Comprehensive Current affairs 7 August 2020

Ravi Development authority to be announced.

Pak. P.M Imran Khan is going to inaugurate the Ravi Development Authority project in Lahore to overcome the problems of congested traffic, water and environment in Lahore city.

During the visit, PM Imran is also expected to chair meetings of National Coordination Committee on Housing, Construction and Development, and on education reforms in Punjab.

Most modern city.

According to a statement, Punjab C.M had given the green signal to establish “River Ravi Front Authority” for developing a “most modern city” in the north of Lahore.

The provincial government will promulgate an ordinance for the establishment of this authority with the chief minister as its chairman.

The authority would work to develop the new city over an area of more than one 100,000 acres. It is expected that Rs5 trillion would be invested by the private sector to develop the city.

A large lake and free barrages will also be built in the new city.

Serum Institute of India, Novavax in covid vaccine deal, may produce 100 crore doses.

Pune-based Serum Institute of India and US-based Novavax have announced an agreement for the development and commercialization of Novavax’ COVID‑19 vaccine candidate in India and other low- and middle-income countries. The agreement is expected to support minimum of 1 billion doses of NVX-CoV2373 for India and low- and middle-income countries, Novavax said.

This agreement excludes major upper-middle and high-income countries, for which Novavax continues to retain rights.

world’s largest vaccine manufacturer in terms of doses delivered, Serum Institute is the ideal partner to advance NVX‑CoV2373 throughout India and the low- and middle-income countries. This partnership continues to build on our companies’ collaborative history."

According to the agreement, for low- and middle-income countries, Novavax and Serum Institute are partnering on clinical development, co-formulation, filling and finishing and commercialization of Novavax's covid vaccine. Serum Institute will be responsible for regulatory submissions and marketing authorizations. Novavax will provide to Serum Institute both vaccine antigen and Matrix‑M adjuvant.

The companies are in discussions to have Serum Institute manufacture vaccine antigen in India. Novavax and Serum Institute will split the revenue from the sale of product, net of agreed costs.

Serum Institute has also partnered with Oxford University-Astra Zeneca for manufacturing covid vaccine in India. Recently, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval to Serum

Institute of India, Pune to conduct Phase II+III clinical trials of Oxford University-Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine (COVISHIELD) in India.

Delhi government launches electric vehicle policy, announces incentives of up to ₹1.5 lakh.

The Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi on Friday launched the Electric Vehicle Policy for the national capital under which the AAP government will waive registration fee, road tax, and provide an incentive of up to ₹1.5 lakh for new cars.

➡This policy will help govt. to generate employment and will give a boost to Delhi's economy and reduce pollution levels in Indian capital.

➡Delhi CM termed the new EV policy as "progressive" and said the policy also aims to constitute 25% electric vehicles by 2024, which is currently just 0.29% in the in the national capital.

➡Delhi Govt will provide financial assistance to those buying electric vehicles under Electric Vehicle Policy. ➡Financial assistance of Rs 30,000 will be given on the purchase of 2-wheelers, Rs 1.5 lakh on cars & Rs 30,000 on auto-rickshaws & e-rickshaws.

➡The Delhi government is also going to provide low-interest loan on electric commercial vehicles  

➡Establishment of an 'EV Cell' to implement the Electric Vehicle Policy in the national capital and it is expected that 5 lakh new electric vehicles will be registered in next five years.

➡ 200 charging stations will be set up in a year to ensure that people driving these vehicles can get a charging station within the radius of three kilometers.

➡Youth will be trained so that they get jobs as electric vehicle sector will need them at a large scale after the implementation of this policy.

There was already the Centre's scheme on electric vehicles called 'Fame India Phase-2', under which the Union government also provides some incentives. And the Delhi government scheme will be an addition to the Centre's scheme and people can also avail benefits under both the schemes.

Trump passes executive order on procuring essential drugs from US firms.

The US commissioner of food and drugs has been directed to create a list of medicines,medical countermeasures, and critical inputs that are essential for public health in America based on which every US agency involved in the procurement of medicines "will consider using its authority to limit competition in government procurement of these essential items to American manufacturers.

In potential trouble for Indian pharmaceutical companies, US President Donal Trump on Thursday passed an executive order to ensure that the world’s largest market procures 'essential medicines' from domestic production and reduces dependence on imports.

The executive order, part of Trump’s ‘buy American’ plan, comes on the back of the covid-19 pandemic that originated in China, leading to a severe disruption in supply chains of pharmaceuticals, among other things. Trump had highlighted this in his speech at Whirlpool Corporation’s manufacturing plant in Ohio, US, on Thursday.

To support the production of advanced pharmaceutical ingredients and essential medicines in America, the order also directs agencies to prioritize permitting and approvals for domestic manufacturers.

The move could potentially be disruptive for Indian drugmakers like Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Lupin and Cipla, for whom the US is either the largest or second-largest market.

Australian Citizenship

Out of the over 200,000 people who became Australian citizens in 2019-2020, 38,209 were Indians, the Highest Number on Record.

Australia:

• Australia comprises of mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands.

• It is the largest country in Oceania and the world’s sixth-largest country by total area.

• Canberra is the capital and Sydney is the largest city. Other major cities are Melbourne,

Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. A megadiverse country, its size gives it a wide variety of landscapes, with deserts in the centre, tropical rainforests in the north-east, and mountain ranges in the south-east. Australia is a highly developed country, with the world’s 14th- largest economy. It has a high-income economy, with the world’s tenth-highest per capita income. Natural Resources found in Australia include alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, rare earth elements, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum. Australia is the world’s largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports

• Australia is a member of the United Nations, G20, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Trade

Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Pacific Islands Forum, and the ASEAN Plus Six mechanism.

Khadi agarbati Aatmanirbhar Mission.

Minister for MSME approves the Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission.

Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission:

• This is an employment generation programme proposed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

• The idea is to make India Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) in Agarbatti Production.

bjective of the Mission:

✓ The mission aims at creating employment for unemployed and migrant workers in different parts of the country while increasing domestic Agarbatti production substantially.

The scheme will operate on a PPP model.

• Under the scheme, KVIC will provide Automatic Agarbatti making machines and powder mixing machines to the artisans through successful private Agarbatti manufacturers who will sign the agreement as business partners.

• KVIC has decided to procure only locally made machines by Indian manufacturers which also aims at encouraging local production.

• KVIC will provide a 25% subsidy on the cost of the machines and will recover the remaining 75% of the cost from the artisans in easy installments every month.

• The business partner will provide the raw material to the artisans for making Agarbatti and will pay them wages on a job work basis.

• The cost of artisans’ training will be shared between KVIC and the private business partner wherein KVIC will bear 75% of the cost while 25% will be paid by the business partner.

• Each automatic Agarbatti making machine makes approximately 80 kg Agarbatti per day which will provide direct employment to 4 persons. One powder mixing machine, to be given on a set on 5 Agarbatti making machines, will provide employment to 2 persons.

• The supply of raw material to the artisans, logistics, quality control and marketing of the final product will be the sole responsibility of the business partner.

• The programme aims at handholding artisans and supporting the local Agarbatti industry.

The current consumption of Agarbatti in the country is approximately 1490 MT per day; however, India’s per day production of Agarbatti is just 760 MT. There is a huge gap between the demand and the supply and hence, immense scope for job creation.

Aspirin nanorods to prevent Cataract.

Context:

• The scientists from the Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST) have recently developed nanorods from the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) Aspirin to prevent cataracts in an economical and less complicated way.

• INST is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

About Cataract:

• It is a major form of blindness that occurs when the structure of crystallin proteins that make up the lens in human eyes deteriorates.

• It causes damaged or disorganised proteins to aggregate and form a milky blue or brown layer, which ultimately affects lens transparency.

• As with aging and under various conditions, the lens protein crystallin aggregates to form opaque structures in the eye lens, which impairs vision and causes cataract.

• The prevention of the formation of these aggregates as well as their destruction in the early stage of disease progression is a major treatment strategy for cataracts.

About Aspirin:

• Aspirin is a popular medication used to reduce pain, fever, or inflammation and now it has been found to be an effective non–invasive small molecule-based nanotherapeutics against cataract. The scientists have used the anti-aggregation ability of self-build aspirin nanorods as an effective non –invasive small molecule-based nanotherapeutics against cataract.

• It prevents the protein aggregation through biomolecular interactions, which convert it into coils and helices and consequently fail to aggregate.

Significance:

• The Aspirin nanorods due to their nano-size are expected to enhance bioavailability, improve drug loading, lower toxicity, etc. The delivery of the aspirin nanorods as eye drops is going to serve as an effective and viable option to treat cataract non-invasively.

• It is easy to use and a low-cost alternative nonsurgical treatment method and will benefit patients in developing countries who cannot access expensive cataract treatments and surgeries.

Prevention of cataract

• INST scientists develop simple economical nonsurgical prevention of cataracts.

Cataract:

• A cataract is a dense, cloudy area that forms in the lens of the eye.

• A cataract begins when proteins in the eye form clumps that prevent the lens from sending clear images to the retina. The retina works by converting the light that comes through the lens into signals.

A cataract is a form of blindness that occurs when the structure of crystallin proteins that make up the lens in our eyes deteriorates, causing damaged or disorganised proteins to aggregate and form a milky blue or brown layer, which ultimately affects lens transparency.

• Thus, prevention of the formation of these aggregates as well as their destruction in the early stage of disease progression is a major treatment strategy for cataracts.

Study:

• A team of scientists from the Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), an autonomous institute under the DST, has developed nanorods from the nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drug

(NSAID) Aspirin and found it to be an effective non-invasive small molecule-based nanotherapeutics against cataract.

• The team has used the anti-aggregation ability of self-build aspirin nanorods for this purpose.

• Aspirin nanorods prevent the aggregation of crystallin protein and various peptides derived from its fragmentation, which play a crucial role in cataract formation.

• These were found to prevent cataract formation by inhibiting aggregation of crystallin, and crystallin derived peptide aggregates.

• The targeted disaggregation of the accumulated alpha-crystallin protein and crystallin derived peptide aggregates in aged and cataractous human lenses are considered as a viable therapeutic strategy for the prevention of cataract formation.

• The aspirin nanorods are produced using the process of molecular self-assembly, which is a low cost and high-yield technique to generate the aspirin nanorods as compared to the high cost and laborious physical methods generally used for the synthesis of nanoparticles.

Coin in Honour of Mahatma Gandhi

• Recently, Britain is considering minting a coin to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi.

Highlights:

• It is seen as part of efforts to celebrate achievements of people from the Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

• The British Finance Minister has written a letter to the Royal Mint Advisory Committee

(RMAC), to consider recognising the contribution of BAME communities on Britain's coinage.

• The RMAC is an independent committee made up of experts who recommend themes and designs for coins. It supports a campaign called ‘We Too Built Britain’, which seeks representation of non-white icons on British currency.

• The murder of a Black man, George Floyd, in the United States due to police butuality has led to Black Lives Matter protests against racism, colonialism and police brutality across the globe.

• Triggered by the death of George Floyd, some British institutions began re-examining their past, which includes their History, Colonialism and Racism.

About Black Lives Matter Protest:

• It is a global movement advocating for non-violent civil disobedience in protest against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against African-American people. Its mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.

• The movement was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s (African-American) murderer in the USA.

SKOCH Gold Award.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has received the SKOCH Gold Award for its Empowerment of Tribals through IT-enabled Scholarship Schemes project.

• Under the project, MoTA has integrated all 5 Scholarship Schemes with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Portal under the DBT Mission.

SKOCH Award:

• Skoch Award instituted in 2003.

• It is the highest civilian honour in the country conferred by an independent organisation.

• The awards recognise leadership and excellence in accelerating socio -economic changes.

• Conferred to people, projects and institutions.

• Awardees are selected based on the nomination, jury evaluation, presentation of shortlisted nominees, focus group discussions, interactions and peer evaluation.

• The 66th SKOCH 2020 Competition was entitled India Responds to COVID Through Digital Governance.

Programmes launched under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana

Recently, the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) approved a programme for the benefit of artisans involved in the manufacturing of Agarbatti and to develop village industry under ‘Gramodyog Vikas Yojana’.

Highlights:

• As per the programme, initially, four Pilot Projects will be started, including one in the North Eastern part of the country.

• Each targeted cluster of artisans will be supported with about 50 Automatic Agarbatti making machines and 10 Mixing machines. Accordingly, a total of 200 Automatic Agarbatti making machines and 40 Mixing machines will be provided to the artisans.

Role of KVIC:

• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), one of the statutory organizations, working under the MSME, will provide training, and assist artisans working in this area, with Agarbatti manufacturing machines.

• KVIC will tie-up with Khadi institutions / Agarbatti manufacturers in the country, having a good track record, to provide work and raw material to ‘Agarbatti making artisans.

Expected Benefits:

• Act as a catalyst in reviving Agarbatti manufacturing in the villages and small towns.

• Generate a minimum of about 500 additional jobs.

• Boost domestic Agarbatti Industry.

• Reduce imports of Agarbatti.

Gramodyog Vikas Yojana:

• Along with Khadi Vikas Yojana, Gramodyog Vikas Yojana are the two umbrella schemes of formed after merging of 8 different schemes of Khadi & Village Industries.

• Gramodyog Vikas Yojana aims to promote and develop the village industries through common Facilities, Technological Modernization, Training etc.

Components of Gramodyog Vikas Yojana:

• Research & Development and Product Innovation: R&D support would be given to the institutions that intend to carry product development, new innovations, design development, product diversification processes etc.

• Activities of Existing Dedicated Verticals of Village Industries: This includes Agro-Based & Food Processing Industry, Mineral-Based Industry, Handmade Paper, Leather & Plastic Industry among others.

• Capacity Building: Under the Human Resource Development and Skill Training components, exclusive capacity building of staff as well as the artisans.

• Marketing & Publicity: The village institutions will be provided market support by way of preparation of product catalogue, Industry directory, market research, new marketing techniques, buyer-seller meet, arranging exhibitions etc.

Agatti Island.

The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently granted an interim stay on felling of coconut trees on Agatti Island in Lakshadweep.

Highlights:

• The petition was moved in the NGT over indiscriminate cutting of coconut trees for a Beach Road.

• The tree-felling was violating the Union Territory’s (UT) Integrated Island Management Plan (IIMP), which was formulated on the basis of a report submitted by the Supreme Court-appointed Expert Committee, headed by Justice R.V. Raveendran, a former judge of the SC.

The IIMP includes holistic island development plans prepared by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) for implementation by coastal States/ UTs.

• It undertakes scientific approaches, coupled with indigenous knowledge for the better management of the islands and its resources.

• Due to the large scale cutting of the coconut trees, local residents are affected by losing income from the tree produces.

• It also poses an environmental challenge because the trees on the coastline act as a green belt to protect the rest of the island during cyclones and other natural calamities.

About Agatti Island:

• It is at a distance of 459 km (248 nautical miles) from Kochi (Kerala) and is located to the west of Kavaratti Island. The Kavaratti is the capital of the UT of Lakshadweep.

• It has an area of 3.84 sq km and has a north-east, south-west trend with a long tail on the south.

• The lagoon area of this island is 17.50 sq km and there is plenty of coral growth and multicoloured coral fishes in the lagoons.

• The Fishing is the most important industry of Agatti which is perhaps the only island besides Minicoy getting surplus fish. The coir (coconut fibre) and copra (dried meat or kernel of the coconut) are the Main Industries.

Cut Gratuity Period to One Year, says Panel.

Parliamentary Committee on Labour has, in its latest report, recommended that the eligibility period for gratuity payable to an employee on termination of his employment should be reduced to one year from the present provision of Five Years.

What is Gratuity?

• Gratuity is the monetary benefit provided by the employer to his/her employee for the services rendered by him during the period of employment.

• A minimum of five years of service with an organisation is mandatory for availing the benefit of Gratuity.

About the Payment of Gratuity Act 1972:

• The Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 makes it mandatory for the employers to pay their employees gratuity at the time of quitting, provided certain conditions were met.

• An organisation comes under the purview of the Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 if it has 10 or more employees on any single day in the preceding 12 months.

• The Payment of Gratuity Act follows the rule of ‘Once Covered, Always Covered’ which implies that that once an organisation comes under the Act, it will always remain covered even if the number of employees falls below 10.

• The Ministry of Finance has now enhanced the income tax exemption for gratuity under Section 10 (10) (iii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 to Rs 20 lakhs.

What did the Panel Recommended?

• Keeping in view the nature of India’s Labour Market where most employees are employed for a short duration period only, making them ineligible for gratuity as per extant norms, the Committee desires that the time limit of five years as provided for in the Code for payment of gratuity be reduced to continuous service of One Year.

• It has further recommended that this facility be extended to all kinds of employees, including contract labourers, seasonal workers, piece rate workers and fixed term employees and daily/monthly wage workers.

The committee has stressed that there should be a robust redressal mechanism in case an employer does not pay up the dues.

• The panel has recommended that the Social Security Code should have provisions to hold the employer liable for payment of gratuity to the employees within a stipulated time frame.

• There should not be any leniency, as strong deterrent provisions would reduce wilful default and delinquent negligence on the part of employers in timely payment of gratuity to the needy and Deserving Employees.

What are the other Recommendations?

• On similar lines, the Committee also flagged the concern that the threshold limit of 20 or more employees for EPFO registration can be used by the employers to exclude themselves from EPFO coverage.

• The Committee desires that possibilities be explored to make the EPF Act applicable to all the workers, including self-employed.

• The panel has recommended that the social security code should empower the Central government to reduce the employee’s contribution to EPF in exceptional circumstances like disasters in terms of the Disaster Management Act, including pandemics, because this would enable the Government to provide relief to the affected persons in COVID-19 like pandemics.

Why it is Significant?

• The Committee made this recommendation in its report on Social Security Code, which has been evolved subsuming nine Central Labour laws.

• This comes in the wake of extensive retrenchment in all sectors in COVID-19 pandemic-Induced Economic Slowdown.