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Wednesday, July 06, 2022

THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 06.07.2022

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Tuesday, July 05, 2022

Daily Current Affairs, 05th July 2022

18:39

 


1)  PM Likely to Inaugurate UP’s Expressway in the Coming Week

•The Bundelkhand Expressway is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the first week of July. The expected dates, announced by the government are July 6 or 7. The Bundelkhand Expressway is 296.07 km and connects the Bundelkhand region of Agra to the National Capital Region and Delhi. A senior state government official said, “The Prime Minister’s office has conveyed July 6-7 as tentative dates for the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway. But the final decision on the dates is yet to be taken.” The Bundelkhand Expressway originates at Bharatkoop in Chitrakoot district and it merges with Agra-Lucknow Expressway at Kudrail village in Etawah district.


•Under the Yogi Government, the inauguration of the Bundelkhand Expressway will be the second mega event. On 3rd June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present as the chief guest at the third groundbreaking ceremony in the state. The Expressway was completed ahead of its deadline only 28 months after its inauguration on 29th February 2020 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The actual target set for the completion of this Expressway was 36 months. With this project, the Yogi Government has saved 1,132 crore, which is approximately 12.72% of the original estimated cost. The four-lane Bundelkhand Expressway is expected to expand to six-lane in the coming year and it has 14 interchange points that connect seven districts of the state. The inauguration of the expressway will be done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a village called Katheri in the Jalaun district.


2)  PM Modi to Visit Varanasi to Inaugurate Projects Worth Rs 1,800 Crore

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go to Varanasi to visit his Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday. There he will be inaugurating and laying foundation stones for various development initiatives with is worth over ₹18,00 crore. These initiatives will focus on improving infrastructure and making people’s life easier. The Prime minister will inaugurate the ‘Akshay Patra Mid-Day Meal Kitchen’ at LT college in Varanasi. The college has the capacity of cooking mid-day meals for up to one lakh students. The inauguration of the ‘Akshay Patra Mid-Day Meal Kitchen’ will take place at 2 PM. After this, at around 2.45 pm, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate ‘Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam’ in the International Cooperation and Convention Centre, on the implementation of the National Education Policy. Around 4 pm, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for multiple projects worth ₹18,00 crore at the Dr. Sampurnanad Sports stadium.


•The statement issued by Prime Minister’s office said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has focused on the growth of infrastructure development in Varanasi for the last eight years. This has not only changed a particular issue but also changed the landscape of the city. The primary focus of every development plan has always been the development of people and making their life easier. Along with these programs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also lay the foundation of Phase 1 of redevelopment works of the Sports Stadium at Sigra.


3)  Himachal Pradesh CM launched ‘Nari Ko Naman’ scheme for women

•Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur has launched ‘Naari Ko Naman’ scheme to provide 50 % concession on fares in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses to women commuters within the state boundaries. Seema Thakur, the first woman bus driver in the state, drove him in a state transport bus to the event venue. The chief minister had announced the 50 per cent concession on bus fares to women on April 15, Himachal Day.


•CM has announced the minimum bus fare will also be reduced from Rs.7 to Rs.5 for all passengers. The government of HP will also sanction 25 new posts for female drivers in ‘Ride With Pride Government Taxi service’. The service is for female passengers and senior citizens of HP.


4)  Vivek Express: Indian Railway’s longest Train Route

•The Vivek Express holds the title of the longest train route in the country which runs from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. It covers 4247 km of distance and nine States. There is a network of more than ten thousand kilometers of railway lines. This network connects the far and near states together. The farthest Indian railway network is 4247 km long, which is also the longest train route in the country both in terms of distance and time.


5)  Karnataka’s Sini Shetty crowned Femina Miss India 2022

•Sini Shetty has won the title of Femina Miss India 2022. She will now represent India at the 71st Miss World pageant. Shetty was crowned Femina Miss India World 2022 by her predecessor Miss India 2020, Manasa Varanasi at JIO World Convention Center in Mumbai. Femina Miss India 2022’s first runner-up is Rubal Shekhawat from Rajasthan, while the second runner-up is Shinata Chauhan, who hails from Uttar Pradesh.


6)  UK Parliament honours Tanuja Nesari with Ayurveda Ratna award

•Tanuja Nesari, Director of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) was awarded with the Ayurveda Ratna Award by the UK Parliament. The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences (ITSappg) conferred the award recognising her contribution to prmoting the growth of Ayurveda in India and abroad.


•Dr Nesari has been honoured for her exceptional service of the highest order for the promotion of Ayurveda by an ITSappg committee represented by dignitaries, including Amarjeet S. Bhamra, Ambassador for Ayurveda and Yoga in Great Britain; Virendra Sharma, MP, UK Parliament and Chair, ITSappg; and Bob Blackman, MP, UK Parliament and Chair, ITSappg.


7)  Rahul Narwekar, the youngest Speaker in the country

•Mumbai lawyer and first-time legislator, Rahul Narwekar has been elected as the youngest Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and also becomes the youngest ever in India to hold this august Constitutional post. Narwekar scripted history to become the youngest legislator to be elected as the 16th Speaker (since 1960) and also is now the youngest ever lawmaker to occupy the coveted top legislative post in the country.


•Narwekar received a total of 164 votes in support and 107 went to Shiv Sena candidate’s account. During the Speaker elections, 12 members were absent and 3 legislators abstained from the voting. Narwekar (45), a sitting MLA from Colaba, left Shiv Sena in 2014 to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Maval constituency as a NCP candidate. However, he suffered defeat but was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council and remained its member till 2019.


8)  People can receive R. 10 lakh without telling authorities after Center modifies FCRA

•Indians are now permitted to receive up to Rs. 10 lakh annually from relatives who live overseas without telling the authorities thanks to changes made by the Union Home Ministry to certain rules relating to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The previous cap was Rs. 1 lakh. The home ministry also stated in a notification that instead of 30 days, if the sum surpasses, the people would now have 90 days to notify the government. The new regulations, known as the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2022, were published in the gazette by the home ministry.

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The HINDU Notes – 05th July 2022

15:10

 


📰 India leading the world in digital revolution: PM

At Digital India Week, Modi launches multiple portals

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India was leading the world in the digital revolution as the government’s use of digital technology in welfare and governance delivery is changing the lives of the people of the country.

•Mr. Modi launched multiple digital portals at the ongoing Digital India Week 2022, including a single sign-in portal Meri Pehchaan, Digital India Bhashini, Digital India Genesis, and a Chips to Startup (C2S) programme at an event at Gandhinagar.

•“Around 10 years ago, we had to stand in queues for everything from getting a birth certificate, pay bills or getting rations from a shop to getting an admission in a school or college. Now, we have eliminated all lines while going online,” he said in his speech after opening the Digital Week, 2022.

•“The government’s Digital India programme has given relief to the poor from corruption and it is working for elimination of middlemen in all fields,” he said, adding that the digital technology in the welfare services and schemes have brought in transparency in the system.

•Since 2014, more than ₹23 lakh crore has been transferred to beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer, or DBT.

•With the digitisation of welfare delivery, around ₹2.23 lakh crore could be saved from going into wrong hands or middlemen, Mr. Modi said.

•He emphasised the need to adopt technology or else remain backward as happened during the third Industrial Revolution when the country remained far behind other nations.

•During his speech, he mentioned digital platforms such as Aadhaar, UPI, CoWIN and Digilocker that have contributed to “ease of living” as citizens get services online without going to the government offices and approaching middlemen.

•“All programmes launched in Gandhinagar are going to strengthen ease-of-doing business and ease of living. They will give a fillip to India’s start-up ecosystem. India can proudly claim that it is not just part of the Industry 4.0 Revolution but is actually leading it,” Mr. Modi said after inaugurating numerous digital portals for various services.

•He added that the government had launched a project of digital mapping of rural properties using drones and other such devices.

📰 A chaotic world, the perils of multilateralism

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Need for a National Plan on Electrical Safety

08:26

 What is the issue?

While the significant growth of power infrastructure is commendable, there are many problems that the sector faces, electrical accidents being a tragic one.

What is the status of power sector in India?

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VISION IAS Mains 2022 Test 15 With Solution PDF

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THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 05.07.2022

08:11
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Monday, July 04, 2022

Daily Current Affairs, 04th July 2022

20:07

 


1)  International Plastic Bag Free Day 2022: 03 July

•The International Plastic Bag Free Day is held on July 3 around the world to spread awareness that a plastic bag free world is possible and that sound environmental alternatives to single use plastic bags are available. 2022 is the 13th edition of the celebrations. The day is an initiative by Bag Free World for the purpose of getting rid of the single-use of plastic bags around the world and promoting environmental conservation by encouraging us all to stay away from the use of plastic bags and instead look for more eco-friendly alternatives.


2)  Singapore’s T. Raja Kumar is new president of FATF

•T. Raja Kumar of Singapore has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the anti-money laundering watchdog. Kumar has replaced Marcus Pleyer who was holding the post till now, and will discharge his service for next two years.


•Kumar has been working against global terror financing for quite a long time. Soon after taking over the charge, Kumar presented his objectives for the coming Plenary period (July 2022 -June 2024) to strength the FATF. During the Singapore Presidency, the FATF will continue its core work of identifying and analysing money laundering and terrorist financing methods and trends, developing and refining the FATF Standards, and evaluating and supporting the assessments of countries within the Global Network


3)  Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurates Fifth Global Film Tourism Conclave

•At the Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach in Mumbai, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs, officially inaugurated the fifth Global Film Tourism Conclave (GFTC). In collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organised the fifth GFTC with the subject “Unleashing the Power of Cinematic Tourism.”


4)  Yair Lapid takes over as 14th Prime Minister of Israel

•Leader of Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid has been officially became the 14th prime minister of Israel, after replacing the Naftali Benett. He is a former journalist who serving as PM of Israel since 1 July 2022. Yair Lapid’s term could be the short one as he take over the caretaker government ahead of Israel’s election which was scheduled to take place on November 1.


5)  RBI modifies the rules for banknote sorting and authentication

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) published guidelines ordering banks to test their currency sorting equipment every three months. Following the release of the new series of banknotes, the central bank updated the preexisting standards for authentication and sorting. The Reserve Bank stated that vendors will need to re-calibrate the equipment in the event of inconsistencies during the sorting.


6)  Indian Army Organises Suraksha Manthan-2022

•The Desert Corps of the Indian Army organised the “Suraksha Manthan 2022”, on aspects of Border & Coastal Security at Jodhpur (Rajasthan). During the course of the discussions, aspects of interoperability, operational cohesion and logistics were ironed out in order to enhance overall security along the International Boundary (IB) and coastal sectors.


•A joint training calendar was also formulated to achieve a higher degree of interoperability and jointness amongst the security forces. Current security threats and challenges, along with joint mitigation response, were deliberated upon and such scenarios would now form part of the forthcoming exercises. It was further decided to create an enabling security environment and develop a tangible capability development road map to achieve the same.


7)  FanCode onboards Ravi Shastri as brand ambassador

•Former team India coach and cricketer, Ravi Shastri has been appointed the new brand ambassador for FanCode, a live content, sports statistics and e-commerce marketplace. FanCode is set to host some of the best cricketing action with exclusive rights to India’s tour of the West Indies and ECB’s The Hundred; and Shastri will bring out FanCode’s ‘fan-first’ proposition by leading the upcoming campaigns for these properties.


8)  Govt revamps Banks Board into Financial Services Institutions Bureau

•The government has transformed Banks Board Bureau (BBB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, into Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) by making some amendments. Guidelines for selection of general managers and directors of public sector general insurance companies have been made part of FSIB.

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Raus IAS Mains Compass Economy 2022 PDF

18:13

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The HINDU Notes – 04th July 2022

17:55

 


📰 Targeting GI tag, Mayurbhanj’s superfood ‘ant chutney’ to find more tables

For Odisha tribes, dishes made of weaver ants offer a cure to many illnesses and are known to boost the immune system and keep diseases at bay

•People often keep a safe distance from red weaver ants as their sting inflicts a sharp pain and reddish bumps on the skin.

•Despite this, weaver ants are popular among the people, mostly of the tribes, of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha for the mouth-watering dish made of them — the Kai chutney.

•This savoury food item, rich in proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper, fibre and 18 amino acids, is known to boost the immune system and keep diseases at bay.

•In Odisha, scientists are now fine-tuning their research to make a presentation for the Geographical Indications (GI) registry of Kai chutney. Applied under food category, the GI tag will help develop a structured hygiene protocol in the preparation of Kai chutney for standard wider use.

•Geographical Indications labels enhance the reputation and value of local products and support local businesses.

•Weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina, are abundantly found in Mayurbhanj throughout the year. They make nests with leaves of host trees.

•“When required, leafy nests of ants are plucked from their host trees and collected in a bucket of water before sorting and separation from leaves and debris. Larval and adult stages of the ants are preferred and are either eaten raw or turned into ‘chutney’ by mixing them with spicy ingredients,” said Jagannath Patra, a scientist at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).

•The chutney is prepared by mixing and grinding salt, ginger, garlic and chilly and is sold by tribal people in rural markets.

•“The tribes of Mayurbhanj consume Kai chutney or soup to get rid of flu, common cold, whooping cough, to increase appetite and enhance eyesight naturally without corrective eye wear and to treat joint pain and stomach diseases, and for the development of a healthy brain and the nervous system,” Deepak Kumar Mohanty, a senior scientist with the KVK, said.

•“The tribal healers also prepare medicinal oil by dipping the collected Kais in pure mustard oil. After 30 days, this oil is used as baby oil and externally used to cure rheumatism, gout, ringworm infection and skin diseases. So, it is the only panacea for the tribes,” the application for GI registry says.

•“The Kai family consists of three category members — workers, major workers and queens. Workers and major workers are mostly orange-colored. Kais feed on small insects and other invertebrates, their prey being mainly beetles, flies and hymenopterans,” it said.

📰 We need an urgent national plan on electrical safety

More funding and coordinated action are needed

•There are reasons to be proud of the growth of the Indian power sector since independence. There has been significant growth in infrastructure, nearly all households have an electricity connection, amid promises of providing 24x7 electrical supply and achieving net zero emissions by 2070. While these are commendable, there are also many problems that the sector faces, electrical accidents being a tragic one.

•Understanding the problems and failures is essential for growth and success. And it is unfortunate that the increasing rate of electrical accidents is a problem that has not received sufficient attention of those who plan, regulate and operate the electricity sector. National or State policies or programmes do not provide targets or specific resource allocation for safety. In some cases where resource is allocated, it is under-utilised or a small portion is spent on staff for safety kits or training.

Rising fatalities

•As per the data from the National Crime Records Bureau, the number of fatalities and rate of deaths (per lakh population) due to electric shocks and fires has been steadily increasing over the years. From 2,957 deaths and 0.36 deaths per lakh population in 1990, it has increased to 15,258 deaths and 1.13 deaths per lakh population in 2020. Data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) conveys the same story in terms of increasing fatal accidents. It is worth mentioning that in many developed countries, the number of deaths has been reducing over the years and the deaths per lakh population is of the order of 0.03 or lower.

•Accidents, as the saying goes, do not just happen, but are caused. From the analysis of available data, it appears that over 90% of the people who die due to electrical accidents are the general public. Hence, any attempt to reduce such accidents must include the safety of general public as a top priority.

•Geographically, most of the electrical accidents appear to be taking place in rural areas, but considering the rapid urbanisation, poor urban localities also need attention. In electrical terms, most accidents occur in the distribution system and at non-industrial consumer locations. Most fatalities occur at distribution network (specifically 11 kV and Low-Tension systems) and Low-Tension consumer locations, and therefore need higher attention.

•Electrocution due to accidental contact with live conductors is the immediate cause for accidents in a majority of cases. The reason could be snapping or sagging of conductors, or exposed switch boards at low heights. The second major reason is fire due to electrical faults, which accounts for around 12% of the accidents. Poor design, construction, inadequate maintenance, inadequate protection systems and lack of safety awareness are some of the root causes.

Safety checks and balances

•There are safety regulations prepared by the CEA, which all electricity utilities are expected to follow. But there is no mechanism to ensure that utilities are following them. For example, distribution companies are expected to have safety officers and conduct periodic safety audits. These are not done because revenue collection and fault repairs are higher priorities for the companies. Electrical inspectors in States are expected to approve connections, provide licences to electricians and conduct enquiries on accidents. But they are heavily under-staffed. As for safety professionals, their focus is on industrial safety, and not on safety aspects of the rural public. Many well-meaning grass-root organisations focus on ensuring ex gratia for accident victims, not on accident prevention.

•Electricity safety is a public interest challenge, which can be met only through coordinated action involving all stakeholders. The implementation of the current safety regulatory regime can be significantly tightened through better data collection, introducing safety aspects in national programmes, strengthening safety institutions, developing safety metric for distribution companies, involving public and professionals in safety initiatives and utilising technological innovations.

•The need of the hour is a national programme to reduce electrical accidents in the distribution sector, with clear scope of work, sufficient resource allocation and robust monitoring and verification mechanism. States could identify districts which have reported high accidents in the past few years and chalk out a programme to reduce accidents. Only such measures can ensure that electricity supply is not only universal, affordable and good quality, but also safe.

📰 Technology is no panacea for custodial deaths

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THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 04.07.2022

17:31
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