comprehensive cureent affairs 8th june 2020

India’s first Online Waste Exchange launched

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the first online waste exchange programme. The programme was launched for safe disposal of toxic wastes and promote recycling and reuse of toxic wastes.

Highlights:

The online waste exchange programme was launched on the occasion of World Environment day. The platform is to track, audit, scrutinize the waste and encourage proper utilization of the waste. The platform launched is to comply the principles of 6Rs namely Reuse, Recycle, Reduce, Redesign, Refurbish and Remanufacture. During the launch of the programme, it was announced that the AP Environment Improvement Act, 2020 is to be enacted soon.

 APEMC

The Andhra Pradesh Environment Management Corporation or APEMC was set up to handle industrial wastes. The Corporation will take over the responsibility of the online platform. According to environment Rules and Regulations, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board is to make necessary changes in order to hand over the waste to the APEMC.

World Food Safety Day (WFSD)

World Food Safety Day (WFSD) is celebrated on 7 June 2020.

It aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.

WFSD reinforces the call to strengthen commitment to scale up food safety made by the Addis Ababa Conference and the Geneva Forum in 2019 under the umbrella of “The Future of Food Safety”. 

WHO, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is pleased to facilitate Member States efforts to celebrate the World Food Safety Day.

The first WFSD was celebrated in 2019. 

Solar micro-grids in Sundarbans

Solar micro-grids are small, localized grids that supply electricity in the range of 10 to 100 kilowatt using solar power.

The micro-grids are not connected to the main grid and can cater to only the local population. 

 Non-profit WWF-India built six such micro-grids in Satjelia island, Sundarbans, of 10 KW each catering to about 600 families.

The micro-grids have been handed over to the local user community for day-to-day running.  

A family has to pay about Rs 50 a month to use three electrical points,  generally a tube light, fan, mobile phone charging and television.

Sundarbans has had one of the highest solar power installations in the world since mid-1990s about 200,000 off-grid connections.

The thrust on solar, however, eventually eroded after the entry of mainstream electrical grid in 2012. 

ISRO signs Memorandum of Understanding

The Indian Space Research Organization recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Aryabhata Research Institute of Observational Science (ARIES), Nainital.

Highlights

The ISRO and ARIES signed the MoU on the cooperation in the filed of Space Situational Awareness and Astrophysics. The space situation awareness includes Space object tracking, space orbit analysis and space weather studies. The main objective of the MoU is to protect the Indian space assets from space debris threats. The MoU also aims at solar sciences, R&D of Astrophysics and space environment. ISRO has signed similar agreement earlier with University of Texas, USA and Austin.

India’s perspective on Space Situation Awareness

According to India, space assets play major role in a country’s power and prestige. The number of

objects in space is increasing day by day. Today there are more than 19,432 objects in orbit. Out of these only 2,216 are active satellites.

Under the Space Situation Awareness, India is focusing on debris tracking, collision avoidance, satellite anomaly detection, monitoring threats from space weather station, prediction of threats from asteroids and meteorites.

Task Force for Women

Union Women and Child Development Ministry constitutes task force to examine issues related to lowering Maternal Mortality Rate.

The Ministry has constituted a task force to examine issues related to age of motherhood, lowering Maternal Mortality Rate and improvement of nutritional levels.

The task force will suggest suitable legislations and amendments in existing laws and also chalk out a detailed roll-out plan with timelines to implement these recommendations.

The task Force will examine the issues related to Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate, Total Fertility Rate, Sex Ratio at Birth, Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and any other issues pertaining to health and nutrition.

It will also suggest measures for promoting higher education among women.

Union Finance Minister in her Budget Speech for 2020-21 has announced to set up a task force for women.

NABARD extends Rs 270 crore to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has extended a Special Liquidity Facility (SLF) of Rs 270 crore to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank to support the agricultural activities of the farmers amid COVID-19 pandemic. This line of credit would enable the farmers in enhancing

their crop production and hence this amount would prove to be a boon to the agriculture credit of the state at this difficult hour.

Chairman of National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development: G R Chintala.