aditya
18:42
GS SCORE Current Affairs May 2021 Week 3 PDF
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Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Daily Current Affairs, 18th May 2021
aditya
18:32
1) World AIDS Vaccine Day: 18 May
•World AIDS Vaccine Day, (also known as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day), is observed annually on May 18 to promote the continued urgent need for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS. The first World AIDS Vaccine Day was thus observed on May 18, 1998, to commemorate the anniversary of Clinton’s speech.
•The concept of World AIDS Vaccine Day was proposed on May 18, 1997, during a commencement speech at Morgan State University made by then-President Bill Clinton, which underlined the need for a vaccine to curb the spread of HIV.
2) International Museum Day: 18 May
•The International Museum Day is celebrated on 18 May, since 1977, to raise awareness about the fact that “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples”. The theme of International Museum Day 2021: “The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine”. It is coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
3) India loses ONGC-discovered Farzad-B gas field in Iran
•India lost the ONGC Videsh Ltd-discovered Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf after Iran awarded a contract for developing the giant gas field to a local company. The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has signed a contract worth USD 1.78 billion with Petropars Group for the development of Farzad B Gas Field in the Persian Gulf.
•The field holds 23 trillion cubic feet of in-place gas reserves, of which about 60 per cent is recoverable. It also holds gas condensates of about 5,000 barrels per billion cubic feet of gas.
•ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas investment arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), had in 2008 discovered a giant gas field in the Farsi offshore exploration block. OVL and its partners had offered to invest up to USD 11 billion for the development of the discovery, which was later named Farzad-B.
4) Haryana Declares Black Fungus A Notified Disease
•Black Fungus has been categorised as a notified disease in Haryana, making it imperative that government authorities be informed about each case. This will allow in the tracking and management of an outbreak. The COVID-19 pandemic in India has catalysed the spread of black fungus or mucormycosis, which can disfigure people even when it is not fatal. Declaring a disease notifiable helps collate information and lets authorities monitor the disease and set off early warnings.
5) Manipur CM launches ‘MOMA Market’ for vegetable
•Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has launched a smartphone application “Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) Market” for home delivery of fresh vegetables to ensure that people get fresh vegetables at their doorsteps during the COVID-19 induced curfew. MOMA a unit of the state horticulture and soil conservation department launched the app under the CM’s supervision to make fresh vegetables available for day-to-day consumption and to reduce the distress sales of farm produce during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
•MOMA has been assigned to work in the area and channel farm produces to consumers via home delivery in order to prevent vegetable losses and COVID-19 spread. Farmers Producer Companies (FPCs) working with MOMA will harvest vegetables from various farms. It will then be transported to cold storage and warehouses at the department’s complex in Sanjenthong and other locations. Finally, the consumer’s MOMA Market order will be shipped to their doorstep.
6) IDRBT building National Digital Financial Infrastructure (NADI)
•The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) is building a next-generation Digital Financial Infrastructure named National Digital Financial Infrastructure (NADI). NADI would provide a roadmap and framework for future digital financial services growth in India.
7) Google Cloud partnered with SpaceX for providing satellite internet service
•Google Cloud and SpaceX signed a deal for providing internet service through Starlink satellite. Google will provide the Cloud infrastructure for this connectivity Project, while Space X will install ground terminals in Google’s cloud data centres for connecting Starlink satellites. It will help in providing fast internet service to the rural areas. This service will be available to customers before the end of 2021.
•The first Starlink terminal will be established in a Google data centre in Ohio, United States. Earlier, Microsoft has also signed a similar agreement with SpaceX to connect its Azure cloud to Starlink. Starlink is a project under which SpaceX aims to send 12,000 satellites to provide space-based internet.
8) IIT Ropar developed portable eco-friendly mobile cremation system
•IIT Ropar has developed a portable eco-friendly electric cremation system. It is one of its kind of technology that produces no smoke despite using wood for cremation. It is based on wick-stove technology. The cart has been developed in collaboration with the company Cheema Boilers Limited.
•The cart-shaped mobile cremation system has stainless steel insulation on both sides of the cart for reducing heat loss and wood consumption. It takes less time to dispose of the body entirely as compared to normal wood-based cremation. It uses half wood than normal wood-based cremation, so it is an eco-friendly technology.
9) Satoshi Uchida appointed as Suzuki Motorcycle India’s new Company Head
•Suzuki Motorcycle India has appointed Satoshi Uchida as the new Company Head. He has replaced Koichiro Hirao as part of Suzuki Motor Corporation’s global revamp. Suzuki Motorcycle India registered its highest-ever monthly sales in April 2021, dispatching as many as 77,849 units during the month. Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation based in Minami-Ku.
10) Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank receives ‘International Invincible Gold Medal’
•International Invincible Gold Medal of this year has been conferred on Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. He has been recognised for his extraordinary commitment and outstanding service to humanity through his writings, social and illustrious public life.
•The decision was made after due deliberations by a high-powered committee duly constituted under the leadership of Dr Tony Nader who is the global head of the Maharshi organisation. This honour will be given by the worldwide Maharishi Organization & its universities.
The HINDU Notes – 18th May 2021
aditya
18:09
📰 ‘Job losses bode ill for the economy’
April’s labour participation rate was lower than in March 2020: CMIE chief Vyas
•Rising unemployment, including among the salaried class, and shrinking real incomes have led to a lack of demand that bodes ill for the economy, said Mahesh Vyas, managing director at the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).
•“Unemployment rising is not a good sign at all for the economy,” he said. “Labour participation rate recovered soon after the lockdown was eased last year, but has run out of momentum even before it could recover fully,” Mr. Vyas added.
•Unemployment rose to 8% in April, from 6.5% in March, the CMIE said. The labour participation rate (LPR) was 40% in April. “The LPR is about two percentage points below what it was before April 2020. This is a very serious matter for a population of our size,” Mr. Vyas said.
Post-lockdown recovery
•Observing that the economy had recovered after the lockdowns were eased in 2020, he said, “All supply side indicators saw a robust turnaround. But where is the demand?”
•Asserting that the lack of demand was a bottleneck for further growth, he said, “Income and consumer sentiment have also been hit. Income is lower than it was a year earlier. 90% of families have seen income shrinkage (i.e., real income, adjusted for inflation).”
Domestic demand is key
•“We can’t depend on exports. It is domestic consumption that will help the economy,” Mr. Vyas said, adding that it was critical to put money in the hands of the consumer now.
•Significantly, the size of the salaried class shrank for the third consecutive month in April, with 3.4 million jobs lost. During 2019-20, there were 85.9 million salaried jobs. As of April 2021, there were just 73.3 million, he said in a separate note.
📰 The why and how of creating a new district
The Punjab CM had announced the the creation of a new district of Malerkotla.
•On May 14, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh declared Malerkotla the 23rd district of the State. This led to an angry response from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who took to Twitter to say that the Punjab government’s decision of declaring its only Muslim-majority town as a district is “a reflection of the divisive policy of the Congress.”
•Section 5 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 says the “State government may, by notification, vary the limits and alter the numbers of tehsils, districts and divisions into which the State is divided.”
How are new districts carved?
•The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments. This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly. Many States prefer the executive route by simply issuing a notification in the official gazette.
How does it help?
•States argue that smaller districts lead to better administration and governance. For example, in 2016, the Assam government issued a notification to upgrade the Majuli sub-division to Majuli district for “administrative expediency”.
Are there are any exceptions?
•The State government has been vested with unfettered powers under Section 5 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 to create new districts, says K.B.S. Siddhu, former financial commissioner (revenue) of Punjab. “This power is generally held temporarily in abeyance only during active census operations or during the delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha/Vidhan Sabha constituencies,“ Mr. Sidhu said.
Does the Central government have a role to play here?
•The Centre has no role to play in the alteration of districts or creation of new ones. States are free to decide. The Home Ministry comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a railway station. The State government’s request is sent to other departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Intelligence Bureau, Department of Posts, Geographical Survey of India Sciences and the Railway Ministry seeking clearance. A no-objection certificate may be issued after examining their replies.
What has been the trend?
•According to the 2011 Census, there were 593 districts in the country. The Census results showed that between 2001-2011, as many as 46 districts were created by States. Though the 2021 Census is yet to happen, Know India, a website run by the Government of India, says currently there are 718 districts in the country. The surge in number is also due to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into A.P and Telangana in 2014. Telangana at present has 33 districts and A.P has 13 districts.
📰 At UN, India supports Palestine, but without specifics
GS SCORE FACT FILE- Economic Important Reports (National and International) PDF
aditya
08:31
GS SCORE FACT FILE- Economic Important Reports (National and International)PDF
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Monday, May 17, 2021
India-China Relations: Amidst the Pandemic and Border Disputes
aditya
19:32
What is the issue?
- It has been a year since the news of tensions between Indian and Chinese troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh first broke (May-June 2020).
- With this, here is an assessment of the developments so far, the present conditions and the future challenges.
What happened back then?
- The crisis involved Chinese ingressions and violent clash with soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in mid-June 2020.
- It eventually involved seven places: Depsang plains, Galwan, Gogra, Hot Springs, North bank of Pangong Tso, Kailash range and Demchok.
- With agreements to disengage from the Pangong lake area , it was planned to convene meeting of the senior commanders to address and resolve all other remaining issues.
- The last such meeting of commanders was held in April 2021, but the Chinese have refused to even discuss the remaining issues.
- Modi government seemed keen to announce a closure of the border crisis by creating the impression of an honourable solution against a major power.
- But, no such closure is in sight yet.
What is the current situation?
- The PLA troops deny India access to territories it controlled by patrolling.
- With this, the government’s asserted aim of restoring the status quo ante as of April 2020 remains unfulfilled.
- Even on the north bank of Pangong, a new status quo has been created where the patrolling rights are yet to be restored.
- Similarly, the Kailash range has seen neither de-escalation nor de-induction so far.
- So, in all, there have been no further deaths after June 2020 and no firing after early September 2020.
- But, the peace on the border is both unstable and unsustainable.
- Ongoing tensions, with massive deployments on each side, belie any hope of tranquillity.
- Cognisant of the volatility and risk, Indian Army has undertaken a major reorientation of its units and formations towards the China border.
- China-India ties are thus moving into a zone of problems even as New Delhi grapples with pandemic-related issues.
How is COVID-19 and geopolitics playing now?
Vision IAS Weekly Focus Non-Performing Assets (NPA) From ‘a Crisis’ to ‘a Catalyst’ PDF
aditya
19:28
Vision IAS Weekly Focus Non-Performing Assets (NPA) From ‘a Crisis’ to ‘a Catalyst’ PDF
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Daily Current Affairs, 17th May 2021
aditya
19:14
1) National Dengue Day: 16 May
•In India, the National Dengue Day is observed every year on 16 May. The day is an initiative by the Ministry of Healthy and Family Welfare, to raise awareness about dengue and its preventive measures, and preparedness for control of the vector-borne disease before the transmission season begins.
2) International Day of Light celebrated on 16 May
•The International Day of Light (IDL) is celebrated on 16 May each year to mark the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman. The day celebrates the role that light plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy to help achieve the goals of UNESCO – ‘education, equality, and peace. The message of 2021 International Day of Light is “Trust Science”.
•The celebration of the International Day of Light will enable various sectors of society worldwide to get indulge in activities that display how science, technology, art and culture can help in achieving the goals of UNESCO i.e. building the foundation for peaceful societies.
3) 6th UN Global Road Safety Week: 17-23 May 2021
•The 6th UN Global Traffic Safety Week, which this year is celebrated between 17 and 23 May, call for 30 km/h (20 mph) speed limits to be the norm for cities, towns and villages worldwide. UN Global Road Safety Week (UNGRSW) is a biennial global road safety campaign hosted by WHO.
•Each UNGRSW has an advocacy theme. The theme for the 6th UNGRSW is Streets for Life, under the tagline #Love30. It brings together individuals, governments, NGOs, corporations, and other organizations from around the world to raise awareness of road safety and make changes that will reduce the number of road deaths.
4) International Day of Living Together in Peace: 16 May
•The International Day of Living Together in Peace is held on 16th May every year since 2018. The UN General Assembly, declared 16 May the International Day of Living Together in Peace, as a means of regularly mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity. The Day aims to uphold the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony.
5) World Hypertension Day: 17 May
•World Hypertension Day (WHD) is celebrated on 17 May worldwide to promote public awareness of increasing high blood pressure (BP) and to encourage citizens of all countries to prevent and control this silent killer. The day was held for the first time in May 2005.
•World Hypertension Day (WHD) is an initiative of the World Hypertension League (WHL), an affiliated section of the International Society of Hypertension. The theme for World Hypertension Day 2021 is Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.
6) World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: 17 May
•The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year on 17 May since 1969, to commemorate the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The theme of 2021 is “Accelerating Digital Transformation in challenging times”.
7) China’s First Mars Rover ‘ZhuRong’ Successfully Lands on Mars
•China successfully achieved the feat of landing its first Mars Rover ‘Zhu Rong’ on the red planet, on May 15, 2021, becoming the only second nation to do so. Till date, only the United States has successfully landed its rover on Mars. All other countries that have tried have either crashed or lost contact soon after reaching the surface.
•The vehicle used a combination of a protective capsule, a parachute & a rocket platform to make the descent. Zhurong, which means God of Fire, was carried to Mars on the Tianwen-1 orbiter. China’s Mars rover, called Zhurong after an ancient fire god in Chinese mythology, will part ways with the lander by driving down a foldable ramp. Once it has deployed, the rover is expected to spend at least 90 Mars days.
8) Cyclone Taukate hits many states
•Cyclone Taukate has obtained its maximum intensity in the wee hours of Sunday and has now become a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (wind speed of 118 to 166 km/hr). The latest cyclone alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that this storm would reach close to Gujarat coast, Maharashtra, Goa. Light to moderate intensity rainfall is expected to continue over coastal Karnataka and Kerala till Monday.
9) Nagaland conservationist Nuklu Phom gets prestigious Whitley Awards 2021
•An environmentalist from Nagaland’s remote Longleng district, Nuku Phom has won this year’s Whitley Awards 2021, also known as the Green Oscar. Nuku Phom’s name, along with that of five others, was announced recently in a virtual award ceremony organized by the UK-based Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN). Nuku and his team want to offer alternatives that engage communities in conservation using the Amur falcon as a flagship.
•The award recognises Phom’s efforts at establishing a new biodiversity peace corridor changing the fate of Amur Falcons, which come to roost in Nagaland each year, from being hunted by locals. Worth £40,000, the award is for creating a new network of community-owned forests to protect Amur Falcons and increase biodiversity in Nagaland.
10) Himachal Government launches ‘Ayush Ghar-Dwar’ program
•Himachal Government has launched the ‘Ayush Ghar-Dwar’ program to keep the home isolated Covid-19 positive patients healthy by practising Yoga. This program has been started by the Department of AYUSH in collaboration with the Art of Living organisation. Yoga Bharti’s instructors would provide their services in the program. During the launch, about 80 home isolated Covid positive patients from all over the state were also connected virtually.
•Under the program, approximately 1000 virtual groups on social media platforms like zoom, WhatsApp and Google meet will be formed to connect with COVID positive patients in home isolation. The initiative intends to provide a holistic healthcare approach through AYUSH to ensure not only physical but also mental, social and spiritual wellbeing.
11) Footwear Brand Bata India appoints Gunjan Shah as new CEO
•Footwear company Bata India has appointed Gunjan Shah as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will join Bata in his new role from 21 June 2021, for a period of five years. Shah replaces Sandeep Kataria, who has been elevated as the Global CEO of Bata Brands in November 2020.
•Prior to this, Shah was the Chief Commercial Officer (COO) at Britannia Industries. Bata Corporation is a multinational footwear and fashion accessory manufacturer and retailer, with its headquarter located in Lausanne, Switzerland and an Indian branch based in Gurugram, Haryana.
12) Andrea Meza crowned 69th Miss Universe 2020
•Miss Mexico Andrea Meza has been crowned as the 69th Miss Universe 2020. On the other hand, Miss India’s Adline Quadros Castelino made it to the Top 4. Brazil’s Julia Gama is the first runner-up, Peru’s Janick Maceta is the second runner-up while India’s Adline Castelino and Dominican Republic’s Kimberly Perez are third runner-up and fourth runner-up, respectively.
•This year, the pageant is being held in Miami, Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood. Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa crowns her successor in the event.
13) Rafael Nadal wins 10th Italian Open title
•Rafael Nadal beat world number one Novak Djokovic to win a 10th Italian Open title. Second seed Nadal won through 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in 2hr 49min against the defending champion in the 57th career showdown between the pair. The victory also earned Nadal a 36th ATP Masters 1000 crown, equalling Djokovic’s record since the series was established in 1990.
•In the women’s category, Polish teenager Iga Swiatek crushed Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-0 to win the Italian Open title. Swiatek, ranked 15, claimed her third WTA title.
The HINDU Notes – 17th May 2021
aditya
18:31
📰 Artless and heartless: On Central Vista project
The govt. must respond to concerns about demolitions in Central Vista redevelopment
•The Government of India’s Central Vista redevelopment project is highly questionable as a national priority at any time, and more so in the midst of a pandemic. The project includes the construction of a new Parliament building, and new residences for the Prime Minister and the Vice President. A new Parliament building is indeed required; and there is a strong case for reorganising the existing offices of the central government. However, the architecture and timelines of the redevelopment as it is happening now are less about the need and more about an imperious obsession with grandeur. The irony is that a colossus built amid the ruins of a pandemic could turn out to be a monument to the government’s disregard for public good. The misplaced determination of the Centre to complete the project before the next Lok Sabha election in 2024 is characteristic of the showmanship that has befallen governance in India, but there is no justifiable urgency in razing to the ground a row of buildings and then rebuilding. Last week, 76 scholars, artists, writers, curators and museum professionals put the spotlight on a particularly concerning aspect of the project. The National Museum of India, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), and the National Archives Annexe are set to be demolished to make way for new buildings.
•These experts have called for an immediate suspension of the project, and wide public consultations on the path ahead. There are valid concerns about the conservation of the collections housed at these centres. Relocation of the treasures at the National Museum, archival records at the National Archives and manuscript holdings at the IGNCA can be an extremely challenging task even during ordinary times. It is a complex operation that requires detailed planning and expertise. Such changes around premier institutions take place only after wide consultations in any part of the world; and certainly not in the opaque and cavalier manner as is being planned here. Artefacts at the National Museum still lack a complete inventory, the experts have pointed out, flagging the risk of loss or mishandling. The Central Vista redevelopment project is clearly being implemented in a hurry. The government’s intolerance towards any public scrutiny of the project is such that even photography of the construction is now banned. The country is facing an unprecedented health crisis, the ripple effects of which are being felt in the economic, social and political spheres too. The government will lose nothing if it were to suspend the project, and take the Opposition and the public into confidence on the future course, in calmer times.
📰 Using all options: On Covaxin licensing
The HINDU Notes – 15th May 2021
aditya
18:04
📰 186 elephants killed on railway tracks in over 10 years: MoEFCC
Various measures had been taken to avoid elephant casualties on railway lines
•A total of 186 elephants were killed after being hit by trains across India between 2009-10 and 2020-21, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India.
•As per the data furnished by the Project Elephant Division of the Ministry, Assam accounted for the highest number of elephant casualties on railway tracks (62), followed by West Bengal (57), and Odisha (27). Uttar Pradesh saw a single death.
•Trains claimed the highest number of pachyderms in 2012-13, when 27 elephants were killed in 10 States as per the data accessed by activist R. Pandiyaraja from Tenkasi district in Tamil Nadu through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
•K. Muthamizh Selvan, Scientist ‘D’ and Central Public Information Officer (Project Elephant), said in the RTI reply that various measures had been taken to avoid elephant casualties on railway lines.
•According to the Ministry, a Permanent Coordination Committee has been constituted between the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) and the MoEFCC for preventing elephant deaths in train accidents.
•The formation of coordination committees of officers of Indian Railways and State Forest Departments; clearing of vegetation along railway tracks to enable clear view for loco pilots; signage boards at suitable points to alert loco pilots about elephant presence; moderating slopes of elevated sections of railway tracks; underpass/overpass for safe passage of elephants; regulation of train speed from sunset to sunrise in vulnerable stretches; and regular patrolling of vulnerable stretches of railway tracks by frontline staff of the Forest Department and wildlife watchers, were among other initiatives the Ministry had undertaken.
•The MoEFCC also stated that it released ₹212.49 crore to elephant range States under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) of Project Elephant to protect elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address issues of man-elephant conflict and welfare of captive elephants, between 2011-12 and 2020-21. Kerala stood at the top in getting CSS funds of ₹35.39 crore during the period. Punjab received the lowest of the funds — ₹ 1.82 lakh, said the RTI document.
📰 Native Indian turtles face U.S. slider threat across Northeast
