Latest Current Affairs For Sunday 3rd October, 2021

NITI Aayog: The State Nutrition Profile

NITI Aayog released its “State Nutrition Profile” report on October 1, 2021. In the report, nineteen States and Union Territories received their nutrition profiles.

Highlights:

The State Nutrition Profiles (SNPs) report comprises of a comprehensive compilation of crucial data that can positively affect policy decisions and facilitate research in that area. It analyse data on wasting (low weight-for-height), stunting, underweight, overweight and anaemia, besides diabetes and high blood pressure.

ABOUT THE REPORT:

The SNPs have been prepared by NITI Aayog in association with the UNICEF, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Indian Institute of Population Sciences (IIPS), and the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG).

It gives comprehensive idea regarding the nutrition outcomes, immediate & underlying determinants and interventions on the basis of National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-rounds 3, 4 and 5.

Outcomes under the report have been prepared on the basis of headcount analyses and it also uses data from the NFHS-5 (2019-20).

Report highlights the best and worst performing districts, highest burden districts as well as top coverage districts of the country.

It has incorporated key takeaways for children, women & men as well as identifies areas where the state can improve further.

ABOUT IFPRI:

IFPRI was founded in 1976 and it stands for “International Food Policy Research Institute”. It is a non-profit international research centre with its headquarter in Washington DC, USA. It releases Global Food Policy Report.

ABOUT NFHS:

NFHS is a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted throughout India, in a representative sample of households. It is conducted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in association with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) Mumbai. Till date, five rounds of survey have been conducted:

First Round of NFHS in 1992-93

Second Round of NFHS in 1998-99

Third Round of NFHS in 2005-06

Fourth Round of NFHS in 2015-16

Fifth Round of NFHS in 2018-19.

SACRED Portal made functional

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment operationalised the “SACRED portal” on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons on October 1, 2021. Portal has been developed in order to provide a platform for senior citizens in India seeking employment opportunities.

Highlights:

This portal has been developed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

SACRED stands for “Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity.

Portal has been developed with the aim of finding ways to ensure that Senior Citizens live a happy, healthy, dignified, empowered and self-reliant life.

The Portal does not guarantee to provide a job or employment but will serve as an enabler for stakeholders in order to meet and decider their course of action.

Who can register on the portal?

Citizens aged 60 and more can register on this portal and find jobs & work opportunities.

Funding for development of Portal:

An amount of Rs. 10 crores were provided to fund the development of platform besides a maintenance grant of Rs. 2 crores will be provided per year, over a period of 5 years.

What was the need?

Elderly population in India has been steadily increasing. As per Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI), by 2050, India will have more than 319 million elderlies.  Furthermore, the joint family system is declining gradually because of which elders are being exposed to lack of physical, social and financial support. Thus, there is a need to provide a platform for their economic and health needs and to create an ecosystem supporting their needs more holistically.

International Day of Older Persons:

This day was observed on October 1, 2021 under the Theme- “Digital Equity for All Ages”. United Nations General Assembly has also declared 2021-2030 the “Decade of Healthy Aging”.

IFSCA sets up Expert Committee on Sustainable Finance

International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has constituted an Expert Committee in a bid to recommend approach towards development of Sustainable Finance Hub.

Key Points:

The expert committee is being chaired by C.K. Mishra, Former Secretary to the “Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change”.

In all, committee has 10-members, who will recommend ways to develop a sustainable financial hub.

Committee comprise of leaders from the sustainable finance sector, including international agencies, funds, academia, standard setting bodies, and consultancies.

GIFT-IFSC:

IFSC visualises GIFT-City as a global hub for sustainable finance and a gateway to channelize foreign capital into India. This committee was set up because, raising financial resources for climate change adaptation and its mitigation needs active participation of international investors.  Committee would help in developing the required ecosystem.

ABOUT IFSCA:

Government of India has set up the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in 2020 in order to develop and regulate international financial services centres in India. Primary goal of IFSCA is to promote ease of doing business across IFSC and to provide a world class regulatory environment.  Presently, there is only one IFSC called “Gift City” in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

ABOUT GIFT CITY:

GIFT-City stands for “Gujarat International Finance Tec-City”. It is located in Gandhinagar and is the first International Financial Services Centre of India. Main purpose of the GIFT city is to provide high quality physical infrastructure such as electricity, gas, water, district cooling, telecoms, roads and broadband in order to relocate operations of finance and tech firms in it.

New species of blind freshwater eel discovered in Mumbai

New species of blind freshwater eel has been by four scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).

Highlights:

Eel species was discovered from a well in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

As per scientists, eel is a blind freshwater hypogean.

This is the first such discovered species from Maharashtra and Northern western Ghats.

About Blind Eel:

Species has been named as ‘Rakthamichtys mumba’ to pay tribute to the city it was found in.

Newly discovered freshwater bright-pink coloured species is completely blind and a subterranean freshwater fish.

The blind eel has a genetic distance of 21.6 – 22.8% as compared to other known species of Rakthamicthys genus.

This is the 5th species from Rakthamicthys genus to have originated from India.

How this species was discovered?

The species was discovered by four scientists namely, Anil Mohapatra, Tejas Thackeray, Praveenraj Jayasimhan and Annam Pavan Kumar. This discovery is the most remarkable one till date. Scientists had collected the hypogean species a few years ago. They continued working on it, even in the ongoing covid-19 pandemic situation.

Significance of the discovery:

According to scientists, an extensive study regarding the species and habitat systems of the Hypogean and cavernicolus would help in formulating conservation strategies for the species. Factors such as distribution pattern, level of endemism, biographic barriers causing speciation can also be studied now.

Rakthamichthys Mumba:

One of the scientists, Anil Mohapatra, is also among the co-authors of ‘Rakthamichthys mumba’ that was published in Aqua International Journal of Ichthyology. The word ‘mumba’ has been derived from the Marathi language to honours a deity worshipped in Mumbai called “Mumba Aai”.

About Rakthamichthys:

It is a genus of swamp eels and are endemic to India. Three species are known from Western Ghats while one is known from Northeast India. These species live underground. One species is having a fossorial lifestyle while three species are troglobitic in nature.

India-US to set-up JWG in Defence industrial security

India and United States (US) held their Industrial Security Agreement (ISA) summit between September 27 to October 01, 2021 at New Delhi.

Key facts:

The summit was organised in order to develop a protocol to exchange classified information between the defence industries of both the countries.

It was led by “Designated Security Authorities (DSAs)” viz., Anurag Bajpai from Indian side and David Paul Bagnati from US sides.

It was held to create a roadmap to implement the ISA.

DSAs also visited the Indian defence industry in preparation for the creation of roadmap.

During the summit, they agreed to establish the Indo-US Industrial Security Joint Working Group.

Joint Working Group:

The joint working group will meet periodically to align the policies and procedures that will allow the defence industries in collaborating on cutting edge defence technologies.

Industrial Security Agreement (ISA):

ISA is the part of India-U.S. General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). It was signed at the second 2+2 dialogue in Washington in December 2019. The agreement will provide a framework to exchange and protect the classified military information between the defence industries of both the countries. It allows sharing of classified information from US government as well US companies with the Indian private sector. Till the signing of agreement, sharing of information was limited to the Indian government and defence public sector undertakings. Thus, ISA will give a boost to Indian private sector seeking a greater role in defence manufacturing.

About GSOMIA:

GSOMIA was signed between India and US in 2002. It allows militaries to share intelligence gathered by them.

American bumblebee could be declared endangered

According to US Fish and Wildlife Services, the American bumblebee population has decreased by 89% in past 20 years, and it could be declared as “endangered species”.

Key Facts:

US Fish & Wildlife Services will conduct a one-year review, after which the species would become protected under “Endangered Species Act (ESA)”.

The ESA act provides a legal framework to safeguard endangered species from extinction.

Background:

This announcement was made in the backdrop of a petition of August 2021 that was filed in support of listing made by “Center for Biological Diversity (CBD)” and Albany Law School student group named as “Bombus Pollinator Association of Law Students”.

CBD take on American Bumblebee:

As per CBD, the American bumblebee has completely vanished across eight states namely Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Idaho, Vermont, North Dakota, Wyoming and Oregon in the North America. Its population has also declined by 99% in New York. In other 19 states in Southeast & Midwest, its population has declined by 50%.

Why its population has declined?

According to CBD, population of American bumblebee has decline due to habitat destruction, climate change, exposure to disease & pesticides, loss of genetic diversity along with competition with the non-native bees.

About American Bumblebee:

This species is scientifically called as Bombus pensylvanicus. It is a threatened species of bumblebee and is a native to North America. It is also found in eastern Canada, eastern United States, and Mexico. The species live and nest in open farmland & fields. It feeds on food plants like favouring sunflowers & clovers.

What is Solar conjunction?

American Space Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently decided to stop sending active commands to its missions on the MARS for next few weeks till the time “Mars solar conjunction” remains in effect.

What is Solar Conjunction?

As per NASA, during the Mars solar conjunction period, Earth and the MARS will be on opposite sides of the Sun.

This position of both the planets will affect any communication attempt made by NASA for connecting with its Mars missions because Sun radiates hot & ionized gas from its corona.

How Solar Conjunction affects the missions on MARS?

These gases can interfere with radio signals if the agency try to communicate with spacecraft at Mars.

These radiations will stand in the middle of both the planets and corrupt commands. It could also result in unexpected behaviour from NASA’s deep space explorers.

Thus, NASA has decided to stop sending signals.

Will it completely halt the work?

No, this period would not halt the work on the red Planet completely because, engineers have already sent the list of simple commands to spacecrafts to carry works few weeks.

NASA’s mission on MARS:

Presently, NASA has its Perseverance rover, Curiosity Rover, Ingenuity helicopter, stationary InSight lander stationed on the MARS apart from three orbiters. During the Mars solar conjunction period, these missions will work on different commands, sent to them beforehand. Perseverance rover will take weather measurements with the help of its Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) sensors. Rover will look for dust devils with its cameras and capture new sounds with the help of microphones.

India’s Pavilion launched at Dubai Expo 2020

Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated India’s Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020, on October 1, 2021.

Key Points:

At the expo, India has deployed the largest number of participants.

It has a state-of-the-art 8,750 square metre pavilion with the message that “India is out to grab once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in order to explore solutions to challenges that hampers its growth.

Showcasing Ancient and Future India:

India Pavilion at Dubai Expo has been conceived as a hi-tech structure. It is a civilisational confluence of ancient India as well as future India. It is a massive four-floor structure that has been designed to attract anyone who walks in with the popular exports in India including yoga, literature, Ayurveda, heritage, arts, cuisine and space technology. Exterior of the pavilion is real showstopper.

Theme of Pavilion:

Innovative facade comprises of 600 individual kinetic blocks. Each of the facade can turn on its own axis in order to construct a picture on the basis of multiple themes. Pavilion has been installed under the overarching theme of ‘India on the move’ and ‘India the diverse’. Facade on both the sides of the pavilion comprise of face of Mahatma Gandhi while metamorphosing front will showcase “constant change” and “timeless endurance” to mark the 75-year-old journey of India.

Primary Themes of the pavilion:

Zones in the pavilion are identified on the basis of 11 primary themes namely, Climate & Biodiversity; Urban & Rural Development; Space; Tolerance & Inclusivity; Knowledge & Learning; Golden Jubilee; Travel & Connectivity; Health & Wellness; Global Goals; Food Agriculture & Livelihoods and Water.

Significance of India Pavilion:

India pavilion is being viewed as long-term strategic investment. About 490 crore rupees has been invested on it. Pavilion design is so flexible that it can be used for offices and a space for trade or cultural event.

World Bank: $150 million to Chennai’s Sustainable Urban Services

World Bank has approved about $150 million program to support Chennai’s Sustainable Urban Services and to turn it into a “world-class city”.

Highlights:

This programme will fulfil Tamil Nadu’s vision of making Chennai into a city which is more green, liveable, and resilient towards climate change.

Apart from programme in Tamil Nadu, World Bank has also approved a $40 million project that will improve the quality of health services in the state Meghalaya. It will also strengthen capacity of state in handling health emergencies like COVID-19 pandemic.

Chennai City Partnership:

Chennai City Partnership: Sustainable Urban Services Program is a $150 million programme that will help in strengthening institutions. It will also help in improving the financial health of service agencies and bring in significant improvements in quality of four key urban services:

Water supply and sewerage

Mobility

Health and

Solid Waste Management.

Why this programme was launched in Chennai?

Metropolitan Area of Chennai is home to about 10.9 million people. It is the fourth most populous metropolitan area of India. Despite being an economic powerhouse, the city has not kept pace with the growing demand for key services. This city is also highly vulnerable to natural disasters, climate change as well as to pandemics like COVID-19. Thus, this project will help in mitigating all such challenges.

Project in Meghalaya:

World bank project will benefit all the 11 districts in Meghalaya. It will also benefit health sector staff across the primary and secondary levels by strengthening planning and management capabilities. It will help in building the clinical skills of staff and enable women to utilise healthcare services in better manner at the community level.

RBI’s new auto Debit Rules- Highlights

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated new auto-debit rules on October 1, 2021 in order to strengthen the safety and security of card transactions.

Key Points:

As per RBI’s directive, there will be no automatic recurring payment for several services like utility bills, DTH, recharge of phone and OTT because additional factor of authentication (AFA) will become mandatory onwards.

Advance information about auto-debit:

Under new directives, banks will have to inform the customers in advance regarding the recurring payments due. Transactions will not be automatic but will be done after customer has authenticated it.

Registration Process:

Customers are required to follow a one-time registration process. After this process, further transactions can be performed without any additional factor authentication. Customers can provide the validity period for future transactions, while registering for the process.

OTP Mandate:

Under the new norms, banks are required to send a one-time password to the customers for recurring payments of more than Rs 5000.

Opt-out option:

Customers will get an option to opt out from a particular transaction or mandate through a link provided in pre-debit notification.

Will it impact loan instalments?

New norms will not impact any standing instructions that have been registered using bank accounts for mutual funds, SIPs, equated monthly instalments for loans.

Objective of new norms:

RBI had made AFA mandatory with the objective of making digital payments in India safe and secure. It also seeks to protect customers from fraudulent transactions.

IMF Report on Crypto Ecosystem

The International Monetary Funds (IMF) has released its report called “Global Financial Stability Report”, highlighting how digital currency assets brings in financial stability challenges.

Key findings of report:

In its report, IMF notes that rapid growing crypto ecosystem presents new opportunities to the world. However, this digital currency assets also pose several financial stability challenges.

According to report, Technological innovation is starting a new era of making payments and other financial services faster, cheaper, more accessible. Such transaction also allows to flow across borders swiftly.

Innovative services:

In its report, IMF highlights that, crypto asset technologies are a potential tool for faster and cheaper cross-border payments. Using these technologies, bank deposits can be transformed into a stable coin, allowing instant access to financial products from digital platforms. It also allows instant currency conversion. According to IMF, the decentralised finance can become a platform for more inclusive innovative and transparent financial services.

Challenges with the cryptocurrencies:

According to IMF, rapid growth and increasing adoption of crypto assets pose financial stability challenges.

Such decentralised currencies could also lead to instability as they are extremely volatile. They are much more volatile than the equities or commodities or exchange rates.

Its transaction costs are fairly expensive as compared to digital money.

As per report, such transaction destabilizes the capital flows. It also poses several operational and financial integrity risks from the provides of crypto asset.

What are cryptocurrencies?

Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual currencies where encryption techniques are used for regulating the generation of units and verifying the transfer of funds. Such systems are operating independently of any central bank.

India wins Bronze at Asian TT Championships

The Indian men’s table tennis team has won bronze medal at the Asian Table Tennis Championships on October 1, 2021.

Highlights:

Indian team won bronze after losing to South Korea by 0-3 in the semi-finals.

Team was assured of winning a medal after beating Iran by 3-1 in the quarterfinals on September 29.

Both the semi-finalists won a bronze medal.

Asian Table Tennis Championships:

It is a biennial table tennis tournament and is regarded as continental championships by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The tournament was organized by the Table Tennis Federation of Asia (TTFA) from 1952 to 1972. Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) started its own Asian Championships because of conflict between national table tennis associations in Asia.

International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF):

ITTF is the governing body of all the national table tennis associations. It looks after the rules & regulations and seeks technological improvement for table tennis. The body is responsible for organizing numerous international competitions such as World Table Tennis Championships.

World Table Tennis Championships:

This tournament has been held since 1926. Since 1957, it is held biennially. Under the tournament, five individual events including men’s singles, women’s singles, women’s double, men’s doubles and mixed doubles, are held in odd numbered years.

India- Sri Lanka to take part in ‘Mitra Shakti 21’ Exercise

8th Edition of the “India Sri Lanka bilateral joint Exercise” called Mitra Shakti will be conducted from October 4 to October 15, 2021 at Combat Training School, Ampara in Sri Lanka.

Key Points:

In the joint exercise, all arms contingent of 120 personnel from the Indian Army will participate along with the battalion of the Sri Lankan Army.

This exercise will be conducted with the aim of promoting close relations between Armies of India and Sri Lanka.

It also seeks to enhance inter-operability and share best practices to counter insurgency and terrorism operations.

It will involve tactical level operations at the sub unit level.

Operations will be held in international Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism environment.

The exercise will act as the catalyst to bring synergy and cooperation at grass root level between the Indian army and Sri Lankan Army.

Background:

7th Edition of Exercise Mitra Shakti was conducted in the year 2019 at Foreign Training Node (FTN), Pune, Maharashtra. It was conducted with the aim of building and promoting positive relations between armies of both the countries. It also incorporated the current dynamics of United Nations peacekeeping operations by means of practical & comprehensive discussions as well as tactical exercises.

India-Sri Lanka relations:

Bilateral relations between India and Sri-Lanka are historic. Only 4% of Sri Lankans are having a negative view regarding India. Both the countries are also close on economic terms. India is the largest trading partner of Sri Lanka. Both the countries share a maritime border. India is separated by Sri Lanka, by the Palk Strait. They are republics within the Commonwealth of Nations.

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.