Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

Daily Current Affair - UPSC/KAS Exams - 6th Oct 2021

What is in news : Pet registration will soon be mandatory for all pet owners in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits.

Details :

• It has so far been optional, will recognise pet parents with a licence
• Process is expected to bring more responsibility and accountability, and prevent illegal breeding and abandonment of animals.
• Pet registration should be something as natural as obtaining a birth certificate or paying taxes

What is in news : The CAG report titled ‘Performance Audit of Management of StormWater in Bengaluru Urban Area’ showed that the shrinking of water bodies and drains has led to a loss of connectivity between the water bodies and the drains.

Details:

• Released in the last week of September
• Titled ‘Performance Audit of Management of Storm Water in Bengaluru Urban Area’
• Highlighted the issue of encroachment of lakes in the city and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) failure to link drains with Storm Water Drains (SWDs)
• Showed that the shrinking of water bodies and drains has led to a loss of connectivity between the water bodies and the drains.
• According to the report, the BBMP was yet to remove 714 encroachments out of the identified 2,626 encroachments near water bodies in various zones.
• The audit observed 23 cases of significant encroachments, of which 16 cases were not in the list provided by the BBMP
• The joint inspection of drains showed that the SWDs were not directly connected to the water bodies, lakes in a few cases and the runoff was flowing into constructed deviation canals.
• Highlights the issue of conversion and concretisation of water bodies. For instance, the Kamakshipalya lake has been turned into a sports ground and the Dasarahalli tank converted into the Dr BR Ambedkar stadium.
• The lakes division of the BBMP, of the 210 lakes/water bodies in Bengaluru, 66 were yet to be developed, 18 disused and 37 lakes were in the process of being rejuvenated. The 18 lakes that were reported to be in a state of disuse cover a total area of 254 acres. There is a significant chance of these lakes being encroached and converted for other uses in the future.
• Dumping of solid waste, construction debris and so on in SWDs, lake catchment and in lakes.
• Sustained inflow of partially or untreated sewage, polluting existing surface and subsurface water resources.
• Reduced water holding capacity due to accumulation of silt and debris.
• Loss of interconnectivity between water bodies.

What is in news : Union Law Ministry on Tuesday notified the transfers of 15 judges across 11 High Courts as per recommendations of Supreme Court Collegium

Details :

• As per Article 222
• The initiation should be made by the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• The opinion of the CJI “is determinative”.
• Consent of the Judge for his first or subsequent transfer would not be required.
• CJI is expected to take into account the views of the Chief Justice of the High Court from which the Judge is to be transferred and Chief Justice of the High Court to which the transfer is to be effected.
• In the case of transfer of a Chief Justice, only the views of one or more knowledgeable Supreme Court Judges need to be taken into account.
• The views on the proposed transfer of a Judge or a Chief Justice of the High Court should be expressed in writing and should be considered by the CJI and the four senior most Judges of the Supreme Court.
• The proposal once referred to the Government, the Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs would submit a recommendation to the Prime Minister who will then advise the President as to the transfer of the Judge concerned.
• After the President approves the transfer, the notification will be gazetted and the judge remains transferred.

SOCIAL ISSUES

What is in news : The National Health Authority (NHA), the apex body for implementing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), has revised the Health Benefit Package (HBP) Master under the scheme.

What is new:

In the revised version of Health Benefit Package (HBP 2.2)  has been added:

• Rates of some packages have been increased by 20% to 400%
• Rates of around 400 procedures have been revised
• One new additional medical management package related to black fungus

About :

• Launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
• Aim: to undertake path breaking interventions to holistically address health (covering prevention, promotion and ambulatory care), at primary, secondary and tertiary level.
• Ayushman Bharat adopts a continuum of care approach, comprising of two inter-related components, which are:
  • Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs).
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
• Key Features of PM-JAY
  • World’s largest health insurance/ assurance scheme fully financed by the government.
  • Provides a cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empanelled hospitals in India.
  • Provides cashless access to health care services for the beneficiary at the point of service, that is, the hospital.
  • Envisions to help mitigate catastrophic expenditure on medical treatment which pushes nearly 6 crore Indians into poverty each year.
  • Covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days post-hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines.
  • No restriction on the family size, age or gender.

What is in news : Prime Minister interacted with the beneficiaries of SVAMITVA scheme in Madhya Pradesh

About the scheme :

• Launched on Panchayati Raj Diwas (April 24th, 2020).
• Seeks to map residential land ownership in the rural sector using modern technology like the use of drones.
• Scheme aims to revolutionise property record maintenance in India.
• Piloted by the Panchayati Raj ministry.
• Residential land in villages will be measured using drones to create a non-disputable record.
• Property card for every property in the village will be prepared by states using accurate measurements delivered by drone-mapping. These cards will be given to property owners and will be recognised by the land revenue records department.

ENVIRONMENT & GEOGRAPHY

What is in news : The Centre has proposed an amendment to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, to liberalise forest laws.

Details :

• Proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
• Puts in place stringent norms for forest conservation by increasing penal provisions for offenses
• Maintaining “pristine forests” where no non-forestry activity will be allowed under any circumstances
• Sent all states a copy of the proposed amendments on October 2, seeking their objections and suggestions within 15 days
• Deemed forests listed by state governments up to 1996 will continue to be considered forest land. Land that was acquired by the Railways and the road ministries before 1980, but on which forests came up, will no longer be considered forests.
• The Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA) was promulgated in 1980. Before the 1996 Supreme Court judgement in TN Godavarman Thirumulpad versus Union of India and Others, forest land was only that as was defined by the 1927 Forest Act. But the court included all areas which are recorded as ‘forest’ in any government record, irrespective of ownership, recognition and classification.

What is in news : NASA, is set to send its “Psyche Mission” to visit a giant asteroid called Psyche, which could be the frozen remains of molten core of a bygone world.

Details :

• Date -  August 2022
• Will orbit around the asteroid for two years
• Take pictures, map the surface, and look for evidence of an ancient magnetic field
• Will also study the neutrons and gamma rays coming from the asteroid’s surface in order to determine its elemental composition.

Significance

• First mission to explore an asteroid with a surface comprising of substantial amounts of metal rather than rock or ice.
• Seeks to understand iron cores, which is an unexplored building block of formation of planet
• Provides first opportunity to examine the interiors of a rocky planet

What is in news : U.S.-Japanese scientist Syukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann of Germany, and Giorgio Parisi of Italy on Tuesday won the Nobel Physics Prize for climate models and the understanding of physical systems. It is being hailed as first Nobel prize for climate studies

NOBEL PRIZE:

• The Nobel Prize award was first conferred in 1901. It is given in the name of Alfred Nobel who was a Swedish inventor.
• The season for Nobel Prize begins in October every year.
• The Nobel Prize is awarded yearly to the individuals or organizations who do an extraordinary job in the field of Physics, chemistry, literature, peace, physiology or medicine and Economics.
• All the Nobel Prizes are given at Stockholm, Sweden except for the Nobel Peace Prize which is awarded at Oslo, Norway.
• The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine field is awarded by the Karolinska Institute. While in Physics, Chemistry and economics the prize is awarded by Royal Swedish academy of science.
• The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by Norwegian Nobel Committee. In Literature, the Swedish Academy grants the Nobel Prize while the Sveriges Riksbank prize is given in the field of Economic Sciences.
• Three people at maximum can share a Nobel Prize.

THE CLIMATE MODEL

By : IHS Markit’s survey

Details :

• The India Services Business Activity Index, which had hit an 18-month high of 56.7 in August, eased to 55.2 in September but was well above its long-run average. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion in activity.
• While the loosening of COVID-19 curbs amid a receding second wave saw stronger demand including increased footfalls at services businesses, business confidence weakened in September on concerns about inflationary pressures.
• Higher fuel, material, retail and transportation prices pushed up the average cost burdens faced by Indian service providers further last month.
• Forecasts of better demand in the year ahead supported business confidence regarding output, but growth looks set to be constrained by rising inflation expectations
• Travel restrictions continued to weigh on international demand for Indian services as new export business contracted for the nineteenth month in a row, and at the quickest rate since May, IHS Markit said.
• September’s composite PMI, which includes both manufacturing and services, was little changed at 55.3. Employment at the composite level stabilised after contracting in each of the prior 18 months as a marginal reduction in jobs at goods producers broadly offset the growth at service providers.

What is in news : The 2nd edition of the Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) Report was launched by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry

Details :

• 41 Industrial Parks have been assessed as "Leaders"
• 90 Industrial Parks have been rated as under Challenger
• 185 have been rated as under "Aspirers".
• Ratings are assigned on the basis of key existing parameters and infrastructure facilities etc
• Rating exercise will be instrumental to contribute to India’s growth story and to chart out the path of progress for both the industry and the country
• Beneficial in improving ranks of Ease of doing business
• Report is an extension of the India Industrial Land Bank which features more than 4,400 industrial parks in a GIS-enabled database to help investors identify their preferred location for investment.
• The portal is currently integrated with industry-based GIS system of 21 States and UTs and plot-wise information in these are updated on a real-time basis
• Several initiatives have been undertaken by the Government, such as the One District One Product (ODOP) Initiative, Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes and the National Single Window System (NSWS), to promote industry and boost exports. Despite the COVID, India’s economic indicators have bounced back.
• The India Industrial Land Bank (IILB) provides details of more than 5.6 lakh hectares, roughly the size bigger than 30-40 countries, on the click of a button and prospective entrepreneurs can apply sitting from anywhere across the world.
• The GIS-enabled IILB acts as a one-stop source of information on Industrial Infrastructure. Significant scaling up in coverage of Industrial Parks on this Land Bank has played a key role in facilitating the IPRS.
• The IPRS pilot exercise was launched in 2018, with an objective of enhancing industrial infrastructure competitiveness and supporting policy development for enabling industrialization across the country as the Government pushes ahead a high-growth trajectory with an aim to scale the $5 trillion mark for the Indian economy by 2025.
• Based on the learnings from the pilot stage, the Government started the IPRS 2.0 in 2020. All the States of India and 51 SEZs, including 29 Private, have participated the IPRS 2.0 Report. 24 Private Sector Industrial Parks have also been nominated. Ratings have been undertaken for 449 out of 478 nominations received. The feedback survey involved responses from 5,700 tenants.

• In line with the Prime Minister’s Office, Chief Minister of karnataka has launched the ‘CM Dashboard’, which will allow him to review the progress of various departments digitally. This dashboard will provide up-to-date information on various projects to the Chief Minister.
• Naamya Kapoor, competing internationally for the first time, won the women’s sports pistol gold ahead of qualification topper Manu Bhaker in the junior World Championship shooting
• National Mission on Edible Oil- Oil Palm Business Summit for North Eastern States was held at Guwahati
• The fifth edition of India – Japan Maritime Bilateral Exercise, JIMEX, between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), will be held in Arabian Sea from 06 to 08 October 2021. JIMEX series of exercises commenced in January 2012 with special focus on maritime security cooperation. The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in September 2020.
• Department of Ex-servicemen welfare, Ministry of Defence has integrated the Electronic Pension Payment Order (EPPO) generated by Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA) Pension, Allahabad with Digi Locker, in order to enhance ‘Ease of Living’ of Defence Pensioners.  This will enable all Defence Pensioners to obtain instantly a copy of the latest copy of the PPO from Digi Locker.