Daily Gist of 'The Hindu', 'PIB', 'Indian Express' and Other Newspapers: 10 September, 2020

Daily news will speed up the preparation for the Civil Services Examination and it also plays a crucial role to grasp the current affairs topic comprehensively. Here we have covered most of the topics related to various categories including National, International, Sports, Science and Technology, and so on.

1. ATAL INNOVATION MISSION LAUNCHES AATMANIRBHAR BHARAT ARISE-ANIC INITIATIVE

– Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog launched one of its most awaited programmes, the Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenges.

– It is launched to spur applied research and innovation in Indian MSMEs and startups.

– The programme is going to be driven by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), four ministries – Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Food Processing Industries; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and associated industries to facilitate innovative solutions to sectoral problems.

– The Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-ANIC programme will support deserving applied research-based innovations by providing funding support of up to Rs 50 lakh for quick development of the proposed technology solution and/or product.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 9 September, 2020

2. WESTERN COALFIELDS LIMITED (WCL) TO DOUBLE RAIL DESPATCH TO MEET COAL DEMAND

– Western Coalfields Ltd. (WCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd.(CIL) has drawn an ambitious roadmap to almost double its coal despatch capacity through rail mode to satisfy or to meet the additional demand of consumers of Power Sector.

– ‘Mission 100 Days’ is set by the company an agenda to streamline activities to reach peak despatch of 50 rakes per day from January, 2021 with support from Railways.

– At a cheaper landed price, WCL had recently offered additional coal to Power consumers of Central, West & South India.

– On discussion with State Gencos of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, NTPC & IPPs, WCL expects additional coal demand of around 25 Million Tonnes per year from these consumers after getting swapped from other Subsidiaries of CIL & SCCL.

3. DekhoApnaDesh WEBINAR SERIES ON “PUNJAB-A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE”

– This webinar series is an effort to showcase the rich diversity of India under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme.

– As we all know that Punjab is known as ‘the land of Five Waters’. These rivers are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 8 September, 2020

4. NSO SURVEY ON DIGITAL EDUCATION DIVIDE

– National Statistical Organisation recent report on survey shows the stark digital divide across States, cities and villages, and income groups.

– The survey is based on household social consumption related to education which is a part of NSO’s 75th round of Sample Survey.

– Due to COVID-19, schools across the country are closed for six months. That is those people who have access to digital resources are getting an education and those who do not have such resources are devoid of education.

The digital divide:

Rural households with computer – 4.4%
Urban households with computer – 23.4%’
Rural households with the internet – 14.9%
Urban households with the internet – 42%
ODF+ and ODF++

According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA):

All the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Haryana have been certified Open Defecation Free (ODF), 21 ULBs ODF+ and 13 ODF++.
All cities in Punjab have been certified ODF, 33 are ODF+ and 17 are ODF++. Chandigarh is certified ODF++ and 3 Star (GFC).

– In March 2016, the original ODF protocol was issued and according to it ” “A city/ward is notified as ODF city/ward if, at any point of the day, not one person is found defecating in the open.”

– In August 2018, ODF+ and ODF++ were launched to further scale up and sustain the work undertaken by the cities after achieving the ODF status under Phase I of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-Urban).

– Cities that had been certified ODF at least once, on the basis of the ODF protocols, are eligible to declare themselves as SBM-ODF+ & SBM-ODF++.

– A city, ward or work circle could be declared ODF+ if, “at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating and/or urinating in the open, and all community and public toilets are functional and well-maintained.”

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 7 September, 2020

6. GAP IN VACCINATION OF CHILDREN

– ‘Health in India’ report is recently published by the National Statistical Organisation (NSO) which stated that the full immunisation programme is not completed among 40% of the children.

– The report is based on the 75th round of the National Sample Survey (July 2017-June 2018) on household social consumption related to health.

– Only 59.2% of children under five years across the country are fully immunised.

– Across the country, about 97% of children received at least one vaccination — mostly BCG or the first dose of OPV at birth.

– Only 67% of children are protected against measles.

– Only 58% got their polio booster dose, while 54% got their DPT booster dose.

– Manipur (75%), Andhra Pradesh (73.6%) and Mizoram (73.4%) recorded the highest rates of full immunisation.

– Poor Performance by Nagaland (12%), followed by Puducherry (34%) and Tripura (39.6%).

– In Delhi, less than half of all children are fully immunised.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 15, 9 September

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