Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 7 October 2023 | Download PDF

Recently the Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was imposed in the National Capital Region (NCR)

as its Air Quality Index (AQI) slipped into the poor category.

Graded Response Action Plan: 

• It is a set of emergency measures to prevent the deterioration of air quality.
• The GRAP was first notified in January 2017 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has constituted a sub-committee for the operationalization of the GRAP.
• GRAP is divided into four stages according to the quality of air
• The measures taken under the stages are from stage-1 to stage-4. Stage-4 being the most severe. 

• It was launched by the central government in 2014.
• It was launched as a part of the Swachh Bharat campaign.
• The AQI transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and color. 
• The pollutants measured include-

1. 1. PM 10
   2. PM 2.5
   3. Nitrogen Dioxide
   4. Ozone
   5. Carbon Monoxide

• Sulphur dioxide
• Ammonia.

• • The colour-coded AQI index helps the public and the government understand the condition of the air.
• 0-50 is good category represented by Green

• 401-500 is a severe category represented by dark red, it affects healthy people and seriously impacts.

 those with existing disease.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has recently intervened and  urged the authorities to protect the family of a Manipur-based human rights activist.

Key facts.

• Babloo Loitongbam is a human rights activist in Manipur.
• His house was attacked for criticizing Meiti group
• He is a lawyer, anthropologist and internationally acclaimed human rights activist.
• He belongs to the Meitei community.
• Bablu Loitongbam has been working to protect human rights in North-East India for more than 20 years.
• Bablu has prepared a human rights curriculum.
• Through the curriculum he prepares traditional village institutions to organize in new ways against growing human rights challenges in the region.

• The Council was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006.
• It was established to replace the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
• It is a United Nations body.
• Its  mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world
• the Council has 47 members elected for three-year terms on a regional group basis
• The headquarters of the Council is in Geneva, Switzerland.

A new paper has found that climate change is emerging as one of the biggest threats to reptiles(frogs, salamanders, and caecilians) around the world.

Key facts

• • The study is based on the second global amphibian assessment coordinated by the Amphibian Red List Authority.
  • Amphibian Red List Authority is a branch of the Amphibian Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission. 
• It is  managed by Re:wild, a wildlife conservation group.

• • More than 1,000 experts across the globe, including scientists and researchers from Assam-based biodiversity conservation organization, Aaranyak, and other Indian institutions, contributed their data and expertise.
• These data will be published on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Did you know?

Climate change and habitat destruction are the biggest threat for amphibians in large part because they are particularly sensitive to changes in their environment.

Monetary Policy Committee Decides  to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.50% amid high inflation rate.

Key facts

• The RBI forecast  GDP growth for 2023-24 at 6.5% and its forecast for average CPI inflation for the current fiscal year at 5.4%. 
• The overall inflation outlook was clouded by uncertainties that included the fall in kharif sowing for key crops.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)

• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decides on key interest rates like repo, reverse repo.
• It has six members—three central bank officials and three government nominees—headed by the RBI governor. 
• It has the responsibility for fixing key policy rates (interest rates) in the country.
• The MPC attempts to contain inflation and accordingly formulates monetary policy measures in order to influence interest rates.

To secure online transactions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed to allow banks to “tokenize” debit or credit cards.

Card-on-File tokenization(CoF)

• Tokenization is a process by which card details are replaced by a unique token or code.
• It allows online purchases to go through without exposing the sensitive details.
• Card-on-File Tokenization (CoFT) Services will be started from 1st October, 2022.
• Under the system, the  merchants will not be allowed to store your card number, CVV and expiry date for processing online transactions.
• Any existing details that were saved by merchants will be deleted.
• The regulation is applicable to all Debit & Credit cards.
• Once the card is tokenized these token details will be used to initiate online payments instead of actual card number to process transactions.
• A customer will be able to identify his card number with the last 4 digits and bank name.
•  there is no limit to the number of transactions that can be done from a tokenized card.

Russian lawmakers have informed that they can  consider revoking the ratification of a global nuclear test ban.

Key facts

• Statement comes after the  Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning to consider rescinding the ratification of the international pact banning nuclear tests since the United States has never ratified it.

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) 

• • It is a global agreement that prohibits all forms of nuclear test explosions across the globe. 
  • The Treaty was deliberated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in 1994.
  • The treaty was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. 
  • The Treaty was opened for signature in 1996 and has since been endorsed by 184 countries.
• India is not one of the signatories of this treaty.

The performance audit by the CAG has detected serious irregularities in the utilization of funds under the Ama Gaon Ama Bikash (AGAB) scheme of Odisha.

About Scheme

• The scheme was launched in 2018
• Its aim is to reach out to people in rural areas and involve themselves in developmental activities.
• The basic objective is to accelerate local development through small and essential projects of local importance.
• It is funded by the state  government.
• The project cost should be between 1 lakh to 10 lakh
• Under this programme, people can directly send their suggestions to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) at the Secretariat in Bhubaneswar.
• The Suggestion can be sent through Wi-Fi enabled latest technology, video wall vans etc. 

The state government of Odisha  has banned the use of Paraquat, a highly toxic substance widely used as a herbicide for destroying weeds.

Key facts

• The decision was taken to prevent the adverse impact of the chemical on human health and animals.
• the sale, stock, distribution, manufacturing and use of this toxic chemical will be prohibited in the entire state
• The ban will be initially effective for a period of two months  under the Insecticides Act, of 1968.

About Paraquat

• It is a highly toxic substance widely used as a herbicide for destroying weeds
• also known as methyl viologen, is an organic compound
• This is a form of  salt which is  widely used  as herbicide.
• It is quick-acting and non-selective, killing green plant tissue on contact.
• It is toxic to human beings and animals due to its Redox  activity.
• It has been linked to the development of Parkinson’s disease.

The state government has created additional irrigation potential for nearly 4.20 lakh hectare and improved on-farm water use efficiency for over one lakh hectare under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).

About PMKSY

• • It was launched in 2015.
  • Its aim is  to improve farm productivity and ensure better utilization of the resources in the country.
• Centrally sponsored scheme.

• The major objective of PMKSY is to achieve

1.  convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level
2. expand cultivable area under assured irrigation
3. improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water
4. enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation 

• The scheme will be implemented by Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development. 
• The programme will be supervised and monitored by an Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) which will be constituted under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister.

Did you know?

The Per Drop More Crop, Har khet ko pani are components of the  scheme.

One Health program proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be implemented in Odisha on the basis of a pilot project. 

National One Health Mission

• It is based on one health approach
• One Health approach is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to balance the health of people, animals and ecosystems.
• Mission works at the local, regional, national, and global levels
• It recognizes the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. 
• It coordinates, supports, and integrates all the existing One Health activities in the country.

Odian actor Chittaranjan Tripathi has been announced as the director of National School of Drama (NSD).

About NSDA

• The National School of Drama is one of the foremost theater  training institutions in the world and the only one of its kind in India.
•  It was set up by the Sangeet Natak Akademi as one of its constituent units in 1959. 

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