Daily Current Affairs UPSC |

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. CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2020

– Country’s largest power producer, NTPC Ltd has been conferred “Excellence” in the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2020 in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Domain.

– NTPC has been honoured in the Corporate Excellence Category, Commendation for Significant Achievement.

– The recognition was received by D. K. Patel, Director (HR) in the august presence of Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs at the 15th CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2020 held through the virtual platform.

– This is the highest award conferred by CII-ITC in CSR domain. NTPC is the only PSU to receive the award in the Corporate Excellence category.

– NTPC wins the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability Awards in Corporate Excellence category second time in a row i.e. in the year 2019 and 2020.

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2. Global Indian Scientists & Technocrats (GIST) meet

– Union Minister for S&T, ES and MoHFW, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the Global Indian Scientists & Technocrats (GIST) meet which is being organized as a part of the Indian International Science Festival (IISF) 2020.

– According to Dr. Harsh Vardhan, “No country can achieve global solutions in isolation; Such challenges can be addressed through cooperation, particularly seamless scientific and technological cooperation.”

– Further, he stated that “There is enormous untapped potential in connecting and engaging with the Indian scientific diaspora – not only for the benefit of our national development but also for the global good.”

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 23 December, 2020

3. Successful Maiden Launch of MRSAM

– Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved a major milestone on 23 December, 2020 with the maiden launch of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM), Army Version from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the Coast of Odisha around 1600 hrs.

– The missile completely destroyed a high speed unmanned aerial target which was mimicking an aircraft with a direct hit.

– Army version of MRSAM is a surface to Air Missile developed jointly by DRDO, India and IAI, Israel for use of the Indian Army.

– MRSAM Army weapon system comprises of Command post, Multi-Function Radar and Mobile Launcher system.

– The complete Fire Unit has been used during the launch in the deliverable configuration. The team from the users i.e. Indian Army also witnessed the launch. A number of range instruments such as Radar, Telemetry and Electro-Optical Tracking System were deployed and captured the complete mission data, validating the weapon system performance including the destruction of the target.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 22 December, 2020

4. Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Navy and CSIR-NIO

– The Indian Navy, represented by Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) / Directorate of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology Government of India and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research’s National Institute of Oceanography will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding to seal Institutional Linkages and Expertise in the field of Oceanography.

– The MoU will be signed virtually on 24th December by Commodore AA Abhyankar, Commodore Naval Oceanology and Meteorology and Prof. Sunil Kumar Singh, Director, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography along with Commodore SMU Athar, Captain M K Mahawar and Commander Pawanjit Singh, Directorate of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology and Dr. V. Sanil Kumar, Head, Business Development, Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation & Ocean Engineering and Mr. Venkat Krishnamurthy, Collaborations Desk of CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography.

– The Indian Navy and CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography have a long history of informal cooperation in various scientific domains of interest and this MoU will now facilitate a roadmap for further meaningful interactions that is drawn on mutual strengths of the two organizations in the specific fields of Oceanography.

– CSIR-NIO by virtue of its systematic and focused research in the field of ocean data collection, environmental impact assessment, and ocean modelling, has maintained the highest standards in this domain.

– This collaboration will now facilitate utilization and sharing the expertise of both the organizations with the latest developments in the field of oceanography.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 21 December, 2020

5. 18 highway projects in Rajasthan

– Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for 18 highway projects in Rajasthan on 24 December, 2020.

– Shri Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister, Rajasthan will preside over the virtual function, to be attended by Union Ministers Gen (Retd) V K Singh and several Ministers from the State.

– These projects for inauguration and foundation laying carry a road length of nearly 1127 kilometers, involving construction value of Rs. 8,341 crore.

– Paving the way for the development of Rajasthan, these roads will enhance better connectivity, convenience and economic growth in the State.

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6. CII, FICCI to seek a pause on wage code

– Representatives of industry bodies, including those from CII and FICCI, have requested the Labour Ministry to hold back implementation of a new definition of wages, which would increase social security deductions and reduce the take-home pay of workers.

– The new definition of wages is part of the Code on Wages, 2019 passed by Parliament last year.

– The new definition would result in a major cut in take-home salaries and also place a burden on employers.

7. ‘FRUITS’ portal for land records launched

– The ‘FRUITS’ portal, a project of e-governance by Karnataka Government. Here ‘FRUITS’ stands for Farmer Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System.

– The portal was integrated into the Bhoomi portal of the State for fetching and validating land details.

– It will eliminate the visit of farmers to sub-registrar offices.

– All the farmers will be registered and given an FID Number in this portal.

– By using this number, the financial and lending institutions can access the land details of the farmers as well as their borrowings and take a quick decision on lending to the farmers depending on their requirements.

– All financial institutions would be brought on to the portal so that at one place, all the data pertaining to the loans of the farmers would be available.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 78, 23 December

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Daily Important 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. Joint Trade Committee Meeting between India and Myanmar

– The 7th Joint Trade Committee Meeting between India and Myanmar was held through virtual mode on 24th November 2020.

– The Meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Than Myint, Union Minister for Ministry of Commerce, Myanmar and Shri Piyush Goyal, Commerce and Industry Minister of India.

– Both sides reviewed various bilateral issues ranging from trade, investment, banking, connectivity, capacity building and up-gradation of border infrastructure.

– They also reviewed their preparedness to meet the COVID-19 challenges and expanding cooperation in pharma and health sector including traditional medicines.

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2. Sahakar Pragya

– Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and Food Processing Industries, Narendra Singh Tomar unveiled Sahakar Pragya.

– The 45 new training modules of Sahakar Pragya of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) will impart training to primary cooperative societies in rural areas of the country along with Lakshmanrao Inamdar National Cooperative Research and Development Academy (Linac).

– Sahakar Pragya embodies enhancing NCDC’s training capacity by 18 fold through an elaborate network of 18 Regional Training Centres across the country by the dedicated, Laxmanrao Inamdar National Academy for Cooperative Research and Development (LINAC) set up and fully funded by NCDC.

– Sahakar Pragya is the latest in the series of farmer-focused steps by NCDC.

– These 45 training modules of Sahakar Pragya to be delivered at LINAC and its countrywide network of Regional Training Centres will address the need for training of Primary cooperatives, FPO-Cooperatives and Self Help Groups federating.

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3. RE-Invest 2020

– Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the virtual 3rd Global Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo (RE-Invest 2020), on 26 November 2020 at 5:30 PM.

– The summit is organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and will be held from 26 – 28 November 2020.

About RE-Invest 2020

-The theme for RE-Invest 2020 is ‘Innovations for Sustainable Energy Transition’.

– It will feature a 3-day conference on renewables and future energy choices, and an exhibition of manufacturers, developers, investors and innovators.

– It is expected to be attended by over 75 international Ministerial delegations, over 1000 global industry leaders, and 50,000 delegates.

– It aims to accelerate the worldwide effort to scale up development and deployment of renewable energy and connect the global investment community with Indian energy stakeholders.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 24 November, 2020

4. New Chinese Village in Bhutan

– Chinese media has recently claimed that a new border village built by China near Bhutan was on Chinese territory.

– The village that has been newly built is Pangda and Yadong county authorities of Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region have confirmed that 27 households with 124 people voluntarily moved from Shangdui village to Pangda village in September 2020.

– Since 2017, it is for the first time that a Chinese residential area has been noticed near the Doklam region. It is strategically important for India.

– Pangda is east of the India-Bhutan-China trijunction on the Doklam plateau.

– It was the site of a 72-day stand-off in 2017 triggered by China’s road-building up to where it sees its border.

– However, Bhutan officially denied the presence of any Chinese village in its territory.

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5. Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite

– Recently, Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

– Sentinel-6-Satellite is a part of the mission dedicated to measuring changes in the global sea level. The mission is known as the Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) mission.

– The objective of the mission is to measure the height of the ocean, which is a key component in understanding how the Earth’s climate is changing.

– The objective of the mission is to To measure the height of the ocean, which is a key component in understanding how the Earth’s climate is changing.

– It consists of two satellites, Sentinel-6 and the other, called Sentinel-6B, to be launched in 2025.

– The mission is a Joint Collaboration of the European Space Agency (ESA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Union (EU), with contributions from France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES).

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 23 November, 2020

6. UMANG International

– An international version of the government’s UMANG app has been launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs.

– The international version of UMANG app is known as ‘UMANG International’. It was launched to mark three years of UMANG (UMANG App was launched in 2017).

– The international version is for selected countries namely USA, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Netherlands, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

– It will help Indian international students, NRIs and Indian tourists abroad, to avail Government of India services, anytime.

– It will also help in taking India to the world through ‘Indian Culture’ services available on UMANG. It also creates interest amongst foreign tourists to visit India.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 61, 22 November

What do you mean by Technical Recession?

1. COVID-19 RT-PCR Lab

– The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah today inaugurated a mobile COVID-19 RT-PCR Lab at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in New Delhi, jointly launched by SpiceHealth and the ICMR.

– The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan also participated in the inauguration function.

– The Secretary DHR and Director General of the ICMR, Dr.Balram Bhargava, the Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, Shri Ajay Singh and the CEO of SpiceHealth, Ms. Avani Singh also took part in the inauguration ceremony.

– This testing lab and more such labs which are planned to be set up, shall help in adding more capacity to COVID-19 testing. The lab is accredited by NABL and approved by the ICMR.

– RT-PCR tests are the most decisive and crucial for COVID-19 testing. These tests will cost Rs. 499/- and the cost of testing will be borne by the ICMR.

– The people of Delhi will not have to bear any cost. This initiative is a step in making COVID-19 testing affordable and more accessible to the common person.

– The test report would be available within 6 to 8 hours from the time of sample collection compared to the average 24 to 48 hours taken by similar test reports.

– SpiceHealth has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ICMR for setting up testing facilities (laboratories)and collection centres across the country. To begin with, the first testing facility has been set up in Delhi.

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2. ‘Martyrdom Day’ of Guru Teg Bahadur

– The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind in his message on the eve of ‘Martyrdom Day’ of Guru Teg Bahadur on 23 November, 2020 has said:-

“On the sacred occasion of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji’s Martyrdom Day, I pay him my humble tribute.”

– The ninth Guru of the Sikh community, Shri Teg Bahadur Ji, made supreme sacrifice to protect the faith, belief and rights of the people. Therefore, the fellow citizens call him ‘Hind di Chaadar’ with love and respect.

– Guru Teg Bahadur’s teachings and his work will continue to spread the spirit of love and patriotism among all of us.

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3. Aviation Safety Awareness Week 2020

– Airports Authority of India (AAI) commenced Aviation Safety Awareness Week 2020 from 23rd November to 27th November 2020.

– The week-long celebration is being observed at all airports and ANS locations managed by AAI across India.

– Shri Arvind Singh, Chairman, AAI, requested all Regional Executive Directors & Airport Directors to be proactive and to devote time personally for monitoring the safety performance of their respective region/station.

– To raise awareness on Aviation Safety, AAI will undertake various employee engagement programs at the airports and ANS stations like reviewing documents and facilities, Mock exercises, preventive maintenance etc.

– Various social campaigns too will be rolled out to raise awareness on the issue. Banners and posters are being displayed across AAI offices and operational centres to educate both external and internal stakeholders on the significance of the Safety Awareness Week.

– Shri Maneesh Kumar DDG, DGCA has emphasized to achieve long term objective of Zero fatality by the year 2030 as envisaged by ICAO in its Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP-2020-22) through better managed safety systems of stakeholders.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 23 November, 2020

4. National Crisis Management Committee Meeting

– Union Cabinet Secretary, Shri Rajiv Gauba chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review the status of impending Cyclone through video conferencing with the Chief Secretaries of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

– The Chief Secretaries of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry briefed the NCMC about their preparedness and mentioned that the authorities are fully prepared to meet any eventuality.

– They also informed about the coordination with the NDRF and other agencies to meet this challenge.

– DG, India Meteorological Department made a presentation on the present situation and mentioned that the status is being shared with the concerned State Governments. He mentioned that the impending Cyclone is going to affect coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry between 24th to 26th November, 2020.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 21 November, 2020

5. ATAL Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs)

– Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated 46 online AICTE Training and Learning (ATAL) Academy Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs) to train teachers of higher education institutions associated with All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) in thrust and emerging areas in technology.

– The FDPs will be conducted in 22 Indian states.

– On the occasion, the Shri Pokhriyal said that it is a matter of pride for the ATAL Academy to be included in the Book of World Records. He informed that the London-based organization has recognized the FDPs as a world record, under which 1,000 online FDPs in over 100 emerging areas will benefit one lakh faculty members across premier institutions like IITs, NITs, and IIITs

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6. India-China on the Brahmaputra

– Several dams have been constructed along the Brahmaputra River (known as Yarlung in China) on the Chinese side. This has become a repeated cause of concern for India.

– India and China continue to grow demographically as well as economically. Both amid at increasing consumption among its citizens. And also both nations face water constraints and in a race to develop new projects in order to overcome them.

7. National Commission for Minorities (NCM)

– It has been highlighted, recently that the seven-member National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has only one member left after the retirement of its vice-chairperson while the other 5 posts have been vacant since May 2020.

– Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry for Minority Affairs clarified that the process is underway and there has been a delay in filling the vacancies.

– However, it is not the first time that vacancies have not been filled in the NCM. All seven posts remained empty for over two months in 2017.

– In 2004, the standing committee on social justice and empowerment was headed by Sumitra Mahajan. The committee made specific recommendations to strengthen the NCM, highlighting its insufficient investigative powers.

– However, these recommendations were never implemented by the then government. The reports tabled by the NCM are hardly taken up or debated irrespective of the government in power.

– The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992 Section 13 mandates that the annual report, together with the memorandum of action taken on the recommendations contained therein, as well as the reasons for non-acceptance of the recommendations, if any, be tabled before Parliament annually. Since 2010, these reports have not been tabled in Parliament.

What do you mean by Technical Recession?

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 61, 22 November

1. Australian Navy Ship HMAS Ballarat

– Australian Navy Ship HMAS Ballarat, a frigate, made a port call at Mormugao Port, Goa on 10 Nov 2020.

– The ship was received by officers from Headquarters Goa Naval Area and the Defence Advisor at the Australian High Commission in India.

– After completing Phase I of quadrilateral Naval Exercise Malabar at Bay of Bengal,

– HMAS Ballarat is proceeding to participate in Phase II of the exercise in Arabian Sea. The ship would be leaving Goa on 13 Nov 2020.

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2. Doubling of Railway track

– An online press conference was conducted by the South Western Railway between Castlerock and Vasco Da Gama.

– As per Railway, proposed doubling of the track is in the interest of the public. No new area is being taken for laying Railway line.

– It will not have any additional impact on the environment.

– Maximum care will be taken during the construction of the line. Environment impact assessment study got done by the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

– Tree cutting requirement is very less and will be reduced further. Foot survey will be done for finalizing alignment.

– Ministry of Railways has sanctioned a project of doubling of Railway track between Hospet (Karnataka) and Vasco-da-Gama (Goa) (342 km) in the year 2010-11 at a cost of Rs.2127Cr.

– The project has since been nearly completed in the state of Karnataka except for 10 Km between Unkal and Hubballi, which is targeted for commissioning by Mar.2021.

– About 7 km track between Madgoan- Majorda in the state of Goa has also been doubled. The remaining stretch of about 90 Km is in the State of Goa, where works are awarded for doubling and are being taken up after ensuring necessary clearances.

– Double line rail connectivity be provided for improving mobility and all-weather rail links in the region. The following advantages have been elaborated.

More number of passenger trains,

Better intrastate connectivity

Boost to trade and commerce among adjoining states

Increased tourist inflow

Augmenting infrastructure at intermediate stations

Relaxing bottlenecks of ghat section operation

Improving passenger amenities at stations

Remodelling yards to deal 24 coaches

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 11 November, 2020

3. Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa

– Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences on the passing away of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

– He said “My heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain. In this moment of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with HM the King of Bahrain, the royal family and the people of Bahrain”.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 10 November, 2020

4. International Financial Services Centres Authority (Banking) Regulations, 2020

– IFSC Authority approves the International Financial Services Centres Authority (Banking) Regulations, 2020.

– The Authority approved the draft banking regulations which paves the way for putting in place the rules for the various aspects of banking operations that would be permissible at the IFSC.

As per mentioned in PIB, the salient aspects of the Banking Regulations are:

– Laying down the requirements for setting up IFSC Banking Units (IBUs)

– Permitting persons resident outside India (having net worth not less than USD 1 Million) to open foreign currency accounts in any freely convertible currency at IFSC Banking Units (IBUs)

– Permitting persons resident in India (having net worth not less than USD 1 Million) to open foreign currency accounts in any freely convertible currency at IFSC Banking Units (IBUs) to undertake any permissible current account or capital account transaction or any combination thereof under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank of India.

– Laying down the permissible activities of IBUs including credit enhancement, credit insurance, and sale, purchase of portfolios, engage in factoring and undertake equipment leasing, including aircraft leasing

– Permitting the Authority to determine a business that a Banking Unit may be permitted to conduct in INR with persons resident in India and persons resident outside India, subject to settlement of the financial transaction in relation to such business in freely convertible foreign currency.

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

5. National Seminar on Ancient Indian Education system

– Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated a two-day National Seminar on Ancient Indian Education system organised by NITTTR, Kolkata.

– The programme was organised on the occasion of Maulana Azad’s birth anniversary, celebrated as National Education Day.

– Vice-Chairman of UGC, Shri Bhushan Patwardhan, Director NITTTR, Kolkata, Prof. Debi Prasad Mishra, Chairman BOG, NITTTR, Kolkata, Shri Harshavardhan Neotia were also present on the occasion.

– Shri Patwardhan highlighted the importance of the seminar calling it the need of the hour. He also mentioned about the major initiatives being taken by the UGC to improve the quality of higher education in the country.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 54, 10 November

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1. ‘INS Kavaratti’

– The last of four indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes “INS Kavaratti” under Project 28 (Kamorta class) is scheduled to be commissioned into the Indian Navy by General Manoj Mukund Naravane, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC, Chief of the Army Staff at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam on 22 October 20.

– Touted as a potent Stealth ASW Corvette, Kavaratti is indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design(DND), and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

– The ship has up to 90% indigenous content and the use of carbon composites for the superstructure is a commendable feat achieved in Indian shipbuilding.

– Kavaratti has state-of-the-art weapons and sensor suite capable of detecting and prosecuting submarines.

– In addition to its anti-submarine warfare capability, the ship also has a credible self-defence capability and good endurance for long-range deployments.

– Kavaratti takes her name from erstwhile INS Kavaratti which was an Arnala class missile corvette.

– The older Kavaratti distinguished herself by operating in support of was Bangladesh’s liberation in 1971.

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2. World Bank- IMF annual meeting 2020

– Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare virtually addressed the World Bank- IMF annual meeting on 21 October, 2020.

– The theme of the meeting was “Unleashing the South Asian Century through Human Capital for All” and “Investing in Covid-19 Vaccines and Primary Healthcare Delivery System”.

3. 317th Executive Council meeting of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA)

– MoS (PP) Dr Jitendra Singh presided over the 317th Executive Council meeting of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) as its new Chairman on 21 October, 2020.

– The post of Chairman IIPA had fallen vacant after the demise of T N Chaturvedi, a 1949 batch IAS officer, former Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) of India and former Governor, who had taken over as Chairman of the IIPA in 2004 and continued to hold this position for sixteen years till his death on 5th January 2020.

– Dr Jitendra Singh in a meeting made the important announcement that the Life Membership of IIPA will be thrown open w.e.f. 1st January 2021.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 21 October, 2020

4. “Aditi Urja Sanch”

– The Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the DME fired “Aditi Urja Sanch” unit along with the DME-LPG blended fuel cylinders.

– Handed them over for common public and CSIR-NCL (National Chemical Laboratory) canteen use on a trial basis at CSIR-NCL premises virtually through video-conferencing.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 20 October, 2020

5. FDI Inflow

– Total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow of USD 35.73 billion was received from April to August, 2020.

– For the first 5 months of a financial year, it is the highest ever.

– In the first quarter (April-June 2020), FDI inflow has increased despite Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth contracted 23.9%.

– It is 13% higher as compared to the first five months of 2019-20 (USD 31.60 billion).

– Total FDI inflow grew by 55%, i.e. from USD 231.37 billion in 2008-14 to USD 358.29 billion in 2014-20.

– During April to August, 2020, FDI equity inflow (one of the three components of FDI) received was USD 27.10 billion.

– The increased FDI inflows into the country is due to the measures taken by the Government on the fronts of FDI policy reforms, investment facilitation and ease of doing business.

– As per World Investment Report 2020 by the UNCTAD, India was the 9th largest recipient of FDI in 2019.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 17 October, 2020

6. Centre’s Farm LAws have been rejected by the Punjab Assembly

– Punjab recently became the first State in the country to formally reject the Central government’s three Farm Acts by passing three Bills to negate the Union laws.

– Also, the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill is rejected and demanded their immediate annulment.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 16 October, 2020

7. Taiwan Insecurity of China

– China recently has objected to any official exchanges between India and Taiwan.

The statement f China is that India and Taiwan were considering going forward with talks on a trade deal.

As per China, the ‘One-China principle’ is a universal consensus of the international community, including India.

There is an objection fromChina to the recent campaign (posters and social media) in India wishing Taiwan “Happy National Day” (October 10) and referring to it as a “country” or a “nation”.

In the upcoming Malabar Naval Exercise, China is also opposing the inclusion of Australia with India, Japan and the United States.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 41, 21 October

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2021: General Studies and CSAT for CSE

1. 5th Joint Working Group on Coal

-5th Joint Working Group (JWG) on Coal between India and Indonesia scheduled to be held on 5th November 2020 through Video conference from New Delhi due to COVID-19 pandemic. India will host it.

– From the Indian side, this will be co-chaired by Shri Vinod Kumar Tiwari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Government of India and by Dr Ir. Ridwan Djamaluddin, Director General of Mineral and Coal Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia, from the Indonesian side.

– The meeting will focus on the Indian Coal Policy Reforms – recent updates; Coking Coal Exploration and Commercial Coal Mining in India; Research and Development of CCT in India and Potential of Indonesia – India Business Cooperation on Coal Post Covid-19.

– From both the sides, the B2B session will bring together the industries for discussing the issues that pave an impact on business opportunities in the backdrop of the regulatory framework.

– Between the two countries, the deliberations will guide the Coal business.

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2. 6th India International Science Festival (IISF)

– The 6th edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2020 will be held from 22ndto 25th December, 2020.

– Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that it will be a reflection on Indian Science & Technology Innovations for Atmanirbhar Bharat and Global welfare.

– CSIR to spearhead the IISF 2020 with support of all other concerned ministries and departments.

– The first and second IISF was held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai, the fourth in Lucknow, and the fifth IISF were held in Kolkata. All these IISFs had generated a huge response from people in India and also from abroad.

About India International Science Festival (IISF)

– It is an annual event that is organised jointly by science & technology-related Ministries and Departments of the Government of India and Vijnana Bharati (Vibha).

– It is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India’s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 20 October, 2020

3. Diamond Jubilee Lecture Hall Complex

– Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually inaugurated the newly built Diamond Jubilee Lecture Hall Complex of National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur.

– According to Ramesh Pokhriyal, India will become a leader in the educational field and students in future from different countries that would come to India for higher education like in the past era of Nalanda & Takshshila Universities.

– The Minister also said that Institute has adopted various local villages under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.

– There are several facilities provided namely state-of-the-art facilities in the Lecture Hall Complex like Ultra HD Projectors, Virtual Class Rooms, Smart Class Rooms, facilities for differently-abled students, proposed Griha rating, use of energy-saving LED and Electrical fixtures etc.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 17 October, 2020

4. CSIR partnered clinical trials website “CUReD”

– Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Sciences, launched a website that provides comprehensive information regarding the numerous COVID-19 clinical trials that CSIR is engaged in a partnership with Industry, other government departments and ministries.

-The name of the website is CuRED or CSIR Ushered Repurposed Drugs.

– The following information will be provided by the website including drugs, diagnostics and devices which further include the current stage of the trials, partnering institutions and their role in the trials and other details.

– For clinical trials of AYUSH drugs including AYUSH-64, CSIR is also working with the Ministry of AYUSH.

– Five clinical trials involving Withaniasomnifera, Tinosporacordifolia + Piper longum(in combination), Glycyrrhizaglabra, Tinosporacordifolia & Adhatodavasica (individually and in combination) and AYUSH-64 formulation are undergoing safety and efficacy trials.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 16 October, 2020

5. Australia has agreed to join the Malabar Exercise

– On India’s request, Australia has agreed to join the Malabar Exercise. The exercise is scheduled to be held in November 2020.

– It is expected that the 2020 Malabar Exercise will be held in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

– The exercise in 2019 was conducted off the coast of Japan.

– The exercise had been planned in a ‘non-contact – at sea’ format, due to Covid-19 pandemic.

– Its purpose is to enhance safety and security in the maritime domain.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 15 October, 2020

6. “Ghar Tak Fibre” scheme

– ‘Ghar Tak Fibre’ scheme is off to a slow start in Bihar as per the Government data.

– Bihar is the first state that aims to connect all its 45,945 villages by March 31.

– For connecting all villages by March 31, the state would need to dig trenches, lay cables, and provide connectivity to an average of 257 villages daily, or a monthly average of over 7,500 villages.

– The project will be jointly executed by the Department of Telecom (DoT), Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and Common Service Centres (CSC).

7. Country’s first multi-modal logistic park

– Country’s first multi-modal logistic park will be built in Assam.

– It will provide direct connectivity to air, road, rail and waterways to the people.

– Under the ambitious BharatmalaPariyojana of the Government of India, the park will be developed.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 40, 20 October

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2021: General Studies and CSAT for CSE

1. India – Kazakhstan Defence Cooperation

– A webinar between India and Kazakhstan was held on 15/10/2020.

– The Theme of the webinar was “Make In India For The World, India – Kazakhstan Defence Cooperation: Webinar and Expo”.

– This webinar is the part of the series of webinars which are being organized with friendly foreign countries in order to boost defence exports and achieve defence export target of $5 billion in the next five years.

– The webinar was attended by more than 350 participants and 39 virtual exhibition stalls, which includes 7 stalls from Kazakh companies have been set up in the Expo.

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2. Plenary Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the IMF

– Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman attended the Plenary Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), the ministerial-level committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)through video-conference.

– The discussions at the meeting were based on IMF Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda titled “Catalyzing a Resilient Recovery”.

– The members of the IMFC updated the committee on the actions and measures taken by member countries to combat COVID-19 and its adverse impacts.

– The IMFC meets twice a year, once during the Fund-Bank Spring Meetings in April, and again during the Annual Meetings in October.

– The Committee discusses matters of common concern affecting the global economy and advises the IMF on the direction of its work. This year, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, both the Spring and the Annual meetings took place through video-conference

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 15 October, 2020

3. Mahila Kisan Diwas

– The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare organized Mahila Kisan Diwas through Video Conferencing on 15th October, 2020.

– This event was held under the guidance of Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare which was graced by Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary (AC&FW) and other senior officers of the Department.

– A series of activities were undertaken on this occasion.

– Interaction between Shri Parshottam Rupala and successful women farmers and women entrepreneurs was held during the event.

– The e-book on ‘Inspiring Stories of Progressive Women Farmers’ was released and two short video films on ‘Mahila Krishak and her Contribution in Agriculture’ and ‘Global Examples of Successful Women Farmers’ were launched during this event.

– Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of State stated that women farmers and women Self Help Groups (SHGs) play an important role in agriculture development with their significant contribution to boost the rural economy.

– It is also emphasised that the women farmers may avail the benefits of all farmer-centric schemes especially the Kisan Credit Card and Farmer Producer Organizations.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 14 October, 2020

4. India and Bhutan

– Significant achievement has been registered in bilateral trade relations between India & Bhutan.

– Opening of new market access for agricultural commodities between India and Bhutan.

– Close coordination between the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, the Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA), Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Royal Government of Bhutan and Embassy of India in Bhutan has resulted in the notification, opening market access for Apple, Potato, Mandarin, Ginger and Arecanut from Bhutan to India and Tomato, Onion and Okra from India to Bhutan.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 13 October, 2020

5. ‘KAPILA’ Kalam Program

– Union Education Minister virtually launches ‘KAPILA’ Kalam Program for IP Literacy and Awareness Education campaign that will bring awareness towards the patenting of inventions.

– According to Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Patent of Inventions will lead India towards Self-Reliance.

– He further stated that under the campaign, students will be given information about the system and technology of patenting.

– Institution Innovation Council (IIC 2.0) Annual Report presented, launching of IIC 3.0 was announced.

– It has also been decided to celebrate the week of October 15th to 23rd as ‘Intellectual Property Literacy Week’. The IIC 3.0 website was also launched.

– So far, IICs have been established in about 1700 higher educational institutions. IIC will be established in 5000 higher educational institutions under IIC 3.0.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 12 October, 2020

6. Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojna

– 2nd phase of “Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojna” was launched by the Union Health Minister.

– The scheme was launched in 2017.

– This scheme is a Coal India CSR funded Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) program.

– It aims to provide a one-time cure opportunity for Haemoglobinopathies like Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Disease for patients who have a matched family donor.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 36, 15 October

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2021: General Studies and CSAT for CSE

1. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Australia

An MoU between India and Australia has been approved by the Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, for collaboration in capacity building, research and development and making an impact for sustainable groundwater management.

This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is inked between Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga rejuvenation, and Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustaining Groundwater use through village-level intervention (MARVI) PARTNERS, Australia.

The objective behind this MoU is to promote cooperation in surface and groundwater training, education and research to achieve water security for agricultural, urban, industrial and environmental purposes.

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2. Biofortified varieties of 8 crops

Under the objective of transforming Indian thali into Nutri-thali, the National Agricultural Research System under the leadership of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) recently developed biofortified varieties of 8 crops.

This development will have up to a 3.0-fold increase in nutritional value. The rice variety CR Dhan 315 has high zinc; wheat variety HI 1633 rich in protein, iron and zinc, HD 3298 rich in protein and iron and DBW 303 and DDW 48 rich in protein in wheat; Ladhowal Quality Protein Maize Hybrid 1, 2 and 3 rich in lysine and tryptophan; CFMV1 and 2 of finger millet rich in calcium, iron and zinc; CLMV1 of little Millet rich in iron and zinc; Pusa Mustard 32 with low erucic acid; Girnar 4 and 5 of groundnut with enhanced oleic acid and yam variety Sri Neelima and DA 340 with enhanced zinc, iron and anthocyanin content.

These varieties have been developed by utilizing the local landraces and farmer’s varieties. The high zinc rice has been developed from landraces of Assam rice collected from Garo hills and those of finger millets from Gujarat collections of Dang district.

The producing of bio-fortified crop varieties will be expanded and linked with government programmes of mid-day meal, Anganwadi etc. to turn down malnutrition and build India Kuposhan Mukta through naturally enriched food ingredients. This will also guide in the higher income of farmers and will open new avenues of entrepreneurship development.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 14 October, 2020

3. Project STARS

For improving school education, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) project. For the implementation of the project, Government has approved 5718 crore with the financial support of World Bank amounting to the US $ 500 million (approximately Rs. 3700 crore).

The STARS project would be set up as a new centrally sponsored scheme under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education (MoE). Initially, the project will cover 6 States namely; Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha.

Besides this project, there is also some similar Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project in 5 states namely; Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Assam.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 13 October, 2020

4. The G20 Meeting

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman participated in the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the Saudi Arabian Presidency.

In this video conference meeting, the Ministers and Governors of G20 countries have gathered together and discussed the current global economic outlook and G20’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with other G20 Finance Track priorities for the year 2020.

One of the main outcomes of the G20 Action Plan has been the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) which provides time-bound suspension of debt service payments for the low-income debtor countries that request forbearance. The initiative was initially in force till the end of 2020.

In the backdrops of the continued liquidity pressures, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors agreed to extend the DSSI by 6 months, and also they will examine the DSSI by the time of the 2021 IMF/WBG Spring Meetings if the economic and financial situation requires a further extension of the DSSI.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 12 October, 2020

5. The Government of India allows additional borrowing by 20 States

The Finance Ministry has permitted 20 States to raise ₹68,825 crore through open market borrowings. These 20 States had conveyed their acceptance of the first borrowing option offered by the Centre to meet GST compensation shortfalls.

Under this scheme, the States could borrow ₹1.1 lakh crore from the market with principal and interest payments to be paid out of GST cess collections whose levy has been extended beyond 2022.

Articles 293(3) and 293(4) of the Constitution of India requires states to obtain the Centre’s consent in order to borrow in case the state is indebted to the Centre over a previous loan and this consent can also be granted subject to certain conditions by virtue respectively.

In practice, the Centre has been exercising this power in accordance with the recommendations of the Finance Commission.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 10th October, 2020

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 35, 14 October

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2021: General Studies and CSAT for CSE

1. Festival Special” services

– To clear the festive rush, Ministry of Railways has approved 196 pairs (392 trains) of “Festival Special” services over Indian Railways to be operated from 20th October 2020 and 30th November 2020.

– The fare for these Festival Special services shall be that applicable for special trains.

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2. Student’s residential complex and pilot food processing plants

– Virtual Inauguration of Students Residential Complex and other Facilities at IIFPT.

– Foundation Stone Laid for New Infrastructure Development in Newly Purchased Land.

– Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Rural Development, Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, Panchayati Raj and Food Processing Industries has said that the prosperity of agriculture and farmers is must for achieving the objective of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.

– Tomar said that the institute commenced as a paddy quality testing laboratory in 1967, and has evolved across years.

– He further stated that this Institution was renamed as the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology to signify its up-gradation and broadening of scope and services to all areas of food processing, including milk, meat, fish and poultry.

About IIFPT

– Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Thanjavur is a national R&D and educational institute under Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India.

– The institute undertakes research and offers academic programmes in food processing.

– The institute is equipped with hi-tech research facilities, business incubation centre and accredited food testing lab. IIFPT has forged strong links with the industrial community in India and abroad.

– The institute has recently acquired 14.50 acres of land adjacent to its existing location for the creation of infrastructure for expanding its research and academic activities.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 13 October, 2020

3. Vivekananda Lecture Theatre Complex

– Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhiyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated the Vivekananda Lecture Theatre Complex that has been constructed in the campus of Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur.

– According to the Union Education Minister, Vivekananda Lecture Theatre Complex is one of the largest lecture theatre complexes in entire Asia with a capacity to teach 6792 students at a time through its 48 classrooms.

4. Healing touch of Homoeopathy for Skin Diseases

– A case study published recently in AYUHOM, the Research Journal of North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy, Shillong illustrates that Homoeopathy can do wonders in cases of skin related viral diseases.

– The author of the case study is Sangita Saha, Reader, Department of Organon of Medicine and Mahakas Mandal, Post Graduate Trainee, Department of Practice of Medicine, the Calcutta Homeopathic Medical College &Hospital along with Koushik Bhar, Post Graduate Trainee, the National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata.

– Treatment of five patients suffering from five different skin diseases with Homoeopathy has given notable results which give a boost to the conviction of the positive effects of Homoeopathic medicine on such skin disorders.

– Skin diseases are numerous and frequently occurring health problem affecting all ages not only India but globally also.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 12 October, 2020

5. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

– On 16th October, 2020, 7th Justice Ministers’ Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) the Member States to be hosted by Union Law Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad.

– Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation.

– On 15 June 2001, it’s creation was announced in Shanghai (China) by the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

– It was preceded by the Shanghai Five mechanism.

– In June 2002, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed and entered into force on 19 September, 2003.

– The official languages are Russian and Chinese.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 10th October, 2020

6. 2020 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences

– The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, 2020 to Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson for their work on commercial auctions.

About Sveriges Riksbank Prize

– Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, 2020 is given in memory of Alfred Nobel and is popularly known as Nobel Prize for Economics.

– It includes 10 million Swedish kronor award money.

– It is officially titled the “Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel”.

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 34, 12 October

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2021: General Studies and CSAT for CSE

1. 8 NH projects in Kerala

– Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 8 National Highway projects in Kerala.

– The event will be attended by the Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Shri Pinarai Vijayan and Union MoSs Gen (Retd) Dr V K Singh and Shri V Muraleedharan, Ministers from the State, Members of Parliaments, MLAs and senior officers from the Centre and the State.

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2. Governing Structure of India Energy Modelling Forum

– On 2 July, the constitution of the India Energy Modelling Forum (IEMF jointly launched by NITI Aayog and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the US–India Strategic Energy Partnership. And on 8 October, NITI Aayog announced its governing structure.

– Part of the Sustainable Growth pillar of the US–India Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP), IEMF aims to engage Indian researchers, knowledge partners, think tanks and national and international government agencies and departments for modelling and long-term energy planning.

– The governing structure of IEMFwill consist of an inter-ministerial and a steering committee.

– The inter-ministerial committee will be convened by NITI Aayog and headed by its CEO, and comprise senior officials from the ministries of petroleum and natural gas; power; new and renewable energy; coal; environment, forest and climate change; and department of science and technology.

– This committee will review the studies/modelling activities and provide directions and new areas of research.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 12 October, 2020

3. Autobiography of Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil

– Prime Minister Narendra Modi releases the autobiography of Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil and renames Pravara Rural Education Society as ‘Loknete Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil Pravara Rural Education Society’.

– For multiple terms, Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil served as Member of Lok Sabha.

– His autobiography is titled ‘Deh Vechwa Karani’ which means ‘dedicating one’s life for a noble cause’, and is aptly named as he dedicated his entire life to the benefit of society through his path-breaking work in various fields, including agriculture and cooperatives.

– In 1964, Pravara Rural Education Society was established at Loni in Ahmednagar district. The purpose is to provide a world-class education to the rural masses and empower the girl child.

– The Society is currently serving with the core mission of educational, social, economical, cultural, physical and psychological development of students.

Daily Gist of ‘The Hindu’, ‘PIB’, ‘Indian Express’ and Other Newspapers: 10th October, 2020

4. eSanjeevani

– Health Ministry’s telemedicine service, eSanjeevani, completes 5 lakh teleconsultations.

– eSanjeevani OPD now hosts 216 online OPDs.

– At present 26 States are using eSanjeevani’s two variants of telemedicine namely – doctor to doctor (eSanjeevaniAB-HWC) and patient to doctor (eSanjeevaniOPD).

– In November 2019, eSanjeevani AB-HWC was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

– It is to be implemented at 1,55,000 Health and Wellness Centres in conjunction with identified Medical College hospitals under Govt. of India’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme in ‘Hub & Spoke’ model by December 2022.

– The second variant of this ambitious initiative, eSanjeevaniOPD which has the potential of being the world’s largest telemedicine platform, was rolled out on 13th of April 2020 during the first lockdown when the OPDs across the country were closed.

– The top ten States which have registered highest consultations through eSanjeevani and eSanjeevaniOPD platforms are Tamil Nadu (169977), Uttar Pradesh (134992), Himachal Pradesh (39326), Kerala (39300), Andhra Pradesh (31365), Uttarakhand (16442), Madhya Pradesh (14965), Gujarat (10839), Karnataka (9498), Maharashtra (7895).

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

5. South Asia Economic Focus report

– The World Bank has recently released its biennial South Asia Economic Focus report.

– The fall 2020 edition is titled “Beaten or Broken? Informality and Covid-19”.

– The report includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

– The report predicts that the extended closure of schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic could dent India’s future earnings by anywhere between 420 billion USD and 600 billion USD, as depleted learning levels of students will translate into poorer productivity going forward.

UPSC Monthly Current Affairs Capsule: September 2020

IAS Prelims Mock-Test 2020 – Set 34, 12 October

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2021: General Studies and CSAT for CSE

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