Comprehensive Current affairs 21 August 2020

Government's Decision to set up NRA.

Indian Cabinet on Wednesday approved the creation of a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) for conducting a Common Eligibility Test (CET) for various government jobs.

This is said to be a historic decision and will benefit crores of young people who applied for jobs every year. About 2.5 crore to 3 crore candidates applied for the 1.25 lakh Group B and C jobs advertised by three agencies every year, with separate schedules and fees.

“A common eligibility test would enable these candidates to appear once and apply to any or all of these recruitment agencies for the higher level of examination.

The exam would be held online in 12 languages to begin with, and centres would be set up in every district to increase access, it stated.

“The CET score of the candidate shall be valid for a period of three years from the date of declaration of the result. The best of the valid scores shall be deemed to be the current score of the candidate,” it said.

Candidates from the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes would be given a relaxation in the age limit as per the government’s policy, it noted.

Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements-2020.

Recently Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA)-2020 was announced.

➡The rankings have been evaluated based on seven parameters. It includes budget and funding support, infrastructure and facilities, awareness, promotions, and support for idea generation and innovation.
➡Its announcement included classification of the institutes into two broad categories and six sub categories.
➡ The IIT Madras bagged the top position under the category of Institutes of National Importance, Central Universities, and Centrally Funded Technical Institutes.

➡Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai got the top position under Government and Government Aided Universities.

➡ College of Engineering, Pune got the top position under Government and Government Aided Colleges.
➡Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar got the top position under Private or Self-Financed Universities.

➡ S R Engineering College, Warangal got the top position under Private or Self-Financed Colleges. A special category for higher educational institutions for women has been
introduced to bring gender parity in the areas of innovation and  entrepreneurship.

➡Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women secured top place under this category

FSSAI organises online orientation workshop as part of Eat Right Challenge.

Health Minister of India presided over an online orientation workshop organised by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as part of its Eat Right Challenge.

He also launched FSSAI’s ‘Eat Right India’ Handbook and the website to help various stakeholders scale up ‘Eat Right India’ initiatives across the country.

The ‘Eat Right India’ movement initiated by FSSAI has been creating awareness among the people about safe, healthy and sustainable dietary habits.To achieve this and to convert the programme  into people’s movement, FSSAI recently announced the Eat Right Challenge.

It is an annual competition for 197 Districts and Cities to strengthen the food safety and regulatory environment, build awareness among the consumers and urge them to make better food choices.

India is said to assist Bangladesh in fight against COVID.

Foreign Secretary Harsh VardhanShringla wrapped up his two day visit to Bangladesh on Wednesday after holding a meeting with his Bangaldeshi counterpart Masud Bin Momen in Dhaka.
Talking to the media after holding discussion with his Bangladeshi counterpart Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary Shringla said that he had come to Bangladesh as Prime Minister NarendraModi felt that the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries must move forward.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Shringla had called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appreciated Prime Minister Modi’s gesture of conveying the message and desire to take the relationship forward.

During the meeting, various aspects of the bilateral relationship were discussed including development partnership, enhancing connectivity, revival of economy post Covid and cooperation on COVID assistance.

The foreign secretary also discussed therapeutics and vaccine in fight against corona, and joint commemoration of the birth centenary year of Bangbandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman.

Pakistan denies possible claims of diplomatic ties with Israel.

.PM Khan has categorically rejected any possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, according to a media report.

“Our policy on Israel is clear: The Quaid-i-Azam (Muhammad Ali Jinnah) had said that Pakistan can never accept state of Israel until the people of Palestine get rights and an independent state.
Pakistan and Israel do not have diplomatic relations and their aircraft are not allowed to use each other’s airspace.

“If we recognise Israel and ignore tyranny faced by the Palestinians, we will have to give up Kashmir as well, and this we cannot do, he said.

His remarks came in the backdrop of recent peace overtures between the UAE and Israel, with the former becoming only the third Arab nation to enter into a peace deal with the Jewish state

Report finds increase in India’s cancer burden.

Cancer cases in the country are likely to increase to 15.6 lakhs by 2025 — a 12% increase from current estimated cases — based on current trends, according to the National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020. The figures were released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Informatics & Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru, here on Tuesday.
The report also found that in 2020, tobacco-related cancers are estimated to contribute to 27.1% of the total cancer burden, and highest in the northeastern region of the country. Cancers of the lung, mouth, stomach and oesophagus were the most common cancers among men. Cancers of the breast and cervix uteri were the most common cancers among women, the report said.
According to a release issued by the ICMR, the report estimates that in 2020, cancer cases in the

country will be at 13.9 lakhs. “These estimates are based on information related to cancer collected from 28 Population Based Cancer Registries [PBCRs],” it added.

Bhadbhut Project in Gujrat.

The Gujarat government has recently awarded the contract for the Bhadbhut project in Bharuch.
Highlights:
• The Inland Waterway Authority of India has given clearance for this project. It has faced  protests from local fishermen because it is likely to impact fishing patterns, mainly those of
hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha).

• It is located across the river Narmada, 5 km from Bhadbhut village and 25 km from the mouth of the river, where it flows into the Gulf of Khambhat.

• It is part of the larger Kalpasar Project, which entails the construction of a 30-km dam
across the Gulf of Khambhat between Bharuch and Bhavnagar districts. Kalpasar Project
aims to store Gujarat’s 25% average annual surface water resources..

• The reservoir will store about 8,000 million cubic metres (MCM) of surface water and will
be one of the world’s largest freshwater reservoirs in the sea.

• It is to prevent salinity ingress. It refers to the process of saltwater invading areas which previously contained only freshwater.

• Due to the reduced flow of freshwater, saline seawater gushes into the Narmada estuary during high tide, thus increasing salinity along the banks.

• It will stop most of the excess water flowing out of the Sardar Sarovar Dam from reaching
the sea and will create a sweet water lake of 600 MCM on the river, solving the freshwater problems in Bharuch.

• It will tap the excess waters of the Narmada, Mahisagar and Sabarmati rivers in the reservoir.

Death Valley recorded 54°C.

Death Valley in USA has recently registered a temperature of 54.4°C which, once verified, could be the highest temperature in more than a century.

Highlights:
• The Death Valley in southeastern California is the lowest point in the North American continent, and is a National Park. It is also the hottest and driest part of the continent.

• The temperature has been termed as preliminary and not final as it awaits verification.

• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Death Valley’s all-time record high is 56.7°C taken on 10th July 1913 at Greenland Ranch.

•It still stands as the hottest ever recorded on the planet’s surface.

• The high temperature is a result of a ‘heat dome’ that is smothering the west coast of the USA.Heat Domes is defined as High-pressure circulation traps hot ocean air like a lid or a cap trapping heat at the surface and favouring the formation of a heat wave.

• Higher daily peak temperatures and longer, more intense heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent globally due to climate change.

• The extreme heat can exacerbate pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory diseases, heart conditions and kidney disorders.

• It causes heat cramps, dehydration and even potentially fatal heat strokes in human body.
• It can also have a severe impact on agriculture and forests. It either causes vegetables to wilt and die or encourage the spread of plant diseases.

•It causes wildfires which lead to forest cover reduction and death of fauna.

• It affects infrastructure too by straining power grids and causing blackouts. It can ground planes, melt roads and cause the inside of vehicles to overheat to dangerous levels.

No need to Audit PM CARES: SC

India Supreme Court recently endorsed the PM CARES Fund as a “public charitable trust” to which donors contribute Voluntarily.

Highlights:
• NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, had
argued that the PM-CARES Fund

✓ Was not subject to CAG audit.

✓ It was not under “public scrutiny”.

✓ Contributions to it were “100% tax-free”.

✓ It is alleged that PM CARES was constituted to “circumvent” the National Disaster
Response Fund (NDRF).

• NDRF is a statutory fund already in existence under the Disaster Management Act of 2005
to receive contributions to finance the fight against a calamity.

• The need for a fresh national disaster management plan to take on the COVID-19 challenge was also presented.

Observations Made by SC:

• No need for CAG audit:

✓ There is “no occasion” for the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to audit a public charitable trust independent of Budgetary support or Government Money.

• The Need of hour:

✓ The SC said that it is “not open” for a PIL petitioner to question the “wisdom” that created the fund in an hour of need.

Therefore, no exception can be taken to the constitution of a public charitable trust, namely, PM CARES Fund.

• The SC dismissed the idea that the PM CARES was constituted to “circumvent” the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

• It reasoned that the outbreak of COVID-19 in India, as well as worldwide, required immediate enhancement in the infrastructure of medical health and the creation of a fund
to contain COVID-19.

• The SC Bench refused to direct the transfer of funds from the PM CARES Fund to the
NDRF.
✓ Any contribution of any individual or institution is not prohibited to be credited into the NDRF.
• No need for a Fresh Plan:

• The SC rejected the need for a fresh national disaster management plan to take on the COVID-19 challenges.

• The national plan and guidelines are by its very nature prior to the occurrence of any disaster. It is a measure of preparedness.

• Therefore, it is not conceivable that a national plan would be framed after the disaster has occurred. The SC bench also found no reason to interfere with the “minimum standards of relief” the government should provide in relief camps during the pandemic.

• The Disaster Management Act lists these “minimum requirements” under Section 12 as shelter, food, drinking water, medical cover, and sanitation, among other things.

• These guidelines for minimum standards are in place even before COVID-19, the said guidelines for minimum standards hold good even for those who are affected by COVID-19.

RBI releases framework for retail payment entity.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday released a framework for setting up of a pan-India umbrella entity for retail payments systems.

➡This entity, to be incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, would need to focus on retail payments systems, the RBI said.

➡The umbrella entity will set up, manage and operate new payments systems in the retail space comprising ATMs, white label PoS, Aadhaar-based payments and remittance services.

➡The entity will operate clearing and settlement systems for participating banks and non-banks, identify and manage relevant risks, monitor retail payments system developments and related issues in the country and internationally.

➡The RBI said it will be the responsibility of the entity to frame necessary rules and the related processes to ensure that the system is safe and sound, and that payments are exchanged efficiently. 

➡The entity will be permitted to participate in Reserve Bank’s payment and settlement systems, including having a current account with Reserve Bank, if required. The formation of the umbrella entity has been authorised under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.

India tops in number of organic farmers.

India ranks first in the number of organic farmers and ninth in terms of area under organic farming. Sikkim became the first state to become fully organic and other states including Tripura and Uttarakhand have set similar targets.

North East India has been traditionally following organic farming and the usage of chemicals in the region is reported to be far less than the rest of the country. The tribal and island territories are also being nurtured to continue their organic cultivation.

The Government initiated Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD) and ParamparagatKrishiVikasYojana (PKVY) in 2015 to encourage chemical free farming.
It also aims at assisting farmers to adopt organic farming and improve remunerations due to premium prices. Agri-export Policy 2018, has also given a major thrust in the field of Organic farming in the country. The major organic exports from India have been flax seeds, sesame, soybean, tea, medicinal plants, rice and pulses.

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 18 August 2020

PMO denies information regarding PM-CARES sought via RTI.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has denied a Right to Information (RTI) request related to the PM-CARES Fund on the grounds that providing it would “disproportionately divert the resources of the office”.

However, a High Court judgment and multiple orders of the Central Information Commission (CIC) have previously held that, under the RTI Act, this rationale can only be used to change the format of information provided, not deny it altogether.

This is a “misuse” of the Act, which should attract penalties under the law, says the country’s first Chief Information Commissioner WajahatHabibullah.

RTI activist Commodore LokeshBatra (retd.) had filed an RTI request asking for the total number of RTI applications and appeals received and disposed of in the PMO since April 2020, and the number of such applications related to PM-CARES and the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
Section 7(9) of the Act says, “An information shall ordinarily be provided in the form in which it

is sought unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question.”

“There is no ambiguity. This is a misuse of the clause by CPIOs. It is up to the information commissions to levy penalties as this would amount to misinformation provided under the Act,” said Mr.Habibullah.

IB officials to fast track Naga peace process

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM (NSCN-IM) said on Sunday that after Naga interlocutor R.N. Ravi created an imbroglio in the peace talk process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mandated a team of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials to fast-track the communication and clear the pending issues.

The group also released a copy of the original 2015 framework agreement, which stated that the Centre had agreed on “sharing the sovereign power” and provided for an “enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities”.

The NSCN-IM, one of the largest Naga groups, signed a framework agreement in the presence of Prime Minister on August 3, 2015 to end the decades-old Naga issue.

Mr. Ravi had signed the agreement on behalf of the Centre. After five years, the group is demanding the removal of Mr. Ravi, accusing him of “highhandedness” and tweaking the agreement to mislead the other Naga groups. Mr. Ravi was also appointed as Nagaland Governor last year.

India-Poland to expand bilateral investments post COVID.

Central Europe’s biggest nation and India’s traditional partner in the region is keen to invest in India and simultaneously keen to expand basket of Indian investments in the country.
PM NarendraModi is keen on creating new investment opportunities in India in the post-COVID period and on facilitating the inflow of foreign investments. India is the primary location in Asia for Polish investors (currently 270 mln USD).

Poland would encourage its entrepreneurs to invest in India and also would like to invite more Indian investors to make business in Poland, sources informed.

Increasing two-way investments was one of key issues discussed at the Indo-Polish Foreign Office Consultations held last week through a virtual meet. Poland has also proposed cooperation with India on research and innovation.

The global COVID-19 crisis has seriously challenged free trade and created significant disruptions in global supply chains, which is particularly problematic as regards deliveries of medical and protective equipment needed to tackle the pandemic. The best way to overcome this global crisis is by strengthening international cooperation.

Presently, about 30-40% of goods exported by India to Poland are reexported to other EU Countries. Poland possesses reputed clean coal technologies and Polish public-sector companies have played a substantial role in development of mining and power sectors in India.

Post deal, Israel-UAE establish direct phone link

The Israeli and UAE Foreign Ministers inaugurated on Sunday direct phone services between the two countries in their first announced call after an agreement to normalise relations, said an Emirati official.
The UAE’s Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Israel’s Gabi Ashkenazi “inaugurated a phone link between the United Arab Emirates and the state of Israel, and exchanged greetings following the historic Peace Accord signed by the two countries,” tweeted Hend al-Otaiba, director of strategic communications at the UAE’s Foreign Ministry.

The Israel-UAE deal, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, and raises the prospect of similar deals with other pro-Western Gulf states.

Mr. Trump said leaders from the two countries would sign the agreement at the White House in around three weeks.

Plasmodium vivax

The parasite Plasmodium vivax, responsible for 7.5 million malaria cases worldwide,remains understudied. An international team has developed a system to breed parasites
Plasmodium vivax in the lab and then infect cultured human liver cells with it. This can help establish a robust liver stage assay in P. vivax-endemic regions such as India.
Plasmodium Vivax:

• Malaria is a significant global health problem with a substantial disease burden worldwide.

In 2017 there were approximately 219 million cases of malaria responsible for about 435000 deaths, the majority on the African continent (WHO World Malaria Report 2018).

• Malaria results from infection with single-celled parasites belonging to the Plasmodium genus. Five species of Plasmodium are known to cause disease in humans: P. falciparum,

P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi.

• Globally, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for the majority of cases of malaria.
• While Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more deaths, Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread of all of the malaria species, can cause severe, even fatal infections and results in significant global morbidity and mortality.

New Method:

• An improved method for breeding Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes in the lab was developed.
• The females were fed with blood collected from Indian patients with the P. vivax infection.

• Two weeks later, the mature sporozoites were taken from the mosquitoes’ salivary glands, added to cultured liver cells (multiple human hepatocyte platforms) and studied.

• This approach can be used to further study the liver stage.

How do Mosquitoes Inject the Parasite?

• Mosquitoes inject the sporozoite (spore-like) stage of the parasite into the skin when they bite, and the sporozoites travel to the liver.

• Some 50 parasites enter our liver and each infect one liver cell or hepatocyte and multiply enormously to 10,000 or more.

•These can then move out and infect blood cells.

• Not much is known about its dormant stage in the liver. The study can help establish a robust liver stage assay in P. vivax-endemic regions such as India.

• As the number is very low in the liver, our immune system barely notices it. This was believed to be a silent stage.

• The parasite can remain in the liver in a dormant stage and relapse later. So there is an urgent need to find drugs for P. vivax which will kill both the blood and liver stages.

Drug Resistant Malaria Parasites:

• Certain malaria-endemic countries have abandoned chloroquine for P. vivax treatment.
Fortunately chloroquine is still effective in India.

• But the currently used anti-relapse drug, Primaquine, has many undesirable side-effects, especially in patients with a genetic defect called G6PD deficiency. Moreover, it takes 14 days to administer this drug for radical cure

• Hence there is an urgent need for development of a new class of drugs. The researchers add that this assay could also be used to test if a specific anti-malarial drug would work for
an individual, thus paving the way for individualised treatment for patients.

Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO)

•The Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) have recently been launched by the Defence Minister of India.

Highlights:
• Its objective is to foster innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in keeping with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

• It will put in place dedicated structures for the end-users to interact with academia and industry. It is a three-tiered organisation.

• Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives. It is a working group
under the N-TAC will implement the projects.

• Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has been created for induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.

• Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation (DoI) and the new structures will build upon the ongoing indigenisation initiatives, as well as focus on innovation.

• A compendium concise collection of information of Indian Navy’s indigenisation perspective plans titled ‘SWAVLAMBAN’ has also been released.

•The Draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 envisages Service Headquarters establishing an Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation within existing resources.
• The Navy has an in-house design bureau, which has made progress in designing the ‘float’ and move (propulsion) components.

•There is a heavy reliance on imports for armaments, called the ‘fight’ component.

Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Sarthak.

An Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was recently launched and named as Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Sarthak’.

Highlights:
• It is the 4th in the series of the indigenous project for 05 OPVs.

• It is a long-range surface ships capable of coastal and offshore patrolling, policing maritime zones, control and surveillance, anti-smuggling and anti-piracy operations with
limited wartime roles.

• It has been designed & built indigenously by M/s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in line with the government’s vision of ‘Make in India’.

• It has about 70% indigenous content, thus providing the necessary fillip to the Indian shipbuilding industry and a giant leap towards achieving ‘Atmanirbar Bharat’.

• It is fitted with state-of-the-art Navigation and Communication equipment, sensor and machinery.
• It is designed to embark and carry a twin-engine helicopter, four high speed boats and one inflatable boat for swift boarding and Search & Rescue operations.
• It is also capable of carrying limited pollution response equipment to undertake oil spill pollution response at sea.

Germany to ban use of light in a major way to protect insects.

The German ministry of environment is preparing a draft law that will outline measures to protect the country’s insect populations, according to a report in Outlook Magazine.

Light traps will be banned outdoors as part of the measures. Searchlights and spotlights will also be prohibited post sundown for 10 months in a year.

Insecticides will be banned from being used in national parks with five to 10 metres from a major water body. Orchards and dry-stone walls are to be preserved as natural habitats of insects.
The environment ministry is seeking to get cabinet approval for the draft law this October.

Microplastics increasing in the Maldives

The proportion of microplastics, miniscule pieces of plastic waste that are less than 5 millimetres long, has increased dramatically in the island country of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, according to a study by Flinders University, Australia.

Scientists from the university found plastic pollution in sand on 22 sites across Naifaru, the most populous island in the Maldives.

The concentration of microplastics found on Naifaru was found to be 55 -1127.5 microplastics / kg, that is greater than 3 – 611 microplastics / kg, the concentration previously found on a highly populated site at Tamil Nadu, India, the study said.

The microplastics were being transported by ocean countries from neighbouring countries like India or were getting concentrated due to the Maldives’ own flawed policies regarding waste like using uninhabited islands as landfills, the study added.

Finance ministry to workout norms regarding re-appointment of central government officers.

The finance ministry is working on norms to regulate salary paid to retired central government employees re-appointed on contract and has proposed keeping nomination-based appointments at "bare minimum".

The expenditure department has framed draft regulations for salary payments in case of appointment of retired central government employees and has invited comments of ministries/departments within 10 days.

The draft guidelines state that appointment of retired employees on contract basis, including as consultants, by way of nomination based on the credentials of past service and not through open market advertisement, should not be made as a "matter of practice and must be kept at bare minimum".
With regard to salary payment, the draft guidelines said a fixed monthly amount shall be admissible, arrived at by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement. It shall be termed as "salary".

It further said that in cases where the appointment of retired central government employee is made from open market, then the remuneration may be regulated as per terms and conditions of the contract.

PM aims to cover all villages through optical fibre network

In the coming one thousand days, every village in the country will be connected with Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), Prime Minister NarendraModi said in his address on the occasion of 74th Independence Day today.

Mr.Modi mentioned that before 2014, only five dozen Panchayats in the country were connected with optical fiber cable. In the last five years, nearly one lakh 50 thousand Gram Panchayats in the country have been connected with optical fiber cable. 

He further added that participation of rural India and villages in Digital India is very important for balanced development of India. To enable this, he said, optical fibre networks will be expanded in the country.

This will reach all the six lakh villages within the next one thousand days. Prime Minister also announced that in the next one thousand days, Lakshadweep will be connected with submarine optical fiber cable.

Organic Food for Health and Nutrition

India ranks first in number of organic farmers and ninth in terms of area under organic Farming.
Initiatives for Organic farming:

• Sikkim became the first State in the world to become fully organic.

• North East India has traditionally been organic with very less consumption of chemicals.
• Two dedicated programs- Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD) and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) were launched in 2015 to
encourage chemical free farming.

• It was aimed for assisting farmers to adopt organic farming and improve remunerations
due to premium prices.

• Both PKVY and MOVCD are promoting certification under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) and National Program for Organic Production (NPOP) respectively to target domestic and exports markets.

Major Organic Exports from India:

• The major organic exports from India are flax seeds, sesame, soybean, tea, medicinal plants, rice and pulses.

• They were instrumental in driving an increase of nearly 50% in organic exports in 2018-19, touching Rs 5151 crore.

Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD):

• It is a Central Sector Scheme, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• It is a sub-mission under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

• It aims to development of certified organic production in a value chain mode (VCM).

• VCM aims to link growers with consumers and to support the development of entire value
chain.
• It is implemented in all 8 North-Eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura).

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana:

• PKVY is an extended component of Soil Health Management under Centrally Sponsored National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

• Launched in 2015, it aims at supporting and promoting organic farming for improvement
of soil health.

 Objective:

✓ Promote organic farming among rural youth/ farmers/ consumers/ traders.

✓ Disseminate latest technologies in organic farming.

✓ Utilize the services of experts from public agricultural research system in India.

✓ Organize a minimum of one cluster demonstration in a village.

Major Features of the Scheme:

• The cluster chosen for Organic Farming shall be 20 ha or 50 acres in extent and in as contiguous a form as possible.

• Of the total number of farmers in a cluster, a minimum of 65% farmers should be allocated
to small and marginal category, to be fulfilled at cluster level as far as practicable.

Components:

✓ Adoption of Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification through cluster approach.
✓ Adoption of organic village for manure management and biological nitrogen harvesting through cluster approach.

Financial Assistance:

✓ Maximum assistance of Rs. 10 lakhs per cluster subject to a maximum of Rs. 50,000 per farmer per ha under Manure Management and Biological Nitrogen Harvesting.

✓ At least 30% of the budget allocations need to be earmarked for women beneficiaries/
farmers.
Jaivik Kheti Portal:

• Jaivik Kheti portal is an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture to promote organic farming globally. Buyer can now avail organic products at their doorstep through the portal at much lower prices. This portal links various stakeholders like regional councils,local groups, individual farmers, buyers, government agencies and input suppliers.

• It provides various price discovery mechanisms to help farmers get the best prices for their products through forward auction, price-quantity bidding, book building and reverse auction mechanisms.

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 17 August 2020

 China grants its first covid vaccine patent to CanSino.

China's vaccine maker CanSino Biologics Inc has won a patent approval from Beijing for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Ad5-nCOV, citing documents from the country's intellectual property regulator. The patent was submitted for application on March 18, and was approved on August 11.

It is the first COVID-19 vaccine patent granted by China.

➡On August 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia had won the global race to approve a covid vaccine. Russia said that the first consignments of its "Sputnik" vaccine had been produced and will be given to healthcare professionals on a voluntary basis.

➡China's CanSino's vaccine uses a modified common cold virus to carry genetic material from the new coronavirus into the human body, a method also used by the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

 

➡Both vaccines elicited antibody and T-cell immune responses and neither prompted any serious side effects in early trials. T-cells are an important component of the immune system's attack against foreign invaders, such as viruses.

➡CanSino's covid vaccine has already received the greenlight to be used by China's military despite not yet undergoing the type of large-scale testing needed to prove its ability to prevent infection.

➡CanSino's vaccine candidate was the first in China to move into human testing in March but other potential vaccines developed by Sinovac Biotech and a unit of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) have already been approved for Phase III trials overseas.

Saudi Arabia is going to test virus vaccine, says Russia.

➡Russia has reached an agreement in principle to conduct clinical trials of its controversial coronavirus vaccine in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, according to the head of its sovereign wealth fund. ➡According to the chief executive officer of the Russian Direct Investment Fund,The Russians are working with a pharmaceutical company in the kingdom and have shared data from Phase I and Phase II trials with Saudi partners.

➡Russian scientists engage with Saudi scientists and the Saudi Health Ministry, and Saudi is believed to be a very strong partner for their joint work on the Sputnik V vaccine.”

➡Earlier this month Russia approved a coronavirus shot before crucial tests have shown it’s safe and effective. The plan is to begin mass inoculation soon. A local association of multinational pharmaceutical companies has called the rushed regulatory approval risky.

➡Russia also shared its data with the UAE and is expecting to start its trials there later in August.

Additionally, it plans to conduct clinical trials in the Philippines and Brazil as well as at home.

 

 

National Digital Health Mission launched.

Modi launched the National Digital Health Mission on the 74th Independence day. It is expected that the mission would revolutionize India’s health sector.

Highlights:

➡ Under the National Digital Health Mission, every Indian will receive a unique health identity card.

➡The mission features Tele-consultation and E-Pharmacies.

➡Every citizen who holds the cards shall allow one-time access to the doctors and health care providers during their visit to the hospitals.

➡ National Digital Health Mission Mission allows patients to access health services remotely.

➡ The card will ensure permission to access confidential medical data which will be provided for every visit by the patient himself. It will assure the privacy and maintenance of the patient. Also, the control of access to the digital records .

➡It will be completely in the hands of the patient and the doctors will be able to access the medical record every time only at the will of the patients.

Odisha topped in implementing AMRUT scheme.

Odisha has topped in the implementation of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. As per the data provided by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Odisha has secured a score of 85.67%. Also, Chandigarh and Telangana have secured the second and third positions followed by Gujarat and Karnataka.

AMRUT scheme:

➡ AMRUT scheme was launched by PM Narendra Modi in June 2015.

 

➡The scheme aims to establish an infrastructure that will ensure robust sewage networks and water supply for urban transformation.

➡ Under the mission, efforts have been made towards universal coverage of water supply, construction of sewage treatment plants, and improving green spaces in the 9 AMRUT cities of Odisha.

➡ The nine cities are Balasore, Bhubaneswar, Baripada, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Bhadrak, Berhampur, and Puri. These cities are covered under the AMRUT scheme in Odisha.

➡ A total of 191 projects are grounded in the state. Out of the total 1919 projects, 148 projects have been implemented and the rest are likely to be completed by March 2021.

➡ Under the scheme, the Universal coverage of piped water supply has been completed by laying or replacing 400 km of pipeline to date, and all the nine AMRUT cities will have 100 percent network coverage by December 2020.

➡ Also, several parks with well-conceived landscaping and rejuvenation facilities, open gyms, and jogging trails have been developed.

Naga Independence Day celebrated in Nagaland and Manipur.

Nagaland and parts of Manipur celebrated 74th Naga Independence Day on 14th August 2020, amid the Naga political issue involving several extremist groups. The day is celebrated since 14 August 1947. The celebrations were lead by the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) in Nagaland. The day was celebrated by hoisting the ‘Naga national flag’, which is one of the demands made by Naga organizations for an honourable solution to the 23-year-old peace process. Nagas declared independence a day ahead of the Independence Day of India in 1947 seeking self-rule.

History

In the year 1947, India became independent from British rule. But the Nagas under the Naga National Council wished to remain free. Hence, a Plebiscite was conducted in 1951 where 99.9%

 

 voted for Naga independence. Following this, the Nagas did not take part in the first and second general elections that were held in 1952 and 1957. Hence according to the Nagas, the Bordoloi and Hydari Agreements were not implemented.

Later in 1963, Nagaland attained statehood and the moderates signed the Shillong Accord in 1975, which is the first peace agreement. But it has been rejected by the hardliners and is continued with the armed movement for Naga sovereignty.

Renewable Energy Ministry received proposals over 10 GW of fresh solar power Equipment.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has received proposals over 10 gigawatt (GW) of fresh solar power Equipment. The move is in line with the Government of India's Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan. The move is to set up 100 GW of solar energy by the end of 2022. By October 2019, India has already achieved 31 GW. Currently, India is focusing on domestic manufacturing to reduce dependency on imports. Previously, a 750 megawatt (MW) solar project was also inaugurated in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

GoI's measure:

➡ GoI is yet to approve a proposal to levy basic customs duty in the range of 20-40% on solar equipment

➡ Departments and Institutions under GoI were brought under the ruling that they have to purchase only domestically manufactured solar cells.

➡ Also, a 5 percent interest subvention scheme was proposed for wafers, ingots, and cells manufactured in the country

➡GoI implemented several Safeguard Duties against solar equipment imported from China and Malaysia

Background:

 

At the Paris summit, India has pledged that it would bring 40% of its electricity generation from non-fossil fuels by 2030. Non-fossil fuels include nuclear power, solar power, hydropower, renewable energy, etc.

Indigenous AUM Photonic System developed for Real-Time Remote Monitoring of Air Quality.

Scientific and Industrial Research Centre (GVP-SIRC) and GVP College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam, has developed an indigenous photonic system for real-time remote monitoring of air quality parameters. The system titled Air Unique-quality Monitoring (AUM) was developed under the Clean Air Research Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology.

Air Unique-quality Monitoring System:

➡ The AUM system is an innovative application of the principles of statistical mechanics, laser backscattering, optoelectronics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine/deep learning, and Internet of Things.

➡ AUM can identify, classify, and quantify various pollutants simultaneously of orders of less than one part per billion and meteorological parameters, with sensitivity, very high precision, and accuracy.

➡ AUM was successfully evaluated during laboratory trials with gold standards in collaboration with EffecTech, UK.

➡ The system is operated by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board under the aegis of the Central Pollution Control Board of India.

➡ The system is capable of simultaneous detection and quantification of all air quality parameters.

➡ It offers a number of merits like portablility, compactibility, low powered nature and economical over any of the currently available conventional systems.

 

➡ This system is expected to boost India’s efforts towards self-reliance in high-end technologies.

➡ It can additionally be instrumental in supporting the endeavours in improving the nation’s health and economy.

India extended USD 1 million assistance to Antigua, Barbuda to tackle Covid-19 pandemic.

Government of India has extended an assistance of $1 million to Antigua and Barbuda to fight the COVID-19 outbreak. This assistance is aimed to improve health infrastructure and capacities in Antigua and Barbuda. Indian High Commissioner KJ Srinivasa handed over the medical supplies and medicine to Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne.

Highlights:

➡The assistance of $1 million from India will be used to improve health infrastructure in Antigua and Barbuda, for procurement of life-saving medical supplies and equipment like ventilators, etc.

➡ Under this assistance, ventilators, full cover goggles, disposable impervious gowns, face shields, examination gloves and disposable masks were facilitated.

1 GoI has also provided 10,000 hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) tablets to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to support its fight against COVID-19.

➡ The Government of Antigua and Barbuda's proposal for assistance and collaboration named 'Strengthening national Health capacities and reducing socio-economic and human development

negative impacts of COVID-19 crisis in Antigua and Barbuda' was processed under India-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Fund managed by United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the guidelines of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

 

A platform for Transparent Taxation -was launched to honour the honest.

Indian P.M Modi launched a platform for “Transparent Taxation - Honouring the Honest” through video conferencing on 13 August 2020. The platform is expected to meet the requirements of the 21st-century taxation system. The platform has major reforms like Faceless Appeal, Faceless Assessment, and Taxpayers Charter. The platform focuses on the reduction in tax rates and simplification of direct tax laws,

Transparent Taxation - Honouring the Honest:

➡ With this launch, the Faceless Assessment and Taxpayers Charter have come into force. The facility of faceless appeal will be available for citizens across the country from 25th September, Deen Dayal Upadhyay's birth anniversary.

➡ The new platform apart from being faceless is also aimed at boosting the confidence of the taxpayer and making him/her fearless.

➡ The platform is in line with the GoI's move towards “Banking the Unbanked, Securing the Unsecured and Funding the Unfunded”.

➡With Tax Charter, taxpayers will now be assured of fair, courteous, and rational behavior.

➡ It aims to provide resolution of pending tax disputes, the department also brought out the Direct Tax Vivad se Vishwas Act, 2020. Currently, declarations for settling disputes are being filed under this.

 

 

 

 

Expect a wet September, late monsoon withdrawal due to La Niña::Research.

➡There is a 50-55 per cent chance for the development of a La Niña condition in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the autumn of 2020, according to the latest update by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

➡There is a 50 per cent chance that it might continue into the winter season as well. Currently, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions are prevailing in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

➡During the last four weeks, equatorial sea surface temperatures were below average from the International Date Line to the eastern Pacific and were above average in the western Pacific. The International Date Line is an imaginary line on the Earth’s surface, defining the boundary between one day and the next.

➡La Niña is the cooling phase of the ENSO cycle in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, as opposed to the warming El Niño phase. It is characterised by the unusual cooling of the central and east-central equatorial Pacific Ocean.

➡Both, El Niño and La Niña, are deviations from normal surface temperatures that occur due to the anomalous behaviour of trade winds. In the case of El Niño, the trade winds weaken, leading to warming.

➡In La Niña, the opposite happens and the trade winds strengthen, leading to cooling. Both these events can have large-scale impacts not only on ocean processes, but also on global weather and climate.

➡During El Niño, the central and equatorial Pacific Ocean becomes unusually warm. This disrupts global wind patterns, affecting climatic conditions in tropical areas like Africa, sub-tropical areas like India and extra-tropical areas like North America.

 

➡In India this often, but not always, causes erratic monsoons and droughts. In the case of La Niña, the exact opposite happens and India receives more rainfall than normal, leading to floods.

➡El Niño and La Niña episodes typically last nine to 12 months, but some prolonged events may last for years. While their frequency can be quite irregular, El Niño and La Niña events occur on average every two to seven years. Typically, El Niño occurs more frequently than La Niña.

➡El Niño tends to produce a weaker monsoon but only 50 per cent of the weaker monsoons are attributable to El Niño. La Niña tends to do the opposite and produce a wetter Monson.

➡Considering that the monsoon is below normal along much of the west coast and central India, La Niña could produce more rain during the rest of August and into September, according to researchers.

➡The inter-annual variability of the monsoon, in fact, tends to be the largest in September. Hence, La Niña may produce a wetter September and a delayed withdrawal if it grows stronger, he added. La Niña itself has been changing over the past four decades.

➡A La Niña can affect India’s winter.

The winds during the winter are from the northeast near the land surface and this is accompanied by a so-called Southwesterly Jet in the upper atmosphere. During an El Niño, this jet is pushed southward and this allows more western disturbance to bring rain and snow into northwestern India. But a La Niña actually produces a more north-south low pressure system which brings in Siberian air and the cold wave can extend much further south. During some years, we have had frost in Mahabaleshwar and cold waves in hilly parts of Tamil Nadu and so on. These can be associated with a La Niña.

The monsoon rainfall over India during La Niña events after 1980 has reduced by six-eight per cent. The main reasons for this are the changes in the spatial pattern and intensity of La Niña within the tropical Pacific Ocean.

 

➡Warmer eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean temperatures are impacting the La Niña phenomenon.

The warming of the Indian Ocean has also been affecting the rainfall during La Niña years after 1980 over central India, which could have an impact on the long-term water availability of the region.

➡One instance of a deficit monsoon season in the region during a La Niña year was in 2010.

Large areas covering east‐central India, the Bay of Bengal and extending eastward into the South China Sea and the Philippines received deficit monsoon rains” during the year. This is when north west India and Pakistan had extensive floods during the same period of time.