It is an Indian journalistic award named after Chameli Devi Jain who was a legendary freedom fighter and a community reformer. She went to prison during India’s freedom struggle. The award was instituted by the Media Foundation in 1980. It is awarded annually to women in the field of journalism who recognizes social concern, dedication, courage and compassion all over India from the print, broadcast and online media category. The Chairperson of Media Foundation is Harish Khare.

Recently, the Chameli Devi Jain Award was jointly awarded to Arfa Khanum Sherwani of “The Wire” and Bengaluru-based freelancer and Rohini Mohan for outstanding woman journalist. Arfa Khanum Sherwani was awarded for her reporting from conflict situations in Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh while Rohini Mohan was awarded for her reportage on the NRC exercise in Assam which set a new benchmark for investigative journalism.

Hirdesh Kumar: Hirdesh Kumar (47) from Uttar Pradesh is an IAS officer of 1999 batch, who is presently serving as Commissioner Secretary in the School Education Department of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, he was the District Magistrate in the districts such as Chitrakoot, Ghazipur and Ghaziabad.

He has been appointed as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory by the ECI (Election Commission of India). He was appointed on the 16th of March 2020. He will replace Shailendra Kumar with effect from the date he assumes charge.

ECI: It refers to Election Commission of India. The ECI is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering Union and State election processes in India. The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies in India, and the offices of the President and Vice President in the country. It was formed on 25 January 1950. Its headquartered in New Delhi.It functions under the jurisdiction of Government of India. 

Debasish Panda: He is a Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, New Delhi. He has been nominated as a Director on the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) by the Central Government. His nomination is effective from March 11, 2020, and until further orders. There are two governments nominated Directors on the board of RBI. The other director of RBI is Atanu Chakraborty.

RBI: It refers to the Reserve Bank of India. The RBI is India's central bank, which controls the issue and supply of the Indian rupee. It carries out India's monetary policy and exercises supervision and control over banks and non-banking finance companies in India. RBI was set up in 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. It is headquartered in Mumbai. RBI plays an important part in the Development Strategy of the Government of India. The current Governor of RBI is Shaktikanta Das.

Yes Bank: Yes Bank Limited is an Indian public bank headquartered in Mumbai, India. It was founded by Rana Kapoor and Ashok Kapur in 2004. It offers wide range of banking and financial products for corporate and retail customers through retail banking and asset management services.

Recently, the central government has appointed former SBI banker Prashant Kumar as Chief Executive and Managing Director of the Yes Bank. He was earlier appointed as the YES Bank administrator. 

Apart from Kumar, Sunil Mehta who is a former Non-Executive Chairman of Punjab National Bank has been appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of Yes Bank. Other Board members include Atul Bheda and Mahesh Krishnamurthy, both as Non-Executive Directors.

Ravinder Singh Dhillon: He is currently serving as a Director (Projects, Public Grievance) in Power Finance Corporation (PFC) Limited. He received his graduate degree from Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi and an undergraduate degree from Thapar University. He is also on the board of Power Equity Capital Advisors Pvt Ltd. and Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corp. Ltd.

Recently, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of Ravinder Singh Dhillon as the Chairman-cum- Managing Director (MD) of Power Finance Corporation (PFC). He will be serving in this post till his superannuation on May 31, 2023.

PFC Ltd: It refers to the Power Finance Corporation Ltd.  of India. It is an Indian financial institution that was formed in July 1986. It is headquartered in New Delhi. It is India's largest NBFC and Infrastructure Finance Company. It is the financial backbone of Indian Power Sector. PFC has conferred the title of a “Navratna CPSE” in June 2007

A. Ajay Kumar: He is a 2001 batch IFS officer. He is at present posted as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He has recently been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Uganda. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

Uganda: Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa. This East African country is widely known for its agricultural products such as cotton, tobacco, and tea. The landlocked nation encompasses several spectacular mountains, lakes, as well as savannas. However, it is among the poorest countries on the African continent with One-third of the population here lives below the international poverty line. Its Capital is Kampala. The currency used here is Ugandan shilling. The President of Uganda is Yoweri Museveni. 

Places In News

Maharashtra: Maharashtra is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to the southeast and Chhattisgarh to the east, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the north, and the Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the north west. It was formed on 1 May 1960. It was formed by merging the western and south-western parts of the Bombay State, Berar and Vidarbha, and the north-western parts of the Hyderabad State and splitting Saurashtra (in present-day Gujarat) by the States Reorganisation Act. It is famous for its caves and rock-cut architecture as in Ajanta Ellora Caves that is also one of the UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Its capital is Mumbai. The Chief Minister and the Governor of Maharashtra are Uddhav Thackeray and Bhagat Singh Koshyari respectively.

Recently, the Minister of State (I/C) for Shipping and Chemical & Fertilizers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya launched ROPAX Ferry Vessel and its Terminal at Mandwa in Maharashtra. The vessel was built in Greece and it can carry 200 cars and 1,000 passengers. It is also is capable of plying even during monsoon.

Mumbai Port Trust developed infrastructure for ROPAX service at Ferry wharf while Maharashtra Maritime Board developed infrastructure facilities at Mandwa under the ROPAX project.

Mumbai Central station: The Maharashtra state cabinet has approved the renaming Mumbai Central Terminus station as Nana Shankarseth Terminus Station or Jagannath Sunkersett. The proposal which was initiated by the transport ministry headed by Anil Parab is sent to the Ministry of Railways for its approval.

Jagannath Shankarseth: Jagannath "Nana" Shankarsheth (1803-1865) was a Maharashtrian philanthropist and educationist. He was a very reliable businessman. He along with Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy founded the Indian Railway Association in 1845. He also founded the Bombay Association which was the first political organization in Bombay Presidency, on 26 August 1852. He is famous for his contribution to Mumbai's development.

Chennai: Chennai also known as Madras is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. It is the fourth largest city of India. It was founded in 1661 by the British East India Company.

Recently, a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s (NCLAT) bench has been established in Chennai to handle matters arising from Southern states. The Central Government had notified the constitution of NCLAT, Chennai Bench as its requirement was felt in there. As per the Notification dated March 13, 2020, the NCLAT, Chennai shall hear appeals from the National Company Law Tribunals having jurisdiction over Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry and  Lakshadweep.

The Notification also added that the NCLAT at New Delhi shall be known as the Pradhan Peeth (Principal Bench). It will continue to hear appeals other than those in the jurisdiction of the Chennai Bench.

NCLAT: It refers to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. It was constituted under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013 for hearing appeals against the orders of the NCLT. It was created to hear the appeals against the orders of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) from June 01, 2016. It is not only an appellate tribunal for hearing appeals against the orders passed by NCLT under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code but also the Appellate Tribunal to hear and dispose of appeals against any direction issued or decision made or order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh (MP) is the second largest Indian state by area. It borders the states of Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the southeast, Maharashtra to the south, Gujarat to the west, and Rajasthan to the northwest. Its capital is Bhopal. The Governor of Madhya Pradesh is Lal Ji Tandon respectively.

Recently, Kamal Nath who was sworn-in as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh after winning the state Assembly polls held in 2018 resigned. His resignation came ahead of the floor test which was scheduled to be held on 20th March 2020 in the state assembly. He submitted his resignation to the governor of Madhya Pradesh Lal Ji Tandon. Kamal Nath’s government was pushed into crisis by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who lost 2019 election in Madya Pradesh joined BJP ending his association with Congress party along with 22 ruling party MLAs.

Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand, a state in northern India crossed by the Himalayas. It is known for the natural environment of the Himalayas, the Bhabar and the Terai and also for for its Hindu pilgrimage sites. It is often referred to as the "Devabhumi" (literally "Land of the Gods"). Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of India On 9 November 2000. it was carved from the Himalayan districts of Uttar Pradesh. Its winter Capital is Dehradun and summer capital is Gairsain. The Chief Minister and the Governor of Uttarakhand are Trivendra Singh Rawat and Baby Rani Maurya respectively.

Recently, the Government of Uttarakhand abolished reservation promotion in the state government jobs. This major decision was taken by the Trivendra Rawat government on completion of three years of its tenure.

Following the state government’s order, the employees from the General-OBC categories ended their strike who had been staging a protest, demanding the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision on the issue. The state government also issued orders regarding departmental promotion committee (DPC).

The state government's order said that as per the Supreme Court's decision, the government has abolished the promotion ban dated September 11, 2019. Besides, the state government order dated September 5, 2012 banning reservation in promotions has also come into effect. Further action will be taken as per the order.

Science and Technology

Huntington disease (HD): It is a progressive genetic disorder that affects the brain. It causes uncontrolled movements, impaired coordination of balance and movement, a decline in cognitive abilities, difficulty in concentrating and memory lapses, mood swings and personality changes. The cause of this disease is due to mutation in a gene called HTT. The main function of HTT genes is the production of a protein called Huntingtin. They provide the instruction for making the protein. The mutation of HTT gene gives faulty instructions and as a result the normal functioning of the brain is disrupted resulting in Huntington disease.

Recently, a team of scientists from National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune led by Dr. Amitabha Majumdar unravelled that the pathogenic protein called the Huntingtin Protein causes decrease in overall protein production. They found that Huntingtin protein in a diseased person interfered with the protein production of the cells and how faulty information was sent to the brain. They are also the cause of the reduced level of protein production of a normal cell.

INST: It refers to Institute of Nano Science and Technology. It is an autonomous institute of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India under the Society Registration Act, 1960. It was established in January 2013 under the National Mission of Nano Science and Technology or NANO mission. The main aim of the  mission is to promote growth of nano science and technology. The Chairperson of INST is C. N. Ramachandra Rao.

Recently, INST developed a starch-based ‘hemostat’ material named calcium-modified carboxymethyl-starch which absorbs excess fluid by concentrating the natural clotting factors in the blood that stops the rapid blood loss.

Starch Based Hemostat possesses increased absorption capacity and improved absorption. It is inexpensive, biocompatible and biodegradable. This product was developed by Dr Ghosh’s team developed as a realistic solution for lower-income economies worldwide.

Sports

Achanta Sharath Kamal: Ace Indian paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal won the ITTF Challenger Plus Oman Open. The 37-year-old Indian veteran ended his decade-long wait for a title by defeating top-seeded Marcos Freitas of Portugal 4-2 in the final played in Muscat. Sharanth had bagged his last title in 2010 at Egypt Open.

Since then he has made two semi-final appearances, one in Morocco Open in 2011 and the other in India Open in 2017.

All England Championship: The All England Open Badminton Championships is the world's oldest badminton tournament. It is held annually in England. With the introduction of the BWF's latest grading system, it was given Superseries status in 2007. It was upgraded to Superseries Premier status in 2011.

Recently, Axelsen of Denmark and Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei won the 2020 All-England Badminton Championships.  Viktor Axelsen defeated Chou Tien-chen in men's singles while Tai Tzu Ying defeated world No.1 Chen Yu Fei in Women's singles titles. It was the third All England Open title for Tai Tzu Ying and the maiden All England Open title for Viktor Axelsen.

ISL Trophy: It refers to Indian Super League trophy. The ISL was founded in 2013 as one of the two top-tier leagues in India, alongside the I-League. 

Recently, ATK (Atlético de Kolkata) FC (Football Club) scripted history with a 3rd ISL title after beating Chennaiyin FC 3-1 in the final. In the final match that was held at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa, Javier Hernandez scored two goals and Edu Garcia one goal  for ATK FC. The final was held without spectators owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ATK FC: It stands for Atlético de Kolkata Football Club. ATK FC is an Indian Professional football club. It is based in Kolkata, West Bengal. The Kolkata club won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2014 and then in 2016 by beating Kerala Blasters in the final on both occasions. Apart from ATK, only two other teams have won the ISL. They are Bengaluru FC (2018-19) and Chennaiyin (2015, 2017-18).

ICC: It stands for International Cricket Council. ICC is the global governing body of cricket. It was established as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa. It was renamed as the International Cricket Conference in 1965. It took up its current name in 1989. It organizes world championship events such as Cricket World Cup, Women's Cricket World Cup, ICC T20 World Cup, ICC Women's T20 World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy and Under-19 Cricket World Cup. It is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The current Chairman of ICC is Shashank Manohar.

Recently, Two Indian women, Janani Narayanan and Vrinda Rathi were named in the International Panel of ICC Development Umpires. With the inclusion of both Janani Narayanan and Vrinda Rathi, the number of women match officials across different ICC panels has gone up to 12. The announcement was made soon after the launch of 100% Cricket. 100% cricket is a 12-month campaign anticipated to build on the momentum of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020.

34 year old Janani Narayanan has been umpiring in Indian domestic tournaments since 2018 while 31 year old Vrinda Rathi has also been umpiring in Indian domestic cricket since 2018.

Arts

Subhadra Kumari Chauhan:

Google paid tribute to Subhadra Kumari Chauhan on her 117th birth anniversary by dedicating a creative doodle to her.

Key Facts:

• She authored a number of works in Hindi poetry, with Jhansi ki Rani being her most famous composition.

• The poem, which describes the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai, is one of the most recited and sung poems in Hindi literature.

• Her poetry and prose primarily centered on the hardships that Indian women overcame, such as gender and caste discrimination.

• Her poetry remained uniquely underscored by her resolute nationalism.

About Subhadra Kumari Chauhan:

• Subhadra Kumari Chauhan was born on August 16, 1904 in Nihalpur village of Uttar Pradesh

• She was an Indian activist, freedom fighter, and poet.

• She wrote in the Khariboli dialect of Hindi, in a simple, clear style.

• She got her first poem published when she was 9-years-old.

• One of her most popular poems is "Jhansi ki Rani" (about the courageous Queen of Jhansi) which is the most recited poems of Hindi literature.

• This and her other poems, Jallianwala Bagh mein Vasant, Veeron Ka Kaisa Ho Basant, Rakhi Ki Chunauti, and Vida, openly talk about the freedom movement.

• Other remarkable poems by her include ‘Balika ka Parichay’ and ‘Khilonewala.

• During 1940s, she published about 88 poems and 46 short stories for the fight of India’s independence.

• She died in 1948.

• The ICGS Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, an Indian Coast Guard ship, was named for the poet.

Her role during freedom movement:

• Subhadra and her husband joined Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement in 1921.

• Her poems are said to have inspired great numbers of Indian youth to participate in the Indian Freedom Movement.

• She was the first woman Satyagrahi to court arrest in Nagpur.

• She was jailed twice for her involvement in protests against British rule in 1923 and 1942.

• She was a member of the legislative assembly of the state (erstwhile Central Provinces).

Today, Chauhan’s poetry remains a staple in many Indian classrooms as a symbol of historical progress, encouraging future generations to stand up against social injustice and celebrate the words that shaped a nation’s history.

World Photography Day:

World Photography Day is celebrated on 19 August every year.

Highlights:

• This day is observed to promote photography as a hobby and also inspire photographers around the globe to share a single photo with the rest of the world.

• The day commemorates the importance of cameras and photography in our lives.

• Photography enthusiasts come together across the world to celebrate the art of taking photographs.

• The first official World Photo Day was observed on August 19, 2010.

History of the day:

• The origins of World Photography Day can be traced back to 1837.

• In France, Joseph Nicephore Niepce and Louis Daguerre invented the daguerreotype, the first-ever photographic process.

• It was on August 19, 1939 that the French government purchased the patent of Daguerreotype process and announced the invention as a gift “free to the world”.

• Later on, the day began to be marked as World Photography Day.

• In 1861, the first durable colour photograph was captured.

• From then on, the medium of photography kept evolving. The first digital photograph was created in 1957, two decades before the digital camera was invented.

Significance of World Photography Day:

• The science of photography has played a pivotal role throughout human history.

• Today, due to photography, there are records of historic moments because they have been captured in photographs and can be looked at forever.

• Photography can capture expressions, feelings, ideas, and moments instantly and immortalise them for future generations to witness.

MAMI film festival:

Indian Actor-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas was recently announced as the chairperson of Jio MAMI Film Festival, almost four months after Deepika Padukone stepped down from the position.

Key Points:

• The Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) unveiled its plans for the coming year, edition and the change in leadership.

• Priyanka was unanimously nominated by MAMI’s Board of Trustees which comprises Nita M Ambani (Co-Chairperson), Anupama Chopra (Festival Director), Ajay Bijli, Anand G. Mahindra, Farhan Akhtar, Isha Ambani, Kabir Khan, Kaustubh Dhavse, Kiran Rao, Rana Daggubati, Riteish Deshmukh, Rohan Sippy, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vishal Bhardwaj and Zoya Akhtar.

• The board also welcomed two new members to its fold, acclaimed filmmaker Anjali Menon and renowned filmmaker-archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur

• The hybrid edition of the festival will take place in March depending on how the COVID-19 situation is in the country.

• The tentative dates of the festival are March 11 to March 15, 2022.

About MAMI Film Festival:

• The Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) is a public trust that organizes the annual international film festival in Mumbai known as the Mumbai Film Festival.

• It was founded in 1997.

• The festival previews new films of all genres from around the world with a range of Competitions and Showcase categories

Books and Authors:

OPERATION KHUKRI:

CDS General Bipin Rawat was recently presented a book “OPERATION KHUKRI” authored by Major General Rajpal Punia & Ms Damini Punia.

Highlights:

• The book highlights the Indian Army’s successful rescue mission in Sierra Leone as part of the United Nations. The year was 2000, Sierra Leone, in West Africa, had been ravaged by years of civil strife.

• With the intervention of the United Nations, two companies of the Indian Army were deployed in Kailahun as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

About the Operation Khukri:

• Operation Khukri was one of the Indian Army’s most successful international missions.

• This book is a first-hand account by Major Rajpal Punia, who, after three months of impasse and failed diplomacy, orchestrated the operation, surviving the ambush of the RUF in prolonged jungle warfare twice, and returning with all 233 soldiers standing tall.

Projects in Somnath:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recenlty inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple projects in Somnath, Gujarat.

Key Details:

• Development of Somnath has been proposed as one of the iconic tourism destinations by the Ministry of Tourism under its Integrated Destination Development Scheme (IDDS) for development of components such as Prabhas Patan Museum, Tourist Amenities, Haat etc.

• A few regional interventions such as Keshod Airport, improvement of NH-51, development of Sea Plane services etc. for providing improved connectivity to Somnath, ensuring a comprehensive and broad development of the entire region are also proposed under this under consideration project.

• The projects inaugurated include:

1. Somnath Promenade

2. Somnath Exhibition Centre

3. The reconstructed temple precinct of Old Somnath

4. Foundation for Parvati temple

• The inaugurations of the new projects at Somnath Temple were launched highlighting the history of its plunder and reconstruction time and again.

• He was making a reference to the Taliban and reminded the world that the reign of terror is always temporary and cannot be permanent.

About:

Somnath Promenade:

• The Somnath Promenade has been developed under PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) Scheme at a total cost of over ₹ 47 crore.

Somnath Exhibition Centre:

• The Somnath Exhibition Centre, developed in the premises of ‘Tourist Facilitation Centre’, displays the exhibits from dismantled parts of old Somnath temple and its sculptures having Nagar style temple architecture of old Somnath.

The reconstructed temple precinct of Old Somnath:

• The reconstructed temple precinct of Old (Juna) Somnath has been completed by Shree Somnath Trust with a total outlay of ₹ 3.5 crore.

• This temple is also referred to as AhilyabaiTemple since it was built by Queen Ahilyabai of Indore, when she found that the old temple was in ruins.

• The entire old temple complex has been holistically redeveloped for the safety of pilgrims and with augmented capacity.

• The development works of Juna Somnath Mandir Premises include a ramp for universal access, CourtyYard, sitting arrangements for the pilgrims, 15 shops, lift and two large halls.

Foundation for Parvati temple:

• The proposed Parvatimata Mandir in Shree SomnathTemple premises would be a grand structure with an area of 1650 Met2 and 71 Ft. height using Aras Stones from Ambaji, Banaskantha.

• Shree Parvati Temple is proposed to be constructed with a total outlay of ₹ 30 Cr.

• There would be 44 poles, as were there in the original temple, which would be created using Marble with an artistic way.

• The core Garbh Grih of the Madir contais the land of 380 Met2, and Dance Mandap spreading over 1250 Met2.

About Somnath Temple:

• Som in Hindi means Moon and Nath means Lord and hence Somnath means the Lord of Moon i.e, is Lord Shiva.

• somnath Temple is the first among the 12 Jyotirlingas which are symbolic representations of Lord Shiva.

• Located at the Veraval Port or Prabhas Pattan in Saurashtra, Gujrat, the present temple is built in the Chalukyan style.

• This Architecture is also known as the “Kailash Mahameru Prasad” style.

• It reflects the skill of the SompuraSalats, one of Gujarat’s master masons.

History:

• It is believed to have been raided and plundered at least 17 times in history.

• Somnath’s first temple is said to have existed 2000 years ago.

• In 649 AD, King Maitre of Vallabhaneni built a second temple in place of the temple and renovated it.

• In 725, the old ruler of Sindh took his army and attacked the temple and destroyed the temple.

• Pratishtha King Nag Bhatt II constructed the temple for the third time in 815 using a red stone (sandstone) stone.

• In 1026, Mahmud Ghazni lent the precious jewels and property of Somnath temple.

• After looting, slaughtering innumerable pilgrims of the temple and burning the temple and destroying it.

• During 1026-1042 Solanki Raja Bhimdev built the fourth temple of Bhoj and Anhilwad Patan.

• Somnath was destroyed when Delhi Sultanate occupied Gujarat in 1299.

• Afzal Khan, the commander of Ala-ud-din Khilji, plundered it.

• In 1394 it was destroyed again.

• In 1706, Mughal ruler Aurangzeb again demolished the temple.

Ahilyabai and Somnath:

• Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Ahilyabai Temple was built by Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar in 17th century.

• The history of Ahilyabai Temple and Somnath Temple is closely interlinked.

• It is said that this temple was constructed as a substitute for the main Somnath Temple when it was raided and ravaged by the Muslim rulers.

• It is also said that the location of the swayambhulinga came in Ahilyabai's dreams post which she started the construction immediately.

• Many Hindus believe that Ahilyabai Temple contains the original Jyotirling which was hidden here assuming that the original Somnath Temple is going to be raided.

Modern/Post Modern Indian History:

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron man of India, was instrumental in the construction of the present temple.

• Renowned temple architect Prabhas Chandar designed it.

• The first President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad installed the Jyotirling in the new temple on May 11, 1951.

• He was criticised by the then Prime Minister for displaying personal faith in public while being on the highest constitutional post of a secular nation.

• Recently, a similar Pran Pratistha Ritual was done at Ayodhya Ram Mandir by the present PM Modi.

Economics

FI-Index:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), on 17 August, 2021 announced the formation of a composite Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) to capture the extent of financial inclusion across the country.

• The annual FI-Index for the period ended March 2021 stood at 53.9 compared with 43.4 for the period ended March 2017.

About FI-Index:

• RBI's financial inclusion index (FI-Index) will be published annually in July.

• It is a comprehensive index that incorporates details of banking, investments, insurance, postal as well as the pension sector.

• It is created in consultation with the government and respective sectoral regulators.

• There is no base year for this Index so it reflects the cumulative efforts of all stakeholders over the years towards financial inclusion.

• The index captures information on various aspects of financial inclusion in a single value ranging between 0 and 100.

• The 0 represents complete financial exclusion while 100 indicates full financial inclusion.

• The Financial Inclusion Index has been framed based on three broad parameters—

1. Usage (45 percent)

2. Access (35 percent)

3. Quality (20 percent)

• The parameters were computed based on 97 indicators.

• The Financial Inclusion Index will be responsive to ease of access, availability and usage of services, and quality of services.

RoDTEP Scheme Guidelines and Rates:

The Centre has recently notified RoDTEP Scheme Guidelines and Rates.

Note: RoDTEP stands for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products.

Key Points:

• This scheme for zero rating of exports will help in boosting India’s exports and competitiveness across the global markets.

• The rates of RoDTEP will cover 8555 tariff lines.

• Rates under RoDTEP scheme for different sectors have been set as 0.5 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 4 per cent.

• It will come into effect from January 1, 2021.

Scheme’s objective is to refund, currently un-refunded:

• Duties/ taxes/ levies, at the Central, State & local level, borne on the exported product, including prior stage cumulative indirect taxes on goods & services used in production of the exported product.

• Such indirect Duties/ taxes/ levies in respect of distribution of exported products.

• However, it should be noted that rebate under the Scheme shall not be available in respect of duties and taxes already exempted or remitted or credited.

• Export centric industries are being reformed and introduced to better mechanisms so as to increase their competitiveness, boost exports, generate employment and contribute to the overall economy.

About RoDTEP Scheme:

• RoDTEP is one such reform which is based on the globally accepted principle.

• As per the principles, taxes and duties should not be exported, and taxes and levies borne on the exported products should be either exempted or remitted to exporters.

• Under the RoDTEP scheme, duties, taxes and levies are charged on exported products at state and local levels.

• It refunds the prior stage cumulative indirect taxes on goods as well as services used in production of the exported product and their distribution.

• Rebate will not apply to duties and taxes that are already exempted, remitted or credited.

• RoDTEP support will be available for eligible exporters as a percentage of Freight on Board (FOB) value.

• Rebate on some export products will be subject to value cap per unit of exported product.

Implementation:

• This scheme will be implemented by Customs with the help of simplified IT System. Ministry will issue rebate in the form of transferable duty credit or electronic scrip (e-scrip).

• It will be maintained by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in an electronic ledger.

Significance:

• RoDTEP is going to give a boost to Indian exports by providing a level playing field to domestic industry abroad.

• The Ministry of Finance (MoF) will finalize the overall outlay of the RoDTEP scheme in consultation with the Department of Commerce.

• The Ministry will take into account all the factors before finalizing it.

Start-up Women Entrepreneur Awards 2020-21:

The Government of India (GoI) recentky announced MeitY-NASSCOM Start-up Women Entrepreneur Awards 2020-2021 on August 17, 2021.

• GoI has also launched the Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge.

About Start-up Women Entrepreneur Awards 2020-21:

• The award was set up by the Ministry for Electronics and IT (MeitY)-NASSCOM in partnership with UN Women.

Aim:

• This award aims to recognize and cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit in women.

• It also inspires the next generation of women to lead the Indian digital era to serve as guiding role models;

• To encourage promising entrepreneurs who not only contribute to the nation’s economy but also to the social community

• To provide leadership and serve as guiding examples for emerging and young future entrepreneurs.

Significance:

• The winners of the awards have also been selected for the MeitY-NASSCOM Tech Women Entrepreneur Accelerator Program.

• The program gives them access to networks, connections, learning and resources that are needed to build scalable, profitable and global businesses.

About Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge:

• Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge was launched by MyGov under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and UN Women

Aim:

• The aim of the Challenge is ‘Nari Sashaktikaran’, which is, to empower women to help them achieve their full potential.

Objective:

• The main objective of this challenge is to support and promote women entrepreneurs and women-led Startups to find innovative solutions in the area of Women Safety and Empowerment.

Implementation:

• The Challenge is being implemented under the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (COVID-19) Programme.

Significance:

• The five winners of this challenge will be awarded INR 5 lakh each to develop, market and implement their solutions.

Background:

• The awards were open to participation from tech start-up women entrepreneurs and an overwhelming response was received across the country with receipt of 159 applications.

• An eminent Jury comprising of leaders from MeitY, UN Women, Industry and Academia selected 12 women entrepreneurs as winners, while 2 women entrepreneurs were declared as the Jury Choice Awardees and one woman entrepreneur was felicitated as a special mention.

• Each winner and Jury Choice Awardees were rewarded Rs. 2 Lakh.

• Giving a fillip to women entrepreneurs, 33 women have also been selected for MeitY-NASSCOM Tech Women Entrepreneur Accelerator Program to give them access to networks, connects, learning and resources that are needed to build scalable, profitable and global businesses.

Defence

Gallantry Awards: 

144 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces, police, and paramilitary personnel were approved by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces President Ram Nath Kovind on the eve of Independence Day 2021.

Key Details:

• These include one Ashok Chakra, one Kirti Chakra, 15 ShauryaChakras, four bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 116 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

• The President has also approved 28 Mention-in-Despatches to the Army personnel for their significant contributions in different military operations which include three posthumous for ‘Operation Rakshak.’

• Besides, President also approved four awards for conspicuous gallantry and meritorious service to ICG personnel including one Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry), and three Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service).

• ASI of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Babu Ram has been posthumously honoured with Ashok Chakra while Altaf Hussain Bhat who was serving as a Constable in Jammu and Kashmir police has been posthumously honoured with the Kirti Chakra.

Note: For the first time in J&K police history, Ashok, Kirti and Shaurya chakras have been awarded to the force together.

• Of 15 Shaurya Chakras, six have gone to the Army, including one posthumous; three to CRPF; two to Odisha Police, both posthumously; two to the Air Force; and one each to the Navy and J&K Police (posthumous).

• All of the Army’s Shaurya Chakras were awarded for operations of intercepting, or killing militants in J&K.

• For the Air Force, Shaurya Chakras were given to pilots who displayed exceptional expertise, and skill to manoeuvre their aircraft after they had developed some issues, and regaining control of the aircraft, and preventing major disasters.

• One of the Vayu Sena medals was awarded to Squadron Leader Deepak Mohanan who is on deputation with the Coast Guard since 2017.

• His citation mentioned that as captain of a Chetak helicopter, Mohanan “displayed extraordinary courage and professional skills of a very high order wherein he carried out damage assessment of fire and explosion on-board MT Diamond, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) off the east coast of Sri Lanka, carrying 3.40 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil”.

List of the personnels being conferred with gallantry awards on the occasion of Independence Day:

Ashok Chakra

• ASI Babu Ram, J&K Police (Posthumous)

Shaurya Chakra

• Maj Arun Kumar Pandey, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Maj Ravi Kumar Chaudhary, Grenadiers, 55 Rr

• Capt Ashutosh Kumar, 18 Madras (Posthumous)

• Capt Vikas Khatri, Mech Inf, 16 Rr

• Rfn Mukesh Kumar, Raj Rif, 9 Rr

• Sep Neeraj Ahlawat, Jat, 34 Rr

• Captain Sachin Reuben Sequeira - Navy

• Group Captain Perminder Antil (26686) Flying (Pilot) - Air Force

• Wing Commander Varun Singh (27987) Flying (Pilot) - Air Force

• Chitesh Kumar, Deputy Commandant, Crpf

• Manjinder Singh, Sub Inspector, Crpf

• Sunil Choudhary, Constable, Crpf

• Debasis Sethy, Commando, Odisha Police (Posthumous)

• Sudhir Kumar Tudu, Commando, Odisha Police (Posthumous)

• Shahbaz Ahmad, Special Police Officer, J&k Police (Posthumous)

Bar To Sena Medal (Gallantry)

• Lt Col Krishna Kant Bajpai, Sm**, 6 Rajput

• Maj Surendra Singh Lamba, Sm, Grenadiers, 29 Rr

• Maj Rahul Balamohan, Sm, Mahar, 1 Rr

• Maj Ankit Dahiya, Sm, Punjab, 22 Rr

Sena Medal (Gallantry)

• Lt Col Dhirendra Pratap Singh Rawat, 3/11 Gr

• Lt Col Bhagat Akshay Suresh, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• Lt Col Manpreet Singh, Sikh Li, 19 Rr

• Lt Col Chetan Kaushik, 37 (I) R&o Flt

• Maj Bharat Singh Jhala, Jat, 34 Rr

• Maj Yashovardhan Bhati, Grenadiers, 29 Rr

• Maj Ankit Thakur, Arty, 6 Assam Rif

• Maj Rakesh Ranjan, 3 Gr, 32 Rr

• Maj Rohit Sharma, Grenadiers, 29 Rr

• Maj Anil Kandpal, Engrs, 44 Rr

• Maj Ajit Pal Singh, 8 Sikh

• Maj Govind Joshi, 5 Gr, Hq Sff

• Maj Anil Kumar Rangi, Grenadiers, 29 Rr

• Maj Gaurav Anand Bourai, Engrs, 1 Rr

• Maj Vipranshu Pandey, Engrs, 42 Rr

• Maj Gaurav Choudhary, 10 Para (Sf)

• Maj Tapan Kumar Tamang, Jak Rif, 52 Rr

• Maj Narender Kumar, Sigs, 24 R&o Flt

• Maj Abhishek Kumar, Arty, 32 Rr

• Maj Ashutosh Kumar, Engrs, 2 Rr

• Maj Randeep Singh, Jak Rif, 3 Rr

• Maj Mahendra Singh, Asc, 42 Rr

• Maj Rahul Dutta, Arty, 32 Assam Rif

• Maj Satish Kumar Gupta, Sigs, 44 Rr

• Maj Sahil Sharma, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Maj Mayank Vishnoi, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Maj Athul James, Engrs, 1 Rr

• Maj Rohit Kumar Upreti, Engrs, 34 Rr

• Maj Pathak Saket, Eme, 44 Rr

• Maj Ankesh Jarial, Engrs, 3 Rr

• Maj Naorem Chingthangkhomba Singh, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• Maj Kundan Kumar, Engrs, 42 Rr

• Maj Harjeet Singh, 5 Rajput

• Maj Manish Kumar Verma, Sigs, 19 Rr

• Maj Vibhore Joshi, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• Maj Abhishek Ghosh, Eme, 55 Rr

• Capt Aaditya Anand Tyagi, Assam, 42 Rr

• Capt Surya Prakash, Armd, 53 Rr

• Capt Neil Silas Lobo, Armd, 55 Rr

• Capt Sanjay Kumar Khanka, Jat, 34 Rr

• Capt Rohit Kumar Swami, 19 Garh Rif

• Capt Snehashish Paul, Sigs, 3 Rr

• Capt Manoj Kumar Kataria, 18 Jak Rif

• Sub Sukhdev Singh, 16 Grenadiers (Posthumous)

• Sub Amar Pal Singh, Jat, 34 Rr

• Sub Satwarg Singh, 15 Sikh Li

• Sub Balkar Singh, Sikh Li, 19 Rr

• Nb Sub Anil Kumar, 38 Fd Regt

• Nb Sub Ravinder, 16 Grenadiers (Posthumous)

• Nb Sub Sukhwinder Singh, 8 Sikh

• Nb Sub Rajwinder Singh, 1 Sikh Li (Posthumous)

• Nb Sub Pushakar Raj, 18 Jak Rif

• Dfr Ranjit Kumar, Armd, 22 Rr

• Hav Gurjeet Singh, 9 Para (Sf)

• Hav Suresh Dewan, Jak Rif, 3 Rr

• Hav Rakesh Kumar Tiwary, Mech Inf, 50 Rr

• Hav Hardhan Chandra Roy, 59 Med Regt (Posthumous)

• Hav Cheekala Praveen Kumar, 18 Madras (Posthumous)

• Hav Mahaveer Singh, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Hav Kayam Singh, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Hav Gokaran Singh, 21 Kumaon (Posthumous)

• Hav Ajit Singh, 15 Sikh Li

• Hav Guljar Singh, Mahar, 1 Rr

• Hav Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, 9 Para (Sf)

• Nk Rakesh Kumar, Jak Rif, 3 Rr

• Nk Radhe Shyam, Mech Inf, 42 Rr

• Nk Govind Singh, Punjab, 22 Rr

• Nk Rajwinder Singh, Punjab, 53 Rr (Posthumous)

• Nk Sayar Khan, Grenadiers, 29 Rr

• Nk Shaitan Singh Meena, Grenadiers, 29 Rr

• Nk Jeevan Singh, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• Nk Shivaji, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• Nk Gurpreet Singh, Sikh Li, 19 Rr

• Nk Baljit Kumar, Mahar, 1 Rr

• L/nk Nongmaithem Dhanabir Singh, 21 Para (Sf)

• L/nk Himmat Singh, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• L/nk Brij Mohan, Mech Inf, 16 Rr

• L/nk Kuldeep Kumar, Rajput, 44 Rr

• L/nk Dileep Kumar Yadav, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• L/nk Rajendra Singh Dosad, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• L/nk Surya Bahadur Soti, 3/3 Gr

• Sep Jahaneer Ahmad War, Sikh Li, 163 Inf Bn (Ta)

• Sep Mohit Bhadana, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Samsad Ali, Mech Inf, 42 Rr

• Sep Gautam Tamang, Mech Inf, 9 Rr

• Sep Prashant Sharma, Mech Inf, 50 Rr (Posthumous)

• Sep Manish Kumar, Armd, 55 Rr

• Sep Kuldeep Singh, Armd, 55 Rr

• Sep Rohin Kumar, 14 Punjab (Posthumous)

• Sep Ryada Maheshwar, 18 Madras (Posthumous)

• Sep Ashish Kumar, Grenadiers, 55 Rr

• Sep Hawa Singh, Grenadiers, 55 Rr

• Sep Lachchhu Singh, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Gaurav Kumar Tomar, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Jitendra Singh Jodha, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Anuj Mavi, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Anuj Rana, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Rajesh Singh Kasana, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Deepak Kumar, Jat, 34 Rr

• Sep Elonthung N Patton, Assam, 42 Rr

• Sep Ramandeep Singh, Sikh Li, 19 Rr

• Sep Tanveer Ahmed, Jak Li, 55 Rr

• Rfn Rohit, Jak Rif, 3 Rr

• Rfn Naranjan, Jak Rif, 3 Rr

• Rfn Sajad Hussain Khan, Jak Li, 9 Rr

• Spr Bibin C, Engrs, 44 Rr

• Spr Sivakumar G, Engrs, 44 Rr

• Spr Burla Anjaneyulu, Engrs, 1 Rr

• Gdr Vikash Kumar Ram, Grenadiers, 29 Rr

• Gdr Ravi Kumar Singh, Grenadiers, 29 Rr (Posthumous)

• Gdr Prashant Singh, Grenadiers, 29 Rr (Posthumous)

• Gnr Bhupender, 327 Med Regt (Posthumous)

• Gnr Subodh Ghosh, 59 Med Regt (Posthumous)

• Ptr Manmohan Singh, 4 Para (Sf)

• Swr Jilajeet Yadav, Armd, 53 Rr (Posthumous)

• Scout Tashi Namgyal Lepcha, 11 Gr, 1 Sikkim Scouts

Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry)

• Captain Prashant Handu - Navy

• Commander Sunil S Korti - Navy

• Commander Bipin Panikar - Navy

• Lieutenant Commander Raj Krishna Manu - Navy

• Prahlad, Mca (Fd) Ii - Navy

Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)

• Wing Commander Uttar Kumar - Air Force

• Squadron Leader Deepak Mohanan - Air Force

Mention-in-despatches

Operation Rakshak

• Col Jasbir Singh Maan, 666 Army Avn Sqn (R&o)

• Lt Col Shiv Bahadur Singh, 112 Engr Regt

• Maj Swapnil Zende, Arty, 34 R&o Flt

• Maj Deepak Kumar Singh, Asc, 3 Rr

• Maj Partha Sarathi Batabyal, Arty, 29 Rr

• Maj Pradip Shukla, 11 Garh Rif

• Maj Aditya Bhadauria, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• Maj Himanshu Pradhan, 8 Sikh

• Capt Shivam Dagur, Sigs, 1 Rr

• Capt Sachin Malhotra, 33 R&o Flt

• Lt Harinder Jit Singh, 4 Grenadiers

• Hav Kuljinder Singh, Sikh Li, 2 Rr

• Nk Roshan Singh, 628 Sata Bty

• Nk Karuppa Samy K, 872 Lt Regt

• Nk Aneesh Thomas, 17 Madras (Posthumous)

• Nk Mandle Pradip Sahebrao, 10 Mahar (Posthumous)

• Nk Kuldeep Kumar, Jak Li, 19 Rr

• Nk Sartaj Ahmad Wagay, Jak Li, 50 Rr

• Nk Rayees Ahmad Magray, Jak Li, 42 Rr

• Nk Vikram Singh, 11 Garh Rif

• L/nk Gaurav Singh, 8 Garh Rif

• L/nk Kamlesh Pant, Kumaon, 50 Rr

• Sep Ladhu Singh, Rajput, 44 Rr

• Sep Khuvendra Singh, Armd, 55 Rr

Operation Snow Leopard

• L/dfr Vikram Singh, 90 Armd Regt (Posthumous)

Operation Rhino

• Maj Soubam Kinobabu Singh, Jak Li, 15 Assam Rif

• Nb Sub Prem Kumar Tamang, 3/11 Gr

• L/nk Anal Jyoti Nath, Assam, 166 Inf Bn (Ta)

NDA Exam:

The Supreme Court of India on August 18, 2021 passed an interim order stating that girls can also appear for the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Key Points:

• The apex court also slammed the Indian Army for not allowing women to take part in NDA entrance exams and called the Army’s policy decision as gender discrimination.

• With this order, women will now be able to appear for the NDA exam which is scheduled for September 5, 2021.

• According to the Apex Court, admissions will be subject to final orders of the court.

• The court has also directed Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to take out the corrigendum and advertise it widely.

• This is for the first time that women candidates are allowed to appear for the NDA exam to take admission in the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC).

• The court has also directed Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to take out the corrigendum and advertise it widely.

Background:

• This order was issued on the basis of a writ petition filed by Kush Kalra seeking permission for women to sit in the exam for the entry in NDA.

• The petition for the NDA exam raised the issue of violation of Articles 14, 15, 16, and 19 of the Indian Constitution by denying the opportunity to eligible women candidates to join NDA.

Important Info:

NDA II 2021 written exam is scheduled to be conducted on November 14 across 75 exam centres spread throughout the country. Earlier, the exam was scheduled to be conducted on September 5.

About NDA Exam:

• National Defence Academy or NDA is one of the most sought-after defence entrance exams in the country.

• The exam is conducted for admission to Army, Navy and Air Force wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC).

• NDA is conducted twice a year in two stages: written exam and Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview.

• It covers general aptitude, team skills, psychological testing, Physical and social skills besides the medical tests.

• NDA exam, before the latest order by the Supreme Court permitting women to appear for the exam, was only reserved for unmarried men between the age of 16-19 years.

• The educational qualification is the pass certificate in 10+2 exams via a recognised board or University.

About NDA alumni:

• Alumni of NDA comprises of 3 Param Vir Chakra recipients and 12 Ashoka Chakra recipients.

• It has also produced 27 service Chiefs of Staff as of now.

About NDA:

• The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the joint defence service training institute of the Indian Armed Forces.

• This academy trains cadets of three services namely, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy together before they go on to respective service academy for pre-commission training.

• This academy is world’s first tri-service academy.

• The NDA was commissioned on December 7, 1954, with an inauguration ceremony that was held on January 16, 1955.

DTIS:

In order to boost domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing, Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS).

Key Points:

• It is an Rs 400 crore scheme for creating state-of-the-art testing infrastructure in partnership with the private industry.

• The scheme was launched by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on May 08, 2020.

• DTIS is aimed at boosting domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing.

About DTIS:

• This scheme would run for the duration of five years.

• The scheme proposes to up of 6-8 Greenfield Defence Testing Infrastructure facilities that are required for defence and aerospace related production.

• The collaboration will ease the process of indigenous defence equipment, thereby making India self-reliant.

• The projects under the scheme will be provided with up to 75 percent Government funding in the form of ‘Grant-in-Aid’.

• The remaining 25 percent of the project cost will have to be borne by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which will be composed of the Indian private entities and State Governments.

• The special purpose vehicles, under the scheme will be registered under the Companies Act, 2013.

• They will operate and maintain all assets under the scheme in a self-sustainable manner by collecting user charges.

• The system tested will be certified according to proper accreditation.

• The majority of test facilities will come up in the Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs).

• In this regard, Department of Defence Production/Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DDP/DGQA) has published eight Expression of Interest (EOIs) catering to setting up of defence test facilities in selected domains.

Note:

• At present, India is one of the top importers of military hardware globally.

• The government has been focusing on making India a hub of defence production.

• According to the latest report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a leading think-tank on military spending, India''s defence expenditure stood at USD 71.1 billion in 2019, which is third highest after the US and China.

Environment

Ramsar List:

The Union Environment Ministry recently announced that 4 more wetlands from India have been added to the Ramsar list.

Key Points:

The wetlands that the Ramsar Convention has designated as wetlands of global importance are:

1. Thol from Gujarat

2. Wadhwana from Gujarat,

3. Sultanpur from Haryana and

4. Bhindawas from Haryana.

• India is home to more than a dozen of threatened and near threatened bird species and these sites are home to endangered Egyptian Vulture, Saker Falcon, Sociable Lapwing, and near threatened Dalmatian Pelican.

• With this, the number of Ramsar sites in India is 46 and the surface area covered by these sites is now 1,083,322 hectares.

About the Chosen Wetlands:

Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It lies on Central Asian Flyway in Gujarat.

• It supports more than 320 bird species and more than 30 threatened waterbird species like critically endangered white-rumped vulture, Sociable Lapwing, Common Pochard etc.

Wadhwana Wetland:

• It is an internationally important wetland situated in Gujarat.

• It is famous for its birdlife because it provides wintering ground to migratory waterbirds, migrating on Central Asian Flyway.

• Some of the species include endangered Pallas’s fish-Eagle, vulnerable Common Pochard, and near-threatened Dalmatian Pelican.

Sultanpur National Park:

• This Park from Haryana provides support to more than 220 species of resident, winter migratory and local migratory waterbirds.

Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is the largest wetland in Haryana.

• This human-made freshwater wetland comprises of more than 250 bird species.

• The bird species use the sanctuary throughout the year for resting and roosting.

• It also supports more than ten globally threatened species such as Steppe Eagle, endangered Egyptian Vulture, Black-bellied Tern and Pallas’s Fish Eagle.

The Ramsar Convention:

• It was signed on 2nd February, 1971.

• It is one of the oldest inter-governmental accords signed by member countries.

• Its main objective is to preserve the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance.

• It is named after Ramsar, the Iranian city where the treaty was signed.

• Places chosen for conservation under it are given the tag ‘Ramsar site’.

What is the aim of the Ramsar list?

• The aim of the Ramsar list is “to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits".

What are wetlands?

• A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally, where oxygen-free processes prevail.

• It is an area where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season.

• Water saturation (hydrology) largely determines how the soil develops and the types of plant and animal communities living in and on the soil.

• Wetlands may support both aquatic and terrestrial species.

• The prolonged presence of water creates conditions that favor the growth of specially adapted plants (hydrophytes) and promote the development of characteristic wetland (hydric) soils.

Different Types of Wetlands:

Five major wetland types are generally recognized:

1. Marine (coastal wetlands including coastal lagoons, rocky shores, and coral reefs);

2. Estuarine (including deltas, tidal marshes, and mangrove swamps);

3. Lacustrine (wetlands associated with lakes);

4. Riverine (wetlands along rivers and streams); and

5. Palustrine (meaning “marshy” - marshes, swamps and bogs).

Significance of Wetlands:

• Wetlands play a critical role in maintaining many natural cycles and supporting a wide range of biodiversity.

• They purify and replenish our water, and provide the fish and rice that feed billions.

• They serve as a natural sponge against flooding and drought, protect our coastlines and help fight climate change.

Note:About one quarter of the Earth's rain runs off as flood water, causing loss of life and billions of dollars in damage.

Earthquakes in Haiti:

Recently, powerful earthquake in Haiti have killed hundreds and injured thousands more.

The earthquakes have been wreaking havoc in Haiti since at least the 18th century, when the city of Port-au-Prince was destroyed twice in 19 years.

What is the cause of earthquakes in Haiti?

• The Earth’s crust is made up of tectonic plates that move and Haiti sits near the intersection of two of them, they are:

1. The North American plate

2. The Caribbean plate.

• Earthquakes can occur when those plates move against each other and create friction.

• Multiple fault lines between those plates cut through or near the island of Hispaniola, which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic.

• The worst part is that not all of those fault lines behave the same way.

Why can earthquakes in Haiti be so devastating?

• Haiti is also densely populated.

• In addition, many of its buildings are designed to withstand hurricanes, not earthquakes.

• Those buildings can survive strong winds but are vulnerable to collapse when the ground shakes.

About Haiti:

• Haiti officially the Republic of Haiti, formerly known as Hayti, is a Caribbean country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, to the east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

• It occupies the western three-eighths of the island which it shares with the Dominican Republic.

• The capital of Haiti is Port-au-Prince.

• The currency used here is Haitian gourde.

Colorado River Basin:

The federal government in the US, for the first time has declared a water shortage for the Colorado River basin due to a historic drought.

This shortage in turn will lead to water cuts in some southwestern states starting October 2021.

About Colorado River:

• The Colorado River is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

• It is about 1,450 miles long, with headwaters in Colorado and Wyoming, and eventually flows across the international border into Mexico.

• The river is the primary source of water for a region that receives little annual rainfall.

• More than 1,000 years ago, Native Americans irrigated their crops with the waters from the river.

• Today, the Colorado River is still used for irrigation and also used to generate hydroelectric power and to supply water to distant urban areas.

About Colorado River Basin:

• The Colorado River Basin offers a major renewable water supply in the southwestern United States.

• About two-thirds of the water flowing in the Colorado River and its tributaries is used for irrigation, and the other one-third supplies urban areas, evaporates into the atmosphere, or provides water to riparian (streamside) vegetation.

• The Colorado River system, including the Colorado River, its tributaries, and the lands that these waters drain, is called the Colorado River basin, or watershed.

• The Colorado River Basin is divided into the Upper (Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and northern Arizona) and Lower Basins (parts of Nevada, Arizona, California, southwestern Utah and western New Mexico).

• The entire Colorado River system is managed with a series of dams and canals to regulate flood control, water conservation and hydropower benefits.

• In the Lower Basin, the Hoover Dam controls floods and regulates water delivery and storage.

• Apart from the Hoover dam, there is the Davis Dam, Parker Dam and the Imperial Dam that regulate the release of water from the Hoover Dam.

• Water is released from these dams and used by residents in California, Nevada, Arizona and Mexico.

Kigali Amendment:

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer for phase down of Hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) by India, adopted by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on October, 2016 at 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol held at Kigali, Rwanda.

Implementation strategy and targets:

• National strategy for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons as per the applicable phase down schedule, India has said that it will draw up a national strategy for the phase-down of HFCs by 2023, in consultation with all the industry stakeholders.

• Amendments to the existing legislation framework, the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules to allow appropriate control of the production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons to ensure compliance with the Kigali Amendment will be done by mid-2024.

• India will complete its phase down of HFCs in 4 steps from 2032 onwards with cumulative reduction of 10% in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 80% in 2047.

Background:

• India became a Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 19 June 1992 and since then has ratified the amendments to the Montreal Protocol.

• Through the present approval of the Cabinet, India will be ratifying the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons.

• India has successfully met the phase out targets of all the Ozone Depleting Substances as per the Montreal Protocol Schedule.

What is Kigali Amendment to Montreal Protocol?

• It is a legally binding agreement designed to create rights and obligations in international law.

• Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol enables the phase-out of the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

• The Kigali Amendment to Montreal Protocol was made in 2016.

• The amendment has been named after Rwanda Capital where it was negotiated.

Montreal Protocol:

• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international environmental treaty for protection of the Ozone Layer by phasing out the production and consumption of man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS).

• It came into force in 1989.

• It has 197 member parties to the protocol and become a first international treaty with complete ratification.

• It has undergone several amendments and Kigali amendment is the eighth amendment to this protocol.

• Under the Kigali Amendment; Parties to the Montreal Protocol will phase down production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons, commonly known as HFCs.

• Hydrofluorocarbons were introduced as non-ozone depleting alternative to Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

• While HFCs do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, they have high global warming potential ranging from 12 to 14,000, which have adverse impact on climate.

• Recognizing the growth in use of HFCs, especially in Refrigeration and Air-conditioning sector the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, reached agreement at their 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) held in October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to add HFCs to the list of controlled substances and approved a timeline for their gradual reduction by 80-85 percent by the late 2040s.

What are the Ozone Depleting Substances?

Ozone-depleting substances are chemicals that destroy the earth’s protective ozone layer. They include:

1. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

2. Halons

3. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)

4. Methyl bromide (CH3Br)

5. Bromochloromethane (CH2BrCl)

6. Methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3)

7. Hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs)

8. hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)

Where are they used?

The main uses of ozone depleting substances include:

1. CFCs and HCFCs in refrigerators and air conditioners

2. CFCs and HCFCs in foam

3. CFCs and HCFCs as aerosol propellants

4. HCFCs and halons in fire extinguishers

5. Methyl bromide for fumigation of soil structures and goods to be imported or exported

Negative Effects of the Depletion of the Ozone Layer:

• Ozone layer depletion causes increased UV radiation levels at the Earth's surface, which is damaging to human health.

• Negative effects include increases in certain types of skin cancers, eye cataracts and immune deficiency disorders.

Indian Policy

Fortification of Rice:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced fortification of rice distributed under various government schemes including Public Distribution System (PDS) and Mid-Day-Meal scheme by 2024.

• This announcement was made by him while addressing the nation on 75th Independence Day.

Key Points:

• As per the announcement, rice being distributed through all government schemes will be fortified by 2024.

• This decision was taken in order to address the problem of malnutrition and lack of essential nutrients in children and women living in poor conditions as it poses a major obstacle towards their development.

• Micronutrient deficiencies or ‘hidden hunger’ also continue to pose significant public health problems in Indian populations.

Significance of fortified rice in India:

• Fortification of rice in India is significant in countering malnutrition because, government distributes more than 300 lakh tonnes of rice under schemes covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.

• Fortified rice is a cost-effective strategy to increase mineral and vitamin content in diets.

• For 2021-22, approximately 328 lakh tonnes of rice allocated by the Centre is being distributed through schemes under the National Food Security Act such as Mid-Day Meals (MDM), Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), and Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS).

Note: India produces over one-fifth of the world’s rice. The country is also the largest consumer of rice, accounting for 6.8 kilograms per month as per capita rice consumption.

What is food fortification?

• Food fortification is the simplest and sustainable public health strategies that address the challenge of micronutrient deficiencies.

• It is a cost-effective, scientifically proven, and globally recognised approach.

• It also helps in easily reaching to wider & vulnerable populations by means of existing food delivery systems.

What is the Fortification of rice?

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) defines the fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health.”

• According to the FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice shall contain iron (28mg-42.5mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram) and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).

• In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients, singly or in combination, at the level– zinc (10mg-15mg), Vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), Vitamin B1 (1mg-1.5mg), Vitamin B2 (1.25mg-1.75mg), Vitamin B3 (12.5mg-20mg) and Vitamin B6 (1.5mg-2.5mg) per Kg.

NFHS 4 report:

• According to National Family Health Survey report, India has the largest burden of iron-deficiency and anaemia worldwide.

• About 59% of children and 50% of pregnant women are anaemic in India.

• Child and maternal malnutrition accounts for 15% of India’s total disease burden.

Draft Electricity Rules, 2021:

The Ministry of Power has circulated the “Draft Electricity (promoting renewable energy through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2021”.

Key Points:

• These rules are proposed for purchase and consumption of green energy including the energy from Waste-to-Energy plants.

• The draft rules have the following subheads within which details are provided:

1. Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO);

2. Green energy open access;

3. Nodal Agencies;

4. Procedure for grant of green energy open access;

5. Banking; and

6. Cross subsidy surcharge.

• These draft rules with regard to tariff proposes that the tariff for the Green Energy shall be determined by the Appropriate Commission, which may comprise of the average pooled power purchase cost of the renewable energy, cross-subsidy charges (if any) and service charges covering all prudent cost of the distribution licensee for providing the green energy.”

• As per the draft rules “Green hydrogen” is the hydrogen produced using electricity from the renewable sources.

• The obligated entity including the Industries can also meet their Renewable Purchase Obligation by purchasing green hydrogen.

• The quantum of green hydrogen would be computed by considering the equivalence to the Green hydrogen produced from one MWh of electricity from the renewable sources or its multiple.

• The norms shall be notified by the Central Commission.

• The Appropriate Commission shall put in place regulations in accordance with this Rule to provide Green Energy Open Access to consumers who are willing to consume the Green energy.

• All applications for open access of Green Energy shall be granted within a maximum of 15 days.

• The rules says that only Consumers who have contracted demand/sanctioned load of hundred kW and above shall be eligible to take power through green energy open access.

• There shall be no limit of supply of power for the captive consumers taking power under green energy open access.

• Provided further that reasonable conditions such as the minimum number of time blocks for which the consumer shall not change the quantum of power consumed through open access may be imposed so as to avoid high variation in demand to be met by the distribution licensee.”

About MNRE:

• It is an acronym for the Ministry of Power & Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

• MNRE is the nodal Ministry of the Government of India in New Delhi, for all matters relating to new and renewable energy.

• The ministry was established as the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources in 1992. It started functioning independently with effect from 2nd July, 1992.

• Earlier it was known as the Ministry of Energy sources.

• Electricity is a concurrent subject at Entry 38 in List III of the seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.

• It is mainly responsible for research and development, intellectual property protection, and international cooperation, promotion, and coordination in renewable energy sources such as wind power, small hydro, biogas, and solar power.

• The current Minister of MNRE R. K. Singh, a Minister of State (Independent Charge).

Student Entrepreneurship Program 3.0:

The third series of the ‘Student Entrepreneurship Program’ (SEP 3.0) for the young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) has been launched in India by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) NITI Aayog in collaboration with La Fondation Dassault Systemes.

Key Points:

• The theme of SEP 3.0 is based on the ‘Made in 3D - Seed the Future Entrepreneurs Program’.

• The theme of SEP 3.0 was conceptualized and rolled out in France by La Main à la Pate Foundation and La Fondation Dassault Systèmes Europe in 2017.

• As part of this program, a team from each school (6 students and a teacher) will be allocated seed funding towards creating their own start-up, design and prototype their innovation using 3D printing, prepare marketing campaign, define product pricing and create expansion strategy.

• Through this program, team will get the real feel of ‘How a startup works!’

• Startup of each school will participate in a playful competition at the end of the programme and present their marketing campaign before experts from industry and academia.

Key features of SEO 3.0 Program:

• As a part of the program, a total of 50 teams from 26 states are selected.

• These teams include the top 20 teams of (Atal Tinkering Lab) ATL Marathon 2019, 10 teams from Aspirational Districts, 10 teams selected by Dassault, and 10 teams from Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Northeast

• Each team comprises 6 students and a teacher.

• Teams will work towards creating their own start-up, design and prototype their innovation using 3D printing, prepare marketing campaigns, define product pricing and create expansion strategy.

• Seed funding will be allocated for their ventures.

Significance:

• It will allow student innovators to work in association with Dassault volunteers and help them in gaining the following:

• Mentor support

• Prototyping and testing support

• End-User feedback,

• Intellectual Property registration and Patenting of ideas,

• Manufacturing support

• Launch of the product in the market.

• It will help to the develop Innovation mindset and exposure to start-up culture.

• The school students and teachers will have a unique opportunity to interact and collaborate with French schools and French students for cultural and technical interactions.

• The programme will also provide opportunity to school children to develop an entrepreneurial and inventive mind set, as well as suitable exposure through activities-based learning, exploration and challenges.

What is SEP?

• Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP) is a joint programme of AIM and La Fondation Dassault Systems in India.

• SEP falls in line with the vision and mission of aspirational district program that it has given a new hope to students who were looking forward for such opportunities.

• SEP 1.0 began in January 2019. It allowed student innovators to work closely with Dell volunteers.

• SEP 2.0 was launched in 2020. Again the major industrial partner was Dell Technologies.

TAPAS:

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has launched an online portal named TAPAS (Training for Augmenting Productivity and Services).

About TAPAS:

• TAPAS has been launched to provide filmed lectures/courses and e-study material in the field of social defence.

• It is the initiative of the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

• The course can be taken up by anyone and is free of cost.

• Currently, there are 5 courses under TAPAS. They are:

1. Drug (Substance) Abuse Prevention,

2. Geriatric/Elderly Care,

3. Care and Management of Dementia,

4. Transgender Issues and

5. A comprehensive course on Social Defence Issues.

Objectives of TAPAS:

• TAPAS seeks to provide access to lectures by subject experts, study material and more, but in a manner that it supplements the physical classroom without compromising on the quality of teaching.

• The main objective of introducing the course modules is to impart training and enhance the knowledge and skills for the capacity building of the participants.

• It can be taken up by anyone who wishes to enhance his or her knowledge on the topics and there is no fee for joining.

Indian polity

Woman CJI:

The Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana has recommended nine names, including three women judges for appointment as judges in the top court.

Note: The collegium is a high-powered appointment panel led by the Chief Justice of India and comprises four senior judges of the top court. At present, it is headed by CJI N.V. Ramana and has justices U.U. Lalit, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and L.N. Rao as its members.

Key Details:

• The three women judges recommended by the SC Collegium are Justice B V Nagarathna of Karnataka HC. Justice Hima Kohli of Telangana HC, and Justice Bela M Trivedi of Gujarat HC.

• However, all three are likely to have relatively short tenures.

• If the recommendations are accepted, three more judges could be added to the line of succession for the CJI’s post — till mid-2028 — including what could be the first woman CJI.

• At present there is only one woman judge, Justice Indira Banerjee, who is due to retire on 8 November 2022.

• Besides these three names, the Collegium has also recommended Karnataka High Court Chief Justice A S Oka, Telangana High Court Chief Justice Hima Kohli, Sikkim High Court Chief Justice J K Maheshwari, and Justices M M Sundresh (Madras High Court), C T Ravikumar (Kerala High Court) and Bela M Trivedi (Gujarat High Court) for appointment as judges to the apex court.

• With the retirement of Justice R F Nariman on August 12, the strength of judges in the top court had come down to 25 as against the sanctioned strength of 34, including the CJI.

• No appointment has been made after the superannuation of the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi on March 19, 2019.

About Justice B V Nagarathna of Karnataka HC:

• Justice B V Nagarathna of Karnataka High Court could become the next and first woman Chief Justice of India (CJI).

• She is currently a Judge in the Karnataka High Court.

• She began as a lawyer in 1987 in Bengaluru.

• She practiced in constitutional law and commercial law including administrative and public law, arbitration and conciliation, land and rent laws, insurance law, family law, conveyancing & drafting of contracts and agreements, etc.

• In February 2008, she got appointed as an additional judge in the Karnataka High Court. She, in 2010, became a permanent judge.

• In 2012, she ruled that regulation of electronic media is needed thereby emphasizing curbing sensationalism of news through ‘Breaking News’, ‘Flash News’, or any other way of sensationalized presentations.

• In 2019, she ruled that a temple employee will be entitled to gratuity benefits under the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Act and not under the Payments of Gratuity Act deeming that a temple is not a ‘commercial establishment’.

About Justice Hima Kohli of Telangana HC:

• Justice Kohli is the only women judge to head a high court as its Chief Justice.

• She presently heads the Telangana High Court and was earlier with the Delhi High Court.

• She was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Telangana HC on January 7, 2021.

• In 2006, Justice Kohli was appointed as an Additional Judge on the Delhi High Court.

• In 2007, she was made a permanent Judge on the Delhi HC.

• She had enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1984.

• She has served as a legal advisor to many Delhi and Central government bodies such as the National Co-operative Development Corporation, the National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

• In 2020, a judicial committee formed to monitor Delhi Government’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic was led by Justice Kohli.

About Justice Bela M Trivedi of Gujarat HC

• Justice Bela Trivedi has been serving as a Judge of the Gujarat High Court since February 9, 2016.

• Earlier from February 2011 to June 2011, Justice Trivedi served as the Additional Judge of the Gujarat HC. Before getting transferred to Gujarat HC, Justice Trivedi was serving as an Additional Judge of the Rajasthan High Court.

• She has been a member of the General Council of Gujarat National Law University.

Credentials of Envoys:

President Ram Nath Kovind today accepted credentials from of Holy See, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Austria and Republic of Korea today (August 18, 2021) in a virtual ceremony.

Key Details:

Those who presented their credentials were:

1. H.E. Mrs. Katharina Wieser, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria.

2. H.E. Mr. Chang Jae-bok, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea.

3. H.E. Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See.

4. H.E. Mr. Ahmed Sule, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

• Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the envoys on their appointment and conveyed his good wishes to them for a successful tenure in India.

• India enjoyed close ties with all the four countries and shared a common vision of peace and prosperity.

• President Kovind added that India’s engagement at the United Nations and other multilateral fora have resulted in mutually beneficial partnership.

• India remains committed to a just and equitable global order, keeping in mind interests of the developing countries and under-represented.

• Ambassadors/High Commissioners conveyed good wishes to the Hon’ble President on behalf of their leaderships and reiterated the commitment of their leaders to work closely to strengthen their ties with India.

Institute of Economic Growth (IEG):

N.K. Singh who is the 15th Finance Commission Chairperson has been elected as the president of the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) Society.

Key Highlights:

• N.K. Singh will be succeeding former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh after he stepped down from the post earlier in August 2021.

• Singh was recommended by Dr. Manmohan Singh had for the General Assembly of the IEG to consider for Presidency of the Society.

• Dr. Manmohan Singh has served as the President of IEG since 1992.

• At present, Tarun Das, former Director-General, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is the Chairman of, Board of Governors, and Professor Ajit Mishra is the Director of IEG.

About N K Singh:

• N K Singh is an Indian economist, administrator, academician, and policymaker. He is currently the Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission.

• Prior to this, he has been the Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Review Committee (FRBM).

• He has also been a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2008 to 2014 during which he contributed significantly to several Parliamentary Standing Committees such as the Committee on Human Resource Development, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Public Accounts Committee.

• He was not only a distinguished member of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in his home cadre in Bihar, where he held posts such as the Industrial Development Commissioner and Deputy Chairman, Bihar Planning Board but he also has vast international experience through interactions with multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, OECD, IMF, and ADB.

Awards:

• He has been awarded the “Order of the Rising Sun – Gold, and Silver” in 2016 by the Emperor of Japan for his work as First Minister, Economic, and Commercial, Indian Embassy, Japan (1981–85).

About Institute of Economic Growth (IEG):

• The Institute of Economic Growth (EIG), is an autonomous body and civil service training institute under the Government of India (GoI).

• EIG was founded in 1952 by the renowned economist, V. K. R. V. Rao.

• This institute was established for advanced research on economic and social development. It is widely regarded as a centre of excellence in the field.

Shankar Dayal Sharma:

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, recently paid floral tributes to Shankar Dayal Sharma, former President of India, on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 19, 2021.

About Shankar Dayal Sharma:

• Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918 – 1999) was a member of Indian National Congress (INC).

• He served as the Chief Minister (1952–1956) of Bhopal State.

• He served as the Cabinet Minister (1956–1967), holding the portfolios of Education, Law, Public Works, Industry and Commerce, National Resources and Separate Revenue.

• He again served as the Union Minister for Communications from 1974 to 1977.

• He was appointed the governor of Andhra Pradesh in 1984.

• After elections in Punjab, in the wake of the Longowal-Rajiv accord between the prime minister and the Akali Dal president, Sharma was made the governor of Punjab in 1985.

• He then became the eighth vice-president of India and ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha, serving from 1987 – 1992.

• He was the ninth President of India, serving from 1992 to 1997.

International

Taliban Takeover:

Afghanistan, the mountainous landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, has witnessed a disastrous Taliban takeover.

Key Details:

• Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, on 15th August 2021 after fleeing the country had stated that the Taliban had won.

• The militants entered Kabul, sealing a nationwide military victory in just 10 days which is nearly 20 years after they were ousted from power by a US-led invasion.

• He will shortly tender his resignation, as the government has surrendered to the Taliban forces, which entered Kabul and sought the unconditional surrender of the central government.

• A new interim government has been announced, which is likely to be headed by Ali Ahamd Jalali, a US-based academic.

• Nations such as the US, UK, Germany and Canada are using their troops to evacuate their nationals from Afghanistan.

• American diplomats were flown by helicopter to the airport from their embassy in the fortified Wazir Akbar Khan district.

• The insurgents' imminent takeover triggered fear and panic in Kabul among residents fearful of the group's hardline brand of Islam, which it imposed during its 1996-2001 rule.

• According to the latest updates, all the provincial capitals such as Zaranj, Sheberghan, Sar-e-Pul, Kunduz, Taloqan, Aybak, Pul-e-Khumri, Faizabad, Ghazni, Firus Koh, Qala-e-Naw, Kandahar, Lashkar Gah, Herat, Pul-e-Alam, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, and Maidan Wardak are now under Taliban control.

Additional Info:

• Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar is likely to be the new President of Afghanistan.

• He is the co-founder of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Who are the Taliban?

• The Taliban is a Deobandi Islamist movement.

• It is led by young Islamic scholars who are dedicated to the religious purification of the country and the creation of an emirate.

• Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada is reportedly the leader of the Taliban since 2016.

Afganistan:

• Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country in Asia.

• It is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south; Iran to the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north; and China to the northeast.

• Its Capital is Kabul.

• The currency used here is Afghan afghani.

Zambia Election:

Zambia’s opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema, on August 16, 2021 won the country’s presidential election with a landslide victory over incumbent President Edgar Lungu, stated the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

Key Details:

• Zambia’s Electoral Commission reported that he got more than 2.8 million votes to President Edgar Lungu’s 1.8 million votes, achieving one of the biggest electoral wins in Zambia’s history.

• This marks the third shift of power from a ruling party to the opposition since Zambia’s independence from Britain in 1964.

• Hichilema will become Zambia’s seventh president since the reintroduction of multi-party democracy in 1991 by founding president, the late Kenneth Kaunda, who had ruled the country as a one-party state for more than two decades.

About Hakainde Hichilema:

• 59 Year old Hakainde Hichilema was born into humble beginnings in the southern district of Monze.

• He managed to get a scholarship to the University of Zambia, and later graduated with an MBA degree from the University of Birmingham in the UK.

• He went on to become one of Zambia's richest men, with business interests in finance, ranching, property, healthcare and tourism.

• He is also a member of the opposition party United Party for National Development in Zambia.

• He was appointed as the party’s new president after the death of Anderson Mazoka in 2006.

• Hichilema has been presented with the Africa Freedom Award by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in October 2017.

Zambia Crisis:

• Hakainde faces dire challenges in reviving the country’s democratic and economic landscape.

• Zambia is in dire financial straights, and it became the continent's first pandemic-era sovereign default in November after failing to keep up with its international debt payments.

• Zambia’s economic debt is a major challenge.

• Under Lungu’s leadership, Zambia’s debt jumped from 36 per cent to 110 per cent of GDP.

• Among other issues are corruption, executive dominance, and increased violent extortionary by cadres under the Patriotic Front.

About Zambia:

• Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa.

• Its neighbors are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique to the southeast, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south, Namibia to the southwest, and Angola to the west.

• The capital city of Zambia is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of Zambia.

• The currency used here is Zambian kwacha.

Note: Apart from its iconic Victoria Falls, the country has a lot of natural water resources compared to other southern African nations.

Remote Sensing Satellite Data Sharing:

BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), on August 18, 2021, signed an agreement for cooperation in remote sensing satellite data sharing, according to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Highlights:

• The BRICS agreement was signed under India's Chairmanship of the bloc.

• Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa & Overseas Indian Affairs) & India's BRICS Sherpa, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, was present on the occasion.

• The Director-General of Russia's State Space Corporation Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, signed the agreement along with ISRO Chairman and Secretary in Department of Space, K Sivan, CNSA Administrator Zhang Kejian, CEO of South African National Space Agency, Valanathan Munsami and Brazilian Space Agency President Carlos Augusto Teixeira de Moura.

Significance:

• The deal will enable building a virtual constellation of specified remote sensing satellites of BRICS space agencies and their respective ground stations will receive the data.

• It will promote cooperation and use space data and applications for development and social objectives outlined in SDGs, providing benefit to citizens.

• It will contribute in strengthening multilateral cooperation among BRICS space agencies in meeting the challenges faced by mankind, such as global climate change, major disasters and environmental protection.

About BRICS:

• It is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies which are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

• Originally the first four were grouped as "BRIC", before the induction of South Africa in 2010.

• The BRICS members are known for their significant influence on regional affairs.

• All are also the members of G20. Since 2009, the BRICS nations have met annually at formal summits. BRICS headquarter is situated at Shanghai, China.

• BRICS members are known for their influence in regional affairs.

Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin:

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Muhyiddin Yassin, resigned and his government collapsed on August 15, 2021.

Key Points:

• He resigned after failing to get majority support just 17 months in office.

• His tumultuous period in office came to an end after his allies withdrew support making him the shortest-serving premier in the history of Malaysia.

• The event has thrown a country into fresh political turmoil as Malaysia battles a serious COVID-19 outbreak.

• The National Palace of Malaysia confirmed that the Monarch, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has accepted Yassin’s resignation.

• The Palace in a statement informed that Muhyiddin will serve as a caretaker Prime Minister until a replacement is found.

• The monarch is not yet in the favour of polls due to the outbreak.

Malaysia’s Political background:

• In 1957, after the independence from the British, the country was ruled for over six decades by a coalition that was dominated by Malaysia’s ethnic Malay Muslim majority.

• However, corruption scandal, increasingly authoritarian rule, and the unpopular race-based policies prompted the voters to boot the coalition and its leader Najib out of power in 2018.

• The victory of Mahathir’s opposition alliance had fuelled hopes for a new era, but it collapsed amid the bitter infighting.

About Malasia:

• It is a Southeast Asian country occupying parts of the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo.

• The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur.

• The currency used here is Malaysian ringgit.

New Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund:

The World Bank has launched a new ‘Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund’, to better roll-out cybersecurity development agenda in a systematic manner.

Key Details:

• The new fund has been developed as an associated trust fund under the broader Digital Development Partnership (DDP) umbrella program.

• The World Bank, in order to launch the fund, it has partnered with four countries, namely Estonia, Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Aim:

• The main aim of this new fund is to provide comprehensive cybersecurity capacity development, including the development of global knowledge, country assessments, technical assistance, capacity building, and training, underpinned with necessary investments in infrastructure and technology.

About World Bank:

• The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects.

• It comprises two institutions which are the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Development Association.

• It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States.

• It was founded on July 1944 by John Maynard Keynes and Harry Dexter White.

• Its main aim is providing financing, advice, and research to developing nations to aid their economic advancement.

• The bank predominantly acts as an organization that attempts to fight poverty by offering developmental assistance to middle- and low-income countries.

• The current President of World Bank is David Malpass.

World Humanitarian Day 2021:

World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is commemorated annually on August 19, 2021 to honour those who are working for a humanitarian cause across the world.

Highlights:

• The day is observed to pay tribute to humanitarian personnel and those workers who lost or risked their lives while doing humanitarian service.

• In 2021 we are celebrating the 12th WHD.

Theme:

• The theme of World Humanitarian Day is decided every year based on particular humanitarian crisis to raise awareness about it around the world.

• The theme for 2021 WHD is #TheHumanRace: a global challenge for climate action in solidarity with people who need it the most.

• The theme aims to put the needs of the most climate-vulnerable people front and centre at the UN climate summit (COP26).

Significance:

• World Humanitarian Day 2021 seeks to highlight the immediate consequences of the climate emergency for the world’s most vulnerable people and ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are taken up as top agenda at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021.

History:

• World Humanitarian Day was designated by the United Nations in memory of the August 19, 2003 bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 people including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

• World Humanitarian Day was commemorated for the first time on 19 August 2009, after it was formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009.

Note: Sérgio Vieira de Mello was a Brazilian United Nations diplomat who worked on several UN humanitarian and political programs for over 34 years.

SAGO:

World Health Organization (WHO) has created a new advisory group named, The International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO.

Key Details:

• The function of SAGO will be to systematically study the emergence of future emerging pathogens with pandemic potential, and advise the development in this regard to WHO.

• WHO has made an open call for nominations to SAGO from the member countries, thus providing a transparent foundation for the new scientific advisory group.

• The group will also work towards finding the origin of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

About WHO:

• WHO is an acronym for World Health Organization?

• WHO was created on 7 April 1948 by member states of the United Nations (UN) as a specialized agency with a broad mandate for international public health.

• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The main objective of WHO is "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible standard of health."

• It plays an essential role in the global governance of health and disease.

• Its mission is to improve people's lives, to reduce the burdens of disease and poverty, and to provide access to responsive health care for all people.

• The WHO is governed by two decision-making bodies, the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board.

• The current Director-general of WHO is Tedros Adhanom.

National

MOU On International Trade & Investment Law:

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 18th August 2021 approved the signing of an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Permanent Mission of India (PMI) to the WTO, Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL) of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, and Centre for Trade and Economic Integration (CTEI) and Geneva-based Centre for Trade and Economic Integration.

Key Details:

• The move will provide valuable academic and research opportunities to the employees of CTIL and the Department of Commerce in the field of international trade and investment law.

• In addition, capacity-building programmes or activities will be carried out under the MoU to enhance the understanding of the DOC officials, CTIL researchers and academics on contemporary issues of international trade and build support for India’s positions in international trade and investment law.

• The collaboration between academicians, jurists, policy makers, practitioners, and students from India, Switzerland and other countries would help create a technical and nuanced understanding of emerging and new areas of international trade and investment law and related disciplines.

• The proposed collaborations under the MoU with CTEI are academic in nature.

• Hence, the researchers and academicians from India, including employees from CTIL and Department of Commerce and other government agencies would benefit from capacity-building and research-oriented activities.

• This would be beneficial to formulating India's positions on various issues on international trade negotiations and dispute settlement

• The MoU will remain in force for three years.

NERAMAC:

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a package of Rs 77.45 crore for the revival of state-run North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd (NERAMAC).

• The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

Key Points:

• As per the Government, this move will help ensure remunerative price to the farmers of Northeast region for their products.

• The package will also help NERAMAC to implement various innovative plans namely providing better farming facilities, training to farmers in clusters, organic seeds and fertilizer, post harvesting facilities in order to promote the products of NE farmers in the world market through participation in events, registration of GI products etc.

• The implementation of revival of NERAMAC is also expected to generate direct or indirect employment for about 33,000 persons.

About NERAMAC:

• North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd (NERAMAC) is a central Public Section Enterprises under the administrative control of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Regional (MDoNER).

• It was incorporated in the year 1982 as a marketing organization in the field of Agri-Horti sector of the North-eastern region.

• It was set up to support farmers and producers of North East for getting remunerative prices for their produce and thereby bridge the gap between the farmers and the market and also to enhance the agricultural, procurement, processing and marketing infrastructure of the Northeastern Region of India.

• NERAMAC has continuously been making all efforts for the development of the farmers of the region and double their income by the end of 2022.

National Hydrogen Mission:

The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi recently announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission on India’s 75th Independence Day during his Independence speech from the Red Fort.

Key Points:

• The Mission aims to aid the government in meeting its climate targets and making India a green hydrogen hub.

• This mission was announced in the backdrop of India spending Rs 12 trillion annually to meet its energy needs.

• India, at present imports 85% of its oil and 53% of its gas demand.

• It is expected to increase to 11.7 million tonnes (mt) by 2029-30.

What is National Hydrogen Mission?

• The National Hydrogen Mission was proposed in the Union Budget 2021.

• This mission was proposed to harness the potential of hydrogen in the energy area and enable generating hydrogen from green power sources.

• The mission seeks to focus deeply on the generation of green hydrogen which is extracted from clean and green power sources and enable its commercial viability as a transportation fuel.

• Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions.

• It is a clean-burning molecule, which can decarbonise a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation.

• The initiative has the potential of transforming transportation.

Major Activities to be carried out under the Mission:

• Creating volumes and infrastructure

• Demonstrations in niche applications

• Goal-oriented Research & Development

• Facilitative policy support

• A robust framework for standards

• Regulations for hydrogen technologies

About Hydrogen:

• Hydrogen is the lightest and first element on the periodic table.

• Since the weight of hydrogen is less than air, it rises in the atmosphere and is therefore rarely found in its pure form, H2.

• At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a nontoxic, nonmetallic, odourless, tasteless, colourless, and highly combustible diatomic gas.

• It is used for industrial uses like petroleum refining, manufacturing of chemicals, steel, & ammonia fertilizers and aerospace applications.

What is Hydrogen Fuel?

• Hydrogen fuel is a zero-emission fuel burned with oxygen.

• It can not only be used in fuel cells or internal combustion engines but it also is used as a fuel for spacecraft propulsion.

• It can be manufactured by the following processes:

Electrolysis:

• Electrolysis of water by using direct current.

Natural Gas Reforming/Gasification:

• Natural Gas on reaction with steam produces Synthesis gas.

• Synthetic gas is a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and a small amount of carbon dioxide.

Fermentation:

• Biomass is converted into sugar-rich feedstocks that can be fermented to produce hydrogen.

• It is then stored after mixing or converting to ammonia or synthetic gas for easy liquefaction and transport.

Types of Hydrogen Fuel:

• As per the World Energy Council (WEC), 96 percent of hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels through carbon-intensive processes

• There are different types of hydrogen fuel. They are as follows:

Green Hydrogen:

• Green hydrogen is extracted through the electrolysis of clean energy sources such as renewables.

• This hydrogen type releases zero carbon (CO2) emissions but is expensive and commercially not viable yet.

• The government is working on projects to produce green hydrogen.

Grey Hydrogen:

• Not an expensive type but releases a lot of CO2 emissions as it is extracted through the burning of fossil fuels.

Blue Hydrogen:

• The CO2 released during the production of hydrogen is trapped through carbon capture and storage (CCS) processes to turn grey hydrogen into blue hydrogen.

Brown Hydrogen:

• Hydrogen is extracted through two methods for Industrial purposes, namely, gasification of coal or through steam methane reformation (SMR).

• In SMR, methane from natural gas is heated with steam to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which is used as fuel.

• However, these methods aren’t carbon-friendly and cause vast emissions of greenhouse gasses.

• Hydrogen produced from this method is called as brown hydrogen.

Green Hydrogen Consumption Obligation (GHCO):

• Government of India (GoI) has also planned to implement Green Hydrogen Consumption Obligation (GHCO) in fertilizer production and petroleum refining.

• It is similar to renewable purchase obligations (RPO) that require electricity distribution companies to buy a fixed amount of renewable energy.

• It helps to cut reliance on fossil fuels.

Sadbhavana Diwas:

Every year India observes Sadbhavana Diwas on August 20 to commemorate the birth anniversary of late erstwhile Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.

Key Facts:

• Year 2021, is the 77th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

• The Indian National Congress instituted Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award in 1992, a year after his death.

• Every year this day is celebrated in the memory of the late Rajiv Gandhi who was the youngest Prime Minister of India at the age of 40 years.

• In lieu of paying tribute to his vision for India, on this occasion contributions to society betterments are made.

About Rajiv Gandhi:

• Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister of India at an age of 40 years after the assassination of his mother Indra Gandhi and served from 1984-89.

• He came up with a National Education Policy in 1986 to modernize the education system.

• He founded Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya System where he provided free residential education to rural sections from classes 6 to 12.

• He always had a dream of a developed nation for which he did many deeds including the National Education Policy in 1986, reduced Licence Raj, and included Panchayati Raj.

• For remembering his dreams, his social and economic work for taking the nation towards development, Sadbhavana Diwas came into existence.

Akshay Urja Diwas 2021:

Akshay Urja Diwas (Renewable Energy Day) is observed every year on 20 August every year in India.

Highlights:

• This day is observed to raise awareness about the developments and adoption of renewable energy in India.

• The Government of India (GoI) is aware of the importance of development or renewable energy sources to provide the state with a sustainable amount of energy.

• It is significant to promote awareness about renewable resources among people who are ignorant about the subject.

Key Points:

• The Akshay Urja Day was initiated by the Indian Ministry for New & Renewable Energy Sources in 2004.

• Energy such as Biogas, Solar Energy, Wind energy, hydroelectrical power is a few examples of Akshay Urja.

• The main motive of Akshya urja Diwas is to make people aware that they have to think about renewable energy (Akshya Urja) apart from traditional energy.

History of Indian Akshay Urja Day:

• Renewable Energy Day or Indian Akshay Urja Day was established in 2004 to support renewable energy development programs and promote its use instead of traditional sources of energy.

• The 20th of August was chosen as it marks the birthday anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India.

• The very first event relating to Akshay Urja Diwas was organized in New Delhi.

• In 2004, the Prime Minister released a commemorative stamp, and 12,000 schoolchildren formed a human chain to promote renewable energy.

• Later on, during the upcoming years, the events were organized in Nagpur, Hyderabad, Panchkula, Haryana.

People In News

Institute of Economic Growth (IEG):

N.K. Singh who is the 15th Finance Commission Chairperson has been elected as the president of the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) Society.

Key Highlights:

• N.K. Singh will be succeeding former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh after he stepped down from the post earlier in August 2021.

• Singh was recommended by Dr Manmohan Singh had for the General Assembly of the IEG to consider for Presidency of the Society.

• Dr Manmohan Singh has served as the President of IEG since 1992.

• At present, Tarun Das, former Director-General, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is the Chairman, Board of Governors, and Professor Ajit Mishra is the Director of IEG.

About N K Singh:

• N K Singh is an Indian economist, administrator, academician, and policymaker. He is currently the Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission.

• Prior to this, he has been the Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Review Committee (FRBM).

• He has also been a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2008 to 2014 during which he contributed significantly to several Parliamentary Standing Committees such as the Committee on Human Resource Development, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Public Accounts Committee.

• He was not only a distinguished member of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in his home cadre in Bihar, where he held posts such as the Industrial Development Commissioner and Deputy Chairman, Bihar Planning Board but he also has a vast international experience through interactions with multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, OECD, IMF, and ADB.

Awards:

• He has been awarded the “Order of the Rising Sun - Gold, and Silver" in 2016 by the Emperor of Japan for his work as First Minister, Economic, and Commercial, Indian Embassy, Japan (1981–85).

About Institute of Economic Growth (IEG):

• The Institute of Economic Growth (EIG), is an autonomous body and civil service training institute under the Government of India (GoI).

• EIG was founded in 1952 by the renowned economist, V. K. R. V. Rao.

• This institute was established for advanced research on economic and social development. It is widely regarded as a centre of excellence in the field.

Adi Godrej:

Renowned industrialist Adi Godrej will step down as Chairman of Godrej Industries Ltd (GIL) on October 1, 2021.

Highlights:

• His younger brother, Nadir Godrej, currently the GIL Managing Director, will succeed him,

• Nadir Godrej is currently the Godrej Industries Limited MD.

• However, Adi Godrej will continue to serve as the Chairman of Godrej Group.

About Adi Godrej:

• Adi Godrej is an alumnus of the Sloan School of Management at MIT.

• He has served as the head of several Indian trade associations and industrial bodies.

• The 79-year-old veteran industrialist has been the Chairman of the Board of the Indian School of Business and the president of the Confederation of Indian Industry in the past.

• He has also received several awards throughout his illustrious career, including the Padma Bhushan in 2013, the Rajiv Gandhi Award in 2002 and The American India Foundation (AIF) Leadership in Philanthropy Award in 2010.

About GIL:

• Godrej Industries (GIL) is the holding company of the Godrej group.

• GIL was founded in 1963.

• It is headquartered in Maharashtra, India.

Orbituary:

Maki Kaji:

He is the Godfather of Sudoku.

He passed away at the age of 69, due to bile duct cancer, on August 17, 2021.

Who was Maki Kaji?

• Maki Kaji was the president of Nikoli Co. Ltd.

• It is a Japanese puzzle manufacturer.

• He was popularly called as “the father of Sudoku” as he played a key role in popularizing this number game.

• He also invented other puzzle games including Masyu.

• He recently (July 2021) resigned as head of Nikoli, before his death.

Background:

• He was born in in Sapporo, Hokkaido on October 8, 1951.

• His father was an engineer at a telecom company while his mother was an employer of a kimono shop.

• He did his schooling from Shakujii High School in Sapporo.

• Later he studied literature at Keio University, but dropped out in his first year.

• After several jobs such as being a roadie, a waiter and a construction worker, he lastly started a publishing business.

About Nikoli:

• Nikoli was a quarterly puzzle magazine by Kaji.

• This magazine was named after a race horse that had won Guineas Stakes race in Ireland.

• Later he founded the company with same name.

• Nikoli magazine was the company’s main product.

About Sudoku:

• Sudoku is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle.

• In classic sudoku, the objective is to fill a 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 subgrids that compose the grid contain all of the digits from 1 to 9.

• Puzzle setter provides a partially completed grid for which a well-posed puzzle has a single solution.

Awards:

National Intellectual Property Awards 2020:

Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles Shri Piyush Goyal today conferred the National Intellectual Property Awards 2020 to the winners at an event.

About the award:

• The award is conferred annually by Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), Dept for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DIIPT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• This prestigious award is awarded to individuals, institution, organizations, enterprises, police units and other legal entities for IP creation, commercialization and enforcement.

About the event:

• While addressing the award function, Shri Goyal congratulated all the winners & hoped that they would continue to do such exemplary work in future also.

• He said that these awards were truly inclusive with contributions from varied sectors i.e. from Academia to Start-ups.

• Shri Goyal also said that the key achievements of his Ministry includes

• Granting of 28,391 patents in 2020-21 as compared to 4,227 grants during 2013-14 (572% growth.

• Reduction in Time of patent examination from 72 months in Dec 2016 to 12-24 months in Dec 2020

• 2 lakh trademark registrations in 4 years (2016-2020) in comparison to 11 lakh during 75 years (1940-2015).

• India’s ranking improved in Global Innovation Index to 48th in 2020, (+33 ranks from 81st in 2015-16).

• On this occasion, Shri Goyal made following announcements-

• 80% fee reduction filing for IPRs to all Recognized Educational Institution (Govt/Aided/Pvt) irrespective of whether such institute is in India or outside India.

• Total fee (Filing + publication + Renewal fee) for an Institute is ~Rs. 4,24,500/- now, this will be reduced to Rs. 84,900/ -, The fees among the top Patent Offices worldwide.

• Office of CGPDTM (IP office) will impart training & awareness to 10 Lakh students in this Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (15th Aug, 2021 to 15 Aug, 2022).

Places In News

Separate Farm Budget:

For the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, the Tamil Nadu Minister for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare MRK Pannerselvam on August 14, 2021 presented the budget fulfilling its poll promise.

Highlights:

• With this Tamil Nadu has become the third state to present a separate agricultural budget.

• The budget by the Tamil Nadu Government exclusively featured agricultural schemes for the overall development of the farm sector, including one for farm growth and self-sufficiency in the villages.

• The views of the farmers and the experts were sought and the budget was prepared on the basis of their views.

• This was the first time that a separate budget on agriculture was presented in Tamil Nadu.

Key details:

• During the fiscal year 2021-22, Rs. 34,220.65 crores have been provided for the agriculture and related departments such as fisheries, husbandry, irrigation, rural development, dairy development, sericulture, and the forest.

• A sum of Rs 4,508.23 crore has been allocated by the government to the state-run electricity entity, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation for providing free of cost electricity to farm pump sets.

• In order to bring prosperity to the farmers in the Cauvery delta region, the government has proposed to declare the area an agro-industrial corridor.

• The region was declared a protected agricultural zone by the previous AIADMK government.

• In the region, pulses, rice, coconut, bananas are produced throughout the year.

• To increase the income of the farmers (depending on rainfed farming), the CM’s Dry Land Development will be implemented in three lakh hectares.

Other schemes intorduced in the budget by TN Government:

Kalaignarin Anaithu Grama Orunginaintha Velaan Valarchi Thittam:

• DMK government in Tamil Nadu under their new agricultural budget has also introduced a scheme with a total outlay of Rs. 1,245.45 crores.

• It will be implemented to ensure the overall agricultural development and self-sufficiency in all villages of the states.

• The scheme has been named after the former CM of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi (Kalaignarin Anaithu Grama Orunginaintha Velaan Valarchi Thittam).

• It will be implemented in a total of 2,500 village panchayats in 2021-22.

• Out of the 12,524 villages in the state, each year, one-fifth of them will be identified and the scheme will be implemented in all of the panchayats areas in five years.

Organic farming development scheme:

• The Tamil Nadu government will implement the ‘Organic Farming Development Scheme’ at a cost of Rs. 33.03 crores to promote organic farming.

• Inputs for organic farming will be made available in Agricultural Extension Centers and among the several measures that have been proposed under the scheme.

• Farms will be certified as organic.

Background:

• Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were the only states that presented their own agricultural budget.

• The tradition of having an exclusive Budget for agriculture was started by Karnataka in 2011-12, and was followed by the undivided Andhra Pradesh state in 2013-14.

• Both aimed to give greater focus to the sector.

About Tamil Nadu:

• It is located in the extreme south of the subcontinent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the east and south and by the states of Kerala to the west, Karnataka (formerly Mysore) to the northwest, and Andhra Pradesh to the north.

• It was formerly the Madras Presidency of British India but was renamed Madras (State) after independence in 1947.

• Madras (State) was again renamed Tamil Nadu in 1968. Its Capital is Chennai.

• The Governor and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu are Banwarilal Purohit and M. K. Stalin respectively.

Smart Health Cards:

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on August 20, 2021, launched Smart Health Cards which will help families get treatment up to ₹5 lakh per annum.

Highlights:

• The cards have been announced under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

• The card will be given to the beneficiaries phase-wise.

• Beneficiaries of the national and State food security schemes, Annapurna and Antyodaya yojanas, will get it.

• He had announced them after hoisting the National Flag on the occasion of 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2021.

Key Points of BSKY cards:

• The Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) cards seeks to cover 3.5 crore people of the state out of a total population of 4.3 crores.

• The initiative aims to transform the health service delivery system of not only the state but also create history in the health sector of the Country.

• The BSKY has been redesigned in a way that the health cards will work as debit cards for the beneficiaries.

• Under the BSKY, women members of the family can get treatment up to ₹10 lakh in a year and other family members will get the benefit up to Rs 5 lakh each.

• With this card, people can avail themselves of quality healthcare service in about 200 hospital chains in the country, including Odisha.

• It is a no-frill system, so a person will simply go to a hospital with the card and get all the treatments without any hassle.

• The Smart Health Cards will work like debit cards for a certain amount.

• It is a first of its kind service in the country.

• The initiative is expected to benefit about 3.5 crore people and 96 lakh families in a phased manner.

About Odisha:

• Odisha also formerly Orissa, is an Indian state located on the eastern coast of India.

• It neighbours the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and Andhra Pradesh to the south.

• It is an eastern Indian state on the Bay of Bengal.

• It is known for its tribal cultures and its many ancient Hindu temples.

• The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a very sacred and religious temple of Hindus.

• The capital of Odisha is Bhubaneswar.

• The Governor and the Chief Minister of Odisha are Ganeshi Lal and Naveen Patnaik respectvely.

Harigarh:

The Zila Panchayat Parishad of Aligarh passed a resolution on August 16, 2021 seeking to rename Aligarh as Harigarh.

Highlights:

• The proposal was passed unanimously in the first meeting of the panchayat without any opposition with 50 out of 72 members in attendance.

• It would now be forwarded to the state government for approval.

• If it gets passed, it will add to a long list of places that have been renamed in UP under Yogi Adityanath.

• The most prominent being the renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj, a few months before the Kumbh Mela in January 2019.

Note: In Aligarh, the district pacnhayat is headed by Vijay Singh, who is related to former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh's son Rajveer Singh Raju.

Background:

• The proposal to rename Aligarh to Harigarh was first presented to the panchayat by the Kshatriya Mahasabha and later supported by elected block panchayat leaders Kehri Singh and Umesh Yadav.

• The Zila panchayat also cleared another proposal to rename the Dhanipur airstrip in Aligarh to the Kalyan Singh airstrip.

Note: Kalyan Singh was a resident of Aligarh and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

• Many organizations had appealed to the UP government earlier asking it to change Aligarh's name.

Renaming of other places in UP:

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has already changed the name of several places such as

• Faizabad to Ayodhya

• Allahabad to Prayagraj

• Mughalsarai to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had indicated in November 2019 that the government would like to keep up with renaming places across the state.

He said that where this is a need, the government will take the steps required.

About Uttar Pradesh:

• Uttar Pradesh is a state in northern India.

• It was created on 1 April 1937 as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh during British rule, and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950.

• Its Capital city is Lucknow.

• The Chief Minister and the Governor of Uttar Pradesh are Yogi Adityanath and Anandiben Patel respectively.

Chhattisgarh New districts:

The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel recently announced the creation of four new districts and 18 new tehsils in the state.

• This announcement was made by him while addressing a public gathering here on the occasion of 75th Independence Day.

Key Points:

• The four new districts are:

1. Mohla Manpur

2. Sarangarh-Bilaigarh

3. Shakti

4. Manendragarh

• With the creation of four new districts, the total numbers of administrative districts in the state have reached 32.

• In addition, in every district headquarters and Municipal Corporation, a park will be developed exclusively for women, which will be known as the 'Minimata Udyan'.

Note: The park has been named after ‘Minimata’, the first woman MP from Chhattisgarh elected in 1952, who devoted her life toward the empowerment of women and the betterment of society.

• He also ended the age limit for admission in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in colleges.

• Furthermore, he also announced the 'Mukhyamantri Affordable Medicine Scheme' to provide medicines at concessional rates for the people of the state.

About Chhattisgarh:

• Chhattisgarh is a heavily forested state in central India known for its temples and waterfalls.

• It is one of the fastest-developing states in India. The state was formed on 1st November 2000 by partitioning ten Chhattisgarhi and six Gondi-speaking southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh. The capital city of Chattisgarh is Raipur.

• The current Chief Minister and Governor of Chhattisgarh are Bhupesh Baghel and Anusuiya Uikey respectively.

Science and Technology

MoU between India and USA:

The Union Cabinet chaired by Shri Narendra Modi, on 18th august 2021, approved a pact between India and the United States on cooperation in the field of geology.

The approval was given for the signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines, the Government of the Republic of India, and the Florida International University (FIU) board of trustees on behalf of its Department of Earth and Environment, College of Arts, Sciences and Education, United States of America on cooperation in field of Geology.

Key Details:

• The identified area of cooperation between the two Participants will be as follows:

1. Development of the geological knowledge, research regarding geologic and tectonic environment of post collisions magmatism in India-Asia collisional margin, geologic history and tectonics of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis.

2. Developing cooperative projects in the fields of regional geological, geochemical, petrological and multi-isotopic studies related to the evolution of post collisional magmatic belts (Ladakh Plutons).

3. Exchange of information on technology and geoscientific data.

4. The cooperation will also be for the exchange of information on technology and geoscientific data and other areas of mutual interest to be decided upon by the parties.

Benefits:

• The MoU will provide an institutional mechanism between GSI and the FIU on cooperation in the field of Geology.

About GSI:

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a scientific agency of India.

• It was founded in 1851.

• It is a Government of India (GoI) Ministry of Mines organization.

• It is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and the second oldest survey in India after Survey of India (founded in 1767), for conducting geological surveys and studies of India.

• It is also the prime provider of basic earth science information to government, industry and general public, as well as the official participant in steel, coal, metals, cement, power industries and international geoscientific forums.

Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV):

Scientists of the National Institute of Plant Genomics Research (NIPGR) have unraveled an effective defense strategy deployed by a resistant tomato cultivar against Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus.

Key Points:

• Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) infection causes severe losses in tomato yield worldwide.

• Lack of information on resistance (R) genes against ToLCNDV has considerably retarded the pace of crop improvement against this rapidly spreading pathogen.

• Several attempts have been made to identify antiviral genes against ToLCNDV and related viruses.

• Scientists from DBT Autonomous Institution, National Institute of Plant Genomics Research (NIPGR) report an effective defense strategy deployed by a resistant tomato cultivar against ToLCNDV.

• It employs Sw5a (R gene) that recognizes AC4 protein (viral effector) of ToLCNDV to restrict virus spread.

• These findings could be translated into development of resistance in susceptible cultivars of tomato through modern breeding or molecular approaches.

About Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV):

• Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is a bipartite, single-stranded DNA virus transmitted by the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci.

• It was first described on tomatoes in India in 1995 (initially as ToLCV-India).

• ToLCNDV was initially found on Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), and then on other Solanaceae such as Solanum melongena (aubergine), chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) and Solanum tuberosum (potato).

• Following its discovery in India, other Asian countries also reported the occurrence of ToLCNDV on a rather wide range of crops.

• ToLCNDV was first detected in Europe in 2012, affecting zucchini squash crops in Spain, with subsequent detections in Tunisia, Italy and Morocco.

ToLCNDV a Threat:

• ToLCNDV is responsible for severe outbreaks of disease in cucurbit crops in the Mediterranean basin and represents a serious threat to economically important solanaceous crops in the region.

About NIPGR:

• The National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) (formerly known as National Centre for Plant Genome

• Research) is an autonomous institution aided by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (GoI).

• The Institute’s establishment coincides with the 50th anniversary of India’s independence as well as the birth anniversary of Prof. (Dr.) J. C. Bose.

• The formal announcement was made on November 30th 1997.

• The Institute started to function in the year 1998 with the mandate to undertake, promote and co-ordinate research, train workers and to serve as information resource in identified aspects of plant genomics to build a frontline institution.

Visceral Leishmaniasis:

Indian researchers have developed a non-invasive, easy to administer, cost-effective, and patient compliant potential therapeutic strategy against Visceral Leishmaniasis.

Key Highlights:

• A team led by Dr. Shyam Lal from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI) has developed a smart and intelligent nanocarrier.

• This nanocarrier has been developed utilizing the natural intrinsic Vitamin B12 pathway present in human body that can mitigate stability challenges and drug-associated toxicity.

• The research was supported under the DST-SERB Early Career Research Award and published in Materials Science & Engineering C’.

• Their strategy based on nano carrier-based oral drugs coated with Vitamin B12 enhanced oral bioavailability and efficacy of the therapy by more than 90%.

About Visceral Leishmaniasis:

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a complex infectious disease transmitted by the bite of female Phlebotomine sandflies.

It is a neglected tropical disease that affects millions annually, making it the second most common parasitic killer after malaria.

World Mosquito Day:

The World Mosquito Day is observed on 20 August annually across the globe.

Why is World Mosquito Day observed?

The day is observed for the following reasons:

• To raise awareness about the causes of malaria and how it can be prevented.

• To highlight the efforts of healthcare officials, NGOs, and others in fighting diseases caused by malaria.

• This day is a global commemoration of Sir Ronald Ross’ discovery in 1897 that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans.

• On this day, every year, awareness is created around diseases caused by mosquitoes.

Note:

• The method of transmission begins with introducing the parasite into the human's blood through the bite of a mosquito.

• There are several different mosquitoes that act as vectors for different diseases.

• Aedes mosquitoes cause chikungunya, dengue fever, yellow fever, lymphatic filariasis, rift valley fever, and zika.

• Anopheles causes malaria, lymphatic filariasis (in Africa).

• This transmission of diseases from animals to humans is a process called Zoonosis.

Theme of 2021:

• This year amid the coronavirus pandemic, the theme of World Mosquito Day 2021 is “Reaching the zero-malaria target”.

History:

• On 20th August 1897, Sir Ronald Ross discovered that Anopheles mosquitoes were responsible for the transmission of the malaria parasite.

• This discovery by the British doctor brought a significant impact on the health industry, ensuring humans are safeguarded or prevented by all means.

• To mark this breakthrough discovery in the fight against malaria, 20 August was established and observed to celebrate the discovery of the link between mosquitoes, humans, and malaria.

About Malaria:

• Malaria is a preventable and treatable infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes.

• However, it is a life-threatening disease if left untreated.

• It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito.

• Infected mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite.

• When this mosquito bites a human, the parasite is released into their bloodstream.

What causes malaria?

There are four kinds of malaria parasites that can infect humans:

1. Plasmodium vivax

2. P. ovale

3. P. malariae

4. P. falciparum

P. falciparum causes a more severe form of the disease and those who contract this form of malaria have a higher risk of death. An infected mother can also pass the disease to her baby at birth. This is known as congenital malaria.

Malaria is transmitted by blood, so it can also be transmitted through:

1. An organ transplant

2. A transfusion

3. Use of shared needles or syringes

Symptoms of Malaria:

The symptoms of malaria typically develop within 10 days to 4 weeks following the infection. In some cases, symptoms may not develop for several months. Some malarial parasites can enter the body but will be dormant for long periods of time.

Common symptoms of malaria include:

• Shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe

• High fever

• Profuse sweating

• Headache

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Abdominal pain

• Diarrhea

• Anemia

• Muscle pain

• Convulsions

• Coma

• Bloody stools

Diagnoses of Malaria:

• A malaria blood test is done using a microscope to examine the blood for signs of the malaria parasite* or via malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests that permit reliable detection of malaria infections particularly in remote areas with limited access to good quality microscopy services.

Treatment:

• Medication is used for malaria treatment, with Artemisinin Combination Therapy being the recommended first-line treatment.

Significance:

• Malaria is typically found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites can live.

• Malaria kills more than one million people each year.

• Most of the affected are in sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria is the leading cause of death for children under five.

• Among the many nations, India too has become a favourable breeding place for many mosquito species making it the hotspot for diseases like dengue, yellow fever, malaria, and others.

• Malaria is a global emergency that affects mostly poor women and children, malaria perpetuates a vicious cycle of poverty in the developing world.

Sports

Lord's Test (IND vs ENG):

India beat England by 151 runs to win the second Test and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series here on 16th August 2021.

Key Highlights:

• Chasing 272, England was bowled out for 120 in 51.5 overs with skipper Joe Root top-scoring with 33.

• Mohammed Shami (56*) and Jasprit Bumrah's mind-blowing 89-run 9th wicket combination turned the tide back in India's favour from a position when the hosts appeared to be favourites to win.

• India declared on 298-8 just after lunch to set England 272 to win in 60 overs. It was a victory target the hosts never intended to chase, but one they couldn’t defend either.

• After a rain-affected tie at Trent Bridge, India now leads the five-match series 1-0.

• The third Test at Headingley in Leeds starts on August 25.

Note: Virat Kohli is now the 4th most successful captain in Test history with 37 wins and the only third Indian captain to win a Test at Lord's after Kapil Dev & MS Dhoni.

About Lords:

• Lord's: Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London.

• It was established in 1814.

• Known as the 'home of cricket', Lord's is the most famous cricket ground in the world and is home to the world's oldest sporting museum.

• It is named after its founder, Thomas Lord.

• It is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the European Cricket Council (ECC) and, until August 2005, the International Cricket Council (ICC).

• Note: The first test was played between England and Australia on 21–23 July 1884.

U-20 World Athletics Championships:

The Indian mixed 4X400m relay team bagged bronze medal in the U-20 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi on 18th August 2021.

Key Highlights:

• Indian quartet of Bharat S, Priya Mohan, Summy and Kapil clocked 3:20.60 seconds while the Nigerian mixed 4x400m relay team won the gold, and Poland secured the silver.

• India had entered the final as the second best team overall with a championship record timing of 3:23.36s in the heat races held in the morning.

• The record was, however, short-lived as the athletes from Nigeria improved it by finishing their race in heat 2 with a timing of 3:21.66s.

Note:

• The World Athletics U20 Championships is taking place from 17 to 22 August 2021 at the Nyayo Sports Complex in Nairobi, Kenya.

• Many major countries are not participating such as the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand or Norway, etc.

About World Athletics U20 Championships:

• The World Athletics U20 Championships is a biennial world championships for the sport of athletics organized by the World Athletics. It is contested by athletes in the under-20 athletics age category 19 years old or younger on 31 December in the year of the competition.

• The competition was launched as the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics in 1986 and renamed to IAAF World U20 Championships in November 2015.

• The current name was adapted with the name change of the sport’s governing body in 2019.

World Athletics U20 Championships:

The 2021 edition of the World Athletics U20 Championships started from August 18, 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Highlights:

• The tournament will continue till 22 August at the Nyayo Sports Complex.

• The impact of Covid on teams travelling and logistics of moving vital equipment around the world have proven to be a challenge, the governing body said in a release.

• The event was originally scheduled for 2020. The World U20 Championships were held from 17 to 22 August, 2021.

Participation from Indian Side:

• Javelin Thrower Kunwar Ajai Raj Singh Rana and Long Jumper Shaili Singh will lead the Indian challenge in the World Athletics U20 Championships.

• India has had a champion at the U20 Athletics World Championships in each of the last two editions.

• Neeraj Chopra threw the javelin longer than any man in his age group in 2016 for his first major international breakthrough while Hima Das clinched gold medal in the women’s 400m in Tampere in 2018.

The 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships, also known as the World Junior Championships, is an international athletics competition for athletes qualifying as juniors (born no earlier than 1 January 2002)

2021 Spilimbergo Open Chess Tournament:

A 15-year-old young Indian Grandmaster Raunak Sadhwani has won the 19th Spilimbergo Open chess tournament in Italy.

Highlights:

• The fourth-seeded Sadhwani, who hails from Nagpur, remained undefeated in the tournament, with seven points from nine rounds, in which claimed five wins and four draws.

• In the ninth and final round, Sadhwani and Italian GM Pier Luigi Basso finished level on seven points, but the Indian was declared the winner on the basis of a better tie-break score.

Indian polity

Article 371: It is a law providing special status to six North East states. The 68th Plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) was held in Guwahati on September 8 and 9. At a meeting with governors and chief ministers of the eight northeastern states as part of the North Eastern Council in Guwahati, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday upheld the fact that the region was pivotal to India's growth story and that the Centre would not tamper with Article 371, dispelling fears that the special status of the north-eastern states would be scrapped, following the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, last month. Shah also reviewed the situation in the state in the wake of the publication of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC).

NEC: North Eastern Council(NEC) was constituted as a statutory advisory body under the NEC Act,1971. The eight States of Northeast India are members of the council with their respective Chief Ministers and Governors representing them. The council functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. Union Home Minister is ex-officio Chairman of the Council and the Vice Chairman is the Minister of State (Independent Charge),Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region(DoNER). The Council was initially set up as an advisory body but now sanctioned as a Regional planning body since 2002.The council while formulating a regional plan for North Eastern states shall give priority to the schemes and projects benefiting two or more states provided that in the case of Sikkim, the Council shall formulate specific projects and schemes for that State.

The two Union Territories:Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will have a common high court, Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The information was shared by the State Judicial Academy's Director Rajeev Gupta on September 8, 2019. He said that 108 Central Laws would be applicable for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. He also said that 164 state laws would be repealed and 166 state laws will continue to be applicable. Under the centre’s announcement after revoking of Article 370, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislative Assembly, while the Union Territory of Ladakh will come under the direct control of the Union Government. Some laws will change, the existing law procedure for practice in the high court will remain the same.

The two Union Territories:Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will have a common high court, Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The information was shared by the State Judicial Academy's Director Rajeev Gupta on September 8, 2019. He said that 108 Central Laws would be applicable for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. He also said that 164 state laws would be repealed and 166 state laws will continue to be applicable.

Indian Policy

Project Gaushala : Cows are considered as very holy in India. She is Gau Mata' and is a sign of faith and pride. So for the conservation of cows the 'Project Gaushala' is started by the Government where it offers cows for adoption online. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh has become the latest state to allow people to adopt cows. Kamal Nath government in MP has proposed various options for people wanting to adopt cows. This includes adopting a cow for a minimum of 15 days to the animal’s lifetime. Those willing to adopt a cow for a lifetime will have to pay Rs 3 lakh, for a year will have to pay Rs 21,000, for a month will have to pay Rs 2,100 and those willing to adopt for 15 days will have to pay Rs 1,100. They will be able to choose the one nearest to their home and can check on progress. Even NRI's can adopt a cow. This step was taken by the Government as there are nearly 7 lakh abandoned cattle in MP alone where 13 lakh are left on streets by rearers during the day and it is the same case in other states also, therefore Gaushalas manages to house atleast 75% of stray cattle. In June the government had also stated that any person or organisations wanting to open gaushalas will be given the right to use government land.

13 September 2019 Current Affairs:Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyaparik Mandhan Yojana and Swarojgar pension schemes in Jharkhand during his visit. During his visit, he also laid the foundation for the new building of Jharkhand Secretariat. To avail this scheme the beneficiaries must be between 18 and 40 years. All shopkeepers, self-employed persons, and retail traders whose GST turnover is below Rs.1.5 crore will be eligible. The eligible beneficiary will get Rs.3,000 per month after completing 60 years of age. In the Union Budget 2019-20, the Central Government has allocated Rs.750 crore for the scheme. Centre also has chosen Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India as a pension fund manager. LIC will be responsible for managing the pension fund, Central record keeping agency and responsible for pension payout.

Mukhya Mantri Dal Poshit Yojana:With an objective to provide low-priced pulses, the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Dal Poshit Yojana’ at his residence on Thursday. Under the scheme, two kilogrammes of pulses per month would be made available to 23.32 lakh ration card holders. On the day, the CM distributed packets of pulses to selected beneficiaries. Under the scheme State government will offer a subsidy of Rs.15 per kilogram on variety of pulses identified, including chana, malka and masur which will fulfil the protein requirement of the people. Each eligible beneficiary and ration card holders in state will get 2 kgs of pulses at subsidised rates every month. 23.32 lakh ration card holders will benifit from this scheme. The scheme will help achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a healthy India.

Environment

Typhoon Faxai : A powerful typhoon landed near Tokyo early Monday morning, killing at least three people and injuring about 40 as well as affecting hundreds of thousands of rush-hour commuters in the metropolitan area at the start of the week. The weather agency had warned that central and eastern Japan, including Tokyo, could see record winds, forcing airlines to cancel flights and some major roads to be closed. Authorities issued voluntary evacuation warnings to more than 390,000 people, as forecasters cautioned the rain and wind could reach “record” proportions. It had an atmospheric pressure of 975 hectopascals at its center and was packing winds of up to 180 kph, according to the Meteorological Agency.

DPIIT: It is The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. DPIIT has requested state governments to work towards collection of plastic waste from industrial estates, parks, corridors, nodes and industrial areas for the ‘Swachhta hi Sewa 2019’ campaign beginning from September 11. DPIIT will ensure recycling of plastic waste collected on October 2 in cement kilns and also collect plastic waste through nationwide ‘shramdaan’. On the occassion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, DPIIT personnel will undertake manual labour and ensure the collection of plastic waste in and around industrial areas all across the country. Under the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) campaign the DPIIT has also requested state governments to sensitize Industrial Parks by focusing on Plastic Waste Management on a sustained and continuous basis. State and UTs Governments will monitor the campaign through their nodal teams to be set up by them.

UNCCD COP-14: On Monday 9 September 2019, Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi inaugurated the High Level Segment (HLS) of UNCCD COP14 in the presence of heads of the UN and other international organizations, leaders of states and ministers from many countries to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) today, at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. As many as 196 countries, 70 environment ministers and over 8,000 delegates from across globe are participating in 12-day conference from September 2 to September 13. Speaking at the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Prime Minister Modi said between 2015 and 2017, India’s tree and forest cover increased by 0.8 million hectares. He announced that India would raise its target for restoring degraded land from 21 million hectares to 26 million hectares by 2030. Modi also said India would be happy to propose initiatives for greater South-South cooperation in addressing issues of climate change, biodiversity and land degradation. The prime minister also called upon the leadership of UNCCD to conceive global water action agenda which is central to Land Degradation Neutrality strategy. Degraded lands also addresses the problems of water scarcity. Augmenting water supply, enhancing water recharge, slowing down water run-off and retaining moisture in the soil are all parts of a holistic land and water strategy. India would be happy to help other friendly countries develop land restoration strategies through cost effective satellite technology.

(MoEFCC): It is the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) which undertakes projects that focuses on steps required to save animals from extinction and ensure a healthy environment endangered species. Elephant project, Rhino project, Tiger project and other variants of this kind are in action to protect and preserve animal lives.There are 771 protected areas whose land composition cannot be changed, which is boosting animal population. Three Animal Species in India Extinct Due To Desertification: According to some researchers three animal species namely Indian Cheetah, pink-headed duck and Great Indian Bustard have become extinct due to desertification in India. The study by researchers was put forth at 14th meeting of Conference of Parties to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 14).

UNCCD COP14: The 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) which is currently underway at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida dedicated day 10 to the theme of Drought. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on Wednesday aunched a 'drought toolbox' - a kind of knowledge bank that may be used by vulnerable countries, including India to reduce drought risk and be prepared and be able to effectively respond to it. The draught toolbox ia a web page that provides the stakeholders easy access to case studies and other resources to support action on drought preparedness with the aim of boosting the resilience of people and ecosystes to drought.

National

PM-KMY:It is Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana which will provide monthly pension to farmers. Under this scheme, the farmers involved will get a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 for completing 60 years of age. In case of death of the farmer, his wife will get a monthly pension of Rs 1,500. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the scheme after which the PM-KMY registration process has started across the country. He said that this scheme will be implemented in the entire country including Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. This scheme was launched as because despite working hard, the farmer does not earn enough. Therefore it was important to ensure social security. The Government have taken several measures to ensure better income and PM-KMY is another effort in this direction.

NADCP:It is The National Animal Disease Control Programme which aims to provide vaccination to over 500 million livestock including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs against foot and mouth disease and brucellosis disease among the livestock by 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be launching the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) on September 11, 2019 in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh to eradicate the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis in the livestock. The move is aimed at empowering farmers and doubling their income, as promised under the Union Budget. The National Animal Disease Control Programme also aims to provide vaccination to about 36 million female bovine calves annually in its fight against the Brucellosis disease. The two main objectives of this programme is to controll the diseases by 2025 and to eradicate the diseases by 2030. The programme will be receiving 100 percent funding from the Union Government. The government has earmarked funds worth Rs 12,652 Crores for the programme, for five years till 2024.

Bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir:A three-member panel headed by former defence secretary Sanjay Mitra and its members include retired IAS officer Arun Goyal and retired Indian Civil Accounts Service officer Giriraj Prasad has been formed by the Union Government to oversee the implementation of bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. The function of the Advisory panel is to oversee the distribution of assets and liabilities between the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Union Territory status will come into effect from October 31. The advisory committee will start functioning with immediate effect. The committee will initially have a term of six months and it will get extended further if needed. A notification from the Union Home Ministry, “the Central government has constituted the advisory committee by exercising the powers conferred by Section 84 and Section 85 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019.” The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill 2019 was passed by the Indian Parliament in August 2019. The bill proposed bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The centre also revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by withdrawing Article 370 of the Indian constitution. Though Jammu and Kashmir will have its legislative assembly, Ladakh will be directly governed by the centre.

Section 84 : The Section 84 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 states that assets and liabilities of Jammu and Kashmir will have to be distributed among the two Union Territories.

Section 85 : The Section 85 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 states that the centre has the power to constitute committees to oversee the matters of apportionment of assets, rights and liabilities of the companies and corporations of the newly created Union Territories.

UNHRC:In a high-wattage clash at UNHRC or the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, India, in its right to reply said Jammu and Kashmir is and will be an integral part of India and slammed Pakistan for interfering in the matter. India sharply hit back at Pakistan by saying that it forgets that "terrorism is the worst kind human rights violation".Jammu and Kashmir was India's internal affair and it would want no inteference. Vimarsh Aryan, First Secretary, MEA also said that Article 370 was a temporary provision of the Indian Constitution and its recent modification is "within our sovereign right and entirely an internal matter of India."

September-13:Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi was renamed as Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in the memory of former DDCA President on September 12, 2019. The DDCA (Delhi and District Cricket Association) had decided to honour Arun Jaitley on August 27, 2019. The veteran politician breathed his last on August 24 after a prolonged illness. The renaming ceremony was held at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium. The inauguration of the Arun Jaitley cricket stadium was done digitally by Home Minister Amit Shah in the presence of the late Union Finance Minister's family. Arun Jaitley had earlier served as the President of the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) as well as the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Hindi Divas 2019:It is celebrated on the 14th of September every year. On Hindi Diwas 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah would be presenting Rajbhasha Awards to the chiefs of various Ministries, departments and offices for their outstanding performances in promoting the language. Hindi is spoken by around 40 percent of people in India. The language is the single largest spoken language among the 22 scheduled languages in the sixth schedule of the Indian constitution. Currently, Hindi is well known and well-received at international forums. The pioneer of Hindi in international forums in former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and he is now followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also chooses to speak in Hindi in most significant global exchanges. Hindi with 341 million native speakers is the fourth most spoken language in the world, after Mandarin, Spanish and English. Overall, there are 22 scheduled languages of India, among which, two are used officially by the Union government- Hindi and English.

International

Saudi Arabia:Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has been appointed as new Energy minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This post is generally considered as one of the most important positions in the government.He had earlier served as the Deputy and State Energy Minister for several years It is the first time when any member of the ruling Al Saud family has given the energy minister post in Saudi Arabia.Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman is the son of the King of Saudi Arabia.

Jack Ma: Jack Ma the co-founder of the company Alibaba in 1999, is among the world's richest billionaires. He has also been frequently listed by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful people. He announced his decision to retire from the Chairman position in September 2018 on his 55th birthday. He chose Daniel Zhang to succeed him as Chairman. Alibaba is the world's largest retailer and e-commerce company and one of the largest Internet and AI companies. It is also one of the world’s biggest venture capital firms and investment corporations in the world.The company hosts the largest online marketplace. The online sales and profits of Alibaba have surpassed all US retailers including Amazon, Walmart and eBay combined since 2015. Alibaba employs over 100,000 people and has now expanded into financial services, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. It is one of Asia’s most valuable listed company with current market capitalization of Alibaba around $460 billion. It is also expanding into the media industry. Recently, Alibaba announced investments worth $2.7 billion in luxury goods retail platform Kaola and a music streaming firm. The move demonstrates the firm’s flexibility in adopting new strategies.

Bahamas : Hurricane Dorian an extremely powerful, long-lived, and destructive tropical cyclone devastated the northwestern Bahamas and caused significant damage to the Southeastern United States and Atlantic Canada. India on Sunday announced humanitarian assistance of USD 1 million to help people in The Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian.The death toll from the calamity has risen to over 40, even as search and rescue teams are still trying to reach out to Bahamian communities isolated by floodwaters and debris in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. In solidarity with the friendly people of The Bahamas in this difficult moment, the Government of India is extending an immediate disaster relief of $ 1 million.

India-Nepal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepal counterpart K P Sharma Oli on Tuesday jointly inaugurated the Motihari-Amlekhganj petroleum product pipeline via a video link. The over 60 km-long pipeline is the first-ever cross-border petroleum product pipeline in the South Asia region, according to a video presentation made before the inauguration. As of now, tankers carry petroleum products from India to Nepal as part of an arrangement which is in place since 1973. This India-Nepal energy cooperation project is a symbol of close bilateral relations. It would not only help to enhance the energy security of the region but substantially cut down on transit costs too.

WEC : WEC or the World Energy Congress is a triennial event and has been running since 1924. With over 150 countries represented, WEC is world’s largest and most influential energy event that covers all aspects of energy agenda. It is a global flagship event of World Energy Council. It offers a unique platform for global energy leaders to explore new energy futures, new strategies and critical innovation areas. It enables dialogue amongst Ministers, CEOs, policy-makers and industry practitioners on critical developments in energy sector.The 24th World Energy Congress was held in Abu Dhabi, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 9-12 September 2019. It was held under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE.The theme of this year’s 4-day World Energy Congress is ‘Energy for Prosperity’. It also represents ambitious and dynamic energy transition of UAE. Its objective is To bring together international energy stakeholders including governments, academia and media, private and state corporations. This event welcomed more than 15,000 participants including 72 Ministers, 250 high-level speakers, 500 CEOs, 1000 media persons with 40,000 square-metre exhibition space that will cover entire energy spectrum.

India-Iceland Relation :President of India Ram Nath Kovind, addressed the India-Iceland Business Forum in Reykjavik, (capital of Iceland) on 11 September 2019. President Kovind is on a 3 day visit to Reykjavik, Iceland from 9-11 September 2019. This is part of President’s three first leg visit to– Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia. This is also the first visit of an Indian President to Iceland since visit of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in 2005. India’s growth and commitment to sustainability and Iceland’s business strengths and niche capacities complement each other and make for a natural partnership. The technological prowess of Iceland and scientific skills of India could embrace each other to drive 4th Industrial Revolution and machine-intelligence age. There is a lot of economic potential and opportunities between India and Iceland in pharma, healthcare, finance, hospitality, tourism services and biotech space.

IFC and FIDC sign a MoU to train NBFC : The International Finance Corporation (IFC) part of the World Bank Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC), a representative body of asset and loan Financing NBFC to collaborate on the training of NBFCs in the country. Leading consultants from the World Bank Group will be coducting these training programs at various centres across the country. These training programs would greatly enhance the awareness, expertise and professionalism of our member companies and medium-sized NBFCs catering to the credit needs in rural and semi-urban areas. This would also facilitate more informed credit appraisals thereby improving the asset quality. Such engagement with a global development finance institution would further improve the credibility of the NBFC sector thereby boosting investors confidence. According to the agreement, the training programs for NBFCs would be conducted on “Commercial Credit Reporting” aimed at building the capacity of NBFCs to enhanced reporting and enquiring on Commercial Credit Information Data from the Credit Bureaus

ANGAN :A three-day international conference ANGAN (Augmenting Nature by Green Affordable New-habitat) focused on Energy Efficiency in Building Sector was held in New Delhi. Shri Abhay Bakre, DG, BEE and Shri Raj Pal, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Power, inaugurated the Conference in the presence of eminent experts of the field. The Conference was organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India in collaboration with the GIZ under the Indo-German Technical Cooperation. BEE : The BEE is a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, Government of India that assists in developing policies and strategies with the primary objective of reducing the energy intensity. It coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies, and other organizations to identify, and utilize the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing the functions assigned under the Energy Conservation Act. Speakers, Delegates, Experts and Policy Makers across 16 countries participated in the event. The participants from Central and State local authorities as well as Technology providers and Experts, practicing Architects and University Students were also present.

Tonga : It is Located in Oceania. Tonga is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, directly south of Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. Prime Minister of Tonga Akilisi Pohiva 78, died in New Zealand. He was hospitalized for two weeks in the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofa with pneumonia. He was transferred to New Zealand recently Where passed away in this morning. He is known as towering democracy in the country. He was first elected in 1987. Akilisi Pohiva was first elected as PM of Tonga in 2014 after decades of campaigning for democratic representation and reforms.

Science and Technology

CHC Farm Machinery:It is Multilingual Mobile App launched for farmers:The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Purushottam Rupala recently launched a multilingual mobile app 'CHC Farm Machinery' during the National Conference on crop residue Management for farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. CHC Farm Machinery Mobile App will allow farmers to avail custom hiring services of CHCs located in a radius of 50 km. It will connect the farmers with Custom Hiring Service Centers in their area. Farmers can download this mobile app on any android phone from Google Play Store. Farmers can get affordable access to cutting-edge technology at their doorsteps with the help of this mobile app. The issue of crop residue burning has become a major environmental problem causing health issues as well as contributing to global warming. There are some sustainable techniques like Composting, biochar production and mechanization that can help to curtail the issue while retaining the nutrients present in the crop residue in the soil. However, some steps by the government of India have taken to curtail this problem. Several measures and campaigns designed to promote sustainable management methods such as converting crop residue into energy have also started. In recent years, the alarming rise of air pollution levels caused by crop residue burning in the city of Delhi and other northern areas in India observed.

Exoplanet - K2-18b:Water has been found by scientists in the atmosphere of an exoplanet called K2-18b. The exoplanet is twice the size and eight times the mass of Earth and hence, known as a super-Earth. Super-Earths are exoplanets that are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. The exoplanet orbits a red dwarf star, K2-18 and is 110 light-years away from Earth in the Leo constellation. It is the first planet outside the solar system in the habitable zone of its star.The K2-18b exoplanet completes one orbit around its star every 33 days.The super-Earth is much closer to its star than the Earth is to the sun. However, the red dwarf star is much cooler than the Sun. The discovery was published in a paper in a scientific journal, Nature Astronomy on September 11, 2019 by researchers from University College London (UCL). The paper revealed that scientists studied the atmosphere of K2-18b, a distant super-Earth and for the first time discovered water vapor in its atmosphere and temperature that could potentially support life. Though scientists have tagged exoplanet K2-18b as potentially habitable, it doesn’t mean that humans could live there. The research team used archived data collected by the Hubble Space Telescope between 2016 and 2017 that had captured starlight as it passed through the exoplanet’s atmosphere. When the researchers put the data through algorithms, they saw signs of water vapour in the atmosphere. The researchers also saw traces of hydrogen and helium in the atmosphere, two of the most abundant elements in the universe. The planet was first discovered by NASA's Kepler spacecraft in 2015.

Sports

US Open 2019:It is a Grand Slam US Open tennis tournament. Rafael Nadal won his 19th Grand Slam title after holding off Russian Daniil Medvedev's exhilarating fightback in one of the greatest US Open finals. Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev to clinch a thrilling win in four hours and 50 minutes - just four minutes shorter than the longest US Open final. Spain's Nadal, 33, won 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4 against the fifth seed in New York.

Formula One Italian Grand Prix:It is a Grand Prix motor racing championship which takes place in Italy, Montichiari. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco won Formula One Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He ended Ferrari's nine-year wait for victory at its home circuit as he held off the Mercedes duo to win Formula One's Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. Aged just 21, Leclerc held off a Mercedes onslaught to become the youngest driver dressed in red to win Ferrari’s home race.

BCCI :The BCCI (The Board of Control for Cricket in India) named a 15-man team for the three-match Test series against South Africa starting October 2. The name of KL Rahul had dropped due to poor performance in the 2 last Tests in the West Indies. He was dropped while Shubman Gill got his maiden call-up in the Test side. He has scored 1,443 runs in 14 first-class matches at an average of 72.15. India-South Africa Test series will begin on October 2.

People In News

Ravish Kumar:Indian journalist Ravish Kumar has been honoured with the prestigious 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award. The four other winners of the Award are Ko Swe Win from Myanmar, Raymundo Pujante Cayabyab from the Philippines, Angkhana Neelapaijit from Thailand, and Kim Jong-Ki from South Korea. The prestigious award is widely regarded as the Asian version of the Nobel Prize.

Veeru Krishnan :Legendary actor and Kathak dancer Veeru Krishnan, popular for films like 'Ishq', 'Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke' and 'Raja Hindustani', passed away on Saturday. His final rites were performed at a crematorium in suburban Santacruz. The veteran, who graced silver screen during the '90s in supporting roles, often shared screen space with Aamir Khan. Besides acting in films, Krishnan a trained kathak dancer used to teach Kathak. He trained several film and TV actors like Priyanka Chopra,Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif, Athiya Shetty, Karanvir Bohra and others. A host of celebrities took to social media to express their grief and offer condolences to the departed soul.

Pramod Kumar Mishra:71 year old Pramod Kumar Mishra a A Gujarat cadre Indian Administrative Service officer belonging to the 1972 batch, who was previously an Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, also held posts like Secretary Agriculture & Cooperation and Chairman, State Electricity Regulatory Commission has been appointed as the new Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, effective September 11. He will replace Nripendra Misra, the Prime Minister's long-serving aide who resigned last month after a five-year stint as the top bureaucrat in the central government. Mr.PK Mishra who holds a PhD in Economics / Development Studies from the University of Sussex in England, was conferred a prestigious United Nations award for disaster management and disaster risk reduction.

Pramod Kumar Sinha:Former Cabinet Secretary Pramod Kumar Sinha who is a 1977 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed the principal advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prior to this appointment he served as the Power Secretary of India, and was the Shipping Secretary of India before that. Sinha was appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the PMO on August 30, 2019..The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of P K Sinha, currently functioning as OSD in the Prime Minister's Office, as Principal Advisor to Prime Minister with effect from 11th September, 2019.

Recipients of Visitor’s Awards 2019:Recipients of Visitor’s Awards 2019 for research in various fields were announced by President’s Secretariat. President’s secretary Shri Sanjay Kothari, headed the committee along with other officials, assisted by a Sub-Committee selected people for 2019 Visitor’s award. The award will be conferred by President President Ram Nath Kovind at an event to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The awards will be awarded to –

• Dr Partima She is from Special Centre for Nanoscience in Jawaharlal Nehru University.This year the Visitor’s Awards 2019 will be awarded to her for her research on biosensors and nano-bio interactions especially early-stage cancer diagnosis using nanomaterials bases biosensing platform. She will be awarded this award for her research in Biological science.
• Professor AsadUllah Khan He will be awarded The Visitor's Award 2019 for his contribution to biological science for identifying Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)problem in India: mechanism of spread and control of AMR. He is from Inter-disciplinary Biotechnology Unit in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
• Prof. Sibnath Deb He is from Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University. He will be awarded Visitor's Award 2019 for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Award, for his research in field of child protection, especially his focus on child abuse and neglect, student’s mental health and HIV/AIDS.
• Professor Sanjay Puri He is from School of Physical Sciences in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He will be awarded the Visitor's Award 2019 for Technology Development for his research in field of non-equilibrium statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics.

Dr Shaon Ray Chaudhuri She is from Department of Microbiology in Tripura University. She is awarded for Technology Development, for developing microbial biofilm reactor for conversion of dairy wastewater into biofertilizer. Awards are awarded to promote healthy competition amongst Central Universities as well as motivate them to adopt best global practices in pursuit of excellence.

Vikram Sampath:He is a Bengaluru-based historian. His book titled Savarkar: Echoes from a forgotten past, 1883-1924, published by Penguin was released on the 11th of September 2019. This book describes the life of freedom fighter and Philosopher Vinayak Damodar Savarkar who was popularly known as Veer Savarkar. The first volume of the two-volume series covers the life of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Veer Savarkar). It expresses and explains the incidents from his birth in 1883 to his conditional release to Ratnagiri in 1924. The uniqueness of the new book is the historian Vikram Sampath brought out the often missed aspects of politician Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s life and times.

Padma Vibhushan:It is the highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna. Mary Kom, the Manipur boxer, who is the only woman to become World Amateur Boxing champion for a record six times, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the seven world championships, becomes the first woman athlete to be recommended by the Sports Ministry for Padma Vibhushan.

Padma Bhushan:It is the third highest civilian award. PV Sindhu has been nominated for Padma Bhushan. She became the first Indian to win the BWF World Championships in August.She has been recommended for the Padma Bhushan. The 24-year old Hyderabadi shuttler had got the Padma Shri in 2015.

Padma Shree:It is the forth highest civilian award. The names of wrestler archer Tarundeep Rai, hockey Olympian MP Ganesh, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, table tennis star Manika Batra, cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur (T20Is), hockey captain Rani Rampal, former shooter Suma Shirur and mountaineer twin sisters, Tashi and Nungshi Malik have been sent for Padma Shri.

Navdeep Singh Suri:He is Indian Ambassador to UAE. He was awarded the First Class Order of Zayed II award by the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It is a rare honour given to any diplomat. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, presented the Order to the Indian Ambassador Navdeep Puri in Abu Dhabi. He was awarded in recognition of his efforts during his tenure and his contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations and co-operation between the two friendly countries.

Amit Sharma:Amit Sharma a resident from New Delhi, has made a world record by creating World’s largest static website www.cheapflightsall.com which consists of 31 Crore 84 Lakh 60 Thousand 567 pages. The website size is 5 TB and it took 23 days to develop and 4 months to upload and the same was launched on 25th September 2016.

Places In News

Jharkhand: The Prime Minister will also be launching 400 Ekalvya Model Residential Schools during his visit to Jharkhand. The main aim is to provide quality upper primary, secondary and senior secondary level education to Scheduled Tribe students in tribal-dominated areas. The scheme will be implemented in blocks with a tribal population of at least 20,000. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyaparik Mandhan Yojana and Swarojgar pension schemes in Jharkhand during his visit. During his visit, he also laid the foundation for the new building of Jharkhand Secretariat

Maharashtra: The Government of India and The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 200 million loan to upgrade rural roads to all-weather standards in 34 districts of Maharashtra. Its objective is to improve road safety and better connect rural areas with markets and services. Road construction and repairing work will be started with the loan. ADB and GOI project will improve the condition of about 2,100 kilometres (km) of rural roads to all-weather standards. It will also provide climate resilience and safety features, connecting rural communities with productive agricultural areas and socio-economic centres.

Telangana: The Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrasekhar Rao who presented the annual budget for the year 2019-20 has downsized the budged to 1 lakh 46 thousand 492 crore rupees. K Chandrasekhar Rao government had to consider the financial crisis which is looming large around the country and forced to take practical decisions. He assured people in his hour-long budget speech that the government will make all-out efforts to fulfil the assurances given during elections. As per Mr. Rao, the severe economic slowdown is leading to serious repercussions in the country, which is being witnessed daily and it has adversely impacted all sectors. There is a negative growth in many key sectors, which mirrors the prevailing economic situation. The official data put out by the institutions connected with these sectors presented a gloomy picture.

Uttarakhand: Mount Satopanth peak is the second highest peak in the Uttarakhand. The mountain successfully summitted for the first time by the team lead by Andre Roch in 1947. A team of 16 members of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) successfully completed Mount Satopanth's peak climbing. The CISF members committed the expedition to Fit India Movement and Women Empowerment which were initiated by the Prime Minister of India. The main objective of the expedition was to unfold the message of empowering girls through mountain climbing to stay spirit of journey alive in effect. The team pushed their limit and achieved their goal by exposing themselves to the very best order of mental and physical challenges, including exposure to low atmospheric pressure, thin air, sub-zero temperatures, incessant snow blizzards and lots of alternative harsh climatic conditions. The CISF has a sixteen members mountain climbing expedition team including 3 girls was flagged-off on 05th August 2019 by Director General of CISF. The team was led by Shri Raghubir Lal DIG.CISF as a part of the CAPFs team will go to Mt. Everest Expedition in March-April in 2020.

Ranchi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralded a new era in the development journey of Jharkhand when he inaugurated the second riverine Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal online from Ranchi, Jharkhand built at Sahibgunj. He dedicated to nation the second Multi Modal Terminal built at Sahibganj in Jharkhand on 12 September, 2019. This trade point has been completed in record time of 2 years. This is the 2nd of three Multi Modal Terminals (MMTs) being constructed on river Ganga under Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). In November 2018, PM Modi inaugurated first MMT at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The Rs.290 crore multi-modal cargo terminal which will hava a cargo storing capacity of 3 million tonne (MT) per year, a stockyard and parking and berthing space for two vessels, has been built by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on River Ganga at Sahibganj. The Sahibganj terminal will play an important role in the development journey of Jharkhand and Bihar acting as a gateway for industries in these states, and connecting them to global markets. The terminal will specially benefit the coal sector, stone chips, fertiliser, cement and sugar industries. Acting as a point of convergence for Road-Rail-River routes it will improve connectivity to Kolkata, Haldia and adjoining areas.

Arts

Books and Authors: A comic book titled “The Adventures of the Daredevil Democrat” was released by the chief minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The book was released on the occassion of the 104th birth anniversary of former Odisha CM Late Biju Patnaik. The book is about the life and works of late legendary leader Biju Patnaik who is also the father of Naveen Patnaik. The comic book, prepared by Kalinga Foundation Trust aims to inspire and encourage young minds to serve the motherland. It is published Creative workshop which is based in New Delhi.

Fagli Festival: It is a traditional festival which is celebrated annualy in Yangpa village of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh. The festival is celebrated to observe the “victory of good over evil”. This festival is also celebrated to mark the end of winter or the beginning of spring.

Recently, Fagli festival was celebrated with in the entire valley  of Yangpa on the moonless night or Amavasya. Men dressed in traditional attire with masks on their faces were seen dancing in circles while hundreds of locals also gathered to watch the event. The festival will continue for the next few days in the district of Himachal Pradesh.

Economics

UNCTAD: It refers to the United Nations Conference on Trade, Investment and Development. UNCTAD has issued a warning that global foreign direct investment (FDI) could drop by up to 15% on previous estimates due to the Coronavirus outbreak.  The organization has predicted that as the visus spreads there will be further decline in the economic growth. COVID-19 outbreak would significantly drag down global FDI, which is a measure of cross-border private sector investment.

Surat: It is a city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is known as the textile hub of the nation or the Silk City of India. It is very famous for its cotton mills and Surat Zari Craft. Surat is the biggest centre of MMF (man-made fibre) in India. It is also known for its diamond industry.

Recently, the Surat diamond industry is likely to face a loss of around Rs 8,000 crore in next two months. This is due to a state of emergency is declared in Hong Kong as well as other states of China due to the coronavirus outbreak.  Hong Kong is a major business hub for the Surat diamond industry and according to Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) polished diamonds worth around Rs 50,000 crore are exported from Surat to Hong Kong every year. If the situation does not improve then the diamond industry of India will worsen

Defence

CISF Raising Day: This day is celebrated annually on the 10th of March in India. The day was celebrated by CISF personnel and their families. On this day, in 1969, the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) was set up under an act of the Parliament of India with a strength of 2,800. It operates directly under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Its headquarters are at New Delhi. The main function of CISF is to safeguard sensitive government buildings and Delhi Metro. It also plays a vital role in providing airport security.

The 51st CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) Raising day was celebrated on 10 March 2020. The Prime Minister reviewed the parade of the CISF at the 5th Battalion Camp. The PM also laid The Prime Minister reviewed the parade of the CISF at the 5th Battalion Camp. The Police and Fire Service Medals for distinguished and meritorious services were also presented by him. The day is celebrated to create awareness among the citizens of India to cooperate with the CISF to maintain peace and security in the country.

ICG: It stands for Indian Coast Guard. ICG was formally established on 18 August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India as an independent Armed force of India. It operates under the Ministry of Defence. It is a multi-mission organization, conducting round-the-year real-life operations at sea. It works in close cooperation with the Indian Navy, the Department of Revenue (Customs), Central and State police forces and the Department of Fisheries. Its headquarters are at New Delhi. The current Director-General of Indian Coast Guard is Krishnaswamy Natarajan.

Recently, Nupur Kulshrestha became the first woman to be promoted as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Indian Coast Guard. She has joined Indian Coast Guard in 1999.

Environment

Kaikaia gaga: It is a newly identified species of treehopper named after new insect species named after lady gaga. The new insect was discovered and named by Brendan Morris, an entomology graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The treehopper is a common insect group known for its bright colors and ostentatious flair.

Indian Policy

Delimitation Commission: Delimitation Commission or Boundary Commission is set up by the Government of India under the rules of the Constitution. It has been constituted 4 times in India. For the first time in 1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952. For the second time in 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962. For the third time in 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972 and for the forth time in 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002. Delimitation Commission is an independent commission that sets the size, boundary of Constituencies in India. It is a high power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court. The main function of the commission is redrawing the boundaries of the various assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies based on a recent census. The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India. At present it was appointed by the current President of India Ram Nath Kovind.

Recently, the Central Government, under the section 3 of the Delimitation Act, 2002, has set up a Delimitation Commission. It is formed under the former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai. It has been constituted to set up the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh(AP), Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

The Delimitation for Jammu and Kashmir is to be carried out according to Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, while for the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh(AP), Assam, Manipur and Nagaland will delimit the constituencies in accordance with the provisions of the Delimitation Act, 2002.

GoI: It refers to the Government of India. GoI has planned to create a total of 75 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) by 2022 to enable more women to get livelihood. This was announced by the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar on the 8 March 2020. The announcement was made by him while addressing a programme on Women's Empowerment to mark International Women's Day in New Delhi. The main focus of the Ministry is towards women’s liberation. Under this programme the GoI is not only supporting women and rural population but also providing them with platforms like the Government e-Marketplace for fetching better prices for their products. The funds will be provided by the Government.

Women's Self Help Groups (SHGs): The SHGs are the backbone of poverty alleviation programmes. NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) introduced the concept of Self-Help Groups in 1992 under the guidelines of RBI. There are over 60 lakh SHGs across the country mobilizing more than six crore 73 lakh women. The SHGs not only help to promote Gender Equity, Social Integrity, Financial Inclusion and help raise voice of marginalized section but it also helps to improve efficiency of Government Schemes.

The most successful SHG project is the “Kudumbashree” project which was launched in the state of Kerala 1998.

Kisan Rail Scheme: It is a scheme that was introduced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in the Union Budget 2020-21. The scheme was aimed at setting up a chain to transport highly perishable goods like meat, milk and fish through the public private partnership method. The Kisan Rail includes refrigerated coaches in Express and Freight trains.

Recently, the Union Government formed a committee for the implementation of Kisal Rail. The panel comprises the representatives from the railways and departments of the agriculture ministry. The function of the committee will be to monitor the creation of cold storage supply chain for perishable goods. The perishable goods are to be transported through freight and express trains with refrigerated coaches.

Indian polity

Mineral Law (Amendment) Bill 2020: The Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill 2020 was passed in the Rajya sabha on 12 March 2020 with 83 votes.The bill was earlier passed by the Lok sabha on 6th March, 2020. Parliament passed Bill for amendments in Mines & Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.

The amended Bill seeks to will open a new era in Indian coal & mining sector specially to promote Ease of Doing Business. It will remove end-use restrictions for participating in coal mine auctions and open up the coal sector fully for commercial mining by domestic and global companies. The Bill will not only transform the mining sector in the country boosting coal production and reducing dependence on imports but will also facilitate the implementation of FDI policy in the coal sector..

The Bill replaces the ordinance for amendment of the MMDR Act 1957 and CMSP Act. The ordinance was promulgated on January 11, 2020.

The Ordinance, which was cleared by the cabinet in January, had brought amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (amendment) bill: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was passed by the Parliament on 12 March 2020. The Bill was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha had approved the bill earlier on 6 March 2020.   The Bill replaces an ordinance which was passed in 2019.

The amendments are aimed at streamlining the insolvency resolution process and to protect last-mile funding and boost investment in financially-distressed sectors.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 on December 11, 2019. The bill proposes to make amendments in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

The second amendment bill seeks to amend sections 5(12), 5(15), 7, 11, 14, 16(1), 21(2), 23(1), 29A, 227, 239, 240 in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and insert new section 32A in the code. The IBC Bill came into force in 2016. It has already been amended thrice.

International

WHO: It is an abbreviation for World Health Organization. WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with world public health. It was formed on 7 April 1948. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The current Chief of WHO is Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

 Recently, WHO has officially declared the coronavirus outbreak as GLOBAL PANDEMIC. This was announced after the spread and severity of the outbreak of COVID-19. The new coronavirus has spread to more than 100 countries and led to tens of thousands of cases and is still rising. 

UN chief Antonio Guterres has urged world governments to urgently work towards detecting, isolating and treating COVID-19 cases and tracing COVID-19 patients' contacts so as to protect and train health care workers and prepare hospitals and also to communicate with members of the public about the risks of the disease and how to protect themselves.

Pandemic: Pandemic disease is an epidemic that has spread world wide. It is generally classified as epidemics first, which is the rapid spread of a disease across a particular region or regions. COVID-19 began as an epidemic in China, before making its way around the world in a matter of months and becoming a pandemic. 

UNSC: It refers to United Nations Security Council. UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members, and each Member has one vote. Under the Charter of the United Nations, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions. It is headquartered in New York, United States. It was founded on 24 October 1945.

Recently, UNCS unanimously approved a United States' resolution on the recent peace agreement to bring lasting peace in war-torn Afghanistan. The agreement deal was signed between the United States and the Taliban February 29, 2020 in Doha, Qatar.   As a part of the agreement the US military has begun withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. The complete withdrawal by US will be done only after Taliban sticks to its part of the deal.

The UNSC resolution had urged the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to advance the peace process by participating in intra-Afghan negotiations through a diverse and inclusive negotiating team composed of Afghan political and civil society leaders, including women.

Afghanistan: Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country in Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south; Iran to the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north; and China to the northeast. Its Capital is Kabul and the currency used here is Afghan afghani. The President of Afghanistan is Ashraf Ghani.

Recently, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in as the Afghanistan President for the secont term. He was sworn in as the President of Afghanistan at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Kabul on Monday afternoon.  Ghani was declared as the winner of the election held in September 2019.

Meanwhile his rival Abdullah Abdullah, who disputed the vote, held a parallel ceremony surrounded by hundreds of supporters.

Ukraine: It is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the north-east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west; and Romania, Moldova, and the Black Sea to the south. The Capital of Ukraine is Kyiv. The currency used here is Ukrainian hryvnia. The current President of Ukraine is Volodymyr Zelensky.

Recently, the Parliament of Ukraine approved Denys Shmygal as a new prime minister of the country. Shmygal succeeds Oleksiy Honcharuk who resigned after he was caught criticizing the President. 44 year old Denys Shmygal is the nominee of Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine. He was earlier serving as the Deputy prime minister in charge of regional development.

National

ECA: It refers to the Essential Commodities Act. The ECA was enacted in 1955. It was enacted to to ensure the delivery of certain commodities or products, the supply of which if obstructed owing to hoarding or black-marketing would affect the normal life of the people. This includes foodstuff, drugs, fuel etc. It has since been used by the Government to regulate the production, supply and distribution of a whole host of commodities it declares ‘essential’ in order to make them available to consumers at fair prices. The Government of India (GoI) has the right to fix the maximum retail price (MRP) of any packaged product that it declares an “essential commodity”.

Recently, GoI has brought hand sanitizers and masks under Essential Commodities Act till 30 June 2020. The government has notified an order to declare masks and hand sanitizers as essential commodities by amending the Schedule of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. This step was taken in view of the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19. The government has also issued an advisory under the Legal Metrology Act. Under this Act the states can ensure the sale of both the items at MRP.

The move is aimed at supplying and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check the spread of corona virus disease.

Epidemic Disease Act, 1897: The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 is a law which was first enacted to tackle bubonic plague in Bombay state in former British India.

The Act has been routinely used to contain various diseases in India such as cholera, malaria, dengue and swine flu. This Act was enforced in 2018 as cholera had begun to spread in a region of Gujarat then in 2015; it was used to deal with dengue and malaria in Chandigarh and in 2009 in Pune to combat swine flu.

Recently, the Government of India invoked the Section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act 1987. The Cabinet Secretary of India has taken this action following the 2019–20 coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic. Section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act makes it mandatory for all states to follow the directives of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As per the Union Health Ministry the total number of the persons affected has reached up to 73.

Union Cabinet: The Union Council of Ministers exercises executive authority in the Republic of India. It consists of senior ministers, called 'cabinet ministers', junior ministers called 'ministers of state' and, rarely, deputy ministers. It is led by the Prime Minister. A smaller executive body called the Union Cabinet is the supreme decision-making body in India. The prime minister and ministers of the rank of cabinet minister can only be the members of the Union Cabinet in accordance with Article 75.

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal for the construction of 780 kilometer of National Highway Corridor project. The project involves an investment of 7,660 crore rupees in partnership with the World Bank. The announcement was made by the Union Minister Prakash Javadekar.

The main aim of the project is to rehabilitate and upgrade various National Highways in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Besides redevelopment and up-gradation, environment-friendly and sustainable steps would be taken to build the highway.

Women Transforming India Awards: It is an annual award instituted by the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog. It was instituted in 2016 to recognize and celebrate stories of exceptional women change makers.  The Women Transforming India (WTI) recognizes the inspiring stories of women entrepreneurs who are breaking the glass ceiling. The current CEO of NITI Aayog is Amitabh Kant.

 

Recently, the 4th Edition of the Women Transforming India Awards 2019 was organized on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The award ceremony was organized by NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship Platform. The WTI awards was conferred by the Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh to the exceptional women change makers from across India. The theme for the year is "Women and Entrepreneurship. The Women Entrepreneurship Platform was formulated on three pillars, namely Karma Shakti, Iccha Shakti and Gyan Shakti. 

 

15 winners from among the chosen 30 finalists were awarded. The awards recognized women from diverse fields, including healthcare, education, and food tech, amongst other fields. The winners of the award are : 

Co-founder of Vaayu Home Appliance Dr. Priyanka Mokshmar; Founder of Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA) Ramya Venkataraman; Founder of BarrierBreak Shilpi Kapoor; Founder of Thinking Forks Rinka Banerjee; Founder of Hand in Hand Kalpana Sankar; Founder of ImpactGuru Khushboo Jain; Founder of Kutuki Sneha Sundaram; Founder of CSO Jugnu Jain; Founder of NemoCare Pratyusha Pareddy; Founder of Daily Dump Poonam Bir Kasturi; Founder of Spookfish Innovations Anupriya Balikai; Founder of Taru Naturals Ruchi Jain; Founder of 17000 ft Foundation Sujata Sahu; Nidhi Pant, who combats the issue around waste and farmer living standard through her Science for Society team and Jayanti Pradhan, an agro-processor and farmer from Odisha. A special jury award was awarded to the Founder Trustee of Salaam Baalak Trust Dr. Praveen Nair.

People In News

Dr. V Praveen Rao: He is the Vice-Chancellor of Telangana State Agricultural University. He has handled thirteen research and six consultancy projects on micro-irrigation in India, South Africa and Israel.

He has been awarded the 7th M. S. Swaminathan Award for the 2017-19 year. He received the prestigious Award for his contributions in the fields of Agricultural Research, Teaching, Extension, and Administration. The award will be conferred on him in June 2020.

MS Swaminathan award: It is a national award. It was constituted by Retired ICAR Employees Association (RICAREA) and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited (NSL). The award carries a prize of Rs 2, 00,000 and a citation.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh: He was the leader of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent for nearly 40 years (1801-1839). He was born on the 13th of November 1780, in Gujranwala, Pakistan. He lost sight in his left eye due to smallpox in his infancy. He fought his first battle alongside his father at age 10. He is known as the ‘Lion of Punjab’ and is counted among the greatest Sikh leaders. Ranjit Singh not only kept Punjab united but also did not allow the British to capture his empire. He is credited for establishing a modern empire when the region was torn with wars between afghan tribes due to the decline of the Mughal Empire. He prohibited Jiziya from the Hindus and Sikhs and never forced Sikhism on anyone. He was known as a secular leader in world history. He died on 27 June 1839 in Lahore, Pakistan. He is also known for restoring Sikh gurudwaras, including Golden Temple in Amritsar, as well as creating an atmosphere of religious tolerance for all communities.

Recently, in a poll conducted by BBC World Histories magazine, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was voted the greatest leader in world history by 38% of the more than 5,000 readers of the magazine. He has been nominated by historian Matthew Lockwood who is an assistant professor of history at the University of Alabama for establishing "modern empire of toleration". Maharaja Ranjit Singh was described as a modernizing and uniting force, whose reign "marked a golden age for Punjab and northwest India".

The second place went to African independence fighter Amílcar Cabral who is credited with uniting over a million Guineans to free themselves from Portuguese occupation. He is also credited for inspiring many other colonized African countries to rise and fight for independence. The third place went to the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill for his contributions to Britain during world war while the American president Abraham Lincoln was voted fourth.

Bill Gates: He is an American business magnate, software developer, investor, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Microsoft. He made the company one of the world's most valuable technology firms.  He along with his wife Melinda run one of the world's largest charities, the Gates Foundation, which has billions in assets and funds global health programmes to combat disease and poverty.

Recently, Bill Gates stepped down from the board on Friday to focus on philanthropic works related to global health, education and climate change. He quit his full-time executive role at Microsoft in 2008. He remained as chairman of the board till 2014 and since then he has been a board member.

Places In News

Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh is situated in the south-eastern part of India.  It came into existence in its present form in 1956 as a result of the demand of the Andhras for a separate state. Its Capital is Amaravati. The current Governor and the Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh is Biswabhusan Harichandan and Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy respectively.

 

As per the recent report shared by NITI Aayog, the State of Andhra Pradesh has ranked 1st in the country for overall implementation of Poshan (Prime Minister’s Overreaching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyan. As part of the programme the State has trained all Angan Wadi Workers on modules created based on lifecycle approach, i.e. first 1000 days of life, with the support of incremental learning Approach (ILA).

Poshan Abhiyan: Poshan Abhiyan which was earlier known as National Nutrition Mission is implemented by the the Government of India since 18th December 2017 to address the problem of malnutrition in the country. The aim of this initiative is reduce malnutrition in the country in a phased manner, through a life cycle approach, by adopting a synergized and result oriented approach. 

The main objective of Poshan Abhiyan is to achieve improvement in the nutritional status of children from 0-6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers in a time-bound manner.

Gujarat: Gujarat: Gujarat is a state on the western coast of India most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. The state is bordered by Rajasthan to the northeast, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the south, Maharashtra to the southeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and the Arabian Sea and the Pakistani province of Sindh to the west. Its capital city is Gandhinagar. The Governor and Chief Minister of Gujarat are Acharya Devvrat and Vijay Rupani respectively.

Recently, Gujarat ranked first in the installation of rooftop solar projects with an installed capacity of 261.97 megawatts. This was announced by the Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power R K Singh.

At Present, the total rooftop solar installation in India stands at 1,700.54 MW. Gujarat is followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu with 198.52 MW and 151.62 MW respectively. Under the solar rooftop scheme “Surya Gujarat” the State government seeks to cover about 8 lakh domestic electricity consumers by 2022.

Solar rooftop: It is a rooftop photovoltaic power station, or rooftop PV system. it is a photovoltaic system that has its electricity-generating solar panels mounted on the rooftop of a residential or commercial building or structure. The panels capture the light energy emitted by the sun and convert it into electrical energy. It is Eco-friendly and it does not pollute the air.

Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh is a state in northern India. It was created on 1 April 1937 as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh during British rule, and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950. Its Capital city is Lucknow. The current Chief Minister and the Governor of Uttar Pradesh are Yogi Adityanath and Anandiben Patel respectively.

Recently, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath launched 3-schemes in Lucknow for Skill Development and Employment Generation for the young generation of the state in Lucknow. The schemes are Kaushal Satrang Scheme, Yuva Hub Scheme and Apprenticeship Scheme. The main aim of these three schemes is generating employment and self-employment opportunities for the youth of the Uttar Pradesh state. The Uttar Pradesh Government also announced to depute ”Arogya Mitras” at all primary health centres to inform people about govt health schemes.

Kaushal Satrang Scheme: This scheme will have seven components which will provide opportunities to the youth.

Yuva Hub Scheme: This scheme not only aims at providing employment to thousands of skilled youth by assisting in project concept and financial help for one year of operation but also facilitate setting up of 30,000 startups.

Apprenticeship Scheme: This scheme seeks to provide stipend of Rs 2500 to the youth of state

Telangana: It is a state in India situated on the centre-south stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It was founded on 2 June 2014. Its Capital city is Hyderabad. The current Governor and Chief Minister of Telangana are Tamilisai Soundararajan and K. Chandrashekar Rao respectively.

Recently, a dedicated monitoring cell was inaugurated under Mission Bhagiratha in Bhongir Circle in Telangana. It was inaugurated by the Superintending Engineer of Mission Bhagiratha.

The main objective of the cell is to invite grievances and issues of supply of drinking water. It aims to get prepared to address water scarcity of summer and to record complaints and redress them without any delays.

Mission Bhagiratha: It is a project that wass implemented in 1998 by Chief Minister Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao. It is a safe drinking water project. It aims to provide drinking water to every village and city household. It will supply clean drinking water from the rivers of Godavari and Krishna. The mission is named after the great king Baghiratha who brought the holy river Ganga to the earth.

Science and Technology

NASA: It is an abbreviation for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is headquartered in Washington D.C., United States. The current Administrator of NASA is Jim Bridenstine.

Recently, NASA named the 5th Mars (red planet) rover as Perseverance. Earlier, the project has been known only by its code name - Mars 2020.  The name was announced by the director of science, Thomas Zurbuchen at an event in Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia. The name "Perseverance" was suggested by a 7th standard Student Alexander Mather from Virginia. His name was chosen out of 28,000 entries that participated in NASA's naming competition.  

Perseverance: Perseverance is a Mars rover manufactured by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for use in NASA's Mars 2020 mission. The Perseverance rover has a new, more capable wheel design, among other improvements. It is used to collect the samples from the Martian rocks which help the scientists to determine about the ancient microbial life that existed in red planet. It is the fifth exploratory vehicle which will begin the process of trying to bring rocks back to Earth for study. The other four Mars rover are Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity.

TIH: It refers to Technology Innovation Hub. As a part of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), the Department of Science and Technology (DST) sanctioned a sum of Rs 7.25 crore to IIT Mandi, to establish a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH). TIH will be established at the institute in Himachal Pradesh.

The main focus of TIH will be on human-computer interaction (HCI) research. The projects will highlight designing and developing computer technology (interfaces), and study the interaction between humans (users) and entrepreneurship. It will also collaborate with other leading institutes. The function of TIH is to develop tools, education material, hands-on experiments with specialized tool kits, connecting with existing innovation ecosystems.

It will not only inter-link with different stakeholders but also connect with other initiatives of the Government of India. It seeks to provide an innovation platform for schools, colleges and advanced technical training institutes in the targeted areas.

TIFAC: It refers to Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council. The TIFAC is an autonomous body under ministry and it functions under the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology. It was founded in 1988. Its function is to foresee the technological innovation in select technology areas that are of national importance.

Recently, TIFAC launched the Vigyan Jyoti scheme. The scheme was launched on International Women's Day. The main aim of the scheme is to encourage women to pursue science.

Vigyan Jyoti: It was launched by the President of India Ram Nath kovind. It is an initiative to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education among girls.

Under the scheme, selected women from more than 500 districts will be given opportunities to attend science camps at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), NITs, and other leading institutions of science and technology education where women are not adequately represented.

Sports

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020: Defending champions Australia defeated India to win the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020. The final took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on International Women's Day. Australia beat India by 85 runs, to win their fifth title.

The seventh edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup tournament was held in Australia from 21 February to 8 March 2020. Beth Mooney was named the Player of the Tournament while Alyssa Healy has been adjudged the Player of the Match.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 was the seventh edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup tournament. The tournament featured 10 teams which are India, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand.

Kieron Pollard: He is a West Indies skipper. Pollard is a medium-pace bowler and big-hitting batsman in the middle-order. He has become the first player in the history of T20 (Twenty20) cricket to play 500 T20s matches. He made this record while playing against Sri Lanka for the first T20I in Pallekele, Srilanka. The second in the list is Dwayne Bravo with 453 matches and Chris Gayle is at the third spot in the list with 404 T20 matches.

Bhawna Dehariya: She is 27-year-old Indian mountaineer from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. She has successfully scaled the Australia highest peak 'Mount Kosciuszko'. Its height is 2,228 meters (7,310 ft) above sea level. The mountaineer had scaled Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro in 2019.  The height of Mount Everest is 8,848 m (29,029 ft) above sea level and the height of Mount Kilimanjaro is 5,895 meters (19,341 ft) above sea level.

Mohun Bagan: Mohan Bagan is an Athletic Club and is one of the oldest clubs in India & Asia. It was established on 15th August 1889 by Bhupendra Nath Bose in West Bengal, India. It created history in 1911 by becoming the first Indian team to win IFA Shield, an event that has been closely linked with Indian nationalism.

Recently, Mohun Bagan clinched the 2019-20 Hero I-League Championship title by defeating Aizawl FC by 1-0. The final match was held at Kalyani, West Bengal. The top goal scorer in this tournament was Dipanda Dicka who played for the Punjab football team in the I-League. This is the Kolkata giants' second I-League title in five years. 

2019-20 Hero I-League Championship was the 13th edition of the football championship.

Snooker: 34 year old Indian snooker player Pankaj Advani won the 34th National 6-Red Snooker Championship title. Pankaj defeated Ishpreet Singh by 7-3 in the finals to claim the title while Amee Kamani defeated Vidya Pillai by 4-2 to win the women's title.

6-Red Snooker Championship: The Six-red World Championship is a six-red snooker tournament. It is played with the six colour balls and six reds. The maximum break/ points in the six-red snooker are 75. Stephen Maguire is the reigning champion.

Arts

Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize: The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize was founded in 2018 by a US-based publisher Bundalo. The prize was founded as a platform for world peace, literature, art, education and human rights. The prizes promote the culture and beauty of literature just as Rabindranath Tagore had taught us to, but also, the culture and society of tolerance, harmony and non-discrimination. The award also recognizes works towards human rights and world peace with the Social Achievement Prize.

Recently, Indian journalist-author Raj Kamal Jha won the 3rd Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for his novel, “The City and The Sea”. The winner was announced online in Copenhagen, Denmark due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The honour comes with a cash prize of $5,000.

The novel 'The City and The Sea' by Jha is based on the December 2012 Nirbhaya rape and murder case. It was chosen from 10 shortlisted books including Ranjit Hoskote’s Jonahwhale, Nirmala Govindarajan’s Taboo and Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island as the winner.

The social achievement prize had two winners this year.The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for Social Achievement 2020 was conferred to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, the late Sultan of Oman and The People of Oman and renowned Indian choreographer Sandip Soparrkar for his contribution to the betterment of society through his initiative Dance for a Cause.

Note: In 2019, the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize in literature was awarded to Rana Dasgupta for the literary novel “Solo’’.

Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 for Social Achievement was awarded to Yohei Sasakawa, for his incredible efforts to uproot leprosy and his great contribution to world peace, and to Madame President of Taiwan, Ms. Tsai Ing-Wen and Taiwanese people, as being a Beacon of Democracy, Human Rights and Freedom.

Rabindranath Tagore: Rabindranath Tagore (Bengali Rabindranath Ṭhakur) was born on May 7, 1861, in Calcutta (now Kolkata). He was a Bengali poet, writer, composer, philosopher, song composer, playwright, essayist, and painter. He reshaped Bengali literature and music, as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He introduced new prose and verse forms and the use of colloquial language into Bengali literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit. In 1913 he became the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. He is sometimes referred to as the Bard of Bengal. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla. The Sri Lankan national anthem was also inspired by his work.

World Heritage site: A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These sites are designated as world heritage sites by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, and scientific or other form of significance.

Recently, UNESCO included Orchha and Gwalior of Madhya Pradesh in the list of World Heritage City by UNESCO. Both the cities have been included by UNESCO as a part of an urban planning project. The authorities will further by working with Madhya Pradesh Tourism to develop both the cities.

Orchha: Orchha is a town in Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is located in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. The town was established by Rudra Pratap Singh some time after 1501.The word Orchha means 'hidden palace'. It is popular for its temples and palaces. It was the 16th century capital of the erstwhile Bundela dynasty.

Orchha is famous for its Ramaraja Mandir, Rai Praveen Mahal, Orchha Raj Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, Laxminarayan Mandir and many other famous temples. The palaces are famous for a unique confluence of Rajput and Mughal architectural influences.

Gwalior: Gwalior is a city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The city was established in the 9th century. It was ruled by Gurjar Pratihar Rajvansh, Tomar, Baghel Kachvaho and Scindias. It is known for its palaces and temples, including the Sas Bahu Ka Mandir intricately carved Hindu temple. The Gwalior Fort occupies a sandstone plateau overlooking the city and is accessed via a winding road lined with sacred Jain statues. Within the forts high walls is the 15th-century Gujari Mahal Palace which is now an archaeological museum.

The ancient signs left by them will be found in the form of monuments, forts, palaces.

Note: Prior to Indian independence on 15 August 1947, Gwalior remained a princely state of the British Raj with the Scindia as the local rulers.

Hanukkah Festival: Hanukkah or Chanukah is also called Feast of Dedication, Festival of Lights, or Feast of the Maccabees. It is a Jewish which is celebrated to commemorate the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire.  It is a festival that begins on Kislev 25 (in December, according to the Gregorian calendar) and is celebrated for eight days.

The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a menorah (or hanukkiah). One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight candles. This unique candle is called the shamash. Each night, one additional candle is lit by the shamash until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the festival.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted the people of Israel and Jewish people all over the world on Hannukkah festival. It is being celebrated from Friday, December 11 to Friday, December 18 in 2020.

Economics

AEPC: It is the full form of AYUSH Export Promotion Council.The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of AYUSH have decided to set up an AEPC to boost AYUSH exports. This decision was taken recently in a joint review of AYUSH trade and Industry by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Shri Shripad Naik, Minister of AYUSH.

The two ministries came up with the action points to boost exports. They are as follows:

1. Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of AYUSH will work together for establishing an AEPC.
2. The proposed AEPC can be housed at Ministry of AYUSH.
3. Expediting standardisation of harmonized system (HS) code for AYUSH.
4. AYUSH ministry will collaborate with the Bureau of Indian standards to develop international standards for AYUSH products and services.
5. AYUSH ministry and industry will identify best practices and success stories and promote them.
6. AYUSH sector will work on ensuring quality and standards of AYUSH products as well as price-competitiveness.
7. AYUSH will figure in the Brand India activities.

PNGRB: It refers to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board. The PNGRB recently notified a new tariff structure for 14 natural gas pipelines. As per the notification, the purpose is to reduce the cost of natural gas for users who are away from the gas and LNG receiving terminals on the west coast of the country.

Under the new unified tariff structure, buyers will be charged a fixed tariff for the transport of gas within 300 kms of a source and a fixed tariff for the transport of gas beyond 300 kms on a single pipeline network.

This would be much cheaper for buyers who are further away from the source of gas than what they were earlier charged on the basis of the number of pipelines used and the distance from the source of gas.

Therefore, buyers who use multiple channels in GAIL’s networks would benefit a lot from this change.

In addition, changes in tariffs are likely to stimulate greater investment in natural gas transmission infrastructure, as natural gas prices are becoming increasingly affordable for users far from the west coast of the country.

The main goal of the Government of India (GoI) is to increase the consumption of natural gas to 15% of the current level by 2030. The current consumption of natural gas accounts for 6.2% of India's energy consumption.

LenS-The Lending Solution: It is a tech-based loan management solution named ‘LenS-The Lending Solution’. The Punjab National Bank (PNB) recently launched ‘LenS-The Lending Solution’, to speed up and maintain accuracy in online loan processing and sanctioning of credit proposals.

This system will be implemented in a phased manner for all kinds of loans including MSME, agriculture, retail and other credit.

 The main objectives of launching PNB LenS-The Lending Solution are as follows:

1. To standardize the system, process and appraisal formats for loan processing
2. To speed up the process of credit sanctions
3. To auto-generate loan documents, among others.
4. To reduce delay, cost and human errors involved in manual processing, digital record maintenance, security & data privacy.
5. Ready to use monitoring and MIS reports for better tracking and transparency.

Under the Mudra scheme, the LenS system will be now used for processing and sanction of credit proposals up to Rs 10 lakh including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSME) loans (fresh, renewal, enhancement and review) will be done by LenS.

PNB: Punjab National Bank, abbreviated as PNB, is an Indian public sector bank headquartered in New Delhi, India. The bank was founded in 1894 and is the second largest public sector bank in India, both in terms of business and its network. PNB became the first Swadeshi bank with effect from 1 April 2020. The bank was merged with Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of Insia (UNI).The current CEO of PNB is S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao.

Defence

Armed Forces Flag Day: The Armed Forces Flag Day is also known as the Flag Day of India. The day is observed annually on December 7 since 1949 as an honour to the soldiers, sailors and airmen of India who fought on the borders to keep the country safe.

The Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy are the three branches of the Indian Armed forces. These armed forces are remembered on this day.

The ‘Armed forces Flag Day Fund’ (AFFDF) has been constituted by the Government of India (GoI) for the welfare and rehabilitation of the Ex-Servicemen (ESM) community.

The main idea to observe this day was to distribute flags to people and collect funds from them. People across the country distribute small flags and car flags in red, deep blue and light blue colours representing the three Services in return for funds. The fund collected is therefore used for the welfare of serving personnel and ex-servicemen and also to rehabilitate battle causalities.

Indian Navy Submarine Day 2020: The day is observed on the 8th of December every year by the Indian Navy. It is on this day in the year 1967 that the Indian Naval Ensign was unfurled on INS Kalvari, the first submarine to be inducted in the Indian Navy, at Riga in Latvia, the erstwhile USSR, in 1967. Kalvari is the Malayalam name for Tiger Shark, a predator in the Indian Ocean.

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kalavari, a Foxtrot class submarine was decommissioned on the 31st May, 1996, after 29 years of service. INS Kalvari was a diesel-electric submarine of the Foxtrot Class from the erstwhile USSR.

Recently, the Indian Navy celebrated the 53rd Submarine Day on the 8th December 2020. This year also marks the commencement of the 50th year of INS Virbahu. INS Virbahu means the ' The Heroic Arm' which is regarded as the 'Home of the Dolphins.' It was commissioned in May 1971. It provided the operational, logistic and administrative support to the submarines at Vishakhapatnam.

Note: Several submarines in Kalvari Class, named after the very first submarine inducted into service are being inducted by the Indian Navy.

INS Kalvari, a diesel-electric submarine of Scorpene-class, was inducted into service in 2017 after having being built at the Mazagon dock in Mumbai. It has been designed by French company DCNS.

INS Khanderi is the other submarine of Kalvari class currently in service. The other submarines slated to join service under this class are Karanj, Vela, Vaghir and Vaghsheer.

The deployment of the INS Arihant has been one of the key highlights for the Navy this year. It has led to the expansion of India’s nuclear capabilities.

Environment

CZA: It refers to the Central Zoo Authority. CZA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It was constituted in 1992 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The main objective of the authority is to complement and strengthen the national effort in the conservation of rich biodiversity. It functions involves tasks such as recognition of the zoos, evaluation of the zoos, coordination in the planned conservation breeding programme for endangered species in Indian zoos. The authority lays down guidelines and prescribes rules under which animals may be transferred among zoos nationally and internationally.

Recently, the 37th General Body meeting of CZA chaired by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Prakash Javadekar granted recognition to two new zoos. The 2 new zoos are the Rajgir Zoo Safari in Nalanda, Bihar and Shaheed Ashfaque Ullah Khan Prani Udyaan in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Rajgir Zoo Safari: The zoo is located close to the historically important Nalanda, Bihar. It is expected to have a high footfall. The zoo is established exclusively comprising on only safari enclosures which, on contrary to conventional enclosure, offer larger space for captive animals.

Shaheed Ashfaque Ullah Khan Prani Udyaan: The zoo is situated in the spiritual land of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. It has a high visitation. With the establishment of this zoo, the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has a total of 9 zoos. It seeks to be the second biggest zoo in UP after Kanpur Zoological Park.

2020 King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), recently won the prestigious International King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award for 2020. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has recently been the prestigious International King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award by the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). ICAR bagged this prestigious global award for its commitment to raising awareness of the importance of healthy soils at the World Soil Day celebration in 2019, which addressed soil erosion under the motto “Stop soil erosion, save our future”.

Soil Health Awareness Week programme was organized by Bhopal-based Indian Institute of Soil Science, an autonomous institute for higher learning, established under the umbrella of ICAR during 1st to 7th December in 2019.

The award which is presented annually by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) made the announcement to this effect in a virtual function on the World Soil Day (5th December 2020).

ICAR India will officially receive the award by Her Royal Highness, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand, during an event which will take place in Bangkok in January 2021.

The King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award was launched in 2018, to acknowledge individuals or institutions that raise public awareness of soils by organising successful and influential World Soil Day celebrations. The award is sponsored by the Kingdom of Thailand.

FAO: It refers to the Food and Agriculture Organization. FAO was established on 16 October 1945. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy. The current head of FAO is Qu Dongyu.

ICAR: The full form of ICAR is Indian Council of Agricultural Research. ICAR was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture. It is an autonomous body responsible for the coordination, guidance and management of agricultural research and education in India. It oversees one of the largest networks of agricultural research and education institutes in the world, covering the whole country in the fields of horticulture, soil science, fisheries and animal sciences among others. It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture. The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president. The current President of ICAR is Narendra Singh Tomar.

Feminization of Red Sea Turtles: In a recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Saudi Arabia King Abdullah University of Science and Technology found out that the turtle population in Red Sea is turning female due to rise in sea temperature. The Red Sea is home to five out of seven species of sea turtles.

The researchers selected five sites across the regions that were favoured by hawksbill and green turtles. They collected Sand temperature data at the nest depths of both species by automated data loggers every 15 minutes for five months.

According to the researchers, in order to maintain 50:50 ratio of males and females population, temperature of 29.2 degrees Celsius is required and if the temperature is above 29.2 degrees then the turtle hatchlings will predominantly be female. The researchers during the study found that the temperature at 4 out of the selected 5 sites exceeded 29.2 degrees Celsius.

The study was published in Conservation Science and Practice.

Note: A turtle will be male if the egg develops below 81.86 Fahrenheit temperature and a turtle will be female if the temperature rises above 87.80 Fahrenheit. Fluctuating temperature produces a mix of male and female baby turtles.This phenomenon is known as temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD).

Classification of Turtles by ICUN:

1. Green Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Turtle and Hawksbill turtle have been classified as “Critically endangered”. According to IUCN, 80% of these turtles were lost in the last 10 years.
2. The Loggerhead, Green Sea Turtles and also the Leatherback Turtle in Northwest Atlantic are classified as “Endangered”.
3. Leatherback Turtles and Oliver Ridley Turtles have been classified as “Vulnerable”.

Turtle Concervation in India: In India, the Hawksbill turtles and Green Turtle are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Turtles are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation and Ganga Rejuvenation programme also. India has five species of turtles. They are Leatherback, Green Turtle, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley and Loggerhead.

World Turtle Day: The day is celebrated every year on the 23rd of May globally. World Turtle Day, 2020, was celebrated under the theme “Adopt, Don’t Shop”.

Mount Everest: Mount Everest is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. It lies on the border between Nepal and the Tibet. In the nineteenth century, the mountain was named after George Everest, a former Surveyor General of India. Mount Everest is called Sagarmatha in Sanskrit and Nepali, Chomolungma, which means “Mother Goddess of the World,” in Tibetan and Zhumulangma Feng or (Wade-Giles romanization) Chu-mu-lang-ma Feng, also spelled Qomolangma Feng in Chinese (Pinyin).

Recently, the Nepalese and Chinese authorities jointly certified the elevation of Mount Everest at 8,848.86 metres above sea level — 86 cm higher than what was recognized since 1954. In feet, the new elevation is about 29,031 ft, or about 3 ft higher than Nepal’s previous claim.

In 1954, height of Mount Everest was established by Indian survey at 8848m which is the widely accepted in all references worldwide. This was determined by using instruments like theodolites and chains, with GPS still decades away.

The revised height of Mt Everest has put an end to the decades-long dispute between the two neighbours on the height of the world's tallest mountain that straddles their shared border.

The need for the measurement was important as the devastating earthquake of April 2015 triggered a debate among scientists on whether it had affected the height of the mountain.

Note: The previous height i.e. 8,848 metres of Mount Everest was determined a year after Nepal’s Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand’s Edmund Hillary made the first official climb to the summit.

Eco-ducts: The Ramnagar Forest Division in Nainital district, Uttarakhand has recently built its first eco-bridge for reptiles and smaller mammals. The one of its kind bridge has been constructed without using any iron or cement and it is made of eco-friendly items such as rope, bamboo, and grass. It has been built to save reptiles and other small animals from vehicular accidents while crossing the road.

About Eco-ducts: Eco-ducts or eco-bridges or the eco conduct is an overpass that allows easy crossing of animals across human-made barriers. The eco-bridges are constructed with an aim to enhance the wildlife connectivity that can be disrupted because of the construction of Highways or logging.

There are different forms of eco-bridges that are beneficial for the conservation of wildlife. They are as follows:

1. Canopy Bridges are built usually for squirrels, monkeys, and other arboreal species.
2. Concrete underpasses or viaducts or overpass tunnels are built for the conservation of the larger animals.
3. Amphibian tunnels or culverts are built for the conservation of the smaller mammals.

These bridges are usually overlaid with planting from the area to give a contiguous look with the landscape.

Need: A 2020 study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) noted that nearly 50,000 km of road projects have been identified for construction over the next 5 to 6 years and many highways are being upgraded to four lanes. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has identified 3 major sites that were cutting across animal corridors. These including National Highway 37 through the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape in Assam, and State Highway 33 through the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka.

As, eco-bridges play a very important role in maintaining connections between animal and plant populations as they would be at greater risk of local extinction. Hence, it is essential to build these animal pathways to prevent from disrupting their natural co-habitation.

NTCA: It stands for the National Tiger Conservation Authority. NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act.

International Mountain Day: The day is celebrated by United Nations and several other international organizations every year on the 11th of December. The day aims to raise awareness about conserving the mountains.

It is important to conserve mountains as they cover 27% of the earth’s landmass. They are home to 15% of world population. They also host more than half of world biodiversity hotspots. In addition, mountains provide freshwater to half of the world’s population across the globe. Mountains play an important role by providing food resources. Six of the world’s most important food crops grow in the mountains.

The theme of International Mountain Day 2020 is "Mountain biodiversity". This year's theme focuses on the rich biodiversity of mountains and the threats they face.

The first international day was celebrated for the first time in 2003.

In 1992, the UN held the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). As part of the CSD, the UN adopted a document called “Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development.” Due to the emphasis on the importance of mountains, the UN declared 2002 the UN International Year of Mountains. In 2003, the United Nations General Assembly designated December 11th as International Mountain Day. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is responsible for leading the observance of this day. Conserving mountains is a key part of Goal 15 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Note: UN has declared the decade 2021 to 2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This includes mountain ecosystem as well. As per the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the Governments have to prepare post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to be adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. These measures will help to conserve mountains.

Indian Policy

VISVAS: It stands for Vanchit Ikai Samooh Aur Vargon Ki Aarthik Sahayata. VISAS Yojana Interest subvention Scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is for financial empowerment of economically marginalized OBC/SC SHGs & Individuals.

Recently, the National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) under M/O Social Justice & Empowerment entered in to MoA (Memorandum of Agreement) With Central Bank of India for implementation of VISVAS Yojana.

With the signing the agreement, the Interest subvention to the holders  under VISVAS Yojana will be provided through the Central Bank of India.

Under this scheme, interest subvention will be provided to Self Help Groups with 100% OBC members and OBC individuals who have taken loan for various income generating activities from those Lending Institutions who have signed MoA with NBCFDC.

The scheme will benefit OBC/SC SHGs with loans/borrowings up to Rs.4.00 Lakh and OBC/SC individuals with loan up to Rs.2 Lakh with a quick interest subvention benefit of 5% directly into the standard accounts of borrowing SHGs/beneficiaries.

The period of this scheme is valid for 2020-21 as of now.

Note: VISVAS Yojana was launched in September 2020 by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, GOI to reduce the interest burden on underprivileged sections of SCs and OBCs.

Definition: Interest Subvention means Government paying part of the Interest on loan.

QRMP scheme: The full form of QRMP is ‘Quarterly Return filing & Monthly Payment of Taxes. The QRMP scheme for small taxpayers under the GST system was recenlty launched by the Central Government.

The QRMP scheme which is based on the existing return system with suitable modifications in a bid to give much-needed flexibility to the small and medium enterprises with regards to GST compliance will come into effect from 1st January 2021.

This scheme was approved in principle by the GST Council in its 42nd meeting on October 5, 2020. The GST Council had said that registered person having aggregate turnover up to Rs 5 crore may be allowed to furnish return on quarterly basis along with monthly payment of tax

Under the QRMP scheme, the taxpayers with an aggregate annual turnover of up to Rs 5 crore in the preceding financial year and have filed their October GSTR-3B (sales) return by November 30, 2020, are eligible for this scheme. The notifications for the same were issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

With the launch of the QRMP scheme on December 5, taxpayers up to Rs 5 crore turnover have the option to file their GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B returns quarterly beginning January-March period.

Quarterly GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B can also be filed through an SMS.

Taxpayers can also make GST payments every month, through challan wtih effect from 1st January 2021, either by self-assessment of monthly liability or 35% of net cash liability of previous filed GSTR-3B of the quarter.

Under this, the registered person or a taxpayer will furnish a return for every quarter, under sub-rule (1) of rule 61A of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 and pay the monthly tax under sub-section (7) of section 39 of the same Act.

After the above changes, the act is named as the Central Goods and Services Tax (Thirteenth Amendment) Rules, 2020.

CBIC: It is an acronym for the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. CBIC is the nodal national agency responsible for administering Customs, GST, Central Excise, Service Tax  and Narcotics in India. It comes under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. It was founded on 1 January 1964. The current CBIC is M. Ajit Kumar.

CO-WIN: It is the name of the new digital platform for COVID-19 vaccine delivery.The Government of India (GoI) recently introduced CO-WIN.

GoI will be soon launching a new mobile app too with the same name which will allow people to register for the vaccine.

The CO-WIN app is yet to be available for smartphone users and it is expected that it will be publicly available soon.

The platform will be used for recording vaccine data and will form a database of healthcare workers too.

All COVID-19 related data necessary for the delivery of the vaccine is presently being uploaded on the CO-WIN platform.

The app will have separate modules for administrator, registration, vaccination, beneficiary acknowledgement and reports.

As soon as the people start to register for the app, the platform will upload bulk data on co-morbidity provided by local authorities.

Policy on School Bag 2020:  The Union ministry of education recently announced the 'Policy on School Bag 2020' in line with the New Education Policy 2020.

According to the new "School bag Policy", school bags should not be more than 10% of the body weight of students across classes I to X and there should be no homework till class II.

The 'Policy on School Bag 2020' made 11 recommendations on the weight of the bags, including adequate good quality mid-day meal and potable water to all the students so that they need not carry lunch boxes or water bottles.

• The policy recommends regular monitoring of the weight of bags in schools. They should be light-weight with two padded and adjustable straps that can squarely fit on both shoulders and no wheel brackets should be allowed.
• The policy also recommends that the weight of each textbook may come printed on them by the publishers.
• The Policy even recommends high-quality meals and drinking water to all students so that they don't need to bring a lunch box or water bottle.
• The policy says that there should be no bags in pre-primary.

These recommendations are based on various surveys and studies conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

Indian polity

Sushil Kumar Modi: He is a Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar who has recently been unanimously elected to Rajya Sabha. The By election was necessitated following the death of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founder and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

He is likely to be inducted into the Union Cabinet in the next expansion of the Council of Ministers.

Maharashtra State Election: Maharashtra State Election Commissioner UPS Madan recently announced that elections to 14,234 gram panchayats will be held on the 15th of January. Those gram panchayats whose tenure ends this month, will also be held on the above mentioned date.

• The local body polls will cover 34 districts barring Mumbai city and Mumbai suburban districts.  
• With this, the model code of conduct has come into force.
• The counting of votes will be held on the 18th of January.
• The nominations would be accepted from the 23rd till the 30th of December while scrutiny would be done on 31st of December.
• The last date for withdrawal of nominations is 4th of January.
• The elections to 1,566 gram panchayats that were to be held on March 31st this year were put off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BPF: It refers to the Bodoland People's Front. The BPF has recently won the highest number of seats in the Bodoland Territorial Council polls. There are a total of 40 seats in Bodoland Territorial Council.

However, no party is able to get a majority in the 40 member council. BPF has won 17 seats while UPPL got 12 seats. BJP has won 9 seats. Congress and Independent managed to get 1 seat each.

Jammu and Kashmir: The polling for the fifth phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections recently concluded smoothly. The 5th phase of DDC elections, voting was held in 37 DDC constituencies, 17 from Kashmir division and 20 from Jammu division.

International

International Civil Aviation Day: This day is celebrated globally on the 7th of December every year. It is celebrated to reinforce awareness of the role and importance of international civil aviation organisation (ICAO) in air travel across the globe. This day is commemorated to generate worldwide consciousness about the contribution of international civil aviation to economic as well as social development.

The ICAO is an autonomous UN Body accountable for keeping up the safety standards of international aviation.

After every five years, coinciding with ICAO anniversaries, the ICAO Council establishes a special anniversary theme for International Civil Aviation Day. Between these anniversary years, Council representatives select a single theme for the full four-year intervening period.

The Council has decided that from 2020 until 2023, the theme will be: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.

The first celebration of International Civil Aviation Day was held in the year 1994. It was established in the year 1994 as part of ICAO’s 50th-anniversary activities when delegates from 54 nations gathered in Chicago at the invitation of the United States of America. At this event, the participants concluded and signed the Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known more popularly as the ‘Chicago Convention’.

In 1996, pursuant to an ICAO initiative and with the assistance of the Canadian Government, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/51/33, which officially recognized 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day in the UN system.

Bangladesh: It is a country which is bordered by the Indian states of West Bengal to the west and north, Assam to the north, Meghalaya to the north and northeast, and Tripura and Mizoram to the east. To the southeast, it shares a boundary with Myanmar (Burma). The southern part of Bangladesh opens into the Bay of Bengal. Its Capital is Dhaka. The currency used her is Bangladeshi Taka. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh is Sheikh Hasina.

Recently, Bangladesh signed its first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan. The PTA will allow duty-free access to a range of goods between the two countries and hence boost bilateral trade between them.

The agreement was signed on  6th December 2020 to mark the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. In 1971, Bhutan was the first country in the world to recognise Bangladesh as an independent country.

Under the PTA, 100 Bangladeshi products will get duty free access to Bhutan, while 34 items from Bhutan will get duty free access into Bangladesh. On the basis of discussion between both the countries more items can be added in the list later on.

This is the first PTA signed by Bangladesh with any country in the world since its independence in 1971.

Bangladesh is expected to sign 11 more PTAs and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with countries like Nepal and Indonesia by June 2021.

Bhutan: Bhutan officially known as the Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked country in the Eastern Himalayas in South Asia. It is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and India to the south. Bhutan is geopolitically in South Asia and is the region's second-least-populous nation after Maldives. The Capital of Bhutan is Thimphu. The currency of Bhutan is Bhutanese ngultrum. The current Prime Minister of Bhutan is Lotay Tshering.

Kuwait: Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in Western Asia. It is a small emirate situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, it borders Iraq to the North and Saudi Arabia to the South.

It is situated in a section of one of the driest, least-hospitable deserts on Earth. The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait city. The currency used here is Kuwait Dinar.

Recently, Kuwait Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah re-appointed Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah as prime minister of Kuwait following parliamentary polls in the Gulf Arab state.

Sheikh Sabah's resignation was accepted by the country’s ruler before reassigning him to form the upcoming government.

Sheikh Nawaf who took over the leadership of the Gulf state in September after the death of his brother has also asked Sheikh Sabah to nominate members of a new cabinet. The new cabinet would have to be approved by the Emir.

Sheikh Sabah first assumed the charge as Kuwait's Prime Minister in late 2019, becoming the 8th PM of Kuwait. Prior to that, he had been serving as the foreign minister since 2011.

International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime: This day is observed globally on December 9 every year.

It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2015, to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”). This year marks the 71st anniversary of the Convention.

The main objective of the day is to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims.

UNICEF Day: UNICEF Day is observed on December 11 by the United Nations every year. The day is celebrated on 11th December because United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was created on this day by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

UNICEF was formerly known as United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. UNICEF is a special program of the United Nations (UN) devoted to aiding national efforts to improve the health, nutrition, education, and general welfare of children.

It was created in 1946 as the International Children’s Emergency Fund (ICEF) by the UN Relief Rehabilitation Administration to help children affected by World War II.

It became a permanent part of the United Nations in 1953. It is headquartered in New York, United States. The current head of UNICEF is Henrietta H. Fore.

Note: UNICEF was awarded Nobel Prize for peace in 1965.

APVAX: The full form of APVAX is Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently launched an initiative called, the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX), for its developing member countries.

Under this initiative, the ADB will offer rapid and equitable support to its developing members, who need financing to procure vaccines as well as offer appropriate plans and knowledge to be able to safely, equitably and efficiently manage and deliver the COVID-19 vaccine.

An amount of USD 9 billion has been allotted by the bank for APVAX.

ADB: It refers to the Asian Development Bank. ADB is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966. It is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. It has 68 members including India. It is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia & the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.The current President of ADB is Masatsugu Asakawa.

Romania: Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders with Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, and Moldova to the east and has its opening to the Black Sea. The Capital of Romania is Bucharest. The currency used here is Romanian Leu. The current President of Ramanis is Klaus Iohannis.

Recently, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis appointed the Minister of National Defense, Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca as the interim prime minister of the country.

He was appointed after Prime Minister of Romania Ludovic Orban stepped down from his post on 7th December 2020. His ruling National Liberal Party (PNL) lost in 2020 parliamentary election.

National

India and Luxembourg: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave its approval the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India nd Luxemburg. The MoU was signed between SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) and Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) of Luxembourg.

The MoU seeks to help SEBI enhance its supervisory functions and enable effective enforcement of laws. It is aimed at strengthening cross border cooperation in the area of securities regulations and facilitate mutual assistance.

SEBI: It stands for the Securities and Exchange Board of India. SEBI was established under the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 to regulate the securities markets in India. The objectives of the SEBI are to protect the interest of the investors and to regulate and promote development of securities markets in India.

The main functions of SEBI include registration, regulation and supervision of intermediaries operating in the securities market; promoting and regulating self-regulatory organizations; prohibiting fraudulent and unfair trade practices relating to securities markets; and calling from or furnishing to other authorities, whether in India or abroad, such information as may be necessary for the efficient discharge of its functions.

CSSF: It refers to the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier of Luxembourg. CSSF is a public law entity, with administrative and financial autonomy, established by the law of 23rd December 1998.

It is the competent authority for the prudential supervision of the entire Luxembourg financial centre, except for the insurance sector. The CSSF is also legally responsible for the regulation and supervision of the securities market.

India and Suriname: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave its approval the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Suriname on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.

The bilateral MoU will encourage cooperation between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India and the Ministry of Health of Suriname through joint initiatives and technology development in the health sector. It will strengthen bilateral ties between India and Suriname. It leads towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat by sharing expertise in the public health system, and by promoting mutual research in various relevant areas.

PM-WANI: The full form of PM_WANI is Prime Minister WiFi Access Network Interface. It is the name given to the Public Wi-Fi Access Network Interface. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave its approval on the setting up of Public Wi-Fi networks across the country by the Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOA).

The WiFi will be provided through public data offices (PDOs) for which there will be no license, registration or any other fees. The PDOs will maintain, establish and operate WANI compliant Wi-Fi Access points. These PDOs will deliver broadband services to subscribers.

The PDOA will look after the authorization and accounting of PDOs.

The App Provider will develop an App to register users and discover WANI compliant Wi-Fi hotspots in the nearby area and display the same within the App for accessing the internet service.

The Central Registry which will be maintained by C-Dot will maintain the details of App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs.

The scheme aims to promote the growth of public Wi-Fi networks in India. This, in turn will help in proliferation of broadband internet, employment, empowerment and enhancement of income.  It will also strengthen the Digital India mission. The National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 has set the target of reaching internet to 50 lakh people by 2020 and 1 crore by 2022.

ABRY: It refers to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana. The ABRY was recently approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Cabinet gave its approval to ARBY to boost the employment opportunities in formal sectors.

ABRY will also incentivize creation of new employment opportunities under Atmanirbhar Bharat Package 3.0.  Around 22,810 crores of rupees have been allocated for the scheme.

The scheme is to be implemented between 202-23.

Universal Service Obligation Fund Scheme: It is a scheme to provide mobile coverage in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. This scheme was recently approved by the Union Cabinet under the Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for North Eastern Region.

This project will provide mobile coverage to 2374 uncovered villages at an estimated cost of implementation about two thousand 29 crore rupees including operational expenses for 5 years.

Optic Fibre Connectivity: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave its approval for the provision of Submarine Optical Fibre Cable connectivity between Kochi located in the Indian mainland and the Lakshadweep islands. The estimated cost of implementation of the project is Rs 1072 crores.

The project entails provision of a direct communication link through a dedicated submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) between Kochi and 11 islands of Lakshadweep. They are Agati, Amini, Androth, Bangaram, Bitra, Chetlat, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Kiltan, Kadmat and Minicoy.

The submarine connectivity project will have an essential role in the delivery of e-governance services at the doorstep of citizens, coconut-based industries, potential development of fisheries and high-value tourism, educational development in terms of the education and in health care in terms of telemedicine facilities.

The project would be funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund. It is expected to be completed by May 2023.

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has been nominated as project execution agency and Telecommunications Consultant India Ltd (TCIL) as the Technical Consultant of the project to assist Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), Department of Telecommunications.

India and Uzbekistan: A virtual summit was held recently between India and Uzbekistan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev co-chaired the virtual Summit on 11th December 2020, to strengthen strategic partnership among them. The summit mainly focused on extremism, terrorism and radicalism.

During the summit, both the countries signed 9 Agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) in various areas including in the field of:

1. Solar Energy
2. Digital Technologies
3. High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP)
4. Trade, Economic and Investment Cooperation
5. Connectivity
6. Culture, Education and People- to-People Contacts
7. Terrorism
8. Defence and Security
9. Civil Nuclear Energy

India also confirmed its approval of 448 million USD line of Credit to be extended to four development projects of Uzbekistan in the field of sewerage treatment, road construction, Information Technology.

India not only welcomed Uzbek proposal to hold a trilateral dialogue among India, Iran and Uzbekistan to promote the connectivity through Chabahar port but India also requested Uzbekistan to join the North-South Transport Corridor. This will provide India an overall improvement of connectivity in the Eurasian space.

Note: In January 2019, India and Uzbekistan signed a nuclear deal for long term of supply of Uranium to India. Uzbekistan is the seventh largest exporter of Uranium in the world. After Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan is the second central Asian country to export Uranium to India.

The joint military exercise named 'Dustlik' is also held between India and Uzbekistan. The first Dustlik military exercise was held in 2019.

India and Austria: India and Austria recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (Mou)on technology cooperation in the road infrastructure sector. The Mou was signed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria.

The MoU aims to create an effective framework for bilateral cooperation in the field of road transportation and highways infrastructure development, management and administration, road safety and intelligent transport systems between both the countries.

2020 UN Population Award: The 2020 UN Population Award has recently been awarded to HelpAge India in its 'institutional category'. For the first time in the nation’s history, an Indian institution ‘HelpAge India’ has won this prestigious award.

The award, which included a Diploma Certificate, a gold medal and a monetary prize was presented in a felicitation ceremony held by the United Nations Population Fund, India (UNFPA). 

This honour comes in recognition of the organization's outstanding contribution to population issues and awareness in its efforts in the realization of older person's rights in India since 1978.

HelpAge India has been working for the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons to improve their quality of life for over four decades.

The UN agency UNFPA partnered with HelpAge India during Covid-19 to meet and address the challenges and special vulnerabilities and risks faced by older persons in India.

UN Population Award was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981.The United Nations every year honours an individual and/or institution for outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health questions.

UNFPA: It refers to the United Nations Population Fund. The UNFPA formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. It was formed in 1969. Its tasks includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, increasing access to birth control, and leading campaigns against child marriage, gender-based violence, obstetric fistula, and female genital mutilation.

Invest India: It is a non-profit venture under the Department of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in New Delhi. The current MD & CEO is Deepak Bagla.

Recently, Invest India has been awarded the 2020 United Nations Investment Promotion Award by the Geneva-based United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Invest India was declared the winner from among the 180 global Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs).

The evaluation was based on UNCTAD’s assessment of work undertaken by 180 national Investment Promotion Agencies across the world.

United Nations Investment Promotion Award:The award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements of Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) spread all over the world. It is the most coveted award for Investment Promotion Agencies.

UNCTAD: Its full form is United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. UNCTADwas established by the United Nations General Assembly on 30 December 1964 and it reports to the UN General Assembly and United Nations Economic and Social Council. The organization is headquartered in Geneva. It is a central agency that monitors performance of IPAs and identifies global best practices. Germany, South Korea and Singapore have been some of the past winners of the award.

People In News

Narinder Singh Kapany: He is an Indian born American physicist who was named as one of the seven “Unsung Heroes” by Fortune in their ‘Businessmen of the Century’ issue of November 1999 recently passed away.

Narinder Singh Kapany is also known as the father of fibre optics. He was the first to transmit images through fibre optics back in 1954 and laid the foundation for high-speed internet technology. He founded fibre optics and used his own invention for the business. He founded the Optics Technology Incorporation and Kaptron Incorporation in 1960 and 1973 respectively.

He was conferred ‘The Excellence 2000 Award’ from the USA Pan-Asian American Chamber of Commerce in 1998, a fellow of numerous scientific societies including the British Royal Academy of Engineering, the Optical Society of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Adar Poonawalla: He is the Chief Executive of the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) who has recently named as “The Straits Times Asians of the Year” for 2020 by Singapore’s leading daily, The Straits Times, for their work in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. He is one among the 6 Asians of the year.

SII has collaborated with the University of Oxford and the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to develop COVID-19 vaccine, ‘Covidshield’, and is conducting trials in India.

The other five Asians of the Year are as follows:

1. Japan’s Dr Ryuichi Morishita
2. Chinese researcher Zhang Yongzhen
3. China’s Major-General Chen Wei
4. Singapore’s Professor Ooi Eng Eong
5. South Korean businessman Seo Jung-jin

These six winners were collectively referred as “the virus busters” by the Straits Times because they are heroes of a kind for having devoted themselves to the pressing cause of resolving the coronavirus pandemic, each in their own capacity.

SII: The full form of SII is Serum Institute of India which is based in Pune, Maharashtra. The SII was in 1966 by Cyrus Poonawalla (Adar Poonawalla’s father). Adar Poonawalla joined the Serum Institute of India in 2001 and became the CEO of the company in 2011.

Anil Soni: He is an Indian-origin global health expert who has recently been appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the newly launched The WHO Foundation.

He will assume his role as The WHO Foundation's inaugural Chief Executive Officer on January 1 next year.

WHO Foundation: The Geneva-headquartered Foundation is an independent grant-making agency. It was launched in May 2020 to complement the World Health Organization’s efforts (WHO) in addressing urgent global health challenges. As a separate legal entity, the Foundation acts as a platform for new types of public-private engagement, while protecting the WHO’s neutrality and independence as the world’s leading international health authority.

Note: Health experts are being recently named to top-jobs internationally. The appointment of Soni adds to the list of Indian-origin, including Vivek Murthy as the United States Surgeon General. The WHO itself has Soumya Swaminathan as its Chief Scientist. She had joined the WHO as Deputy Director General in 2017.

Dr Carolina Araujo: She is the Vice President of the Committee for Women in Mathematics at the International Mathematical Union who was recently awarded “The year 2020 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians.” She is the first non-Indian women mathematician to receive this prize and will be a role model for all women around the world. She was given the award for her outstanding work in algebraic geometry.

Dr Carolina Araujo is a mathematician from the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is also the Vice President of the Committee for Women in Mathematics at the International Mathematical Union.

Her work area focuses on birational geometry, which aims to classify and describe the structure of algebraic varieties.

Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians: The Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians is named after the mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The prize is awarded annually since 2005, by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Italy. It is awarded to a researcher, less than 45 years of age, who has conducted outstanding research in a developing country. The prize is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Government of India (GoI) in association with Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters through the Abel Fund, and the International Mathematical Union (IMU).

IMU: It refers to the International Mathematical Union. IMU was founded in 1920. It is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. The parent organization of IMU is International Science Council (ISC). The current President of IMU is Carlos Kenig.

Places In News

Challakere: Challakere is a taluq in Chitradurga district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is called Oil City with numerous edible oil mills around the city and also Science City as several science and research organizations such as IISc, DRDO, BARC and ISRO have set up their establishments here.

Recently, the HAL-IISc Skill Development Centre in Challakere of Chitradurga district in Karnataka launched its first training programme offering five courses in virtual mode.

The Centre is located in IISc’s new 1500 acre campus in Challakere, projected as a Science and Technology city. Constructed at a cost of 73.7 crore rupees, the Skill Development Centre is well equipped with modern labs, class rooms, auditorium and residential accommodation for 250 trainees and faculty members.

This development centre had formally been inaugurated in Chilkare by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 13 August 2020.

The programmes offered are in the niche engineering areas of mechanical, aerospace, electrical and electronic sectors, and in line with the “Make in India” mission. The experienced engineers, supervisors and faculty members of various technical institutes will be trained in the Centre.

HAL: It refers to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. HAL is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company and is governed under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence. It is headquartered in Bangaluru, India. The founder of HAL is Walchand Hirachand. It was founded on 23 December 1940. The current Chairman and Managing Director is R Madhavan.

Agra: Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in the Agra district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It lies in the Indo-Gangetic Plain on the Yamuna (Jumna) River about 125 miles (200 km) southeast of Delhi. Agra is best known for the Taj Mahal (17th century), designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the construction work of the Agra Metro project in Agra, Uttar Pradesh (UP).

The Agra Metro project comprises 2 corridors with a total length of 29.4 km. It will connect all major tourist attractions like Taj Mahal, Sikandra, Agra Fort with railway stations and bus stands.

Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) has set a deadline of five years for the completion of two corridors with an estimated cost of around Rs 8,379.62 crore. The first phase of the Agra Metro Rail Project is set to be completed by December 2022.

Once operational, the project will boost `Ease of Living` of the 26 lakh population of the city and also cater to more than 60 lakh tourists who visit Agra every year.

As Agra is also one of the most polluted cities of Uttar Pradesh, the Metro will provide an environment-friendly Mass Rapid Transit System to the city.

It is for the first time that IIT Madras and archaeological survey of India have done the Heritage impact assessment as per the guidelines of UNESCO before starting of work.

Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh is a northern Indian state in the Himalayas. It is situated in the Western Himalayas.  It is one of the eleven mountain states of India. Himachal Pradesh shares borders with the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to the north, and the states of Punjab to the west, Haryana to the southwest, and Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to the south. The state also has a border with the autonomous region of Tibet to the east. Its summer capital is shimla and winter capital is Dharamshala. The current Governor and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh are Bandaru Dattatreya and Jai Ram Thakur respectively.

Recently, the Himachal Pradesh government has been trying to obtain GIs (Geographical Indication) for five products from the state. These 5 products are as follows:

1. Pangi ki Thangi: It is a type of hazelnut which grows in Pangi valley located in the north-western edge of Himachal. It is known for its unique flavour and sweetness.
2. Karsog Kulth: Kulthi or Kulth (horse gram) is a legume grown as a kharif crop in Himachal Pradesh. Kulth grown in the Karsog area of Mandi district is believed to be particularly rich in amino acids.
3. Chamba Chukh: It’s a chutney made from green and red chillies grown in Chamba, and prepared in traditional and unique ways. The practice has largely declined in rural households of Chamba, but survives to some extent at the small-scale industrial level.
4. Chamba metal crafts: These include items such as metal idols and brass utensils which, historically, were made by skilled artisans in the courts of kings of Chamba. There are efforts to revive the trade, and a plate made from a brass-like alloy and having carvings of gods and goddesses is still popular.
5. Bharmouri Rajmah: It’s more specifically called the Kugtalu Rajmah, since it grows in the area around Kugti Pass in the Bharmour region of Chamba district. It is rich in proteins and has a unique flavour.

Note: The other registered GIS of Himachal Pradesh include four handicrafts (Kullu Shawl, Chamba Rumal, Kinnauri Shawl and Kangra Paintings), three agricultural products (Kangra Tea, Basmati and Himachali Kala Zeera) and one manufactured product (Himachali Chulli Oil).

GI Tag: It refers to a geographical indication tag. GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin and in order to function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place.

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Uttar Pradesh (UP): Uttar Pradesh is a state in northern India. It was created on 1 April 1937 as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh during British rule, and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950. Its Capital city is Lucknow. The Chief Minister and the Governor of Uttar Pradesh are Yogi Adityanath and Anandiben Patel respectively.

Recently, the UP government embarked upon a scheme to take the unique culture of its ethnic Tharu tribe across the world. The state government is working to connect Tharu villages in the districts of Balrampur, Bahraich, Lakhimpur and Pilibhit bordering Nepal, with the home stay scheme of the UP Forest Department.

The main idea behind this scheme is to offer tourists an experience of living in the natural Tharu habitat, in traditional huts made of grass collected mainly from the forests.

Tharu Tribe: The Tharu people are an ethnic group indigenous to the Terai in southern Nepal and northern India. In the Indian terai, they live mostly in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. They are recognized as an official nationality by the Government of Nepal.

The Tharu community belongs to the Terai lowlands, amid the Shivaliks or lower Himalayas. Most of them are forest dwellers, and some practice agriculture. Members of the tribe survive on corn, wheat, and vegetables grown close to their homes.

The word Tharu is believed to be derived from sthavir, meaning followers of Theravada Buddhism. Tharus worship Lord Shiva as Mahadev, and call their supreme being “Narayan”, who they believe is the provider of sunshine, rain, and harvests.

They speak various dialects of Tharu, a language of the Indo-Aryan subgroup, and variants of Hindi, AWadhi and Urdu. In eastern Nepal, they speak a variant of Maithili while in central Nepal, they speak a variant of Bhojpuri.

The Tharu women have stronger property rights than is allowed to women in mainstream North Indian Hindu custom.

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Manipur: Manipur is a state in northeastern India.It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south, and Assam to the west; Myanmar lies to its east. Manipur literally means, ‘the jeweled land’. The exquisite state is known for its traditions, dance forms, music and sumptuous cuisine. Most of the state is covered in forests, which houses some of the rarest species of plants and animals. It was formed on 21 January 1972. Its Capital is Imphal. The current Governor and the Chief minister of Manipur are  Najma Heptulla and Biren Singh respectively.

Recently, the 81st Nupi Lan Day 2020 was observed at Nupi Lan Memorial Complex in Imphal. This day is observed for remembering the brave mothers who fought against the mass exploitation and artificial famine triggered by the then mighty British Empire.

 Manipuri women waged two historic wars in 1904 and 1939 known as Nupi Lal against the British.

 The State level function was graced by Chief Minister Shri N. Biren Singh and other respectable dignitaries of the State. He led the gatherings in laying floral tributes to the statue of brave mothers of the State who valiantly fought against the British policies and lost their lives in the agitation.

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Science and Technology

JAXA: It is an acronym for Japan Space Exploration Agency. JAXA recently announced a small capsule from Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has successfully landed in a sparsely populated desert in the Australian Outback. Hayabusa2 is a successor to the Hayabusa mission, which returned asteroid samples for the first time in June 2010.

Hayabusa2 was launched from the Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan on 3 December 2014 on a six-year mission to retrieve samples from the asteroid Ryugu. It carried multiple science payloads for remote sensing, sampling, and four small rovers to investigate the asteroid surface to inform the environmental and geological context of the samples collected.

It arrived at Ryugu in 2018 which is more than 300 million kilometers (190 million miles) away from Earth.

The unmanned Hayabusa2 spacecraft touched down twice on the asteroid Ryugu. The impactor hit the asteroid’s surface and made a small crater several metres in diameter allowing fresh material to be exposed. After collecting samples, Hayabusa 2 then headed home in November 2019, releasing the capsule from an altitude of about 200 km on 5 November 2020 when it returned to Earth via parachute.

The mission is similar to NASA’s OSIRIS-REX mission that brought back samples from asteroid Bennu late in October.

As per NASA, the asteroid is thought to be made

Ryugu: Ryugu is classified as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs). It is an almost spherical carbon-rich asteroid that is 920 m in diameter and is thought to contain organic matter and hydrated minerals. It was discovered in 1999 and was given the name by the Minor Planet Center in 2015. It is 300 million kilometres from Earth and it took Hayabusa2 over 42 months to reach it.

According JAXA, this is the first time that a probe has visited a celestial body that is under 100 metres in diameter.

2nd Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) 2020 Conference: The 2nd Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) 2020 Conference was recently inaugurated by the  Minister of Science and Technology and Vice President of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Harsh Vardhan. It was inaugurated virtually in New Delhi.

The Conference brings together scientists and clinicians from across the globe to build Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA). The main focus was to pay attention to important issues of uniformity and integrity of specimens signifying various parts of the country and make the ICGA beneficial for clinicians in the nation.

The conference highlighted several large-scale mission mode projects taken by the Government such as Genome India, IndiGene Nutrition Mission, etc.

The Government of India (GoI) is looking for a way so that cancer treatment could be made accessible and affordable.

ICGA: It stands for the Indian Cancer Genome Atlas. ICGA has been initiated by a consortium of key stakeholders in India led by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR), Government of India with an aim to to create indigenous, open-source and comprehensive database of molecular profiles of all cancers prevalent in Indian population to better understand the underlying factors patient by patient.

TCGA: It stands for 'The Cancer Genome Atlas.' TCGA is a landmark cancer genomics program that molecularly characterized over 20,000 primary cancers and matched normal samples spanning 33 cancer types.

It is a joint effort between the US- National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute began in 2006 bringing together researchers from diverse disciplines and multiple institutions

TCGA has generated over 2.5 petabytes of genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data.

The data has already led to improvements in the ability to diagnose, treat, and prevent cancer. It will remain publicly available for anyone in the research community to use.

GIP:It refers to the Genome India Project. GIP is a gene mapping project cleared by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on 3rd January 2020. It was initiated taking inspiration from the Human Genome Project (HGP) which is one of the most comprehensive genome mapping projects in the world. HGP began in 1990 and reached completion in 2003.

The GIP is a collaboration of 20 institutions including the Indian Institute of science (IISc), Bangalore and some IITs. Each of these institutions will do their bit in collecting samples, doing the computations, and then the research. It will enable new efficiencies in medicine agriculture and the life sciences.

The GIP aims to collect 10,000 genetic samples from citizens across India, to ultimately build a grid of the Indian 'reference genome.' This mega project seeks to fully understand the type and the nature of diseases and traits that comprise the diverse Indian population.

HL-2M Tokamak Reactor: It is China’s largest and most advanced nuclear fusion experimental research device, and scientists hope that the device can potentially unlock a powerful clean energy source. It is located in Sichuan province. It was completed late last year. The reactor is often called an “artificial sun” on account of the enormous heat and power it produces.

Recently, China successfully powered up its “artificial sun” nuclear fusion reactor for the first time, marking a great advance in the country’s nuclear power research capabilities. The reactor is expected to fuel China’s energy ambitions for years to come if it is made more sustainable.

The reactor uses a powerful magnetic field to fuse hot plasma and can reach temperatures of over 150 million degrees Celsius, which is almost 10 times hotter than the core of the sun. The magnets and super cooling technology will keep the reactor contained.

Chinese scientists have been working on developing smaller versions of the nuclear fusion reactor since 2006.

Note: The Sun is powered by fusion reaction. The fusion process merges atomic nuclei to create massive amounts of energy and does not generate large amounts of nuclear waste. It is harder to achieve.

Fusion is the opposite of the fission process. Fission process is used in atomic weapons and nuclear power plants, which splits them into fragments. It generates nuclear waste and it is easier to achieve.

Fusion, unlike fission, emits no greenhouse gases and carries less risk of accidents or the theft of atomic material.

Chang'e-5 Moon mission: It is an uncrewed mission, named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, aimed to collect lunar material. China recently became the second country in the world to unfurl its national flag on the moon surface. Earlier this feat was achieved only by the USA when it planted its flag on the Moon during the Apollo mission in 1969.

China achieved the historic feat when ‘Chang’e 5‘probe of China was launched to collect soil and rock samples of the lunar surface. It took off from the moon to return to earth after planting the national flag on 3rd December 2020.

According to the reports by The China National Space Administration (CSNA), the spacecraft is bringing the country’s first lunar samples, and has started its return journey from the moon.

If the return journey concludes successfully then China will become the only third country globally to have samples from the moon. Till date, this record is maintained only by the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s respectively.

Sports

Jehan Daruvala: He has created history by becoming the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race during the Sakhir Grand Prix, Bahrain.

FIA Formula 2 Championship: The FIA Formula 2 Championship is a second-tier single-seater racing championship organized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship was introduced in 2017, following the rebranding of the long-term Formula One feeder series GP2.

It is designed with an aim to make racing affordable for the teams and to make it an ideal training ground for life in Formula One.

Sakhir Grand Prix 2020: Sergio Perez (Mexico-Racing Point-BWT Mercedes), won the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. This is the first Formula One win for Perez. He is also the first Mexican Formula One driver to win a race since Pedro Rodríguez won the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix.

The second position went to Esteban Ocon (Renault-France) while Lance Stroll (Racing Point-BWT Mercedes-Canada) came at the third place.

The race was the maiden edition of the Sakhir Grand Prix and sixteenth race of the 2020 Formula One World Championship.

Asia Cup in 2021: The Asia Cup in June 2021 which was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan in 2020 will now be hosted by Sri Lanka in 2021. Pakistan has earned the rights to host the tournament in 2022. The tournament could not be held by Pakistan due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the event has been moved forward to June 2021, with Sri Lanka Cricket taking the hosting rights from PCB. As compensation, PCB has got the hosting rights for the 2022 edition.

Bala Devi: Her full name is Ngangom Bala Devi. She is an Indian from Manipur who is a women footballer. She plays as a forward for Scottish Women's Premier League club Rangers and India women's national football team.

Bala Devi created history by becoming the first Indian woman to score in a professional European football league, when she scored against Motherwell for Rangers FC.

She joined the Scottish club in January 2020, and became the first Indian woman to sign a professional football contract overseas.

WSF: It refers to the World Squash Federation. WSF is the international federation for squash, an indoor racket sport which was formerly called "squash rackets." It was founded in 1967. It is headquartered in Hastings, United Kingdom.

Recently, Zena Wooldridge from England was elected as the WSF President. She will become the 10th WSF President to serve since the Federation’s inception in 1967. She is also the second female President after New Zealand’s Susie Simcock.

She has replaced the outgoing President Jacques Fontaine, from France.

She previously served six years as President of the European Squash Federation between 2013-2019.

IGF: It refers to the International Golf Federation. IGF is the international federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for golf. It was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. IGF aims to encourage the international development of the game and to employ golf as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship.

Note: Golf became an Olympic sport again in 2016 after 112 years.

Recently, Annika Sorenstam has been elected as the new president of IGF which will be effective from January 1, 2021.

IGF President, Peter Dawson, is stepping down after 10 years of leadership and service. 

Sorenstam is a 72-time winner on the LPGA Tour and former No. 1 from Sweden.

IOIGF: It refers to the Indian Ocean Island Games Federation. IOIGF is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from Indian Ocean island nations. The Games was created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1977. The event currently gathers the island nations and territories of Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, Réunion and the Maldives.

The events of the Indian Ocean Island Games are Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Football, Handball, Judo, Petanque, Karate, Sailing, Rugby, Table Tennis, Swimming,Tennis, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Volleyball and Wrestling.

Recently, Madagascar replaced the Maldives as the host of the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games. The IOIGF has changed the host nation due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. The event had been awarded to the Maldives last year, but members of the IOIGF voted to move the Games to Madagascar.

The 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games will be the 11th edition of this multi-sport event for athletes representing the National Olympic Committees of Indian Ocean island nations.

Madagascar: Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean. It lies off the southeastern coast of Africa. Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo. The currency used here is Malagasy ariary. The current President of Madagascar is Andry Rajoelina.

FICCI India Sports Awards 2020: Indian athletes, Bajrang Punia (Freestyle-Wrestling) and Elavenil Valarivan (Shooting)have recently bagged the top honours at the virtually held FICCI India Sports Awards 2020 on the back of the 10th Global Sports Summit.

These two athletes who performed well in the 2019-20 season have been awarded Sportspersons of the Year in their respective categories.

The lists of all the winners in different Categories are as follows:

• Elavenil Valarivan - Sportsperson of the Year (Female)  
• Bajrang Punia - Sportsperson of the Year (Male)              
• Madhya Pradesh - Best State Promoting Sports Award  
• Anil Kumble - Best Company Promoting Sports (Private Sector) 

FICCI India Sports Awards: The sports awards are an attempt by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) to acknowledge and recognize contribution of sports persons and various stakeholders who deliver excellent results during the year.

IOC: It is an acronym for International Olympic Committee. IOC is a non-governmental sports organization. It was established on 23 June 1894. It was founded by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is responsible to organize the modern Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The Olympic motto is made up of three Latin words: CITIUS – ALTIUS – FORTIUS (Faster, Higher, Stronger) adopted in 1894. The current President of IOC is Thomas Bach.

Recently, IOC has registered ‘Breakdancing’ as the newest entry into Olympics and an official Olympic sport. Breakdancing has been registered with the aim to attract a new and younger audience.

Breakdancing will be known as ‘Breaking’ in Olympics event. It will make its Olympic Games debut at the 2024 Paris Games (2024 Summer Olympics).

Note: Three new sports i.e. skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing will make their Olympic debuts at the Tokyo Games 2021 (earlier 2020 Summer Olympics).

Arts

Pregnant Egyptian Mummy: A team of Polish scientists recently discovered the first embalmed Egyptian pregnant mummy.

Highlights:

• This is the first time in the history scientists have found a foetus in a mummy.
• Initially the researchers thought the Mummy was a male priest.
• The 2000 year old mummy was brought to Warsaw in 1826 and the inscription on the coffin named a male priest.
• No previous examination had disproved the belief that it was a male.
• The identification was made under the “Warsaw Mummy Project” by the anthropologists and archaeologists at the National Museum in Warsaw.
• The study highlighted that this was the first known case of a pregnant embalmed body and that it opened up new possibilities of research related to pregnancy in ancient times as well as practices related to maternity.
• The study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

About the Mummy:

• This Mummy was found at the Royal Tombs in Thebes.
• Note: Thebes is an ancient Egyptian city along the Nile river.
• Based on an analysis of the hieroglyphs on the sarcophagus, the mummy was originally thought to be of a male priest who lived between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD.
• The Mummy dubbed as the “Mysterious Lady of the National Museum in Warsaw” is estimated by the researchers to be between 20 and 30 years old and said the size of the baby’s skull suggested she was 26 to 28 weeks pregnant. 
• The scientists confirmed that the embalmed woman was pregnant when they saw the little foot and little hand.
• Usually, the mummification process includes removing the organs from the abdomen and chest. They are still wondering why the foetus wasn’t removed.
• One possibility is that it was difficult to remove the foetus from the womb without causing serious damage.

Warsaw Mummy Project:

• Warsaw Mummy Project was initiated by a group of archaeologists bio-archaeologists from the University of Warsaw in 2015.
• The project aims to thoroughly examine human and animal mummies from ancient Egypt at the National Museum in Warsaw.
• Under the project, the scientists are using X-ray, CT-scan, podoscopy and dactyloscopy to analyse the mummification methods and the state of tissue preservation.
• These advanced techniques helped in discovering the first pregnant mummy though she was unearthed a century ago.

What is Podoscopy and Dactyloscopy?

• Podoscopy is footprint examination while Dactyloscopy is fingerprint examination.

Lag B’Omer festival: Recently, a stampede at the religious festival attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel killed dozens of people and injured about 150.

• They were gathered at the reputed tomb of Shimon Bar Yochai for Lag B’Omer.

• The incident is widely being described as one of the country’s deadliest civilian disasters.

What is the Lag B’Omer festival?

• Lag B’Omer is an annual Jewish festival.
• It is celebrated in the Hebrew month of Iyar. The festival is celebrated on the thirty third day of the Omer.
• Omer is the forty-nine days of time period between Passover and Shauvot.
• Lag B’Omer is the only day during the 49-day period when celebration is permitted.
• The Jews schedule weddings on Lag B’Omer.
• The young boys who have reached the age of three are brought here (to Meron) for their first haircut.
• To mark the occasion, tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish pilgrims make their way to the base of Mount Meron every year, to pay their respects to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a second century sage and mystic, who is believed to have died on this day.
• The Rabbi’s tomb is a much revered holy site in Israel.
• The Lag B’Omer celebrations are associated with bonfires.
• Lag B’Omer commemorates two historic events of the Jewish history. They are:
• The death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
• The death anniversary of 24,000 students of Akiva Ben Yosef who died of Plague.
• Akiva Ben Yosef is another Rabbi who lived in the same period as that of Shimon Bar.
• It was Yochai who instructed to commemorate the death anniversary of 24,000 students of Yosef during Lag B’omer.

Who is a Rabbi?

• Rabbi is a Jewish teacher or scholar. He mainly teaches Jewish law. They are generally referred to Mishnaic sage.

About Mishnah:

• Mishnah is the written collection of Jewish oral traditions. It is also called Oral Torah. Mishnah was one of the earliest works of Jewish. It was written in third century.

AAPI Month: The US space agency NASA (NASA) recently celebrated Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.

Key Points:

• NASA celebrates the month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month to honor the contribution of its amazing employees.
• The American aeronautics organization , this May 2021, to celebrate the contributions of its Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) employees, both past and present, has organized a variety of internal and external events and products.
• The events are centered on the theme: `Advancing Leaders Through Purpose-Driven Service`.
• This year’s AAPI Heritage Month brings heightened awareness and significance, given the recent violence directed against Asian Americans.”

Legislation passed by US Senate:

• The hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders had been increasing in the US lately.
• So, the US Senate in April 2021 passed a bill to combat the rise of hate crimes against the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
• The bill supports the local law enforcements in controlling the hate crimes.
• The hate crimes are the highest in California.
• Of all the states in the US, California has the highest Asian population.

Who is Pacific Islander and Asian Americans?

• Pacific Islander Americans are Americans who are of Pacific Islander ancestry (or are descendants of the indigenous peoples of Oceania or of Austronesian descent).
• They are also known as Pacific Islanders, Pacificer, Pasefika, or Pasifika.
• Pacific Island is a geographic and ethnic/racial term to describe the inhabitants and diaspora of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania (Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia).

Note: New Zealand has the largest population of Pacific Islanders in the world.

• The Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry.
• They are naturalized Americans who are immigrants from Asia may also identify as Asian-Americans.

What is the term Naturalization mean?

• Naturalization is a legal act by which a non-citizen of a country can acquire citizenship.

EU approves participation of US, Canada, Norway, in PESCO Defence initiative.

2021 Billboard Music Awards: Singer Pink will be honoured with the Icon Award at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs).

• The award aims to recognize artists who have achieved success on the Billboard charts and left an indelible impact on music.
• Pink joins previous honourees that include Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Cher, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Garth Brooks.

Billboard Music Awards:

• The Billboard Music Awards are honors given out annually by Billboard, a publication and music popularity chart covering the music business.
• The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually since 1990 and the event was formerly held in December until it went dormant in 2006.
• The awards returned in 2011 and are now held annually in May.

Economics

T Rabi Sankar: T Rabi Sankar has recently been appointed as fourth Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Highlights:

• The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for the appointment of Ravi Shankar.
• He can assume the responsibility of the Department of Kanungo who was handling the divisions of FinTech, Information Technology, Payment Systems and Risk Monitoring.
• The fourth post of deputy governor was vacant since BP Kanungo retired on April 2. Kanungo retired after a year of service extension.
• He has been appointed for three years or till the date of his retirement, whichever is earlier.
• Apart from payments and settlement, Sankar will manage Fintech, Department of Information Technology, Risk Monitoring, and RTI (right to information).
• The other three deputy governors of RBI include Michael D Patra, Mukesh Jain and Rajeshcher Rao. Michael Patra is the head of the Monetary Policy Department.

About Ravi Shankar:

• He was appointed as Research Officer in RBI in September 1990.
• Rabi Shankar has an M Phil in Economics degree.
• In 2020, Sankar was appointed as the Chairman of Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS).

Note: IFTAS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of RBI.

• Prior to this, he has also worked with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Central Bank of Bangladesh on behalf of the Government of India (GoI).

About RBI's Central Board of Directors:

• The Reserve Bank of India is governed by the Central Board of Directors.
• The directors are appointed by the Government of India under Reserve Bank of India Act.
• The Central Board consists of Governor, four Deputy Governors, two finance ministry representatives and four directors to represent local boards.
• These local boards are headquartered in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC):

• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was constituted by Reserve Bank of India.
• It is led by the Governor of RBI.
• The Committee usually meets six times a year.
• The committee has six members.
• Of these six members, the Government of India appoints three persons.
• No Government official is nominated to the MPC.

PLISFPI: The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) recently issued detailed operational scheme guidelines and has launched an online portal for 'Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI).

Highlights:

• The detailed guidelines of the scheme are available at Ministry's website www.mofpi.nic.in.
• Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launched and online portal for the beneficiaries.
• The link to the online portal is: https://plimofpi.ifciltd.com
• The GoI had earlier approved the PLI Scheme for Food Processing under the “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” with an outlay of 10,900 crores of rupees.
• The scheme is to be implemented between 2021-22 and 2026-27.

Guidelines for PLISFPI:

The Guidelines has divided the applicants of the scheme into the following categories:

• Category 1: Applicants are large entities who apply for Incentive based on Sales and Investment criteria. These applicants shall undertake branding and marketing activities abroad. They shall also apply for grant.
• Category 2: Applicants belong to Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs). They manufacture innovative products. They apply for the grant under the scheme based on their sales
• Category 3: Applicants who apply for grant to undertake branding and marketing activities abroad.

The sale-based incentive under the PLI scheme shall be paid for six years between 2021-22 and 2026-27.

The base year to calculate incremental sales will be 2019-20 and the base year for the fifth and sixth year is to be 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

The grant provided on branding and marketing shall be extended to 50% of the expenditure. The maximum grant allowed is 3% of sales on food products or 50 crores of rupees per year (whichever is less).

Selection of applications:

The guidelines provided for selecting the applicants are as follows:

• The selection of Category I applicants are based on their sales, committed investment and exports. There are four product segments that are to be incentivised under the scheme. They are ready to cook or ready to eat including millet-based foods, marine products, processed fruits and vegetables and mozzarella cheese.
• The selection of applicants under Category II is based on their innovative proposal, uniqueness of the product, etc.
• The selection of applicants under Category III is based on the level of recognition of their brand, plan for production, strategy, sales, export markets, etc.

About MoFPI:

• MoFPI is an acronym for the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• MOFPI is a ministry of the Government of India (GoI) responsible for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to food processing in India.
• The ministry was founded in 1947 with a view to develop a strong and vibrant food processing industry, to create increased employment in rural sector and enable farmers to reap the benefits of modern technology and to create a surplus for exports and stimulating demand for processed food.
• The current Minister of MOFPI is Shri Narendra Singh Tomar.

COVID Loan Book: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently opened an on-tap liquidity window of Rs 50,000 crores.

Note:

1. On-tap means ready to.
2. On-tap liquidity window is funds that are to be provided immediately.
3. Liquidity is cash.

Highlights:

• The scheme was announced by the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.
• The announcements included loan restructuring facilities for individuals, small businesses and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and providing additional liquidity to boost the healthcare infrastructure.
• He further added that the RBI will continue to be proactive throughout the year to deal with the evolving situation and will deploy all available resources and instruments at its command.

Main Points of the scheme:

1. Under the scheme, banks can provide fresh lending support to a wide range of entities including vaccine manufacturers, importers and suppliers of vaccines and priority medical devices, hospitals and dispensaries, pathology labs, manufactures and suppliers of oxygen and ventilators, importers of vaccines and Covid-related drugs, logistics firms and also patients for treatment etc.
2. The loans would be for tenors of up to three years.
3. Banks may deliver these loans to borrowers directly or through intermediary financial entities regulated by the RBI.
4. These loans will be classified under priority sector till repayment or maturity, whichever is earlier.
5. Banks are expected to create a COVID loan book under the scheme.

What is a COVID Loan Book?

The COVID Loan book is an account of loans provided by the banks under this new window.

They can park their surplus liquidity to the size of COVID Loan Book with the RBI.

This is to be done at reverse repo rate.

Note: Parking the funds means depositing the money in the bank.

 Under the new step, the banks can deposit the surplus money in RBI.

Objective:

1. The main objective of the apex bank is to save lives and livelihoods has incentivized banks to lend to coronavirus patients who need money for treatment.
2. This will prove to be a relief as it will help counter enormous bills that patients and family members have time and again said that they had to foot.

Intellectual Property (IP): U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration recently announced its support for waiving intellectual property protections which sought relaxation in the TRIPS agreement norms to ensure availability and affordability of COVID-19 vaccines.

• The US will further negotiate at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to waive Intellectual property for COVID-19 vaccines.
• This will help in large scale production of COVID-19 vaccines in middle income countries.

Background:

• Earlier this month, India and South Africa have submitted a proposal suggesting a waiver for all WTO members on the implementation, application and enforcement of certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement in relation to the prevention, containment or treatment of COVID-19.
• Regarding this, as many as 40 members of the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO) have discussed a proposal submitted by India and South Africa for relaxing certain provisions in intellectual property (IP) agreement with a view to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current Scenario:

• 100 countries of the 164 members are in favour of waiving the IP.
• Recently Australia and New Zealand also agreed on the waiver.

About Intellectual Property Waiver for COVID-19 vaccine:

• IP right is a monopoly granted by a government to an inventor.

• It means that the others cannot copy their invention.
• It can be a process patent or a product patent.

• The developing countries are arguing that the intellectual property is an obstacle in increasing the production of vaccines.
• The production of COVID-19 vaccines in the middle-income countries has been happening through the licensing or technology transfer agreements. Therefore, in order to ramp up the production of COVID-19 vaccine production, it is essential to waive off (remove) the Intellectual Property Rights for COVID-19 vaccine.
• In simple terms, IPR waiver means that when a company has produced a vaccine, the others can immediately copy its composition produce their own. This will increase the vaccine production and decrease the vaccine cost.

Additional Info:

• The agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights or TRIPS came into effect in January 1995.
• TRIPS is a multilateral agreement on intellectual property (IP) rights such as copyright, industrial designs, patents and protection of undisclosed information or trade secrets.

RBI excludes Lakshmi Vilas Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently excluded Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) from the Second Schedule of the RBI Act after it was merged with DBS Bank India Ltd (DBIL) last year.

Note: A bank mentioned in the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act is known as ‘Scheduled Commercial Bank’.

Reason:

• Last year in November, the government had approved the merger of crisis-ridden Lakshmi Vilas Bank with DBS Bank India.
• The RBI had also superseded the board of the LVB and appointed T N Manoharan, former non-executive chairman of Canara Bank, as the administrator of the bank for 30 days.
• LVB is the second private sector bank after Yes Bank which has run into rough weather during this year.
• In March, capital-starved Yes Bank was placed under a moratorium.
• The government rescued Yes Bank by asking the state-run State Bank of India to infuse Rs 7,250 crore and take a 45 per cent stake in the bank.

About Lakshmi Vilas Bank:

• Lakshmi Vilas Bank Limited was an Indian private sector bank established in 1926 in Karur, Tamil Nadu.
• As of November 2020, the bank has 566 branches in 19 states and 1 union territory.
• On 27 November 2020, the bank was merged into the Indian subsidiary of DBS Bank.

Defence

PESCO: The European Union (EU) recently approved the requests of United States (US), Norway, and Canada and to participate in Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) defence initiative.

This is the first time that the European bloc has allowed a third state to participate in the PESCO project.

The countries will now participate in the Military Mobility Project in Europe.

About PESCO:

The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is the part of the European Union's (EU) security and defence policy (CSDP) in which 25 of the 27 national armed forces pursue structural integration.

It was introduced based on Article 42.6 and Protocol 10 of the Treaty on European Union introduced by Treaty of Lisbon in 2009.

 PESCO was first initiated in 2017 after Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The PESCO framework was created with the intention to deepen defence cooperation among the 25 participating EU member states, help fund, develop and deploy armed forces together and make the EU’s defence sector more flexible and independent of the US.

Note: Around four-fifth members of PESCO are also the members of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

About Military Mobility:

Military mobility aims at improving the exchange of information between EU countries and cutting red tape at borders, including harmonizing customs rules to allow for swift deployments and easier transport of military equipment.

Background:

In November 2020, the European Union allowed non-EU members to participate in PESCO.

Following this, Canada, US and Norway had requested to participate in PESCO.

Neutral States in PESCO:

Four of the states in European Union declare themselves as neutral.

They are Austria, Finland, Ireland, and Sweden.

Samudra Setu-II: The Indian Navy recently launched Operation Samudra Setu-II.

Highlights:

1. Samudra Setu-II was launched to help in faster transportation of medical oxygen and other requirements from other countries to India, amid its worsening COVID-19 pandemic.
2. As a part of operation ‘Samudra Setu II’, 7 Indian Naval ships have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries.
3. These warships are Kolkata, Kochi, Jalashwa, Talwar, Tabar, Trikand, and Airavat.

Background:

1. In 2020, the Indian Navy launched Operation Samudra Setu, as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, to repatriate approximately 4,000 stranded and distressed Indian citizens from the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Iran.

About Vande Bharat Mission:

1. Vande Bharat Mission was launched on May 7, 2020, by the Government of India (GoI) to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in different parts of the world due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2. This mission was the largest evacuation mission of the world.

About Indian Navy:

1. The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.
2. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy.
3. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy.
4. Indian Navy was founded omn 26 January 1950.
5. The current Chief of Navy Staff (CNS) is Karambir singh.
6. Indian Navy day is celebrated on the 4th of December every year.
7. The main objective of the Indian Navy is to protect the country’s maritime borders and help in the expansion of its forces.
8. There are 3 commands under the Navy which are:

1. The Western Naval Command (Headquarters at Mumbai).
2. The Eastern Naval Command (Headquarters at Visakhapatnam)
3. The Southern Naval Command (Headquarters at Kochi)

1. The Indian Navy is the fifth largest in the world, employing 67,109 personnel.

Environment

Xylophis Deepaki: Herpetologist Deepak Veerappan has a snake named after him.

Highlights:

• The snake is named Xylophis Deepaki.
• The species is named in honour of Indian herpetologist Deepak Veerappan for his contribution in erecting a new subfamily Xylophiinae to accommodate wood snakes.
• The team suggests the common name Deepak’s wood snake.
• In the first four months of 2021, the Western Ghats presented new butterflies, frogs, fruit flies, and even a freshwater crab.
• Joining the list is a tiny snake of just 20 cm length with iridescent scales - Xylophis deepaki, first stumbled upon in a coconut plantation in Kanyakumari, is now reported to be an endemic species of Tamil Nadu and has been sighted in a few locations in the southern part of the Western Ghats.
• The new discover will increase the entire variety of at the moment recognised wooden snakes to 5 species.

About Wood snakes

• Wood snakes are harmless, sub-fossorial and often found while digging soil in farms and under the logs in the Western Ghat forests.
• They feed on earthworms and possibly other invertebrates.
• Interestingly, their close relatives are found in northeast India and Southeast Asia and are known to be arboreal.

World Migratory Bird Day: World Migratory Bird Day is observed on 8th May globally.

The aim of the day is to raise awareness of migratory birds and the importance of international cooperation to conserve them.

Theme for 2021:

• “Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird!” is the theme of 2021 World Migratory Bird Day.
• The 2021 World Migratory Bird Day theme is an invitation to people everywhere to connect and re-connect with nature by actively listening to – and watching birds – wherever they are.
• At the same time, the theme appeals to people around the world to use their own voices and creativity to express their shared appreciation of birds and nature.

About:

• This day is organized by a collaborative partnership among two UN treaties the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and the Colorado-based non-profit organization, Environment for the Americas (EFTA).
• This day is a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.

Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recently notified 48.32 square kilo metres around Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary as the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

1. Eco Sensitive Zones act as a buffer zone for protected areas.
2. They reduce development pressures around national park or wildlife sanctuary.

About Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary:

1. It is home to twelve mangrove species, 167 species of birds such as Flamingos, 45 fish, 67 insect and mammals like jackals and 59 species of butterflies.
2. The Mangrove forest in the region has been declared as reserve forest under the Indian Forest Act.
3. These mangrove forests are also included under Coastal Regulation zone.

About:

1. Under the notification, highly polluting mining activities and industries are prohibited in the region.
2. However, regulated eco-tourism, construction of hotels and resorts are allowed.
3. Organic Farming, agro-forestry and use of eco-friendly transport is to be promoted.

What are Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs)?

1. ESZs are economically fragile areas in a radius of ten kilometres around the national parks, protected areas and wildlife sanctuaries.
2. They are notified under Environment Protection Act, 1986. However, the act does not mention the word Eco-Sensitive Zones.

What are Coastal Regulation zone?

1. Coastal Regulation zone are those areas that are influenced by tides.
2. According to Coastal Regulation Zone rules, 1991, 500 metres of land between high tide line and low tide line is declared as Coastal Regulation Zone.

About Reserve Forest

1. The Reserve Forest is restricted forest that is constituted by the State Government.
2. The local people are prohibited in the reserved forest.
3. The other types are protected forests and village forests.

Global Methane Assessment: The United Nations recently launched the Global Methane Assessment.

• It was released by Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Note: The Climate Clean Air Coalition is a global partnership of governments and non-state partners.

• According to the report, the human caused methane emissions can be reduced by 45% in 2020-30.
• These reductions will help to avoid 0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming by 2045.

Key points as per the assessment:

• Methane is responsible for 30% of warming since the pre-industrial era.
• The human-caused methane emissions come from oil and gas processing, fossil fuels, landfills and waste and agriculture.
• In spite of economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic, data from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show that the amount of methane in the atmosphere reached record levels in 2020.
• Carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for centuries.
• Unlike Carbon Dioxide, methane breaks down quickly. Meaning, very few actions can rapidly reduce the rate of global warming caused by methane.
• Methane accounts to one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Major Methane Emitters:

The majority of methane emissions come from the three major sectors as follows:

1. Landfills and waste: 20%
2. Fossil fuels: 35%
3. Agriculture: 40%

 

Solutions capable of reducing methane emissions:

• The Global Methane Assessment identifies solutions that are capable of reducing methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
• These solutions mainly target the fossil fuel sector. They are as follows:
• The potential to reduce methane levels are the highest in waste sector in India and Europe.
• In Africa it is in livestock and oil and gas.
• In China, the potential is in livestock and coal production.
• Apart from these targeted measures, additional measures such as renewable energy, reduction in food loss and waste, increasing residential and commercial energy efficiency will help to reduce methane emissions

What is Methane?

• Methane is a short-lived climate pollutant. It contributes to the formation of ground level ozone.

How will the reduction in methane help?

The assessment says that every million tonnes of methane reduced will help in achieving the following:

• Prevent 1,430 premature deaths
• Prevent losses of 145,000 tonnes of soybeans, wheat, rice and maize
• Avoid annual loss of 400 million hours of work.
• To achieve Sustainable Development Goals SDG 13 and SDG 2.

Note: SDG 2 is Zero Hunger.

Indian Policy

National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA): The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has recently prepared a provisional database of companies and auditors that come under its regulatory ambit.

Main Points:

• NAFRA is preparing a verified and accurate database of companies and auditors that come under it the regulatory ambit.
• Establishment of the database involves critical steps like identification and verification of the primary data source, and reconciliation of data such as Company Identification Number (CIN) from different sources.
• In this regard the NFRA has been working with the corporate affairs ministry''s Corporate Data Management (CDM) division and three recognised national stock exchanges.
• A provisional data base of companies and their auditors as of 31st March 2019 has been compiled by the NFRA which has been published on the website of the NFRA.
• This provisional data will be updated/revised going forward based on the collection of further data and information.
• Similar exercise for compilation of the data base as of 31st March 2020 will be undertaken shortly.

About NFRA:

• The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) is a regulatory body set up under Section 132 of the Companies Act.
• It has been set up to oversee compliance with Accounting and Auditing Standards by companies that can be described as Public Interest Entities (PIEs).
•  NFRA was established to control the accounting scams increasing in the country. It was essential to create an independent regulator to enforce auditing standards. There was a need to increase investor and public confidence in financial disclosure of companies.

Indian polity

Assembly Election Results 2021: On May 2, 2021, the votes of the 2021 State Assembly Elections for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal were counted.

Highlights:

The elections were held amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across the country - a second wave that has ridden the country to an unprecedented crisis.

The following results were the outcomes of the counting:

Assam:

• The BJP managed to beat the Assembly elections in spite of the Citizenship Amendment Act protests.
• The Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal won from Majuli constitution.
• The star campaigner of BJP, Finance and Health Minister of Assam won from Jalukbari.
• The anti-CAA activists Akhil Gogoi won from Sibsagar.
• BJP won 60 seats, Congress won 29, AIUDF won 16, 9 by AGP and 4 by BPF. The other parties won eight seats. BPF is Bodoland Peoples Front.
• The BJP led alliance in the state was called the “Mitrajot” (Alliance of friends) and the Congress led alliance is called “Mahajot” (Grand Alliance).
• The Mitrajot was formed by BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and Gana Suraksha Party (GSP).
• The Mahajot was formed by Congress, Muslim backed AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front), BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council), Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).

West Bengal:

• The state has 294 seats in its Legislative Assembly.
• Of these seats, the Trinamool Congress led by Mamta Banerjee won 212 seats.
• BJP has won 77 seats.

Tamil Nadu:

• This was the first election in the state without the major leaders J Jayalalitha and M Karunanidhi.
• The DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and its allies are leading.
• The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has 234 seats.
• The DMK has won 126, 64 by AIADMK, 18 by Congress, 4 by BJP and 5 by PMK (Patali Makkal Katchi).
• The DMK-Congress coalition is likely to form the Government under Stalin (son of Late CM Karunanidhi).

Kerala:

• The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is leading. It has won 99 seats. The Chief Minster is likely to form the Government in state for the second time.
• CPI (M) has won 62 seats, Congress has won 21 seats, 17 by CPI, IUML won 15 seats.
• BJP failed to open an account. 

Article 164: The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost in Nandigram.

She lost the seat to her former protégé-turned-BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 1956 votes.

Note: Protégé is a person supported by a more experienced person.

However, she can still take over as the Chief Minister of the State. This is permitted under Article 164 (4).

Article 164:

The Article 164 lists the following:

• Article 164 (1): The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor of the state.
• Article 164 (2): The Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the state.
• Article 164 (3): The Governor administers the oaths of the minister.
• Article 164 (4): A Minister who is a not a member of the Legislative Assembly shall cease to be a minister at the end of six months.

Article 75

As that of the provisions provided for the State Legislature under Article 164, Article 75 provides the provisions for the Central Legislature.

• Article 75 (1): PM and other ministers shall be appointed by the President.
• Article 75 (2): Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.
• Article 75 (3): The Ministers are collectively responsible to Lok Sabha
• Article 75 (4): The President administers oaths to the ministers
• Article 75 (5): A member who is not a member of both the houses for six months will cease to be a member of either of the house.

Chief Minister and Prime Minister

• According to Article 164 (4) and Article 75 (5), the CM and PM shall hold their offices even if they are not members of their respective houses.
• By this law, Mamta is to be appointed as the Chief Minister of West Bengal even if she has lost the election.
• However, she has to become the member of the West Bengal State Legislature within six months.

Reservation for Maratha community: The Supreme Court of India (SCI) recently struck down Reservation for Maratha community in education and jobs in the state as it breaches 50% ceiling of reservation.

Highlights:

• The five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan also comprised Justices L Nageswara Rao, S Abdul Nazeer, Hemant Gupta, and S Ravindra Bhat declared the Maratha quota law as unconstitutional.
• The Supreme Court quashed the Maharashtra law which gave reservation to Marathas stating that it violates "right to equality".

Background:

• In 1997, the first major Maratha agitation for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions was organized by the Maratha Mahasangh and the Maratha Seva Sangh.
• The agitators said that Marathas were not upper caste people but essentially Kunbis, the name that has been in use in western part to identify members of agrarian communities.
• In 2016, several Marathas came together under the “Maratha Kranti Morcha”.
• They joined hands to protest the rape and killing of a fifteen-year-old girl in Kopardi village, Ahmednagar.
• Though Kopardi incident was a trigger, it was later centered on reservation for the Maratha community in educational institutions and government jobs.
• In 2017, silent, massive rallies were held that consolidated more and more Marathas towards this cause.
• They also demanded for loan waiver to farmers, justice for the Kopardi girl.
• In 2018, street protests turned violent.
• Some even committed suicides. “Ek Maratha Lakh Maratha” was their slogan.
• The then CM Fadnavis (BJP) set an eleven member commission under retired justice N G Gaikwad. The commission recommended that the Marathas should be given reservation as it was a Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC).
• The commission did not specify quota percentage.
• It was left to the State Government to decide upon.
• In 2018, the State Government of Maharashtra provided reservation to the Marathas under the Maharashtra Socially and Educationally Backward Act.
• The act was approved in both the assembly and the council.
• However, a Public Interest Litigation challenged the reservation under SEBC in Bombay High Court.
• The High Court upheld the reservation and pronounced that the reservation should be 12% in education and 13% in jobs instead of 16%.

Mamata Banerjee: Mamata Banerjee was sworn as West Bengal Chief Minister for the third time in the shadow of Covid and post-poll violence in parts of the state.

• She called on Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhavan and resigned as the chief minister, as is the practice, before she was administered the oath of office and secrecy again.

Highlights:

• The oath ceremony took place with Covid protocols in place at the “Throne Room” at the Raj Bhavan.
• The rest of the cabinet and the council of ministers will be sworn in on May 9, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.
• Mamata Banerjee won a landslide victory in the Bengal election to secure a third straight term.
• The Trinamool won 213 of 292 seats while its strongest rival, BJP, finished second with 77 seats.
• Mamata Banerjee will head to her office Nabanna, where she will be given a guard of honour by the Kolkata Police.

West Bengal:

• West Bengal is a state in eastern India.
• It lies between the Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal.
• It borders Bangladesh in the east, and Nepal and Bhutan in the north.
• It also borders the Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, and Assam.
• The state capital is Kolkata.
• It was established on 26 January 1950.

• The current Chief Minister and Governor of West Bengal are Mamta Banerjee and Jagdeep Dhankhar respectively.

SEBC-Centre-Supreme Court: The Supreme Court recently pronounced that the Centre alone is empowered to Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) and include them in the Central List for claiming reservation benefits.

Key Points:

• The judgment was pronounced upholding the 102nd constitutional amendments.
• The Apex court stated that the 102nd constitutional amendment has taken away the powers of state governments to designate Socially and Economically Backward Classes.
• The Supreme Court said that after the insertion of Article 342A in the Constitution, the Centre alone is empowered to identify SEBC.
• The verdict was delivered by a Constitution Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, L. Nageswara Rao, S. Abdul Nazeer, Hemant Gupta and S. Ravindra Bhat by a 3:2 majority.
• However, the court also said: “The states’ power to make reservations, in favour of particular communities or castes, the quantum of reservations, the nature of benefits and the kind of reservations, and all other matters falling within the ambit of Articles 15 and 16 – except with respect to identification of SEBCs, remains undisturbed

Issue:

• The State Governments have been expanding the list of SEBC to entitle the recipient communities with quota benefits.

About Indra Sawhney Case:

• The State Government has full powers to identify a backward class.
• The Sawhney Case verdict directed the appointment of National Backward Classes Commission and State Backward Classes Commission.
• Thus, 102nd constitutional amendment was brought in and the commissions were established.

102nd Constitutional Amendments:

• Article 342A was inserted into the Constitution by way of the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act.
• Article 338 B deals with the structure, powers and duties of National Commission for Backward Classes.
• Article 342 A deals with the power of the president to notify a particular caste as Socially and Economically Backward.

Why did the issue come up?

• The Maharashtra State Government had declared the Maratha Community as the Socially and Economically Backward Class.
• However, the Supreme Court has struck down the Maratha reservation provided by the State Government under SEBC act, 2018.
• The Bombay High Court recently upheld the Maharashtra Socially and Economically Backward Classes Act, 2018 which extended reservation to the Maratha community in public education and employment.
• This was challenged in Supreme Court by various petitions.

Supreme Court:

• The Supreme Court of India (SCI) is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal under the Constitution of India, the highest constitutional court, with the power of constitutional review.
• It consists of the Chief Justice of India and a maximum of 34 judges, it has extensive powers in the form of original, appellate and advisory jurisdictions.
• It is regarded as the most powerful public institution in India.
• It was established on 26 January 1950.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• The current CJI of the Supreme Court is Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana

DMK Chief MK Stalin:  Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Chief MK Stalin recently was administered the oath of office as the Chief Minister by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwari Lal Purohit at Rajbhavan, in Chennai.

• Mr. Stalin handed over the letter of his election as leader of the DMK Legislature Party.
• The 68-year-old is the son of the former five-term Tamil Nadu chief minister, the late M Karunanidhi.
• The DMK-led alliance won 159 seats, well ahead of the majority mark of 118 seats.
• The party alone won 133 seats in the election.
• In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Stalin led the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), of which the DMK is a constituent, to victory in 38 out of 39 parliamentary seats in Tamil Nadu.

N. Rangasamy: All India NR Congress founder N. Rangasamy was on Friday sworn in as the Chief Minister of Puducherry for the fourth time.

• Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Rangasamy at a function held on the lawns of the Raj Nivas.
• He will head a coalition government, comprising the BJP.
• The party nominee would be given the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, according to Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy.
• The swearing-in ceremony was attended by a limited number of people, including Mr. Kishan Reddy, newly elected legislators belonging to the AINRC, the BJP, the DMK, the Congress, Independents and leaders of the AIADMK.
• The AINRC, which contested as part of the National Democratic Alliance along with the BJP and AIADMK, secured 10 seats. The BJP won 6 seats while the AIADMK drew a blank in the 30-member Assembly.

International

Net Zero Producers Forum: Saudi Arabia has decided to join the United States, Canada, Norway, and Qatar in forming ‘Net Zero Producers Forum’ for oil and gas producers to discuss how they can support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Key facts:

• Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest crude exporter.
• The Forum will discuss ways to achieve net zero carbon emission targets to limit global warming.
• Saudi Arabia had also said that it aimed to reduce its carbon emissions by generating 50% of the country’s energy from renewables by 2030.

• US President unveiled plans to cut emissions by 50%-52% from 2005 levels recently.

World Press Freedom Day 2021: World Press Freedom Day is being observed on 3rd May 2021.

This day is celebrated on the 3rd of May every year.

Theme for 2021:

• This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme “Information as a Public Good” serves as a call to affirm the importance of cherishing information as a public good.

Highlights:

• In his message, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged all governments to do everything in their power to support a free, independent and diverse media. 
• He said, in many countries, journalists and media workers face censorship, abuse, harassment, detention and even death simply for doing their jobs.

History

• As per the UNESCO Website, World Press Freedom Day was announced by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference.
• Since then, every year World Press Day is celebrated on May 3. As per UNESCO, the purpose of World Press Freedom Day is to:

1. Celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom
2. Assess the state of press freedom throughout the world
3. Defend the media from attacks on their independence
4. Pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty

Significance:

• Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and the press plays an actively important role in making the general public aware of what's happening in their country and around the world.

• The World Press Freedom Day is observed as a day to remind the governments of the world about the role journalists’ play, in providing information even under the most stressful situations.

USCIRF's Special 301 Report: The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released its 2020 annual report.

Highlights:

According to the report, India has been put on the “Priority Watch List” along with eight other countries.

Another twenty-three countries were put on “Watch List”.

Reasons for categorizing India as a “Country of Particular Concern”:

• According to the report, India has been inconsistent in the progress of IP protection. Though the enforcement of IP has gradually improved, India lacks in providing benefits for innovators.
• The patent issues are of great concern in India.
• The Indian Patent Law lacks patent validity and holds narrow patentability criteria.
• This burdens companies in different sectors.
• It leads to patent revocations.
• Revocation is official cancellation.
• Patent applicants are facing issues with time consuming pre and post grant procedures.
• They face difficulties of long waiting periods to receive patent approval.
• Stakeholders of India continue to express concerns over vagueness in the interpretation of Indian Patents Act.

About Special Report by USCIRF:

• The Special 301 Report is prepared annually by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) that identifies trade barriers to United States companies and products due to the intellectual property laws, such as copyright, patents and trademarks, in other countries.
• By April 30 of each year, the USTR must identify countries which do not provide "adequate and effective" protection of intellectual property rights or "fair and equitable market access to United States persons that rely upon intellectual property rights".
•  
• The Special 301 Report is published pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 as amended by Section 1303 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988.
• The Special 301 Report was first published in 1989.
• By statute, the annual Special 301 Report includes a list of "Priority Foreign Countries", that are judged to have inadequate intellectual property laws; these countries may be subject to sanctions.
• In addition, the report contains a "Priority Watch List" and a "Watch List", containing countries whose intellectual property regimes are deemed of concern.
• The report basically lists the countries that do not provide sufficient IP rights to American companies.

About US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

• USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world, dedicated to defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.

• The commission makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.

Trump’s Mexico Border Wall: In the US, the Pentagon has decided to cancel the construction of parts of former US President Donald Trump’s border wall with Mexico that were being built using military funds.

Highlights:

Pentagon spokesman Jamal Brown said that the Department of Defense is proceeding with canceling all border barrier construction projects paid for with funds originally intended for other military missions and functions such as schools for military children, overseas military construction projects in partner nations, and the National Guard and Reserve equipment account. He added that the returned funds would be used for deferred military construction projects.

 Background:

• Former US President Trump declared a national emergency in 2019 in an effort to redirect funding to build a wall along the U.S. southern border.
• The diversion of funds from the Pentagon had been heavily criticized by US lawmakers, who said it put national security at risk and circumvented congress.
• US President Joe Biden had issued a proclamation on January 20th, his first day in office, ordering a freeze on border wall projects and directing a review of the legality of its funding and contracting methods.

US Major Solar Energy Project: The US government has recently approved a major solar energy project in the California desert.

Key Points:

• This project will be capable of powering nearly 90,000 homes.
• According to the statement by the US Interior Department, 550 million dollar Crimson Solar Project will be sited on 2,000 acres of federal land west of Blythe, California.
• The announcement comes as President Joe Biden has vowed to expand development of renewable energy projects on public lands as part of a broader agenda to fight climate change, create jobs.
• The project will include a battery storage system and will be sited on land designated for renewable energy development by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.

G-7 Foreign Ministers: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar recently participated in the G-7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in London through video conference.

Highlights:

• India, along with Australia, South Africa, South Korea, and the chair and secretary of ASEAN, was invited to the G7 talks as a guest country.
• During the meeting Dr S Jaishankar deliberated on increasing support for the global vaccine distribution scheme COVAX and ensure fair access to vaccine stocks, along with girls’ education, arbitrary detention, and media freedom on the agenda.
• He further added that India had embraced Green Growth since 2014 and transformation stories include renewable capacity, Ujjwala, LED distribution, forest cover and Jal Jeevan.
• He said, but higher green ambitions require larger green resources and COP26 will be a test.
• He spoke about the current medical oxygen crisis and shared that the second wave of COVID-19 has led to a shortage of medical oxygen for which the businesses have been asked to change their production practices to free up industrial oxygen and convert it into medical oxygen.
• The 2021 UN Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th UN Climate Change conference.
• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson interacted with the participating Foreign Ministers in between the sessions.
• Dr Jaishankar assured him that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and he will take forward the 2030 Roadmap.

In a tweet, Dr Jaishankar said, India and UK are committed to delivering on the Modi-Johnson vision of the ties.

World Thalassemia Day: World Thalassemia Day is celebrated on May 8 every year to commemorate Thalassemia victims and to encourage those who struggle to live with the disease.

The theme for 2021 World Thalassemia Day is “Addressing Health Inequalities Across the Global Thalassaemia Community”.

History:

• The president and founder of TIF, Panos Englezos, established International Thalassaemia Day in 1994. He created the day in memory of his son, George, who lost his life to thalassaemia.
• Each year the TIF creates a special theme for the day.
• This day is a commemoration day in honour of all patients suffering from thalassaemia and their parents who have never lost hope for life, despite the burden of their disease and also to all scientists who are doing hard work with dedication and trying to provide improved quality of life to people with thalassaemia across the globe.

About Thalassemia:

• Thalassaemia is a genetic hemoglobin disorder. Hemoglobin is the iron-rich protein found in red blood cells.The function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen to the blood.
• A person with thalassaemia has less than normal amounts of hemoglobin.
• It is an inherited blood disorder that passes from parents to children.
• There are several types of thalassaemia disease and its treatment depends on its types and severity.
• Its impact may range from mild to severe and life-threatening also.
• This can make life very difficult, as it usually requires multiple blood transfusions.
• Some people with the disease need a blood transfusion every two weeks.
• This disease is most common with the Mediterranean, South Asian and African ancestry.

Thalassemia Vaccine:

• Beginning at the age of t2 months a seven valent Conjugate Pneumococcal Vaccine should be given.
• At the age of 24 months, a 23-valent Conjugate Pneumococcal Vaccine booster should be given.
• Later, Pnuemovax booster should be considered every 5 to 10 years.

Thalassemia in India:

• Every year around 10,000 children are born with Thalassemia in India.
• The Thalassemia gene varies from 3% to 15% in northern India and 1% to 3% in southern India. Certain communities such as Lingayat in Karnataka, Koli’s and Agri’s in Maharashtra, Punjabis and Sindhis have higher carrier rate.

About Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana:

• The second phase of Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in October 2020.
• It aims to provide a one-time cure opportunity for Haemoglobinopathies like Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Disease for patients who have a matched family donor.
• It has now been extended to include Aplastic Anemia patients.
• The Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) programme was launched in 2017.
• It is funded by Coal India CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

Additional Info:

About Sickle Cell Disease:

• It is an inherited disease caused by defects, called mutations, in the beta globin gene that helps make hemoglobin.
• The red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”. The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells.

World Sickle Cell Day:

• World Sickle Cell Day 2020 was observed to increase awareness about the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) at the national level.
• The day is recognized by the United Nations and celebrated every year on 19th June.

International Day of the Midwife: International Day of the Midwife is observed globally on 5 May every year since 1992.

This day is celebrated to recognize the work of midwives and raise awareness about the status of midwives for the essential care they provide to mothers and their newborns.

The theme for 2021 International Day of the Midwife is “Follow the Data: Invest in Midwives.”

History of the day:

The idea of having a day to recognize and honour midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands.

International Midwives’ Day was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has been observed in more than 50 nations around the world.

International Confederation of Midwives (ICM):

• ICM is an accredited non-governmental organization and represents midwives and midwifery to organizations worldwide that works closely with the WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and other organizations worldwide to achieve common goals in the care of mothers and children.
• The President of ICM is Franka Cadee.
• It is headquartered in Hague, Netherlands.
• There are currently 108 national Midwives Associations, representing 95 countries across every continent.
• ICM is organized into four regions: Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.
• Together these associations represent more than 300,000 midwives globally

World Hand Hygiene Day: Every year, the World Hand Hygiene Day is observed on May 5.

• The day is organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness among people across the globe about the importance of hand hygiene in warding off many serious infections.
• The theme for 2021 is ‘Seconds Save Lives: Clean Your Hands’.
• The day recognizes hand washing as one of the most effective actions that can be taken to avoid a huge range of infections including the COVID-19 virus.

About WHO:

• It is an acronym for World Health Organization. WHO was created in 1948 by member states of the United Nations (UN) as a specialized agency with a broad mandate for international public health. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The main objective of WHO is "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible standard of health."
• It plays an essential role in the global governance of health and disease.
• Its mission is to improve people's lives, to reduce the burdens of disease and poverty, and to provide access to responsive health care for all people.
• The WHO is governed by two decision-making bodies, the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board.
• The current Director-general of WHO is Tedros Adhanom.

World Asthma Day 2021: World Asthma Day is observed every year on the 1st Tuesday of May.

• This year, World Asthma Day is observed on May 4, 2021.
• The theme for 2021 World Asthma Day is “Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions“.
• The day spread awareness about asthma disease and care around the world.
• Whilst the primary focus is supporting the person with asthma, support may also extend to family, friends and caregivers.

History of World Asthma Day:

• World Asthma Day is annually organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA).
• In 1998, the first World Asthma Day was celebrated in more than 35 countries in conjunction with the first World Asthma Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

What is Asthma?

• Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs that causes breathing problems.
• Symptoms of asthma include breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest.
• These symptoms vary in frequency and severity. When the symptoms are not under control, the airways can become inflamed making breathing difficult.
• Whilst asthma cannot be cured, the symptoms can be controlled enabling people with asthma to live full lives.

Coal Miners’ Day: Coal Miners’ Day is celebrated on May 4 to recognize the hard work of some of the great unsung heroes of the Industrial Revolution.

• The day is celebrated to show appreciation for the coal miners and honour their accomplishments.
• Coal miners spend most of the days digging, tunneling and extracting coal from the mines.
• They dig deep into the Earth to bring out the riches that help to sustain our life.
• Coal mining is one of the toughest professions.

History of the day:

• The coal miners have been working for centuries, however, they became significantly important during the Industrial revolution between 1760 and 1840 when coal was used on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings.
• Coal is a natural resource that accelerates both economic and social development.
• In India, coal mining began in the year 1774 when John Summer and Suetonius Grant Heatly of the East India Company started commercial exploration in the Raniganj Coalfield along the western banks of the Damodar River.
• Demand for coal increased after the introduction of steam locomotives by railways in 1853. However, it was not a healthy place to work in. There were several incidents of extreme exploitation and massacre took place in coal mines in the name of profit.

International Firefighters’ Day: The International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) is observed on May 4 every year since 1999.

• The day is celebrated to recognize and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible.
• The day was instituted, after the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia on 2 December 1998.

National

India-Russia 2+2 Dialogue: The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and the Russian President Vladimir Putin recently agreed to establish “2+2 Ministerial Dialogue”.

About:

 The “2+2 Ministerial” dialogue is held between the defence ministers and foreign ministers.

India holds similar dialogues with US, Australia and Japan.

Russia is the first non-QUAD member with which India is to hold the dialogue.

In 2021, President Vladimir Putin is to visit India to hold the India-Russia bilateral summit.

The summit is alternatively held in India and Russia.

India-Russia:

At present, Russia is the largest Defence Supplier of India.

The key defence systems of India such as S-400 are also bought from Russia.

Both the countries are members of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS.

Russia supports India for its permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Earlier, both the countries had set a trade target of reaching 30 billion USD of trade by 2025. The dialogue will help them achieve the target.

Previously, the countries have also agreed to establish the International North-South Transport Corridor, cooperation at the Eurasian Economic Union and Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.

The Nuclear Power Plant that is being built in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu is built with Russian Cooperation.

India recently approved Russia’s Sputnik V. It is the third vaccine to be approved in the country after COVAXIN and COVISHIELD.

The Astronauts shortlisted for the Human Space Flight Programme of India were trained by Russia.

What agreements govern India-Russia relations?

In 1971, India and Russia signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship. This agreement was the manifestation of shared goals between the countries. After the dissolution of Soviet Union in 1991, India and Russia signed the Military-Technical Cooperation Agreement.

Roadmap 2030: India and the UK on Tuesday signed an Enhanced Trade Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU was signed during virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson.

Highlights:

• The MoU was signed to announce both the country's intent to negotiate a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, setting an ambitious target of more than doubling bilateral trade over the next nine years.
• In line with their vision to achieve a transformational change in bilateral cooperation, both leaders also dopted the ambitious Roadmap 2030 to elevate India-UK partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• The Roadmap will pave the way for a deeper and stronger engagement over the next ten years in the areas of people to people contacts, trade and economy, defence and security, climate action and health.
• The two Prime Ministers launched an ‘Enhanced Trade Partnership’ (ETP) to unleash the trade potential by setting an ambitious target of more than doubling bilateral trade by 2030.
• As part of the ETP, India and the UK agreed on a roadmap to negotiate a comprehensive and balanced FTA, including consideration of an Interim Trade Agreement for delivering early gains. The enhanced trade partnership will generate several thousands of direct and indirect jobs in both the countries.
• A new India-UK ‘Global Innovation Partnership’ was announced at the Virtual Summit that aims to support the transfer of inclusive Indian innovations to select developing countries, starting with Africa.
• Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation on new and emerging technologies, including Digital and ICT products, and work on supply chain resilience.
• They also agreed to strengthen defence and security ties, including in the maritime, counter-terrorism and cyberspace domains.
• Views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and G7 were also exchanged by both the Prime Ministers.
• They reiterated commitment to climate action to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and agreed to closely engage in the run up to CoP26 hosted by the UK later this year.
• MoU on Migration and Mobility Partnership to facilitate the legal movement of students and professionals and also enhance cooperation between India and the UK in combating illegal migration was also signed.

Justice Pant: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Justice (retired) Prafulla Chandra Pant had recently been appointed as the acting chairperson of the Commission with effect from April 25.

• A former Supreme Court judge, Justice Pant was appointed member of the NHRC on April 22, 2019.
• The post of a chairperson has been vacant since Justice H.L. Dattu, a former Chief Justice of India, completed his tenure on December 2, 2020.
• His appointment was authorized by the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind.

About Justice Pant:

• Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant (born 30 August 1952) is an Indian author and a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
• Prior to his appointment as Judge of the Supreme Court of India, he had previously served as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court at Shillong on 20th September 2013 and continued till 12th August 2014.

About NHRC:

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is a Statutory public body constituted on 12 October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance of 28 September 1993.
• The statute under which it is established is the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993 as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006.
• It was established in conformity with the Paris Principles.
• It is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, defined by the Act as "Rights Relating To Life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India.".
• The current Secretary General of NHRC is Bimbadar Pradhan, IAS.

G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting: Union Minister of State for Tourism & Culture (I/c), Prahlad Singh Patel recently participated in G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting.

The G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting was held in Italy on 4th May 2021.

Highlights:

• The dialogue was aimed at collaborating in protecting tourism businesses, jobs and taking initiatives to frame policy guidelines to support the sustainable and resilient recovery of travel and tourism.
• Patel conveyed India’s support for the Principles for the transition to a green travel and tourism economy submitted by UNWTO as a further contribution to the policy area “Green Transformation” to embrace sustainability in tourism.
• He also highlighted the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Tourism to promote community-based tourism and rural tourism by involving the local population in employment opportunities and income-generating activities through sustainable and responsible tourism.
• The Minister concluded with thanks to the Italian G20 Presidency for its leadership.
• He said that India would continue its support and cooperation to ensure further progress under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency in 2022.

People In News

Sheikh Zayed Book Award: Mumbai-born academician Dr. Tahera Qutbuddin, a professor of Arabic Literature, Department of NELC, University of Chicago, has recently been adjudged the winner of the 15th Sheikh Zayed Book Award.

• Dr. Tahera Qutbuddin is the first person from India to win the prestigious prize
• She won the award for her recent book Arabic Oration: Art and Function, published by Brill Academic Publishers of Leiden in 2019.

About Dr. Tahera Qutbuddin:

• Dr. Tahera, a U.S. citizen, was born in the prominent Qutbuddin family and grew up in south Mumbai.
• She completed her early education in Fort Convent, Presentation Convent in Kodaikanal, Villa Theresa High School, and Sophia College in Mumbai.
• She is a professor of Arabic Literature, Department of NELC, University of Chicago.

About the Award:

• The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is a literary award begun in the UAE.
• It is presented yearly to "Arab writers, intellectuals, publishers as well as young talent whose writings and translations of humanities have scholarly and objectively enriched Arab cultural, literary and social life.
• The award was established in memory of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the principal architect of United Arab Emirates, the authoritarian ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE for over 30 years (1971–2004).
• The first award was in 2007.

• The total value of the prizes is DH 7,000,000 making it one of the richest literary awards in the world.

RLD Chief Ajit Singh: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) President and former Union Mnister Ajit Singh passed away at the age of 86.

He had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 20th and was being treated at a private hospital in Guguram. As per reports, his condition deteriorated on May 5th due to lung infection.

About Ajit Singh:

• He was the son of former Indian Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.
• He was a seven-time MP from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh.
• He was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 1986 after his father, former prime minister Ch Charan Singh became ill.
• He was the President of Lok Dal (A) in 1987 and Janata Party in 1988.
• He became the General Secretary of Janata Dal in 1989 after all the parties decided to merge under the leadership of VP Singh to take down the long-serving Congress government.
• He founded Rashtriya Lok Dal and got re-elected in the by-election conducted in 1997.
• He served as the Union Minister of Agriculture under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government from 2001-2003.
• He had joined the United Progressive Alliance in 2011 and served as the Union Minister of Civil Aviation from December 2011 to May 2014.

Jagmohan Malhotra: He was the former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir known more as Jagmohan recently passed away.

He passed away at 94 after battling a brief period of illness in Delhi on May 3, 2021.

About Jagmohan:

• He was born on September 25, 1927.
• He served as a former civil servant and held posts of the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir and Goa, and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
• He served as the Governor of J&K two times, the first term from 1984, and the second term from January to May 1990.
• He got elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996 and held the post of the Union Minister for Urban Development and Tourism.
• He was honored with the three highest civilian awards:

1. In 1971, he was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award.
2. In 1977, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award.
3. In 2016, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award.

UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize 2021: Maria Ressa has recently been named as the 2021 laureate of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

• UNESCO cited Ressa’s more than a 3-decade career as a journalist, including her work as CNN’s lead investigative reporter for Asia and as news chief of Philippine broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
• Recently, her citation added, Ressa “has been the target of online attacks and judicial processes” for her investigative work and her position as CEO of Rappler.

About the Award:

• The $25,000 prize “recognizes outstanding contributions to the defence or promotion of press freedom especially in the face of danger,” according to UNESCO.
• The prize was named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the Colombian journalist.

Arline Pacht Global Vision Award: Former Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court, Justice Gita Mittal, has been declared as one of the two recipients of the Arline Pacht Global Vision Award for 2021.

Highlilghts:

• The Award will be presented at IAWJ’s Biennial Conference during the virtual opening ceremony on May 7, 2021.
• She shares the honour with Margarita Luna Ramos from Mexico.
• International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) instituted this award in 2016.
• Justice Mittal would be the first Indian judge to receive the award.
• Award is presented to a sitting/retired woman judge to recognize her contribution to IAWJ.

About Justice Mittal:

• Currently, Justice Mittal is the Chairperson of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), an independent, self-regulatory body for general entertainment channels set up by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF).
• She is the first woman to hold this position.

About IAWJ:

• IAWJ stands for International Association of Women Judges.
• It was founded in 1991.
• It is headquartered in Washington DC, USA.
• The current President of IAWJ is Vanessa Ruiz.

RM Sundaram: Raman Meenakshi Sundaram has recently been appointed as Director of the Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR).

IIRR is an arm of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Prior to this elevation, RM Sundaram was working as Principal Scientist (Biotechnology) at the institute crop Improvement Section.

He is a scientist of global repute working in the area of rice biotechnology, molecular breeding, and genomics.

He has over 160 research papers in national and international journals of repute and has published several books, book chapters and popular articles.

Recent Achievement:

• Sundaram’s research accomplishments include the development of one of the first biotechnology products in rice, Improved Samba Mahsuri, which is high yielding, is of fine-grain type, has a low glycaemic index and is highly resistant to bacterial blight.

Places In News

Glyphosate: The Telangana Government recently imposed a total ban on Glyphosate with immediate effect.

• The reason for the ban is that the excess use of this herbicide by farmers is causing harm to soil and human health. 
• As per a notice issued by the state government, anybody violating the ban will be punished under the Insecticide Act 1968. So, manufacturers, dealers, and retailers need to be more cautious. 

About Glyphosate:

• The Glyphosate is a controversial herbicide usually used to kill weeds in cotton farms especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops.
• Glyphosate is absorbed through foliage (plant leaves). It is minimally absorbed by roots.
• The sodium salt form of glyphosate is used to regulate plant growth and ripen specific crops.
• Glyphosate was first registered for use in the U.S. in 1974.
• It was discovered to be an herbicide by Monsanto chemist John E. Franz in 1970.
• The usage of Glyphosate is banned because it is carcinogenic.
• It is also being banned to control the illegal cultivation of HTBt cotton.
• In 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified Glyphosate under Category 2A, that is, a “Probably Carcinogenic in Humans”.

Why do farmers prefer HTBt cotton?

• The farmers prefer HTBt cotton because of the following reasons:
• The cost of HTBt seeds is Rs 1,500 per 450 gram pack.
• This is higher than the Bollgard Cotton II which costs Rs 740 per 450 gram pack. However, the farmers still prefer HTBt cotton for its overall low cost of production.
• A normal cotton grower spends Rs 15,400 in rainfed land and Rs 23,500 per acre in irrigation to grow GM (Genetically Modified) cotton.
• Of this around 20% to 25% is spent in removing weeds.
• On the other hand, HTBt cotton farmers can save this expenditure on weed management.
• They can simply spray Glyphosate as it won’t affect HTBt.
• This is because; the normal cotton cannot withstand Glyphosate, while HTBt cotton can.

What is the issue?

• Around 8 to 10 lakh acres of land in Telangana are under herbicide tolerant HTBt cotton.
• These cultivations have not received proper permission for commercial use.
• The Genetic Appraisal Engineering Committee (GEAC) has not yet approved HTBt cotton.

Note: Bt crops need approval from the government for use.

• It all began in 2019 when farmers started cultivating this illegal cotton crop.
• The practice gained momentum in 2020.
• At present, around 50% of the total area under cotton is under this illegal HTBt cotton variety.  
• Glyphosate leaches into food and water and causes chronic kidney diseases in humans.
• Glyphosate is also used as Crop Desiccant.
• A crop desiccant is applied to the crops just before harvest.
• The crop desiccants kill out leaves/plants allowing the plants to dry quickly and evenly from environmental conditions.

About Telangana:

1. It is a state in India situated on the centre-south stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau.
2. It was founded on 2 June 2014.
3. Its Capital city is Hyderabad.
4. The current Governor and Chief Minister of Telangana are Tamilisai Soundararajan and K. Chandrashekar Rao respectively.

Shri Badrinath Dham: The top Oil and Gas PSUs of India, including IndianOil, BPCL, HPCL, ONGC and GAIL, have recently inked a Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the Shri Badrinath Utthan Charitable Trust.

Key Points:

1. The MoU was signed on May 06, 2021, for Construction and Redevelopment of Shri Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand as a Spiritual Smart hill Town.
2. The agreements were signed in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat and Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Dharmendra Pradhan and other state ministers and senior officers of the Uttarakhand Government and the Oil & Gas PSUs.

Objective of the MoU:

Under the MoU these PSUs will contribute Rs. 99.60 crore in the first phase of project which includes:

1. River embankment work
2. Building all-terrain vehicular path
3. Building bridges
4. Beautifying existing bridges
5. Establishing gurukul facilities with accommodation
6. Creating toilet and drinking water facilities
7. Installing streetlights
8. Mural paintings

The Oil and Gas PSUs will not only contribute to the development work of the Badrinath but they will also be part of the development of other Dhams like Kedarnath, Uttarkashi, Yamunotri and Gangotri.

Note: Tourism is one of the key industries that play a critical role in the development of the state.

It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centers of India, having recorded 1,060,000 visits. 

The initiative is part of the Government’s effort to boost tourism by attracting more tourists, which in turn would strengthen the economy of the state.

The rejuvenation work of Shri Badrinath Dham is expected to be completed within a span of three-year time.

About Badrinath Dham:

1. Badrinath is a holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand.
2. It is one of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage and gets its name from the Badrinath Temple.
3. Badrinath or Badrinarayan Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu which is situated along the banks of Alaknanda River in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand, India.
4. Badrinath was re-established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the 8th century.

Note: The other three are Dwarika (Gujarat), Puro (Odisha) and Rameshwaram(Tamil Nadu)

Forest Ponds: The State Government Himachal Pradesh has recently initiated the Parvat Dhara Yojana for the rejuvenation of water sources and recharging aquifers through the forest department with an outlay of Rs 20 crore.

Highlights:

• The work has been started in 10 forest divisions that include Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Jogindernagar, Nachan, Nurpur, Parvati, Rajgarh, Nalagarh, Theog and Dalhousie.
• The Forest Department of Himachal Pradesh will implement the scheme.
• Under the scheme, the cleaning and maintenance of existing ponds have been done.
• Also, the construction of new ponds, contour trenches, dams, check dams and retaining wall to control the soil erosion has been done.
• The scheme aims to enhance the water level by retaining water for the maximum period. Efforts are also being made to improve the green cover by planting fruit-bearing plants.

About Himachal Pradesh:

• Himachal Pradesh is a northern Indian state in the Himalayas.
• It is situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the eleven mountain states of India. Himachal Pradesh shares borders with the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to the north, and the states of Punjab to the west, Haryana to the southwest, and Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to the south.
• The state also has a border with the autonomous region of Tibet to the east.
• Its summer capital is shimla and winter capital is Dharamshala.
• The current Governor and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh are Bandaru Dattatreya and Jai Ram Thakur respectively.

Ayurvedic telemedicine facility: The Haryana Government has recently launched an Ayurvedic telemedicine facility for COVID-19 patients.

Highlights:

• The announcement was made by Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij.
• Under this facility, any patient can consult the Ayurvedic Doctors on phone by dialing 1075.
• The facility has been launched after verifying the response of Ayurvedic medicines used on Corona patients.
• Several teams of senior Ayurvedic Doctors have been appointed for consultation, who will provide service from 8 am to 10 pm.
• A call centre has been set up to run it.
• The Haryana Health Minister noted that the teleconsultation would be helpful for patients in isolation.

About Haryana:

• Haryana is a North Indian state surrounding New Delhi on 3 sides.
• It is one of the 28 states in India, located in the northern part of the country.
• It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 November 1966 on a linguistic basis.
• Since Haryana surrounds the country's capital Delhi on three sides (north, west and south), consequently a large area of Haryana is included in the economically-important National Capital Region for the purposes of planning and development.
• The capital of Haryana is Chandigarh.
• The current Chief Minister and Governor of Haryana are Manohar Lal Khattar and Satyadev Narayan Arya respectively.

Science and Technology

Uranium-214: The scientists have recently created lightest form of Uranium.

Key Facts:

The new found uranium is called the Uranium-214.

The researchers created the new uranium isotope at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou, China.

The discovery could reveal more about a weird alpha particle that gets ejected from certain radioactive elements as they decay.

About Uranium-214:

• Uranium-214 is an isotope, or a variant of the element, with 30 more neutrons than protons, one fewer neutron than the next-lightest known uranium isotope.
• Neutrons have mass.
• The recently found uranium-214 is much lighter than more common uranium isotopes.
• This includes uranium-235, which is used in nuclear reactors and has 51 extra neutrons.
• It had a half-life of just half a milli-second. The half life of a radioactive sample is the time taken for half of the radioactive sample to decay.
• The most common isotope of uranium — called uranium-238.
• It has a half-life of about 4.5 billion years, which is about the age of Earth.

Significance:

• This newfound isotope isn't just lighter than others, but it also showed unique behaviors during its decay.
• As such, the new findings will help scientists better understand a radioactive decay process known as alpha decay, in which an atomic nucleus loses a group of two protons and two neutrons — collectively called an alpha particle.

Note: The alpha particles are those particles that get ejected from radioactive elements as they decay.

• However, though scientists know that alpha decay results in the ejection of this alpha particle, after a century of study but they still don't know the exact details of how the alpha particle is formed before it gets ejected.

How was Uranium-214 created?

• A beam of Argon was projected on Tungsten inside a machine called a gas-filled recoil separator — in this case the Spectrometer for Heavy Atoms and Nuclear Structure, or SHANS.
• The researchers then added protons and neutrons to the material through a LASER beam to create Uranium-214.
• The scientists found that protons and neutrons of Uranium-214 interacted much more strongly than in isotopes with similar number of neutrons and protons.
• In other words, nuclear force in Uranium-214 was greater than the nuclear force in other isotopes.

8 extremely rare 'millisecond pulsars' discovered inside globular clusters

Millisecond pulsars: An international team of astronomers have recently discovered eight millisecond pulsars.

These pulsars were located within the dense clusters of stars, known as "globular clusters," using South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope.

About Milli second Pulsars:

• Millisecond pulsars are neutron stars.
• They are extremely compact stars mainly made up of neutrons, and are amongst the most extreme objects in the universe.
• They pack hundreds of thousands of times the mass of the Earth in a sphere with a diameter of about 24 km.
• They spin at a rate of hundreds of rotations per second.
• They emit a beam of radio waves that are detected by the observer at every rotation, like a lighthouse.
• The formation of these objects is highly enhanced in the star-rich environments at the centers of globular clusters.

About the discovery:

• The Pulsar discovery comes from two international collaborations TRAPUM and MeerTIME.
• This is the first pulsar discovery using the MeerKAT antennas.
• Ridolfi and his colleagues used the MeerKAT telescope — an array of 64 individual satellite dishes run by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO).
• The astronomers directed the telescope towards nine globular clusters and they discovered new pulsars in six of them. Of these, six of them orbit around another star.
• The discovery will help the Globular Cluster Pulsar Survey of TRAPUM.

MeerKAT Telescope

• MeerKAT Telescope
• It is a Karoo Array telescope with sixty-four antennas.
• It is also a radio telescope.
• It is located in the Northern Cape of South Africa.

• It is soon to be expanded to MeerKAT+ by installing twenty more antennas.

 

Mapping of Osteocytes: The researchers from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have mapped the unique genetic profile of the skeleton's 'master regulator' cells, known as Osteocytes for the first time.

• The study published today in Nature Communications.

Key Findings of the study:

• The researchers have outlined the genes that are switched on and off in osteocytes.
• This will help in diagnosing bone diseases that have genetic component.
• For the first time, the researchers have pictured the whole landscape of osteocytes.
• They have found that majority of the genes that are active within osteocytes had no role in bones.
• This means that they only give commands.
• This discovery will help to understand what controls the skeleton actually.

About Osteocytes:

• Osteocytes are the longest living bone cell, making up 90–95% of cells in bone tissue in contrast to Osteoclasts and Osteoblasts making up ~5% (40).
• They are oblate shaped bone cells.
• They are found in bone tissues.
• They live as long as the organism lives.
• There are more than 42 billion Osteocytes in human body.
• The Osteocytes do not divide.
• Their average half life is 25 years.
• The skeleton of the humans keeps changing structurally throughout his life.
• Osteocytes are the most abundant cell present in bones.
• Osteocytes form when osteoblasts become buried in the mineral matrix of bone and develop distinct features.
• These osteocytes form a network similar to the neurons in the brain.
• There are more than 23 trillion connections between 42 billion osteocytes.
• This network is responsible for monitoring bone health.
• It responds to ageing.
• They also send signals to other cells in the bone to build or break down an old bone.
• The diseases such as osteoporosis are caused due to imbalance in these processes.

Development of Bones:

• During Bone formation Osteoblast is left behind.
• Osteoblasts are cells that synthesize bones.
• The process of bone formation is still not known completely.

Sports

Snooker World Championship: English professional snooker player Mark Selby recently won the World Championship for the fourth time.

• He won the title defeating Shaun Murphy by 18-15 victory at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
• He has now moved up to second spot in world rankings, next only to Judd Trump.

Mark Selby:

• Mark Selby has won the World Championship in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021.
• He was ranked world number one between 2015 and 2019.

World Snooker Championship:

• World Snooker Championship is organized by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
• It is being held since 1927 annually.
• It is played at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.

About Snooker:

• Snooker is a cue sport.
• Cue Sport is also called Billiard sports.
• They are wide variety of games that are played with a cue stick.
• It played on a table with four pockets or six pockets.
• It is played using snooker balls and a cue.
• The objective of the snooker game is to hit the white cue ball with the cue so that it strikes the other balls and in turn they fall into the pockets.
• The player who scores more points in the game wins.
• The balls are of different colours .
• Each colour has different point.
• The following are the fouls in snooker game:
  • Failing to hit any ball
  • Touching other balls with anything other than cue ball
  • Potting the cue ball
  • Making a ball fall off the table
• There are different types of shots in snooker. They are:
  • Push Shot: It is a shot where the object ball in direct contact with the cue ball moves when the cue ball is hit
  • Jump Shot: It is a shot where the cue ball jumps over a ball before hitting another ball
  • Playing the shot both feet off the ground. The player might lean over the table. However, at least his one leg should be on the ground.

World Athletics Day 2021: World Athletics Day (WAD) is celebrated each year in the month of May to create awareness about the importance of exercising.

• This year, the World Athletics Day will be held for the majority of the federations on the May 5 and for the remainder on May 12.
• The date of observation is subjected to change as International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) decides the date every year, but the month remains the same which is May.

Objectives of WAD:

World Athletics Day falls under the social responsibility project of IAAF 'Athletics for a Better World.' So the main objectives are as follows:

1. To boost participation in athletics among youngsters.
2. To popularize sports among the youth and establish a link between the youth, sport, and environmental conservation.
3. To make people aware of the various health issues.
4. To create awareness about the importance of fitness.
5. To promote athletics as the primary sport in schools and institutions.
6. To establish athletics as the number one participation sport in schools all over the world.

History:

• World Athletics Day was originally celebrated in 1996 for the first time. 
• The observation of the day was initiated by Primo Nebiolo, the then-president of IAAF.
• The World Athletics Day is an event sponsored and organized by the IAAF. All around this day is celebrated in schools and colleges.
• Many athletic and sports competitions take place on this day in institutions celebrating World Athletics Day.

World Athletics:

• World Athletics was formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) and International Association of Athletics Federations.
• It is the international governing body for the sport of athletics, covering track and field, cross country running, road running, race walking, mountain running and ultra running.
• It was founded on 17 July 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden.
• It is headquartered in Monaco.
• The current President of World Athletics is Sebastian Coe.

World Athletics Championships:

• The World Athletics Championships 2021 will be hosted in Eugene (Oregon), United States of America in 2022 and the next World Athletics Championships will be hosted in Budapest, Hungary in 2023.

Note: The World Athletics Championships are held every two years. The 2021 championship was postponed due to the ongoing pandemic.

‘Believe in Sport’ Campaign: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) recently announced that India shuttler PV Sindhu and Canada’s Michelle Li have been nominated as athlete ambassadors for the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ‘Believe in Sport’ campaign.

The campaign is aimed at preventing competition manipulation.

About:

• Sindhu and Li will be working alongside other athlete ambassadors from around the world to raise awareness on the topic of competition manipulation amongst athletes and encourage.
• The pair has been global ambassadors for BWF’s ‘i am badminton’ campaign since April 2020.
• The IOC’s ‘Believe in Sport’ campaign was launched in 2018 to raise awareness among athletes, coaches and officials of the threat of competition manipulation.

About IOC:

• IOC is an acronym for International Olympic Committee.
• It is a non-governmental sports organization.
• It was established on 23 June 1894 Paris, France..
• It was founded by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas.
• It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• It is responsible to organize the modern Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
• The Olympic motto is made up of three Latin words: CITIUS – ALTIUS – FORTIUS (Faster, Higher, Stronger) adopted in 1894.
• The current President of IOC is Thomas Bach.

Badminton World Federation (BWF):

 BWF is the international governing body for the sport of badminton recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

• It was founded on 5 July 1934 as the International Badminton Federation with nine member nations.
• The present name Badminton World Federation (BWF) was adopted at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 24 September 2006, in Madrid. 
• It is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The current president of BWF is Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen.

Portuguese Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton recently overtook title rival Max Verstappen and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas to win the Portuguese Grand Prix.

• Verstappen finished second, while Bottas, who started from pole, came in a disappointing third place.
• Sergio Perez took the flag in fourth, with Lando Norris fifth for McLaren.
• The reigning Formula One champion dropped to third in the opening laps but made two impressive moves in nine race-winning laps to claim his second victory of the season.

Tokyo Olympics: Wrestler Sumit Malik has qualified for Tokyo Olympics after making it to the finals in the 125kg freestyle category of the World Wrestling Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The other wrestlers who have already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics are as follows:

• In Men’s freestyle category Deepak Punia (86kg), Ravi Kumar Dahiya (57kg), Bajrang Punia (65kg) has qualified.
• While in Women’s category Sonam Malik (62kg), Vinesh Phogat (53kg) and Anshu Malik (57kghave qualified.

Tokyo Olympic qualifier in Rowing:

• The Indian duo of Arjun Jat and Arvind Singh have also qualified for the rowing men's doubles sculls event for Tokyo Olympics after finishing second at the Asia Oceania Continental Regatta event.

Tokyo Olympic qualifier in Sailing:

• Four Indian sailors too had qualified for the Tokyo Games earlier through the Mussanah Open Championship in Oman.

Note: This year will be the first time when India will be represented in three sailing events at the Olympics.

Arts

Kapilvastu Relics: In a special gesture towards the people of Mongolia, four Holy Relics of Lord Buddha are being taken from India to Mongolia.

Key Highlights:

• The holy relics are being taken for an 11-day exposition as part of celebrations of Mongolian Buddha Purnima falling on the 14th of this month.
• They will be displayed at the Batsagaan Temple within the premises of Gandan Monastery.
• The relics will be received in Mongolia by the Culture Minister of Mongolia, Advisor to the President of Mongolia and a large number of monks among other dignitaries.
• The Lord Buddha relics available in Mongolia would also be displayed along with the relics from India.

About the Holy relics:

• The Holy Buddha relics are currently housed in the National Museum.
• The holy relics are are known as the ‘Kapilvastu Relics’ since they are from a site in Bihar first discovered in 1898 which is believed to be the ancient city of Kapilvastu.

Significance:

• It is another historic milestone in India-Mongolia relations and will further boost cultural and spiritual relations between the two countries.
• Taking the relics to Mongolia is an extension of the vision of the Prime Minister to revive the relations with the countries with whom India has had cultural and spiritual ties for centuries.

Note: Modi was the first-ever Prime Minister of India to visit Mongolia in 2015.

About Kapilavastu:

• Kapilavastu was an ancient city on the Indian subcontinent.
• It was the capital of the clan of the Shakyas.
• The city is thought to have been named in honor of the Vedic sage Kapila.
• King Åšuddhodana and Queen Māyā are believed to have lived at Kapilavastu, as did their son Prince Siddartha Gautama (Gautama Buddha) until he left the palace at the age of 29.

Sant Tukaram Shila Mandir: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the Sant Tukaram Shila Mandir in the temple town of Dehu in Pune district.

Key Highlights:

• The temple is dedicated to the 17th-century saint Tukaram.
• It has been rebuilt in stone masonry with 36 peaks.
• It also carries an idol of Sant Tukaram.

About Sant Tukaram:

• Sant Tukaram was a 17th-century Marathi poet, Hindu sant (saint), popularly known as Tuka, Tukobaraya, Tukoba in Maharashtra.
• He was a Poet and saint of warkari  sampradaya (Marathi-Vaishnav tradition) that venerates the god Vithoba, an avatar of Hindu deity Vishnu.
• His guru was bhakti movement Saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
• He lived in Dehu.
• He is famously known for Abhanga devotional poetry and community-oriented worship through spiritual songs known as Kirtans.
• Tukaram pointed out the evil of wrongdoings of society, social system and Maharajs by his kiratans and abhangs.
• His message about a casteless society and his denial of rituals had led to a social movement.
• A Shila Mandir was built after his demise, but it was not formally structured as a Temple.
• Shila refers to a rock that is currently on the Dehu Sansthan temple premises.
• The Bhakti saint had sat on this piece of rock for 13 continuous days when challenged about the authenticity of the Abhyangs he had written.
• For centuries the shila has been the starting point of Wari, the annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur.
• Prior to this, the saint had immersed his entire work in the Indrayani river.
• The work miraculously reappeared after 13 days, proving their authenticity.
• Sant Tukaram and his work are central to the Warkari sect spread across Maharashtra.

 Baikho Festival of Assam: The Baikho festival is celebrated in the state of Assam by Rabha tribes of India.

Key Highlights:

• Locals in Gamerimura village gathered on June 4 to celebrate the festival.
• Vibrant and holy hues of rituals, fun, customs, and frolic was witnessed on this day.

About Baikho Festival:

• The Baikho festival is celebrated every year.
• It is an ancient tradition.
• It is predominantly observed by Rabha Tribe.
• However, people from other communities also harmonise in the celebrations.
• It is celebrated to bring in auspicious harvest season and to fill it with abundant crops and good health.
• This is a celebration of good harvest.

How is this festival celebrated?

• During this festival, various rituals are carried out for warding off evil spirits, for bringing good will to community and sparking ample rains.
• In the afternoon, people dress in traditional attire and dance to the drum beats.
• In the evening, they set alight a tall structure made from bundles of bamboo.
• After the sun sets, priests offer prayers to the God of harvest.
• After the prayers priests run over hot coals, which are left simmering by the fire.
• This act is meant to honour the harvest deity.
• Later, women wash the feet of priests and serve them food.
• In another unique customs, Rabha Tribes smear their faces with rice flour and pour rice beer for others.

About Rabhas Tribes:

• Rabhas are a Tibeto-Burman community.
• They reside in Lower Assam in Garo hills and Dooar region of West Bengal.
• They are among the plains tribe in the state.
• They are an agriculture-based community.
• They have distinctive cultures and celebrations.

About Assam:

• Assam is called as the gateway to northeast India.
• It is a state in northeastern India known for its wildlife, archeological sites and tea plantations.
• It is the state of natural beauty and scenic scapes.
• It is situated south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys.
• It is encircled by verdant hills.
• Assam is known for Assam tea and Assam silk.
• The state was the first site for oil drilling in Asia.
• It is having diverse flora and fauna.
• It is also known as the land of Red River and Blue Hills.
• It is a nucleus, which inhibits the beautiful biodiversity of India.
• Its capital is Dispur.
• The current Governor and the Chief Minister of Assam are Professor Jagdish Mukhi and Himanta Biswas Sarma respectively.

Economics

Jan Samarth Portal: Prime Minister Modi on June 6, 2022, launched a “national portal for credit-linked government schemes” called “Jan Samarth Portal”.

Key Highlights:

• The portal was launched during the ‘Iconic week celebrations’ of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Ministry of Finance at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi.
• The Iconic week is being celebrated from June 6 to June 11, 2022 as part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

About Jan Samarth Portal:

• Jan Samarth Portal by the Government of India (GoI) is a one-stop digital portal linking government credit schemes.
• This unique portal is a first-of-its-kind platform that will directly connect the beneficiaries to the lenders.
• It will link 13 Credit Linked Government schemes on a single platform.

Objective of Jan Samarth Portal:

• The main objective of this portal is to encourage inclusive growth and development of several sectors by guiding and providing them the right government benefits by means of simple and easy digital processes.
• It ensures end-to-end coverage of all the linked schemes.

Significance of the Portal:

• Students, businesspeople, farmers, and MSME entrepreneurs would benefit from this portal in terms of their quality of life as well as the realization of their aspirations.
• The Portal has an open architecture, which will help state governments and other organisations to contribute their plans to it in future.

Iconic Week Celebrations:

• During the event, apart from Jan Samarth Portal, PM Modi also inaugurated a Digital Exhibition which traces the journey of two ministries (Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs) over the past eight years.
• He also released special series of Re 1, Rs. 2, Rs. 5, Rs. 10, and Rs. 20 coins.
• These special series of coins have the theme of the logo of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and are very easily identifiable to visually impaired persons.
• The new coins will constantly remind the citizens of India of the goals of Amrit Kaal and also inspire them to contribute to the development of India.

Fat finger Trade: The National Stock Exchange of India recently witnessed a freak trade called as 'Fat finger Trade' in weekly Nifty 50 options contact.

Key facts:

• It led to a loss of around Rs 200 crore for traders.
• This is not for the first time that freak trade has been witnessed by India.
• The nation has witnessed such instances in past as well.

Freak trade incident:

• Chitra Ramakrishna was catapulted in April 2013 by one such freak trade at the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
• On October 5, 2012, fat finger trade had triggered a huge flash crash, leading to loss of Rs 10 trillion of investors’ wealth at NSE.
• NSECEO Ravi Narain had to pay the price, while baton was passed to Ramakrishna.

What is fat finger trade?

• A fat finger trade is the one which is triggered due to a human error or press of a wrong key when using a computer to input data.
• Such error can include entering a wrong value with respect to price or quantity or selection of wrong execution action like buy or sell.
• When the freak trade is executed, the price hits an abnormal level for some second but later returns to the level where it should actually be.
• Often such trades result in huge losses for one party and windfall gains for the other.
• For instance, in the recent freak trade, trader executed a sell order at Rs 0.15, in Nifty 14,500 call option.

Impact of Fat-finger trade:

• Fat-finger trades and freak trades not only cost the trader who punched the order money, but because Stop Losses may have been triggered as a result of unusual price movement, it also results in loss for others who may have put a Stop Loss order to their open positions.

How can Fat-finger trade be avoided?

• If the fat-finger trades are caught in time, they can be avoided.
• Constant efforts are being made by Exchanges and brokerages to avoid such trades by placing some preventive measures.
• They are set filters to give alert to traders while placing orders outside the parameters of market.
• Furthermore, price movements are also reduced by placing circuit filters and cooling off period.

Ayurveda Aahar Logo: Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya recently launched the ‘Ayurveda Aahar’ logo.

Key Points:

• The logo was launched on the occasion of World Food Safety Day on June 7.
• The logo, just like any other standard logo on food products, would allow for “easy identification” and create a “unique identity of ‘Ayurveda Aahar’ .”
• This measure is also likely to “reinforce quality” of Ayurvedic products.
• It will ensure manufacturing of quality Ayurveda food products and help in expanding the international market for Make-In-India products.

What does the logo stand for?

• According to Food Safety and Standards (Ayurveda Aahar) Regulations, 2021 from FSSAI, Ayurveda Aahar is food prepared in accordance with the recipes or ingredients and/or processes as per methods described in the authoritative books of Ayurveda listed under ‘Schedule A’ of these regulations.
• It also includes products which have other botanical ingredients in accordance with the concept of Ayurvedic Aahar but does not include Ayurvedic drugs or proprietary Ayurvedic medicines and medicinal products, cosmetics, narcotic or psychotropic substances, herbs listed under Schedule E of Drug and Cosmetic Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 thereunder, metals based Ayurvedic drugs or medicines, bhasma or pishti and any other ingredients notified by the Authority from time to time, the draft regulations note.

About the Logo:

• According to FSSAI, the design of Ayurveda Aahar logo is such that it contains initial letters of words Ayurveda and Aahar in English and Devanagari.
• In the logo, the Hindi letter Aa, and English letter ‘A’ have been combined in such a way that they appear to be single form.
• It contains initial letters of the words Ayurveda and Aahar in Devnagari and English.
• Colour green stands for natural, biotic, wholesome, herbal, and organic.
• Symbolic 5 leaves represent five elements — ether, air, water, fire, and Earth.

How can food operators obtain the logo?

• An expert committee under the Ministry of Ayush consisting of relevant experts including representatives of FSSAI for providing recommendation on approval of claims and products will be constituted by FSSAI.
• The committee shall also empower to address concerns regarding registration or licensing or certification or laboratory accreditation or testing or quality issues related to “Ayurveda Aahara”.
• Operators of food businesses must adhere to quality standards for ingredients as stated by the Food Safety and Standards Regulations and any BIS specifications.

Defence

Puneet Sagar Abhiyan: The National Cadet Corps (NCC) launched the latest phase of its nationwide flagship campaign ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’ on May 30, 2022 which continued till June 5, 2022, that marks the World Environment Day.

About the campaign:

• The campaign witnessed the participation of around 74,000 cadets from 10 States and 4 Union Territories.
• NCC cadets NCC cadets along with NCC alumni, locals, and tourists from various places across India also participated in it.
• The waste collected during the campaign was disposed of in an environment friendly manner, in association with the cooperation with Government and Private agencies.
• During the campaign, drawing, essay writing, article writing, poetry, poster making,  debate, etc were also conducted at various locations.

Why was the campaign launched?

• The Puneet Sagar Abhiyan was launched by NCC, in a bid to clean Sea Shores or Beaches and other water bodies including rivers & lakes, by removing plastic & other waste.
• The main purpose of this campaign is to increase awareness amongst local population about importance of keeping beaches and river fronts clean.
• It also seeks to educate locals and sensitise about ‘Swachh Bharat’.

When was campaign launched?

The campaign was launched on December 1, 2021 by the National Cadet Corps, to keep seashores and beaches free from plastic & other waste materials.

National Cadet Corps (NCC):

• The National Cadet Corps (NCC) is the youth wing of Indian Armed Forces.
• It is a Tri-Services Organisation, comprising the Army, Navy and Air Wing, engaged in grooming the youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens.
• It operates under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
• It is also the largest uniformed youth organisation of the country.
• It was formed on 16 April 1948.
• Since its inception the NCC cadets have been contributing to the national cause during natural calamities like cyclone, floods etc.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• It is open to students from schools and colleges on voluntary basis as a Tri-Services Organisation.
• The cadets are recruited from high schools, higher secondary, colleges and universities by the soldier youth foundation in India.
• In the camp, cadets are given basic military training in small arms and drill.
• The current Director-General of NCC is Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh, AVSM, VSM.

Motto of NCC: 

• The motto of NCC is "Unity and discipline".

Emblem of the NCC:

• The emblem of NCC comprises of 3 colours namely, red, dark blue and light blue.
• Red colour represents he Indian Army, dark blue represents the Indian Navy while light blue represents the Indian Air Force.
• The 17 lotuses on it indicate 17 directories of India.

Decommissioning of INS Nishank (K43) and INS Akshay: The Indian Navy Ships Nishank and Akshay were recently decommissioned, after rendering 32 years of glorious service to India.

Key Highlights:

• The Decommissioning event was conducted on June 3, 2022 at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
• The national flag, the navy ensign, and the decommissioning pennants of both ships were all dropped for the final time during the traditional ceremony at dusk.

About INS NISHANK and INS AKSHAY:

• INS Nishank was commissioned on September 12, 1989 while INS Akshay was commissioned on December 10, 1990 at Poti, Georgia.
• INS Nishank was a part of 22 Missile Vessel Squadron while INS Akshay was a part of 23 Patrol vessel Squadron, under operational control of Flag Officer Commanding, Naval area of Maharashtra.
• They served the country for over 32 years.
• During their service to the nation, they participated in several naval operations including Operation Talwar during Kargil War and Operation Parakram in 2001.

About INS Nishank (K43):

• INS Nishank is a Veer class corvette.
• It has the length of 56 m (184 ft).
• It can attain the speed of 32 knots (59 km/h) and a range of1,650 mi (2,660 km).

Note: Veer class corvettes are a customized Indian variant of Soviet Tarantul class. They form 22nd Killer Missile Vessel Squadron.

About INS Akshay:

INS Akshay refers to following vessels of the Indian Navy:

1. INS Akshay (P3136): It is an Ajay-class patrol vessel that was completed in 1962. In 1973, it was given to Bangladesh where she served as BNS Padma.
2. INS Akshay (P35): It is an Abhay-class corvette commissioned in 1990.

About Indian Navy:

• The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.
• The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy.
• The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy.
• Indian Navy was founded omn 26 January 1950.
• The current Chief of Navy Staff (CNS) is Admiral R. Hari Kumar.

Objective of Indian Navy:

• The main objective of the Indian Navy is to protect the country’s maritime borders and help in the expansion of its forces.

There are 3 commands under the Navy which are:

1. The Western Naval Command (Headquarters at Mumbai).

2. The Eastern Naval Command (Headquarters at Visakhapatnam)

3. The Southern Naval Command (Headquarters at Kochi)

The Indian Navy is the fifth largest in the world, employing 67,109 personnel.

Note: Indian Navy day is celebrated on the 4th of December every year.

• Indian Navy operates in Persian Gulf Region and Horn of Africa to the Strait of Malacca.
• It also conducts two to three month-long deployments in South & East China sea, and western Mediterranean Sea simultaneously.

Amendments in Armed Forces Service Rules: Ministry of Defence (MoD) recently issued gazette notifications for amending regulations of Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, related to appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff.

Key Points:

• The notification issued by the Indian government aims to amend regulations of three defence forces related to appointment of Chief of Defence Staff.
• As per notification, government may consider an officer for this post, who is serving as Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal or a retired officer in the similar ranks but below the age of 62 or any retired three-star officer also below the same age.
• Government would made considerations, “if considered necessary, in public interest.”
• The government may also extend the service of Chief of Defence Staff “for a period as it may deem necessary”, but would be subject to a maximum age of 65 years.
• The post of Chief of Defence staff fell vacant after the sudden demise of General Bipin Rawat, in a helicopter (Mi-17V5) crash on 8 December, 2021.
• India has been left without a CDS since then.

About CDS:

• The Chief of Defence Staff of Indian Armed Forces (CDS) is the permanent Chairman and military head of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) of Indian Armed Forces.
• He is the highest-ranking uniformed officer on active duty in Indian military.
• He acts as the chief military adviser to Defence Minister.
• He also heads the Department of Military Affairs.
• He is assisted by a vice-chief, who is the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.

Who was the first Chief of Defence staff?

• General Bipin Rawat had retired as an Army Chief before he was appointed as the first CDS.
• He took office on 1 December, 2020.
• The position was created with an objective of improving coordination, tri-service effectiveness and overall integration of the combat capabilities of the Indian armed forces.
• At the time of the creation of the post, no analogous position existed.

About General Bipin Rawat:

• General Bipin Rawat was an Indian military officer.
• He was a four-star general of Indian Army.
• He was also the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) from January 2020 until his demise in December 2021.
• Before taking over as the CDS, he was the 57th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Indian Armed Forces and the 26th Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army.

Environment & Climate

World Oceans Day 2022: The World Oceans Day is celebrated on June 8 every year across the globe.

Key Points:

The day is commemorated for the following reasons:-

• To remind people of the importance of the oceans and the major role they play in everyday life.
• To raise public awareness of the ocean and its resources in order to promote global ocean and resource sustainability.
• To highlight the various resources that mankind derives from the ocean, as well as the various threats that the ocean faces.

Theme for World Oceans Day 2022:

• The theme for World Oceans Day 2022 is “Revitalization: collective action for the ocean.”
• This year, it is framed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science and the celebration of the United Nations Ocean Conference, which was cancelled these past two years because of the pandemic.

History:

• The concept of the day was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit — UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Since 2002, the World Ocean Network has built support for ocean awareness events on June 8 with the help of sponsorship from UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
• ‘World Oceans Day’ was officially recognised by the United Nations on December 5, 2008.

About the Oceans:

• An ocean is a body of water that composes much of a planet's hydrosphere.
• On Earth, the ocean is one of the major conventional divisions of the World Ocean.
• The ocean covers over 70% of the planet.
• These are, in descending order by area, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans.
• Oceans are areas of continuous body of salt water that covers more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface.
• The scientists and geographers divide it into five different sections.
• From biggest to smallest, they are the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Antarctic (sometimes called the Southern), and the Arctic Oceans.

Importance of Ocean:

• As the world ocean is the principal component of Earth's hydrosphere, it is integral to life.
• It forms part of the carbon cycle where a vast amount of greenhouse gas that is carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by ocean water and help human in tackling the problem of global warming and climate change.
• Oceans play a key role in regulating the weather and climate.
• Ocean controls temperature and weather by absorbing over half the heat reaching the Earth from the sun.
• Water evaporating from the oceans which falls in land as rain is used as drinking water and for growing crops.
• A variety of life-saving medicinal compounds, including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs have also been discovered in the oceans.
• The oceans not only provide us with abundant opportunities for recreation and inspiration but the ocean is vital to the world’s economy, with more than 90% of trade using sea routes and as a source of jobs for millions of people.
• The ocean is also the stage for a growing range of new ocean-related economic activities and constant innovations.
• The ocean is home to the greatest abundance of life on our planet.
• It is a home to millions and millions of marine species that are discovered nd ye to be discovered. The origin of Earth's oceans is unknown.

Threats to Oceans:

• The major threats to oceans include pollution, overfishing, invasive species, and rising ocean acidity due to the extensive use of fossil fuels.
• Above all global warming is causing sea levels to rise, threatening coastal population centers.
• Many pesticides and nutrients used in agriculture and even plastic waste end up in the coastal waters, resulting in oxygen depletion that kills marine plants and shellfish.
• Factories and industrial plants discharge sewage, oil spills into the oceans are endangering marine habitats around the world.

The ocean needs support:

• With 90% of big fish populations depleted, and 50% of coral reefs destroyed, we are taking more from the ocean than can be replenished.
• We need to work together to create a new balance with the ocean that no longer depletes its bounty but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life.

Maharashtra’s New Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries: Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife (MSBWL) recently approved 12 new conservation reserves and 3 wildlife sanctuaries including an expanded Lonar Sanctuary in Buldhana.

Key Highlights:

• The decisions were taken at the 18th State Wildlife Board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
• It also approved setting up the Jayakwadi Bird Sanctuary in Aurangabad for which a proposal will be submitted to the National Wildlife Board.
• The state has notified 15 conservation reserve areas, out of which 8 areas have been approved in the last two years alone.

Cost of the project:

The project will cost Rs 1,595 crore   which will be undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

About the protected areas (PAs):

• These protected areas (PAs) will have an area of around 1,000 sq km.
• In this, an area of 692.74 sq km will be for conservation reserves while an area of 303 sq km will be for wildlife sanctuaries.
• Approval was given for notification of the conservation reserves are:

1. Igatpuri (88.499 sq km) in Nashik
2. Raigad (47.62 sq km) and Roha (27.30 sq km) in Raigad district
3. Chivatibar (66.04 sq km) and Aladari (100.56 sq km) in Dhule
4. Kalwan (84.21 sq km), Muragad (42.87 sq km), Trimbakeshwar (96.97 sq km) and Bhor (28.44 sq km) in Pune
5. Dare Khurd (Mahadare) in Satara
6. Masai Pathar (5.34 sq km) in Kolhapur
7. Mogarkasa (103.92 sq km) in Nagpur.

With this approval, state will also get 3 new wildlife sanctuaries:

1. Muktai Bhawani (122.74 sq km) in Jalgaon.
2. Extension of the Lonar wildlife sanctuary (0.8694 sq km).
3. Kolamarka (180.72 sq km) in Gadchiroli.

• Kolamarka is affected by presence of Left-wing extremists.
• It has endangered Asiatic Wild buffaloes.
• In 2013, it was notified as conservation reserve.

Why is consent of wildlife board required?

• According to the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, consent of wildlife board is mandatory, in order to notify any fresh PAs in the state.

Challenges faced in notifying area:

• Whenever an area is notified as a wildlife sanctuary, it becomes an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
• This leads to opposition from stakeholders and local residents because no developmental activities are allowed in the ESZ.
• Any form of agricultural or development activities in the conservaion reserve must get a prior approval from the state and national boards for wildlife.
• However, the conservation reserves which connect the existing Protected Areas such as sanctuaries and national parks and act as wildlife migration corridors do not involve such restrictions.

National Reserves in Maharashtra:

• Till date, 15 conservation reserves were notified in Maharashtra.
• With the addition of 12 new conservation reserves, the number will increase to 27.
• Currently, apart from 27 conservation reserves, Maharashtra houses 6 National Parks and 52 sanctuaries.
• It has six tiger projects, namely, Melghat, Pench, Tadoba-Andhari, Navegaon-Nagzira, Bor and Sahyadri.

According to ‘Status of Tigers in India, 2018’ report, which is published by National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA), estimated number of tigers in the state was 312 as opposed to 190 in 2014.

Environmental Performance Index 2022: Yale and Columbia Universities recently released the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022.

• According to the newly released Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022, India is ranked at the bottom position among 180 countries.
• Denmark tops the list with a score of 77.9.

About EPI:

• The EPI is an international ranking system of countries based on their environmental health.
• It is a biennial index.
• It was first started in 2002 as the Environment Sustainability Index by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and Columbia University Center for International Earth Information Network.
• EPI 2022 uses 40 performance indicators to assess and rank 180 countries.
• The 40 indicators are under the broad categories of climate change performance, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality.

How poor is the EPI assessment of India?

• With a rank of 180 and a score of 18.9, India has fallen from rank 168 and a score of 27.6 in 2020.
• India comes after Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Myanmar, the poorest performers.

However, the Environment Ministry of India has issued a rebuttal saying the indicators used in the assessment are based on “unfounded assumptions”.

Indian Policy

Draft amendments to IT Rules 2021: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has published a fresh draft of amendments to the Information Technology Rules, 2021 (hereinafter referred to as “IT Rules, 2021”).

• The draft amendment has been put up for public consultation.

Draft Proposals:

• The draft proposes to create a government-appointed appeal committee that will be able to veto content-moderation decisions taken by social media intermediaries like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
• According to the statement in the draft,the Central Government would set up one or more Grievance Appellate Committees, comprising of a chairperson and other members appointed by the Central Government.
• It essentially means that in case a user is not satisfied with the content moderation decision taken by a company’s grievance officer, they can appeal that decision before the proposed government-appointed appeals committee.
• Every order passed by the Grievance Appellate Committee shall be complied with by the concerned intermediary.
• Apart from this, the new proposal also suggests placing additional responsibilities on grievance officers appointed by social media companies.
• It says that if a user complains about content which is “patently false”, infringes copyright, and threatens the integrity of India, among other things, a grievance officer will have to expeditiously address it within 72 hours.
• Under current rules, grievance officers have 15 days to act on and dispose of users’ complaints.

Currently, the only recourse a user has against companies’ content decisions is to approach the courts.

What triggered the amendments?

• MeitY, in a press release said that the proposed amendments will ensure that “Constitutional rights of Indian citizens are not contravened by any big tech platform by ensuring new accountability standards”.
• The new draft will ensure “actual enforcement of requirements in IT Rules, 2021 in letter and spirit”.

New IT rules 2021:

• MeitY had released the new IT rules in 2021.
• It came into effect from May 26, 2021.
• These rules provide a framework for content regulation by online publishers of current affairs content and news content, as well as curated audio-visual content.
• These rules were put forward with the aim of making social media and internet companies, that have over five million users.
• Rules had mandated that social media intermediaries should publish rules to stop posting and sharing of content which is inflammatory, hateful, objectionable, ethnically and racially objectionable etc.
• Online intermediaries were also asked to appoint nodal officer in India, who can be available round-the-clock in order to help law enforcement agencies.
• Through these rules, government provided a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism.
• According to the regulations, big social platforms like Facebook and Twitter are required to make it possible to identify the "original originator" of any information threatening Indian sovereignty, public order, or state security.
• They are mandated to appoint India-based resident grievance officers as part of their due diligence as ‘intermediaries’ who enjoy legal immunity from third-party content on their platform.
• These officers are responsible for overseeing the grievance redressal mechanism of complaints from the people who use their services.

Coal Use to Be Banned In NCR: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recently said that The use of coal as a fuel will be banned across the National Capital Region (NCR) from January 1, 2023.

Key Points:

• Once the ban is in force, coal can no longer be used for industrial or domestic purposes.
• However, the thermal power plants will be exempted from the ban.
• From October 1, 2022 onward, a ban on coal use will be applicable in areas where PNG infrastructure and supply is already available.
• The move is meant to phase out the use of coal as a fuel to deal with concerns of air pollution across the NCR.

Why has the use of coal been banned?

• According to CAQM, coal dominates industrial fuels in the NCR and industries in the region consume around 1.7 million tonnes of coal annually, “with about 1.4 million tonnes being consumed in six major industrial districts of NCR alone”.
• According to a study done by The Energy and Resources Institute in 2018, showed source contributions for the year 2016, within the 30% contribution of the industrial sector in PM2.5 level in winter in Delhi, industries using coal, biomass, pet-coke and furnace oil contributed around 14%, while 8% was contributed by the brick manufacturing sector, 6% by power stations, and 2% by stone crushers.

State Food Safety Index: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, on the occassion of World Food Safety Day released the 4th State Food Safety Index (SFSI).

Key Points:

• The report was compiled to assess states’ performance across five food safety categories.
• The fourth SFSI will aid in the provision of safe and nutritious food to citizens by highlighting the efforts of states and union territories in this regard.

About SFSI:

• SFSI was started in 2018-19.
• The main aim of SIFI is creating a competitive and positive change in the food safety ecosystem in the country.
• The index will help in providing safe and nutritious food to the citizens.
• The rating is done by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Highlights about the Event:

• The winning State/UTs based on the rating for the year 2021-22 were additionally honoured by the Health Minister for their outstanding performance across five food safety metrics.

Winners:

• Tamil Nadu was the highest-ranking state among the major states this year, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Goa, on the other hand, was first among the smallest states, followed by Manipur and Sikkim.
• Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, and Chandigarh ranked top, second, and third among the UTs, respectively.

• 11 winning smart cities of the EatSmart Cities Challenge, which was launched by FSSAI in association with the Smart Cities Mission under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) last year to encourage Smart Cities to develop and implement a plan that supports a healthy, safe, and sustainable food environment through adoption of various Eat Right India initiatives were also felicitated.
• Union Health Minister also launched a number of FSSAI’s unique programmes, including the Eat Right Research Awards and Grants – Phase II.
• Eat Right Creativity Challenge – Phase III, a school-based competition
• The publication of several e-books advocating and capturing creative recipes for oil-free cooking and sugar-free desserts.
• Publication of several resource books, including Khadyanjali, a quarterly journal produced by the FSSAI’s Rajbhasha Division; Guidance Document on Food-Borne Disease Outbreak Investigation and Microbiological Process Control, Sampling and Testing of Fish and Fishery Products, and others.
• The logo for ‘Ayurveda Aahar’ was also unveiled on the occasion.

About World Food Safety Day:

• World Food Safety Day is observed on June 7.
• This day is observed to draw attention and inspire actions to help prevent, detect, and manage food borne risks, contributing to food safety, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism, and sustainable development.
• The theme for 2022 is “Safer food, greater health.”

India’s healthcare system:

• In recent years, India’s healthcare system has seen a complete transformation.
• The government is working to ensure residents’ health security by focusing on the primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare sectors.
• Under the National Health Mission (NHM), some of these measures include the establishment of ‘Health and Wellness Centers’ and the reinforcement of district hospitals.
• The logo for ‘Ayurveda Aahar’ was also unveiled on the occasion of World Food Safety Day.
• The logo is designed to provide the company a distinct identity and make it easier to recognize.

Indian polity

Additional Charges of Minority Affairs and Ministry of Steel: Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia have been assigned additional charges of Minority Affairs and Ministry of Steel respectively.

 

Key Highlights:

• They have been given the additional charges of the two ministries after two Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ram Chandra Prasad Singh resigned from the Union Council of Ministers.
• Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was the Deputy Leader of Rajya Sabha and BJP party while Ram Chandra Prasad Singh is a former bureaucrat.
• Post their resignations, the President of India Ram Nath Kovind, as advised by PM Modi, accepted the resignations of Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ram Chandra Prasad Singh from Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution.

Rajya Sabha Election Result 2022: The result of the Rajya Sabha Election 2022 was announced on the same date of polling- June 10, 2022.

Key Highlights:

• Rajya Sabha Elections 2022 to fill 57 vacant seats was held on June 10, 2022.
• The contest was narrowed down to 16 seats spread across 4 states- Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Karnataka- after 41 members in 11 states were elected unopposed.

Results:

• The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a win in three of the four states where Rajya Sabha Elections 2022 were held for 16 seats.
• Congress won 3 seats in Rajasthan, however, suffered a setback in Haryana.
• In Maharashtra, the ruling alliance MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) suffered a jolt as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party won three of the six seats while three ruling alliance partners bagged one seat each.
• In Karnataka, BJP’s Nirmala Sitharaman, Jaggesh, and Lehar Singh Siroya took three out of the four seats, while Jairam Ramesh from Congress won the only remaining seat.
• HD Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal (Secular), whose home base is Karnataka, was not able to win a single seat.

Significance of Rajya Sabha Election 2022:

• The election for the 16 seats across 4 states in Rajya Sabha will be significant in view of the Presidential Elections which are scheduled to take place on July 18, 2022.

About Rajya Sabha:

• The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India.
• It is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution.
• At present the Rajya Sabha has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using single transferable votes through Open Ballot while the President has the power to appoint 12 members for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social services.
• The Upper House was founded on 3 April 1952 by the Constituent Assembly of India.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.

International

Fair Repair Act: The U.S. state of New York recently passed the Fair Repair Act.

Key Points:

• According US’s Fair Repair Act, manufacturers must provide repair manuals, equipment, and supplies to independent repair shops and not just their own stores or partners.
• This provides consumers with the right to repair and refurbish their purchased goods.
• Independent repair businesses will finally be able to compete with manufacturers if they have access to the necessary tools and service instructions.
• The rationale behind the “right to repair” is that the individual who purchases a product must own it completely.
• This means that buyers must have the ability to fix and change the product however they see fit in addition to being able to utilize it.

What are the concerns of the manufacturers?

• While right to repair is a victory for consumer rights, privacy, security and quality concerns along with blatant intellectual property (IP) rights violations of the manufacturers cannot be sidelined.
• Manufacturers claim that allowing user and outsider repairs could have a negative impact on the product's quality and functionality.
• They are so terrified that they include terms in the warranty that expire when the device is fixed by a third party.

Right To Repair in India:

• Monopoly in the repair industry violates the 2019 Consumer Protection Act's "freedom to chose" for customers.
• Consumer disputes jurisprudence in the country has also partially acknowledged the right to repair.

For instance - In India, currently, there’s no legislation or any provision dealing with ‘Right to Repair’ but in Shamsher Kataria v Honda Siel Cars India Ltd (2017)the Competition Commission of India ruled that restricting the access of independent automobile repair units to spare parts by way of an end-user license agreement was anti-competitive.

Provisions in Other Countries:

Many nations have taken steps, implemented regulations, and even attempted to enact laws that recognises the "right to repair" to reduce electronic waste. Some jurisdictions offer limited scope for exercising the right to repair.

• The UK also introduced the path-breaking “right to repair” which came into force on July 1, 2021 that made mandatory for manufacturers to make spares available to both consumers and third-party repair technicians.
• The remaining European nations will abide by EU laws and rules.

• The manufacturers have two years to make the necessary changes and follow the new laws.
• The legislation is considered as a positive step in minimizing e-waste by encouraging gadget repair instead of dumping in the scrap.

• The Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act, 2012 requires automobile manufacturers to provide spare parts and diagnostics to buyers and even independent third-party mechanics.

• France requires manufacturers to display a repairability index on their products which consists of five parameters.

• This helps consumers understand whether the products are repairable, difficult to repair or not repairable at all.
• The duration of imposing product liability may differ depending on the product and its longevity.

Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference: The WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) took place from 12 to 17 June 2022 at WTO headquarters in Geneva.

Key Highlights of the meeting:

• The meeting took place after a gap of almost five years.
• The Conference was co-hosted by Kazakhstan and chaired by Mr Timur Suleimenov, Deputy Chief of Staff of Kazakhstan's President.
• Kazakhstan was originally scheduled to host MC12 in June 2020 but the conference was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ministers from across the world attended to review the functioning of the multilateral trading system, to make general statements and to take action on the future work of the WTO.
• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal led the Indian delegation in the Conference.
• The Opening Session of the Conference took place on Sunday 12 June.
• Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, addressed the opening ceremony of the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference.
• On 13-14 June, thematic sessions were held on particular areas of WTO activities.
• These were followed at the end of each day by a meeting of heads of delegations.
• On 15 June, the conference was extended by a day to facilitate outcomes on the main issues under discussion.
• The conference concluded successfully on 17 June, with agreement on a package of key trade initiatives.

Key areas of discussions and negotiations:

• The key areas of discussions and negotiations in this year’s conference included WTO’s response to the pandemic, TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) waiver for COVID-19 vaccines, Fisheries subsidies negotiations and Agriculture issues including Public Stockholding for Food security as well as the WTO’s reform and its future work priorities.

Regarding intellectual property, India seeked:

 

i.A recognition of the difficulties faced by developing countries and LDCs in utilising TRIPS flexibilities to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

ii.A reaffirmation of the TRIPS waiver decision under the responses’ declaration.

India is a founding member of the WTO since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 8 July 1948.

What is the WTO and the Ministerial Conference?

• The World Trade Organization is the only international organization that deals with the rules of trade between countries.
• It was founded in 1995.
• It is run by its 164 members. According to its rules, all decisions are taken through consensus and any member can exercise a veto.
• Its aim is to promote free trade, which is done through trade agreements that are discussed and signed by the member states.
• It also provides a forum for countries to negotiate trade rules and settle economic disputes between them.

The Ministerial Conference is the WTO’s top decision-making body and usually meets every two years. All members of the WTO are involved in the MC and they can take decisions on all matters covered under any multilateral trade agreements.

General Major Bajram Begaj: Albania’s parliament recently elected a top military official, General Major Bajram Begaj as its new president.

Key Highlights:

• He was elected as the President as no candidates were nominated in three rounds of voting.
• The outgoing President Ilir Meta signed the decree on Begaj’s dismissal as Chief of General Staff of the AAF.
• Earlier, Bajram Begaj held the post of the Chief of General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF).
• He is Albania’s 8th president and the 3rd from the military ranks.
• Bajram Begaj will take oath as the new president on 25th July 2022 to replace the current president ‘Ilir Meta’, who will remain in office until 22nd July 2022.

About Albania:

• Albania, officially the Republic of Albania is a country in Southeastern Europe.
• It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea.
• It shares land borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovoto the northeast, North Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south.
• The capital of Albania isTirana.
• The currency used here is Albanian lek.
• The current Prime Minister of Albania is Edi Rama.

India-Russia Deal: A large-scale contract for the supply of radio equipment has been signed by Radio technical Systems (RTS) of Russia with the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Key Points:

• The contract comes amid the war in Ukraine and pressure from the West on India to diversify its dependence for defence needs.

• The Russian company will manufacture 34 sets of instrument landing system (ILS) 734 for the modernisation of 24 airports in India.
• The domestic manufacturer received the right to conclude a contract based on the results of a global tender, in which, in addition to RTS, the world’s largest suppliers of radio equipment took part.
• According to the contract, the first part of landing systems ILS-734 is scheduled to be shipped before November.
• Payments within the transaction will be carried out in national currencies.

Russian Language Day 2022: The UN Russian Language Day is observed on 06 June annually.

• UN Russian Language Day coincides with the birthday of Aleksandr Pushkin on June 6, a Russian poet considered the father of modern Russian literature.
• The famous Russian poet, playwright, and novelist was born on June 6th, 1799 in Moscow.

History:

• The event was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010.
• The initiative of the UN Language Days was launched in February 2010 in order to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity and to promote equal use of all six of the UN's official working languages throughout the organization.
• The six official languages ​​of the UN are English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French.

About Russian Language:

• Russian is a Slavic language, whose closest relatives are Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Rusyn (Ukraine and Slovenia).
• In the 19th century, what we now classify as modern Russian was known as “Great Russian,” Belarusian was called “White Russian” and Ukrainian was “Little Russian.”
• Today over 170 million people speak Russian.
• It is one of the six official languages used by the United Nations throughout the Organization.

World Accreditation Day 2022: World Accreditation Day (WAD) is celebrated on 9 June every year across the globe.

• The initiative to celebrate this day was initiated by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).

Theme for WAD 2022:

• This year the theme for World Accreditation Day 2022 is “Accreditation: Sustainability in Economic Growth and the Environment.”
• The theme aims to draw attention to how accreditation and conformity assessment can find solutions for global issues.

Significance of Accreditation:

• Accreditation plays a key role in supporting the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• It aims to meet objectives such as increasing trade and addressing environmental, health and safety concerns.
• It also improves the general overall quality of output in an economy.

History of WAD:

• World Accreditation Day (WAD) was first accepted in 2007 by the Joint General Assembly of both the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).
• The first celebration of World Accreditation Day took place on 9th June 2008.

WAD in India:

• In India, this day is celebrated by the Quality Council of India (QCI).
• In addition, webinars are organized by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories and the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies.

According to FSSAI, the following are the current requirements regarding accreditation in India:

1. Proficiency test
2. Rapid test kit development
3. Integrated system for the exchange of information
4. Rapid test kit for food analysis
5. Accreditation scheme to certify products
6. The number of recognized reference material producers should be increased
7. India also needs to institutionalize virtual assessment.

About Quality Council of India (QCI):

• Quality Council of India was established in 1997.
• The main objective of QCI is to establish quality standards in all social and economic sectors in the country.
• It was established as a public-private partnership based on the Netherlands model.
• It was established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• The key promoters of QCI are CII (Confederation of Indian Industry), and FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry).

Imp. Takeaways:

• International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) was founded on October 1977.
• International Accreditation Forum (IAF) was founded on 28 January 1993.

National

Rashtriya Puruskar Portal: The Government of India (GoI) recently launched Rashtriya Puruskar Portal.

Key Highlights:

• This award has been launched to invite nominations for various awards from the various ministries, departments, and agencies.
• It has been developed by the Government to bring together all the awards under one digital platform.

Aim:

• Rashtriya Puruskar Portal aims at facilitating citizens to nominate the individuals and organisations for various awards instituted by the Indian Government.

Nominations for other National Awards:

• The nominations and recommendations for Padma Awards are open till 15/09/2022.
• For Sardar Patel National Unity Awards, the nominations will be open till 31/07/2022
• Nomination for Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award will remain open till  till 16/06/2022.
• Nomination for Jeevan Raksha Padak series of Awards will be open till 30/09/2022.
• The individual can be nominated for Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Telecom Skill Excellence Award till 16/06/2022.

National Tribal Research Institute: The Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah recently inaugurated the newly built National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI) in New Delhi.

Key Highlights:

• The inauguration was also attended by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Shri Arjun Munda and other Cabinet and State Ministers, including, the Minister of Law and Justice, Shri Kiren Rijiju; MoS Tribal Affairs, Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta; MoS Minority Affairs, Shri John Barla and the MoS of Rural Development and Steel, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste and other dignitaries graced the occasion.
• The newly built NTRI was inaugurated as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• During the launch NTRI, an exhibition showcasing the achievements of the Tribal Affairs Ministry under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was displayed.
• The indigenous products and performances of more than 100 tribal artisans and tribal dance troupes all over the country were also showcased.

About NTRI:

• The National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI) will be the premier national institute for the promotion and preservation of tribal heritage and culture.
• The institute will also be the nerve center of tribal research issues and matters in executive, academic, and legislative fields.
• It is being established at a cost of 10 crore rupees.

Objective of NTRI:

• The main objective of this institute is to promote and preserve the tribal heritage and culture and the nerve centre of tribal research issues and matters in academic, executive and legislative fields.
• The projects of the Tribal Research Institutes, Centres of Excellence, and the research scholars of NFS will be monitored by the Centre.
• It will help in collaborating and networking with the reputed research institutes, organizations, and universities as well as the academic bodied and research centre.
• It will set up norms for the improvement in the quality of research and training.
• It will also help in running the Tribal Museums and showcase the rich tribal cultural heritage of India under one umbrella.
• It will provide policy inputs to the Tribal Affairs Ministry as well as the State Welfare Departments to improve and support the socio-economic aspects of tribal life.

About the Tribal Research Institute (TRI):

• Tribal Research Institute (TRI) is the research body of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs at the state level.
• There are 26 Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) supported by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• It will not only collaborate and network with reputed research institutes, universities, organizations as well as academic bodies and resource centres but will also monitor projects of Tribal Research Institutes, Centres of Excellence and set up norms for improvement in the quality of research and training.

NHAI Guinness World Record: State-owned National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has created a Guinness World Record for laying the longest continuously bituminous lane of 75 kilometres on national highway between Amravati and Akola districts of Maharashtra, in 105 hours.

Key Points:

• The total length of the 75 kilometres of single lane continuous bituminous concrete road is equivalent to 37.5 kilometres of two-lane paved shoulder road.
• The bitumen mix of 36,634 metric tonnes, consisting of 2,070 metric of bitumen was used.
• The project was implemented by 720 workers including a team of independent consultants who worked day and night.
• Work on this road started on June 3, 2022 and was completed on June 7 2022.
• Total time taken is 105 hours and 33 minutes.

Previous Record:

• Previous World Record for longest continuously laid bituminous was building a 25.275 kilometres road in Doha, Qatar in February 2019.
• This task was completed in 10 days.

About Amravati to Akola Road:

• Amravati to Akola section is the part of NH 53.
• It is an important east-east corridor that connects major cities like Raipur, Surat, Nagpur and Kolkata .
• It passes through a mineral-rich region of our country.

Significance:

After this stretch is complete, it will play a significant role in easing movement of traffic, and freight on the route. The travel time will also be reduced.

National Highway 53:

• This national highway is the combination of old NH6 Surat-Kolkata, NH200 Bilaspur-Chandikhole and NH5A Chandikhole-Paradeep.
• The highway connects Hajira in Gujarat to Paradeep port in Odisha. NH-53 passes through the states of Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha in India.
• It is the part of Asian Highway 46 (AH46) network and is officially listed as running over 1949 km from Kolkata to Surat.
• It is also called as Surat – Kolkata Highway.

About NHAI:

• The National Highways Authority of India or NHAI is an autonomous agency of Government of India.
• It was set up in 1995.
• It is a nodal agency under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• The current Chairperson of NHAI is Alka Upadhyaya.

Aadhaar Seva Kendras: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is set to roll out ‘door-to-door Aadhaar seva”.

Key Details:

• UIDAI is gearing up to enable users to update their Aadhaar card details, including phone numbers and addresses, without visiting the Aadhaar Seva Kendra.
• UIDAI is training 48,000 postal officers of the India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) to go door to door in the remotest parts of the country and link Aadhaar number with mobile numbers, update details, and conduct enrolment of children at the doorstep.
• A total of 1.5 lakh officers are to be trained in two phases.
• They will be provided digital equipment, including a laptop and biometric scanner, to update Aadhaar card-related information.
• Apart from IPPB postmen, UIDAI is also looking to enrol 13,000 banking correspondents employed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s Common Service Centre under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to support the initiative. 
• UIDAI also plans to open an Aadhaar Sewa Kendra in each of the 755 districts of the country oo ensure that the Aadhaar details collected and updated by IPPB postmen and CSC banking correspondents are updated as quickly as possible
• Currently, there are 88 UIDAI Sewa Kendra in 72 cities.
• Apart from that that, banks, post offices, and state governments run 52,000 Aadhaar Enrollment Centers.

Mini "Aadhaar Seva Kendra":

• UIDAI also plans to open ‘mini’ Aadhaar Sewa Kendras (ASKs) in all the 7224 blocks of the country.
• This mini ASKs will have the necessary set up for linking mobile phone and permanent account number cards to Aadhaar, updating of details such as phone number or address, among others.

About Aadhaar:

• Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number generated by UIDAI.
• This number can be obtained voluntarily by citizens of India or any resident foreign nationals who have lived here for more than 182 days in twelve months immediately before the date of application for enrolment, based on their biometric and demographic data.

Note: Aadhaar is the world's largest biometric ID system.

About UIDAI:

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established under the provisions of Aadhaar act 2016 by the Government of India under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) on 12 July 2016.
• UIDAI was created with the objective to issue Unique Identification numbers (UID), named as "Aadhaar", to all residents of India.
• The Aadhaar Act 2016 has been amended by the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019 (14 of 2019) w.e.f. 25.07.2019.

People In News

Amandeep Singh Gill: Amandeep Singh Gill is a senior Indian diplomat who has recently been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as his Envoy on Technology.

Key Highlights:

• The UN described Gill as a “thought leader on digital technology” who has a solid understanding of how to leverage the digital transformation responsibly and inclusively for progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About Amandeep Singh Gill:

• Amandeep Singh Gill is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research Collaborative (I-DAIR) project, based at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.
• He was India's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva from 2016 to 2018.
• Previously, from 2018 to 2019, Gill, a Punjab University graduate, served as the Executive Director and Co-Lead of the UN Secretary-High-Level General's Panel on Digital Cooperation.
• In addition to delivering the report of the High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, he has helped secure high-impact international consensus recommendations on regulating Artificial Intelligence (Al) in lethal autonomous weapon systems in 2017 and 2018, the draft Al ethics recommendation of UNESCO in 2020, and a new international platform on digital health and Al.

Gill's Educational Background:

• Gill joined India’s diplomatic service in 1992.
• He has served in various capacities in disarmament and strategic technologies and international security affairs, with postings in Colombo and Tehran.
• He was also a visiting scholar at Stanford University.
• He holds a Ph.D in Nuclear Learning in Multilateral Forums from King’s College, London, a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Electrical Communications from Panjab University in Chandigarh and an Advanced Diploma in French History and Language from Geneva University.

Vale do Javari: Recently, two British journalists Dom Phillips and a Brazilian indigenous affairs expert, Bruno Araujo Pereira went missing in a remote corner of the Amazon rainforest.

Key Highlights:

• The duo was last seen in Vale do Javari.
• Vale do Javari is the western section of the Brazilian Amazon named after the Javari River, which forms the country’s border with Peru.
• The region is home to “the greatest concentration of isolated groups in the Amazon and the world”.
• Vale do Javari also forms part of an international cocaine trafficking route, with gold being exchanged for drugs and arms, consequently making it a hotspot for violent crimes.

Places In News

Dharohar: Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman dedicated to the nation, Dharohar - the National Museum of Customs and GST in Panaji Goa.

The dedication ceremony is part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Iconic week of the Ministry of Finance which is being celebrated from June 6 to 12.

About Darohar:

• Dharohar is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country.
• It is a two-storey ‘Blue building’, which was earlier known as Alfandega, during the period of Portuguese rule in Goa.
• It has been standing on the banks of the Mandovi River in Panaji for more than 400 years.
• It is one of its kind museums in the country that showcases not only the artifacts seized by Indian Customs but also depicts various aspects of work performed by the Customs Department.
• It has eight galleries viz:

1. Introductory gallery,
2. History of Taxation Gallery,
3. Guardians of our economic frontiers gallery,
4. Guardians of our Art & Heritage,
5. Guardians of Flora & Fauna,
6. Custodians of our social well being,
7. Journey of Indirect taxes -Salt Tax to GST
8. GST Gallery.

• GST Gallery is a brand new addition to the Dharohar Museum.
• This GST Gallery takes one through the long and arduous journey of GST spanning two decades.

‘Dharohar’ is an important addition to the Tourism Map of India and a must see attraction in Goa.

About Goa:

• Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea.
• It is surrounded by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast.
• Goa continued to remain a Union Territory until 1987 when it was accorded statehood.
• It became India’s 25th state even as Daman and Diu continue to be Union Territories.
• It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth-smallest by population.
• The capital of Goa is Panaji.
• The current Chief Minister and the Governor of Goa are Pramod Sawant and Bhagat Singh Koshyari respectively.

National Tribal Research Institute: Union Home and Cooperation Minister, Amit Shah inaugurated the National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI) in Delhi on June 7, 2022.

Key Highlights:

• The NTRI was inaugurated as a part of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” by Tribal Affairs Ministry.
• During the event, an exhibition showcasing the achievements of Ministry of Tribal Affairs was also displayed.
• Over 100 tribal artisans and tribal dance troupes across India showcased their indigenous products and performances.
• Two booklets on the 8 Years of Achievements and the Key Initiatives of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs were also released by Shri Amit Shah.

About National Tribal Research Institute:

• The National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI) will be a  apex National Level Institute.
• It will become a nerve centre of tribal concerns, matters and issues in academic, legislative and executive fields.
• It is being established at a cost of 10 crore rupees.

Functions of NTRI:

The functions of NTRI are as follows -

• It will work to deliver outcome-based implementation of schemes, programmes and policies for tribal population down to the grassroot level.
• It will promote and preserve the tribal heritage and culture and the nerve centre of tribal research issues and matters in academic, executive and legislative fields.
• It will network and collaborate with reputed research institutes, organisations, universities, resource centres and academic bodies.
• It will monitor projects of Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs), research scholars of NFS and Centres of Excellence (CoEs).
• It will also set up norms to improve in quality of research and training.
• Its other activities include -

• Providing policy inputs for Ministry of Tribal Affairs and State Welfare Departments programs
• Design studies that support or improve socio-economic aspects of tribal lifestyles
• Providing guidelines in setting & running Tribal Museums and showcasing rich tribal cultural heritage of India, under one umbrella.
• Creating  and maintaining a Database of PMAAGY.

About Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY):

• PMAAGY was launched on the line of Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY).
• These villages have tribal population of over 500 and 50% tribals.
• Rs. 1354 cr. has been allocated for this scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY):

• PMAGY is a rural development programme, launched in 2009-10 by Union government in India.
• It was launched for developing the villages that have higher ratio (more than 50%) of people belonging to scheduled castes.
• It converges the central and state schemes.
• Financial funding is allocated on a per village basis.
• It aims to bring a number of development programs to the villages.
• Some of these programs are Bharat Nirman, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for rural roads, water supply, housing, electrification and other big-ticket schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Integrated Child Development Services, and sanitation.

 

About the Tribal Research Institute (TRI):

• The Tribal Research Institute (TRI) is the research body of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs at the state level.
• It is envisaged that TRIs should focus on their core responsibilities as body of knowledge & research more or less as a think tank for tribal development; preservation of tribal cultural heritage, providing inputs to States for evidence based planning and appropriate legislations, capacity building of tribal and persons / institutions associated with tribal affairs, dissemination of information and creation of awareness.
• There are 26 Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) supported by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Chandigarh IAF Heritage Centre: The Indian Air Force (IAF) heritage centre, the country’s first, is being set up at the erstwhile printing press in Sector 18, Chandigarh.

Key Highlights:

• Chandigarh IAF Heritage Center will be set up to showcase the role of the Indian Air Force in multiple wars and its overall functioning.
• It will be jointly set up by the Air Force and the Chandigarh Administration.
• It will be maintained by the Chandigarh Administration.
• The Chandigarh Administration and Indian Air Force had signed an Agreed in Principle (AIP) for this purpose.
• This will be the first such center in India.
• This joint project of Administration of UT Chandigarh and IAF is planned to be completed by October.

About the heritage centre:

• The Chandigarh Heritage Center will include artifacts, simulators, and interactive boards to highlight various aspects of the Indian Air Force.
• It will showcase the important role played by the Air Force played by the service in various wars and assistance provided for humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
• It will also have vintage aircraft.

About Chandigarh:

• Chandigarh is a city, district and union territory in India that serves as the joint capital of the two neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.
• Chandigarh is one of the early planned cities in post-independence India and is internationally known for its architecture and urban design.
• It was designed by the Swiss-French modernist architect, Le Corbusier.
• His buildings include the Capitol Complex with its High Court, Secretariat and Legislative Assembly, as well as the giant Open Hand Monument.
• Chandigarh's Capitol Complex was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO at the 40th session of the World Heritage Conference in July 2016.
• The nearby Rock Garden is a park featuring sculptures made of stones, recycled ceramics and industrial relics.

Etymology:

• The name Chandigarh is a compound of Chandi and Garh.
• Chandi refers to the Hindu goddess Chandi and Garh means fortress.
• The name is derived from Chandi Mandir, an ancient temple devoted to the Hindu Goddess Chandi near the city in Panchkula District.

Goa Beach Vigil App: Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant recently launched an app called the “Beach Vigil App”, by keeping in light the tourism sector and beaches of Goa.

Aim:

• The app was launched with the aim of benefiting travelers as well as those working in tourism sector.
• It aims to holistically manage the beaches.

About the App:

• This app will cover everything, ranging from reporting illegal hawkers to beach cleanliness.
• The people, through this app can file complaint regarding any illegal activity or violation.
• It will also open several future avenues in collaboration of information technology and tourism sector.
• This app will make it easier for Drishti workers, police and other stakeholders to raise issues, for safeguarding travellers’ interest.
• It will also help stakeholders in beach cleaning initiatives.

Government’s plan for Goa:

• Government of Goa is in process of finalising an integrated plan for beach cleaning.
• Government also plans to make Goa among top 25 destinations for start-ups in Asia by 2025.

Importance of beach cleaning for Goa:

• Tourism activity in Goa is usually promoted along the coastal areas and on beaches.
• This state is a destination of choice for Indian as well foreign tourist, especially Britons and Russian travellers.
• It stands 6th among top ten Nightlife cities worldwide in National Geographic Travel.
• Water sport is the main attraction of state.
• Popular beaches include Baga and Calangute, which offer jet-skiing, banana boat rides, water scooter rides, parasailing etc.
• Patnem beach in Palolem was ranked third in top 20 beaches of CNN Travel, in Asia.

Historical Sites in Goa:

• State of Goa has two popular World Heritage Sites, viz., Convents of Old Goa and Bom Jesus Basilica & Churches.

• Bom Jesus Basilica is the showcase of mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, which is honored by Catholics as patron saint of Goa.

• Important forts in Goa include Chapora, Tiracol, Corjuem, Reis Magos, Aguada, Mormugao, Nanus, Cabo de Rana and Fort Gaspar Dias.

About Goa:

• Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea.
• It is surrounded by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast.
• Goa continued to remain a Union Territory until 1987 when it was accorded statehood.
• It became India’s 25th state even as Daman and Diu continue to be Union Territories.
• It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth-smallest by population.
• The capital of Goa is Panaji.
• The current Chief Minister and the Governor of Goa are Pramod Sawant and Bhagat Singh Koshyari respectively.

Science and Technology

World Brain tumor Day 2022: World Brain Tumor Day is observed every year on 8 June.

Key Facts:

• This day is observed to create awareness about brain tumors.
• According to the National Health Portal, every day worldwide more than 500 new cases are diagnosed with a brain tumor.
• The day also pays tribute to brain tumor patients, their families and healthcare professionals.

Theme:

• In 2022, the theme of World Tumor Day is ‘Together We Are Stronger’.

History:

• World Brain Tumor Day was first observed on June 8, 2000, by the German Brain Tumor Association (Deutsche Hirntumorhilfe e.V.) for supporting brain tumor patients.
• It was founded in the year 1998.
• It has 500 registered members from 14 nations.
• The idea was to give support and raise funds to help Tumor patients and their families.
• The association advocates science and research, especially in neuro-oncology, to develop some effective treatments for brain tumors.

About Brain Tumors:

• A brain tumor can form in the brain cells, or it can begin elsewhere and spread to the brain.
• It is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in your brain.
• As the tumor grows, it creates pressure on and changes the function of surrounding brain tissue, which causes signs and symptoms such as headaches, nausea and balance problems.
• There are two types of brain tumors, noncancerous (benign), and cancerous (malignant).

Geospatial Self-certification portal: Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched the “Geospatial Self-Certification Portal”.

Key Highlights:

• The portal was launched for conveying adherence to provisions of Geospatial Guidelines by individuals, organisations, companies, and government agencies.
• It has been developed in association with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Significance of the portal:

• This portal seeks to reduce the time it takes for Geospatial enterprises, universities, researchers, and innovators to receive permissions and approvals for carrying out geospatial-related operations.

New Geospatial Data Guidelines:

• The Government of India (GoI), under the aegis of the Prime Minister has been taking concrete steps to foster ease of doing business and entrepreneurship in the country, with a focus on data and technology-driven development.
• The release of new Geospatial Data Guidelines on February 15, 2021, by DST, was part of this vision and introduced much-needed changes to liberalize the Geospatial industry.
• One of the key developments brought in by the Guidelines was the replacement of process of prior approvals, security clearances, licenses and other restrictions for the collection, generation, preparation, dissemination, storage, publication, updating and/or digitization of Geospatial Data and Maps within the territory of India.
• It further provides for a Self-Certification Regime for conveying adherence to provisions of Geospatial Guidelines by Individuals, companies, organizations, and Government agencies.

Aim of Self-Certification Portal:

• The main aim of Geospatial Self-Certification portal is to remove such restrictions and making data more easily accessible to all.
• Making geospatial data accessible to all, corporations, organisations and individuals would be free to process acquired data and use it for developing required applications and solutions.

About National Informatics Centre (NIC):

• National Informatics Centre (NIC) is a department under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• NIC was established by Late N Shesagiri in 1976.
• It provides infrastructure, IT Services, IT Consultancy, etc to Central Government Departments and State Governments.
• Thus, it enables delivery of government services to Citizens.

Direct-to-mobile (D2M) Technology: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in association with public service broadcaster Prasar Bharat, are exploring the feasibility of a technology that allows to broadcast video and other forms of multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without needing an active internet connection.

About Direct-to-mobile (D2M) technology:

• The technology, called ‘direct-to-mobile’ (D2M) broadcasting is based on the convergence of broadband and broadcast. 
• It allows broadcasting video and other multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without active internet connection.
• It promises to improve utilization of spectrum and consumption of broadband.
• Using this technology, mobile phones will be able to receive terrestrial digital TV.
• It would be similar how people listen to FM radio on mobile phones, in which a receiver within the phone can tap into radio frequencies.

Uses of D2M technology:

• This technology can be used to directly broadcast content related to citizen-centric information.
• It will help in countering fake news, issuing emergency alerts as well as offering assistance in disaster management, among other things.
• It can also be used to broadcast live sports and news, etc. on mobile phones.
• Furthermore, the content should stream without any buffering whatsoever while not consuming any internet data.

Impact of this technology on the consumer:

• Through the D2M technology, consumers would be able to access multimedia content from Over The Top (OTT) or Video on Demand (VoD) content platforms without exhausting mobile data at a nominal rate.
• It will also allow people from rural areas, where internet access is not present or is limited, to watch video content.

Impact of this technology on the business:

• D2M technology will also enable the telecom service providers to offload video traffic for businesses for their mobile network on the broadcast network.
• It will thus help them in decongesting valuable mobile spectrum.
• The technology would also improve usage of mobile spectrum and free up bandwidth, thus reducing the call drops and increasing data speeds etc.

What are the challenges?

• This technology is still at a nascent stage.
• The "greatest challenge" in introducing D2M technology on a larger scale is going to be getting important stakeholders, such mobile operators, on board.
• Infrastructure upgrades and some regulatory changes will be necessary for a mass implementation of the technology.

Initiatives by Government:

A committee has been set by Department of Telecommunications (DoT), to study the feasibility of spectrum band, in order to offer broadcast services directly to to users’ smartphones.

Band 526-582 MHz is envisaged for working in coordination with broadcast services and mobile services.

Background:

• Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati had in 2021 announced a collaboration with IIT Kanpur to test the feasibility of the technology.

AT present, this band is used by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting across the country for TV transmitters.

Science and Technology

World Brain tumor Day 2022: World Brain Tumor Day is observed every year on 8 June.

Key Facts:

• This day is observed to create awareness about brain tumors.
• According to the National Health Portal, every day worldwide more than 500 new cases are diagnosed with a brain tumor.
• The day also pays tribute to brain tumor patients, their families and healthcare professionals.

Theme:

• In 2022, the theme of World Tumor Day is ‘Together We Are Stronger’.

History:

• World Brain Tumor Day was first observed on June 8, 2000, by the German Brain Tumor Association (Deutsche Hirntumorhilfe e.V.) for supporting brain tumor patients.
• It was founded in the year 1998.
• It has 500 registered members from 14 nations.
• The idea was to give support and raise funds to help Tumor patients and their families.
• The association advocates science and research, especially in neuro-oncology, to develop some effective treatments for brain tumors.

About Brain Tumors:

• A brain tumor can form in the brain cells, or it can begin elsewhere and spread to the brain.
• It is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in your brain.
• As the tumor grows, it creates pressure on and changes the function of surrounding brain tissue, which causes signs and symptoms such as headaches, nausea and balance problems.
• There are two types of brain tumors, noncancerous (benign), and cancerous (malignant).

Geospatial Self-certification portal: Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched the “Geospatial Self-Certification Portal”.

Key Highlights:

• The portal was launched for conveying adherence to provisions of Geospatial Guidelines by individuals, organisations, companies, and government agencies.
• It has been developed in association with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Significance of the portal:

• This portal seeks to reduce the time it takes for Geospatial enterprises, universities, researchers, and innovators to receive permissions and approvals for carrying out geospatial-related operations.

New Geospatial Data Guidelines:

• The Government of India (GoI), under the aegis of the Prime Minister has been taking concrete steps to foster ease of doing business and entrepreneurship in the country, with a focus on data and technology-driven development.
• The release of new Geospatial Data Guidelines on February 15, 2021, by DST, was part of this vision and introduced much-needed changes to liberalize the Geospatial industry.
• One of the key developments brought in by the Guidelines was the replacement of process of prior approvals, security clearances, licenses and other restrictions for the collection, generation, preparation, dissemination, storage, publication, updating and/or digitization of Geospatial Data and Maps within the territory of India.
• It further provides for a Self-Certification Regime for conveying adherence to provisions of Geospatial Guidelines by Individuals, companies, organizations, and Government agencies.

Aim of Self-Certification Portal:

• The main aim of Geospatial Self-Certification portal is to remove such restrictions and making data more easily accessible to all.
• Making geospatial data accessible to all, corporations, organisations and individuals would be free to process acquired data and use it for developing required applications and solutions.

About National Informatics Centre (NIC):

• National Informatics Centre (NIC) is a department under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• NIC was established by Late N Shesagiri in 1976.
• It provides infrastructure, IT Services, IT Consultancy, etc to Central Government Departments and State Governments.
• Thus, it enables delivery of government services to Citizens.

Direct-to-mobile (D2M) Technology: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in association with public service broadcaster Prasar Bharat, are exploring the feasibility of a technology that allows to broadcast video and other forms of multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without needing an active internet connection.

About Direct-to-mobile (D2M) technology:

• The technology, called ‘direct-to-mobile’ (D2M) broadcasting is based on the convergence of broadband and broadcast. 
• It allows broadcasting video and other multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without active internet connection.
• It promises to improve utilization of spectrum and consumption of broadband.
• Using this technology, mobile phones will be able to receive terrestrial digital TV.
• It would be similar how people listen to FM radio on mobile phones, in which a receiver within the phone can tap into radio frequencies.

Uses of D2M technology:

• This technology can be used to directly broadcast content related to citizen-centric information.
• It will help in countering fake news, issuing emergency alerts as well as offering assistance in disaster management, among other things.
• It can also be used to broadcast live sports and news, etc. on mobile phones.
• Furthermore, the content should stream without any buffering whatsoever while not consuming any internet data.

Impact of this technology on the consumer:

• Through the D2M technology, consumers would be able to access multimedia content from Over The Top (OTT) or Video on Demand (VoD) content platforms without exhausting mobile data at a nominal rate.
• It will also allow people from rural areas, where internet access is not present or is limited, to watch video content.

Impact of this technology on the business:

• D2M technology will also enable the telecom service providers to offload video traffic for businesses for their mobile network on the broadcast network.
• It will thus help them in decongesting valuable mobile spectrum.
• The technology would also improve usage of mobile spectrum and free up bandwidth, thus reducing the call drops and increasing data speeds etc.

What are the challenges?

• This technology is still at a nascent stage.
• The "greatest challenge" in introducing D2M technology on a larger scale is going to be getting important stakeholders, such mobile operators, on board.
• Infrastructure upgrades and some regulatory changes will be necessary for a mass implementation of the technology.

Initiatives by Government:

A committee has been set by Department of Telecommunications (DoT), to study the feasibility of spectrum band, in order to offer broadcast services directly to to users’ smartphones.

Band 526-582 MHz is envisaged for working in coordination with broadcast services and mobile services.

Background:

• Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati had in 2021 announced a collaboration with IIT Kanpur to test the feasibility of the technology.

AT present, this band is used by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting across the country for TV transmitters.

Sports

French Open Tournament 2022: On June 5, 2022, Rafael Nadal won the 14th French Open.

Key Highlights:

• Nadal beat Norway's Casper Ruud by 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in straights sets to win the French Open 2022 men's singles final in Paris.
• He has become the oldest male champion at Roland Garros.
• He has now won the French Open crown a record 14 times, a feat which has not been achieved by any male or female player in tennis history.
• The victory came 17 years to the day since he won the first French Open in 2005.
• He won the last 11 games of final.
• He has also clinched a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title further enhancing his lead over arch-rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who are both tied on 20 Grand Slams each.
• Nadal is the oldest winner, since a 34-year-old Andre Gimeno won in 1972.

About Rafael Nadal Parera:

• Rafael Nadal is a Spanish professional tennis player.
• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has ranked him world no. 4. 
• Earlier, he was ranked world No. 1 for 209 weeks.
• He has even finished as year-end No. 1 five times.
• Till date, he has won 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including a record of 14 French Open titles.
• He has won 92 ATP singles titles, which also include 36 Masters titles. He won 63 out of 92 ATP singles titles on clay.

List of Winners French Open 2022:

1. Men’s Singles - Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2. Women’s Singles - Iga ÅšwiÄ…tek (Poland)
3. Men’s doubles - Marcelo Arévalo ( El Salvador),  Jean-Julien Rojer (Netherlands)
4. Women’s doubles - Caroline Garcia (French), Kristina Mladenovic (French)
5. Mixed doubles - Ena Shibahara (JAPAN), Wesley Koolh of (Netherlands)

The French Open:

• The French Open is known as Internationaux de France de Tennis in French and Roland Garros in Europe.
• It is a major tennis tournament, which is held for two weeks at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France.
• It starts in late May, every year.
• This tournament has been named after French aviator Roland Garros.
• French Open is the premier clay court championship.
• It is the only Grand Slam tournament that is held on this surface.
• It is the second tournament of four annual Grand Slam tournaments.
• Other three tournaments include Australian Open, The US Open and Wimbledon.

The Grand Slam:

• Grand Slam is an achievement of winning four major championships in one discipline in a calendar year.
• It is also called as “Calendar-year Grand Slam” or “Calendar Slam”.

Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP):

• ATP is the governing body of men’s professional tennis circuits namely ATP Tour, ATP Champions Tour and ATP Challenger Tour.
• It was created in September 1972 by Donald Dell, Cliff Drysdale and Jack Kramer for protecting the interests of professional tennis players.
• Drysdale was its first President.

ATP Tours Masters 1000:

• It is a series of nine tennis tournaments featuring top ranked players.
• It means that not every tennis player can participate in the tournament.
• Currently the following are the nine tournaments of ATP Tours Masters 1000:

1. Paris Masters
2. Madrid Open
3. Monte-Carlo Masters
4. Shanghai Masters
5. Cincinnati Masters
6. Miami Open
7. Indian Wells Masters
8. Italian Open
9. Canadian Open

Note: However, these tournaments are different from Grand Slam.

The Itinerary of Grand Slam consists of

1. French Open
2. Australian Open
3. Wimbledon 
4. US Open

Para World Cup: the Tokyo Paralympics winner Avani Lekhara won gold in the Para Shooting World Cup in Chateauroux, France with a world record score of 250.6 in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1.

Key Highlights:

• The 20-year-old shooter shattered her own world record of 249.6 to qualify for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
• Emilia Babska of Poland won silver with a score of 247.6.
• Anna Normann of Sweden took bronze with a score of 225.6.

Note: The SH1 category is for athletes competing in rifle events who have a lower limb handicap.

• Lekhara won the top prize three days after her coach and escort were denied visas and she was in danger of missing the tournament.
• However, the issue was resolved after intervention of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Sports Ministry.
• Lekhara won gold in the 10m air rifle standing event in the SH1 category at the Tokyo Paralympics in August 2021.
• She then won bronze in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event, becoming the first Indian woman to win multiple Paralympic medals.

Bolat Turlykhanov Cup: Rio Olympics Bronze medallist, Sakshi Malik recently won her first international gold medal at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup wrestling tournament -  UWW Ranking Series event in Almaty, Kazakhstan in almost five years.

Key Highlights:

• Sakshi Malik's first win was against Irina Kuznetsova from Kazakhstan and the other match was against Rushana Abdirasulova, in which the points were 9-3.
• She entered the finals by winning against Kuznetsova with leading points 7-4.
• She pinned down Irina Kuznetsova for the second time in a single day.
• The last time Sakshi Malik won gold was at the 2017 Commonwealth Championship.
• She won two bronze medals at the Asian Championships in 2020 and 2022.
• Mansi, and Divya Kakran also won gold in the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in their respective weight categories.

Winners:

• In the 62 Kg category, Sakshi Malik won against Irina Kuznetsova, via fall.
• In the 57 Kg category, Mansi won gold against Emma Tissina, by 3-0.
• In the 68 Kg category, Divya Kakran won gold against Zorigt and Delgerma by scoring more points from both of them.
• In the 76kg category, Pooja Sihag won bronze against Zagardulam, Naigalsuren. The gold medal winner in the 76 Kg category was Aiperi Medet who won against Samar hamza by 17-6.

Note: India now have won four medals with Greco Roman wrestler Neeraj winning a bronze in 63kg category.

National Air sports Policy 2022: The Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia recently launched the India's first National Air Sport policy 2022 (NASP 2022).

Highlights:

• The vision of NASP 2022 is to make India one of the top sports nations by 2023.
• The policy aims to provide safe, affordable, accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable air sports in India.

Features of the Policy:

• It includes a four-tier governance system that is as follows:

1. Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) as apex governing body.
2. National associations for individual air sports or a group of air sports.
3. Regional (e.g. West/ South/ North East etc.) or state and union territory level units of national air sports associations.
4. District-level air sports associations.

• The air sports associations will be accountable to ASFI on the matter of regulatory oversight and for providing safe, affordable, accessible, enjoyable and sustainable conduct of their respective air sport.
• The various aspects included in the NASP 2022 are:

1. Aerobatics
2. Aero modeling and model rocketry
3. Amateur-built and experimental aircraft
4. Ballooning
5. Gliding and powered gliding
6. Drones
7. Hang gliding and powered hang gliding
8. Parachuting (including skydiving, BASE jumping, wing suits, etc.)
9. Paragliding and para motoring (including powered parachute trikes etc.)
10. Powered aircraft (including ultra-light, a microlight, light sports aircraft, etc.)
11. Rotorcraft (including autogyro)

• India will be represented by ASFI at FAI and other international air sports events.

• This will make it easier for Indian athletes to compete and succeed at international air sports competitions.
• It will help in promoting Domestic design, development and manufacturing of air sports equipment, in line with Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

Significance Air Sports in India:

• The Air sports comprise various sports events which are going to be held in air medium.
• India as a developing country has a huge potential to become one of the top countries in the world of air sports worldwide.
• India has a huge geographical expansion and favorable weather which can be a way of promoting air sports.
• India has a massive population, of which youth is a major part.
• These sports events are going to be in air medium and the coming youth will show greater participation in air sports.

About FAI:

• Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) is the world governing body for air sports.
• It was founded on 14 October 1905,
• It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Note: In India, all competitions in India will be held in accordance with guidelines given by FAI.

Indian polity

5 new governors appointed, Kalraj Mishra goes to Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu BJP chief is Telangana governor: President Ram Nath Kovind today appointed four new Governors and shifted Kalraj Mishra from Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan. Mishra, 78, will succeed former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who completed his five-year tenure as the Governor of Rajasthan. Former Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, 72, has been appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh, replacing Kalraj Mishra. Former Union Minister Arif Mohammed Khan will be the Kerala Governor in place of former Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam. BJP’s Tamil Nadu state chief Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan will be the Governor of Telangana, a post currently held by ESL Narasimhan. Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari will be the new Governor of Maharashtra in place of Vidyasagar Rao. The appointments will take place from the dates they assume charge.

01 September 2019: The West Bengal State Assembly passed West Bengal (Prevention of Lynching) Bill, 2019. The Bill aims to prevent and punish mob assaults and lynching. The state government mentioned that the Bill was passed as the Centre has failed to take the initiative. The Bill was passed by a voice vote. The Bill aims to prevent the spreading of hatred or incidents of mob lynching. The State describes lynching as social malice. The State also urged the Centre and other State governments to bring similar legislation.

Provisions of the Bill:The bill was passed after several cases in which the people were beaten to death over rumors of cattle smuggling and child theft. This offense will carry the punishment of a jail term for three years to life imprisonment. In case of assault leading to injury, the penalty includes a fine of a minimum of Rs.1 lakh to a maximum of Rs.3 lakh. The Bill defined terms such as lynching and mob. The Bill said that the West Bengal Lynching Compensation Scheme may be framed under this Act.

‘Jai Bheem Mukhyamantri Yojana’:Ahead of assembly elections, the Delhi government on Tuesday extended the benefits under its 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Yojana', which provides financial aid for coaching to students from Scheduled Castes (SC), to Other Backward Classes (OBC) and economically weaker sections It includes other backward class and general category students in its ‘Jai Bheem Mukhyamantri Yojana’, and enhance financial assistance from ₹40,000 to ₹1 lakh for coaching for various competitive exams. This scheme is only for the scheduled caste category students under which financial assistance of up to ₹40,000 would be provided.The move comes at a time when only a few months are left for the scheduled Delhi Assembly elections to be held early next year.According to Mr. Kejriwal, a civil service aspirant will be provided financial assistance upto ₹1 lakh for 12-month coaching.An applicant whose annual family income is less than ₹8 lakh will be able to avail the scheme, he added.

Aayush Centres :The Central government has set a target of setting up 12,500 Ayush centres across India. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Yoga Award Ceremony held in New Delhi. He also said that the Centre will open 1.5 lakh health, wellness centres. The prime minister also pitched for linking technology with tradition in the practise of Ayush medicine. In its first, 4000 Ayush centres will be set up in 2019. Government is also making efforts to bring in more professionals in the field of Ayush and necessary steps are being taken to that effect. Centre also plans to create a homogenous system by creating an Ayush grid on the lines of one nation, one tax, and one nation, one mobility card.

International Relations :Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami signed three agreements for collaboration in the healthcare sector on his first day of his UK tour. The Chief Minister is on the first leg of his three-nation tour which he set out for on Wednesday. According to reports, of the three agreements, two were Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) and one was Statement of Intent. While one MoU was signed between the government of Tamil Nadu and International Skills Development Corporation, to develop the skills of the healthcare staff in the state, another MoU was between the government of Tamil Nadu and the King’s College London. King’s College London is looking to establish a branch of the college in Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister, flanked by Tamil Nadu’s Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh, also signed a Statement of Intent with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to improve the standards to control the spread of communicable diseases like malaria and dengue. The delegation also visited the Emergency Operations Centre of the London ambulance service, NHS and its call centres to study the model of emergency response and dispatch of ambulances in London. The aim is to replicate the model in Tamil Nadu.

Rajya Sabha passes National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019:Rajya Sabha has passed National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019. Now it has to be passed by Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to amend National Institute of Design Act, 2014, which declares National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad as an institution of national importance. It seeks to declare four National Institutes of Design (NID) in Andhra Pradesh (Amaravati), Assam (Jorhat), Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal) and Haryana (Kurukshera) as institutions of national importance as these institutes are registered as Societies under Societies Registration Act, 1860 and do not have power to grant degrees or diplomas. Once these four institutions are declared of national importance, they will be granted the power to grant degrees and diplomas. This step taken by the Government will not only help to produce highly skilled manpower in design sector but also create job opportunities, both direct and indirect. It will also provide sustainable design interventions for handloom, crafts, rural technology, small, medium (SMEs) and large scale enterprises (LSEs) nd outreach programmes for capacity, capability and institution building.

Lok Sabha passes Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019:Lok Sabha passed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 which seeks to prohibit discrimination against transgender persons, including in matters of employment. This bill that lays emphasis on educating, skilling and making transgenders employable was moved by Union Minister for State for Social Justice and Empowerment Kishan Pal Gurjar. This bill prohibits discrimination on the grounds of education, healthcare, employment, access to, or enjoyment of goods, facilities opportunities available to public. A transgender person can make an appliction to District Magistrate (DM) for a certificate of identity, indicating gender as ‘transgender’. National Council for Transgender persons (NCT): NCT chaired by Union Minister for Social Justice, apart from redressing grievances of transgender person, will advise central government as well as monitor impact of policies with respect to transgender persons. A transgender, ss a person or individual whose gender does not match gender assigned at birth. It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variation (means a person who at birth shows variation in his/her primary sexual characteristics, external genitalia, chromosomes, or hormones from normative standard of male/female body), gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra. Though maximaum demands of the transgender community have been included in the Bill but the prejudice of the people regarding transgender have to be changed then only the Bills passed for them will be effective.

Indian Policy :The Sagarmala is a series of projects to leverage the country’s coastline and inland waterways to drive industrial development. It was originally mooted by the Vajpayee government in 2003 as the waterways equivalent of the Golden Quadrilateral. Sagarmala, integrated with the development of inland waterways, is expected to reduce cost and time for transporting goods, benefiting industries and export/import trade. The Sagarmala Programme is an initiative by the government of India to enhance the performance of the country's logistics sector. The programme envisages unlocking the potential of waterways and the coastline to minimize infrastructural investments required to meet these targets. It entails investing ₹8.5 trillion (equivalent to ₹8.9 trillion, US$130 billion or €120 billion in 2018) to set up new mega ports, modernizing India's existing ports, developing of 14 Coastal Economic Zones (CEZs) and Coastal Employment Units, enhancing port connectivity via road, rail, multi-modal logistics parks, pipelines & waterways and promoting coastal community development, with the aim of boosting merchandise exports by US$110 billion and generating around 10,000,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Sagarmala Programme is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Shipping to promote port-led development in the country by exploiting India’s 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and its strategic location on key international maritime trade routes. Sagarmala aims to modernize India's Ports so that port-led development can be augmented and coastlines can be developed to contribute to India's growth. It also aims at "transforming the existing Ports into modern world-class Ports and integrate the development of the Ports, the Industrial clusters and hinterland and efficient evacuation systems through road, rail, inland and coastal waterways resulting in Ports becoming the drivers of economic activity in coastal areas. To implement this, State governments would set up State Sagarmala committees, headed by the chief minister or the minister in charge of ports. At the central level, a Sagarmala Development Company (SDC) will be set upto provide equity support to assist various special purpose vehicles (SPVs) set up for various projects.

 

Environment & Climate

Food Ministry puts blanket ban on single use plastic products from 15 Sept : Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution has announced a blanket ban on all types of single use plastic products in various departments of Ministry and all its Public Sector Units (PSUs) including Food Corporation of India (FCI) starting from 15 September 2019. The decision on this ban on use of single-use plastic products was taken in a high level meeting held by Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan. Union Minister. The high level meeting was held with Secretaries of both Departments i.e. Consumer Affairs and Food, CMD FCI, DG Bureau of India Standards (BIS), MD of central warehousing corporation (CWC), Director Legal Metrology along with other senior officials of Ministry. Steps taken by Ministry so far is that during the Swachhata Pakhwada and Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign, department of fertilizers has distributed cloth bags produced by Women’s Self help Group (SHG) Laxmi Devi Swasya Group of village Maragondanahalli Grama Panchayat Ramohalli district, Karnataka to its employees to reduce consumption of single use plastics. As per the department, it is a small step to reduce single-use plastic usage and, to make people aware of viable alternative, while at the same time to improve income and livelihood of rural women of India.

Environment Ministry releases Rs 47,436 crore for afforestation to various states:The Union Ministry of Environment has released Rs 47,436 crore of CAMPA funds to various states for afforestation projects. The transferred funds will not affect the state budget for forests, it will be an additional fund. The funds were handed over by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.The Environment Ministry has released the additional fund to the states to give a boost to forestry activities to achieve the objectives of the Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs) of increasing forest and tree cover. The increase in forest and tree cover will create an additional carbon sink equivalent to 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by the year 2030. The Environment Minister said that the funds will be used for compensatory afforestation, wildlife management, improvement of wildlife habitat, assisted natural regeneration, soil and moisture conservation works in the forest, catchment area treatment, forest fire prevention and control operations, management of biological diversity and biological resources and research in forestry and monitoring of CAMPA works. The CAMPA funds cannot be used for payment of salary, travelling allowances and medical expenses. The Supreme Court ordered for the establishment of Compensatory Afforestation Fund and Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) in 2001. This was after the top court observed that the funds collected for afforestation were underutilized by the states. The court ordered for central pooling of funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund. The National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (National CAMPA) was set up to manage the fund. In 2009, states set up State CAMPAs, which receive 10 percent of the funds from National CAMPA for afforestation and forest conservation activities. In the same year, the apex court also permitted the release of Rs 1000 crore every year to States/UTs for compensatory afforestation and other activities. As per the CAG report 2013 noted that the funds continued to be underutilized. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill 2015 was then introduced by the government in Lok Sabha in May 2015 to regulate the collected funds. The bill was then sent for examination under a standing committee and it was passed by Rajya Sabha in July 2016. With the approval of the Supreme Court in January 2019, after notification of CAF Rules, an amount worth Rs.54,685 crore from Ad-hoc CAMPA was brought under the control of the Union Government. Overall, 27 States and UTs have created accounts for receiving the government funds and those states will be the beneficiary of the additional funds announced by the government. The fund shall be utilized as per the provisions of the CAF Act and CAF Rules.

Researchers discover five new fish species in Arunachal Pradesh:Five new species of fish have been discovered from different districts of Arunachal Pradesh. The discovery was made by a fisheries and aquatic ecology research team from the zoology department of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU). The research team was headed by Professor DN Das. The RGU research team published the details of the discovery in various International journals. According to Prof DN Das, the head of the research team, the majority of remote water bodies in the state are still not easily accessible to researchers due to dense rainforests, steep terrains and communication problem. He, however, said that the research team was confident that systematic exploration may result in more discoveries of new Ichthyo species from the state in the future.

Following are the five newly discovered fish species:

• Mystus Prabini: The fish species was discovered in Sinkin and the Dibang rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district.
• Exostoma Kottelati: The species was discovered in the Ranga River in Lower Subansiri district.
• Creteuchiloglanis Tawangensis: The species was discovered in the Tawangchu river in Tawang district of the Arunachal Pradesh.
• Garra Ranganensis: The species was discovered in the Ranga River.
• Physoschistura Harkishorei: The species was discovered in the Dibang and the Lohit rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district.

Amazon fires: Seven countries sign forest protection pactSeven South American countries have agreed measures to protect the Amazon river basin, amid global concern over massive fires in the world's largest tropical forest. Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname signed a pact, setting up a disaster response network and satellite monitoring.The countries were represented in Leticia by presidents, vice-presidents and ministers. At a summit in Colombia, they also agreed to work on reforestation. More than 80,000 fires have broken out in the Amazon rainforest this year. The Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming, and 60% of it is located in Brazil. The number of fires between January and August 2019 is double that of the same period last year, according to the country's National Institute for Space Research (Inpe). President Bolsonaro has drawn intense domestic and international criticism for failing to protect the region. Environmentalists say his policies have led to an increase in fires this year and that he has encouraged cattle farmers to clear vast swathes of the rainforest since his election last October .Meanwhile, Brazil's leading meat export industry group and agricultural businesses have joined an environmental campaign calling for an end to deforestation in public lands in the Amazon and demanding government action. Bolivia has also seen fires rage across the forest near its borders with Brazil and Paraguay. Several international retailers have said they are suspending purchases of Brazilian leather because of the links between cattle ranching and the fires devastating parts of the Amazon rainforest.

NGT asks centre to prepare plan for protection of Great Indian Bustard:Noting the high mortality of Great Indian Bustard, the National Green Tribunal has directed the government to prepare within two months a time-bound action plan for protection of these birds. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel constituted a joint committee to prepare the action plan for implementation of suggestions submitted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) over the issue. The panel comprises director general and additional director general, Forest (Wildlife) from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, nominees of Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and nominees of Energy Departments of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by the Centre for Wildlife and Environment Litigation. The plea said according to the 30th Forest Advisory Committee meeting, power lines, especially high-voltage transmission lines with multiple overhead wires, are the major threat to the critically endangered species as they have poor frontal vision. It said 75 per cent of the birds have died due to collision with power lines in the past 30 years. The Great Indian Bustard is an endangered species. Its scientific name is Ardeotis nigriceps. Its largest populations are found in Indian state Rajasthan.It is listed in the Schedule I of Indian Wlildlife (Protection)Act,1972 , Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or Bonn Convention,Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), IUCN Red List- as Critically Endangered and National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016). It has also been identified as one of the species for recovery programme under Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats of Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Economics

New income tax rules come into effect from September 1: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her maiden budget speech announced some income tax-related changes which will come into effect from Sunday (September 1), September 1. Her key announcements were that the tax deducted at source (TDS) will be levied at the rate of 2 per cent on cash payments worth more than Rs 1 crore. Also, the TDS will be levied if life insurance maturity received is taxable. Further, the government amended 194-IA of Income Tax Act to include all charges of the nature of club membership fee, car parking fee, or any other charges of similar nature under immovable property for levy of the TDS. Here is a 5-point explainer of new tax-related changes that have come into effect in India from September 1.

1. TDS on additional payment made when purchasing immovable property:The government had amended 194-IA of Income Tax Act during the budget announcement in July in which FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced that if any person purchases an immovable property of Rs 50 lakh or more than that (excluding agricultural land), is required to deduct TDS at the rate of 1 per cent from September 1, 2019, onward. The amendment included all charges of the nature of club membership fee, car parking fee, electricity and water facility fees, maintenance fee, advance fee or any other charges of similar nature, which are incidental to the transfer of immovable property.
2. TDS on cash withdrawals from bank accounts:The government has included a new section 194N in the Act. With this new inclusion, the TDS can be levied at the rate of 2 per cent on cash payments worth more than Rs 1 crore in aggregate made within the year, by a cooperative bank, a banking company, or post office to any individual from an account, which is maintained by the recipient.
3. TDS on payments made by HUF/Individual to professionals and contractors:Under this provision announced in the Budget, if the payment made to a contractor or a professional or a brokerage exceeds Rs 50 lakh in a year, an individual or HUF (Hindu Undivided Family) is required to deduct 5 per cent TDS at the time of crediting such amount. This will help check evasion but may lead to a higher burden of compliance for the payer.This means that individuals making payments of over Rs 50 lakh, let's say, house renovation, wedding functions or any other purpose to a single professional in a year would be required to deduct tax at the time of making the payment.
4. TDS on life insurance:If life insurance maturity proceeds received are taxable, then the TDS will be deducted at the rate of 5 per cent on the net income portion. The net income portion is defined as the total sum received less of the total amount of insurance premium paid. Earlier, the TDS was 1% of the gross maturity payout under the policy.
5. Interchangeability of Pan and Aadhaar:Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech had announced that taxpayers who don't own a PAN card (Permanent Account Number) can now file Income Tax returns with their Aadhaar Card also. The FM allowed the interchangeability of PAN and Aadhaar card for filing tax returns.

National

Nuakhai’, a harvest festival welcoming the new crop, celebrated in Odisha:Nuakhai Juhar is one of the most ancient festivals celebrated in Odisha to welcome the new crop of the season. The agricultural festival is mainly observed by the people of western Odisha. On the auspicious occasion,"Nuakhai Juhar! One of the most ancient festivals of Odisha, may this auspicious occasion further the spirit of prosperity, especially among our hardworking farmers. Nuakhai Juhar is also called Nuakhai Parab or Nuakahi Bhetghat and is a greeting exchanged on the special day. Nuakhai is a combination of two words, 'nua' meaning new and 'khai' means eat, it thus signifies "eating of new rice". People worship food grain on this auspicious day. Special meals are prepared and everyone eats it together. The farmers offer the first produce from their lands to Goddess Samaleswari, the famous mother goddess of Sambalpur district of the state.Nuakhai is celebrated across districts like Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Nuapada, Jharsuguda, Sonepur and Boudh and also across several areas of Jharkhand. Several cultural programmes - folk songs and dances are organised on this day to display the state's local culture and tradition.

International

5 September: The International Day of Charity is observed every year on September 5 across the world. It aims to recognise role of charity in alleviating human ‎suffering within and among nations. It also seeks to raise awareness and provide common platform for charity related activities for charitable, philanthropic and volunteer organizations and individuals all over the world for their own purposes on national, regional and international level.It is observed on the %th of September as it is the death anniversary of Mother Teresa. It was first celebrated for the first time in 2013. On this day, all Member States, international and regional organizations, as well as civil society are invited by UN to commemorate this day for encouraging charity, including through education and pblic awareness-raising activities. The International Day of Charity was instituted by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by adopting resolution A/RES/67/105PDF on 17 December 2012.

7th RCEP Ministerial Meeting commence in Bangkok from 8-10 September: The 7th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ministerial meeting of 10 members of ASEAN countries and their six FTA (free trade agreement) partners is being held in Bangkok, Thailand from 8-10 September 2019. Along with the meeting 7th East Asia Economic Ministers Summit and 16th ASEAN India Economic Ministers (AEM) meeting are also being held. The meeting will be attended by Economic Ministers and senior leaders of 10 ASEAN member countries and 8 East Asia Summit (EAS) countries. EAS meeting will discuss regional and global economic developments and ASEAN’s outlook on Indo-Pacific regions. Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal is representing India at the meet. He will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Russia, Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand. The ongoing global uncertainties Which have added to urgency to conclude mega free trade agreement (FTA) between these nations were discussed at the meeting. the 16 negotiating partners agreed that they should not lose long-term vision of deepening and expanding value chains in RCEP. Matters related to promotion of trade and investment among partner countries will be discussed in India ASEAN AEM and EAS-EMM meetings. India’s engagement with ASEAN is at core of ‘Act East’ policy of India. ASEAN is the gateway to Indian Ocean region (IOR) and as close partners. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or the RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between 10 member states of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN - countries are Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar), and its 6 FTA partners - India,Japan, China, Australia,South Korea and Newzealand.

Science and Technology

1st ever Mobile Science Exhibition flagged off in Leh:Leh, Sep 5 (IANS) Leh's first Mobile Science Exhibition (MSE) van was flagged off on Thursday by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel from the iconic Leh Palace here. The vehicle will hold lectures and sky observation sessions for school students, among other programmes. According to the officials in the Ministry of Culture, the vehicle will travel across the Ladakh region to promote science and technology among the youth. The Ministry will also flag-off 24 more such vans from different parts of the country on Thursday. Originally launched in 1965 as Mobile Science Museum (MSM), these vans have science exhibits and hold exhibitions throughout the year at schools in rural areas, except during vacations. The programmes aim to popularise science and technology among students as well as the people. Over next 5 years, 25 new vans will be added every year. Twenty-five vans are being added in September 2019, which is also part of 100-day achievement of this government.

Samudrayaan Project:India, after Chandrayaan project is planning to explore the deep sea region with the 'Samudrayaan' project to undertake deep ocean mining .The 'Samudrayaan' is a pilot project of the Ministry of Earth Sciences for deep ocean mining for rare minerals. The 'Samudrayaan' project proposes to send men into the deep sea in a submersible vehicle for ocean studies. The project is expected to become a reality by 2021-22. The project has been undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). NIOT Director MA Atmanand said that NIOT has similarly undertaken Samudrayaan as ISRO has envisioned carrying an astronaut to space under its 2022 'Gaganyaan' mission. Under the proposed 'Samudrayaan' project, three men will be sent into deep sea in a submersible vehicle to a depth of about 6000 metres to carry out various deep underwater studies. The submersible vehicle, which will be indigenously developed, would be capable of crawling on the sea bed at a depth of six-kilometer for 72 hours.The project will go deeper in phases with more trials and the ocean mining is expected to commence in 2022.The submarines deployed currently go only about 200 metres deep into the sea. The expenditure of the ambitious project is expected to be around Rs 200 crore. The significance of Samudrayaan project that if it id successful then India will join the league of developed nations in the exploration of minerals from oceans Developed countries have already carried out such missions. India could be the first developing country to undertake such a project. The 'Samudrayaan' will be a part of the Rs 6000 crore 'Deep Ocean’ mission that though has received in-principle approval but it is still awaiting final approval from the Union Finance Ministry. The final approvals are expected to come through in October 2019.

Chandrayaan-2: Chandrayaan-2 is an Indian lunar mission to explore the unchartered south pole of the celestial body by landing a rover. It is developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),after Chandrayaan-1.It consists of a lunar orbiter, the Vikram lander, and the Pragyan lunar rover, all of which were developed in India.The main scientific objective is to map the location and abundance of lunar water via Pragyan, and ongoing analysis from the orbiter circling at a lunar polar orbit of 100 × 100 km. The mission was launched to the Moon from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre on 22 July 2019 at 2.43 PM IST (09:13 UTC) by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III). The craft reached the Moon's orbit on 20 August 2019 and began orbital positioning manoeuvres for the landing of the Vikram lander. Vikram and the rover were scheduled to land on the near side of the Moon, in the south polar region at a latitude of about 70° south at approximately 1:50 am on 7 September 2019 and conduct scientific experiments for one lunar day, lasting two Earth weeks. However, at about 1:52 am IST, the lander deviated from its intended trajectory at around 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) from landing, and lost communication. Initial reports suggesting a crash have been confirmed by ISRO chairman K. Sivan, stating that the lander location had been found, and "it must had been a hard landing". The orbiter, part of the mission with eight scientific instruments, remains operational and will continue its seven-year mission to study the Moon. The Moon is the closest cosmic body at which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising test bed to demonstrate technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan 2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of technology, promote global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists. Moon provides the best linkage to Earth’s early history. It offers an undisturbed historical record of the inner Solar system environment. Though there are a few mature models, the origin of Moon still needs further explanations. Extensive mapping of lunar surface to study variations in lunar surface composition is essential to trace back the origin and evolution of the Moon. Evidence for water molecules discovered by Chandrayaan-1, requires further studies on the extent of water molecule distribution on the surface, below the surface and in the tenuous lunar exosphere to address the origin of water on Moon. The lunar South Pole is especially interesting because of the lunar surface area here that remains in shadow is much larger than that at the North Pole. There is a possibility of the presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it. In addition, South Pole region has craters that are cold traps and contain a fossil record of the early Solar System.

Sports

Bianca Andreescu becomes 1st teen to reach US Open semi-finals in decade:Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu became the first teen US Open semi-finalist in a decade defeating Belgium's Elise Mertens to set up a battle with Belinda Bencic for a spot in the final. The 15th-seeded 19-year-old from suburban Toronto rallied past 25th seed Mertens 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach a clash against fellow Slam semi-final debutante Bencic today. Andreescu, a winner this year at Indian Wells and Toronto, is the first teen in the US Open's last four since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009.She could become the first teen to win a Grand Slam title since Maria Sharapova captured the 2006 US Open and she would be the youngest US Open champion since Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2004. Serena Williams, seeking her 24th Grand Slam singles title to match Margaret Court's all-time record, faces Ukraine's fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina in the other semi-final.

Yashaswini Singh Deswal is an Indian sport shooter.:Yashaswini Singh Deswal is an Indian sport shooter. She won the gold medal in the 10 metre air pistol event at the 2019 ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro and qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Panchkula shooter Yashaswini Singh Deswal, 22, bagged the ninth Olympic quota for India and became the world champion in the women’s 10m Air Pistol event in the ISSF World Cup being held at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in the wee hours of Sunday. She was born on 30 March 1997 in New Delhi. Her father SS Deswal is an IPS officer who works as the deputy general of Indo-Tibetan Border Police and mother Saroj Deswal is the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in Panchkula. As of August 2019, Deswal studies at DAV College in Chandigarh.

Rashid Khan Breaks 15-Year-Old Record to Become Youngest Test Captain:Premier Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan on Thursday scripted history as he became the youngest ever Test captain in the history of the gentlemen’s game at the age of 20 years and 350 days. Rashid achieved the feat in Afghanistan’s one-off Test match against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The spin sensation broke the earlier record held by former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, who was the previous youngest Test skipper at 20 years and 358 days. In Test cricket, Taibu held the record for 15 years after leading Zimbabwe for the first time in 2004 against Sri Lanka at the Harare Sports Club. Former Indian skipper Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi is third in the list after leading the Men in Blue at the age of 21 years and 77 days. Other Test captains in the list are former Pakistani speedster Waqar Younis at 22 years and 15 days, former South African skipper Graeme Smith at 22 years and 82 days and Shakib Al Hasan at 22 years and 115 days

People In News

Venkaiah Naidu:Vice President of India M.Venkaiah Naidu released the Books on President’s speeches titled ‘Loktantra Ke Swar (Khand 2)’ in Hindi and ‘The Republican Ethic (Volume 2)’ in English in a function organized at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. It is a compilation of 95 speeches delivered by President of India Ram Nath Kovind during his 2nd year in office starting July 2018 to July 2019 represents vision, aspirations and ethos of the country and also represents contours of New India. The books are a collections of the Presidents's wisdom and visionary world view and also a testament of faith in strength of India .

Veteran Lawyer And Former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani Passes Away At 95:Veteran Indian lawyer and former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani passed away early morning on Sunday at the age of 95. He breathed his last at his New Delhi residence. Jethmalani was keeping ill since long and in the last two weeks he had been on constant medical assistance, reports said. His last rites will be performed at 4pm at Lodhi crematorium. Ram Boolchand Jethmalani (14 September 1923 – 8 September 2019) was born in Shikarpur, Sindh in the Sindh division of the then Bombay Presidency, now part of Pakistan in the family of Boolchand Gurmukhdas Jethmalani and Parbati Boolchand. He got a double promotion in school and completed matriculation at the age of 13. He secured an LL.B. degree from Bombay University with a first class first at the young age of 17. He received LL.M. from Bombay University, since Sindh did not have a university of its own at that time. He was an Indian lawyer and politician. He had served as India's Union Law Minister and as chairman of the Bar Council of India. He has represented a sweep of cases from the high-profile to the controversial for which he has often faced severe criticism. He was the highest paid lawyer in the supreme court of india. He was elected a member of parliament in the 6th and 7th Lok Sabha on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket from Mumbai. He has served as Law Minister of India and also as Minister of Urban Development during the prime ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee against whom he later contested election in the general elections of 2004 from Lucknow constituency. However, in 2010 he came back to BJP and was elected to Rajya Sabha on its ticket from Rajasthan. He has been criticised as being opportunistic because of this. Jethmalani was a well known face amongst the legal community in India. Even though his forte was criminal law, he had appeared in many high-profile civil cases. From 1993 to 1998, he was one of the lawyers who represented Harshad Mehta during the Harshad Mehta scam and the Narasimha Rao bribery case. On 7 May 2010, he was elected as the president of Supreme Court Bar Association.

Sameer:The renowned Bollywood lyricist who has written the song titled ‘Tujhe Bhulega Na Tera Hindustan’ which was released recently to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas (26th July 2019). The song features Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Olympic bronze medallist boxer Mary Kom, actors Salman Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Anupam Kher, Kangana Ranaut, and Suniel Shetty. The Kargil War was between India and Pakistan took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district and along the Line of Control (LOC) after which India launched Operation Vijay to clear the Kargil sector occupied by the Pakistani Army.

Arts

93rd Academy Awards: Chloe Zhao makes Oscars history: The Chinese born film maker Chloe Zhao recently became the first Asian woman and only the second woman ever to win Best Director at the Academy Awards.

She won the award for her film Nomadland.

At the Awards ceremonies on 25 April 2021 in Los Angeles in the US, the 39-year-old also took home the award for Best Picture for the film, which stars actress Frances McDormand and a number of real-life nomads who travel the US looking for work.

About Zhao:

• Zhao was born in China and lived in Beijing until age 14, when she went to boarding school in London.
• She later moved to Los Angeles where she finished high school and then attended film school in New York.
• Her debut film was Songs My Brothers Taught me.
• It was premiered at Sundance Film Festival.
• Her second film was The Rider.
• It received nominations at the Independent Spirit Award for the Best Film and Best Director.

About Nomadland:

• The film is a story of financially stretched van dwellers in the United States.
• It is about a woman who leaves town after her husband dies.
• She also becomes houseless as sole industry closes down.
• She then lives in a van and travels around the US.

Winners of Academy awards:

• Best Picture: Nomadland
• Best Director: Chloe Zhao for ‘Nomadland’
• Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins for ‘The Father’
• Best Actress: Frances McDormand for ‘Nomadland’
• Best International Feature Film: Another Round (Denmark) in Danish

About Academy Awards:

• The Academy Awards is also known as Oscars.
• They are awarded for artistic and technical merit in the film industry.
• They are considered as the most prestigious awards in the world.
• The winners are awarded with a copy of a Golden Statuette as trophy.
• The trophy is officially called “Academy Award of Merit”.
• The award was designed by Cedric Gibbons and sculpted by George Stanley.
• It was first presented in 1929.

Additional Info:

Bhanu Athaiya was the first Indian to win Oscar in 1982. She won the award for Best Costume Design for the movie Gandhi. As of 2021, 13 Indians have been nominated for Oscars and 8 have won in scientific and technical category.

Putola Nach:The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an Assam-based trust the opportunity to focus on a near-forgotten form of string puppetry called Putola Nach.

Highlights:

• The Anamika Ray Memorial Trust (ARMT), in collaboration with the UNICEF-Assam recently produced three short videos using string puppetry for creating mass awareness on COVID appropriate behaviour.
• A fourth video is on the issue of school dropouts.
• The videos of 4-8 minutes have been launched on various social media platforms to reach millions of viewers.
• These videos are a part of a larger collaborative project with UNICEF done in November and December 2020.

About Putala Nach:

1. The string puppetry of Assam is called Putala Nach.
2. It is performed in three areas with distinct characteristics.
3. These areas are Barpeta-Nalbari in western Assam, Kalaigaon in northern Assam and Majuli “island” in eastern Assam.
4. The Ramayana, either in its entirety or by episodes, is performed, as well as scenes from the Mahabharata.

1. The puppeteers are happy to add dialogues or chants taken from bhaona, the local traditional theatre.

International Jazz Day: The International Jazz Day is celebrated on 30 April every year to highlight the importance of jazz and its diplomatic role in uniting people in all corners of the globe.

• The 2021 celebration marks the 10th Anniversary of International Jazz Day.

History of International Jazz Day:

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed 30 April as International Jazz Day on November 2011.
• The day was designated to bring together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts from across the world to celebrate and learn about the art of jazz and its impact.
• The day was created on the idea of jazz pianist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock.

What is Jazz?

• The musical form of Jazz was developed by African Americans.
• It was influenced by both European harmonic structure and African rhythms.
• It originated in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Economics

Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI): India, Australia, and Japan have agreed to the launch of a trilateral Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) in order to reduce the dependency on China in a Trilateral Ministerial Meeting held virtually on 27 April, 2021.

Highlights:

The initiative was first proposed by Japan.

In the light of China’s aggressive moves in the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the Indian government has decided to consider the proposal quite seriously.

SCRI is aimed at the creation of a free and transparent trade and investment environment.

The idea has also been to throw open the initiative to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) after India-Japan-Australia builds an understanding of the matter.

About Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI):

SCRI is a direct response to the individual economies and companies who are concerned about the Chinese political behavior and the disruption which may lead to supply chains.

The main purpose of creating the supply chain will be to improve its resilience across the Indo-Pacific, which in turn will be able to develop a sound economic profile to its security logic.

Network for Greening the Financial System- NGFS: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently joined the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) as a member.

Key Points:

• The RBI expects to benefit from the membership of NGFS by learning from and contributing to global efforts on green finance, which has assumed significance in the context of climate change.

Note: The Central bank joined the NGFS on April 23, 2021.

About NGFS:

• NGFS was launched at the Paris One Planet Summit on December 12, 2017.
• The initiative was launched by eight central banks under the leadership of Banque de France.
• The NGFS is a group of central banks and supervisors willing to share best practices and contribute to the development of environment and climate risk management in the financial sector, while mobilising mainstream finance to support the transition towards a sustainable economy.
• There are 83 central banks associated with the system. Of these 75 are members and 13 are observers.
• Green finance assumed significance in the context of climate change.

Objective:

• The main objective of the system is to increase and accelerate green finance.

Aim:

• It aims to help the members design policies and climate risk resilience in financial sector.

Current Functions of NGFS:

The NGFS is currently working under the following:

1. Workstream on "Microprudential or Supervision" chaired by Mr Zeng Yi Wong (Monetary authority of Singapore)
2. Workstream on "Macrofinacial works" Chaired by Ms Sarah Breeden (Bank of England)
3. Workstream on "Scaling up the Green Finance" by Deutsche Bundesbank (Germany)
4. Workstream on "Bridging the data gaps" International Monetary Fund
5. Workstream on "Research" chaired by Mr Ma Jun (People's Bank of China)

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH): The 5th Session of Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) was recently held virtually.

Highlights:

1. The session was held from 20th -29th April 2021.
2. Around 300 experts from 65 member countries, one member organization (European Union) and 11 international observer organizations participated. 
3. At the session CCSCH finalized and recommended quality standards for four spices. They are:-

1. Cloves
2. Oregano
3. Basil
4. Ginger

1. The committee forwarded these 4 new standards to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) for final adoption as full-fledged Codex standards.
2. The committee also took up the following new work items:

1. To develop Codex standards for small cardamom and turmeric
2. To develop the first group standard for spices that fall under the class 'dried fruits and berries'.

About CCSCH:

1. CCSCH is the youngest of the Codex Commodity Committees.
2. It was established in 2013 under Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), an Intergovernmental body. 
3. The Committee is chaired by India and Spices Board India is its Secretariat.
4. This committee is mandated to elaborate worldwide, science-based quality standards for spices and culinary herbs, in accordance with the Codex principles of consumer protection and fair trade practices.
5. Dr M.R. Sudharshan is the current Chairman of the Committee.
6. Normally the Committee meetings are held once in 18 months. 
7. The Last meeting of CCSCH was conducted in 2019 at Trivandrum.

About Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):

1. Set up in 1963, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is an intergovernmental body established jointly by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) within the framework of the Joint Food Standards Programme to protect the health of consumers and to ensure fair practices in the food trade.
2. CAC comprises members from 189 countries.
3. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy.
4. Its current Chairman is Guilherme da Costa.

About Spice Board of India:

1. The Spice Board of India was constituted in 1987 under the Spices Board Act, 1986.
2. It functions under Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
3. It is headquartered in Kochi, Kerala.
4. Its current Chairman and Secretary is D Sathiyan.

Defence

DEFENDER-Europe 21: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation recently launched the joint military exercises in Albania called the “DEFENDER-Europe 21”.

Highlights:

• Joint military DEFENDER-Europe 21 is launched with thousands of military forces from the United States (US) and other countries participating in the exercise.

DEFENDER-Europe:

• This exercise is an annual large-scale U.S. Army-led, multinational exercise.
• It is defensive in nature.
• It is focused on deterring aggression.

DEFENDER-Europe 21

• In 2021, the exercise focuses on building operational readiness and interoperability with NATO and a greater number of allies and partners over a wider area of operations than ever before.
• More than 28,000 troops of the US and its allies are participating.
• This is the first such large-scale drills since World War II in the Western Balkans, a U.S.
• More than 26 countries are to conduct simultaneous operations in more than thirty training areas from Black sea, Balkan regions to Baltics and Africa.
• The sealift ship USNS Bob Hope will demonstrate the unloading of heavy equipment onto smaller vessels that will transfer the cargo to shore for onward movement.

About NATO:

NATO is an acronym for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

It is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries.

The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949

It is headquartered in Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.

Background:

• On 4 March 1947, the Treaty of Dunkirk was signed by France and the United Kingdom as a Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance in the event of a possible attack by Germany or the Soviet Union in the aftermath of World War II.
• The US, Canada, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Portugal and Iceland joined the treaty in 1949.
• The first NATO military exercise was held in 1952.
• NATO was the first peacetime military alliance the United States entered into outside of the Western Hemisphere.

Note: Soviet Union signed the Warsaw pact to counter NATO.

Myanmar Crisis: An armed ethnic group in Myanmar known as the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) has recently claimed to have seized a military outpost near the Thai border.

Highlights:

• A spokesman for the Karen National Union (KNU), the minority's main political group seeking greater autonomy from Myanmar's central government, said the group's armed wing attacked the base at 5 a.m. and burned it down just after dawn.
• Myanmar’s military staged airstrikes several hours later on villages in territory controlled by the Karen forces.
• The attack has represented a morale-boosting action for those opposing the military’s takeover of the country’s civilian government in February.
• The KNU, which controls territory in eastern Myanmar near the Thai border, is a close ally of the resistance movement against the military takeover that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. KNLA is KNU’s armed wing.
• There is a similar situation in northern Myanmar, where the Kachin minority claims to have captured several government outposts and been the target of air attacks.

About Karen and Kachin:

• The Karen and the Kachin are two of the bigger minority groups that have been seeking greater autonomy for decades, during which there have been periods of armed conflict punctuated by ceasefires.
• The Karen is an ethno linguistic group of Sino-Tibetan language-speaking peoples while Karen groups reside primarily in Kayin State, southern and southeastern Myanmar.

Background:

• On 1st February 2021, the civilian government led by the NLD was overthrown in a military coup d'état, and the Tatmadaw's commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, became the head of state. Aung San Suu Kyi and several other senior members of her government were arrested by the military during the coup.
• Mass protests followed, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Min Aung Hlaing and the newly-created State Administration Council (SAC), the release of those arrested in the coup, and the restoration of the civilian government.

Myanmar:

• Myanmar officially the Republic of the Union of Myanma was formerly known as Burma.
• It is a Southeast Asian nation of more than 100 ethnic groups.
• It is bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest, China to its northeast, Laos and Thailand to its east and southeast, and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to its south and southwest.
• Myanmar has been a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since 1997.
• The Capital of Myanmar is Naypyitaw.
• The currency used here Burmese kyat.

Ladakh Ignited Minds project: Ladakhi youth Army under the aegis of Fire and Fury Corps recently signed MoU for Ladakh Ignited Minds project with corporate partner Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and executing agency National Integrity and Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO) HQ 14 Corps Leh.

Key points about the project:

• The project Ladakh Ignited Minds: A Centre of Excellence and Wellness has been conceptualized to secure a better future for the youth of UT of Ladakh.
• The programme under the aegis of Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army would be executed by National Integrity & Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO) a Kanpur-based NGO.
• The Army would oversee the overall operations to include administration and logistics with requisite funding support through Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).
• The dignitaries stated that Army is doing all-out efforts for skill development and also for providing employment opportunities to the underprivileged and disadvantaged sections of Ladakh.

Environment

Forest Fire in Mizoram: The disastrous fire has recently been raging in Mizoram for over 40 hours.

• The fires are destroying forests and reaching towns and villages in Lunglei and Lawngtlai, consuming everything in its way.

IAF deploys two Mi-17V5 helicopters to douse major fire:

• The Indian Air Force recently deployed two Mi-17V5 helicopters equipped with Bambi Bucket to control the forest fires.
• The Assam Rifles too had deployed personnel and firefighting equipment to Lunglei district in Mizoram.

Fire Season in Mizoram:

• The fire season in Mozoram is between February and May.
• The maximum incidents of fires are reported in the months of April and May.
• There is increase in number of forest fires in the state due to Slash and burn or shifting cultivation, burning farm residues, collection of non-timber forest produces and clearance of land for other purposes.
• In 2021, so far, the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) has reported 1,604 fire alerts.

Forest Survey of India, 2019

The Survey divided the forest fire prone into following zones:

• Extremely fire-prone areas accounted to 3.89% of total forest cover
• Very highly fire-prone areas accounted to 6.01%
• Highly fire prone areas: 11.50%

Together these three categories add up to 21.4% of forest cover.

Earthquake in Assam: On April 28, 2021, seven back-to-back earthquakes occurred in Assam and other north eastern states.

Highlights:

• The first shocks were of 6.4 magnitudes. Later, the jolts were at 3.2 to 3.4 magnitude in Richter scale.
• Roads were cracked and buildings tilted in Sonitpur and Nagaon.
• The occurrence of earthquakes was confirmed by National Center for Seismology.
• The epicenter of the earthquake was located at a depth of 17 km.
• The epicenter was located 9 km away from the town of Dhekiajuli of Assam.

 

About National Center for Seismology:

• National Center for Seismology is the nodal agency that monitors earthquake activity in India
• It maintains a National Seismological Network of 115 stations.
• Each station holds separate equipment.
• Apart from monitory, the center also performs Seismic Hazard Microzonation and seismological research.

What are the causes of the Assam Earthquake?

• The entire Himalayas are prone to Earthquakes. This is because the Indian tectonic plate is continuously wedging into the Eurasian plate at a speed of 44 millimetres per year.
• These motions build up stress and trigger earthquakes.
• While the entire Himalayas are prone to earthquakes, the high-intensity earthquakes occur in North Eastern India and thus these regions are classified under Zone V.

Additional Info:

Every earthquake occurring in the planet generates three different types of waves called P-waves, S-waves and L-waves.

• The P-waves are longitudinal waves. They are analogous to sound waves.
• The S-Waves are transversal waves and are analogous to light waves.
• The L-waves are surface waves.

They originate when the P-waves of the earthquake hits the surface of the earth.

Indian Policy

Ayushman Bharat Diwas: Every year, the Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated on April 30 in India.

The Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated to achieve twin missions.

1. To promote health and wellness to the poor.
2. To provide insurance benefits to them.

Ayushman Bharat Scheme:

1. In April2018, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Launched the Ayushman bharat Scheme.
2. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ayushman Bharat Scheme has so far operationalised 75,532 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre.
3. It has fixed a target of 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centre by 2022.
4. The beneficiaries are chosen from the Socio-Economic Census Database.
5. It is the largest health cover in the world.
6. It aims to provide five lakh rupees of health cover per family per year.
7. The beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) are from bottom 40% of Indian Population.
8. The scheme also covers 15 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days of post-hospitalization. This includes the expenses of medicines and tests.
9. The scheme subsumed the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme and Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana.
10. The scheme has packages that include knee replacement, bypass and other treatments provided at 15% cheaper than the Central Government Health Schemes.

Ayushman Mitra

1. The “Ayushman Mitra” initiative was started to provide employment to the unemployed.
2. More than ten lakh jobs were created under the Ayushman Mitra initiative.
3. The Ayushman Mitras were deployed directly in private hospitals and government hospitals.
4. The youth employed under the scheme will receive salary of Rs 15,000. Also, they receive incentive of Rs 50 on every beneficiary.
5. The Ayushman Mitras mandated to provide key information to the beneficiaries.
6. They also require informing the state agency after the discharge of the patient.

Indian polity

The exit polls for four states and one Union Territory- West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will be released today evening. The Election Commission has banned conducting or publishing any exit polls till 7.30pm today, April 29, 2021. 

What are exit polls?

The exit polls are post-vote polls, which are conducted after voters have cast their votes. The polls aim to predict the final result on the basis of the information collected from the voters after they walk out of the polling booth. Unlike an opinion poll, which asks the voter whom they plan to vote for, the exit poll asks the voter whom they actually voted for.

Who conducts the exit polls?

The polls are conducted by private firms and media organizations such as Today's Chanakya, ABP-Cvoter, News18, India Today-Axis, Times Now-CNX, NewsX-Neta, Republic-Jan Ki Baat, Republic-CVoter, ABP-CSDS and Chintamani.

How are they conducted?

Most of the agencies carry out exit polls through the method of random sampling. Some also opt for systematic sampling to predict the actual result. The agencies ask people from different age groups, gender, caste, religion and region whom they voted for.

While exit polls largely predict the outcome of the entire election, region or constituency specific exit polls are also released.  

How are the exit polls calculated?

The firms conducting the exit polls usually ask voters who they voted for and on the basis of that, they make their final result prediction. The prediction is solely based on the fact that the voters have given correct answers.

When are exit polls released?

The exit polls are only allowed to be published or broadcasted half an hour after the conclusion of the last phase of polling. The polls are released after approval from the Election Commission of India.

Why is there a restriction on the publishing of exit polls?

The Election Commission, exercising its powers stated under Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 prohibits the release of exit polls before the conclusion of polling, in order to safeguard democracy.

According to the Election Commission, publishing the prediction of the actual result before the conclusion of polling may possibly influence the minds of electors.

What does Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 state?

The section states that no person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media, the result of any exit poll during such period. In case of a general election, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for the poll on the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after closing of the poll in all the states and union territories.

The section also prescribes that any person, who contravenes the provisions of this section, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both.

International

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day: The International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is observed every year on April 26 globally.

Highlights:

• 26th April 2021 marks the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.
• The day is observed to raise awareness of the consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the risks of nuclear energy in general.
• The International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day was first observed on the 30th anniversary of 1986 nuclear disaster.
• In the year 2016, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution designating 26 April as International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day.
• In the year 2009, UN launched the International Chernobyl Research and Information Network (ICRIN), to support the programmes in developing the affected places.

History:

• On April 26, 1986, a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Pripyat city of Ukraine with devastating consequences.
• An explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant spread a radioactive cloud over large parts of the Soviet Union, now the territories of Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
• Nearly 8.4 million people in the three countries were exposed to the radiation.
• It is one of the worst nuclear disasters that has ever taken place in the world.

Note: International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is a global observance and not a public holiday.

International Climate Finance Plan of the US: The US President Joe Biden recently announced the country’s new Finance Plan at the Leader’s Summit on Climate.

The Summit was hosted by the USA.

Keypoints about the Plan:

• United States will target reducing emissions by 50-52 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
• The US will double its climate funding by 2024. It is to triple its climate funding eventually.
• The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is to release a new Climate Change Strategy in November 2021 at the COP26.
• The United States International Development Finance Corporation is to change its development strategy to include climate in its plan.
• It will prioritize climate mitigation and adaption.
• This is the first time the US is including climate in its development strategy.
• The Millennium Change Corporation will focus on climate smart development and sustainable infrastructure.
• It aims to direct more than 50% of its funding towards climate-related investments.
• The US Treasury will direct the executive directors in multilateral development banks such as World Bank to ensure that they set ambitious climate finance targets.
• The plan will also focus on ending international investments in carbon-intensive fossil fuel-based energy products.

Key Facts:

The United States is the world’s second leading emitter after China. The country will have to contribute 800 billion USD as its share in the international climate finance.

About Millennium Change Corporation:

• It is a bilateral foreign US aid agency that was established in 2004.
• It provides financial aid to the countries with good economic growth through good policies.

About US International Development Finance Corporation:

• The US International Development Finance Corporation is responsible for providing finances to private development projects in low-income and middle-income countries.

• It was formed in 2019.

World Intellectual Property Day: Every year, the World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated on April 26.

The day is celebrated to highlight the importance of Intellectual Property.

The day is celebrated by the World International Property and several other international organizations.

This year, the World Intellectual Property Day is being celebrated under the following theme:

Theme for 2021: IP and SMEs: Taking your ideas to market

History

• The day was established by the World Intellectual Property Organisation in 2000. It aims to increase awareness on how copyright, patents, designs and trademarks impact on daily life.
• April 26 was chosen to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day as “Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organisation” entered into force.
• Celebrating World Intellectual Property Day was proposed by China.

About World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)

• The WIPO was established in 1967.
• It entered into force in 1970.
• It is one of the fifteen specialized agencies of the United Nations.
• The organization administers 26 international treaties that ranges between protection of broadcast and establishing international patent classification.

Important Info:

India is a member of WIPO.

India is also a member of the following WIPO administered international treaties:

• Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities.
• Nairobi Treaty on the Protection of the Olympic Symbol
• Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms
• Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
• Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property
• Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization
• Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure
• Washington Treaty on Intellectual Property in respect of Integrated Circuits
• Patent Cooperation Treaty
• Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks- Madrid Protocol

Global Immunization Strategy: The WHO (World Health Organization) recently unveiled UN-led Global Immunization Strategy to reach more than 50 million children who have missed lifesaving jabs against measles and other diseases because of COVID-19 disruption.

• WHO, along with UNICEF and the vaccine alliance Gavi, stated that their new global strategy has the potential to save 50 million lives within less than a decade.

Aim:

• To avoid multiple outbreaks of life-threatening diseases like measles, yellow fever and diphtheria, it must be ensured that routine vaccination services are protected in every country in the world.

WHO Survey on effects of COVID-19 pandemic on Vaccination:

• A WHO survey showed more than one third of countries were still seeing disruptions to their routine immunization services.
• The joint statement stated that around 60 mass vaccination campaigns were currently postponed in 50 countries which have put 228 million people, mostly children, at risk of diseases such as measles and polio.

About WHO:

WHO:

1. WHO is an acronym for World Health Organization.
2. It was created in 1948 by member states of the United Nations (UN) as a specialized agency with a broad mandate for international public health.
3. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
4. The main objective of WHO is "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible standard of health." It plays an essential role in the global governance of health and disease.
5. Its mission is to improve people's lives, to reduce the burdens of disease and poverty, and to provide access to responsive health care for all people.
6. The WHO is governed by two decision-making bodies, the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board.
7. The current Director-general of WHO is Tedros Adhanom.
8. The WHO has played a leading role in several public health achievements, most notably the eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of polio, and the development of an Ebola vaccine.

1. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria and tuberculosis; non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer; healthy diet, nutrition, and food security; occupational health; and substance abuse.

Project DANTAK: Project DANTAK which is one of the oldest Projects of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) recently commemorated its Diamond Jubilee in Bhutan.

Highlights:

• Indian Ambassador to Bhutan Smt Ruchira Kamboj laid a floral wreath at the DANTAK Memorial in Simtokha on April 24, 2021.
• Commandant, Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) Maj Gen Sanjeev Chauhan and Chief Engineer DANTAK Brig Kabir Kashyap also paid their respects at the memorial.
• It was a fitting tribute to the sacrifices made by personnel of DANTAK in strengthening the bonds of friendship between India and Bhutan.

Background:

• Over 1,200 DANTAK personnel laid down their lives while constructing important infrastructure in Bhutan.
• Project DANTAK was established on April 24, 1961 as a result of the visionary leadership of His Majesty the Third King and then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru.
• DANTAK was tasked to construct the pioneering motorable roads in the Kingdom.
• Over the years, the Project has completed approximately 1600 km of blacktopped roads and 120 km of tracks in Bhutan with 5000 meters of bridges over them.
• DANTAK completed the road connecting Samdrup Jongkhar to Trashigang in 1968. In the same year, Thimphu was connected to Phuentsholing by DANTAK. Many Bhutanese had also volunteered to work with DANTAK.
• Some other notable projects executed by the project include the construction of Paro Airport, Yonphula Airfield, Thimphu – Trashigang Highway, Telecommunication & Hydro Power Infrastructure, Sherubtse College, Kanglung and India House Estate.
• The medical and education facilities established by DANTAK in far flung areas were often the first in those locations.
• The food outlets along the road introduced the Bhutanese to Indian delicacies and developed a sweet tooth in them. The famous Takthi Canteen midway between Phuentsholing and Thimphu has been a compulsory stop for travelers.

Indo-Bhutan Relationship:

• The Indo-Bhutan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1949 was signed between India and Bhutan which provides for, among other things, perpetual peace and friendship, free trade and commerce and equal justice to each other’s citizens.
• In 2007, the treaty was re-negotiated, and provisions were included to encourage Bhutan’s sovereignty, abolishing the need to take India’s guidance on foreign policy.
• Both of them share multilateral forums such as South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal), BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) etc.
• India is Bhutan's largest trading partner.
• Mutually beneficial hydro-power cooperation with Bhutan forms the core of bilateral economic cooperation.
• The 720 MW Mangdechhu was commissioned in August 2019. HEPs namely, 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I, 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II and Kholongchhu HEP (600 MWs) are under various stages of implementation.

BRO:

• It refers to the Border Roads Organization.
• In order to ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India (GoI) set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Board and Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.
• The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India's borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.
• It develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
• It is responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads along the borders with China and Pakistan. Officers from the Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES) and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the Border Roads Organisation.
• BRO has been entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence.
• Earlier it received funds from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

• The current Director General of BRO is Lt. Gen.Harpal Singh.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work: This day is observed on 28 April every year by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) since 2003.

• The day is observed in order to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases at the workplace.
• The day is also commemorated as International Day for Dead and Injured Workers.

Aims and Objectives:

• The initiative was launched with the aim of promoting occupational safety and health culture globally.
• The awareness-raising campaign works at reducing the magnitude of work-related deaths and injuries.
• It stresses at the need of ensuring better infrastructure, making laws and services to enforce compliance, and recognizing emerging occupational risks to make the workplace safer for the workers.
• The day is also used as a significant tool to bring to notice various emerging risks at the workplace ranging from new technologies to working conditions and psychosocial factors like work-related stress.

Theme for 2021:

• The theme for World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021 is ‘Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises and invest now in resilient OHS systems’.
• It acknowledges the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s working lives and the importance of building an effective, resilient, and adaptable Work Health and Safety framework.
• It also addresses the issues related to the sudden shift to new forms of working arrangements like teleworking and how they have increased the OSH risk, including psychosocial risks and violence in particular.

About International Labour Organization (ILO):

• It is a United Nations (UN) agency.
• It deals with labour issues, particularly international labour standards, social protection, and work opportunities for all.
• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• It was founded in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I.
• It is a tripartite organization that brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers in its executive bodies.
• In 1969, ILO received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving fraternity and peace among nations.

• India is the founding member of ILO.

May Day: May Day is observed on 1st May across the globe every year.

Key Points:

• The Day is an official public holiday all over the world in various countries.
• The day is celebrated to honour the contribution of workers across the world.
• It is also known as International Labour Day.
• The day aims at paying tribute to workers' sacrifices in achieving economic and social rights all over the world.

May Day 2021:

• On the occasion, Director-General of International Labour Organization, Guy Ryder has called on workers, employers, governments, international organizations and all who are committed to building back better, to join forces to bring in a world of work with justice and dignity for all.

History:

• During the era of industrialization, US industrialists exploited the working class by making them work 15 hours a day.
• It was only on May 1, 1886, that the labour class came together and revolted against this unjust system and asked for paid leaves, good wages and proper breaks.
• On 4 May during the strike the bomb blasts in Chicago's Haymarket took place. Due to which several people and police officers died and more than 100 people were injured.
• However, the strike did not have any immediate effect on labourers work but it helped in establishing the eight-hour workday rule in several countries of the world.
• In 1889 a meeting took place in Paris where it was decided to celebrate May Day on an annual basis through a proposal given by the Raymond Lavigne and said that international demonstrations are required to celebrate the anniversary of the Chicago protests.
• In 1891, International's second congress officially recognized to celebrate May Day as an annual event.
• This is the reason why May Day is celebrated every year.

Origin of May Day in India:

• In India, the first May Day was celebrated in Madras (now known as Chennai) by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on May 1, 1923. It was also the first time when the Red Flag which symbolises Labour Day was used in India for the first time.
• The day is linked to labour movements for communist and socialist political parties. In Hindi, Labour Day is also known as Kamgar Din or Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas, Kamgar Divas in Marathi and Uzhaipalar Naal in Tamil.

Additional Info:

• May 1 is also Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day - on this day in 1960 the two states attained statehood after Bombay (Now Mumbai) had been divided on linguistic lines.

National

Large Area Certification (LAC) Scheme: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare recently announced that around 14,491 hectares of land in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been certified as organic.

Highlights:

• This is the first large contiguous territory to be certified under government scheme.
• The organic certification has been given under the Large Area Certification (LAC) Scheme of the PGS-India (Participatory Guarantee System) certification programme.
• The Government of India has certified 14,491 ha of such area under Car Nicobar and Nancowry group of islands in A&N Islands.

About LAC Scheme:

• Under the scheme, each village is considered as one cluster or group.
• All the farmers have to adhere to the standard requirements without the need to undergo a conversion period to get certified.
• Certification is renewed on annual basis through verification by a process of peer appraisals as per the process of PGS-India.
• This was launched under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana.
• The administration of Union Territory in collaboration with local communities prepared the island-wise and farmer wise database of land holding, practices being adopted, input usage history among others.

Basically, under the standard norms of organic production systems, the areas with chemical input usage history will have to undergo a transition period of two to three years to get qualified as organic. This transition period has been removed under the Large Certification Scheme.

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana:

• The scheme was launched in 2014 to promote natural farming.
• At present, there are more than 30 lakh hectares of registered areas holding organic certification.
• Currently, India ranks fifth in terms of area under natural farming and first in terms of total number of producers.

What is Participatory Guarantee Scheme?

• It is a scheme that certifies organic products.
• The scheme is implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare.
• The certification is in the form of statement or logo. The certification is issued based on the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations.

• These regulations were notified by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in 2017.

Customs Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters: The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the signing and ratification of an Agreement between the Government of Republic of India and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Customs Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters.

Key Points:

• The Cabinet on 28 April 2021 approved the signing of an agreement between India and the UK for sharing information and prevent Customs offences.
• The agreement seeks to help in the availability of relevant information for the prevention and investigation of Customs offences.
• It is also expected to facilitate trade and ensure efficient clearance of goods traded between the countries.
• The agreement will provide a legal framework for sharing of information and intelligence between the Customs authorities of the two countries.
• It will help in the proper application of Customs laws, prevention and investigation of Customs offences and the facilitation of legitimate trade.
• The draft text of the proposed agreement has been finalized with the concurrence of the two Customs Administrations.

• The Agreement takes care of Indian Customs, concerns and requirements, particularly in the area of exchange of information on the correctness of the Customs value, tariff classification and origin of the goods traded between the two countries.

3D printed house at IIT-M: The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman virtually inaugurated the first 3D printed house in India at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M).

Key Points:

1. The concept of this 3D printed house was conceived by former IIT-M alumni.
2. This 600 sq. ft, single-story home has a functional space comprising of a single bedroom, hall, and kitchen, all of which have been designed and developed by the firm's indigenous 3-D printing technology.
3. The single-storey home has been built in just five days using ‘Concrete 3D Printing” technology.
4. The house is by IIT-Madras based start-up ‘TVASTA Manufacturing Solutions’, within the campus, in association with Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Centre for Innovation in Shelter.
5. The 3D Printed House seeks to help meeting the deadline of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of the ‘housing for all’ scheme by 2022.

About Concrete 3D Printing:

• Tvasta's 'Concrete 3D Printing' is an automated manufacturing method, where their 3-D printer accepts a computerized three-dimensional design file and fabricates a 3D structure in a layer-by-layer manner by extruding a custom-made variant of concrete.

Aim:

• The main aims is to cater to the various infrastructure needs in the Indian subcontinent, with the focus on providing construction-related 3D Printing services for Government schemes that seeks to alleviate problems of housing, sanitation, disaster-time rehabilitation, among others.

TRIFED’s new project for Tribal Households: The TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India)  recently signed an agreement with The LINK Fund to work together towards tribal development.

Highlights:

Under the agreement the following works will be done:

• They will work towards tribal employment generation and development. This is to be achieved by providing support to the tribal in increasing value addition to their produce.
• They will also create women-centres that will promote innovation, infrastructure and entrepreneurship among tribal women.
• TRIFED and LINK will work towards improving the skill training and crafts diversification.

About TRIFED:

• TRIFED is a national level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• The full form of TRIFED is The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India.
• It was established in 1987.
• It became operational from April 1988.
• The basic objective of the TRIFED is to provide good price of the 'Minor Forest Produce (MFP) collected by the tribes of the country.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• In addition to head office it has network of 13 Regional offices located at various places in the country.

About LINK Fund

• LINK Fund is a philanthropic organization that aims to end extreme poverty and mitigate the effects of Climate Change.
• It provides funds to meet the basic needs of the poorest population in the world.
• Their focus is mainly on India, US, Mali, Indonesia, Mali, Nigeria, Nepal, Mauritania and Senegal.
• The fund addresses basic human needs such as education, food and nutrition, large scale infrastructure and women economic empowerment.

Recent Developments

• In April 2021, TRIFED launched the SANKLAP SE SIDHI. It is a hundred-day drive to activate the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.
• In April 2021, TRIFED launched the Tribes India contest.
• In March, 2021, TRIFED announced that the Floriculture mission is to be implemented in twenty-one states.
• It is building TRIFOOD parks.

About TRIFOOD Parks:

• TRIFOOD Parks is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Food Processing. These parks procure raw materials from the tribal people, process them and help tribal farmers sell for better prices.

• TRIFED is providing training to the tribal farmer about processing their produce. This will help to increase their income by bringing better prices for their produce.

People In News

Wild Innovator Award: Dr.Krithi K Karanth, Chief Conservation Scientist at Bengaluru-based Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), has become the first Indian and Asian woman for 2021 who has been awarded the "WILD Innovator Award".

The other winners are Richelle Thomas (USA), Abigail Williams and Jayne Goss (United Kingdom), Erika Allen and Laurell Sims (USA), AnnaSophia Robb, Genesis Butler (USA), Sheila Funnell (Kenya), Rosamira Guillen (Colombia), Resson Kantai Duff (Kenya), Dr.Adriana Verges (Australia), and Dominique Goncalves (Mozambique).

This award given by the ''WILD ELEMENTS Foundation'' brings together a coalition of innovators, advocates and partners to "disrupt the status quo and identify solutions to global sustainability and conservation,"

About WILD ELEMENTS (WE) Foundation:

The WILD ELEMENTS Foundation (also known as WE) is a purpose-first platform, which consists of three unique organizations – a nonprofit corporation, storytelling studio, and mindfully made brands.

As part of its flagship programme the Foundation has partnered with WILD Innovators and WILD Advocates.

• Wild Innovators includes premier science and conservation experts, driving cutting-edge work in the field around the world.
• WILD Advocates includes celebrities and influencers who value and promote the importance and vital interdependence of people, animals, plants, and our shared environment.

The Foundation's distinctive approach to addressing climate change is the "Power of Three," recognizing the interconnectedness of animalkind, humankind, and plantkind for the future planetary wellness of our shared home.

About Dr. Krithi Karanth

Dr. Krithi Karanth is Chief Conservation Scientist and Director at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, Adjunct Faculty at Duke University and National Centre for Biological Sciences.

Her Honours and awards:

• In 2011 she was honoured as National Geographic Society's 10,000th grantee.
• She was selected as National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2012.
• She was selected as one of India's Power Women by Femina in 2012.
• Women of the Year by Elle India 2013.
• 2019 Women Of Discovery Award
• Some other awards include World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, INK Fellow, University of Florida's Outstanding Young Alumnus, Vogue Women of the Year and Seattle Zoo's Thrive Conservation Leadership Award.

Shyamala Ganesh: The Japanese Government recently awarded the “Order of Rising Sun” to a Bengaluru based Japanese teacher, Shyamala Ganesh.

About Shyamala Ganesh:

• Shyamala is a Japanese teacher at the Septuagenarian institution and also at the Ohara School of Ikebana in RT Nagar, Bengaluru.
• She has tutored more than hundreds of students since its inception 38 years ago.
• Note: Ikebana is Japanese art of flower arrangement.
• Shyamala along with her husband Ganesh started a Japanese language school in 1983 in Bengaluru.

About 'Order of Rising Sun':

• The award created in 1875 is presented by the Emperor of Japan.
• It is the third highest award presented by the Japanese Government.
• The culture of presenting the award to Non-Japanese recipients began in 1981.
• It is awarded to those who have made distinguished achievements in promotion of Japanese culture, achievements in international relations, advancements in their field and conservation of environment.
• It was also awarded for exemplary military service before World War II.
• Women are presented with the award since 2003.
• The award can also be presented posthumously.

Other highest Japanese awards are:

• The highest Japanese award is the Order of Chrysanthemum which is reserved only for the heads of the state.
• The Order of Paulownia Flowers is mostly reserved for politicians.

Order of Chrysanthemum

• It was established in 1876 by Emperor Meji of Japan.
• It can be conferred posthumously unlike its European counterparts.

Order of Paulownia Flowers

• It was established in 1888.
• It was once conferred to the former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
• It is the second highest award presented by the Japanese Government.

T V Somanathan: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) recently approved the appointment of T V Somanathan as the new Finance Secretary.

He will replace Ajay Bhushan Pandey who superannuated in February 2021.

About:

• Somanathan is a 1987 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre.
• He was currently serving as the Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
• Previously he also served as a joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
• Somanathan was awarded the Gold Medal for the Best IAS trainee of his cohort.
• He holds a PhD in Economics from Calcutta University and is a chartered accountant, chartered management accountant and chartered secretary.

Places In News

May 1 -Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day: May 1 is celebrated as 'Maharashtra Day' and 'Gujarat Day'.

Highlights:

• It was on this day in the year 1960 that the former state of Bombay was segregated on a linguistic basis and two states were formed -- Maharashtra and Gujarat.
• Following protests of Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, in which 107 people were killed by police, Bombay State was reorganized on linguistic lines.
• This day is honoured by the people of Gujarat as it marks the remembrance of the struggle done by people to have a separate state of Gujarat.
• The day is also seen as a public holiday and all the schools, bank, government offices remain closed.
• In Maharashtra, many notable personalities with the academic background, police officials, sportsmen, and doctors are awarded for their notable contribution.
• In Gujarat, the day is celebrated across the state with parades and other government events. The parade takes place on the Sabarmati Waterfall in Ahmadabad.

About Bombay State

• The Bombay state was created at the time of India’s independence. Before independence it was called Bombay Presidency that roughly pertained to the current Maharashtra.
• After independence, Bombay state was formed including Vidarbha, current Maharashtra and other princely states such as Baroda.

Samyukta Maharashtra Movement

• It is commonly known as Samiti. It was founded in 1956 demanding separate Marathi speaking state between 1956 and 1960.

Which other States were formed from Indian States after independence?

Under the States Reorganization Act, 1956 the following states have been bifurcated:

1. 1960: Bombay state was split into Gujarat and Maharashtra
2. 1963: Nagaland was created from Assam
3. 1966: Himachal Pradesh and Haryana were formed from the State of Punjab
4. 1972: Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya were formed.
5. 1975: Sikkim joined the Indian Union
6. 1987: Arunachal Pradesh and Goa became states
7. 2000: Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar, Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh and Uttaranchal or Uttarakhand from UP.
8. 2014: Telangana was created from Andhra Pradesh

Note: World Labour Day or May Day is also observed on May 1st across the globe.

Oxygen on wheels: The Karnal Administration recently rolled out Oxygen on wheels to tacke the oxygen crisis.

Key Points:

1. In wake of the acute oxygen shortage across the country, the Karnal administration (Haryana) has rolled out ‘Oxygen on wheels’ to assist hospitals in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and oxygen crisis.
2. The purpose is to ensure a smooth supply of medical oxygen to hospitals treating Covid patients.
3. Under this initiative, a carrier vehicle called a Mobile oxygen bank loaded with 100 Oxygen Cylinders reaches out to any district hospital which requisitions its urgent supply.
4. This Round clock service has been able to cater to the demands of various hospitals in the area. The initiative is functional 24*7 for all hospitals in the Karnal district.

About Haryana:

1. Haryana is a North Indian state surrounding New Delhi on 3 sides.
2. It is one of the 28 states in India, located in the northern part of the country.
3. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 November 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the north-east, by river Yamuna along its eastern border with Uttar Pradesh, by Rajasthan to the west and south, and Ghaggar-Hakra River flows along its northern border with Punjab.
4. Since Haryana surrounds the country's capital Delhi on three sides (north, west and south), consequently a large area of Haryana is included in the economically-important National Capital Region for the purposes of planning and development.
5. The capital of Haryana is Chandigarh.
6. The current Chief Minister and Governor of Haryana are Manohar Lal Khattar and Satyadev Narayan Arya respectively.

Science and Technology

Single Crystal Blades Technology: In a major technological breakthrough, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday said it has developed single crystal blade technology and it has supplied 60 of them to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the company’s indigenous helicopter development program for helicopter engine application.

About:

• It is part of a programme taken up by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a laboratory of the DRDO.
• The DRDO will develop total five sets 300 in number, of single crystal high pressure turbine (HPT) blades using a nickel-based super alloy.
• They supply of other 4 sets will be completed in due course.
• This single crystal blades technology has been developed by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), one of the DRDO’s laboratories.
• A few countries such as the US, the UK, France and Russia have the capability to design and manufacture single crystal components.

What is the use of single crystal blades in helicopters?

Helicopters need compact and powerful aero-engines for operating at extreme conditions and as single crystal blades have complex shape and geometry and are manufactured out of nickel-based superalloys, they are capable of withstanding high temperatures.

About DRDO:

• DRDO is an acronym for the Defence Research and Development Organization.
• It is India's largest research organisation. It was founded in 1958.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi, India.
• It is an agency under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
• It is charged with the military's research and development.
• It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.
• The Minister currently responsible for DRDO is Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence.
• The present Chairman of DRDO is Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy.

About HAL:

• It refers to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
• HAL is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company and  is governed under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence.
• It is headquartered in Bangaluru, India.
• The founder of HAL is Walchand Hirachand.
• It was founded on 23 December 1940.

• The current Chairman and Managing Director is R Madhavan.

Tianhe space station core module: China, on April 29, 2021, launched the Tianhe space station core module of its Space Station.

It is the latest in Beijing's increasingly ambitious space programme.

Highlights:

• The module that was launched is called Tianhe.
• The Space Station China is building is called Tiangong.
• China kick started the series of key launch missions that aim to complete the construction of the station by the end of next year.
• The Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the Tianhe module, blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan.
• The launch begins the first of 11 missions necessary to construct and provision the station and send up a three-person crew by the end of next year.
• The astronauts will live on the station for six months at a time.

Tianhe module:

• Tianhe has a total length of 16.6 meters, a maximum diameter of 4.2 meters and a take-off mass of 22.5 tonnes, and is the largest spacecraft developed by China.
• The Tianhe module will act as the management and control hub of the space station Tiangong

About Tiangong:

• Tiangong means “Heavenly Space”.
• It is to begin its operations in 2022.
• Still 11 more modules are to be launched and assembled to complete the space station.
• According to the Chinese Government, the completed Space Station will look like the “Mir Station”. Mir was a Russian Space Station that orbited between 1980s and 2001.
• The Chinese Space Station, Tiangong will orbit the earth in the low earth orbit at a height of 400 to 450 kilometres.
• The lifespan of the space station is 15 years.
• It weighs more than 90 tonnes.
• The size of Tiangong Space Station will be a quarter the size of the International Space Station.

Space ambitions:

• The station is also expected to contribute to the peaceful development and utilisation of space resources through international cooperation, as well as to enrich technologies and experience for China's future explorations into deeper space.
• The Chinese space station was expected to be a competitor to the aging International Space Station (ISS) which is a modular space station in low Earth orbit.
• After International Space Station retires, Tiangong will be the only space station orbiting the earth.

International Space Station (ISS):

• The International Space Station (ISS) is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies which included NASA, (US), Roscomos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada).
• It is due to be retired after 2024, although NASA has said it could potentially remain functional beyond 2028.

Note: Russia has planned to launch its own space station in 2025.

Previous Chinese Mission

• In 2011, Chinese launched the Tiangong – 1. It was the first prototype module that laid groundwork for the permanently crewed station.
• In 2016, the second lab Tiangong – 2 was launched.

China's Lunar Missions

• The Chinese are also planning to build a separate lunar space station with Russia. This space station might either be placed in the orbit of the moon or on its surface.
• China's space programme has also recently brought back the first new lunar samples in more than 40 years and expects to land a probe and rover on the surface of Mars later next month.

‘NEO-01’ Clear Space Debris: The Chinese government has recently launched a robot prototype named as ‘NEO-01’, in the Earth’s low orbit, on its Long March 6 rocket.

• The 30kg robot prototype has been developed by Shenzhen-based space mining start-up ‘Origin Space’.
• The NEO-01,  will also peer into deep space to observe small celestial bodies, was launched on along with a handful of satellites.
• It will pave the way for future technologies capable of mining on asteroids.
• Since the establishment of the world's first asteroid mining company Planetary Resources in 2009, more than a dozen firms across the world have entered the fledging sector, including 3D Systems of the United States and Japan's Astroscale.
• Unlike Astroscale's technology, which uses magnets to gather up space junk, NEO-01 will use a net to capture debris and then burn it with its electric propulsion system,

Objective:

• China's main objective is to observe small celestial bodies in deep space and to experiment with space debris removal techniques.

• NEO-01 will use a large net to capture debris left behind by other spacecraft and then burn it using its electric propulsion system.

Zhurong: China has recently named its first-ever Mars rover “Zhurong” after an ancient fire god ahead of a landing attempt on the Red Planet in May.

Key points:

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) revealed the name at the sixth China Space Day held in Nanjing.

The Chinese name for Mars, “Huoxing,” literally means “fire star.”

About Zhurong:

• Zhurong was the most popular of 10 shortlisted names for a public vote that opened in January, and that choice was backed by an expert panel and the CNSA itself.
• The rover carries panoramic and multispectral cameras and instruments to analyze the composition of rocks.
• Zhurong will also investigate subsurface characteristics with ground-penetrating radar if all goes according to plan.

Sports

Archery World Cup: In the Archery World Cup, Indian women's recurve team including Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari won a gold medal in Guatemala.

Highlights:

• Former world number one Deepika Kumari shot a perfect 10 in the final arrow as India scripted a stunning turnaround to defeat a fancied Mexico and grab a gold medal in the Archery World Cup Stage 1. This is Deepika's fifth World Cup stage event team gold medal. In another match,
• Indian trio shot 27 to edge out their Mexican rivals by one point and claim their first World Cup team gold after seven years.
• The performance rubbed off on the mixed pair duo of Atanu Das and Ankita as they bagged a mixed pair bronze, upsetting top seed USA 6-2 with yet another fightback at Los Arcos.

About Archery World Cup:

• The Archery World Cup is a competition which started in 2006,.

• It is organized by the World Archery Federation, where the archers compete in four stages in four countries and the best eight archers of each category advance to an additional stage to contest the Archery World Cup Final.

Barcelona Open: Rafael Nadal has won the Barcelona Open for the 12th time.

Highlights:

• The World number three Nadal, clinched his 12th title after saving a championship point to end Stefanos Tsitsipas' perfect record on clay this year in a thrilling final.
• It was Nadal’s 87th career title, and his 61st title on clay.
• This is the second tournament where Nadal has captured 12 or more titles.
• The 13-time Roland Garros champion will return to No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Rafael Nadal has won the singles title a record twelve times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021), and in 2017 the center court of the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona was renamed Pista Rafa Nadal (Rafa Nadal Arena).

Barcelona Open:

• The Barcelona Open is an annual tennis tournament for male professional players.
• It is Spain's second most important tournament on the ATP Tour after the Madrid Open and the event generally takes place in the last week of April, when temperatures in Barcelona average a daily high of 19 °C (66 °F).
• The event has been held in Barcelona, Spain every year from 1953 (except for its cancellation in 2020), and is played on clay courts at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.
• It was an event of the Grand Prix tennis circuit from 1970–1989, except in 1971 when it was part of the World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit, although it was also open to non-WCT players.
• The tournament is currently part of the ATP Tour 500 series on the ATP Tour.

• It is also known as Torneo Godó, Trofeo Conde de Godó, and Open Banc Sabadell.

Manchester City win League Cup: Manchester City recently won the League Cup for a record-equalling fourth time in succession with a deserved victory over a disappointing Tottenham Hotspur side at Wembley.

Highlights:

Manchester City retained the English League Cup in a shootout after Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri's hopes of a long-awaited first trophy ended in bizarre fashion with his keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga openly disobeying orders.

Raheem Sterling smashed home the decisive spot-kick as City clinched the English season's first silverware 4-3 on penalties, with the Wembley showpiece having ended 0-0 after extra time.

The City’s victory equalled Liverpool’s achievement in the early 1980s of winning the competition four years in a row.

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Top-ranked Ash Barty beat Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Porsche Grand Prix, her first title on clay since the 2019 French Open.

For Barty it was the second title on clay (after the French Open 2019) and the third comeback victory in a row in Stuttgart.

To complete another landmark week, the Australian, who turned 25 on Saturday, then won the doubles title on a busy, fun – and lucrative – Sunday with her American partner Jennifer Brady.

Arts

Swami Vivekananda: Nation remembers Swami Vivekananda, one of the finest spiritual leaders and intellects India has EVER produced on his death anniversary.

Highlights:

• Every year, July 4 is observed as the death anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

• Swami Vivekananda played an important role in introducing the philosophies of yoga and Vedanta to the West.

• He is best known for his speech at the World Parliament of Religion in Chicago in 1893 which started with the opening remarks, “My sisters and brothers of America.”

About Swami Vivekananda:

• Swami Vivekananda (1863 – 1902), died on July 4, 1902, when he was just 39 at Belur Math in West Bengal.

• He was born as Narendranath Dutta in an affluent family in Kolkata on January 12, 1863.

• He was an Indian Hindu monk and a chief disciple of the 19th century Indian mystic.

• He was hailed as a Dhyana Sidha, a meditation expert, by his guru Ramakrishna Paramhamsa.

• He devoted his life to the service of the nation and humanity and laid emphasis on the power of meditation.

• After getting attracted to the idea of meditation in childhood, he achieved fame at the World's Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893.

• His speech made the culture and heritage of India popular.

• With his incredible knowledge of Indian and Western culture and colourful personality, he made an irresistible appeal to all sorts of Americans who came in contact with him during the global dialogue on different kinds of faith in the US.

Ramakrishna Mission:

• In 1897 Swami Vivekanand founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission, an Indian socio-religious reform movement.

• It subscribes to the ancient Hindu philosophy of Vedanta and bases its work on the principles of karma yoga, the principle of selfless work done with dedication to God.

• He gave a new theory of ethics & morality based on the intrinsic purity and oneness of the Atman.

In 1984 the Government of India declared that 12 January, the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, will be celebrated as National Youth Day.

World’s tallest sandcastle: A sandcastle recently built in Denmark has established a new Guinness World Record.

Key Points:

• It has established new Guinness World Record of 21.16 metres.

• The Gunness world record was measured by an authorized surveyor and signed and witnessess.

• Denmark’s new sandcastle is 3.5 meter taller than earlier record of 17.66-meter set by Germany in 2019.

About Denmark’s Sandcastle:

• The structure of the sandcastle is built in the shape of a triangle to avoid collapsing like many others have.

• A wooden structure was built around it to allow the artist to carve the incredible figures in the sand.

• To ensure the sand sticks on, it was mixed with around 10% clay.

• When everything is finished, an extra layer of adhesive was applied to ensure it will last for the duration of the winter.

• This highly decorated monument is built in the small seaside village of Blokhus in the northwest Denmark.

• It is reminiscent of a pyramid, is made up of 4,860 tonnes of sand.

• Led by the seasoned artist Wilfred Stijger of Holland, 30 of the world's most gifted sand sculptors worked in the making of the giant structure.

• The Dutch designer said his creation was inspired by the coronaviurus pandemic.

• He said he put a coronavirus pathogen as a crown atop the castle to illustrate how the virus is ruling our world, and not allowing us to do what we want to do.

Note: The Sand Sculpture Festival in Blokhus takes place every summer.

About Blokhus Village:

• This village is located in Jammerbugt Municipality of North Jutland in Denmark.

• The village is a popular beach town accounting for around 1 million visitors every year.

• It was originally named Hune Hvarre.

• In 1600s there were barely any trees this village.

• So, timber was imported from Norway. In order to store timber, locals constructed some houses out it.

• These houses are called as ‘block houses’ after which village has been given Danish name Blokhus.

About Denmark:

• Denmark officially the Kingdom of Denmark, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe.

• It is a Scandinavian country comprising the Jutland Peninsula and around 406 islands.

• It is bordered to the west by the North Sea, and its islands are located on the sea lane from the Baltic to the main oceans of the world, as well as the trade route from the Nordic countries to Central Europe.

• It is an independent country since the late 10th century and is also one of the oldest states of Europe.

• The capital of Denmark is Copenhagen.

• The currency used here is Danish Krone.

• The current prime minister of Denmark is Mette Frederiksen.

About Guinness Book of World Records:

• Guinness World Records was originally the Guinness Book of Records from its inception in 1955 until 1999.

• It is a reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world.

• The brainchild of Sir Hugh Beaver, the book was co-founded by twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter in Fleet Street, London, in August 1954.

• After the founding of The Guinness Book of Records office at 107 Fleet Street, London, the first 198-page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British best seller lists by Christmas.

• As of the 2021 edition, it is now in its 66th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 23 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database.

Indian Army Memorial: During his four-day visit to the UK and Italy, Indian Army Chief Manoj Naravane will be meeting his counterparts and senior military leaders with the aim of enhancing India's defence cooperation.

Highlights:

• Additionally, the Indian Chief of Army Staff (COAS) will also be inaugurating the Indian Army Memorial at Cassino in Italy which is about 140 km away from Rome.

• The memorial commemorates over 3,100 Commonwealth servicemen who took part in the effort to liberate Italy in World War II. Apart from this, 900 Indian soldiers were also commemorated on this memorial.

History:

What was happening in Italy in WWII?

• Under Benito Mussolini, Italy had joined Nazi Germany in 1936.

• In 1940 it entered WWII (1939-1945) against the Allies.

• But in 1943, Mussolini was overthrown and instead, Italy declared war on Germany.

• The invasion of Italy by the Allies coincided with an armistice that was made with the Italians.

What was India’s involvement in World War II?

• In the Battle of Monte Cassino during World War II, over 5,000 Indian soldiers laid down their lives while fighting to save Italy from fascist forces.

• The Indian Army was the largest volunteer force during WWII, with over 2.5 million Indians participating.

• Nearly 50,000 Indians were enlisted for Italy’s liberation between September 1943 and April 1945.

• These troops fought the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan) as part of the Allies.

• Three infantry divisions of the Indian Army took part in the Italian campaign. These were the 4th, 8th and 10th Indian Divisions.

• Besides Casino, Italy has many cemeteries where Indian soldiers are buried. Perugia, Luca, Florence, San Marino, Cesena, Forli, Ferrara, and Bologna are a few of the Italian cities that Indian soldiers helped to liberate during World War II.

• Six Indian soldiers who were part of allied contingents fighting for the liberation of Italy also received the prestigious Victoria Cross.

Note:

Both the UK and Italy are important partners for India in the fields of defence, healthcare, aerospace, education, clean technology, renewable energy and information and communication technology among others.

Books and Authors:

The Light of Asia: It is the title of a new book authored by Jairam Ramesh.

Ramesh is a Member of Parliament, former Union Minister, and Congress leader.

About:

• This new book titled “The Light of Asia” is a biography of an epic bio-poem on the Buddha.

• He digs deep in his new book to bring out the fascinating story behind the epic 1879 poem, “The Light of Asia” by Sir Edwin Arnold, that took the world by storm and in some ways, brought the Buddha’s story to the world at the turn of the last century.

Ramayana of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji: The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi recently received the first copy of the book, ‘The Ramayana of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji.’

The book is penned by Late Mrs. Baljit Kaur Tulsi Ji, who is the mother of noted lawyer Shri KTS Tulsi Ji.

Govind Ramayan Controversy:

• PM Modi, on 5 august 2021, had mentioned about Shri Guru Gobind Ji's Gobind Ramayan during his address at the Bhoomi Poojan of the Ram Janmbhoomi.

• However, the statement was criticized by many and it was said that the Sikh guru never wrote anything as such, with some even staging protests.

• The book has now been published by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

About Guru Gobind Singhji:

• Guru Gobind Singhji was a spiritual master, warrior, poet, and philosopher.

• He was born in 1666 in Patna.

• He was the tenth and last of Sikh gurus in human form.

• He was enthroned at the 'Guru Gaddi' at the age of 9 after his father Guru Tej Bahadur Ji, the 9th Guru.

• He transformed the Sikh religion into what it is at present with the institution of the Khalsa solidarity.

• Sahib Ji completed the sacred scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, in the final form that he ordained as the next and perpetual Guru of the Sikhs.

Economics

Investment Promotion Agency 2021 Award: Invest India has recently been awarded the world’s most innovative Investment Promotion Agency 2021 by OCO Global.

About OCO Global:

OCO Global is a leading authority on foreign investment and offers a range of economic development services, products, and unique company assessment tools.

About Invest India:

• It is a non-profit venture under the Department of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India (GoI).

• It is the national investment promotion and facilitation agency.

• It was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in New Delhi.

• The current MD & CEO of Invest India is Deepak Bagla.

Functions of Invest India:

• Invest India focuses on sector-specific investor which helps in targeting & developing new partnerships in order to enable sustainable investments across India.

• It partners with substantial investment promotion agencies and multilateral organizations.

• It actively works with several Indian states to build capacity as well as bring in global best practices in investment targeting, promotion and facilitation areas.

About Investment promotion agency (IPA):

• An investment promotion agency (IPA) is most often a government agency (or occasionally a non-profit organization functioning similar to a chamber of commerce or business consulting corporation).

• IPA's mission is to attract investment to a country, state, region or city.

• They achieve this by using marketing activities by raising awareness regarding location of attractive destination for investment.

• It has the following four core functions:

1. Investment generation

2. Image building of FDI hosting country

3. Project management

4. Aftercare services

• It plays an important role in attracting investment for developed countries.

• Its function is similar to the chamber of commerce or business consulting corporation.

About Chamber of Commerce:

• A chamber of commerce is an association or network of business people designed to promote and protect the interests of its members.

• Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community.

• Local businesses are members, and they elect a board of directors or executive council to set policy for the chamber.

• The board or council then hires a President, CEO, or Executive Director, plus staffing appropriate to size, to run the organization.

• They serve as spokespeople and representatives of a business community.

• They differ from country to country.

ONDC: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recently launched a project on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

The task has been assigned to Quality Council of India (QCI)

Aim:

• The ONDC project has been launched with an aims to promote open networks which is developed on open sourced methodology.

• The open network will be developed using open specifications & open network protocols independent of any specific platform.

Significance of ONDC:

• ONDC will digitize the entire value chain, standardize operations, promote inclusion of suppliers, derive efficiencies in logistics and enhance value for consumers.

Advisory Council:

• An advisory council has also been constituted to advise Government regarding the measures required to design and accelerate adoption of ONDC.

• Members of Advisory council are as follows:

1. Shri R.S. Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority

2. Shri Nandan M. Nilekani, non-executive Chairman of Infosys

3. Shri Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, QCI and Capacity Building Commission

4. Ms Anjali Bansal, Founder & Chairperson, Avaana Capital

5. Shri Arvind Gupta, Co-founder & Head, Digital India Foundation

6. Shri Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO, NPCI

7. Shri Suresh Sethi, MD & CEO, NSDL

8. Shri Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary-General, CAIT

9. Shri Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, RAI

10. Additional Secretary (ITeC),DPIIT shall be the convener of the Advisory Council.

About DPIIT:

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is a central government department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in India.

• DPIIT is the nodal Department in Government of India (GoI) for coordinating and implementing programmes with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in India.

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) was established in the year 1995 and was reconstituted in the year 2000 with the merger of the Department of Industrial Development.

• The Department in its current form came into being on 27 January 2019, when the erstwhile Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion was renamed to Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) after internal trade was added to its mandate.

• The current Minister is Piyush Goyal while the top bureaucrat is Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, IAS.

Functions of DPIIT:

• It is responsible for formulation and implementation of promotional and developmental measures for growth of the industrial sector, keeping in view the national priorities and socio-economic objectives.

• While individual administrative ministries look after the production, distribution, development and planning aspects of specific industries allocated to them, DPIIT is responsible for the overall industrial policy.

• The Department also coordinates with apex Industry Associations such as Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Indian Industry, ASSOCHAM in their activities relating to promotion of industrial cooperation.

• It is also responsible for facilitating and increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to the country.

Jeff Bezos: Jeff Bezos who founded Amazon stepped down as Amazon's CEO on July 5, 2021 exactly 27 years since he founded the e-commerce company in a garage in West Bellevue, Wash.

Highlights:

• Bezos had announced in May that Andy Jassy will take over as the CEO of the e-commerce giant on July 5.

• Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy has succeeded him as the new Amazon CEO.

• Andy Jassy will now serve as President and CEO of Amazon.com and also serve on the Board of Directors.

• Bezos will hand over his day-to-day duties to his longtime deputy Andy Jassy.

• However he will continue to be the company's executive chairman.

Why was July 5 chosen by Jeff Bezoz to step down?

• Jeff Bezos chose the date July 5 to step down because it is a sentimental one for him.

• Jeff Bezos had founded Amazon exactly 27 years ago on July 5, 1994 and served as its CEO from April 2016 until July 2021.

• Bezos had announced in May that Andy Jassy will take over as the CEO of the e-commerce giant on July 5.

• Speaking on his successor, Bezos said that Andy Jassy has been at Amazon almost as long as he has.

• He gave his full support to Andy Jassy and expressed confidence that he will be an outstanding leader.

• He assured that this isn't about retirement.

• He will continue to remain Amazon's largest shareholder.

History:

• Jeff Bezos had founded Amazon as an online bookstore in 1995 but soon he transformed it into a fast-growing online retailer for almost all products ranging from electronics to diapers.

• The company soon became the world's largest online retailer.

• Under Bezos' leadership, the company safely sailed through the dot-com bubble bursting in the early 2000s and then launched a period of ruthless expansion, pushing its influence far beyond Internet commerce.

• Amazon now not only commands online commerce but it has also a sizable business in grocery stores, cloud computing, smart devices, filmmaking and even fashion brands.

What was the reason for Bezoz stepping down?

• Bezos stepped down and handed over the reins to Jassy because he wants to focus on other projects such as his philanthropic pursuits addressing climate change and his space exploration company Blue Origin.

• Jeff Bezos is also the founder of aerospace company Blue Origin, which is working to develop safe and low-cost spaceflight.

• He is planning to fly to the edge of space along with his brother Mark onboard his company Blue Origin's tourism rocket - New Shepard - on July 20.

• He will be accompanied by his brother Mark, pilot Wally Funk and an unidentified person who pumped $28 million to join the suborbital trip.

About Jeff Bezoz:

• Jeff Bezos is currently the richest person in the world with a net worth of $177 B.

• He was named the "richest man in modern history" after his net worth increased to USD 150 billion in July 2018.

• Bezos had become the first person in history to have a net worth exceeding $200 billion in August 2020.

About Andy Jassy:

• Andy Jassy had joined Amazon in 1997 and he has since then held various leadership roles across the company, including both business-to-business and business-to-consumer.

• He was later appointed as the CEO of Amazon Web Services.

• It is estimated that about half of Amazon's revenue comes from AWS, which is the cloud arm of Amazon.

• The platform had logged a $54 billion annualized run rate in the March quarter this year, which amounts to a 32 percent year-over-year growth.

Vman Aviation Services: Indian aircraft leasing company Vman Aviation Services has became the first company from the business district to sign an aircraft purchase agreement after placing an order for an Airbus H125 helicopter.

Key Points:

• This company is based out of International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat's Gift City,

• The company will soon announce its first dry lease transaction.

Note: A dry lease is a leasing arrangement where an aircraft lessor provides an aircraft without crew, ground staff, etc, to an airline or corporation.

Background:

• The union budget announced earlier in the year rolled out several incentives and tax holidays on capital gains on aircraft leasing conducted at Gift city.

Defence

MTech in Defence Technology: A regular M.Tech. Program in Defence Technology has recently been launched by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Key Details:

• M.Tech. Program in Defence Technology has been launched with an aim to impart necessary theoretical & experimental knowledge, skill and aptitude in various defence technology areas.

• This programme can be conducted at any AICTE affiliated Institutes or Universities, IITs, NITs or private engineering institutes.

• The institutes for conducting this programme will receive the support from the Institute of Defence Scientists & Technologists (IDST).

• The programme can be conducted in online as well as offline formats.

About the Programme:

• It is a four-semester programme with a total of 80 credits.

• The program has the following six specialized streams:

1. Combat Technology

2. Aero Technology

3. Naval Technology

4. Communication Systems & Sensors

5. Directed Energy Technology

6. High Energy Materials Technology

• The first semester will have a common curriculum and the second-semester curriculum will be varied as per the specialization.

• The third and fourth semesters include dissertation and industrial training.

• The course would offer specializations in combat vehicle engineering, aerospace technology, communication systems and sensors, directed energy technology, naval technology and high energy materials technology.

DRDO:

• It is an acronym for the Defence Research and Development Organization.

• DRDO is India's largest research organization. It was founded in 1958.

• It is headquartered in New Delhi, India.

• It is an agency under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

• It is charged with the military's research and development.

• It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.

• The Minister currently responsible for DRDO is Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence.

• The present Chairman of DRDO is Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy.

Vidya Balan Firing Range: The Indian Army recently named one of its firing ranges in Kashmir after Bollywood actress Vidya Balan.

Highlights:

• The Vidya Balan firing range is situated at Gulmarg in the Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir.

• The decision was taken in recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema.

• She has contributed to Indian cinema for over two decades after she started her career on small screen.

• Earlier in the year, the actress and her husband Siddharth Roy Kapoor had attended the Gulmarg Winter Festival organised by the Indian Army.

• Apart from this, she has been invited to join Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which is the governing body behind Oscars.

About Vidya Balan:

• Vidya Balan is one of the revolutionary actresses in Bollywood since 2000s for her female-led projects.

• She started her career in 1995 with ‘Hum Paanch’ small screen show. She made her debut to Bollywood after appearing in Bengali movie Bhalo Theko.

• She has worked in movies like Parineeta. Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

• She has been honoured with several awards in past years for her phenomenal work in film industry.

• With consecutive successful movies like Paa, Ishqiya, No One Killed Jessica and Kahaani, the actress bagged a National Award for her role in The Dirty Picture.

About the Indian Army:

• The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces.

• It was founded on 1 April 1895.

• It is headquartered in New Delhi, India.

• It is the world's second-largest military force. It has the world's largest volunteer army.

• The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff, who is a four-star general.

• The current Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army is President Ram Nath Kovind and the 28th Chief of Army Staff is General Manoj Mukund Naravane. The motto of Indian Army is “Service Before Self”.

SPARSH System: The Ministry of Defence has recently implemented the SPARSH (System for Pension Administration (Raksha).

Key Details:

• SPARSH System is an integrated system for automation of sanction and disbursement of defence pension.

• This web-based system processes pension claims and credits pension directly into the bank accounts of defence pensioners without relying on any external intermediary.

• A Pensioner Portal is available for pensioners to view their pension related information, access services and register complaints for redressal of grievances, if any, relating to their pension matters.

About the SPARSH:

• Full form of SPARSH is System for Pension Administration Raksha.

• SPARSH envisages the establishment of Service Centres to provide last-mile connectivity to pensioners who may be unable to directly access the SPARSH portal for any reason.

• In addition to several offices of the Defence Accounts Department, which are already functioning as Service Centres for pensioners, the two largest banks dealing with defence pensioners – Punjab National Bank (PNB) and State Bank of India (SBI) – have been co-opted as Service Centres.

About MoD:

• MoD refers to the Ministry of Defence.

• It was created in 1776 which is 244 years ago as Military Department by the British East India Company at Kolkata but in 15 August 1947, the Department of Defence became the Ministry of Defence under a cabinet minister.

• It is headquartered in New Delhi, India.

• It is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian armed forces.

• The President of India is the ceremonial commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country.

• The responsibility for national defence rests with the Cabinet.

• The function of MoD is to provide policy framework and resources to the armed forces to discharge their responsibility in the context of the defence of the country.

• The Indian Armed Forces (including Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy) and Indian Coast Guard under the Ministry of Defences are primarily responsible for ensuring the territorial integrity of the nation.

• The current Defence Minister is Rajnath Singh.

Child Soldier: The United States of America recently added Pakistan along with 14 other countries to a Child Soldier Recruiter List published under its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.

Key Details about CRC:

• The recruitment or use of children below the age of 15 as soldiers is prohibited by both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the additional protocols to the Geneva Conventions.

• The CRC was adopted on November 20, 1989 and entered into force on September 2, 1990.

• As of now, 193 countries have ratified the CRC. The CRC requires state parties to “take all feasible measures” to ensure that children under 18 are not engaged in direct hostilities.

• It further prohibits the state parties from recruiting children under 15 into the armed forces.

• It is also considered a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

What is the Optional Protocol to the CRC?

• In 2000, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

• While the CRC requires states to refrain from using children under 15 in direct hostilities, the Optional Protocol raises this age to 18.

• The United States is a party to the Optional Protocol.

Akash Missiles: The Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) recently signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence for the manufacture and supply of Akash missiles to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Key Details:

• The total worth of the deal is around Rs 499 crore.

• As per the statement of CMD, BDL Commodore Siddharth Mishra (Retd), BDL is supplying Akash Missiles to the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. With the announcement from the Union Cabinet regarding clearance of Akash Weapon System for Export, the Company is exploring offering Akash for export to foreign countries.

• BDL has already received export leads from some countries expressing interest in procuring the Missile.

• The Company has a well-established infrastructure and expertise to execute these orders and meet the customer delivery schedule.

About Akash:

• Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, being developed under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

• Akash missile is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), both for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

• BDL is the prime production agency for projects under IGMDP.

About IAF:

• It is an acronym for the Indian Air Force of India.

• IAF is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces.

• It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured India's aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal.

• With the government's transition to a Republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed.

• The present Commander-in-Chief of IAF is Ram Nath Kovind.

• The Chief of Air Staff, an air chief marshal, is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command of the Air Force.

• The present Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) is Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC.

War Memorial of Capt Gurjinder Singh Suri: The Indian Army recently inaugurated a War Memorial of Capt Gurjinder Singh Suri in Gulmarg near the Line of Control (LOC).

Key Points:

• The war memorial was inaugurated on the occasion of the birthday of Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri, who died during the operation “Birsa Munda” in 1999.

• Lieutenant Colonel (Col), Tej Prakash Singh Suri (Retd), father of Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri, MVC (Posthumous) was also present on the occasion.

• Gurjinder Singh Suri was later awarded Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumous).

About the Operation Birsa Munda:

• Operation Birsa Munda was a punitive raid conducted against a Pakistani post by a Bihar battalion of the Indian Army, in the month of November 1999.

• This was the time when Operation Vijay had drawn to a close, but the LOC was still active with sporadic incidents of trans Line of Control violence.

• In a swift and meticulously planned operation, the entire Pakistani post was destroyed, killing 17 Pakistani soldiers.

Environment

Giant Pandas: According to the Chinese officials, the giant pandas are no longer classified as endangered but are still vulnerable.

Key Details:

• The classification was downgraded as their number in the wild has reached 1,800.

• The new classification comes years after the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had already removed the animal from its endangered species list and re-labelled it as vulnerable in 2016.

• At the time, however, Chinese officials had disputed the decision, saying that it could mislead people into believing that conservation efforts could be relaxed.

• The announcement by China's environmental ministry is the first time the animal's status was changed on its own endangered species list, which uses similar standards as the Swiss-based IUCN.

• Experts say that the country managed to save its iconic animal through its long-term conservation efforts, including the expansion of habitats.

• China considers pandas a national treasure, but have also loaned them to other countries as diplomatic tools.

• Bamboo makes up some 99 per cent of their diet, without which they are likely to starve.

About Gaint Panda:

• The giant panda, also known as the panda bear, is a bear native to South Central China.

• It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body.

• They have great camouflage for their environment.

• Their eyes are different to normal bears.

• The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the red panda, a neighboring musteloid.

• Pandas live mainly in temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China, where they subsist almost entirely on bamboo. They must eat around 26 to 84 pounds of it every day, depending on what part of the bamboo they are eating.

• They use their enlarged wrist bones that function as opposable thumbs.

Flora of Sikkim: A recent publication by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) recently revealed that Sikkim, the smallest State with less than 1% of India’s landmass, is home to 27% of all flowering plants found in the country.

Key Points:

• Flora of Sikkim – A Pictorial Guide, released earlier this week, lists 4,912 naturally occurring flowering plants in the tiny Himalayan State.

• The total number of naturally occurring flowering plants in the country is about 18,004 species, and with 4,912 species, the diversity of flowering plants in Sikkim, spread over an area of 7,096 sq. km, is very unique.

• According to Dr, Gogoi, the publication details 532 species of wild orchids (which is more than 40% of all orchid species found in India), 36 species of rhododendron and 20 species of oak, and more than 30 species of high-value medicinal plants, among other species.

• What is the reason for such a diversity of flora in sikkim?

• The State, which is a part of the Kanchenjunga biosphere landscape, has different altitudinal ecosystems, which provide opportunity for herbs and trees to grow and thrive.

• From subalpine vegetation to the temperate to the tropical, the State has different kinds of vegetation, and that is the reason for such a diversity of flora.

• Along with unique geographical features, the people of Sikkim have a unique bond with nature and trees. The Minister referred to the notification titled Sikkim Forest Tree (Amity & Reverence) Rules, 2017 notification that encouraged people to adopt a tree “as if it was his or her own child in which case the tree shall be called an adopted tree”.

About Sikkim Forest Tree (Amity & Reverence) Rules, 2017:

• Sikkim Forest Tree (Amity & Reverence) Rules, 2017, states that “the State government shall allow any person to associate with trees standing on his or her private land or on any public land by entering into a Mith/Mit or Mitini relationship.”

About Sikkim:

• Sikkim is a state in northeastern India It borders China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south.

• It is the least populous and second smallest among the Indian states and is also located close to India's Siliguri Corridor near Bangladesh.

• A part of the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third highest on Earth. It is also home to glaciers, alpine meadows and thousands of varieties of wildflowers.

• Sikkim became the 22nd state of the Indian Union on 16 May 1975.

• Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim.

• The current Governor and the Chief Minister of Sikkim are Ganga Prasad and Prem Singh Tamang respectively.

Indian Policy

Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021: The Ministry of Women and Child Welfare invited suggestions and comments for its draft Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021.

Key Points:

• The recommendations for the Bill are to be submitted to the Ministry by July 14.

• The Bill, once finalized, will be sent to the Cabinet for approvaland then for the assent of both the houses of Parliament to become an Act.

• This Act shall apply to every offence of trafficking in persons with cross-border implications.

Objective:

• The objective of the bill is to prevent and counter trafficking in persons, especially women and children.

• It will provide for care, protection, and rehabilitation to the victims, while respecting their rights, and creating a supportive legal, economic and social environment for them and also to ensure prosecution of offenders, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

About:

According to the draft bill-

Offenders:

• The law, once enacted, will extend to all citizens inside as well as outside India and a foreign national or a stateless person who has his or her residence in India at the time of commission of offence under this Act.

• The scope of the Bill vis a vis offenders will also include defence personnel and government servants, doctors and paramedical staff or anyone in a position of authority.

Victims:

• Exploitation has been defined to include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation including pornography, any act of physical exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or forced removal of organs, illegal clinical drug trials or illegal bio-medical research.

• The Bill also extends beyond the protection of women and children as victims to now include transgender as well as any person who may be a victim of trafficking.

• It also does away with the provision that a victim necessarily needs to be transported from one place to another to be defined as a victim.

Penalty:

• If a person is found guilty of trafficking then the person can be imprisoned for a term not less than seven years that may extend to 10 years.

• The convict shall also be liable to a fine not less than Rs 1 lakh that may extend up to Rs 5 lakh.

• Severe punishment has been proposed for offences classified as aggravated forms of trafficking especially in the case of the trafficking one or more than one child, the penalty is now life imprisonment.

• In certain cases, even the death penalty can be sought.

• Property bought via such income as well as used for trafficking can now be forfeited with provisions set in place, similar to that of the money laundering Act.

Background:

• In 2018, a previous draft had been introduced and had been passed by Lok Sabha despite stiff opposition from both parliamentarians as well as experts.

• However, it was later never introduced in Rajya Sabha.

• But now, experts say that nearly all the concerns raised in 2018 have been addressed in this new draft Bill.

About Ministry of Women and Child Development:

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development is a branch of the Government of India (GoI).

• It is an apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to women and child development in India, a branch of the Government of India, is an apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to women and child development in India.

• It was founded on 30 January 2006.

• The current minister for the Ministry of Women and Child Development is Smriti Irani and the Minister of State is Sushri Debasree Chaudhuri.

NIPUN Bharat Initiative: The Union government launched a new scheme called “NIPUN Bharat Initiative” on July 5, 2021.

• It was launched by the Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank to improve numeracy, foundational reading, and understanding for early-stage students.

• Senior officers from the school education department from all states and UTs, senior officials of the department and heads of institutions also attended the event.

About NIPUN Bharat Mission:

• The full form of NIPUN is National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy.

• The vision of the NIPUN Bharat Mission is to create an enabling environment to ensure the universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, so that every child achieves the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.

• It will help in improving the overall education and literacy standards in the country.

• This initiative will be a part of school education programme, Samagra Shiksha.

Implementation:

• NIPUN Bharat will be implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy.

• For its implementation, a five-tier implementation mechanism will be set up at the National- State- District- Block- School level in all States and UTs, under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha."

Reason for Launching NIPUN Bharat Initiative:

• The foundational learning of Indian Schools has been a drawback.

• As per Annual Status of Education Report (Aser) findings, for successive years bulk of Indian students pursuing elementary education in schools cannot even read, understand or do basic arithmetic. Thus, this initiative was launched to tackle this issue. This scheme is in line with New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

• The ASER Findings 2020 are as follows:

• 25% of school-going children in four to eight age group do not have age-appropriate cognitive and numeracy skills. Thus, there is a huge learning deficit at very early stage.

• 4% of children below age of six are able to recognize at least letters.

• 6% can do additions.

• 8% of children in Class II can read a text of classes below them.

• 8% of students in Class III, can read texts meant for students two levels below them.

NEP 2020:

• As per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, students can choose subjects as per their choice rather than being confined by only those being offered by the institutes.

• In this regard, UGC has already issued an order to all the Vice-Chancellor of all universities to include NCC as an elective subject.

• The Delhi University formed the National Education Policy 2020 Implementation Committee (NEP Committee) this year for making recommendations for its implementation.

• Also, the Karnataka State government was proactive on the NEP.

• Karnataka is the first State to initiate policy implementation.

Joint Communication: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), on 6 July 2021 signed a Joint Communication to provide more powers to tribal communities in managing the forest resources.

Key Details:

• The Joint Communication was signed in the presence of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda.

• The Joint Communication is related to the effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, which is commonly known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

• The signing of Joint Communication is the extension of Forest Rights Act and it will help in maintaining the biodiversity and resources of the forest.

• This communication will also empower the tribal communities and help in effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act.

About Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006:

• The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, is a key piece of forest legislation passed in India on 18 December 2006.

• It has also been called the Forest Rights Act, the Tribal Rights Act, the Tribal Bill, and the Tribal Land Act.

• The act recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in Forest land in forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD) who have been residing in such forests for generations.

• It provides a framework for recording the forest rights so vested and the nature of evidence required for such recognition and vesting in respect of forest land.

• The Act empowers the forest dwellers to access and use the forest resources in the manner that they were traditionally accustomed, to protect, conserve and manage forests, protect forest dwellers from unlawful evictions and also provides for basic development facilities for the community of forest dwellers to access facilities of education, health, nutrition, infrastructure etc.

• The act identifies four types of rights. They are:

1. Title rights

2. Use rights

3. Relief and development rights

4. Forest management rights

Matsya Setu: Union Minister for Fisheries & Animal Husbandry Giriraj Singh recently launched an Online Course Mobile App “Matsya Setu” for fish farmers.

Key Points:

• The mobile app has been developed by the ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar.

• ICAR-CIFA received the funding support from the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad.

• The online course app mainly aims to educate the fish farmers in India about the latest freshwater aquaculture technologies.

About Matsya Setu App:

• The Matsya Setu app will offer species-wise or subject-wise self-learning online course modules.

• The capacity building of fish farmers is a very vital part of spearheading the Technology-led Aquaculture Development in the country, therefore, the self-learning modules will have renowned aquaculture experts explain the basic concepts and conduct practical demonstrations on breeding, seed production and grow-out culture of commercially important fishes such as catfish, carp, scampi, murrel, ornamental fish and pearl farming etc.

• The online course also includes better management practices that should be followed to maintain soil and water quality and feeding and health management in aquaculture operations.

• The modules have been divided into small video chapters for the convenience of the farmers.

• It also has additional learning materials.

• The app also offers quiz/test options for self-assessment to enhance the learning experience of the farmers.

• The farmers will get an auto generated e-certificate upon the successful completion of each course module.

• Farmers can not only clear their doubts but also get specific advisories from the experts through the app.

Significance:

• The mobile app will help the fish farmers in learning about advanced technologies and Better Management Practices at their convenience.

• This will in turn influence the adoption of scientific methods in fish farming, enhance productivity and improve income.

• The app will also be an important tool to disseminate the latest information on different schemes among the fish farmers and assist them in doing business.

Aquaculture in India:

• India is the second largest country in aquaculture the world.

• Note: China is the largest aquaculture the world.

• It ranks third in fisheries production.

• It provides employment to around 14.5 million peole and contributes to 1.07 of India's total GDP.

About Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying:

• Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is a newly formed ministry in India.

• It was formed in May 2019 by Modi government from the department of same name under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• Recently, Senior BJP leader Parshottam Rupala took charge as the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on 8 July 2021.

CET FOR Job Aspirants: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh recently said that a Common Eligibility Test (CET) for job aspirants will be conducted across the country from early 2022.

Key Details:

• The Common Entrance Test is a path-breaking reform carried out by Department of Personnel & Training to bring about “Ease of Recruitment” for young job aspirants.

• This unique initiative is being undertaken with the personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to screen and shortlist candidates for recruitment to Central Government jobs.

• The Minister further informed that the National Recruitment Agency (NRA) for conducting CET has been constituted.

About NRA:

• The NRA has been constituted with the approval of the Union Cabinet for conducting CET to screen and shortlist candidates for Group-‘B’ and ‘C’ (non-technical) posts.

• The NRA will be a multi-agency body which will function as a central agency of Indian Government.

• It will conduct CET to screen and shortlist candidates for jobs in Government sector for which recruitment is presently carried out through the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).

• The most significant feature of this reform is that every district in the country will have at least one Examination Centre.

Significance:

• This historic reform will provide a level playing field to all the candidates, regardless of his or her background or socio-economic status.

• There will also be a huge benefit to women and Divyang candidates and for those who find it financially unaffordable to appear for multiple tests by travelling to multiple Centres.

Indian polity

Appointment of New Governors: Eight states, including Karnataka and Haryana among others, on 6 July 2021, got new governers as President Ram Nath Kovind made several appointments and changes.

The appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.

The new Governors whose appointments have been cleared by President Ram Nath Kovind are as follows:

1. Union Minister Thawarchand Gehlot has been appointed as the new Governor of Karnataka.

2. BJP leader Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel will be the new Governor of Madhya Pradesh.

3. BJP leader Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati will be Governor of Mizoram

4. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been appointed as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

5. Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya will now be the Governor of Tripura.

6. Tripura Governor Ramesh Bais is the new Governor of Jharkhand in place of Draupadi Murmu.

7. Mizoram Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai has been appointed as the new Governor of Goa.

8. Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatraya has been transferred and appointed as new Governor of Haryana.

Ministry of Co-operation: In a historic move, the Modi Government has created a separate ‘Ministry of Co-operation’ for realizing the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’.

Highlights:

• The creation of a separate Ministry of Cooperation was announced by Prime Minister Modi on July 6, 2021 ahead of the cabinet reshuffle.

• The new ministry comes in amid a massive cabinet reshuffle exercise on July 7, 2021.

• This move signals the government’s deep commitment to community-based development partnership.

• The creation of a separate Ministry for Co-operation also fulfils the budget announcement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

About the Ministry of Cooperation:

• The name of the minister in charge of the new ministry is Amit Shah.

• This Ministry has been created to realize the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity through cooperatives).

• It will provide a separate administrative, legal, and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.

• It will help deepen Co-operatives as a true people-based movement reaching up to the grassroots.

• It will work to streamline processes for ‘Ease of doing business’ for co-operatives and enable the development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS).

Note: With the creation of Ministry of Cooperation, there will now be a total of 41 central government ministries.

Laws that govern cooperative societies:

Like agriculture, cooperation is in the concurrent list, which means both the central and state governments can govern them.

A majority of the cooperative societies are governed by laws in their respective states.

In 2002, the Centre passed a MultiState Cooperative Societies Act that allowed for registration of societies with operations in more than one state.

PM Modi 2.0 Cabinet reshuffle: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, on 7th July 2021, administered oath of office and secrecy to members of Council of Ministers as a part of a major cabinet reshuffle.

Key Highlights:

The swearing in ceremony was held in the Darbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan

The new cabinet is set to be one of the most inclusive with record representation of SC, ST members.

Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of the new Council of Ministers in the Modi government President Kovind has accepted the resignations of 12 members of the Council of Ministers including IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank.

List of the 13 Union Ministers who resigned from their post:

1. Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal,

2. Health Minister Harsh Vardhan,

3. Animal and Husbandry Minister Pratap Sarangi,

4. Women and Child Welfare Minister Debasree Chaudhuri

5. Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar,

6. Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre,

7. Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda,

8. MoS Jal Shakti and Social Justice and Empowerment Ratan Lal Kataria,

9. Asansol MP and MoS Environment, Forest & Climate Babul Supriyo,

10. Jalna MP and MoS for Consumer Affairs Raosaheb Patil Danve,

11. IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad,

12. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar

13. MoS Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey

The Centre had released the full list of 43 ministers who will be taking charge in the first cabinet reshuffle since Prime Minister Modi returned to power in 2019.

The names in the cabinet reshuffle included several new entrants as well as existing ministers who were reassigned.

This is the first major Union Cabinet reshuffle in the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Complete list of new Cabinet Ministers 2021

1. Narayan Tatu Rane

2. Sarbananda Sonowal

3. Virendra Kumar

4. Jyotiraditya Scindia

5. Ramchandra Prasad Singh

6. Ashwini Vaishnaw

7. Pashu Pati Kumar Paras

8. Kiren Rijiju

9. Raj Kumar Singh

10. Hardeep Singh Puri

11. Mansukh Mandaviya

12. Bhupendra Yadav

13. Parshottam Yadav

14. G Kishan Reddy

15. Anurag Singh Thakur

16. Pankay Chaudhary

17. Anupriya Singh Patel

18. Satya Pal Singh Bhagel

19. Rajeev Chandrasekhar

20. Shobha Karandlaje

21. Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma

22. Dardhana Vikram Jardosh

23. Meenakshi Lekhi

24. Annpurna Devi

25. A Narayanaswamy

26. Kaushal Kishore

27. Ajay Bhatt

28. BL Verma

29. Ajay Kumar

30. Chauhan Devusinh

31. Bhagwanth Khuba

32. Kapil Moreshwas Patil

33. Pratima Bhoumik

34. Subhas Sarkar

35. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad

36. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh

37. Bharati Pravin Pawar

38. Bishweswar Tudu

39. Shantanu Thakur

40. Munjapara Mahendrabhai

41. John Barla

42. Dr L Murugan

43. Nisith Pramanik

 

There are 77 members in the council of ministers now.

Average age of new Council of Ministers:

• The average age of the newly-sworn in 43 ministers is 56 years while the average age of the new council of ministers is 58 years. Previously, the average age of the council of ministers was 61 years.

• Nisith Pramanik (35), the Lok Sabha MP from West Bengal's Cooch Behar, is the youngest minister to be sworn in, while the oldest member in the council of ministers is 72-year-old Som Parkash.

• Other ministers below 50 years of age in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet are Smriti Irani (45), Kiren Rijiju (49), Mansukh Mandaviya (49), Kailash Choudhary (47), Sanjeev Balyan (49), Anurag Thakur (46), Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar (42), Anupriya Singh Patel (40), Shantanu Thakur (38), John Barla (45) and Dr L Murugan (44).

Purpose of the Cabinet Reshuffle:

• The latest union cabinet expansion and cabinet reshuffle was necessitated by the vacancies caused due to death of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and exit of few alliance partners including Shiv Sena and Akali Dal.

• The upcoming state elections may also have a role in the latest cabinet reshuffle.

Key points:

• In the mega cabinet reshuffle, 42 MPs and Tamil Nadu BJP chief L Murugan today took oath as ministers.

• Of which, 15 are cabinet ministers and 28 are Minister of State.

• There are seven women in the new cabinet.

• There are 12 members from the SC community, including two in the cabinet.

• Eight members from ST category in the council of ministers out of which three are in the cabinet.

Full List of Council of Ministers with their Portfolios:

 

PM Narendra Modi- Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy; Department of Space; All important policy issues and all other portfolios not allocated to any Minister

Cabinet Ministers:

• Amit Shah - Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation

• Nitin Jairam Gadkari - Minister of Road Transport and Highways

• Nirmala Sitharaman - Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs

• Narendra Singh Tomar - Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

• Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar - Minister of External Affairs

• Arjun Munda - Minister of Tribal Affairs

• Smriti Zubin Irani - Minister of Women and Child Development

• Piyush Goyal - Minister of Commerce and Industry; Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of Textiles

• Dharmendra Pradhan - Minister of Education; and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

• Pralhad Joshi - Minister of Parliamentary Affairs; Minister of Coal; and Minister of Mines

• Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi - Minister of Minority Affairs

• Gajendra Singh Shekhawat - Minister of Jal Shakti

• Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey - Minister of Heavy Industries

List of new Cabinet Ministers 2021 and their Portfolios:

1. Narayan Rane- Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

2. Sarbananda Sonowal- Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Minister of AYUSH

3. Virendra Kumar- Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment

4. Jyotiraditya Scindia- Minister of Civil Aviation

5. Ramchandra Prasad Singh-Minister of Steel

6. Ashwini Vaishnaw- Minister of Railways; Minister of Communications; and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology

7. Pashu Pati Kumar Paras- Minister of Food Processing Industries

8. Kiren Rijiju - Minister of Law and Justice

9. Raj Kumar Singh- Minister of Power; and Minister of New and Renewable Energy

10. Hardeep Singh Puri - Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs

11. Mansukh Mandaviya- Minister of Health and Family Welfare; and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers

12. Bhupendra Yadav- Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Minister of Labour and Employment

13. Parshottam Rupala- Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying

14. G Kishan Reddy- Minister of Culture; Minister of Tourism; and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region

15. Anurag Singh Thakur- Minister of Information and Broadcasting; and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports

Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

Rao Inderjit Singh - Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Dr Jitendra Singh - Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office; Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy; and Minister of State in the Department of Space

Ministers of State:

• Shripad Yesso Naik - Minister of State in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism

• Faggansingh Kulaste - Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development

• Prahalad Singh Patel - Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries

• Ashwini Kumar Choubey - Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

• Arjun Ram Meghwal - Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture

• General (Retd.) V. K. Singh - Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation

• Krishan Pal - Minister of State in the Ministry of Power; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries

• Danve Raosaheb Dadarao - Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways; Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Mines

• Ramdas Athawale - Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

• Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti - Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development

• Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan - Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying

• Nityanand Rai - Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs

• V. Muraleedharan - Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

• Som Parkash - Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

• Renuka Singh Saruta - Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs

• Rameswar Teli - Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment

• Kailash Choudhary - Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

List of 28 news Ministers of State:

1. Pankay Chaudhary- Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance

2. Anupriya Singh Patel- Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

3. Satya Pal Singh Bhagel- Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice

4. Rajeev Chandrasekhar- Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

5. Shobha Karandlaje -Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

6. Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma -Minister of State in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

7. Dardhana Vikram Jardosh- Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways

8. Meenakshi Lekhi-Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture

9. Annpurna Devi- Minister of State in the Ministry of Education

10. A Narayanaswamy- Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

11. Kaushal Kishore- Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

12. Ajay Bhatt- Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism

13. BL Verma- Minister of State in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Cooperation

14. Ajay Kumar- Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs

15. Chauhan Devusinh- Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications

16. Bhagwanth Khuba- Minister of State in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers

17. Kapil Moreshwas Patil- Minister of State in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj

18. Pratima Bhoumik- Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

19. Subhas Sarkar- Minister of State in the Ministry of Education

20. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad- Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance

21. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh -Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education

22. Bharati Pravin Pawar- Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

23. Bishweswar Tudu-Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti

24. Shantanu Thakur- Minister of State in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways

25. Munjapara Mahendrabhai- Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development; and Minister of State in the Ministry of AYUSH

26. John Barla- Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs

27. Dr L Murugan -Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

28. Nisith Pramanik- Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

Virbhadra Singh: The former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Virbhadra Singh passed away in Shimla on 8th July 2021 after a prolonged illness.

He was 87.

The Himachal Pradesh government declared three-day state mourning, from July 8 to July 10, in the honour of Virbhadra Singh.

About Virbhadra Singh:

• Virbhadra Singh (1934 – 2021) was an Indian politician and a member of the Indian National Congress.

• He was popularly known by the honorific Raja Sahib.

• He was born in the royal family of the princely state of Bushahr.

• He was the titular Raja of Bushahr from 1947 until 1971, when, by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India, the privy purses of the princes were abolished and official recognition of their titles came to an end.

• The veteran politician was the 4th and longest-serving Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

• The veteran leader was BA (Hons.), MA; educated at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla and St. Stephen's College, Delhi.

• He was an elected member of the Lok Sabha in 1962, 1967, 1971, 1980 and in 2009.

• He served as the Chief Minister of the state six times, from April 8, 1983, to March 5, 1990, December 3, 1993, to March 23, 1998, March 6, 2003, to December 29, 2007, and then for the sixth time from December 25, 2012, to December 26, 2017.

• Mr Singh also remained the leader of Opposition from March 1998 to March 2003.

• Apart from this, he also served as union deputy minister in Tourism and Civil Aviation, Minister of State for Industries, Union Minister of Steel and Union Minister of micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME).

About Bushahr:

• Bushahr, also spelt as 'Bashahr' and 'Bussahir' or 'Bushair' was a princely state in India during the British Raj.

• It was located in the hilly western Himalaya promontory bordering Tibet in the northern part of colonial Punjab region.

• The territory of this former state is now part of Kinnaur and Shimla districts of the present Himachal Pradesh state.

• The erstwhile Bushahr state was traversed by the Sutlej River.

Department of Public Enterprises: The Union Government recently brought the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under the finance ministry.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced about this change in her budget speech 2021-2022.

Key Details:

• As per the Cabinet Secretariat notification dated July 6, 2021, Ministry of Finance (Vitta Mantralaya), after the sub-heading (v) Department of Financial Services (Vittiya Sewayen Vibhag), following sub-heading shall be inserted, namely:- (vi) Department of Public Enterprises (Lok Udyam Vibhag)".

• The gazette notification issued said these rules may be called the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Three Hundred and Sixty First Amendment Rules, 2021.

• “They shall come into force at once,” the notification said.

• The move came a few hours ahead of a major cabinet reshuffle.

• The "Government of India (Allocation of Business) Three Hundred and Sixty First amendment Rules, 2021" amends the 'Government of India (Allocation of Business) Three Hundred and Sixty First amendment Rules, 1961'.

• Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) was earlier under the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.

• DPE has been brought under Finance Minister in a bid to enable better coordination regarding the Government's future Disinvestment Programmes.

• The DPE will be the 6th Department in the Finance Ministry. The other five departments are:

1. Department of Economic Affairs,

2. Department of Expenditure,

3. Department of Revenue,

4. Department of Investment & Public Asset Management and

5. Department of Financial Services.

• The Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, the parent ministry of DPE, will now be called the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Why was DPE brought under Finance Ministry?

• DPE has been merged with the Finance Ministry to give it better control over key state-owned firms, review their capital expenditure plans and chalk out measures relating to revival as well as closure of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

• Earlier, issues like disinvestment used to face delay because finance ministry and DIPAM had to coordinate with DPE.

• As result of the merger, key government companies like BPCL, ONGC, IOC, HPCL, Power Grid Corporation, Coal India, among others, will now come under direct control of Finance Ministry.

About DPE:

• DPE is a nodal entity for the policy formulation for all the Central Public Sector Units (PSU).

Note: CPSEs are those companies in which the direct holding of the Central Government or other CPSEs is 51% or more.

• It lays down, in particular, policy guidelines on performance improvement and evaluation, autonomy and financial delegation and personnel management in CPSEs.

• It furthermore collects and maintains information in the form of a Public Enterprises Survey on several areas in respect of CPSEs.

Background of DPE:

• In their 52nd Report, the Estimates Committee of 3rd Lok Sabha (1962-67) stressed the need for setting up a centralized coordinating unit, which could also make continuous appraisal of the performance of public enterprises.

• This led to the setting up of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) in 1965 in the Ministry of Finance.

• Subsequently, as a result of the reorganization of the Ministries/Departments of the Union Government in September, 1985, BPE was made part of the Ministry of Industry.

• In May, 1990, BPE was made a full-fledged Department known as the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).

International

US Independence Day 2021: This year marks the 245th anniversary of the freedom of the thirteen American colonies from British colonial rule.

Key Points:

• Independence Day, also called Fourth of July or July 4th is observed on July 4 every year.

• American Independence Day is observed on July 4 and is also called the Fourth of July.

• The date marks the annual celebration of nationhood in the United States.

• The US Independence Day has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941.

• But the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution.

• On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson.

• Among the many names Thomas Jefferson, who was a renowned statesman and diplomat along with political philosopher Benjamin Franklin, renounced the British Empire and pronounced the North American colonies as free states.

Independence Day celebration:

• Fireworks are considered to be very important part of the Independence Day celebration in US history and tradition.

• It was in Philadelphia city that the tradition to set off fireworks started on 4 July, 1777.

• It was during the first organized celebration of Independence Day, when a salute of 13 gunshots was conducted in the morning and evening.

A History of Independence Day:

• When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical.

• By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.

• On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence.

• Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee—including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York—to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.

Additional Fact:

• John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest.

• Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826—the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Haiti: Haiti has declared a state of emergency after the assassination of its president Jovenel Moïse by unidentified gunmen on 7 July 2021.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph succeeded him as acting President.

Key Details:

• He was shot dead while his wife got injured in an attack on their home in the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince.

• Moise, a 53-year-old former businessman who took office in 2017, had ruled by decree for more than two years after the country failed to hold elections.

• Haiti, a country of about 11 million people, has struggled to achieve stability since the fall of the Duvalier dynastic dictatorship in 1986, and has grappled with a series of coups and foreign interventions.

• Many people in Haiti had wanted Moise to leave office. Ever since he took over in 2017, he faced calls to resign and mass protests - first over corruption allegations and his management of the economy, then over his increasing grip on power.

• The Dominican Republic closed the border it shares with Haiti on the island of Hispaniola.

About President Jovenel Moïse:

• He was a Haitian entrepreneur and politician who served as the president of Haiti from 2017 until his assassination in 2021.

• He was sworn in as President in February 2017 after winning the November 2016 election.

• In 2019, political unrest and calls for his resignation became a crisis.

• In 2015, President Michel Martelly designated Moïse as the presidential candidate of the political party Martelly founded, the center-right Haitian Tèt Kale Party (PHTK).

• In his campaign, Moïse promoted bio-ecological agriculture as an economic engine for Haiti, whose population is over 50% rural.

• He also expressed support for policies pursued by Martelly: universal education and health care, energy reform, rule of law, the creation of sustainable jobs, environmental protection, and development of Haiti as a destination for ecotourism and agritourism.

Honours:

• Moïse was awarded the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon by the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, in May 2018.

• Tsai commended the economic initiatives undertaken by Moïse's government.

About Haiti:

• Haiti officially the Republic of Haiti, formerly known as Hayti, is a Caribbean country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, to the east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

• It occupies the western three-eighths of the island which it shares with the Dominican Republic.

• The capital of Haiti is Port-au-Prince.

• The currency used here is Haitian gourde.

India – EU Cooperation: A virtual meeting aimed at strengthening agriculture coorporation, was recently held between Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Janusz Wojciechowski, Member of the European Commission, Agriculture.

Key details of the Meet:

• A strong momentum of the India-EU relations especially since the last India-EU Summit in July, 2020 was acknowledged.

• Both dignitaries discussed EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and the recent India market reforms; EU Farm to Fork Strategy and UN Food System Summit and bilateral cooperation.

• They also discussed the G20 Agriculture Minister Process and fixation of the Maximum Residue Limit of Tricyclazole in Indian Basmati Rice by the EU.

• The Member of European Commission, Agriculture explained in detail the recent reforms undertaken by EU in Common Agriculture Policy and EU Farm to Fork Strategy in order to make agriculture green & sustainable.

• The members also mentioned that EU has set a target of bringing 25 per cent of area in the EU under Organic Farming by 2030.

• The Union Minister too explained the scenario of agriculture in India and the dominance of small farmers and the commitment of the Government of India (GoI) towards welfare of farmers in India.

• Agriculture Minister Tomar also highlighted the recent initiatives taken by Government to increase farmer’s income, the launch of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, agriculture marketing infrastructure for rural areas, scheme of formation of 10000 FPOs to help small and marginal farmers in marketing of agricultural produce.

• He enlisted the steps being taken by the GoI to make agriculture sustainable and environment friendly which included encouragement of application nano-urea and Organic Farming under the Pramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana.

• He also explained the initiative of encouraging organic farming on either sides of Ganga river up to 5 Km through formation of clusters wherein 11 lakh farmers have already enrolled.

India’s support to UN Food System Summit:

• The Agriculture Minister acknowledged India’s support to the UN Food Systems Summit.

• He also informed the EU delegation that he will be leading the India delegation to the Pre-Summit being organized from 26th to 28th July, 2021 virtually.

Maximum Residual Limit (MRL):

• The Union Minister also raised the issue of fixing the Maximum Residual Limit (MRL) of Tricyclazole used in rice crop.

• This has been a concern for India and is affecting India’s Basmati Rice Exports to the EU.

• All the required studies and documents have been submitted to EU in May-2021 and MRL will be fixed by second quarter of 2022 before next season.

Hunger Virus: As per the anti-poverty organization Oxfam's report the coronavirus pandemic, climate crisis and conflicts have pushed more than half a million people to the brink of starvation.

In a report titled “The Hunger Virus Multiplies," Oxfam said that the death toll from famine outpaces that of COVID-19, which kills around seven people per minute.

Key facts:

• As per report, 11 people are likely dying every minute from acute hunger because of three Cs:

1. Conflict

2. Covid-19

3. Climate crisis.

• These 3 Cs have pushed more than 520,000 people to brink of starvation.

• The number of people around the globe living with "extreme hunger" increased from last year by around 20 million to 155 million.

• More than half a million people are living in "famine-like conditions" around the world.

• The ongoing covid-19 pandemic along with the economic disruptions of the pandemic besides, escalating climate crisis have deepened poverty and catastrophic food insecurity across the hunger hotspots of the world.

What is fueling the crisis?

• Around two-thirds of the 155 million facing hunger live in countries with military conflict.

• Despite the deadly covid-19 pandemic, global military spending increased by $51 billion, Oxfam report underlines. This amount exceeds by at least six times what United Nations needs to stop hunger.

• The economic effects of the pandemic, combined with global warming have caused a 40% increase in global food prices which the highest in over a decade.

• This surge has contributed significantly to pushing tens of millions more people into hunger.

Hunger 'hot spots':

• Oxfam listed several countries it considered "the world's worst hunger hot spots," where existing food crises were worsened by the coronavirus pandemic.

• Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen — all torn by conflict — have had a "surge in extreme levels of hunger since 2020.

• Venezuela, the Central African Republic and the Sahel were also on Oxfam's hotspot list, as well as India and Brazil, which are grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.

Way forward:

• Governments must urgently provide funding to response to hunger and social protection programs in order to save lives, rather than striking arms deals that lead to conflict, war and hunger.

About Oxfam:

• Oxfam is a confederation of 20 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty and led by Oxfam International.

• It is a major nonprofit group with an extensive collection of operations.

• It was founded on 5 October 1942 in Oxford, England.

• Oxfam works on trade justice, fair trade, education, debt and aid, livelihoods, health, HIV/AIDS, gender equality, conflict (campaigning for an international arms trade treaty) and natural disasters, democracy and human rights, and climate change.

• It is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

• The Executive Director of Oxfam is Gabriela Bucher.

White Flag Movement: In Malaysia, some residents of low-income families have started waving white flags as part of the so-called “White Flag Campaign”, or the #benderaputi (white flag) movement.

Key Details:

• They have started this movement to convey distress about the financial crunch they have had to deal with amid the lockdowns due to Covid-19.

• Malaysia enforced another lockdown on June 1 in order to control another surge of Covid infections.

• As part of the movement that was initiated last week, families that are facing hunger or need any other kind of assistance are encouraged to wave a white flag or put a piece of white cloth outside their homes to signal that they need help.

• The idea is that by spotting the white flag, neighbours and good samaritans can reach them.

Black Flag Movement:

• Alongside the white flag movement, there is the black flag movement as well.

• This black flag movement has been started in order to express dissatisfaction with the Malaysian government.

• This movement is specifically demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Red flag movement:

• As per the news reports, the red flag campaign or #benderamerah, that works in the same way as the white flag movement, but the difference is that the former is targeted at Malaysian citizens only and was started by the Malaysian Animal Association as many families were abandoning pets they couldn’t afford to feed.

Why use white flags?

• The world over, white flags are used as a symbol of surrender or truce.

• The phrase ‘white flag’ has also found its way into the Cambridge dictionary, which defines it as “a flag that is waved to show that you accept defeat or do not intend to attack”.

• However, in different countries’ military manuals have rules that govern when and how a white flag can be used.

For Example:

• Australia’s Commanders’ Guide (1994) states “It is important to note that a white flag represents an expression of a desire to negotiate.

• Canada’s LOAC Manual (2001) says, “Personnel bearing a white flag are indicating a desire to negotiate or surrender. They should not be attacked but should be dealt with cautiously.

• In some Central American countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras “white flags have appeared all over the social terrain.

• It depicted a failed political and economic system whose primary effect for common people has been enduring a life of dehumanization, precarity, and marginalization.”

About Malasia:

• It is a Southeast Asian country occupying parts of the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo.

• The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur.

• The currency used here is Malaysian ringgit.

BRICS Innovation Cooperation Action Plan (2021-24): All BRICS countries have agreed to the STI-led BRICS Innovation Cooperation Action Plan 2021-24 proposed by India during 12th Meeting of BRICS Science and Technology Steering Committee.

Key Points:

• India had proposed the plan to facilitate sharing of experiences of each other’s innovation ecosystem and networking of innovators and entrepreneurs.

• The details of the Action Plan will be worked out by BRICS Science, Technology Innovation Entrepreneurship Partnership (STIEP) Working Group.

• It was agreed that the proposal may be forwarded to BRICS STIEP working group through the respective country's STI focal point.

• The 12th Meeting of BRICS Science and Technology Steering Committee was hosted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India on 8 July 2021.

• Scientific Ministries and agencies of all BRICS countries participated in the meeting.

About BRICS:

• BRICS is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies which are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

• Originally the first four were grouped as "BRIC", before the induction of South Africa in 2010.

• The BRICS members are known for their significant influence on regional affairs.

• All are also the members of G20.

• Since 2009, the BRICS nations have met annually at formal summits.

• BRICS is headquartered in Shanghai, China.

• BRICS members are known for their influence in regional affairs.

India-UK Financial Markets Dialogue: UK-India Financial Markets Dialogue (FMD) held the inaugural meeting on July 8, 2021 virtually.

Highlights:

• The FMD was held in order to strengthen bilateral financial connections.

• The Dialogue was chaired by senior officials from the Indian side by the Ministry of Finance and from UK, Her Majesty’s Treasury.

• Representatives from Indian and UK independent regulatory agencies, including the RBI, SEBI, Bank of England, and the Financial Conduct Authority also participated.

Key points of the UK-India FMD:

• Discussions during the Dialogue were focused on four themes:

1. GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) City, India’s flagship international financial centre,

2. Banking and payments,

3. Insurance

4. Capital markets.

• At the meeting, Indian and UK participants discussed progress on the UK-India GIFT City Strategic Partnership.

• During the FMD, The City of London Corporation''s Capital Markets Working Group presented its findings on the Indian corporate bond market while the India-UK Financial Partnership presented recommendations on the UK-India financial services relationship.

• Both sides agreed on areas for further collaboration, including sustainable finance and FinTech, with the aim of supporting increased UK industry presence in the centre.

• They also concurred to continue to engage bilaterally on these areas in the coming months, in the run up to the next EFD and the beginning of negotiations for a future India-UK FTA, both expected to take place later this year.

Background:

• The FMD was established at the 10th Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in October 2020 which was held virtually by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

• It was to be established to deepen bilateral ties in the financial sector.

Bilateral Trade between UK & India

• According to the latest British government statistics, bilateral trade between the UK and India stood at over GBP 18 billion in 2020.

• India accounts for the UK''s second-largest source of investment in terms of number of projects.

• In May 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced their ambition to double the value of UK-India trade over the next decade as well as an intent to begin work towards negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA).

• 2030 Roadmap of India-UK was agreed by Prime Ministers Modi and Johnson with the aim of transforming UK-India relationship, specially to build back better from Covid-19 pandemic.

About United Kingdom:

• The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK or U.K.) or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.

• The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, the north­eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands.

• It consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

• It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, The North Sea, and the Irish Sea.

• The United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy.

• The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 1952, making her the world's longest-serving current head of state.

• The capital of the United Kingdom is London.

• The currency used here is Pound sterling.

• The current Prime Minister of UK is Boris Johnson.

National

India CTRI Portal: AYUSH Minister Kiren Rijiju on July 5, 2021 launched Ayurveda dataset on Clinical Trials Registry- India (CTRI) Portal.

Key Highlights:

• The portal is a significant step towards enabling worldwide visibility for Ayurveda-based clinical trials.

• Ayurveda Dataset of CTRI has been developed jointly by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) under the AYUSH Ministry.

• On the occasion, four more portals namely AMAR, SAHI, e-MEDHA and RMIS was also launched, all of them have been developed by Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS).

• Rijiju also released four publications related to the Traditional Indian Medicine System of India and lauded the collaborative efforts of the ICMR and the Archaeological Survey of India for these initiatives

• AYUSH seeks to play a big role in the National Digital Health Mission to provide health security to Indian people.

About Clinical Trial Registry-India (CTRI):

• CTRI is primary register of Clinical Trials under the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) by World Health Organisation (WHO).

• Creation of Ayurveda dataset in CTRI facilitates will make use of Ayurveda terminologies to record clinical study meta data on the basis of Ayurveda interventions.

• Till date, clinical trials in Ayurveda were dependent on terminology borrowed from modern medicine.

• With this portal and joint efforts of ICMR and CCRAS, Ayurvedic terminology has become part of CTRI.

• This is a great step towards a worldwide visibility for Ayurveda based Clinical Trials.

Features of CTRI Portal:

• The key feature of this digital platform is the provision of selection of the Ayurveda Health conditions from drop-down of 3 thousand 8 hundred 66 Ayurveda morbidity codes.

• These codes have been incorporated from NAMASTE portal (developed by AYUSH Ministry).

• On NAMASTE portal, morbidity statistics pertaining to Ayurveda has been classified as per International Classification of Diseases standards.

• Thus information & results of Ayurveda Clinical Trials will be available in Ayurvedic vocabulary in clinical trials registry of India.

Key points and significance of AMAR, SAHI, e-MEDHA and RMIS:

AMAR (Ayush Manuscripts Advanced Repository) Portal:

• This Portal is of immense value and it has digitized information on rare and hard to find Manuscripts and catalogues of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa in libraries or in individual collections across India or in other parts of the world.

SHAI (Showcase of Ayurveda Historical Imprints) Portals:

• This portal showcases inscriptions, Archeo-botanical Information, Sculptures, Philological sources and advanced Archeo Genetic studies.

• This portal will be of tremendous use in understanding of Indian Knowledge system with a focus on indigenous health care practices.

E-Medha (electronic Medical Heritage Accession) Portal:

• Online public access catalog for more than 12000 Indian medical heritage books through NIC’s e-granthalaya platform.

CCRAS-Research Management Information System:

• A collaborative effort of ICMR and CCRAS, this portal will be a one stop solution for Research and Development in Ayurveda based studies.

• Free of cost research guidance by experienced Scientists, Clinicians of Ayurveda can be availed through this portal.

• Research tools, reference material are also in place in this portal.

About the publications released by the Ministry of Ayush:

1. Proceedings of International workshop on” Preservation and Promotion of SOWA-RIGPA in Asia

2. Compendium of Important Cereals mentioned in Ayurveda-Series-1, volume-1

3. Ayurveda Sangraha: An important classical textbook of Ayurveda which is mentioned in the Schedule 1 of Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940. Up till now this book was available in Bengali language. Now it has been transliterated to Devanagari Script.

4. PathapathyaVinishcaya- An important book of Ayurveda and has details of diet and lifestyle.

Bills to Counter Centre's New Farm Laws: The Shiv Sena-led MVA government in Maharashtra on 6 July 2021 introduced three amendment bills in the assembly in a move to counter the enacted by the Centre.

These three bills are related to agriculture, co-operation, food, and civil supplies.

About the three amendment Bills:

• The bills have provisions for higher than MSP rate for produce in farming agreement with traders, timely payment of dues, three-year jail term and Rs 5 lakh fine or both for harassment of farmers.

• They also have provisions to give power to the state government to regulate and prohibit production, supply, distribution and impose stock limits on essential commodities.

• These bills which have been placed in public domain for two months during which all stakeholders can hold discussions for suggestions and debates on their provisions.

1. Essential Commodities (Amendment), Farmers (Empowerment and Protection), Guarantee Price

2. Agriculture Related Agreements (Maharashtra Amendment)

3. Amendments to Central Government Farmer Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation).

• The draft bills have been prepared by a cabinet sub-committee headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

• The bills will be taken up for discussion and passage during the winter session of the legislature in Nagpur (held in December).

Provisions of the new Amendment Bills:

The new three amendment bills have provisions for:

Higher than MSP rate for produce in farming agreement with traders, ensuring timely payment of dues, three-year jail terms and Rs 5 lakh fine or both for harassment of farmers.

• Farming agreements (between traders and farmers) will be considered invalid if the price of agri produce being offered is not more than the MSP (minimum support price).

• Furthemore, if the farmer is not remunerated within 7 days of the sale of his agricultural produce, a criminal suit can be registered against the trader for which punishments include three-year imprisonment and Rs 5 lakh penalty.

• The Amendments to Centre’s Farmer Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) is to ensure that farmers get fair remuneration price for their agriculture produce within a set timeframe.

• Co-operation Minister Balasaheb Patil said that the Centre’s farm laws offer no control over traders in case of failure of payment to the farmer after the sale of his agricultural produce.

• The draft bill proposes that no trader shall trade in any scheduled agri produce unless he has a valid license from the competent authority.

• In case of a dispute, farmers and traders can seek assistance by filing an application to the competent authority and an appeal against the order of competent authority to the appellate authority.

Allotment of power to state government:

• They also have provisions to give power to the state government to regulate and prohibit production, supply, distribution and impose stock limits on essential commodities.

• The state government has right to make laws and we want to suggest amendments to the central agriculture laws which we feel are anti-farmer.

• In case of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 which has already been amended by the Centre, there is no provision for the state government to regulate or prohibit production, supply, distribution, imposing stock limits under extraordinary circumstances which may include price rise, famine or natural calamity.

• Therefore, the state government proposes to amend the act further, in its application to Maharashtra, in order to have power over-regulating and prohibiting production, supply, distribution and imposing stock limits on essential commodities during extraordinary circumstances.

Coconut Development Board Act, 1979: The Union Cabinet has approved amendment in the Coconut Development Board Act, 1979 to make the post of Chairman, Coconut Development Board as Non-Executive one.

It will be beneficial to the Coconut Growers at large.

About Coconut Development Board (CDB):

• Coconut Development Board (CDB) is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India (GoI).

• The Board came into existence in 1981.

• It is headquartered in Kochi in Kerala.

• Its mandate is the integrated development of coconut cultivation and industry in the country with focus on productivity increase and product diversification.

17th century Georgian Queen St. Ketevan Relics: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently handed over the relics of St. Queen Ketevan to the government and the people of Georgia.

Key Points:

• In heeding to a long-standing request of Georgia, the holy relics was handed over nearly 16 years after they were found in Goa.

• Her relics were found in 2005 at the St. Augustine Convent in Old Goa, on the basis of medieval Portuguese records.

• The relics were handed over by him at a ceremony in Tbilisi in the presence of Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

• The relics have reached Georgia back after more than 390 years.

• Mr Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Georgia, a strategically important country situated at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

Background:

• In 2017, at the request of the Georgian government, India sent the relics to Georgia for an exhibition for six months.

• The relics were personally welcomed by His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia along with many Georgians on September 23, 2017.

• This loan of relics was extended for another six months and was returned to India on September 30, 2018. The relics spent the year travelling to different Churches of Georgia.

• Considering the persistent request from the Georgian side for the permanent transfer of the relics and also taking into account the historical, religious and spiritual sentiments attached to the St. Queen Ketevan by the Georgian people, India decided to gift one part of the relics to Georgia.

• Her relics were found in 2005 at the St. Augustine Convent in Old Goa, on the basis of medieval Portuguese records.

• The relics are believed to have been brought to Goa in 1627 and interred in St. Augustine Complex.

• At the instance of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, carried out DNA analysis that confirmed its authenticity.

About St. Queen Ketevan:

• St. Queen Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen.

• Ketevan the Martyr (c. 1560 – September 13, 1624) was a queen of Kakheti, a kingdom in eastern Georgia.

• She was regent of Kakheti during the minority of her son Teimuraz I of Kakheti from 1605 to 1614.

• She was killed at Shiraz, Iran, after prolonged tortures by the Safavid suzerains of Kakheti for refusing to give up the Christian faith and convert to Islam.

• She was canonized by Patriarch Zachary of Georgia (1613–1630), and September 13 (corresponding to September 26 in the modern Gregorian calendar) was instituted by the Georgian Orthodox Church as the day of her commemoration.

Additional info:

• During the visit, Mr Jaishankar will have a bilateral meeting with his counterpart covering various aspects of bilateral relations as well as exchange views on issues of regional and global interest.

• He is also scheduled to unveil the newly-installed statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Tbilisi.

• The visit would further strengthen the close and cordial relations between India and Georgia.

About Georgia:

• Georgia, a country at the intersection of Europe and Asia, is a former Soviet Republic.

• It is bounded on the north and northeast by Russia, on the east and southeast by Azerbaijan, on the south by Armenia and Turkey, and on the west by the Black Sea.

• Its Capital is Tbilisi.

• The currency used here is Georgian lari.

• The current President of Georgia is Salome Zourabichvili.

National Fish Farmers Day (NFFD) 2021: Every year, India celebrates 10 July as the "National Fish Farmers' Day" to honor fishermen, aquapreneurs and fishermen in appreciation of their achievements in the field and their contribution to the growth of the country's fisheries sector.

This day is celebrated by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in association with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).

NFFD 2021:

• The year 2021 is the 64th National Fish Farmer's Day.

• The Fisheries Department, as part of observing National Fish Farmers Day organized a series of virtual events in the wake of the lockdown regulations to honour selected farmers who have made commendable contributions to the field of inland fish farming ventures.

• The virtual events were opened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

• The events were hosted at 13 locations in Kozhikode district.

• One of the major projects to commemorate this year's celebration was the release of a micro-level directory with panchayat-level details about the fish farmers and scientific farming practices.

• Screening of exclusive documentaries and seminars on aquaculture and modern farming methods was also a part of the virtual celebrations.

History:

• National Fish Farmers Day is celebrated in the memory of scientists Dr K. H. Alikunhi and Dr H. L. Chaudhury.

• Both of them successfully demonstrated Hypophysation (technology of induced breeding) in Indian Major Carps (common name for several species of fish) on 10th July 1957 at the former CIFRI Pond Culture Division in Cuttack, Odisha. (Presently Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, CIFA, Bhubaneswar).

Aim:

The main aims of the event are as follows:

• To recognize the accomplishments and contribution of fish farmers, aquapreneurs (entrepreneurs in the water sector) and fisher folks in the growth of the fisheries sector in the country.

• To draw attention to changing the way the country manages fisheries resources to ensure sustainable stocks and healthy ecosystems.

• The event is celebrated every year by congratulating outstanding farmers, aquapreneurs, and farmers in appreciation of their accomplishments in the field and their contribution to the development of the country's fisheries sector.

About National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB):

• NFDB was established in 2006 as an autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• Now, it works under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

• Its task is to enhance fish production and productivity in the country and to coordinate fishery development in an integrated and holistic manner.

About ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBFGR):

• ICAR-NBFGR is a dedicated research center in fishery science under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research of Government of India (GoI).

• It is located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

• This institute was established in 1983.

Mandate:

• Exploration, characterization and cataloguing of fish genetic resources.

• Maintenance and preservation of fish genetic resources for conservation and utilization of prioritized species.

• Evaluation of indigenous and exotic germplasm including risk assessment and fish health.

About Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying:

• Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is a newly formed ministry in India.

• It was formed in May 2019 by Modi government from the department of same name under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• Recently, Senior BJP leader Parshottam Rupala took charge as the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on 8 July 2021.

India and Japan: The Union Cabinet on recently approved a Memorandum on Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan.

The MoC was signed between the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC).

Aim:

The agreement is aimed at promoting and strengthening cooperation in the matter of Competition Law and Policy through the exchange of information as well as through various capacity-building initiatives in the areas of technical cooperation and experience sharing and enforcement cooperation.

Significance:

• The MoC, through the exchange of information, will enable CCI to emulate and learn from the experiences of its Japanese counterpart, which would enhance efficiency.

• This will also help improve enforcement of the Competition Act, 2002 by CCI.

• The outcomes will benefit consumers at large and will promote equity and inclusiveness.

Background:

• Section 18 of the Competition Act, 2002 permits CCI to enter into any memorandum or arrangement with any agency of any foreign country for the purpose of discharging its duties or performing its functions under the Act.

About CCI:

• Competition Commission of India (CCI) is a statutory body of the Government of India (GoI).

• It has been established under the provisions of The Competition Act, 2002, however it was not fully operational until 2009.

• It comes under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

• It is headquartered in New Delhi.

• Ashok Kumar Gupta is the current Chairperson of the CCI.

• It is responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 throughout the country which prohibits anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position by enterprises.

• It regulates mergers and acquisition (M&A) which can have an adverse effect on competition within India. Thus, deals beyond a certain threshold are required to get clearance from CCI.

• Through constructive engagement with all stakeholders, the government, and foreign jurisdiction, it aims to create a competitive environment in the Indian economy.

People In News

Humboldt Research Award: The renowned Indian Economist Kaushik Basu has been awarded the prestigious Humboldt Research Award for Economics.

Highlights:

• Basu was conferred with the award by Professor Dr Hans-Bernd Schafer of Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany.

• According to Cornell Chronicle, Kaushik Basu, who hails from Kolkata, has decided to use the award for the research on Game Theory and Moral Philosophy.

About Kaushik Basu:

• He is a former Chief Economist of the World Bank (2012 to 2016), is currently a professor of Economics at Cornell University.

• He had also served as the Indian Government’s Chief Economic Advisor from 2009 to 2012.

• A graduate of the London School of Economics, Basu is the sitting President of the International Economic Association.

• He is also a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India.

• He has written a number of papers, including, ‘Introduction: The State of Economics, the State of the World’, ‘Individual Preferences and Democratic Processes: Two Theorems with Implications for Electoral Politics’, ‘Inequality, Growth, Poverty and Lunar Eclipses: Policy and Arithmetic’.

About Humboldt Research Award:

The prestigious award is sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

• This prestigious award is awarded to as many as 100 recipients every year.

• The award honours the economists and scientists from across the world for their work and entails the prize money of 60,000 euros.

• There is also an offer to carry out the research projects at a scientific institution in Germany for up to 12 months.

Scripps National Spelling Bee: Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old schoolgirl from the state of Louisiana, scripted history on 8 July by becoming the first African-American contestant to win the hugely popular Scripps National Spelling Bee crown.

Details:

• The achievement saw her break the Indian-American community’s 13-year hold on the trophy that the immigrants had come to see as their stamp of arrival in the United States.

• Avant-garde’s winning word was “murraya” - a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers with overlapping petals.

• Zaila will take home more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.

• Zaila Avant-garde is also an accomplished basketball player and holds several Guinness World Records for dribbling multiple basketballs at a time.

About Scripps National Spelling Bee:

• The Scripps National Spelling Bee (formerly the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee and commonly called the National Spelling Bee) is an annual spelling bee held in the United States.

• The bee is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W. Scripps Company and is held at a hotel or convention center in Washington, D.C. during the week following Memorial Day weekend.

• The National Spelling Bee was formed in 1925 as a consolidation of numerous local spelling bees, organized by The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky.

• Frank Neuhauser won the first National Spelling Bee held that year, by successfully spelling "gladiolus".

• The spelling bee has been held every year except for 1943–1945 due to World War II and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Appointments:

KN Bhattacharjee: Veteran advocate Kalyan Narayan Bhattacharjee has recently been appointed as the new Lokayukta in Tripura.

Key Points:

• He has been appointed to the post for three years w.e.f. July 1.

• Bhattacharjee will be the third Lokayukta in the state and the first to hold the post as a lawyer.

• The Lokayukta Act has been in force in Tripura since 2008 and in 2012.

• Former Gujarat & Guwahati HC judge Pradeep Kumar Sarkar was 1st Lokayukta in Tripura.

Satish Agnihotri: Satish Agnihotri recently took over the charge as the Managing Director, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL).

About:

• He comes with more than 20 years of experience in the implementation of mega rail infrastructure projects.

• He has worked as Chairman & Managing Director, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a schedule ‘A’ CPSE under the Ministry of Railways for close to 9 years.

• During his tenure as CMD/RVNL, RVNL completed 7000 km of project length including 3000 km doubling/3rd line, 880 km conversion of metre gauge track to broad gauge, 3000 km railway electrification, 85 km new line, 6 factories and many important bridges.

• A 7 km long tunnel was also completed in a record time of 25 months in a new line project in Andhra Pradesh.

About National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL):

• NHSRCL is a joint venture formed under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India and participating state governments for implementing High-Speed Rail Projects.

• NHSRCL was incorporated on 12th February 2016 under the Companies Act, 2013 with an object to finance, construct, maintain and manage the High Speed Rail Corridor in India.

Nitin Gadkari: The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways & MSME recently became the “Brand Ambassador” of Khadi Prakritk Paint.

Key Points:

• The Union Minister virtually inaugurated India’s first and only paint made from cow dung, under the brand name ‘Khadi Prakritk Paint’.

• Furthermore, he also declared himself as the “Brand Ambassador” of paint, to promote it across the country and encourage young entrepreneurs to take up the manufacturing of cow dung paint.

About Khadi Prakritk Paint:

• The Khadi Prakritk Paint automated manufacturing plant has been set up on the campus of Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute (KNHPI), Jaipur, Rajasthan.

• It is a unit of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti: U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday nominated Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti as his ambassador to India.

Key Details:

• Mr. Biden has also nominated Denise Campbell Bauer, as his envoy to Monaco; Peter D Haas, to Bangladesh; and Bernadette M Meehan, his top diplomat to Chile.

• If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Garcetti, 50, would replace Kenneth Juster, who served as India’s Ambassador to the U.S. during the Trump administration.

• Early this week, Mr. Juster was appointed as distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

About Eric M Garcetti:

• Eric M Garcetti has been the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles since 2013, following 12 years as a member of the City Council, including six as Council President.

• As Mayor, Mr. Garcetti oversees the busiest container port in the Western Hemisphere, the largest municipal utility in the country, and one of the busiest airports in the world.

• He has led LA’s successful bid to return the summer Olympic Games to American soil for the first time in three decades.

• Currently, he chairs LA Metro, the country’s second-busiest transit agency, which is building or extending 15 new transit lines, and shifting to an all-electric fleet.

• He is the current Chair of C40 Cities — a network of 97 of the world's biggest cities taking bold climate action and has led the organization’s engagement and expansion in India as well as C40’s global response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the sharing of best practices and resources.

• During 12 years as an Intelligence Officer in the US Navy Reserve Component, Mr. Garcetti served under the Commander, US Pacific Fleet and the Defence Intelligence Agency, retiring in 2017 as a Lieutenant.

• A Rhodes Scholar, he studied at Queen’s College, Oxford and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

• He was selected as an inaugural Asia 21 Fellow of the Asia Society.

• He taught at Occidental College’s Department of Diplomacy and World Affairs, as well as at the University of Southern California’s School of International Relations.

• He has lived and conducted field work on nationalism, ethnicity, and human rights in Southeast Asia and Northeast Africa.

• He co-founded Climate Mayors and led more than 400 U.S. mayors to adopt the Paris Climate agreement.

• He is the founding Chair of the Latino Alliance of Mayors at the US Conference of Mayors, serves on the Board of National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, and speaks fluent Spanish.

Orbituaries:

Dilip Kumar: Legendary actor Dilip Kumar died early on 7 JUly 2021 t the age of 98 after a long and protracted illness in Mumbai.

• He is survived by his wife Saira Banu, a veteran actor herself.

About Dilip Kumar:

• Mohammed Yusuf Khan, known professionally as Dilip Kumar, is an Indian actor, film producer and philanthropist, best known for his work in Hindi cinema.

• Referred as "The First Khan", he has been credited for bringing a distinct form of method acting technique to cinema.

• He holds the record for most wins for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor and was also the inaugural recipient of the award.

• He debuted as an actor in the film Jwar Bhata (1944), produced by Bombay Talkies.

• Dilip Kumar's career spanned over six decades and was known for his iconic roles in movies like 'Devdas '(1955), 'Naya Daur' (1957), 'Mughal-e-Azam' (1960), 'Ganga Jamuna' (1961), Ram Aur Shyam (1967).'Kranti' (1981), Shakti (1982), Mashaal (1984), Karma (1986), Saudagar (1991) and 'Karma' (1986).

• His last film was Qila (1998).

Dilip Kumar was bestowed with the following Honours:

• In 2015, India's second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, for his contributions towards Indian cinema

• In 2000–2006, Elected to Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament.

• In 1994, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award

• In 1991, India's third highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, for his contributions towards Indian cinema

• In 1979–1982, He was appointed as the Sheriff of Bombay by the Governor of Maharashtra, India for the period

• In 1998, Government of Pakistan honoured him with its highest civilian honour, the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence).

• Till 2000s Kumar was the only actors to have won 8 Filmfare Best Actor Awards until his record was shared by Shahrukh Khan by mid 2000s.

Robert Downey Sr: Filmmaker Robert Downey Sr recently passed away at the age of 85 years on July 6, 2021.

About:

• He was the father of Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr.

• The late actor and filmmaker was battling Parkinson's disease.

• He has acted in breakthrough anti-establishment films such as 'Putney Swope' and 'Greaser's Place'.

• He also appeared in films like 'Boogie Nights', 'Magnolia' and 'To Live and Die in L.A'.

• He had begun writing and directing in 1961 and had started with low-budget films.

• His first film was 'Ball's Bluff' (1961), which was about a Civil War soldier who wakes up in Central Park in the 1960s.

Places In News

Zika Virus in Kerala: Health authorities have declared a state of alert in Kerala, India after 14 cases of Zika virus were detected.

Key Details:

• Of the 19 samples sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune last, 14 were found to be positive for Zika virus.

• The total number of Zika virus cases in Kerala stands at 14, including the first case of 24-years old pregnant woman.

• The Union Health Ministry on July 9, 2021 stated that a six-member central team of experts has also been dispatched to Kerala to get a grip on the emerging Zika virus situation in the state.

What is Zika virus?

• As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first detected in monkeys in Uganda in 1947.

• Later, the virus was detected in humans in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania in 1952.

• Outbreaks of Zika virus have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific.

• From the 1960s to 1980s, rare sporadic cases of human infections were found across Africa and Asia.

• A major outbreak in Brazil in 2015 revealed that it can lead to severe birth defects when pregnant women are infected.

• The Zika virus has been associated with a rare auto-immune disease known as Guillain-Barre syndrome and shrunken brains in children.

• As of now, there is no treatment for the Zika virus.

How does Zika virus spread?

• Zika virus is spread by the bite of an infected Aedes species of mosquitos (Aedes aegypti).

• The Aedes species of mosquitos usually bite during the early hours of the day and late evening hours.

• This is the same species of mosquitos that are the carriers of dengue, yellow fever, and chikunguniya.

• Zika virus can also transmit from pregnant woman to her fetus, or transfusion of blood, or through sexual contacts, or organ transplant.

Symptoms:

• The symptoms of the Zika virus include fever, headache, rashes, joint and muscle pain, malaise, conjunctivitis.

• It usually takes around 3 to 14 days for the symptoms to show up from the time of being bitten.

• The symptoms last for approximately 2 to 7 days.

• Most people do not develop symptoms, one in five people infected show symptoms.

Prevention:

• Protection against mosquito bites during the day and early evening is a key measure to prevent Zika virus infection.

• Special attention should be given to prevention of mosquito bites among pregnant women, women of reproductive age, and young children, according to the WHO.

• Personal protection measures include wearing clothing, using physical barriers such as window screens and closed doors and windows, and applying insect repellent to skin.

• Additionally, the WHO advises young children and pregnant women to sleep under mosquito nets if sleeping during the day or early evening.

• Travellers and those living in affected areas should take the same basic precautions described above to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

• Aedes mosquitoes breed in small collections of water. It is important to eliminate these mosquito breeding sites.

Zika virus: Previous outbreaks in India:

• India had earlier in 2016-17 reported a Zika virus outbreak in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Policy for street children: The Delhi government has recently formulated a policy for welfare of street children in light of covid-19 pandemic situation.

The policy has been prepared by the Delhi government's Women and Child Development Department (WCD).

Provisions of Policy:

• The policy underlines the role of various stakeholders in promoting Covid- appropriate behaviour and generating awareness about the infection.

• It encourages a direct participation of civil society organisations.

• It highlights their role in identifying hotspot areas and distributing masks among them.

• It also puts forward that district administration could consider training the children rescued from streets (on attaining the age of 18 years) as Civil Defense Volunteer.

• This will provide them respectable employment, and they, owing to their own experience, can also assist many other children who come from a similar background.

• It also proposes the composition of District Child Protection Convergence Committee (DCPCC) over and above the District Task Force (DTF) for rescuing children.

• District magistrate will act as chairperson of DCPCC along with other members like two members from NGOs & Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights representatives.

• The task of NGOs shall include bringing all cases of children identified by them to their respective Child Welfare Committee.

• The NGOs will work with departments concerned for their rehabilitation.

• Further, efforts will be made to document, adopt and promote the good practices by any NGOs or Department concerned.

• The policy also lays down 15 criteria for determining the vulnerability status of the child. These include conditions related to safety and security, status of education, state of hunger and malnutrition among others.

District Task Force:

• WCD of Delhi Government had constituted a ‘District Task Force’ to assist COVID-19 positive children who are in Child Care Institutes or who lost their parents due covid-19 virus.

• The department had set up two quarantine centres for children in order to take admissions sent through child welfare committee separately.

About New Delhi:

• It is an urban district located in the city of Delhi.

• New Delhi officially the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), is a city and a union territory of India.

• It serves as the capital of India is the seat of the State Government of Delhi and the Government of India, as well as the city or local governments as per the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.

• Union Territories are governed by the Union Government.

• The current Chief Minister and Governor of Delhi are Arvind Kejriwal and Anil Baijal respectively.

Naitwar Mori HEP: SJVN, a CPSE under Ministry of Power has completed the Tunnel Excavation work of its Naitwar Mori Hydro Electric Project (Naitwar Mori HEP) in Uttarakhand.

Highlights:

• Sh. Nand Lal Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, SJVN triggered the last blast to mark the completion of heading excavation of 4.3-kilometer-long Head Race Tunnel of 60 MW Naitwar Mori Hydro Electric Project.

• The newly constructed Office Complex, Transit Camp and Township ‘Yamuna Parisar’ was also inaugurated at the project site.

About Naitwar Mori HEP:

• Naitwar Mori HEP has the potential to generate 265.5 million units of electricity every year and the State of Uttarakhand will get 12% free Power as a Royalty.

• The project will also lead to the achievement of the Shared vision of SJVN, for becoming a 25000 MW Company by 2040.

• SJVN is constructing its own Transmission Line of about 37 kms for transmission of electricity generated from the Project which is targeted to be completed by April 2022.

• The Project is targeted to be completed by April 2022.

Significance:

• Commissioning of the Project will benefit the Area and particularly Project Affected Families as they will be provided an amount equivalent to the cost of 100 units of electricity per month for 10 years.

• SJVN is also taking up various development works in the vicinity of the Project towards under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Uttarakhand:

• It is a state in northern India crossed by the Himalayas.

• Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of India On 9 November 2000.

• It was carved from the Himalayan districts of Uttar Pradesh.

• Its winter Capital is Dehradun and summer capital is Gairsain.

• The Chief Minister and the Governor of Uttarakhand are Pushkar Singh Dhami and Baby Rani Maurya respectively.

OTT Platform: Kerala government has proposed to have its own over-the-top (OTT) platform.

Highlights:

• The state government has planned to launch it by November 1.

• The proposal of the State government’s foray into the online content streaming space with the launch of an over-the-top (OTT) platform is a cultural intervention, rather than something prompted by the market or revenues.

Why does Kerala want to launch new OTT platform?

Kerala wants to launch its own OTT platform for the following reasons:

• Major OTT players like Netflix and Amazon have been showing more interest in Malayalam cinema. But they are mostly limited to films from which they can get revenue.

• In the last one year, less than 15 Malayalam films, featuring big stars, have been taken up these platforms.

• Furthermore, smaller & home-grown OTT platforms such as Neestream and Mainstream TV do not have much of finance to match bigger players.

• Thus, the state government proposed this OTT platform which will ensure space and make some sort of revenue share for lower budget & independent films that are struggling to find space among public.

• Homegrown platform will ensure that data and content be with government rather than with third party by using existing platform.

About OTT Media Service:

• OTT media service is offered directly to viewers through Internet.

• OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms.

• It is also been used to describe no-carrier cell phones, where communications are charged as data.

• OTT term is synonymous with subscription-based video-on-demand (SVoD) services.

• SVoD offers access to film and television content. Such services are accessed through websites on personal computers, mobile app, digital media players or televisions that are integrated with Smart TV platforms.

About Kerala:

• It is a state on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India.

• It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile states of Travancore-Cochin and Madras.

• It is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west.

• Its capital is Thiruvananthapuram.

• The current Governor and Chief Minister of Kerala are Arif Mohammad Khan and Pinarayi Vijayan respectively.

Science and Technology

Tandem Spacewalk: Chinese astronauts successfully performed the country’s first tandem spacewalk on 4 July 2021.

Highlights:

• They worked for seven hours on the outside of the new Tiangong station in orbit around the Earth.

• Tiangong’s construction is a major step in China’s ambitious space programme, which has seen the nation land a rover on Mars and sends probes to the Moon.

• Three astronauts - Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo were blasted off in June 2021 to become station’s first crew where they will remain for three months which is China's longest crewed mission to date.

• Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo exited the station for some seven hours of work in first spacewalk at Tiangong.

• The safe return of these two astronauts to the Tianhe core module marks the complete success of the first spacewalk in space station constructed by China.

What did task did they perform during their spacewalk?

• Their tasks involved elevating a panoramic camera outside the Tianhe core module, as well as testing the station's robotic arm which will be used to transfer future modules around the station, state media said.

• They installed foot stops on the robotic arm and, with its support, carried out other assembly work.

• They were supported from inside the station by the mission commander Nie Haisheng, a decorated air force pilot who is on his third space mission.

Matter of Pride for China:

• This is China's first crewed mission in nearly five years, and a matter of huge prestige as the country marks the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party.

• It is also the first time since 2008 that Chinese astronauts went outside their spacecraft.

• Back then, Zhai Zhigang made China the third country to complete a spacewalk after the Soviet Union and the United States.

About Tiangong Space Station:

• The Tiangong Space Stationis placed in low Earth orbit at the distance between 340 and 450 km above the surface.

• This space station, once completed, will be roughly one-fifth the mass of the International Space Station and about the size of the decommissioned Russian Mir space station.

• It is expected to have a mass between 80 and 100 t (180,000 and 220,000 lb).

• Operations will be controlled from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center in China.

• The core module, the Tianhe ("Harmony of the Heavens"), was launched on 29 April 2021.

Sirisha Bandla: India-origin woman Sirisha Bandla is all set to head to space as a member of the Virgin SpaceShip Unity on July 11.

Key Points:

• Born in Andhra Pradesh, Bandla will be the third Indian-origin woman, after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita williams and the fourth Indian to fly into space.

• Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to travel to space, Kalpana Chawla and Indian-American Astronaut Sunita Williams, precede her.

• She will be one of the five people alongside Virgin Galactic’s billionaire founder Richard Branson to travel to space.

• She will take care of the researcher experience of the Unity22 mission.

• The crewed test spaceflight is scheduled to blast off on July 11 from New Mexico.

About Sirisha Bandla

• Sirisha Bandla, who was born in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh and grew up in Houston, Texas.

• She is a graduate in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University and also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Georgetown University.

• She started working at Virgin Galactic in 2015.

• She is currently vice president of government affairs at the company.

• She has also worked for a space policy job at the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) and L-3 Communications in Greenville, Texas, as an aerospace engineer.

World Zoonoses Day: The World Zoonoses Day takes place on 6 July each year.

Key Points:

• World Zoonoses Day commemorates the work of French Biologist Louis Pasteur, who successfully administered the first-ever vaccine against rabies, a zoonotic disease, on 6 July 1885.

• The day presents an opportunity to educate the masses and raise awareness of diseases that can spread between animals and people.

• In Zoonoses the first infected human transmits the infectious agent to at least one other human, who, in turn, infects others.

Theme of World Zoonoses Day 2021:

• The theme of World Zoonoses Day 2021 is “Let’s Break the Chain of Zoonotic Transmission.”

Background:

• Louis Pasteur administered the first-ever vaccine to Joseph Meister, who was mauled by a rabid dog.

• The jab was given on 6 July 1885.

• Since then, the day is remembered to thank the creator of the first-ever vaccine.

Significance during pandemic times:

• The significance of the day is perhaps now far greater than ever before due to the ongoing pandemic.

• A new report titled "Preventing the Next Pandemic: Zoonotic diseases and how to break the chain of transmission" was launched on World Zoonoses Day, 2020.

• The report was created by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

• The report warned that further outbreaks will emerge unless governments around the world take measures to prevent zoonotic diseases from infecting the human population.

• Besides warning governments about future pandemics, it also identifies trends driving the increasing emergence of zoonotic diseases in the world.

• In addition, the report set out ten recommendations to prevent future pandemics.

Some of the recommendations were as follows:

• Raising awareness of zoonotic diseases

• Improving cost-benefit analyses of interventions to include full-cost accounting of societal impacts of disease

• Improving biosecurity and control, identifying key drivers of emerging diseases in animal husbandry, and encouraging proven management and zoonotic disease control measures

• Strengthening monitoring and regulation practices associated with zoonotic diseases, including food systems

• Operationalizing the One Health approach in land-use and sustainable development planning, implementation, and monitoring, among other fields.

About Zoonosis:

• Zoonoses are infectious diseases (viruses, bacteria, and parasites) that can be spread from animals to humans, and vice versa.

• Zoonotic Diseases are caused by viruses, bacteria, fungus, parasites, and Mosquitos.

• Zoonoses may propagate by direct interaction with animals, or indirectly, by vectors, or by food.

• Example: Tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis are very popular zoonotic diseases.

• Yet even zoonoses include other foodborne infectious diseases such as salmonella, yersinia, EHEC, botulism, or campylobacter.

Common zoonotic disease:

• The most common zoonotic diseases are Plague, Tuberculosis, Cat Scratch Fever, Tick Paralysis, Hantavirus, Ringworm, Salmonellosis, Leptospirosis, Lyme disease, Cryptosporidium infection, Roundworms, Hookworms, Campylobacter infection, Giardia infection, Scabies, Harvest mites, Rabies, etc.

How to avoid zoonotic diseases?

• Hand and face hygiene, Cover your face while traveling in crowded places, and sanitize your hands regularly.

• Keep your place clean and hygienic.

• Don’t eat uncooked food.

• If you have animals then take care of them, get their routine check-up regularly.

About Louis Pasteur:

• Louis Pasteur ForMemRS (27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895)) was a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization.

• His research in chemistry led to remarkable breakthroughs in the understanding of the causes and preventions of diseases, which laid down the foundations of hygiene, public health and much of modern medicine.

• His works are credited to saving millions of lives through the developments of vaccines for rabies and anthrax.

• He is regarded as one of the founders of modern bacteriology and has been honoured as the "father of bacteriology" and as the "father of microbiology" together with Robert Koch, and the latter epithet also attributed to Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.

NS-BH Merger: Scientists have detected gravitational waves produced by collision of neutron star and black hole for the first time.

This ground breaking discovery detection of a neutron star-black hole (NS-BH) collision was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

Key Details:

• Gravitational waves ripples were detected in fabric of space-time.

• This finding shows that there are neutron star-black hole systems. This system will help in answering several questions regarding cosmos ranging from star formation to expansion rate of universe.

How Gravitational waves are produced?

• Gravitational waves are produced when celestial objects collide. After collision, ensuing energy creates ripples in fabric of space-time which carry to detectors on Earth.

How waves were detected?

• As the two compact and massive bodies orbit around each other, they come closer, and finally merge, due to the energy lost in the form of gravitational waves.

• Waves from two celestial objects were picked up with the help of global network of gravitational wave detectors called LIGO. Advanced LIGO detector in US and Advanced Virgo detector in Italy picked up final throes of death spiral between a neutron star and a black hole on January 5, 2021 when they circled closer and merged together.

• Following it, the second signal was picked up on these detectors from final orbits and smashing together of another neutron star and black hole pair.

Significance of the study:

• Detection of gravitational waves confirm that there are populations of binary systems comprising of a neutron star and a black hole.

• Such astrophysical systems will help in answering many big questions regarding universe.

• These observations will help to understand the formation and relative abundance of such binaries.

• Neutron stars are the densest objects in the Universe, so these findings can also help to understand the behaviour of matter at extreme densities.

• Neutron stars are also the most precise ‘clocks’ in the Universe, if they emit extremely periodic pulses.

• The discovery of pulsars going around Black Holes could help scientists probe effects under extreme gravity

Background:

• First ever direct gravitational waves were detected in 2015.

• Since then, astronomers have predicted the system of black hole & neutron star merger could exist.

• Until now, the LIGO-Virgo collaboration (LVC) of gravitational waves detectors has only been able to observe collisions between pairs of black holes or neutron stars.

• For the first time, in January 2020, the network of detectors made the discovery of gravitational waves from a pair of NS-BH mergers.

• However, observational evidences were detected in 2021.

Discrete Auroras: The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Hope spacecraft, which is orbiting Mars since February 2021, has captured images of glowing atmospheric lights in the Red Planet’s night sky, known as discrete auroras.

Key Points:

• Previous Mars orbiters have also observed the auroras, but Hope, with a high-altitude orbit that varies from 12,400 miles to 27,000 miles above the surface, can take in a global view of the night side of Mars.

• The data gathered by the oribter include far and extreme ultraviolet auroral emissions which have never been imaged before at Mars.

• Unlike auroras on Earth, which are seen only near the north and south poles, discrete auroras on Mars are seen all around the planet at night time.

• There it is not just the northern lights and southern lights, but also the equatorial lights, mid-latitude lights, eastern lights, western lights — all around the planet.

Objective of UAE’s Mission Mars:

• The Hope Probe, the Arab world’s first mission to Mars, took off from Earth in July 2020, and has been orbiting the Red Planet since February.

• The primary objective of the mission is to study Martian weather dynamics.

• The mission is trying to study dynamics of the Martian atmosphere near the surface that influence how fast the atmosphere of Mars is leaking into space.

• Though, taking pictures of auroras was not part of the core science observations planned for the Hope spacecraft, the scientists, even before the probe was launched realized that one of the instruments, which makes observations in the far-ultraviolet part of the spectrum to measure levels of oxygen and hydrogen in the upper atmosphere, might be able to pick out the auroras as well.

dbGENVOC: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani has created world’s first database of genomic variants of oral cancer.

The NIBMG, an institute under the DBT, has made this database publicly-accessible.

Database is being called as dbGENVOC.

About dbGENVOC:

• dbGENVOC is a browsable online database of GENomic Variants of Oral Cancer and is a free resource.

• First release of dbGENVOC contains the following:

1. 24 million somatic and germline variants derived from whole exome sequences of 100 Indian oral cancer patients and whole genome sequences of 5 oral cancer patients from India.

2. Somatic variation data from 220 patient samples drawn from the USA and analyzed by TCGA-HNSCC project

3. Manually curated variation data of 118 patients from recently published peer-reviewed publications.

• Variants were identified by community approved best practice protocol and were annotated with the help of multiple analytic pipelines.

• dbGENVOC is not just a catalogue of genomic variants, it has a built-in powerful search engine.

• It allows a reasonable extent of statistical and bioinformatic analysis to be carried out such as identification of variants in associated altered pathways in oral cancer.

• The repository will be updated annually with variation data of new oral cancer patients from India Southeast Asia.

Oral Cancer in India:

• Oral cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer among men in India, largely fuelled by tobacco-chewing.

• Tobacco-chewing causes changes in the genetic material of cells in the oral cavity. These changes (mutations) precipitate oral cancer.

About NIBMG:

• The National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) has been established as an autonomous institution by the Government of India, under the aegis of the Department of Biotechnology.

• This is the first institution in India explicitly devoted to research, training, translation & service and capacity-building in Biomedical Genomics.

• It is located in Kalyani, West Bengal, India.

About DBT:

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, boosts and augments the development of the biotechnology ecosystem in India through its expansion and application in agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, environment, and industry.

Gravelyia boro and Dexippus kleini: Two species of spiders have been found in Jharbari range of western Assam’s Chirang Reserve Forest.

Key Details:

• Gravelyia boro is a newly discovered burrow spider while Dexippus kleini is an oriental jumping spider.

• Both the spiders were discovered from Bodoland Territorial Region.

• They have been described in latest issue of Acta Arachnologica published by Arachnological Society of Japan.

• Both the species have been sharing same space. One spider burrows, and the other jumps.

• It has been recorded for the first time after it was originally described 129 years ago by Swedish arachnologist, Tord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell.

• The spider was discovered by Thorell about 2,600 km away in Sumatra.

About these Spider species:

• Gravelyia boro belongs to Nemesiidae family that comprises of 184 species worldwide while the Dexippus kleini belongs to Salticidae family which is the largest family of all spiders on earth.

• Name of burrow spider has been derived from Bodo community which is one of the largest ethnolinguistic groups in Assam.

• Burrow spider lives underground some 10-15 cm below sandy-loamy surface.Burrow with opening up to 1 cm wide were under cover of some herbs and shrubs.

• Jumping spider is a slow mover but it is capable of jumping up to 25 mm in length in search of prey.

• Jharbari Jumper is among few salticids that was recently rediscovered in India after a century.

Inclusion of snake:

• A non-venomous snake was also added to India’s herpetofauna by the team of researchers from Mizoram University.

• It is about 50 cm long, dark brown & yellow in colour.

• They are found in dried-up area of Tuinghaleng riverbed in Aizawl.

• It is the third species of Stoliczkia genus from India.

• Snake was named as Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai, in honour of Vanhnuailiana who was a Mizo warrior.

• Common name of snake is Lushai Hills dragon snake.

Sports

Austrian Grand Prix 2021: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen recently won the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

• It is the ninth race of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship season.

• He reeled off his third win in a row from pole in the Austrian Grand Prix on 4 July 2021 to consolidate his world championship lead over Lewis Hamilton who finished fourth.

• Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas took second with McLaren's Lando Norris in third.

Flagbearers at Tokyo Olympics,2020: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) recently announced that names of flagbearers for the Indian contingent of Tokyo 2020.

Highlights:

• IOA President Narinder Batra said in an official letter that The flagbearers for the Indian contingent of Tokyo 2020 for the opening ceremony on July 23rd are Mary Kom and Manpreet Singh.

• The flagbearer for the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony on August 8 will be Bajrang Punia.

• In a first, India is having two flag-bearers — one male and one female — at the upcoming Tokyo Games to ensure “gender parity”.

• The IOA has communicated the decision in this regard to the Organizing Committee of the Games.

Indian Contingent for Tokyo Olympics:

IOA president Batra confirmed that the total contingent for the Olympics.

• The total contingent for the Olympics would be around 126 athletes and 75 officials, and as a result, the total contingent would be around 201.

• The contingent comprises 56 percent of men and 44 percent of women.

• It has 76 quota places and will compete in about 85 medal positions.

The Tokyo Olympics would be held from July 23 to August 8.

The event was slated to be held last year, but it had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additional Fact:

• 400m sprinter Purma Banerjee was the first Indian to carry the national flag at the opening ceremony of the Games at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.

• Seventeen athletes have carried the Indian flag at the opening ceremony of the Games, with eight of them being Olympic medallists.

• Abhinav Bindra, the country’s only individual gold medallist, and Lal Shah Bhokhari, Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh Sr. and Zafar Iqbal were also among India's flag bearers.

About IOA:

• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is the body responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and other international athletic meets and for managing the Indian teams at these events.

• The IOA was established 1927 with Sir Dorabji Tata and Dr. A.G. Noehren as the Founding President and Secretary General respectively.

• It also acts as the Indian Commonwealth Games Association, responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Commonwealth Games.

• The current President of IOA is Narindra Batra.

Serbia Open Chess: Young Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin , on 8 July 2021 won the Serbia Open chess title in Belgrade.

Key Points:

• This is the second consecutive tournament victory for sixteen-year old Sarin after he claimed the title in Silver Lake Open.

• This Grand Master from Thrissur, Kerala played out a draw with Russia's Vladimir Fedoseev to finish with 7.5 points out of a possible nine to finish clear first in the 289-player field in the nine-round tournament.

• Sarin, who became a Grandmaster in 2018 at the age of 14, won six games and drew three, to remain unbeaten.

• The Silver Lake Open was his first over-the-board event after the COVID-19 pandemic break.

• Sarin's compatriot Arjun Erigaisi finished seventh with seven points.

• The 14-year-old Indian IM Aditya Mittal also ended up with seven points and took the 10th spot. He also earned his maiden Grandmaster norm in the process.

• Chennai was V Pranav, 15, earned his first GM norm and became an International Master. He lost the ninth and final round game to Ukrainian Kiril Shevchenko and ended with six points.

Manu Sawhney: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has discontinued the services of Manu Sawhney as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with immediate effect.

Key points:

• The decision was taken by the ICC Board during its meeting on 8 July 2021.

• The International Cricket Council announced that Chief Executive Manu Sawhney will leave the organisation with immediate effect.

• A per the ICC statement issued after the meeting, Geoff Allardice will continue as Acting CEO supported by the Leadership Team working closely with the ICC Board.

• Sawhney was suspended in March following various allegations in an internal review conducted by an external agency.

• While Sawhney had referred to the review as a witch-hunt, the ICC Board decided to sever ties with the sports management veteran.

About Manu Sawhney:

• Sawhney is the former CEO of Singapore Sports Hub and also served as Managing Director of ESPN Star Sports, a company he worked with for 17 years.

• He is also a non-executive director and member of the Audit Committee of Manchester United Ltd.

Euro Cup football Finals: England and Italy both have reached the Finals of the Euro Cup football tournament.

Highlights:

• Italy beat Spain on penalties to reach the final after an enthralling semi-final at Wembley on 7 July 2021.

• England beat Denmark 2-1 to set up final clash against Italy.

• England reached its first major international tournament final after a gap of 55 years as the three lions registered a win against Denmark in the second semi-final of Euro 2020 at the Wembley Stadium, London.

• Harry Kane converted the rebound after his initial penalty was saved in the 104th minute to give England a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Denmark in extra time in the semifinals.

• England will clash Italy in the final.

Sudhanshu Mittal: Sudhanshu Mittal was recently re-elected as the President of Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was held on July 5 to elect the office bearers of KKFI for 2021-2025.

Key Details:

• The results were announcement by Rajesh Tandon, former Judge, Uttarakhand High Court (Nainital) as the Returning Officer (R.O.).

• Among other office bearers of KKFI for 2021-2025, Mahender Singh Tyagi has been elected as General Secretary and Surendra Kumar Bhutiyani as Treasurer.

• In addition, Vice Presidents, Joint Secretaries, and Executive Committee members were also elected unanimously.

• Anil Khanna, Vice-President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) also attended the AGM as IOA Observer, the release stated.

About Sudhanshu Mittal:

• Sudhanshu Mittal is an Indian politician with ties to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

• He has served as President of Delhi University Students Union in 1983.

About Kho Kho Federation of India:

• Kho Kho Federation of India is the apex body for running and managing Kho Kho in India.

• The Federation is affiliated to the International Kho Kho Federation, Asian Kho Kho Federation, and Indian Olympic Association,

• The Federation is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India (GoI).

Sajan Prakash: The Swimming Federation of India (SFI) has nominated the name of Sajan Prakash for the Arjuna Award for the second consecutive year.

Highlights:

• The federation has also recommended the name of veteran swimming coach Kamlesh Nanavati for the Dhyan Chand Award for his contribution to swimming in India over the past four decades.

• The Swimming Federation had earlier forwarded its nominations for the National Sports Awards 2021 under various categories in June 2021.

• Sajan Prakash created history last week by breaching the Olympic A qualification time, which has eluded Indian swimming for decades and qualified for Tokyo Olympics.

Mithali Raj: India ODI skipper Mithali Raj recently became the leading runs scorer across all formats in international women's cricket.

Highlights:

• She achieved the feat during the ongoing third and final ODI against England.

• The Indian skipper beat former England cricketer Charlotte Edwards' record to reach the milestone. Edwards had scored 10,273 runs across all three formats.

• She had needed just 12 runs to surpass Charlotte's record before the beginning of India's third ODI against England.

• She reached the landmark with a boundary in the 24th over.

Her Previous records:

• Mithali Raj had also become the first woman cricketer to score 7,000 runs in ODIs in March 2021.

• She is also the first Indian woman cricketer to complete 10,000 runs across all formats and the second woman to reach 10,000 runs in international cricket after Edwards.

Udayan Mane: Indian golfer, Udayan Mane, has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 which is scheduled to be organized in July & August 2021.

Highlights:

• 30 year old, Udayan Mane has become 2nd Indian golfer to qualify for Tokyo Olympics.

• He joined Anirban Lahiri in 60-player field in men’s golf event.

• Lahiri will be appearing at his second consecutive Olympic Games.

• He had also represented India at Rio 2016 Olympics along with SSP Chawrasia.

About Udayan Mane:

• Udayan was born on February 24, 1991 in Bangalore.

• He is an Indian professional golfer.

• He is currently the second-highest ranked Indian in World at number 356.

• He plays on Asian Tour and PGA Tour.

• He made the cut for his maiden Olympics after withdrawal of Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo from quadrennial event.

• He qualified for Tokyo on the basis of being first reserve against Grillo’s name.

Men’s golf event in Tokyo:

• The Golf event in Tokyo will feature 60 players from 35 nations.

• It will be played at Kasumigaseki Country Club from July 29 to August 1.

Golf Controversy:

• First Olympic golf tournaments took place at second modern Games in Paris in 1900 where both men’s and women’s golf events were held.

• Golf men’s event was featured again in next Games, St. Louis in 1904.

• However, during 1908 Games in London, golf event was boycotted by all host nation’s golfers because of some disputes.

• Following this, Golf got disappeared from Olympic programme.

• It made its return in 2016.

2020 Summer Olympics:

• Tokyo Olympics or 2020 Summer Olympics is going to be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

• The much awaited event was postponed in March 2020 because of COVID-19 pandemic.

• It will be held behind closed doors with no spectators permitted under state of emergency