comprehensive current affairs 27 july 2020

Naidu urges people to learn more languages and foster unity of mankind.

Vice President  of India Venkaiah Naidu has highlighted the virtues of learning and mastering one's mother tongue even as he urged the people to learn other languages to the extent possible for a wider understanding of cultural diversities and value systems. He further said that learning other languages also fosters wider bonding of humankind besides enhancing opportunities of various kinds.
Addressing online the participants in the 'World Telugu Cultural Fest' being organized in San Francisco, the USA, Mr. Naidu stressed that language is more than a mere instrument of expression. He elaborated that language is manifestation of culture and a system of values over a long period of time and it epitomizes the personality types typical to respective cultures. 

Noting that a common language fosters unity and community development, Vice President urged the people to learn as many languages as possible for a broader understanding of the diverse cultures. He has called for extensive cultural and linguistic exchanges for transforming the mindsets and perspectives.

Mr. Naidu also urged the people to always be mindful and respectful of four 'M's i.e. Mother, Motherland, Mother Tongue and Mentor.

Average completion time of PMAY-G houses comes down.

India's Ministry of Rural Development has said that the average completion time for houses under restructured PradhanMantriAwaasYojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) has come down to 114 days as compared to 314 days earlier.

P.M Modi had launched the this scheme on 20th November, 2016 by replacing Indra Awas Yojna to achieve the objective of Housing for all by the year 2022. The target is to construct 2.95 crore houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022.

The Ministry said, the measures taken in this regard  ensured increased pace for construction of houses resulting in completion of one crore 10 lakh houses which includes houses to 1.46 lakh landless beneficiaries under the scheme.

Indian External Affairs Ministry claims abiding by LAC as basis of peace & tranquillity in border.

Ministry has said respecting and strictly abiding by the LAC is the basis of peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Briefing media in New Delhi on External Affairs Ministry  official said, several agreements concluded by India and China since 1993 firmly acknowledge this.

He said the conduct of Chinese forces this year, including the deployment of large body of troops and changes in behaviour, accompanied by unjustified and untenable claims, has been in complete disregard of all the mutual agreements.

He said Indian side has made it clear that India is fully committed to observing and respecting the LAC and country will not accept any unilateral attempts to change the status quo along the LAC.

The two sides have agreed during the conversation of the Special Representatives to work towards complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquillity.

The 4th round of the meeting of the Senior Commanders was held on 14th July, where they also discussed further steps to ensure complete disengagement.

The official said another meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs is also expected to be scheduled soon.

 

India claimed that they along with ASEAN to play lead role in Post-COVID World Economic Recovery.

Indian minister Jitendra Singh today said that India and ASEAN will play a lead role in the Post-COVID World Economic Recovery and the future belongs to them due to common traits of grit, courage and determination to scale newer heights.

Singh said, due to close business and cultural ties between India and ASEAN, the region will take a lead in the economic recovery in the post-Corona era. The Minister said that North Eastern Region has a special role to play in the promotion of trade and business relations with ASEAN as it is the gateway to the growing economies of South East Asian Nations.

Referring to the connectivity issues, Mr Singh said, in the last six years, there has been a significant development in terms of Road, Rail and Air connectivity. He recalled that the Indo-Bangladesh treaty for exchange of enclaves, which they claim,was accomplished in their government  has cleared the decks for ease of business, ease of movement and ease of commuting.

Pakistan Air Force carries out exercises at base Qadri in Gilgit.

Pakistan is carrying out military exercises at its air force base at Qadri in Skardu area of Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan administered Kashmir.

News gathering agency Indo-Asia News Service quoting unnamed officials reported that Pakistan’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan visited the base on Friday to hold some important meetings and oversee the military exercises.

His visit comes at a time when China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops remain in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with Indian soldiers along the LAC in Ladakh.

Speculations are rife in Pakistan and China that the two allies may attack from two fronts – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, respectively, however, Radio Pakistan claimed that Khan visited PAF Base Qadri at Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday and not Friday. “The Air Chief witnessed various operational activities at the base including rapid deployment of fighter aircraft and combat support elements. He was also briefed about the ongoing development works at the base,” Radio Pakistan said.

Talking to air force personnel, Khan said that Pakistan was watching the geo-strategic developments in the region. The air chief claimed that India was making massive military procurements.
Official sources in New Delhi said that India is fully cognizant of Pakistan’s military exercises in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Kashmir Discussed By Pak, Bangladesh and Reports Raise Eyebrows In India.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's phone call to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina and a press release from Islamabad saying Mr Khan shared his concerns about Jammu and Kashmir has raised buzz in view of the shifting dynamics in India's neighbourhood and the clashes with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

As ties with Nepal turned prickly over the last months, Islamabad's successful overtures to Dhaka have given rise to conjecture about a possible dilution of Bangladesh's staunch pro- India stand.

There are concerns that China, already a strong influencer in Bangladesh, may have had a role in the phone call, which comes after months of strained relations.

On Kashmir, contrasting statements have emerged from the two countries.

Pakistan's eight-paragraph statement said Prime Minister Imran Khan "shared Pakistan's perspective" on Kashmir and "stressed the importance of peaceful resolution".

Hanna becomes hurricane as it heads toward virus-weary Texas

HOUSTON: Tropical Storm Hanna was upgraded to a hurricane on Saturday, moving toward the Texas coast and threatening to bring heavy rain, storm surge and possible tornadoes to a part of the country trying to cope with a surge in coronavirus cases.

The storm, which is the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, was expected to make landfall on Saturday afternoon or evening south of Corpus Christi, the US National Hurricane Center said on Saturday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was centered about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east-southeast of Corpus Christi and was moving west at 9 mph (15 kph).

The main hazard from Hanna was expected to be flash flooding, Chris Birchfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville, said on Friday. Forecasters said Hanna could bring 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain through Sunday night - with isolated totals of 18 inches (46 centimeters) - in addition to coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

In the Mexican city of Matamoros, located across the border from Brownsville, volunteers worried whether the tropical storm would affect a makeshift migrant camp near the Rio Grande where about 1,300 asylum seekers, including newborn babies and elderly residents, are waiting under the US immigration policy informally known as "Remain in Mexico."

Global Warming May Unleash Asian Monsoon Fury: Study.

As the world braces itself for the multitude of impacts of climate change, a significant amount of research has indicated that global warming means more rain for Asian monsoon regions, which can be devastating for countries like India in the form of more floods.

Even this year, the over-a-month long devastating flood in Assam has continued to remain grim, with nearly 100 deaths and 26.37 lakh people being affected. Nearly 10 lakh people are left distressed in Bihar.

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University simulated 30 years of global warming to show significantly elevated levels of precipitation in the monsoon "trough," a zone spanning across northern India, the Indo-China peninsula, and the western parts of the North Pacific, with tropical disturbances such as typhoons and concentrated water vapour playing key roles.

The effects of increased precipitation during the monsoon season in Asia can be devastating. Examples include the 2018 and 2020 floods in western Japan and the East Asian countries. The region is home to a large population, and the monsoons are a major driver of global water cycles.

The researchers added that, home to a large proportion of the world population, detailed local predictions for the scale and nature of monsoons and tropical disturbances such as typhoons/cyclones have the potential to inform disaster mitigation strategies and key policymaking" .the study found that it was not clear whether "monsoon westerlies" were enhanced, but it did find more cyclones in the trough, enough to account for the increased precipitation. Concurrent with the increased precipitation, they also found distinct trends in water vapour over the monsoon region.

Saudi Arabia to hold downsized Hajj from Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia will start hosting pilgrims for Hajj on Wednesday, in a dramatically downscaled pilgrimage due to the coronavirus pandemic that has barred millions from taking part in the ritual for the first time in modern history.

Up to 10,000 people residing in the kingdom will participate in the Muslim ritual, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million that attended last year, after what many saw as an opaque selection process that left a wave of applicants rejected.

The foreign press are barred from this year's hajj, usually a huge global media event, as the government tightens access to the holy city of Makkah and puts in place strict health restrictions to prevent a virus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage — a key pillar of Islam.

Pilgrims were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a Hajj ministry programme document.

They are required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in Makkah and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage.

The ministry said it has set up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims, who will be required to observe social distancing.

Golden ticket'

Saudi authorities initially said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom would be permitted for Hajj but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed.
The Hajj ministry has fielded a deluge of anguished queries on Twitter from rejected applicants.

But Hajj Minister Mohammad Benten insisted the process was transparent, telling the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television that "health determinants" formed the basis of selection.

The ministry said non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process.

It said foreign residents would make up 70% of all selected pilgrims.

E-symposium on handicrafts brought in by Indian tribal affairs ministry.

Tribal Affairs Minister of India today inaugurated an e-Symposium on Handicrafts organized by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, Indian Institute of Management, Shillong. The e-symposium was titled 'Emergent North-East India: Strategic and Developmental Imperatives in Handicrafts'.

Speaking on this occasion, minister said that the traditional lifestyle in India is very artistic and creative, but we could not make our due place in global market due to lack of proper marketing management. He cited the example of Agarbatti which is now mostly imported in India.
He opined that the Bamboos in North Eastern India can be used in making better quality of Agarbattis and the burden of import can be lessened. minister said all North Eastern States can very easily be converted in to organic states to produce quality organic agro-products.
Minister emphasized that the trading mindset of our artisans should be replaced by entrepreneurship by upgrading their skills and urged for up-skilling which is now need of the hour.

RBI indicates rise in Gross NPA of scheduled banks

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday said stress tests indicated that gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) could worsen to as high as 14.7% by the end of the current financial year, from 8.5% in March 2020, if the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was ‘very severe’.

Bank credit which had considerably weakened during the first half of 2019-20, slid down further to 5.9% by March 2020 and remained muted up to early June 2020. This moderation was broad-based across all bank groups, the central bank said.

In terms of inter-sectoral exposures, asset management companies/mutual funds, followed by insurance companies, were the biggest fund providers in the system, while non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) were the biggest receivers, followed by housing finance companies (HFCs).

The central bank said the near-term economic prospects appear severely impacted by lockdown induced disruptions to both supply and demand side factors, diminished consumer confidence and risk aversion.

“Full restoration in economic activity would be contingent upon the support for robust health infrastructure, recovery in demand conditions and fixing of supply dislocations,” the central bank observed.

Government notifies new rules for e-commerce companies

The government has notified new rules and regulations for e-commerce companies under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. It made it mandatory to display the 'country of origin' on their products stating that any non-compliance will attract penal action.

The 'Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020', notified on 23rd July is part of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.The new norms aim to protect the rights of consumer by establishing authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumers'

disputes.
The 'Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020' will be applicable to all electronic retailers registered in India or abroad but offering goods and services to Indian consumers. The new rules empower the central government to act against unfair trade practices in e-commerce and direct selling.