Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

Daily Current Affair - UPSC/KAS Exams - 27th September 2021

What is in news : The Karnataka government has decided to renovate 11 schools, where Jnanpith awardees studied

About Jnanapith :

• It has achieved the recognition of the highest literary award of the country.
• English along with other Indian languages is considered for the Award.
• The Award is open for only Indian citizens and is given annually.
• The prize carries a cash award of Rs. 11 lakhs, a citation, and a bronze replica of Vagdevi (Saraswati), the goddess of learning.
• It is sponsored by the cultural organization Bharatiya Jnanpith.

ECONOMY

What :

• According to competition commission of India " “Cartel includes an association of producers, sellers, distributors, traders or service providers who, by agreement amongst themselves, limit, control or attempt to control the production, distribution, sale or price of, or, trade in goods or provision of services”
• The International Competition Network, which is a global body dedicated to enforcing competition law, has a simpler definition. The three common components of a cartel are:
  • an agreement;
  • between competitors;
  • to restrict competition.

According to ICN, four categories of conduct are commonly identified across jurisdictions (countries). These are:

• price-fixing
• output restrictions
• market allocation
• bid-rigging

How do cartels hurt:

• Directly hurt the consumers
• Indirectly undermine overall economic efficiency and innovations
• According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, “A successful cartel raises the price above the competitive level and reduces output. Consumers choose either not to pay the higher price for some or all of the cartelised product that they desire, thus forgoing the product, or they pay the cartel price and thereby unknowingly transfer wealth to the cartel operators”.

What is in news : Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has set up Odisha’s first ever tussar silk yarn production centre at Choudwar in Cuttack district

Benefit :

• Tussar silk is one of the finest varieties of silk that is distinguished by its coarseness and porous weave that give it a rugged and rustic appearance.
• This silk yarn production centre will ensure local availability of tussar silk yarn, create local employment and reduce production costs.
• The development assumes great significance as silk comprises nearly 75% of the total khadi fabric production in Odisha.
• This silk yarn production centre will create direct employment for 50 artisans including 34 women, besides providing livelihood support to over 300 tribal farmers engaged in cocoon farming.
• This will also create indirect employment for weavers and reelers in the state.
• Every kilo of raw silk produced, creates employment for 11 artisans out of which 6 are women.

About KVIC

• Statutory body
• Established by an Act of Parliament (Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956).
• In April 1957, it took over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board.
• Apex organization under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India, which seeks to – “plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.”

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

What is in news : Italy has recognised Covishield vaccine against the Coronavirus

About :

• Developed by Oxford University in collaboration with Astrazeneca.
• Pune-based Serum Institute of India is their manufacturing and trial partner.
• It uses a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold virus.
• This virus causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein.

DEFENCE

What is in news :  Ministry of Civil Aviation released an “interactive digital airspace map” for flying drones, that demarcates areas into different zones for flying drones across India.

Details :

• Zones for flying drones also include yellow and red zones.
• The release of the map is in line with the revamped drone rules which are based on premises of self-certification and non-intrusive monitoring of the activities.
• Airspace map may be modified from time to time by authorised entities.
• Zones of flying drone
  • To fly the drone and for drone operations, interactive digital airspace map divides the zones into three categories namely, green, yellow and red.
  • Green zone is the airspace up to 400 feet. This zone has not been designated as red or yellow zone.
  • Yellow zone is the airspace above 400 feet in the designated green zone.
  • Red zone is the area within which drones can be operated with the permission of central government.

What is in news : IAF show named  “Give wings to your dream” was conducted in Dal lake after 14 Years

Details :

The show saw a display by the IAF’s Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team, Paramotor and powered hang-glider display, flypast by MiG-21 Bison and aerobatics by Su-30 aircraft. It also included the Akashganga skydiving display, IAF symphony orchestra display and a photo exhibition depicting the history of IAF.

Dal Lake

• Dal is a lake in Srinagar, the capital of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Dal Lake is a misnomer as Dal in Kashmiri means lake.
• It is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is named the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel”.
• It is also an important source for commercial operations in fishing and water plant harvesting.
• It covers an area of 18 square kilometres and is part of a natural wetland including its floating gardens.
• The floating gardens, known as “Raad” in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during July and August.
• The wetland is divided by causeways into four basins; Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. Lokut-dal and Bod-dal each have an island in the centre, known as Rup Lank (or Char Chinari) and Sona Lank respectively.
• The houseboats (Shikaras) are closely associated with Dal Lake which provide accommodation to tourists in Srinagar.

What is in news : United States hosted the first ever in person meeting of QUAD leaders

About QUAD :

• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad, is a strategic dialogue between the United States (US), India, Australia, and Japan. The Quad was formed in 2007
• The beginning of the Quad group can be traced to the evolution of Exercise Malabar. The military exercise was widely viewed as a response to the increasing economic and military power of China. The Chinese government therefore issued formal diplomatic protests to the members of the Quad. The US, Japan, and India continue to hold joint naval exercises through Malabar.
• The Quad however ceased due to the withdrawal of Australia in the wake of the growing tension between the US and China in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2010, Julia Gillard replaced Australian PM Rudd following which enhanced military cooperation between Australia and the US was resumed.
• During the 2017 ASEAN Summits in Manila, all four member countries namely the US, India, Australia, and Japan led by Donald Trump, Narendra Modi, Malcolm Turnbull, and Shinzo Abe came together to revive the Quad alliance in order to curb the growing military power of China in the South China Sea.
• The objectives of the Quad are:
  • To advance the security and the economic interests of all countries.
  • To develop a free and open Indo-Pacific free of any Chinese influence,
  • To develop a rules-based maritime order in the South and East China seas to counter the Chinese military power

• Union Minister for Ayush, Ports, Shipping and Waterways inaugurated today Rathnashree Arogyadhama”, a new unit of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Ayurveda Hospital at Udupi, Karnataka
• Ministry of tourism launched NIDHI 2.0 portal. It stands for National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry
• World’s highest EV charging station was opened at Kaza town, which is located in of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh
• Central bank of China has declared all the Cryptocurrency transactions illegal

• It is a form of Pollution Tax. It levies a fee on the production, distribution or use of fossil fuels based on how much carbon their combustion emits.
• It is a cost-effective tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
• It is a kind of a Pigouvian tax ( tax on negative externalities).
• It is based on the ‘polluter pay’ principle.
• The ultimate goal of a carbon tax is to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels