comprehensive current affairs 20th jan. 2021

 Railways ministry nod to new iron ore policy.

The Ministry of Railways has approved a new iron-ore policy governing the allocation of rakes and transportation of iron-ore.

This new policy has been named as Iron-ore Policy 2021 and shall come into effect from February 10, 2021.

The provisions of the new policy will be updated in the rake allotment system module by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).

About:

Iron ore is the second most important stream of traffic of Railways and along with steel accounts for nearly 17 per cent (53.81 million tonne of steel and 153.35 million tonne of iron ore) of total 1210 million tonne freight loading of Indian Railways in 2019-2020.

According to the Rail Ministry, this has been done to facilitate the ease of doing business.

As per the new policy, higher priority will be given to the movement of iron-ore traffic for domestic manufacturing activity.

Within the domestic movement of iron-ore traffic, priority preference will be given to steel, pig iron, sponge iron, pellet, or sinter plant owning customers having their own private sidings at both the loading as well as unloading ends.

They will be followed by customers with private siding at either loading or unloading end.

Customers without any private siding of their own relying totally on public good sheds, sidings will come next in the priority list.

Under the fresh policy, old and new plants will be treated similarly as far as allotment and loading of rakes is concerned.

The priority preferences for the customers will be self-generated by the system based on the customer profile fed in the system by the concerning zone.

Thiruvalluvar.

On 16th January Thiruvalluvar Day is celebrated in Tamil Nadu to mark the birth anniversary of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar.

He boldly advocated a life of discipline, self-control, chastity, non-violence, temperance and devotion.

He is best known as the author of Thirukkural, a collection of 1330 couplets on ethics,political and economic matters, and love.

Out of four aspects of life (Purushaarthas) Aram, Porul, Inbam and Veedu (Mokesha). Thirukkural addressesonly the first three and advocates the path to Veedu through the others and hence it is called Muppal (3Elements).

3).Chinese city reports coronavirus found on ice cream.

The coronavirus was found on ice cream produced in eastern China, prompting a recall of cartons from the same batch.

The Daqiaodao Food Co, Ltd in Tianjin, adjacent to Beijing, was sealed and its employees were being tested for the coronavirus.

There was no indication anyone had contracted the virus from the ice cream.

Most of the 29,000 cartons in the batch had yet to be sold, the government said. It said 390 sold in Tianjin were being tracked down and authorities elsewhere were notified of sales to their areas. The Chinese government has suggested the disease, first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, came from abroad and has highlighted what it says are discoveries of the coronavirus on imported fish and other food, though foreign scientists are skeptical.

 

UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2020.

The UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2020 finds that while nations have advanced in planning, huge gaps remain in finance for developing countries and bringing adaptation projects to the stage where they bring real protection against climate impacts such as droughts, floods and sea-level rise.

According to the report, cutting greenhouse gas emissions will reduce the impacts and costs associated with climate change.

Achieving the 2°C target of the Paris Agreement could limit losses in annual growth to up to 1.6 per cent, compared to 2.2 per cent for the 3°C trajectory.

SEBI eases norms for follow-on public offers.

SEBI relaxed the framework for follow-on public offers (FPOs), a move that will help promoters of companies to raise funds more easily through this route.

The applicability of minimum promoters’ contribution norm and the subsequent lock-in requirements for the issuers making the FPO have been done away with by the regulator, as per a notification.

Earlier, promoters were mandated to contribute 20% towards a FPO.

Besides, in case of any issue of capital to the public, the minimum promoters’ contribution was required to be locked-in for three years.

SEBI said the relaxation would be available for those companies which are frequently traded on a stock exchange for at least three years. Also, such firms should have redressed 95% of investor complaints.

 

 

Vistadome coach.

Prime Minister flagged off eight trains from different parts of the country to Kevadia in Narmada district, where the Statue of Unity is located, in a bid to attract tourism to this tribal belt.

Out of these eight trains, the Janshatabdi Express from Ahmedabad-has a Vistadome coach.

The Vistadome coach is a state-of-the-art coach made by Indian Railways, designed to provide passengers with travel comfort as well as an enhanced viewing experience of their surroundings.

According to Indian Railway officials, the Vistadome coach in the Janshatabdi Express has been manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

It is for the first time that the Vistadome coach has been made on the Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) platform, made for passenger coaches for trains in India.

Some of the features of the Vistadome coach are an observation lounge with a large window for passengers to experience the scenic route to Kevadia.

The 44 recliner-180 degree rotatable seats ensure people can enjoy the view from both windows to their right and left, there are automatic sliding doors at both gates of the coach, glass rooftops offer a panoramic view, while there are five large windows on each side.

The coach also has foldable snack tables similar to what is provided in flights, seat numbers with Braille language, an in-built entertainment system integrated with digital display screens and speakers along with a GPS-based public-address-cum passenger information system, access to ‘content on demand’ for passengers through Wi Fi facility on their personal gadgets, a mini pantry with coffee maker, water cooler, hot oven and refrigerator, separate multi-tier luggage compartment, along with a separate cabin for train staff who will brief passengers regarding the coach in each ride.

The coach will also have CCTV surveillance, fire alarm system and an LED destination board.

 

 

Mukundpura CM2.

A new study by the Geological Survey of India, Kolkata has shed light on the mineralogy of the meteorite.Carbonaceous chondrite.

The meteorite named Mukundpura CM2 was classified to be a carbonaceous chondrite. “This is a type of stony meteorite, considered the most primitive meteorite and a remnant of the first solid bodies to accrete in the solar system.

The composition of carbonaceous chondrites are also similar to the Sun.

The meteorites are broadly classified into three groups – stony (silicate-rich), iron (Fe–Ni alloy), and stony-iron (mixed silicate–iron alloy).

Chondrites are silicate -droplet -bearing meteorites, and this Mukundpura chondrite is the fifth carbonaceous meteorite known to fall in India.

Degrees of alteration;

The study revealed that Mukundpura CM2 had experienced varying degrees of alteration during the impact. Some minerals like forsterite and FeO olivine, calcium aluminium rich inclusion (CAI) minerals escaped alteration.

Few magnetites, sulphides and calcites were also found. Detailed spectroscopic studies revealed that the meteorite had very high (about 90%) phyllosilicate minerals comprising both magnesium and iron.

Further X-ray studies showed it also had aluminium complexes.

Asian Water Bird Census .

Recently, the two-day Asian Waterbird Census-2020 has commenced in Andhra Pradesh under the aegis of experts from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

• AWC is an integral part of the global waterbird monitoring programme, the International Waterbird Census (IWC), coordinated by Wetlands International.

 

• The IWC is a monitoring programme operating in 143 countries to collect information on the numbers of waterbirds at wetland sites.

• Wetlands International is a global not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands.

• It runs in parallel with other regional programmes of the International Waterbird Census in Africa, Europe, West Asia, the Neotropics and the Caribbean.

• It was initiated in 1987 in the Indian subcontinent and has grown rapidly to cover major regions of Asia, from Afghanistan eastwards to Japan, Southeast Asia and Australasia.

• The census covers the entire East Asian - Australasian Flyway and a large part of the Central Asian Flyway.

• The East Asia - Australasia Flyway extends from Arctic Russia and North America to the southern limits of Australia and New Zealand.

• It encompasses large parts of East Asia, all of Southeast Asia and includes eastern India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

• The Central Asian Flyway (CAF) covers a large continental area of Eurasia between the Arctic and Indian Oceans and the associated island chains.

AWC in India:

• It is jointly coordinated by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Wetlands International. BNHS is a pan-India wildlife research organization, which has been promoting the cause of nature conservation since 1883.

• India has 42 Ramsar sites, the latest one included is Tso Kar Wetland Complex of Ladakh.

 

 

 

BirdLife's Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) Programme identifies, monitors and protects a global network of priority sites for the conservation of birds and other wildlife. India has more than 450 sites.

• The 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of

Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13) concluded in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in February 2020.

• India submitted its Sixth National Report (NR6) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Dec. 2018.

Yakshagana .

Recently, Yakshagana a traditional art form is sometimes seen in news.

• It is a Traditional Theatre form of Karnataka.

• It is a temple art form that depicts mythological stories and Puranas.

• It is performed with massive headgears, elaborate facial make-up and vibrant costumes and ornaments.

• It is also performed in Malayalam as well as Tulu (the dialect of south Karnataka).

• Tulu is a Dravidian language whose speakers are concentrated in the region of Tulu Nadu, which comprises the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in Karnataka and the northern part of Kasaragod district of Kerala.

• The oldest available inscriptions in Tulu are from the period between 14th to 15th century AD.

• It is performed with percussion instruments like chenda,maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or elathalam (small cymbals).

• The most popular episodes are from the Mahabharata i.e. Draupadi swayamvar, Subhadra vivah, etc. and from Ramayana i.e Rajyabhishek, Lav-Kush yuddh, etc.

comprehensive current affairs 17 jan 2021

Adultery can’t be decriminalised for armed forces, govt. tells SC

 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday admitted a petition filed by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) seeking to exempt armed forces personnel from the ambit of a Constitution Bench judgment of 2018 that decriminalized adultery.

About:

A three-judge Bench led by Justice Rohint on Fali Nariman said the plea had to be considered by a Constitution Bench because the original verdict, striking down Section 497 (adultery) of the Indian Penal Code, was pronounced by a five-judge Bench in September 2018.

The court referred the case to the Chief Justice of India to pass appropriate orders to form a five-judge Bench to clarify the impact of the 2018 judgment on the armed forces.

The government said in the petition that personnel of the Army, Navy and the Air Force were a “distinct class”. They were governed by special legislations, the Army Act, the Navy Act and the Air Force Act.

Adultery amounted to an unbecoming conduct and a violation of discipline under these three Acts.

These special laws-imposed restrictions on the fundamental rights of the personnel, who function in peculiar situation requiring utmost discipline.

The three laws were protected by Article 33 of the Constitution, which allowed the government to modify the fundamental rights of the armed forces personnel. The judgment of 2018 created “instability”.

It allowed personnel charged with carrying on an adulterous or illicit relationship to take cover under the judgment. 

Special Marriage Act1954.

Allahabad High Court ruled that Couples can choose to not publish 30-day notice under Special Marriage Act.

Court stated that provision for mandatory publication of notice would invade in the fundamental rights ofliberty and privacy.

Special Marriage Act deals with inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, and allows people to get married without giving uptheir religion.

It requires couples intending to marry under the law to give a 30-day notice period to a marriage officer of thedistrict in which at least one of the parties has resided in last 30 days.

Difficult four countries.

On January 11, Chatham House published a report titled “Global Britain, Global Broker”, the report sketches a bold path ahead for the UK.

The Chatham House report groups India on the other side of a “new divide in international affairs — between open societies where citizens have the capacity to fight for their rights and those where these rights are denied”.

Along with Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, India is classed as one of the “difficult four” countries, destined to count among the UK’s “rivals” or “awkward counterparts” as it pursues its global goals.

The report also states that India is a reluctant supporter of liberal democracy, is “ambivalent” about human rights abuses within other states, and possesses “a long and consistent record of resisting being corralled into a ‘Western camp’”.

New Foreign Trade Policy to come .

Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that India’s new Foreign Trade Policy 2021-2026.

 

It will come into effect from April 1, 2021, for five years and will strive to make the country a leader in international trade.

The Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry held a meeting on the subject New Foreign Trade Policy 2021-26.

It was chaired by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and attended by Members of Parliament (MPs) and senior officers of the ministry.

It was informed that the District Export Hubs Initiative will form an important component of the new FTP.

The Department of Commerce through the Regional Authorities of Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has engaged with state/Union Territory governments to take forward this initiative in the districts and enable its implementation in a phased manner, with the objective of mobilizing the potential of each district of the country to achieve its potential as an export hub.

Income-Tax department brings out ‘faceless penalty scheme’

The income-tax department has come out with a ‘faceless penalty scheme’.

Under the scheme national and regional centres will be set up to facilitate conduct of faceless penalty proceedings in income tax cases.

National Centre will facilitate conduct of faceless penalty proceedings in a centralised manner and hasbeen vested with the jurisdiction to impose penalty.

As part of tax reforms, government last year launched faceless tax assessment scheme.

It aims to make tax administration free of any bias and to remove any subjectivity that personal interface between taxpayer and officials could introduce. 

National Innovation Foundation

Union Science and Technology. Minister dedicated to the country an innovation portal developed by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF).

The NIF, an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), is currently home to about 1.15 lakh innovations scouted from common people of the country.

In terms of domain areas, presently the innovations cover energy, mechanical, automobile, electrical, electronics, household, chemical, civil, textiles, farm/cultivation practice, storage practice, plant variety, plant protection, poultry, livestock management, nutraceuticals.

Union Minister emphasised on the growing importance of traditional knowledge, particularly herbal practices which stem from tribal areas, and is one of the key highlights of the innovation portal.

He said that this innovation portal will help institutionalise new ideas by common people towards finding solutions to local problems.

The innovation portal will create an ecosystem where the institutions will stand behind all those who can convert their ideas and innovations into entrepreneurship.

The innovation portal will help create local entrepreneurs out of grassroots ideas and will help bring ideas to the market.

comprehensive current affairs 16 jan 2021

Sugarcane farmers demand timely payment of FRP, SAP from mills.

Farmers in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are gearing up to agitate against mills demanding timely payment of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) and State Advised Price (SAP).

The sugar millers claimed that higher FRP and SAP leads to rising cane price payment arrears.

Sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra have demanded that sugar mills must pay FRP in one go.

About:

According to the Indian Sugar Mill Association (ISMA), one of the main reasons for cane price payment arrears is high FRP set by the Centre.

Millers said that they are facing a tough financial situation, as there is no correlation between the revenue generated by mills and the cost incurred in the production of sugar.

The FRP is based on the cost of production of sugarcane and an element of assured profit as to cover the risk of sugarcane farmers.

According to ISMA, the mark up above the cost of production of sugarcane, at an all-India average basis, is as high as 100 per cent over the cost of producing sugarcane.

Millers claimed the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) has been revised only once back in February, 2019 to ₹31/kg. The government has increased the FRP for sugarcane from October, 2020 but not the MSP.

The Centre increased the FRP by ₹10 to ₹285 per quintal for a basic recovery of 10 per cent for the current season.

NITI Aayog, along with various States, have requested for a hike in the MSP to ₹33-36 per kilo, to facilitate timely payment to farmers.

 Some States including Uttar Pradesh declare SAP for sugarcane considering the cost of production and productivity levels. The SAP is generally higher than the FRP.

National Youth Day.

12th January is celebrated as National Youth Day to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary.

He became an inspirer of India’s dormant national consciousness owing to his address at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, 1893.

He established the Ramakrishna Math in Belur (1897) to spread the teachings of Vedanta (monism) and to improve the social conditions of commoners.

Kalaripayattu.

Kalaripayattu is set to see a surge in popularity with the establishment of an academy in the Kerala capital.

Kalaripayattu is a Martial art which originated as a style in Kerala during 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD.

There are also plans to link the academy with the Dance Training College that is also part of the Crafts Village.

Classes will be organised in such a way that training in Kalaripayattu will help those learning dance.

Other martial arts of India:

Tamil Nadu: Silambam&KuttuVarisai;

Manipuri: Thang-Ta (HuyenLanglon) andSarit Sarak ;

Himachal Pradesh: Thoda;

Punjab: Gatka;

Bengal: Lathi Khela;

Maharashtra: Mardaani Khel,Mallakhamba;

J&K: Squay.

India proposed an 8-point action plan at the UNSC.

Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar Tuesday proposed an 8-point action plan at the UNSC.

The objective is aims to ensure effective action against the menace of terrorism. Even without naming either Pakistan or China, the minister slammed the former for aiding terrorism and took a dig at the latter as he said that there can be no double standards on the issue of terrorism and that the practice of blocking requests for designation of terrorists "without any rhyme or reason" had to end.

China had earlier at least on 4 occasions blocked a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar even though he headed an organisation already designated by a UNSC sanctions committee.

In an intervention at a UNSC debate on combating international terrorism, Indian foreign minister called upon the Council to first summon up the political will to combat terrorism, saying there must be no ifs and buts in this fight. "Nor should we allow terrorism to be justified and terrorists glorified.

All member States must fulfill their obligations enshrined in international counter terrorism instruments and conventions.

It was important to not countenance double standards in this battle as there are no good or bad terrorists. He said those who propagate this distinction have an agenda and those who cover up for them are just as culpable.

 He called for a reform of the working methods of committees dealing with sanctions and counter terrorism, saying transparency, accountability and effectiveness were the need of the day. He said blocking listing requests only eroded the collective credibility of the members.

It must firmly discourage exclusivist thinking that divides the world and harms our social fabric.

US, India differ in 3D printing adoption.

A new study finds that while US firms tend to acquire 3D printing technologies more than Indian ones, they fall behind in the actual application of these methods in production.

About the study:

The study, by Mengli Zhao and others from China’s Jiao Tong University, is based on a 2017 survey of over 600 professionals in product development and 27 firm managers.

The use of 3D printing in manufacturing is picking up as it improves sustainability.

The technology uses less energy and produces less waste than traditional methods. It also allows manufacturing to be done on demand, so less space is needed to store inventory.

One reason why US firms are keener on acquiring 3D printing technology is that they are more aware of it.

Only 30% of Indian executives in the survey knew about 3D printing, compared to 77% of American executives.

RBI forms working group on digital lending.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a working group on digital lending — including online platforms and mobile apps — to study all aspects of digital lending activities in the regulated financial sector as well as by unregulated players.

This is to ensure that an appropriate regulatory approach is put in place.

 Digital lending has the potential to make access to financial products and services more fair, efficient and inclusive.

The working group consists of both internal and external members.

The working group will evaluate digital lending activities and assess the penetration and standards of outsourced digital lending activities in RBI regulated entities; identify the risks posed by unregulated digital lending to financial stability, regulated entities and consumers; and suggest regulatory changes to promote orderly growth of digital lending.

It will also recommend measures for expansion of specific regulatory or statutory perimeter and suggest the role of various regulatory and government agencies. It will also recommend a robust fair practices code for digital lending players.

Scientists produce electron gas with ultra-high mobility.

Recently, Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), an autonomous institution of Department of Science and Technologyhave produced electron gas with ultra-high mobility. 2d-electron gas (2DEG) is an electron gas with ultra-high mobility, which can speed up transfer of quantum information and signal from one part of a device to another and increase data storage and memory.

Strong spin-orbit coupling and relativistic nature of the electrons in the 2DEG resulted in Rashba field.

Rashba effect consists of splitting of spin-bands in an electronic system, might play a key role in spin tronic devices.

Due to the high mobility of the electron gas, electrons do not collide inside the medium for a long distance and hence, do not lose the memory and information.

comprehensive current affairs 14 jan 2021

 

 North East Venture Fund.

The North East Venture Fund (NEVF)is the first and the only dedicated Venture Fund for the North Eastern Region.

About:

It was introduced by the NDA government.

It is gaining popularity among Start-Ups and young entrepreneurs.

The Venture Fund Scheme launched by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

It aims to promote growth of business ventures and skill development in the region.

The main focus of the fund is for mostly the enterprises involved in Food Processing, Healthcare, Tourism, segregation of services, IT, etc.

The investment size with the Venture Fund Scheme ranges between Rs.25 lakhs and Rs. 10 crores with a long-term horizon of five to ten years.

NHAI begins planning for Bharatmala Phase-II.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has identified roads with a cumulative length of 5,000 kilometres tobe built under the Bharatmala Phase-II project.

Bharatmala Pariyojana under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways aims to construct around 65,000 km of national highways in the country.

 First phase of Bharatmala approved in 2017 included construction of 24,800 km of national highways, inaddition to ongoing 10,000 km of roads under National Highways Development Programme.

The project will improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and far-flung areas.

India’s ‘Institutions of Eminence’ can set up campuses in foreign countries.

Indian universities and colleges with the Institutions of Eminence (IOEs) tag, will now be able to set up campuses in foreign countries with the University Grants Commission (UGC) issuing fresh guidelines on the same.

The Education Ministry had launched the IoE scheme in 2018 as per which 20 institutions were to be selected -- 10 public and 10 private ones -- that would enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy.

The new guidelines have been issued in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) as per which foreign universities will be allowed to set up campuses in India and top Indian institutes in foreign countries.

According to the norms, IoEs shall be permitted to start a maximum of three off-campus centres in five years, but not more than one in an academic year.

They will, however, require approval from as many as three ministries -- education, home and external affairs -- before they can venture out.

The IoEs shall be permitted to start an off-campus centre in an interim campus, subject to the condition that the permanent campus shall be ready “within a reasonable time period not exceeding five years”.

 

As Polar Vortex Stirs, Deep Freeze Threatens U.S. and Europe.

According to several western weather forecasts, Canada, Eurasia much of Western Europe and the US, spine chilling cold winter with heavy snow along the US East Coast will ensue.

The meteorologists have predicted that the polar vortex, which is splitting into two and swirling southward, will send the US and European countries into a chilling deep freeze.

A notorious swirl of ultracold winds around a low-pressure area due to the major stratospheric temperature spike expected to sweep across these countries causing an extreme dip in temperatures.

About:

A polar vortex is a low -pressure area- a wide expanse of swirling cold air -that is parked in polar regions.

The term “vortex” refers to the counter-clockwise flow ofair that helps keep the colder air near the Poles.

Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs)

Prime Minister has inaugurated a 351-km section between Khurja and Bhaupur in Uttar Pradesh for commercial operations of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).

Background of DFCs:

• The concept of Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) was mooted in 2006 to generate substantial capacity for freight traffic by developing separate tracks on identified routes.

 • The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) was incorporated as a separate company under the Ministry of Railways.

What is the DFC?

• Under the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007–12), Railways started constructing a new DFC in two long routes, namely the Eastern and Western freight corridors.

• The section recently launched is part of the 1,839-km Eastern DFC that starts at Sohnewal

(Ludhiana) in Punjab and ends at Dankuni in West Bengal.

• The other arm is the around 1,500-km Western DFC from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to JNPT in Mumbai, touching all major ports along the way.

• There is also a section under construction between Dadri and Khurja to connect the Eastern and Western arms.

Why is it Important?

• Around 70% of the freight trains currently running on the Indian Railway network are slated to shift to the freight corridors, leaving the paths open for more passenger trains.

• Tracks on DFC are designed to carry heavier loads than most of the Indian Railways.

• DFC will get track access charge from the parent Indian Railways, and also generate its own Freight Business.

What Trains will use the New Section?

• Freight trains plying on this section from now on will help decongest the existing Kanpur-

Delhi main line of Indian Railways, which currently handles trains at 150% of its line capacity.

• The new Section means on the Indian Railway mainline, more passenger trains can be pumped in and those trains can, in turn, achieve better punctuality.

 • Foodgrain and fertilizers from the northern region are transported to the eastern and Northeast regions.

• From East and Northeast, coal, iron ore, jute and petroleum products are transported North and West.

RBI Financial Stability Report.

Reserve Bank of India releases Financial Stability Report (FSR).

According to the report, Banks’ gross non-performing assets may rise to 13.5% by September 2021, from 7.5% in September 2020 under the baseline scenario.

The report said, If the macroeconomic environment worsens into a severe stress scenario, the GNPA ratio may escalate to 14.8%.

The stress tests indicate that the GNPA ratio of all scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) may increase from 7.5% in September 2020 to 13.5% by September 2021 under the baseline scenario.

Among the bank groups, public sector banks’ (PSBs) GNPA ratio of 9.7% in September 2020 may rise to 16.2% by September 2021 under the baseline scenario, it noted.

The gross non-performing asset (GNPA) ratio of private sector banks (PVBs) and foreign banks (FBs) may increase from 4.6% and 2.5% to 7.9% and 5.4%, respectively, over the same period.

In the severe stress scenario, the GNPA ratios of PSBs, PVBs and FBs may rise to 17.6%, 8.8% and 6.5%, respectively, by September 2021.

These GNPA projections are indicative of the possible economic impairment latent in banks’ portfolios, with implications for capital planning.

 Parler.

Apple, Amazon and Google have suspended the social network called Parler.

That because, the platform has not taken enough measures to make sure that content inciting violence remains in check.

What is Parler?

It is a social media platform that is considered to be an alternative to Twitter and is popular with conservatives.

The platform describes itself as being the world’s “premier free speech platform”. “Speak freely and express yourself openly, without fear of being “deplatformed” for your views,” the website of the platform says.

TiHAN: India’s First Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems.

• Union Minister of Education laid the foundation stone of ‘TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad’, India’s

first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems (Terrestrial and Aerial).

TiHAN:

• TiHAN is an acronym for Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation and

Data Acquisition Systems (UAVs, RoVs etc.).

• It is a multi-departmental initiative, including researchers from Electrical, Computer Science, Mechanical and Aerospace, Civil, Mathematics, and Design at IIT Hyderabad.

• It would focus on addressing various challenges hindering the real-time adoption of unmanned autonomous vehicles for both terrestrial and aerial applications.

 Why need TiHAN?

• One major requirement to make unmanned and connected vehicles more acceptable to the consumer society is to demonstrate its performance in real-life scenarios.

• However, it may become dangerous. Especially in terms of safety, to directly use the operational roadway facilities as experimental test tracks for unmanned and connected vehicles.

• In general, both UAV and UGV testing may include crashes and collisions with obstacles, resulting in damage to costly sensors and Other Components.

• Hence, it is important to test new technologies developed in a safe, controlled environment before Deployment.

Kolar Leaf-Nosed Bat.

• Recently, the Karnataka Forest Department has getting prepared to save the Kolar leaf-Nosed bat from extinction.

Highlights:

•Its scientific Name is Hipposideros hypophyllus

• It is endemic to India. It is presently known only from one cave in Hanumanahalli village in Kolar district, Karnataka.

• Habitat loss from land use change, hunting, and stone quarrying in the region.

• The Kolar Leaf-Nosed Bat was found in only two caves in the village of Hanumanahalli.

For reasons that are still unknown, the bat became locally extinct in one of the two caves.

• Its Protection Status IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered; Wildlife Protection Act, 1972:

 It has not been accorded legal protection under the Act.

Conservation Efforts:

• The government had notified the 30 acres around the caves as a protected area.

• Any development work here, including construction of new infrastructure, will need the permission of the National Board for Wildlife.

• The Bat Conservation Indian Trust has been awarded a grant to conduct further research on this species of bats.

• It is running an intensive awareness campaign in the nearby communities and they have come to understand the threat to the species and have started guarding this area from encroachers.

Concerns:

• Bats are one of the least studied mammals in the country, though there are 130 species in India.

• Bats are vital for the ecology as they are pollinators, their main diet being nectar.

• Bats also help in insect control and therefore, help in the protection of crops.

• They are very adaptable creatures and therefore can often be found near human habitation or even in urban settlements, which makes them vulnerable.

• They also have a bad image in the public eye, as carriers of diseases.