SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „GDP growth‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) personal based on their religion or caste or Issue: The Indian economy grew 8.2% — the tribe. Such codes are in place in most modern highest in two years — in the April-June quarter, nations. driven by robust growth in the manufacturing, Though Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was an extensive construction and farm sectors. The figures raised supporter of the Uniform Civil Code, he couldn‘t hopes of a higher than estimated annual growth of get it through more than a status of Directive 7.5%. Principle due to opposition from the members The pace of growth was the highest since the 9.3% of laws dates back to the Colonial rise reported for the January-March quarter of 2016. Period. The Colonial Masters played an What the data says? instrumental role in shaping the legislative literature The manufacturing sector grew 13.5% in the first of our country. The Lex Loci Report of October, quarter of 2018-19, as against a contraction of 1.8% 1840 emphasized on the necessity for codification a year earlier, while the construction sector grew of Indian relating to crimes, evidences, contract 8.7% as compared to a growth of 1.8% in the first etc., but it recommended that personal law quarter of last year. of Hindus and Muslims should be kept outside such Despite an uncertain international environment and codification. A formal declaration of the policy was volatile crude oil prices, ‘s sustained growth made by Warren Hastings in the Administration of reflects its strong resilience to adverse global Justice Regulation, 1780, where it was pronounced conditions, because of strong economic that while dealing with disputes of marriage, fundamentals divorce or inheritance, people would be governed Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/at- by their personal laws. 82-april-june-gdp-growth-touches-two-year- The Supreme Court has directed the Parliament to high/article24837044.ece frame a Uniform Civil Code in the year 1985 in the „Uniform Civil Code‟ (GS2: case of Md. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, of State policy) popularly known as the Shah Bano case. In this Issue: The on Friday said case, a Muslim women claimed for maintenance a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is ―neither necessary form her husband under S.125 of Cr.P.C. after she nor desirable at this stage.‖ was given triple talaq pronouncements by her Reasons cited by Law commission of India for husband. The Supreme Court held that Muslim not preferring UCC at this stage Women have a right to get maintenance from her In a 185-page consultation paper, the commission husband under s.125 and commented that Art.44(3) said secularism cannot contradict the plurality of the has remained in the prevalent in the country. dead light. However, the then Rajiv Gandhi led The commission, led by former Supreme Court government has overturned the Shah Bano case Justice B.S. Chauhan, said ―cultural diversity decision by Muslim Women (Right to Protection on cannot be compromised to the extent that our urge Divorce) Act, 1890 which curtailed the right to for uniformity itself becomes a reason for threat to maintenance of a Muslim Woman. the territorial integrity of the nation.‖ is the only state in India which has enforced It suggested certain measures in marriage and Uniform Civil Code for all citizens. The Portuguese divorce which should be uniformly accepted in the Civil Code that remains in force even today which personal laws of all religions. was introduced in the 19th century in Goa and What is Uniform Civil Code? wasn‘t replaced after liberation. Article 44 of the Constitution of India declares that The Uniform civil code in Goa is a progressive law ―The State shall endeavor to secure for the citizens that allows equal division of income and property a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of regardless of gender between husband and wife and India.‖ also between children. A uniform civil code administers the same set of Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays- secular civil laws to govern all people irrespective paper/no-need-for-uniform-civil-code-now-says- of their religion, caste and tribe. This supersedes the law- right of citizens to be governed under different

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs panel/article24837046.ece „AADHAR‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Issue: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), slapped monetary penalty on 13 banks for violating norms pertaining to authentication of . Reason behind the fine According to UIDAI sources, the measures taken include disincentives against a few authentication user agencies and banks that did not comply with the directions of UIDAI issued under Aadhaar Act/Regulations from time to time. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industr y/aadhaar-authentication-13-banks-fined-face- penalties/article24835382.ece „Asia‟s Nobel‟ (Facts that could be asked in Prelims) Issue: Two Indians, Bharat Vatwani and Sonam „Census 2021‟ (GS2: Government policies for Wangchuk, on Friday received the Ramon development in various sectors) Magsaysay award, popularly known as Asia‘s Issue: Census 2021 will for the first time collect Nobel Prize. data on Other Backward Classes (OBC), the Centre. Mr. Vatwani has dedicated his life to rescuing The decennial exercise will involve 25 lakh trained mentally ill people from the streets and providing enumerators and the use of maps/geo-referencing at them with shelter and treatment through his the time of house listing is also under consideration Shraddha Rehabilitaion Foundation. About Census organization in India Mr. Wangchuk has been recognised for ―his The responsibility of conducting the decennial uniquely systematic, collaborative and community- Census rests with the Office of the Registrar driven reform of learning systems in remote General and Census Commissioner, India under northern India, thus improving the life opportunities Ministry of Home Affairs, . It of Ladakhi youth, and his constructive engagement may be of historical interest that though the of all sectors in local society to harness science and population census of India is a major administrative culture creatively for economic progress function; the Census Organisation was set up on an About the award ad-hoc basis for each Census till the 1951 Census. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award The Census Act was enacted in 1948 to provide for established to perpetuate former Philippine the scheme of conducting population census with President Ramon Magsaysay‘s example of integrity duties and responsibilities of census officers. The in governance, courageous service to the people, Government of India decided in May 1949 to and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. initiate steps for developing systematic collection of The prize was established in April 1957 by the statistics on the size of population, its growth, etc., trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund based in and established an organisation in the Ministry of New York City with the concurrence of the Home Affairs under Registrar General and ex- Philippine government. The award is Officio Census Commissioner, India. This internationally-recognized as Asia‘s Nobel Prize organisation was made responsible for generating counterpart and is the highest award given to Asian data on population statistics including Vital individuals and organizations Statistics and Census. Later, this office was also The winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards entrusted with the responsibility of implementation come from different parts of Asia, although there of Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 in are some instances where the winners came from the country. countries outside Asia who had served, worked or Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news accomplished something in different Asian /politics-and-nation/census-2021-will-collect-data- on-obcs/articleshow/65623895.cms www.iasjnana.com 3

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs countries. As of 2016, recipients have come from enable small businesses to accept digital twenty-two Asian countries. payments, thus closing the loop. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR life/asias-nobel-celebrates-social- ID=1544735 heroes/article24836887.ece „India Post payments bank‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Issue: The Prime The Prime Minister, Shri , today launched the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) at Talkatora Stadium in . The function was witnessed at over 3000 locations across the country, which were connected to the main event in Delhi. About IIPB India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) was setup under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by Government of India. IPPB was launched as a pilot project on 30 January 2017 in Ranchi (Jharkhand) „World‟s oldest zero‟ (GS1: Indian History) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh), with the objective of Issue: In India that concept of emptiness or being present across India by the FY 2018-2019. void, shunya, had long been established in IPPB will expand in phases across India covering philosophy and discussed extensively in treatises all post offices, through a network of 650 IPPB written as early as the fifth century branches/controlling offices, working on a hub and The idea was translated into a symbol somewhere spoke model. not too far away from , within the Gupta IPPB will be leveraging the vast postal network of Empire, which was known for its appreciation of nearly 1.55 lakh post offices and 3.0 lakh postal knowledge and learning. employees in every district, town and village of the History of zero in India country to serve Pingala (c. 3rd/2nd century BC), a Sanskrit prosody Features of IPPB scholar, used binary numbers in the form of short Approachability: and long syllables (the latter equal in length to two Last mile delivery of services through the postman short syllables), a notation similar to Morse code. – a son of the soil and a friend, philosopher and Pingala used the Sanskrit word śūnya explicitly to financial guide to the people. refer to zero. Ease of banking: It was considered that the earliest text to use a IPPB integrates easily with the existing bouquet of decimal place-value system, including a zero, is post office services, extends the services though a the Lokavibhāga, a Jain text on cosmology frictionless shift. surviving in a medieval Sanskrit translation of the The last mile delivery agent is empowered with Prakrit original, which is internally dated to AD 458 financial knowledge and intuitively designed digital (Saka era 380). In this text, śūnya (―void, empty‖) is tools to offer financial services and guidance with also used to refer to zero. relative ease. A symbol for zero, a large dot likely to be the Digital Ecosystem: precursor of the still-current hollow symbol, is used . Macro Level throughout the Bakhshali manuscript, a practical IPPB‘s 360-degree payments suite creates manual on arithmetic for merchants, the date of transparency, removes corruption and leakages which was uncertain. In 2017 three samples from and contributes to a less-cash economy. the manuscript were shown by radiocarbon dating . Individual Level to come from three different centuries: from 224- Provides customers with the ability to transact 383 AD, 680-779 AD, and 885-993 AD, making it without cash through digital channels and the world‘s oldest recorded use of the zero symbol.

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs It is not known how the birch bark fragments from market by 2022 with a globally leading different centuries that form the manuscript came to compounded annualized growth rate of 35% be packaged together. 3. The next frontier for the battle in the Indian The origin of the modern decimal-based place value e-commerce industry is set to be fought around notation can be traced to the Aryabhatiya(c. 500), a seamless shopping experience, building which states sthānāt sthānaṁ daśaguṇaṁ digital trust, voice-based or conversational syāt ―from place to place each is ten times the commerce and creating an inventory of preceding.‖ The concept of zero as a digit in the localised content decimal place value notation was developed in 4. The report includes gross merchandise value India, presumably as early as during the Gupta in e-tail and e-travel; transaction margins in period (c. 5th century), with the oldest unambiguous online financial services; commission and ad evidence dating to the 7th century. revenues for online consumer services; and The rules governing the use of zero appeared for the subscription and ad revenue for the digital first time in Brahmagupta‘s Brahmasputha content category Siddhanta (7th century). This work considers not Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/EBKt9 only zero, but negative numbers, and the algebraic C9WrVmOMogOzFoEMK/-ecommerce- rules for the elementary operations of arithmetic market-to-grow-fourfold-to-150-billion-b.html with such numbers. In some instances, his rules „La Liga‟ (Facts that could be asked in Prelims) differ from the modern standard, specifically the Issue: Popular Spanish football league La Liga on definition of the value of zero divided by zero as Wednesday announced that it has partnered with zero India On Track (IOT) to launch La Liga Football Source: https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/iNO9Q6 Schools in India to grow and train the next lA5zyHxOjYmg8iiN/The-worlds-oldest-carved- generation of football players. zero.html With this announcement, La Liga becomes first international football league to start a grassroots level programme in the country. About the programme The La Liga Football Schools will be set up and run independently across cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Kochi. It will focus on students from 6 to 18 years of age. The training programme will be delivered using La Liga‘s technical curriculum and detailed methodology and will be overseen by the programme technical director appointed by La Liga for India. La Liga will be hiring coaches to execute the training „E-commerce policy‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) programmes in India. Issue: India‘s e-commerce market, dominated by Source: https://www.livemint.com/Sports/CeNBCI Flipkart Pvt. Ltd and Amazon.com Inc., can Lznuzc8OEw8G3gKK/La-Liga-launches-football- potentially grow more than fourfold to $150 billion schools-in-India.html by 2022, fuelled by rising incomes and a surge in „Solar installations‟ (GS3: Conservation of internet users Environment) What the report says? Issue: Solar installations in India plunged 52% to 1. During the period, the size of India‘s 1,599 MW during the second quarter of 2018, middle-class is expected to swell to 540 million mainly due to uncertainties around trade cases and from 380 million in 2017 module price fluctuations, says a report. 2. A ‗Make-for-India‘ solution approach along Other observations made in the report with conducive policy environment can Cumulative solar installed capacity totaled 24.6 GW potentially make e-commerce a $150 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2018 with large-

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs scale solar projects accounting for 90% and rooftop 1. Election petitions and criminal cases against solar making up the remaining 10%. political leaders should be disposed of within a Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/q7FyaE certain time frame and, if necessary, special yOWtK8ACWc2Nx75O/Solar-installations-in- benches of the Supreme Court and high courts India-down-52-in-second-quarter-of-2.html should be formed for the matter. 2. Emphasized the need for a national policy on having an Upper House in the states. 3. It is equally important for the media, an ―invaluable partner in strengthening democratic culture‖, to focus more on the constructive contribution made by members of the House rather than giving importance to their disruptive activities. 4. Calling for a code of conduct for MPs and MLAs 5. The anti-defection laws should be implemented in letter and spirit expeditiously, within three months.

„Asian Games 2018‟ (Facts that could be asked 6. P Naidu called for political parties to in Prelims) consider ―dispassionately and legislate Issue: With Jakarta bidding goodbye to the Asiad, measures to empower women through the ancient Chinese city of Hangzhou welcomed all reservation in all spheres of public life the athletes to the next Games which it will host in including legislatures‖. September 2022. „USA Military aid to Pakistan‟ (GS2: Effect of Number of Medals won by countries in the policies of developed countries on India‟s current Asian games interests) China was miles ahead of the others in the medal Issue: In a blow to US-Pakistan relations, the US table here with 289 medals which included 132 has said it had made a final decision to cancel $300 golds. It also raced past the 3000-medal mark million in aid to Pakistan over Islamabad‘s during the Games. Japan was far behind in the perceived failure to take decisive action against second spot with 205 medals (75 golds) while terrorists and militants. This is in addition to Korea was next with 177 (49 golds). India, despite another $500 million in aid that was withdrawn its best-ever haul of 69 medals (15 golds), was earlier this year at the behest of the US Congress. eighth on the table. About Coalition Support Funds 18-year-old Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee, who The withholding of the so-called Coalition Support won six gold and two silvers, was declared as the Funds (CSF) is part of a broader suspension in aid Most Valuable Player of the Games. No woman has to Pakistan announced by President Donald Trump ever won so many golds in a single edition of the in January, when he accused Pakistan of rewarding Games. past assistance with ―nothing but lies & deceit‖. The Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sport/goodbye- Trump administration has been saying that jakarta-welcome-hangzhou/article24849568.ece Islamabad is granting safe haven to terrorists and „Code of Conduct for legislators‟ (GS2: Union insurgents waging a 17-year-old war in neighboring and State Legislature) Afghanistan, a charge Pakistan denies. Issue: Expressing his displeasure over the Though the funds have been withheld this year, functioning of Parliament, V.P Naidu listed reforms Pakistan could again be eligible next year for CSF that he felt are necessary for its effective Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/EpG1dT functioning, as well as that of the state legislatures WxZbcZklinPKHPIN/US-moves-to-scrap-300- Some of the reforms suggested by the V.P of million-in-military-aid-to-Pakistan.html India include: „Janmashtami celebrations‟ (GS1: Indian Culture)

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Issue: The , Shri Ram Nath October 2007; Angola (2007); Gabon (1975) – Kovind extended his greetings on the occasion of terminated its membership in January 1995 but Janmashtami to the country rejoined in July 2016; Equatorial Guinea (2017); About Janmashtami and Congo (2018). OPEC had its headquarters in Krishna Janmashtami also known simply Geneva, Switzerland, in the first five years of its as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual existence. This was moved to Vienna, Austria, on Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, September 1, 1965. the eighth avatar of Vishnu. It is observed according In accordance with its Statute, the mission of the to Hindu luni-solar calendar, on the eighth day Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in (OPEC) is to coordinate and unify the petroleum the month of Shraavana of the lunar Hindu calendar policies of its Member Countries and ensure the and Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an Bhadrapad of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, which efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum overlaps with August and September of the to consumers, a steady income to producers and a Gregorian calendar. fair return on capital for those investing in the It is an important festival particularly to the petroleum industry. Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism Source: https://www.livemint.com/Money/hh4t86P The life and teachings of Lord Krishna have a 30tAWM9id8rSDZP/Oil-falls-on-rising-output- universal message- Nishkam Karma. Lord Krishna from-OPEC-and-United-States.html in his message has preached duty without thought of „Manned mission‟ (GS3: Science) reward Issue: The process for selecting three astronauts for Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR India‘s first manned space flight will begin at the ID=1544769 earliest to give them enough time to train for the „Oil output (GS3: Infrastructure) 2022 mission, which is slated to cost less than Issue: Oil prices fell on Monday amid rising supply ₹10,000 crore. from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting The initial training will be done at the Institute for Countries (OPEC) and the United States, Aerospace Medicine in Bengaluru outweighing concerns that falling Iranian output About the mission will tighten markets once US sanctions bite from A seven-tonne orbital module consisting of a crew November. module with three astronauts and a service module Other factors that might drag oil value would be sent into space in launch vehicle Mark-3. Many analysts have warned that an economic Within 16 minutes of its launch from Sriharikota, slowdown because of trade disputes between the the module would reach the low-earth orbit at United States and other major economies including 400km, where it would remain for five to seven China and the European Union would drag on oil days. The astronauts would conduct micro-gravity demand. experiments, which is the main purpose of the About OPEC mission. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting The mission would generate jobs for 15,000 people, Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, of whom 13,000 would be from industries and a intergovernmental Organization, created at the thousand from academic institutes. Baghdad Conference on September 10–14, 1960, by Challenges to surmount in the mission Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. 1. Gravity field: Transitioning from one The five Founding Members were later joined gravity field to another is tricky. It affects by ten other Members: Qatar (1961); Indonesia hand-eye and head-eye coordination. NASA (1962) – suspended its membership in January has learned that without gravity working on the 2009, reactivated it in January 2016, but decided to human body, bones lose minerals. Even after suspend it again in November 2016; Libya (1962); you return from a space mission, you could be United Arab Emirates (1967); Algeria (1969); at greater risk of osteoporosis-related fractures. Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973) – suspended its 2. Isolation: Behavioral issues are likely to membership in December 1992, but reactivated it in crop up. Due to isolation, one may encounter

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs depression, fatigue, sleep disorder and including enforcement of any legal right relating to psychiatric disorders. environment and giving relief and compensation for 3. Radiation: In space stations, astronauts damages to persons and property and for matters receive over ten times the radiation than what connected therewith or incidental thereto. It is a people are subjected to on Earth. Radiation specialized body equipped with the necessary exposure may increase the risk of cancer. It can expertise to handle environmental disputes damage the central nervous system. Radiation involving multi-disciplinary issues. The Tribunal can also cause nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and shall not be bound by the procedure laid down fatigue. under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall 4. Rockets: Rockets are extreme machines. be guided by principles of natural justice. Travelling in a rocket is like sitting on an The Tribunal‘s dedicated jurisdiction in exploding bomb which will push your speed environmental matters shall provide speedy from 0 kmph to 29,000 kmph in less than 30 environmental justice and help reduce the burden of minutes. Many safety features have to be built litigation in the higher courts. The Tribunal is into rocket systems to ensure the probability of mandated to make and endeavor for disposal of loss of life is minimized. However, testing of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of all these systems in an actual operating filing of the same. Initially, the NGT is proposed to environment is next to impossible and a be set up at five places of sittings and will follow calculated risk has to be taken while embarking circuit procedure for making itself more accessible. on such a mission. New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the 5. Hostile environment: Space is hostile. In Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai addition to lack of gravity and danger of shall be the other four place of sitting of the radiation, there is no atmosphere. Human blood Tribunal. starts boiling if there is no pressure. The About Western Ghats ‗Gaganyaan‘ has to create an atmosphere like Older than the Himalaya mountains, the mountain Earth inside a small volume and ensure that chain of the Western Ghats represents geomorphic adequate supply of oxygen, removal of carbon- features of immense importance with unique dioxide and comfortable temperature and biophysical and ecological processes. The site‘s humidity levels are maintained throughout the high montane forest ecosystems influence the mission. Indian monsoon weather pattern. Moderating the Source: https://www.livemint.com/Science/8UhUcZ tropical climate of the region, the site presents one 2lJrKuYIAb4HFN9I/ISRO-plans-crewed- of the best examples of the monsoon system on the spaceflight-by-2022.html planet. It also has an exceptionally high level of „Western Ghats‟ (GS3: Conservation of biological diversity and endemism and is Environment) recognized as one of the world‘s eight ‗hottest Issue: The six Western Ghats States, including hotspots‘ of biological diversity. The forests of the Kerala, have been restrained by the National Green site include some of the best representatives of non- Tribunal (NGT) from giving environmental equatorial tropical evergreen forests anywhere and clearance to activities that may adversely impact the are home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, eco-sensitive areas of the mountain ranges. fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species. The panel directed that the extent of Eco-Sensitive The Western Ghats are internationally recognized as Zones of Western Ghats, which was notified by the a region of immense global importance for the Central government earlier, should not be reduced conservation of biological diversity, besides in view of the recent floods in Kerala. containing areas of high geological, cultural and About NGT aesthetic values. A chain of mountains running The National Green Tribunal has been established parallel to India‘s western coast, approximately 30- on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal 50 km inland, the Ghats traverse the States of Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra cases relating to environmental protection and and Gujarat conservation of forests and other natural resources

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs The 39 component parts of this serial property fall and the Eri silkworm (C2) race is found to be under a number of protection regimes, ranging from ‗better‘ than the local breed, according to industry Tiger Reserves, National Parks, Wildlife experts. Sanctuaries, and Reserved Forests. All components About sericulture are owned by the State and are subject to stringent Silk has been intermingled with the life and culture protection under laws including the Wildlife of the Indians. India has a rich and complex history (Protection) Act of 1972, the Indian Forest Act of in silk production and its silk trade dates back to 1927, and the Forest Conservation Act (1980). 15th century. Sericulture industry provides Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- employment to approximately 8.25 million persons national/tp-andhrapradesh/ngt-steps-in-to-conserve- in rural and semi-urban areas in India during 2015- ghats/article24851023.ece 16. Of these, a sizeable number of workers belong „Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India‟ (GS3: to the economically weaker sections of society, Indian Economy) including women. India‘s traditional and culture Issue: Mauritius remained the top source of foreign bound domestic market and an amazing diversity of direct investment (FDI) into India in 2017-18 silk garments that reflect geographic specificity has followed by Singapore, whereas total FDI stood at helped the country to achieve a leading position in $37.36 billion in the financial year, a marginal rise silk industry. over the $36.31 billion recorded in the previous India has the unique distinction of being the only fiscal, according to RBI data. country producing all the five known commercial What the data says? silks, namely, mulberry, tropical tasar, oak tasar, eri 1. While FDI from Mauritius totaled $13.41 and muga, of which muga with its golden yellow billion as against $13.38 billion in the previous glitter is unique and prerogative of India. year, inflows from Singapore rose to $9.27 Mulberry sericulture is mainly practised in five billion from $6.52 billion. FDI from the states namely, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Assam Netherlands declined marginally to $2.67 and Bodoland, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Tamil billion as against $3.23 billion a year earlier. Nadu are major silk producing states in the country. 2. FDI into communication services rose to North East has the unique distinction of being the $8.8 billion in FY18 from $5.8 billion. The only region producing four varieties of silk viz., inflows into retail and wholesale trade also shot Mulberry, Oak Tasar, Muga and Eri. Overall NE up to $4.47 billion as against $2.77 billion, region contributes 18% of India‘s total silk while financial services too saw a rise to $4.07 production. billion from $3.73 billion in the previous year. India is the second largest producer of silk in the Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news world. Among the four varieties of silk produced in /economy/indicators/mauritius-tops-indias-fdi- 2015-16, Mulberry accounts for 71.8% (20,434 charts-again-in-fy18/articleshow/65642712.cms MT), Tasar 9.9% (2,818 MT), Eri 17.8% (5,054 „Silkworm‟ (GS3: Indian Culture) MT) and Muga 0.6% (166 MT) of the total raw silk Issue: Sericulture farmers could soon see higher production of 28,472 MT. yields of silkworm cocoons, with the Central Silk The demand for superior quality bivoltine silk is Board notifying some of the recently developed increasing in India for domestic consumption as races of mulberry (which feeds on mulberry leaves) well as value added silk products for the export and vanya (forest-based) silkworm eggs. These market. The Ministry of Textiles Government of races are now authorised for commercial India and Departments of Sericulture in various production. states provide technical and financial assistance for About the initiative enhancing the bivoltine silk production. The newly developed hybrid of mulberry silkworm Sericulture is the functional area under the Ministry (PM x FC2) can produce 60 kg of cocoons per 100 of Textiles. Some of the recent policy initiatives Disease Free Layings (silkworm eggs) and is said to taken by the Ministry to promote sericulture are as be ‗better than‘ the earlier race titled PM x CSR. follows. The tropical tasar silkworm (BDR-10) has 21% . Sericulture is included as agriculture allied more productivity than the traditional Daba breed activity under Rashtriya Krishi VikasYojana

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SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs (RKVY). This enables the sericulturists to avail Under the regime the minerals on the ocean floor the benefits of the scheme for the entire beneath the high seas are deemed ―the common sericulture activities up to reeling. heritage of mankind,‖ and their exploitation is . The CSB (Amendment) Act, Rules and administered by the International Seabed Authority Regulations have been notified by the Govt. of (ISA). Any commercial exploration or mining of the India to bring quality standards in silkworm seabed is carried out by private or state concerns seed production. regulated and licensed by the ISA, though thus far . Forest Conservation Act has been amended only exploration has been carried out. to treat non mulberry sericulture as forest based Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation activity enabling the farmers to undertake al/un-begins-talks-on-treaty-to-protect-imperilled- Vanya silkworm rearing in the natural host high-seas/article24849344.ece plantation in the forests. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/new- hybrids-will-help-raise-yields-of-silkworm- farmers/article24849535.ece „High Seas regulation‟ (GS2: Important international institutions) Issue: United Nations kicked-off talks on a 2020 treaty that would regulate the high seas, which cover half the planet yet lack adequate environmental protection. The negotiations will relate to spaces beyond national jurisdictions, or areas that belong to no country in particular. Talk will focus on the high seas and the international zone of marine waters, or about 46% of the planet‘s surface In 1982, the UN adopted the Convention on the Law of the Sea, but left the high seas free from „RBI and Gold‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) restrictions. Issue: The (RBI) has bought 8.46 tonne of gold in financial year 2017-18, the first purchase of yellow metal by the apex bank in What is a High sea? almost nine years High seas, in maritime law, all parts of the mass of The RBI held 566.23 tonne of gold as on June 30, saltwater surrounding the globe that are not part of 2018, compared with 557.77 tonne as on June 30, the territorial sea or internal waters of a state. For 2017, according to RBI‘s latest annual report for several centuries beginning in the European Middle 2017-18. Ages, a number of maritime states asserted Reason for buying gold sovereignty over large portions of the high seas. This increase was primarily on account of Well-known examples were the claims of Genoa in depreciation of rupee as against the dollar and the the Mediterranean and of Great Britain in the North addition of 8.44 tonne of gold during the year Sea and elsewhere. Of 566.23 tonne of gold reserves, 292.30 tonne is The high seas lie beyond the zones described above. held as backing for notes and is shown as an asset The waters and airspace of this area are open to use of the Issue Department, and the balance 273.93 by all countries, except for those activities tonne is treated as an asset of the Banking prohibited by international law (e.g., the testing of Department. nuclear weapons). The bed of the high seas is Source: https://www.livemint.com/Money/ZhKPZY known as the International Seabed Area (also kqeneC6pEFrvUGYO/RBI-buys-846-tonne-of- known as ―the Area‖), for which the 1982 gold-in-FY18-first-purchase-in-9-yea.html convention established a separate and detailed legal „Typhoon Jebi‟ (GS1: Geophysical phenomenon) regime. Issue: Japan issued evacuation advisories for almost 300,000 people and cancelled hundreds of flights in www.iasjnana.com 10

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs the face of strong winds and heavy rain as typhoon Jebi roared north and was set to make landfall Jebi‘s predicted course will bring it close to parts of western Japan hit by rains and flooding that killed more than 200 people in July. However, it was set to speed up after it makes landfall, minimizing the amount of rain that will fall in one place. About Typhoon Typhoon, local name in the western North Pacific region for a large tropical cyclone A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for almost one-third of the world‘s annual tropical cyclones. A typhoon differs from a cyclone or hurricane only on the basis of location. A hurricane is a storm that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean or northeastern Pacific Ocean, a typhoon occurs in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, and a tropical cyclone occurs in the south Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation Pacific or Indian Ocean al/tropical-storm-gordon-brings-hurricane-warning- Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation to-gulf-coast/article24861209.ece al/japan-issues-evacuation-advisories-as-typhoon- „Belt and Road initiative and Africa‟ (GS2: jebi-approaches/article24861226.ece Effect of policies of other countries on India‟s „Tropical Storm Gordon‟ (GS3: Science) interests) Issue: Tropical Storm Gordon lashed South Florida Issue: China has pledged a $60 billion fund to with heavy rains and high winds on Monday and is bolster industry, counter hunger, and enhance expected to strengthen into a hurricane when it hits security in Africa, a continent that has been the central U.S. Gulf Coast. chronically plagued by piracy and terrorism. The Miami-based centre said the storm is also For financing, China will nudge African countries expected to bring ―life-threatening‖ storm surge to to tap new multilateral lenders such as the Asian portions of the central Gulf Coast. A storm surge Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the New warning has been issued for the area stretching from Development Bank (NDB) of the emerging Shell Beach, Louisiana, to Dauphin Island, economies, as well as the Silk Road Fund Alabama. The warning means there is danger of marshalled by China. life-threatening inundation. The region could see Debt diplomacy rising waters of 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 metres). The Chinese have taken umbrage against allegations Difference between a hurricane and a typhoon of involvement in ―debt trap‖ diplomacy, by saddling smaller countries with unplayable loans, and using them as levers for political gain. Ex: Hambantota port of Sri Lanka About Belt and Road initiative The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an ambitious effort to improve regional cooperation and connectivity on a trans-continental scale. The initiative aims to strengthen infrastructure, trade, and investment links between China and some 65 other countries that account collectively for over 30 www.iasjnana.com 11

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs percent of global GDP, 62 percent of population, implement, creating risks ranging from fiscal and 75 percent of known energy reserves. The BRI sustainability, to negative environmental and social consists primarily of the Silk Road Economic Belt, implications. There are also potential economic linking China to Central and South Asia and onward shocks created by the reduced trade costs that will to Europe, and the New Maritime Silk Road, linking require policies to deal with the adjustment and the China to the nations of South East Asia, the Gulf lagging and negatively affected territories. Finally, Countries, North Africa, and on to Europe. Six opportunities for growth and poverty reduction will other economic corridors have been identified to likely be contingent on appropriate macroeconomic link other countries to the Belt and the Road. The conditions and supportive institutions and will differ scope of the initiative is still taking shape—more for different countries and different social groups recently the initiative has been interpreted to be within countries depending on their comparative open to all countries as well as international and advantage, initial conditions and ability to reform. regional organizations. The Belt and Road Initiative can transform the economic environment in which economies in the region operate. Regional cooperation on the new and improved transport infrastructure and policy reforms could substantially reduce trade costs and improve connectivity, leading to higher cross- border trade and investment and improved growth in the region. For example, shipment times from China to Central Europe are approximately 30 days, as most goods travel by sea. Shipment times by train are about half as long, but given current Figure: Belt and Road initiative and connectivity infrastructure, much costlier. Hence, improving the plans capacity and network of rail infrastructure could Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation radically change average travel times. And while al/xi-jinping-offers-60-bn-africa- rail transport will remain costlier than maritime for aid/article24857151.ece these routes, the time and cost reduction will have „Risks to financial system‟ (GS3: Indian significant consequences for certain goods Economy) impacting the mode choice and total flows of Issue: The exit from crisis-era stimulus by the international trade. world‘s central banks won‘t be an easy ride, and However, there are significant economic and policy previous market turmoil could well be repeated, challenges, and the realization of the potential according to the Organization for Economic benefits of BRI is by no means automatic. Policy Cooperation and Development. It sees ―elevated‖ reforms could have large effects. For example, risks ahead in the financial system, citing the shift Doing Business indicators show that in Central Asia in monetary policy, high levels of public debt and it can take up to 50 days to comply with all leverage in China‘s banking and shadow-banking procedures to import goods. It takes less than 10 in businesses. G7 countries, indicating the large scope for The report isn‘t the first to point out that central improvements at the border in the region. More banks face a difficult balancing act when it comes generally, the return on investment in infrastructure to unwinding stimulus. The Bank for International is likely to be low or even negative unless Settlements has offered a variation of that view, complementary reforms are carried to improve saying that normalization will be ―bumpy,‖ but institutions and the policy environment. policy makers shouldn‘t be distracted if market For individual countries, it will be important to wobbles are contained. evaluate the possible effects of participating to the While progress has been made in boosting banks‘ BRI and the needed policies and institutional capital levels, not enough has been done to untangle reforms. Some of the infrastructure and policy commercial from investment banking, and many reforms envisaged by the BRI will be difficult to www.iasjnana.com 12

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs regulations don‘t address new risks from fraud and and 54.11 lakh in 14 districts of the State have been disruptive technologies. severely hit by rains and floods, the worst in a About OECD century. As many as 14.52 lakh people displaced by The mission of the Organisation for Economic Co- floods are living in relief camps across the State. operation and Development (OECD) is to promote Standing crops on 57,024 hectares of land were policies that will improve the economic and social damaged in the State. well-being of people around the world. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/o The OECD provides a forum in which governments ver-1400-killed-in-10-states-this- can work together to share experiences and seek monsoon/article24857597.ece solutions to common problems „Himalayan Springs‟ (GS3: Conservation of The Organisation for European Economic Environment) Cooperation (OEEC) was established in 1948 to run Issue: A NITI Aayog constituted group of experts the US-financed Marshall Plan for reconstruction of has urged the government to set up a dedicated a continent ravaged by war. By making individual mission to salvage and revive spring water systems governments recognize the interdependence of their in the country‘s Himalayan States given their vital economies, it paved the way for a new era of importance as a source of water for both drinking cooperation that was to change the face of Europe. and irrigation for the region‘s inhabitants. Encouraged by its success and the prospect of Need for a new programme carrying its work forward on a global stage, Canada Spanning States across the country‘s north and and the US joined OEEC members in signing the northeast and home to about 50 million people, the new OECD Convention on 14 December 1960. The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) has been heavily Organisation for Economic Co-operation and reliant on these natural groundwater sources that are Development (OECD) was officially born on 30 under increasing threat from the urbanization September 1961, when the Convention entered into caused by a constant push for development and force. The headquarter of OECD is located in Paris climate change. Objectives of OECD Almost half of the perennial springs have already . Restore confidence in markets and the dried up or have become seasonal and tens of institutions that make them function. thousands of villages are currently facing acute . Re-establish healthy public finances as a water shortage for drinking and other domestic basis for future sustainable economic growth. purposes. Almost 60% of low-discharge springs that . Foster and support new sources of growth provided water to small habitations in the through innovation, environmentally friendly Himalayan region have reported clear decline ‗green growth‘ strategies and the development during the last couple of decades of emerging economies. Also, with almost 64% of the cultivable area in the . Ensure that people of all ages can develop Himalayas fed by natural springs, they are often the the skills to work productively and satisfyingly only source of irrigation in the region. in the jobs of tomorrow. Other observations made by the panel Microbial content, sulphates and nitrates were Source: https://www.livemint.com/Money/36BQpo primarily because of anthropogenic reasons and y1VayoGxjKR0IhuO/OECD-sees-no-easy-ride-as- contamination from fluoride, arsenic and iron was monetary-policy-shifts-off-crisis.html mainly derived from geogenic sources. Coliform „Monsoon related incidents (GS3: Disaster and bacteria in spring water could originate from septic Disaster management policy) tanks, household wastewater, livestock facilities, Issue: More than 1,400 people have so far lost their and manure lagoons in the source area or in the lives due to rains, floods and landslides in 10 States aquifers feeding springs. Similarly, nitrate sources during the monsoon season this year, according to were septic tanks, household wastewater, data released by the Union Home Ministry. agricultural fertilizers, and livestock facilities. Other incidents caused due to monsoon The task force moots an 8-year programme to According to the Ministry‘s National Emergency overhaul spring water management. This includes: Response Centre, 488 people have died in Kerala preparing a digital atlas of the country‘s www.iasjnana.com 13

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs springsheds, training ‗para-hydrogeologists‘ who „Superbugs‟ (GS2: Issues related to Heath) could lead grassroots conservation and introduction Issue: A superbug resistant to all known antibiotics of a ‗Spring Health Card.‘ that can cause ―severe‖ infections or even death is Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ot spreading undetected through hospital wards across her-states/panel-urges-plan-to-save-himalayan- the world, scientists in Australia have warned springs/article24857637.ece Researchers at the University of Melbourne „Logistics development‟ (GS2: India-Russia ties) discovered three variants of the multidrug-resistant Issue: India and Russia are in the process of bug in samples from 10 countries, including strains concluding a logistics agreement, with both sides in Europe that cannot be reliably tamed by any drug targeting to conclude consultations before the currently on the market. annual summit in October between Prime Minister The bacteria, known as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir is related to the better-known and more deadly Putin. MRSA superbug. It‘s found naturally on human The proposed agreement follows a series of such skin and most commonly infects the elderly or agreements India has signed since the first logistics patients who have had prosthetic materials agreement with the U.S. implanted, such as catheters and joint replacements. India signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum What are superbugs? of Understanding (LEMOA), with the U.S. in Antibiotics have been an important part of modern August 2016 after a decade of negotiations. medicine since the 1930s. Their use has resulted in What is the agreement about? improved health and increased life-span, and has Logistics agreements are administrative enabled many of the medical breakthroughs—such arrangements facilitating access to military facilities as any surgery and neonatal care—that we now take for exchange of fuel and provisions on mutual for granted. However, antibiotics have been used agreement simplifying logistical support and for so long, and so widely, around the world that increasing operational turnaround of the military many of the infectious organisms they are designed when operating away from India. to eliminate have adapted and become resistant to India and Russia have had deep rooted military them. cooperation for several decades. Such agreements When bacteria become resistant to different classes shall further benefit both the countries of antibiotics, they are often called ‗superbugs‘. In Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ta the past, most of these superbugs were confined to lks-on-for-logistics-deal-with- healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing russia/article24857792.ece homes, where already sick patients in a weakened „Indian oil import‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) condition were more susceptible to contracting Issue: India will allow public sector refiners to infections. More recently, superbug infections have import Iranian oil with Tehran arranging tankers started to appear in the wider general population and insurance after firms, including the country‘s outside of hospitals. top shipper Shipping Corp of India (SCI), halted The creation of superbugs due to antibiotic voyages due to U.S. sanctions resistance is a serious risk for global public health, New Delhi‘s attempt to keep Iranian oil flowing where common infections and minor injuries, which mirrors a step by China, where buyers are shifting have been treatable for decades, will potentially be nearly all their Iranian oil imports to vessels owned life-threatening once again. by National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC). Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem. Many Under a CIF arrangement, Iran would provide countries are putting strategies in place to help shipping and insurance, enabling Indian refiners to combat it―including surveillance, education continue purchases of the country‘s oil despite the campaigns, policy change and research funding. At non-availability of cover from Western insurers due an individual level, we can ensure we only take to the restrictions imposed by Washington. antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs when Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ps really necessary, follow all instructions correctly, u-refiners-to-use-iranian-tankers-for-oil- and work to keep ourselves and our families imports/article24858669.ece healthy. www.iasjnana.com 14

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci- Issue: Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil tech/science/drug-resistant-superbug-spreading-in- Aviation, Suresh Prabhu today launched Coffee hospitals-study/article24857593.ece Connect – India coffee field force app and Coffee KrishiTharanga – digital mobile extension services „Rashtriya Poshan Maah‟ (GS2: Issues related for coffee stakeholders to Health) About the application Issue: The Minister of Women and Child This application provides solution by harnessing the Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi has power of mobility comprising the latest technology urged the Ministers of partner Ministries and all the in easing the whole process of the field activities Members of Parliament to extend full support to the like digitization of Coffee Growers & Estates with ongoing Rashtriya Poshan Maah with outreach Geo Tagging, collecting the Plantation details. It activities. The Government is celebrating the month will also help in transparency in the activities of the of September, 2018 as the National Nutrition Month extension officers and officials, transparency in under the Poshan Abhiyan subsidy disbursement and real time report About the mission generation. 1. The programme seeks to bring convergence The Coffee KrishiTharanga services are aimed at amongst various ministries to work in a providing customized information and services to coordinated manner so that malnutrition can be increase productivity, profitability, and quickly and progressively reduced. The key environmental sustainability. The customised features of this programme is mobilization of services are two ways, 24 X 7 service supports. communities across the country and get their About Coffee plantation in India participation in addressing various aspects of Coffee is cultivated in India in about 4.54 lakh the nutritional challenges hectares by 3.66 lakh coffee farmers and 98% of 2. POSHAN Abhiyaan seeks to synergise them are small farmers. Its cultivation is mainly efforts of key stakeholders by leveraging confined to Karnataka (54%), Kerala (19%) and technology and intends to take Nutrition Tamil Nadu (8%) which form traditional coffee Awareness to the level of Jan Andolan or tracts. Coffee is also grown in non-traditional areas People‘s Movement. This People‘s Movement like Andhra Pradesh & Odisha (17.2%) and North intends to reach 11 crore beneficiaries during Eastern states (1.8%), with main emphasis on tribal the Rashtriya Poshan Maah itself. development and afforestation. 3. National Nutrition Month has eight Key Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Themes, namely, Antenatal Care, Optimal ID=1544891 Breastfeeding, Complementary Feeding, „KAZIND 2018‟ (Facts that could be asked in Anemia, Growth Monitoring, Education; diet Prelims) and right age of marriage for girls, Hygiene Issue: Indo-Kazakhstan Joint Army Exercise and Sanitation and Food fortification. All the ‗KAZIND‘ will be conducted between the Indian Departments of the Government and other and Kazakhstan Army from 10 to 23 Sep 2018 in associated organisations have adopted an Otar region, Kazakhstan integrated approach towards accomplishing a About the exercise target of malnutrition-free India. The aim of the exercise is to build and promote 4. This programme through use of technology, bilateral Army to Army relations and exchange a targeted approach and convergence strives to skills and experiences between Kazakhstan Army build a Healthy nation. To ensure a holistic and the . The exercise will also serve as approach, all States/UTs and 718 districts will a platform for exchange of drills and procedures. be covered in a phased manner by the year Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR 2020. ID=1544899 Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR „National Teachers‟ Award‟ (GS2: Issues related ID=1544895 to Education) „Coffee Connect‟ (GS3: E-governance) www.iasjnana.com 15

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Issue: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, (ASEAN) (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, interacted with the awardees of National Teachers‘ Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Awards, 2017 on the eve of Teachers‘ Day. Thailand, Vietnam) and the six Asia-Pacific states About Teachers‟ day with which ASEAN has existing free trade The birth date of the second President of India, Dr. agreements (Australia, China, India, Japan, South Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, 5 September 1888, has Korea and New Zealand). It is reported that a broad been celebrated as Teacher‘s Day since 1962. agreement is likely to be reached in November 2018 During the interaction, Prime Minister urged the RCEP negotiations were formally launched in awardees to mobilize the community and to make November 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in them an integral part of school development. He Cambodia. The free trade agreement is scheduled also exhorted the teachers to work towards bringing and expected to be signed in November 2018 during out the inherent strength of students, especially the ASEAN Summit and Related Summit in those from poor and rural background. Singapore, after the first RCEP summit was held on Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR 14 November 2017 in Manila, Philippines. RCEP is ID=1544903 viewed as an alternative to the Trans-Pacific „Semi-Artificial photosynthesis‟ (GS3: Science) Partnership (TPP), a proposed trade agreement Issue: Scientists have developed a semi-artificial which includes several Asian and American nations photosynthesis system that uses sunlight to produce but excludes China and India. hydrogen fuel from water. In 2017, prospective RCEP member states About the invention accounted for a population of 3.4 billion people Hydrogen which is produced when the water is split with a total Gross Domestic Product (GDP, PPP) of could potentially be a green and unlimited source of $49.5 trillion, approximately 39 percent of the renewable energy. Researchers from the University world‘s GDP, with the combined GDPs of China of Cambridge in the UK used semi-artificial and Japan making up more than half that amount. photosynthesis to explore new ways to produce and RCEP is the world‘s largest economic bloc, store solar energy. They used natural sunlight to covering nearly half of the global economy. convert water into hydrogen and oxygen using a According to estimates by PwC, the Gross mixture of biological components and manmade Domestic Product (GDP, PPP) of RCEP member technologies. states is likely to amount to nearly $250 trillion by Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/ 2050, or a quarter of a quadrillion dollars, with the science/semi-artificial-photosynthesis-creates-fuel- combined GDPs of China and India making up from-water/1302540/ more than 75% of the amount. „Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/zW2jfn (RCEP)‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) WbA20jrV3CTK0IBO/India-wins-key-concession- Issue: Members of the proposed Regional on-services-at-RCEP-Singapore-Mini.html Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) „Odisha storage project‟ (GS3: Infrastructure) trade deal have conceded to India‘s demand to Issue: India is increasingly looking at hydro pump liberalize their services market and allow movement storage schemes, rather than battery storage, for of skilled professionals. This may help India, which utility scale projects to solve its energy storage had so far been a reluctant participant, to conclude problems. One such instance is the proposed 600 RCEP negotiations by the year-end. mega watt (MW) pump storage plant of the state- India believes strong commitments in services by run Odisha Hydro Power Corp (OHPC) to be set up RCEP countries will open up opportunities for its at an investment of ₹3,000 crore to meet peak-hour burgeoning skilled professionals seeking gainful rural electricity demand. employment. About the project About RCEP OHPC will partner with the private sector for the Regional Comprehensive Economic project planned near Upper Indravati multi-purpose Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed free trade reservoir, which already has an operational 600 agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of MW hydropower plant. The idea is to use cheap the Association of Southeast Asian Nations solar power during off-peak hours to raise water to www.iasjnana.com 16

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs a height and then release it into lower reservoir to twice as high in high-income countries generate electricity. compared to developing nations. Solar power generated during day needs to be stored 4. The link between the lifestyle in wealthier in batteries. Given that battery storage is still nations — more time indoors, longer office expensive and needs to be replaced, pump-storage hours, more easily accessible high-calorie projects are being looked at as a viable option. This foods — and lower exercise levels, was part of assumes importance given India‘s clean energy a ―clear pattern‖ of poorer health coming with push, with India‘s ambitious target of 175 gigawatt urbanization. (GW) by March 2022. Of this 100 GW is to come 5. Women still lag behind men in nearly every from solar. region of the world, with the gender exercise Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/XZjpG gap highest in Bangladesh, Eritrea, India, Iraq 6vELONzP90qTESbpO/Odisha-plans-3000-crore- and the Philippines, the study found. energy-storage-project.html 6. One bright spot on the global exercise map „Arif Alvi‟ (Facts that could be asked in Prelims) was southeast Asia, where women were Issue: Arif Alvi, a close ally of Prime Minister equally as active as men in the only region Imran Khan and one of the founding members of where inactivity has decreased since 2001. the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, was elected as Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci- President of Pakistan tech/health/14-billion-risk-disease-from-lack-of- The 69-year-old former dentist defeated Pakistan exercise-who/article24869017.ece Peoples Party candidate Aitzaz Ahsan and Pakistan „Genetically Modified (GM) crops‟ (GS3: Muslim League-Nawaz nominee Maulana Fazlur Science) Rehman to become the 13th President. Issue: The environment ministry is set to convene Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation this month a ―special meeting‖ of the Genetic al/arif-alvi-elected-pakistan- Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to president/article24866498.ece decide on field-trial approvals for the controversial „Lifestyle diseases‟ (GS2: Issues related to transgenic mustard developed by the University of Health) Delhi Issue: More than 1.4 billion adults are putting About GEAC themselves at heightened risk of deadly diseases by Bio-safety concerns have led to the development of not getting enough exercise, doctors are warning, regulatory regimes in various countries for research, with global activity levels virtually unchanged in testing, safe use and handling of GMOs and nearly two decades. products thereof. India is one of the earliest Other observations in this regard include: countries to establish a bio-safety system for 1. With richer nations enjoying an increasingly regulation of GMOs. The Ministry of Environment, comfortable, sedentary lifestyle, a study by the Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified World Health Organisation (WHO) said a third the Rules for Manufacture, Use/Import/ Export & of women and a quarter of men worldwide are Storage of Hazardous Micro Organisms/ in the firing line for killer conditions such as Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells heart disease, diabetes and cancer unless they Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee up their physical activity. (GEAC) established under MoEFCC is the apex 2. The WHO recommends each adult do at body to accord notified under Rules 1989. For least 150 minutes ―moderate-intensity‖ approval of activities involving large scale use of exercise — such as brisk walking, swimming hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in or gentle cycling — each week, or 75 minutes research and industrial production from the environ- ―vigorous-intensity‖ activity — such as mental angle. The GEAC is also responsible for ap- running or team sports. proval of proposals relating to release of genetically 3. Levels of insufficient activity to guard off engineered organisms and products into the non-communicable killers, including dementia environment including experimental field trials and cardiovascular diseases, are more than About GM crops www.iasjnana.com 17

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Genetically modified crops are plants used in „Indian Airline industry‟ (GS3: Indian agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified Economy) using genetic engineering methods. In most cases, Issue: Taxes on jet fuel in India along with lack of the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which competition for fuel suppliers at airports is does not occur naturally in the species. Examples in ―strangling the lifeblood from the airlines,‖ food crops include resistance to certain pests, International Air Transport Association (IATA) diseases, or environmental conditions, reduction of Director General and CEO Alexander de Juniac spoilage, or resistance to chemical treatments (e.g. opined resistance to herbicide), or improving the nutrient Challenges faced by airline industry in India profile of the crop. Examples in non-food crops 1. Concerns over the Goods and Services Tax include production of pharmaceutical agents, (GST) imposed on international flight tickets. biofuels, and other industrially useful goods, as well 2. At present, 5% GST is levied on economy as for bioremediation class tickets and 12% on business class tickets Farmers have widely adopted GM technology. It is for international travel. The recent spurt in fuel the fastest adopted crop technology in the world. prices has led to industry players reiterating the Acreage increased from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 additional burden imposed on Indian players, to 185.1 million hectares in 2016, some 12% of who also have to pay extra taxes on fuel global cropland. A 2014 meta-analysis concluded 3. Fuel accounts for about 24.2% of an that GM technology adoption had reduced chemical airline‘s average cost structure. In India, it is pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22%, 34%, making India‘s carriers particularly and increased farmer profits by 68% sensitive in this area. All airlines are already However, opponents have objected to GM crops on suffering from the rise in fuel prices and grounds including environmental impacts, food India‘s regulatory and tax framework around safety, whether GM crops are needed to address fuel hits airlines serving this market harder food needs, whether they are sufficiently accessible 4. Lack of competition among fuel suppliers at to farmers in developing countries and concerns airports ensure that there is little commercial over subjecting crops to intellectual property law. incentive to keep fuel prices competitive. Safety concerns led 38 countries, including 19 in 5. There is also challenge of the recently Europe, to officially prohibit their cultivation. announced transaction structure for Greenfield Source https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy- airports which will be based on fixed fee per and-environment/gm-mustard-trials-may-get-nod- passenger to be paid by the winning bidder. soon/article24866268.ece Way forward „Space elevator‟ (GS3: Science) Bringing jet fuel under GST with full input tax Issue: A Japanese team working to develop a credit, removing the fuel throughput fee, providing ―space elevator‖ will conduct a first trial this month, common use open access infrastructure for fuel at blasting off a miniature version on satellites to test airports and reducing excise duty on fuel as the technology. measures that will ensure a level playing field for About the experiment Indian players and ensuring competitive fuel prices The test equipment, produced by researchers at Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industr Shizuoka University, will hitch a ride on an H-2B y/taxes-on-jet-fuel-choking-airlines- rocket being launched by Japan‘s space agency iata/article24865885.ece from southern island of Tanegashima next week. „Lockheed Martin and Tata group‟ (GS3: Indian The test involves a miniature elevator stand-in—a Economy) box just six centimetres (2.4 inches) long, three Issue: Lockheed Martin has announced it is to build centimetres wide, and three centimetres high. all wings for the F-16 fighter jet in partnership with If all goes well, it will provide proof of concept by Tata‘s in India. moving along a 10-metre cable suspended in space In 2016, the United States declared India a ―major between two mini satellites that will keep it taut. defense partner‖ and this week sees the beginning Source: https://phys.org/news/2018-09-japan-mini- of ―2+2‖ dialog on strategic affairs between the two space-elevator.html countries. Talks are set to begin on Thursday when www.iasjnana.com 18

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense the United Nations, it is the only one not located in Secretary James Mattis will sit down for talks with New York (United States of America). India‘s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj The Court‘s role is to settle, in accordance with and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. international law, legal disputes submitted to it by Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/04/lockhee States and to give advisory opinions on legal d-martin-set-to-build-all-f-16-wings-in-india.html questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. „Chagos islands‟ (GS2: Important international The Court is composed of 15 , who are institutions) elected for terms of office of nine years by the Issue: India has backed Mauritius over its claim on United Nations General Assembly and the Security the disputed Chagos islands, which is home to Council. It is assisted by a Registry, its Diego Garcia — the key military base of the U.K. administrative organ. Its official languages are and the U.S. in the Indian Ocean, saying its English and French. decolonization was incomplete as long as the atolls Only States (States Members of the United Nations were under British control. India‘s stand was and other States which have become parties to the presented before the International Court of Justice Statute of the Court or which have accepted its (ICJ) jurisdiction under certain conditions) may be parties About Chagos islands to contentious cases. The Chagos Archipelago or Chagos The Court is competent to entertain a dispute only if Islands (formerly the Bassas de Chagas, and later the States concerned have accepted its jurisdiction the Oil Islands) are a group of seven atolls in one or more of the following ways: comprising more than 60 individual tropical islands . by entering into a special agreement to in the Indian Ocean about 500 kilometres (310 mi) submit the dispute to the Court; south of the Maldives archipelago. This chain of . by virtue of a jurisdictional clause, i.e., islands is the southernmost archipelago of the typically, when they are parties to a treaty Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, a long submarine containing a provision whereby, in the event of mountain range in the Indian Ocean. a dispute of a given type or disagreement over Officially part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, the interpretation or application of the treaty, the Chagos were home to the Chagossians, a one of them may refer the dispute to the Court; Bourbonnais Creole-speaking people, for more than . through the reciprocal effect of declarations a century and a half until the United Kingdom made by them under the Statute, whereby each evicted them between 1967 and 1973 to allow the has accepted the jurisdiction of the Court as United States to build a military base on Diego compulsory in the event of a dispute with Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands. Since another State having made a similar 1971, only the atoll of Diego Garcia is inhabited, declaration. A number of these declarations, and only by military and civilian contracted which must be deposited with the United personnel. Nations Secretary-General, contain The sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago is reservations excluding certain categories of disputed between the UK and Mauritius. The United dispute. Kingdom excised the archipelago from Mauritian Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- territory three years ahead of Mauritius‘ national/india-supports-mauritius-claim-over- independence disputed-chagos-islands-under-uk- About ICJ control/article24876674.ece The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the „Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)‟ (GS3: principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). Technology) It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the Issue: The Army has selected SpyLite mini-UAV United Nations and began work in April 1946. for high-altitude aerial surveillance. The mini-UAV The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The is built by Cyient Solutions & Systems (CSS), a Hague (Netherlands). Of the six principal organs of joint venture between Cyient Ltd of India and BlueBird Aero Systems of . www.iasjnana.com 19

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs About the UAV COMCASA, these platforms were using According to the company website, SpyLite has an commercially available communication endurance of 4-5 hours and a maximum flight systems. ceiling of 30,000 feet making it ideal for operations 3. India has already signed two of the four along the border with China as well as on the agreements, the General Security of Military Siachen glacier. Information Agreement (GSIMOA) in 2002 Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ar and the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of my-selects-mini-uav-for-high-altitude- Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016. The last one surveillance/article24874226.ece remaining is the Basic Exchange and „Communications Compatibility and Security Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Agreement (COMCASA)‟ (GS2: India-America Cooperation (BECA). ties) Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/in Issue: India and the United States began a new dia-us-sign-landmark-comcasa- generation of military and security cooperation by deal/article24881277.ece signing Communications Compatibility and „Section 377‟ (GS2: Fundamental rights) Security Agreement (COMCASA). Issue: A five-judge Constitution Bench of An announcement on the significant agreement the Supreme Court unanimously decriminalized came at the end of the inaugural 2+2 ministerial part of the 158-year-old colonial era provisions of dialogue between the two countries that also Section 377 of the (IPC) which focused on ensuring maritime freedom and criminalizes consensual unnatural sex. international law in the India-Pacific region. Observations made in the judgment Other announcements made include: 1. Societal morality cannot trump 1. India and the U.S. would also hold a first- constitutional morality. Societal morality ever tri-service exercise on the east coast of cannot overturn the fundamental rights of even India in 2019 a single person. 2. The two defence ministers also announced 2. The LGBTQ community needs the rainbow their readiness to begin negotiations on an of hope for the sake of the humanity. They Industrial Security Annex (ISA) that would should be allowed to live with dignity and support closer defence industry cooperation without pretense. This is their journey to and collaboration. dignity, equality and liberty. 3. To further defence innovation, a 3. Sexual orientation is biological, innate. She Memorandum of Intent was signed between the or he has no control over who they get attracted U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the to. Any repression will be a violation of free Indian Defence Innovation Organization — expression. Innovation for Defence Excellence (DIO- 4. State cannot decide the boundaries between iDEX), which will look into joint projects for what is permissible or not. Section 377 is based co-production and co-development projects on deep-rooted gender stereotypes. It through the Defense Technology and Trade persecutes people. It is a majoritarian impulse Initiative (DTTI). to subjugate a sexual minority to live in silence What is COMCASA? 5. Society owes an apology to the LGBTQ 1. COMCASA, which stands for community for the years of stigma imposed on Communications Compatibility and Security them. Agreement, is one the four foundational What is Indian Penal Code (IPC)? agreements that the U.S. signs with allies and The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the main criminal close partners to facilitate interoperability code of India. It is a comprehensive code intended between militaries. to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. The 2. COMCASA allows India to procure code was drafted in 1860 on the recommendations encrypted communication systems from the of first law commission of India established in 1834 U.S. for military platforms like the C-17, C- under the Charter Act of 1833 under the 130 and P-8Is. Due to non-signing of Chairmanship of Thomas Babington Macaulay. It www.iasjnana.com 20

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs came into force in British India during the early Issue: The Securities and Exchange Board of India period in 1862. However, it did not (SEBI) will soon review its circular issued in April apply automatically in the Princely states, which that barred Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), among had their own courts and legal systems until the others, from managing funds they invest in India. 1940s. The Code has since been amended several The capital markets regulator said that a working times and is now supplemented by other criminal group constituted under H.R. Khan, former RBI provisions. deputy , met with industry participants and After the partition of the British Indian Empire, the would soon give its recommendations to SEBI, Indian Penal Code was inherited by its successor which would then review the entire matter. states, the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/sebi-to- Pakistan, where it continues independently as the review-fpi-diktat-after-panel- Pakistan Penal Code. The Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) submissions/article24874918.ece applicable in Jammu and Kashmir is also based on „Services sector‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) this Code Issue: India‘s services sector activity fell in August Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hi from July‘s 21-month peak as new business orders ghlights-from-the-supreme-courts-verdict-on- declined, following which firms raised their staffing decriminalising-section-377/article24880311.ece levels at a modest pace amid rising input cost „Dissolution of State Assembly‟ (GS2: State inflation legislature) The headline seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Issue: The Telangana Cabinet on Thursday led by Composite PMI Output Index fell to 51.9 in August the K.Chandrasekhar Rao from July‘s 21-month high of 54.1, owing to weaker recommended the dissolution of the State growth in both the manufacturing and service Legislative Assembly. sectors. Term of the legislative assembly Services sector in India The term of the Legislative Assembly is five years. India‘s services sector GVA grew at a CAGR of However, it may be dissolved earlier than that by 6.93 per cent to US$ 1,266.1 billion in FY18E from the Governor on the request of the Chief Minister. US$ 846.8 billion in FY12. In terms of overall GDP The term of the Legislative Assembly may be India ranks 5th in 2017 and in terms of services extended during an emergency, but not more than GVA India ranked 13th as of 2015. Growth rate of six months at a time. financial, real estate and professional services is Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/te expected to reach 11.07 per cent in FY18. Trade, langana/telangana-governor-accepts-cabinet- hotels, transport, communication and services resolution-to-dissolve-state- related to broadcasting are expected to grow at assembly/article24880318.ece 11.88 per cent in FY18. „Solid waste management policy‟ (GS3: The services sector is not only the dominant sector Conservation of Environment) in India‘s GDP, but has also attracted significant Issue: The Supreme Court lifted its August 31 order foreign investment flows, contributed significantly staying construction activities in landslide-hit to exports as well as provided large-scale Uttarakhand for not placing on record in court its employment. India‘s services sector covers a wide solid waste management policy. The court also variety of activities such as trade, hotel and clarified that there is no stay on construction in restaurants, transport, storage and communication, Maharashtra too. financing, insurance, real estate, business services, A three-judge Bench led by Justice Madan B. Lokur community, social and personal services, and had ordered a freeze on construction activities in services associated with construction. defaulting States and Union Territories. The top 10 categories of Indian services sector Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc attracted FDI equity inflows in the period April -relief-for-maharashtra- 2000-December 2017, amounting to about US$ uttarakhand/article24874884.ece 22,095.51 billion according to the Department of „SEBI and H.R. Khan Committee‟ (GS3: Indian Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). Economy) www.iasjnana.com 21

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Some of the developments and major investments of availability of GST input credit, which will result by companies in the services sector in the recent in the reduction in prices of services. past are as follows: Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industr . The domestic and foreign logistic companies y/services-sector-activity-softens-in-august- are optimistic about prospects in the logistics nikkei/article24874751.ece sector in India, and are actively making „‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) investments plans to improve earnings and Issue: The rupee has now depreciated by about 7 streamline operations. percent from June 2018, when the Reserve Bank of . Leisure and business travel and tourism India (RBI) started hiking rates, and close to 13 spending are expected to increase to Rs percent in 2018. 14,127.1 billion (US$ 216.9 billion) and Rs The depreciation in the rupee has now outpaced 806.4 billion (US$ 12.4 billion) in 2018, other Asian currencies like Indonesia rupiah. respectively. Beyond a certain level of depreciation, the costs . Market share of private banks in advances is could outweigh benefits. There are many expected to increase from 27.7 per cent in components of such cost. Such as: 2017-18 to nearly 35 per cent in 2019-20 1. Short-term external debt repayment The Government of India recognizes the importance India‘s short-term debt obligations as on December of promoting growth in services sectors and ‘17 were to the tune of $217.6 billion. Assuming provides several incentives in wide variety of half of this amount has either been paid in H1 2018 sectors such as health care, tourism, education, or is rolled over to 2019, the remaining repayment engineering, communications, transportation, amount in rupee terms would be Rs 7.1 trillion at information technology, banking, finance, average 2017 exchange rate of Rs 65.1/ US dollar). management, among others. For H2, assuming that rupee depreciates to an Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that average value of the 71.4/US dollar, the debt India‘s priority will be to work towards trade repayment amount would be Rs 7.8 trillion, thereby facilitation agreement (TFA) for services, which is implying an extra cost of Rs 670 bn. expected to help in the smooth movement of 2. Oil import bill professionals. At an average oil price of $74.24/bbl for the The Government of India has adopted a few remaining half, crude import bill of India in 2018 initiatives in the recent past. Some of these are as should amount to $57 billion. If the average follows: exchange rate remained at Rs 65.1/ US dollar the . Under the Mid-Term Review of Foreign crude oil import bill would have been Rs 3,643 Trade Policy (2015-20), the Central billion. Government increased incentives provided However, with rupee depreciating to an average of under Services Exports from India Scheme Rs 71.4/US dollar in H2 2018 end, the import bill (SEIS) by two per cent. would increase to Rs 4036 billion, implying an . Government of India is working to remove extra cost of around Rs 0.353 trillion. many trade barriers to services and tabled a 3. Inflation draft legal text on Trade Facilitation in As per RBI, a depreciation of the Indian rupee by Services to the WTO in 2017. around 5 percent relative to the baseline, inflation Services sector growth is governed by both could edge higher by around 20 bps. With rupee domestic and global factors. The Indian facilities expected to depreciate by say around 14 percent this management market is expected to grow at 17 per year, keeping everything else constant inflation cent CAGR between 2015 and 2020 and surpass the could edge by 56 bps going by the RBI numbers. US$19 billion mark supported by booming real 4. Consumption estate, retail, and hospitality sectors. If the rupee continues to depreciate, it may move The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax RBI towards increasing the regulatory interest rates. (GST) has created a common national market and This could pressurize RBI to go for more rate hikes. reduced the overall tax burden on goods. It is RBI‘s successive rate hikes will have a negative expected to reduce costs in the long run on account impact on consumption expenditure (PFCE) as well www.iasjnana.com 22

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs as investment expenditure, thereby widening the NASA‘s Cassini spacecraft arrived at the Saturn output gap. system in 2004, when it was summer in the planet‘s 5. Fiscal cost southern hemisphere and winter in the northern With yields crossing 8 percent, there will be hemisphere. At the time, the spacecraft documented increased fiscal costs on the part of the government a circular, warm, high-altitude vortex at Saturn‘s every year. Such costs are expected to be at least Rs south pole but nothing at the north pole. 6000-7000 crores. Prior to Cassini, NASA‘s Voyager spacecraft had Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin revealed a lower-altitude north-pole hexagon in the ess/markets/rupee72-five-ways-in-which-weak- 1980s. That hexagon is a long-lasting wave thought rupee-will-impact-economy-india-inc-2924061.html to be related to Saturn‘s rotation, similar to the way „Kepler telescope‟ (GS3: Science) Earth‘s rotation influences the Polar Jet Stream. Issue: NASA‘s planet-hunting Kepler space About Saturn telescope has woken up from yet another slumber . Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun and and begun collecting science data again. It began the second largest planet in the solar system. collecting science data on August 29 for its 19th Saturn was the Roman name for Cronus, the observation campaign. lord of the Titans in Greek mythology. Saturn In July, NASA placed the spacecraft, with 2,650 is the root of the English word ―Saturday.‖ confirmed planets, in a hibernation-like state in . Saturn is the farthest planet from Earth preparation to download the science data collected visible to the naked human eye, but it is in its latest observation campaign. through a telescope that the planet‘s most About Kepler mission outstanding features can be seen: Saturn‘s Launched in 2009, the Kepler mission is rings. Although the other gas giants in the solar specifically designed to survey our region of the system — Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune — also Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth- have rings, those of Saturn are without a doubt sized and smaller planets in or near the habitable the most extraordinary. zone and determine the fraction of the hundreds of . Saturn is a gas giant made up mostly of billions of stars in our galaxy that might have such hydrogen and helium. Saturn is big enough to planets hold more than 760 Earths, and is more The Kepler space telescope, which is now 94 massive than any other planet except Jupiter, million miles away from Earth, has survived many roughly 95 times Earth‘s mass. However, potential knock-outs during its nine years in flight, Saturn has the lowest density of all the planets, from mechanical failures to being blasted by cosmic and is the only one less dense than water — if rays. After the Kepler space telescope, Tess is the there were a bathtub big enough to hold it, second spacecraft which will search for planets Saturn would float. outside our solar system, including those that could . The yellow and gold bands seen in Saturn‘s support life. atmosphere are the result of super-fast winds in Source: https://www.business- the upper atmosphere, which can reach up to standard.com/article/news-ians/planet-hunting- 1,100 mph (1,800 km/h) around its equator, kepler-telescope-wakes-up-again-nasa- combined with heat rising from the planet‘s 118090600528_1.html interior. „Saturn‟ (GS3: Science) . Saturn spins faster than any other planet Issue: A bizarre, hexagon-shaped vortex has formed except Jupiter, completing a rotation roughly above Saturn‘s north pole as the planet‘s northern every 10-and-a-half hours. hemisphere enters summer, data from the . Like other giant planets, Saturn also has international Cassini-Huygens mission revealed. northern and southern lights, caused by The unusual vortex is circulating hundreds of particles from the sun. kilometers above the clouds in the stratosphere . Saturn‘s largest moon, Titan, is slightly layer of the ringed planet‘s atmosphere larger than Mercury, and is the second-largest About Cassini-Huygens mission moon in the solar system behind Jupiter‘s moon Ganymede. (Earth‘s moon is the fifth www.iasjnana.com 23

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs largest.) Titan is veiled under a very thick, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle was developed to nitrogen-rich atmosphere that might be like launch Low Earth Orbit satellites into Polar and Sun what Earth‘s was long ago Synchronous Orbits. It has since proved its Source: https://www.livescience.com/63497-saturn- versatility by launching Geosynchronous, Lunar and high-altitude-hexagon-vortex.html Interplanetary spacecraft successfully. 2. GSLV Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle was developed to launch the heavier INSAT class of geosynchronous satellites into orbit. In its third and final stage, GSLV uses the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage. 3. Sounding rockets ISRO launches smaller rockets from the Rohini series on suborbital and atmospheric flights for aeronomy and meteorological studies. ATV, ISRO‘s heaviest sounding rocket, can be used for microgravity experiments and for precursor experiments to characterize new technologies. „Launch vehicles‟ (GS3: Science) Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/ Issue: The ISRO is working on building smaller isro-working-on-smaller-launch-vehicles-to-carry- launch vehicles that will carry satellites weighing satellites-of-up-to-700-kg-2924791.html 500 to 700 kg to up to 500 kilometres from the earth‘s surface „MOVE Global Mobility Summit 2018‟ (GS3: The demand for small satellites is growing. Small Infrastructure) satellites are going to be used for communication Issue: The stage is set for the Summit to be purposes in an enormous way. To catch up with the inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi. small satellites market, ISRO is in the process of About the summit developing a small satellite launcher The move summit will also serve as a platform for About this new vehicle Narendra Modi to officially kick off the second The small launch vehicle will be different from the phase of the FAME Scheme — an initiative by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), ISRO‘s Indian government to help foster the growth of trusted workhorse, and should take only 72 hours environmentally friendly mobility — which will for integration. The ISRO will need 50-60 such look to accelerate the adoption of EVs with vehicles every year. Out of the over Rs 10,000 crore incentives and benefits for those who chose to make announced by the Centre for 40 satellite launch their commute using eco-friendly vehicles. vehicle programmes, Rs 9,000 crore would go to the The summit will look to make Indian cities industry for manufacturing them. pollution free and will be addressed by the whos‘ About ISRO‟s present Launchers or launch who of the Indian auto industry, including Anand vehicles Mahindra, Pawan Munjal, Osamu Suzuki and Launchers or Launch Vehicles are used to carry Guenter Butschek. The summit is set to deliberate spacecraft to space. India has two operational on five themes, electrification, alternative fuels, launchers: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) reinventing public transport, goods transport and and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle logistics through data analytics. The first of its kind (GSLV). GSLV with indigenous Cryogenic Upper summit will see over 2,200 participants from across Stage has enabled the launching up to 2 tonne class the world government, industry, research of communication satellites. The next variant of organisations, academia, think tanks and civil GSLV is GSLV Mk III, with indigenous high thrust society are expected to attend the event. cryogenic engine and stage, having the capability of Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car- launching 4 tonne class of communication satellites. news/move-global-mobility-summit-2018-live- 1. PSLV www.iasjnana.com 24

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs updates-pm-modi-to-announce-major-ev- India aims to eliminate open defecation by October policy/1305292/?#liveblogstart 2nd, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who held sanitation very close to his heart. „Battle of ‟ (GS1: World History) Rural sanitation coverage has made ground- Issue: The Embassy of India held a ceremony in breaking progress, from 39% in October 2014, at Haifa to mark the Centenary of the Battle of Haifa the start of SBM, to over 92% today, with when on 23 Sep 1918; Indian soldiers from the behaviour change being the key focus of , and Hyderabad Lancers liberated implementation. The success of the Swachh Bharat the city of Haifa. Mission will undoubtedly have a significant impact About the Battle of Haifa on the global achievement of Sustainable Every year on September 23, the Indian Army Development Goal (SDG 6.2), i.e. to achieve access celebrates ‗Haifa Day‘ to commemorate the war to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for dead during the Battle of Haifa considered as one of all. Simultaneously, coordinated efforts are in place the bravely-contested battles of . The to improve sanitation levels in all sectors and all Teen Murti memorial was constructed in 1922 in public places. The global Convention will be aimed the memory of the Indian soldiers from three at sharing sanitation success stories and lessons princely states namely Jodhpur, Hyderabad and across all participating countries. Mysore who served present day Gaza strip, Israel Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR and Palestine during the World War I under British ID=1545235 India Army. „IOWave18‟ (GS3: Disaster Management policy) The victory was even more special as the Indian Issue: India, along with 23 other Indian Ocean soldiers were armed only with lances (a kind of Nations, participated in a major Indian ocean-wide spear) and swords while the Turks had in their tsunami mock exercise (drill) on 4th& 5thSeptember, possession advance artillery and machine guns. The 2018. The Exercise, known as IOWave18, was Indian troops displayed exemplary cavalry skills organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic and valor during what was considered to be the last Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, which coordinated major cavalry campaign in military history. the setting up of the Indian Ocean Tsunami A total of 1,350 German and Ottoman prisoners Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS) in the were captured by the two Indian regiments. This aftermath of the 26 December 2004 tsunami. also includes the confinement of two German About the exercise officers, 35 Ottoman officers, 17 artillery guns and Overall over the 2-day exercise, all coastal states 11 machine guns. Meanwhile, Indian casualties tested communication modes for receipt of bulletins amounted to eight dead and 34 wounded, while 60 from INCOIS. The end-to-end warning system from horses were killed and another 83 injured. tsunami detection and forecast, threat evaluation Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR and alert formulation, alert dissemination to public ID=1545230 and their awareness and response was put to test „Global Sanitation Convention‟ (GS2: Issues during this exercise. related to Health) Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Issue: Union Ministry of Drinking Water and ID=1545150 Sanitation will organize a global sanitation „Major ports‟ (GS3: Infrastructure) convention to mark the beginning of the 150th birth Issue: The Major ports in India have recorded a anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, also growth of 5.13% and together handled 288.38 coinciding with the fourth anniversary of the launch Million Tonnes of cargo during the period April to of Swachh Bharat Mission. August, 2018 as against 274.32 Million Tonnes Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation handled during the corresponding period of Convention (MGISC) will be a 4-day international previous year. conference that will bring together Sanitation About the ports in India Minsters and other leaders in WASH (water, With a coastline of more than 7,500 km, India sanitation and hygiene) from around the world. forms one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. Targets towards sanitation in India The country has 13 major sea ports and about 200 www.iasjnana.com 25

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs non-major sea ports and intermediate ports. All the coal, food grains, salt, sugar, petroleum products sea ports are located in the following states – and edible oils and carries out major trade with the Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Daman neighbouring country of Sri Lanka. and Diu, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar New Mangalore Port: Located at the southern tip Islands, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, of the Karnataka coast, it is also an important port Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Goa. The major in India. The port exports commodities such as ports are administered by the Shipping Ministry of granite stones, cashew, manganese and coffee and the Central Government, while the minor ports are imports products like LPG, timber, cargo container taken care off by the Ministry of the respective and others States where they are located. Some of the major Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR sea ports in India are mentioned as below: ID=1545204 Mumbai Port: Locate at the mainland of west „Uttar Pradesh floods‟ (GS3: Disaster Mumbai, it is the largest port in India. About one- management) fifth of the predominantly in Issue: The recent bout of heavy rainfall has caused mineral oil and dry cargo is handled by Mumbai havoc in parts of U.P., with at least 80 person dead Port alone. Kandla Port: Located in the Gulf of since September 1, and over 2,000 houses and huts Kutch, it is one of the prominent ports on the West damaged or submerged, with territory of over 1.12 Coast of the country. The port was developed to lakh hectares affected. decongest Mumbai Port. According to the Uttar Pradesh Disaster Chennai Port: The second largest port in India, Management Authority, on Thursday evening, there Chennai Port (or Madras Port) primarily handles were still 153 marooned villages and 805 flood- fertilisers, general cargo, iron-ore and petroleum affected villages in the State, directly impacting products. over 5 lakh people. On Thursday, 18 deaths were Jawaharlal Nehru Port (or Nhava Sheva reported Port): Situated in the Konkan region, it is a major Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ot port of the Arabian Sea and handles large volume of her-states/swelling-ganga-brings-a-spate-of-trouble- domestic cargo traffic and international container to-people-of-up/article24884346.ece traffic. „Lynching issue in India‟ (GS2: in Haldia Port: A major seaport located near the India) Hooghly River in West Bengal, it is the most Issue: The Supreme Court on Friday took exception important centre of jute industries. It is also known to the fact that only 11 of the 29 States and seven as the ‗Gateway of Eastern India‘. Union Territories (UTs) have filed reports on Ennore Port: Located at the north of Chennai, this compliance of its order directing them to take steps port was established to reduce congestion on to deal with mob lynchings and cow vigilantism. Chennai Port. It is also India‘s first corporate port. During the hearing, the Centre informed the court Kochi Port (or Cochin Port): Kochi Port is located that an empowered Group of Ministers (GoM) had on the sea route of the Arabian Sea and the Indian been set up to consider framing law on mob Ocean. Export of tea and coffee and import of violence following the cow vigilantism verdict. chemical fertilisers and mineral oil are handled by Previous observation made by the Supreme the port. Court of India in this regard Paradip Port: The artificial deep-water port On July 17, the court said that “horrendous acts located in Odisha is an important port on the eastern of mobocracy” cannot be allowed to overrun the shore. Coal, iron-ore and other dry cargoes are law of the land, and issued a slew of guidelines to handled at the port. It has a cold handling plant, a deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism. It also railway system and a national highway that asked the Centre to consider enacting law to sternly connects it to the road networks of the rest of the deal with such incidents country. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/c Tuticorin Port: Tuticorin Port is one of the major omply-with-order-on-mob-lynchings-supreme- ports in Tamil Nadu and one of the largest container court-tells-states/article24891447.ece terminals in India. The port handles the trade of www.iasjnana.com 26

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „ISRO and disaster management‟ (GS3: Disaster Pakistan continues to expand its nuclear arsenal management policy) with more warheads, more delivery systems and a Issue: The Indian Space Research Organisation‘s growing fissile materials production industry. The satellites and Doppler radars played a key role in authors observe that the size of the increase will weather monitoring and forecast, and provided depend on many factors. Two key factors will be critical inputs for various agencies involved in how many nuclear-capable launchers Pakistan plans the rescue of stranded citizens during the floods in to deploy, and how much the Indian nuclear arsenal Kerala grows. Weather monitoring by ISRO Source: https://www.livemint.com/Science/ZrjlllZv ISRO not only extended support through its space- PWPoUUgPKw6pnK/44-women-25-men-in-India- based sensors, but ground-based sensors as well. at-risk-of-cancer-heart-diseas.html Two of its radars — one C-Band Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at TERLS, Vikram „Foreign Debt‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvanthapuram Issue: With the currency losing more than 11% to and one S-Band DWR at Kochi — were the dollar this year, the country will have to shell continuously monitoring the weather on 24X7 basis out an extra Rs 68,500 crore ($9.5 billion) when up to 500 km radius. repaying short-term debt in the coming months, The data was transferred to IMD, Meteorological according to numbers arrived at by the State Bank and Oceanographic Data Archival Centre of India. (MOSDAC), and Space Application Centre (SAC) India‘s short-term debt obligations, which included for further data analysis and centralised weather non-resident deposits as well as overseas monitoring. The information was made available in commercial borrowings by companies, totaled near real time for the public through the MOSDAC $217.6 billion in 2017. and IMD websites. Source: https://www.livemint.com/Money/Bg6mBc the radars had helped in long range weather n79BALSfJ1cfYiYO/Weak-rupee-to-cost-India-95- surveillance, forecast and nowcast of the weather billion-more-to-repay-foreign.html and rainfall activity in Kerala. The National „Payment companies‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Disaster Management Authority and Kerala State Issue: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sought Disaster Management authority were continuously fortnightly updates from payments companies on monitoring the data received by the radar and the progress made on storing data in India images were continuously updated on the IMD The regulations are expected to affect companies website for making decisions on various activities. such as Mastercard, American Express, Amazon, Benefits of such system Facebook, Microsoft, Visa and PayPal, among The DWR system provides quantitative information others. in digital form — the intensity and mean velocity of What the regulation entails? cyclones along with rainfall rate and accumulation. All system providers shall ensure that the entire data It improves the understanding and forecasting of relating to payment systems operated by them are thunderstorm, hailstorms, tidal wave height, wind stored in a system only in India. This data should turbulence and shear as well as the probable include the full end-to-end transaction intensity of rain in and around the region details/information collected/carried/processed as Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/k part of the message/payment instruction erala/isro-assets-played-key-role-in-kerala-flood- However, US technology giants plan to intensify rescue-operation/article24890936.ece lobbying efforts against data localization „Nuclear arsenal‟ (GS3: Challenges to India‟s requirements, which they say will undermine their security) growth ambitions in India Issue: Pakistan currently has 140 to 150 nuclear Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/pjJCEf warheads and the stockpile is expected to increase LXGDoVqr7bXIrrQO/RBI-seeks-fortnightly- to 220 to 250 by 2025 if the current trend continues, updates-from-payments-firms-on-data-st.html according to a latest report by authors keeping a track of the country‘s nukes. „Jack Ma‟ (Facts that could be asked in Prelims) www.iasjnana.com 27

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Issue: Billionaire Jack Ma, Alibaba Group Holding regulation by national governments of many forms Ltd‘s co-founder and executive chairman, of intellectual property (IP) as applied to nationals announced he will leave from the Chinese e- of other WTO member nations commerce giant on September 10 to devote his time TRIPS was negotiated at the end of the Uruguay to philanthropy focused on education. Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and About Jack Ma Trade (GATT) in 1994 and is administered by the Ma‘s rags-to-riches story is particularly remarkable. WTO Born into a poor family in Hangzhou, eastern The TRIPS agreement introduced intellectual Zhejiang province, Ma became a university teacher property law into the international trading system but gave the job up after discovering the internet. for the first time and remains the most Seeing an opportunity for small businesses to buy comprehensive international agreement on and sell their goods online, he started Alibaba in intellectual property to date. 1999, initially running the company out of his TRIPS requires WTO members to provide apartment in the eastern city of Hangzhou. copyright rights, covering content producers Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin including performers, producers of sound ess/alibabas-co-founder-jack-ma-to-retire-on- recordings and broadcasting organizations; september-10-2931351.html geographical indications, including appellations of origin; industrial designs; integrated circuit layout- designs; patents; new plant varieties; trademarks; trade dress; and undisclosed or confidential „Intellectual property rights (IPR)‟ (GS3: Indian information. TRIPS also specify enforcement Economy) procedures, remedies, and dispute resolution Issue: Despite being actively engaged in research procedures. Protection and enforcement of all and new innovations, over 35% people are not intellectual property rights shall meet the objectives aware of intellectual property rights (IPR), a latest to contribute to the promotion of technological study revealed. innovation and to the transfer and dissemination of Other observations made in the study technology, to the mutual advantage of producers 1. The conceptual study on ‗Intellectual and users of technological knowledge and in a Property: Rights, Need & Awareness‘ reveals manner conducive to social and economic welfare, that majority of respondents — students, and to a balance of rights and obligations. scholars, teachers and managers — from 203 Criticisms of TRIPS educational institutions in Karnataka, Tamil TRIPS‘s wealth concentration effects (moving Nadu, Kerala and Telangana were not fully money from people in developing countries to aware about the benefits of IP and other related copyright and patent owners in developed countries) issues and its imposition of artificial scarcity on the 2. The respondents had minimal awareness citizens of countries that would otherwise have had about monetary benefits of acquiring an IP weaker intellectual property laws, are common right, commercialization of acquired IP rights, bases for such criticisms. Other criticism has or the legal troubles that one might land in for focused on the failure of TRIPS to accelerate using a pirated product investment and technology flows to low-income 3. The study recommended that educators need countries, a benefit advanced by WTO members in to incorporate IP into their curriculum the lead-up to the agreement‘s formation. discussions to increase knowledge on the Statements by the World Bank indicate that TRIPS importance and benefits of protecting IPRs. has not led to a demonstrable acceleration of What is TRIPS? investment to low-income countries, though it may The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of have done so for middle-income countries. Lengthy Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is an patent periods under TRIPs have been scrutinized international legal agreement between all the for unduly slowing the entry of generic substitutes member nations of the World Trade Organization and competition to the market. In particular, the (WTO). It sets down minimum standards for the illegality of pre-clinical trials or submission of www.iasjnana.com 28

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs samples for approval until a patent expires have (1) To support planning and implementation of been blamed for driving the growth of a few sustainable urban transport projects, multinationals, rather than developing country (2) Support to strengthening institutional capacity producers. for regulating, steering and planning urban mobility, Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/Rap1Le and EuftJTFehNt00gTJ/Study-shows-low-IPR- (3) Learning and exchange formats with other cities awareness-in-India.html across India for exchanges on best practices. Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR „NARI SHAKTHI PURASKAR 2018‟ (GS2: ID=1545277 Issue related to Human resources) „Indusfood-II 2019‟ (Facts that could be asked in Issue: The Ministry of Women and Child Prelims) Development has invited Nominations for the 2018 Issue: The Dhaka based India-Bangladesh Chamber Nari Shakti Puraskar, the Highest Civilian Honour of Commerce (IBCCI) will participate with a strong for . contingent of F&B buyers in Indusfood-II 2019 to About the award source their food and beverage requirements from The coveted Award is conferred on those India. exceptional Women and Institutions who have been Indusfood-I, held in early 2018, saw participation of working incessantly towards the cause of Women leading importers from 43 countries and 320 Indian Empowerment. exporters and generated an estimated business of The President of India confers the Nari Shakti $650 million. The international buyers and Indian Puraskar on the International Women‘s Day, every sellers from 12 categories of Food & Beverage year. Now in its 19th year, the Award recognizes industry experienced a unique opportunity of a B2B the par excellence contributions of Women in dialogue and insight into the large basket of brands, society, celebrate those who have carved a niche for private labels and bulk purchase of raw items that themselves in the community and have also ensured India could offer to the world. women‘s financial stability. Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR ID=1545273 ID=1545270 „SLINEX 2018‟ (Facts that could be asked in „MOBILIZE YOUR CITY” (GS3: Prelims) Infrastructure) Issue: Indian Naval Ships Kirch, Sumitra and Cora Issue: India and France have signed an Divh entered Trincomalee, Sri Lanka to participate implementation agreement on ―MOBILISE YOUR in the sixth edition of SLINEX 2018, a bi-lateral CITY‖ Naval Exercise between India and Sri Lanka, from About MYC 07 to 13 September 2018. Mobilise Your City (MYC) is part of an About SLINEX international initiative which is supported by the SLINEX series of bilateral maritime exercises were French and the German Governments and was initiated in 2005 and since then five successful launched at 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) engagements have been conducted. SLINEX over meeting in December, 2015 the years has helped both the Navies in The MYC aims at supporting three pilot cities viz. understanding each other‘s procedures and Nagpur, Kochi and Ahmedabad in their efforts to enhanced interoperability. This edition of the reduce their Green House Gas (GHG) emissions exercise will further strength ties between the two related to urban transport by implementing urban maritime neighbors and contribute towards mobility plans at local level and to help India at maritime security in the region. national level to improve their sustainable transport Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR policy. ID=1545334 The main components of the proposed assistance „Chabahar port‟ (GS3: Infrastructure) are: Issue: India on Friday said Iran has stuck to the agreed timeframe in its plans to hand over the www.iasjnana.com 29

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs operational responsibility of a part of the Chabahar „High technology farming‟ (GS3: Indian port to an Indian entity in October. Agriculture) The smooth movement regarding the strategically Issue: The State government, keen on introducing important port came a day after official sources Israel-model high-technology farming in Karnataka, indicated that the United States would give a ‗carve is approaching experts from that country to camp in out‘ to India‘s investment in the project. the State in about two months. Why is Chabahar port important for India? Reason behind this move . In recent times, it has become extremely State government has announced farm loan waiver. difficult to trade with Afghanistan. With this But this alone is not a long-term solution to revive deal – Chabahar port and ports across western farm economy. The government needs to take up India would be directly linked together. Thus schemes in the next few years at a cost of ₹30,000 providing an important route for trade between to ₹40,000 crore to create a proper marketing the three countries. This is important step system that can ensure remunerative prices for forward to remove dependence and bypass agricultural produce, promote exports, set up Pakistan altogether. adequate storage facilities, reduce input costs, . Iran is one of the largest importers for India. increase profits, and also reduce water consumption The cost will be significantly reduced once the through efficient means for economically ports are interconnected. empowering farmers . Afghanistan has traditionally being denied The government is particularly looking at bringing access to international markets. And being one in efficiency in water conservation through Israeli of the nations looking to trade with technology. The government is also focusing on Afghanistan, the port provides a point of access Zero Budget Natural Farming that would help in to carry trade with Afghanistan reducing input costs, besides going a long way in . India has invested significantly in increasing soil fertility Afghanistan over the past few years. Having Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/k access to them directly via sea route. This is a arnataka/israeli-experts-to-guide-farmers-in- long term benefit which will be realized once state/article24897070.ece the port is operational. „Indian Medical Association (IMA) ethical . Having a port in Iran provides opportunities code‟ (GS2: Governance) to countries in Central Asia to link itself with Issue: Marking a bold departure from the existing India. Having access to the port will make it code of ethics that covers the medical profession, cheaper and easier for India to fulfill its energy the IMA — an umbrella voluntary body that counts needs. This will directly compete with China‘s more than 2.5 lakh, or about a third, of the country‘s One belt One road initiative. doctors as its members — is in the process of redefining the code in order to ensure a much more contemporary outlook. Some of the changes that are being considered to be brought include: 1. Any publicity material should be ethical and approved after scrutiny by the respective State medical councils. 2. Ethical issues around Assisted Reproductive Technology and surrogacy also find a mention in the handbook and the IMA states that doctors should ethically ensure that surrogates and egg donors are not exploited. 3. The IMA also recommends that cadaver Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/in organ donations must be made compulsory for dia-chabahar-port-hand-over-on- all unless an individual specifically states that track/article24896782.ece www.iasjnana.com 30

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs he or she does not want to become an organ Issue: India‘s current account deficit (CAD) in the donor. first quarter of 2018-19 increased by $0.8 billion Cadaver organ donations are currently carried out in but as a percentage of India‘s GDP declined India only when an individual has explicitly marginally to 2.4% of the GDP as compared with expressed a wish to donate or with the consent of 2.5% of the GDP in the first quarter of 2017-18 as immediate relatives in cases of brain death, creating per data released by the Reserve Bank of India a shortage of cadaver organs for transplants. (RBI) Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- Reasons for increase in CAD national/ima-moots-ethics-code- 1. The widening of the CAD on a year-on-year overhaul/article24897806.ece (y-o-y) basis was primarily on account of a „Axis bank MD and CEO‟ (Facts that could be higher trade deficit at $45.7 billion as asked in Prelims) compared with $41.9 billion a year ago Issue: Axis Bank on Saturday said Amitabh 2. Oil prices are high which is an external Chaudhry has been appointed as its managing factor director & CEO from January 1, 2019, for a period What is CAD? of three years. The current account deficit is a measurement of a Mr. Chaudhry, the MD & CEO of HDFC Standard country‘s trade where the value of the goods and Life Insurance Company at present, will take the services it imports exceeds the value of the goods charge at India‘s third largest private sector bank and services it exports. The current account includes after incumbent Shikha Sharma steps down on net income, such as interest and dividends, December 31, 2018. and transfers, such as foreign aid, although these Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industr components make up only a small percentage of the y/axis-bank-appoints-hdfcs-amitabh-chaudhry-as- total current account. The current account md-ceo/article24903583.ece represents a country‘s foreign transactions and, „SAHI‟ (GS3: Infrastructure) like the capital account, is a component of a Issue: Transforming India‘s Mobility: A country‘s balance of payments. Perspective‘ prepared by the NITI Aayog and A country can reduce its current account deficit by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) calls for efficient increasing the value of its exports relative to the and convenient public transport to answer the twin value of imports. It can place restrictions on problems of pollution and congestion. imports, such as tariffs or quotas, or it can ―Safe, Adequate, Holistic Infrastructure or SAHI.‖ emphasize policies that promote export, such as That is the recommendation of a report presented to import substitution, industrialization or policies that Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Global improve domestic companies‘ global Mobility Summit, Move, in New Delhi competitiveness. The country can also use monetary Mr. Modi also elaborated on his ‗7Cs‘ for the future policy to improve the domestic currency‘s valuation of mobility: it stands for common, connected, relative to other currencies through devaluation, convenient, congestion-free, charged, clean and which reduces the country‘s export costs. cutting-edge. While a current account deficit can imply that a The number of motor vehicles in India has grown country is spending ―beyond its means,‖ having a 40-fold in 44 years, from 1981 to 2015, the NITI current account deficit is not inherently Aayog-BCG report says. The reason: absence of a disadvantageous. If a country uses external debt to public transport system, leading to a rapid rise in finance investments that have higher returns than private vehicle ownership. The four big metros in the interest rate on the debt, it can remain solvent the country lose ―over $22 billion annually,‖ on while running a current account deficit. If a country congestion, the report said. is unlikely to cover current debt levels with future Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ca revenue streams, however, it may become insolvent. n-india-take-sahi-road-to-urban- Source: https://www.business- mobility/article24896769.ece standard.com/article/economy-policy/april-june- „Current Account Deficit‟ (GS3: Indian cad-widens-to-15-8-billion-on-higher-trade-deficit- Economy) rbi-118090700824_1.html www.iasjnana.com 31

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „Advanced Supersonic Parachute Inflation with a vision to transform Research Experiment (ASPIRE)‟ (GS3: Science) the Indian Judiciary by ICT enablement of Courts. Issue: NASA has launched a sounding rocket from Ecommittee is a body constituted by the the agency‘s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to Government of India in pursuance of a proposal test a supersonic parachute for landing its next rover received from Hon‘ble the to on Mars. constitute an eCommittee to assist him in The rocket launched on Friday carried the formulating a National policy on computerization of Advanced Supersonic Parachute Inflation Research Indian Judiciary and advice on technological Experiment (ASPIRE) from NASA‘s Jet Propulsion communication and management related changes. Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. The eCourts Mission Mode Project is a Pan-India The suborbital launch was designed to mimic Project, monitored and funded by Department of conditions that the parachute might experience Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government during a Mars landing of India for the District Courts across the country. About MARS mission 2020 THE PROJECT ENVISAGES The Mars 2020 rover mission is scheduled to launch . To provide efficient & time-bound citizen in July/August 2020 when Earth and Mars are in centric services delivery as detailed in eCourt good positions relative to each other for landing on Project Litigant‘s Charter. Mars. . To develop, install & implement decision The mission takes the next step in addressing support systems in courts. questions about potential for life on Mars by not . To automate the processes to provide only seeking signs of habitable conditions on Mars transparency in accessibility of information to in the ancient past, but also searching for signs of its stakeholders. past microbial life itself. . To enhance judicial productivity, both Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/science/na qualitatively & quantitatively, to make the sa-launches-rocket-to-test-supersonic-parachute-for- justice delivery system affordable, accessible, landing-rover-on-mars/story- cost effective, predictable, reliable and lS5HIdwcIjCcrTsLEAWkPL.html transparent. Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR „Wide Area Network (WAN)‟ (GS2: Judiciary) ID=1545402 Issue: One of the important components of eCourts „Asteroid‟ (GS3: Science) Mission Mode Project Phase-II (2015-19) is Issue: A newly discovered near-Earth (NEO) establishment of Wide Area Network (WAN) asteroid is set to fly by the Earth. This follows a connecting all District and Subordinate court first car-sized asteroid that flew by earlier this complexes, spread across the country. morning, this one went by even closer to Earth. About the initiative Called the 2018 RC, NASA says that the asteroid is The eCourts project has made significant progress about the size of a Jumbo Jet and it was spotted under the guidance of e-Committee of Supreme only last week on 3 September for the first time, Court of India in computerizing 16,089 district and says a report by Space.com. Astronomers at the subordinate courts of the country through Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System installation of case information software, hardware (ATLAS) in Hawaii say that it will whiz by at a and local area network in courts, thus making distance of about 220,000 KM from Earth. The judiciary ICT – enabled for efficient and transparent Moon, on average, is at about 382,900 km from functioning with a positive overall impact on the Earth. justice delivery system. This asteroid is far away enough to not fall into About E-courts Earth and will fly safely by, but this might not be The eCourts Project was conceptualized on the always the case. Astronomers have covered a basis of the “National Policy and Action Plan for massive portion of the sky, but space is simply too Implementation of Information and vast and dark to be able to see everything coming at Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Earth. Judiciary – 2005” submitted by eCommittee, www.iasjnana.com 32

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Source: https://www.ibtimes.co.in/aircraft-sized- „Inflation‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) asteroid-set-fly-by-between-earth-moon-watch-it- Issue: India‘s inflation likely eased below the here-780046 Reserve Bank of India‘s (RBI) medium-term target „Lunar swirl‟ (GS3: Science) in August on softer food prices, a Reuters poll Issue: The mysterious lunar swirls, one of the solar showed, raising the probability the central bank will system‘s most beautiful optical anomalies, may be a keep interest rates on hold at its next rate review. relic of the Moon‘s ancient volcanic activity and an If those forecasts come true, it would give the RBI a internally generated magnetic field, scientists say. breather after it raised rates in its previous two What is a lunar swirl? meetings, taking borrowing costs to a four-year high Lunar swirls are enigmatic features found across of 6.50 percent to tame speeding inflation. the Moon‘s surface, which are characterized by Other observations made in the forecast having a high albedo, appearing optically immature 1. The poll forecast industrial output would (i.e. having the optical characteristics of a relatively expand 6.6 percent in July compared with young regolith), and (often) having a sinuous shape. June‘s 7.0 percent Their curvilinear shape is often accentuated by low 2. While oil prices have risen nearly 15 percent albedo regions that wind between the bright swirls. this year, the rupee touched an all-time low of They appear to overlay the lunar surface, 72 per dollar on Thursday and was expected to superposed on top of craters and ejecta deposits, but hover near there on a worsening trade balance. impart no observable topography. Swirls have been However, this could be temporary as a identified on the lunar maria and highlands – they weakening rupee and rising crude oil prices are not associated with a specific lithologic would boost consumer prices. composition. Swirls on the maria are characterized Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/NYZCq by strong albedo contrasts and complex, sinuous uikoNbCKtQalxRXRI/August-inflation-seen- morphology, whereas those on highland terrain easing-below-RBIs-midterm-target-Re.html appear less prominent and exhibit simpler shapes, „Doorstep delivery of services‟ (GS2: such as single loops or diffuse bright spots. Government policies for development in various Most lunar swirls share their locations with sectors) powerful, localised magnetic fields. Issue: The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party The bright-and-dark patterns may result when those (AAP) today rolled out doorstep delivery of public magnetic fields deflect particles from the solar wind services for Delhiites. The residents of the national and cause some parts of the lunar surface to weather capital will get delivery of various government more slowly. services, including driving licence, marriage Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle certificate and , at the place of their /tech/2018/sep/09/mysterious-lunar-swirls-point-to- choice moons-volcanic-magnetic-past-1869738.html About the service „China satellite‟ (GS3: Science) 1. In the first phase of the Delhi government‘s Issue: China launched a marine satellite to help scheme, 40 services will be provided for a improve understanding of maritime waters and nominal charge of Rs 50. climate change. 2. VFS Global, one of the biggest visa and About the satellite passport service providers in the world, has The HY—1C satellite will help monitor ocean color been given the contract to run the project for and water temperatures, providing basic data for three years. research on the global oceanic environment. HY— 3. VFS Global has set up a call centre and 1C can detect chlorophyll and suspended sediment hired ‗mobile sahayaks‘, who will go to concentrations and dissolved organic matter, which households for collection of documents at the can affect ocean color, as well as temperatures on scheduled time; they will carry devices to the sea surface. collect biometric data from the people. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- 4. For availing doorstep services, customers in-school/china-launches-new-marine- will have to dial a helpline number 1076 and satellite/article24911569.ece place the request. www.iasjnana.com 33

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 5. The applicant can fix the date and time for sector for better targeting of subsidies, freeing mobile sahayaks to visit to their house to renewable energy from licensing requirement for collect forms, documents and fees. generation and supply, and promoting retail 6. Once the document sought by the customer competition. is ready, it will be sent to their house/office via Reforms to be brought include: Speed Post. 1. The government is trying to give consumers 7. The service will be available from 9 am to 9 wider choice by promoting competition in the pm on all days, including Sundays. distribution sector and addressing contracting 8. The fee to avail doorstep services can be issues with medium- and long-term power paid using debit or credit cards. purchase agreements. 9. The status of application can be tracked 2. According to the draft amendments, there online through unique IDs. SMS updates will will be a price cap for electricity tariffs in a be sent. particular area under which multiple supply 10. The Aam Aadmi Party government plans to licensees can operate. provide a total of 100 services for citizens at 3. The government has been pushing for their doorstep. separating the so-called carriage and content Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/YHQ57c operations of existing power distribution GiyjckGtSUHoEzYN/Delhi-CM-Kejriwal- companies, and electricity supply business. launches-doorstep-delivery-of-services-10.html Such a move will allow consumers to buy „Driverless tractors‟ (GS3: Science) electricity from a power company of their Issue: US-based Autonomous Tractor Corp. began choice. developing automation technology for tractors way Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/lS6OT1 back in 2011. Two-and-a-half years back, the nUYKRwOL7fDtRybP/India-readies-a-slew-of- Harper Adams University in England unveiled an power-sector-reforms.html autonomous tractor. „E-Commerce policy‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Farmers in India, too, may soon taste the benefit of Issue: With concerns being raised on some having home-grown driverless tractors. Escorts Ltd, proposals of the draft e-commerce policy, the an engineering conglomerate, announced one of the government has set up a group of secretaries to look country‘s first autonomous tractors on 6 September. into the issues About this new product The group will be chaired by the secretary in the The tractor is still in the concept stage but will have department of industrial policy and promotion help from partners like Microsoft that will help (DIPP). The other members of the group include align these smart devices using the internet of things secretaries of the ministry of electronics and (IOT) concept and artificial intelligence (AI) tools. information technology and department of BOSCH, on its part, will help in future emission commerce. Representatives of Niti Aayog and readiness while Reliance Jio will assist in enhancing department of economic affairs are also members of the farm machinery life cycle. the group. There are also differences in the technology being What the drafts E-commerce policy contain? used in India as opposed to those used in developed The draft e-commerce policy has suggested several nations. M&M‘s tractor uses GPS-based steps to promote the growth of the fast growing technology, whereas US-based Bear Flag Robotics sector. It said online retail firms may have to store is trying to develop tractors that don‘t depend on user data exclusively in India in view of security GPS. and privacy concerns. The draft stated that any Source: https://www.livemint.com/Auto/V4nncs8I9 group company of an online retailer or marketplace oL9IdfkVK2ceM/Driverless-tractors-may-soon- may not be allowed to directly or indirectly help-farmers-till-their-lands.html influence the price or sale of products and services „Power sector reforms‟ (GS3: Infrastructure) on its platform, a move that could completely Issue: The government has readied a raft of power restrict e-tailers from giving deep discounts. sector reforms, including implementing the direct The draft has also suggested introduction of a pre- benefit transfer (DBT) scheme in the electricity set timeframe for offering differential pricing or www.iasjnana.com 34

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs deep discounts by e-commerce players to Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/JCpQcr customers. Nc2QKI4k06s7yFsI/RBI-may-conduct-OMO- Further, the draft recommended permitting 49% buyback-this-week-to-ease-liquidity-say.html foreign direct investment (FDI) in inventory-based „Pondicherry Shark‟ (GS3: Conservation of business-to-customer e-commerce model. Environment) Currently, FDI in such businesses is prohibited and Issue: Field biologists from the EGREE Foundation it is allowed only in the marketplace model. have spotted ‗Pondicherry shark‘, an endangered Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/FY7PI6 species protected under the provisions of hFEsywNm0Z6m2d9I/Govt-forms-panel-to-look- the Wildlife (Protection) Act, near the at-draft-ecommerce-policy-issues.html Kumbhabhishekam landing point in the city. „Open Market operations‟ (GS3: Indian About the endangered shark Economy) This is for the third time they are spotted in the East Issue: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem region after conduct an open market operation (OMO) purchase 2007 and 2016. Scientifically known this week to infuse liquidity into the banking system as Carcharhinus hemiodon, it belongs to the The liquidity shortfall in the banking system at Carcharhinidae family with a growth of 3.3 feet. present, according to them, is pegged at ₹50,000- Known as ‗Pala Sora‘ in the local parlance, the 60,000 crore Pondicherry Shark is on the verge of extinction What is OMO? even according to the conventional fishermen. Open market operations are conducted by the RBI They, however, are unaware of its conservation by way of sale or purchase of government securities status which is on a par with the tiger. (g-secs) to adjust money supply conditions. The Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a central bank sells g-secs to suck out liquidity from ndhra-pradesh/pondicherry-shark-spotted-near- the system and buys back g-secs to infuse liquidity kakinada/article24910627.ece into the system. These operations are often „Heritage Tag‟ (Facts that could be asked in conducted on a day-to-day basis in a manner that Prelims) balances inflation while helping banks continue to Issue: A meeting of the International Executive lend. The RBI uses OMO along with other Council, the highest decision making body of monetary policy tools such as repo rate, cash International Commission on Irrigation and reserve ratio and statutory liquidity ratio to adjust Drainage (ICID), at Saskatoon in Canada last month the quantum and price of money in the system. has accepted Telangana government‘s nomination Importance of OMO of Sadarmatt anicut across river Godavari in Nirmal In India, liquidity conditions usually tighten during district and Pedda Cheruvu in Kamareddy district in the second half of the financial year (mid-October the ICID Register of Heritage Irrigation Structures. onwards). This happens because the pace of About the award government expenditure usually slows down, even The HIS award is a deserving recognition to this as the onset of the festival season leads to a seasonal irrigation facility which has provided precious water spike in currency demand. Moreover, activities of for paddy crops in its designed ayacut of 13,100 foreign institutional investors, advance tax acres in present day Khanapur and Kadem mandals payments, etc. also cause an ebb and flow of since its construction in 1891-92 liquidity. The anicut, which is English word for However, the RBI smoothens the availability of Telugu‘s ana-katta, meaning a rainfall bund, was money through the year to make sure that liquidity built by Nawab Ikbal-ud-Dowla who bore the tile of conditions don‘t impact the ideal level of interest Vicar-ul-Umrah Bahadur in 1891-92 about 50 km rates it would like to maintain in the economy. downstream of the Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP) Liquidity management is also essential so that and is chiefly fed by Sawrnavagu stream banks and their borrowers don‘t face a cash crunch. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/te The RBI buys g-secs if it thinks systemic liquidity langana/heritage-tag-for-two-irrigation-facilities-in- needs a boost and offloads them if it wants to mop telangana/article24910458.ece up excess money. www.iasjnana.com 35

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „Naomi Osaka‟ (Facts that could be asked in specifically the siege of Taj Mahal Palace and Prelims) Tower Hotel. Issue: Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese The American-Australian production, directed by woman to win a Grand Slam title after she Anthony Maras, starring Dev Patel, Anupam Kher, registered an emphatic 6-2, 6-4 win over Serena Armie Hammer ( The Social Network ) and Nazanin Williams in the finals of the U.S Open. Boniadi ( Homeland ) in key roles, had its world Williams was bidding to win her 24th Grand Slam premiere at TIFF on Friday night. title, equalling Margaret Court‘s record. About TIFF About US open championship The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is The United States Open Tennis one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in Championships is a hard court tennis tournament. the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. The tournament is the modern version of one of the Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. become a year-round destination for film culture National Championship, for which men‘s singles operating out of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, a dynamic was first played in 1881. centre for film culture located in Downtown Since 1987, the US Open has been chronologically Toronto. the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the Year-round, TIFF Bell Lightbox offers screenings, year. The other three, in chronological order, are the lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops, industry Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon. support and the chance to meet filmmakers from Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sport/tennis/nao Canada and around the world. TIFF Bell Lightbox mi-osaka-defeats-serena-williams-in-dramatic-us- is located on the north-west corner of King Street open-final/article24906600.ece and John Street in downtown Toronto. „Predatory Bacteria‟ (GS3: Science) Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- Issue: In a bid to fight back against antibiotic- life/hotel-mumbai-off-to-a-flying- resistant bacteria, researchers are now developing start/article24911593.ece germ-eating microbes that will attack all sorts of nasties, including bacterial lung infections, plague and deadly germs that have developed resistance to antibiotics. About the bacteria In the study, the team focused on an organism called Bdellovibrio — a bacterium that swims around with the aid of a corkscrew tail and attacks common germs six times its size. Bdellovibrio actually bores into larger bacteria and eats them from the inside out. First, it uses its flagellum, which is stiff and rotates, to swim up to prey. Then it latches on, using tiny appendages ―which are little grappling hooks on the „Ocean Cleanup team‟ (GS3: Environmental surface‖ pollution) Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news Issue: A supply ship towing a long floating boom /science/predatory-bacteria-may-help-combat- designed to corral ocean plastic has set sail from antibiotic-resistance/articleshow/65739449.cms San Francisco for a test run ahead of a trip to the „Hotel Mumbai‟ (Facts that can be asked in Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Prelims) About this project Issue: Diversity, the bedrock of Toronto The ambitious project by The Ocean Cleanup, a International Film Festival, could not have been Dutch non-profit group, hopes to clean up half of reflected more acutely than in the reactions to Hotel the infamous garbage patch within five years once Mumbai , a fictionalised account of the 2008 all systems are deployed. terrorist attacks on India‘s financial capital, www.iasjnana.com 36

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs The Pacific garbage patch contains some 80,000 The data said 156 CRPF personnel died due to heart metric tonnes of plastic waste. attack, 38 because of depression and suicides and Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- 435 due to other non-operational reasons last year. life/ocean-cleanup-team-heads-to-the- About CRPF pacific/article24911583.ece The Central Reserve Police Force came into „Novak Djokovic‟ (Facts that could be asked in existence as Crown Representative‘s Police on 27th Prelims) July 1939. It became the Central Reserve Police Issue: The 31-year-old Serb won 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 Force on enactment of the CRPF Act on 28th to earn his third triumph in New York and equal December 1949. The mission of the Central Reserve American great Pete Sampras‘ haul of major Police Force shall be to enable the government to trophies. maintain Rule of Law, Public Order and Internal Djokovic, who won Wimbledon in July, will climb Security effectively and efficiently, to Preserve to third in the world after back-to-back Grand Slam National Integrity and Promote Social Harmony and victories. Development by upholding supremacy of the Only great rivals Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Constitution. Nadal (17) have won more. Broad gamut of duties performed by the CRPF Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/4546800 is: 5 1. Crowd control 2. Riot control 3. Counter Militancy / Insurgency operations. 4. Dealing with Left Wing Extremism 5. Overall co-ordination of large scale security arrangement specially with regard to elections in disturbed areas. 6. Protection of VIPs and vital installations. 7. Checking environmental de-gradation and protection of local Flora and Fauna 8. Fighting aggression during War time 9. Participating in UN Peace Keeping Mission 10. Rescue and Relief operations at the time of Natural Calamities. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cr pf-takes-up-its-first-mental-health-project-to-check- suicides-depression/article24925075.ece „Central Reserve Police Forces‟ (GS3: Security „Tejas fighter jet‟ (GS3: Indigenization of forces) Technology) Issue: Concerned over suicides and stress factors Issue: The first ever mid-air refueling of the claiming more lives of troops than during indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft operations, the country‘s largest paramilitary force, (LCA) Tejas was successfully carried out Monday, the CRPF, has launched a first-time project to placing India in an elite group of countries which ascertain jawans‘ mental health‘ have developed the air-to-air refueling system for The over 3-lakh personnel strong force, involved in military aircraft. three major combat theatres of counter-terrorism in With this first trial, the aircraft gets much closer to Jammu and Kashmir, anti-Naxal operations in the the important battle-ready tag, called the FOC or the Left Wing Extremism-hit States and counter- final operational clearance. insurgency in the North East, has tied up with About Tejas fighter jet premier institutes like the AIIMS and the Tata The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-seat, single-jet Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to ensure better engine, multirole light fighter designed by the work-life balance for troops. Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the www.iasjnana.com 37

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs and . It came from the The final arbitration hearings were held in August Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme, which in The Hague and involved testimony by expert and began in the 1980s to replace India‘s ageing MiG- fact witnesses and addressed Cairn‘s claims under 21 fighters. In 2003, the LCA was officially named the U.K.-India Bilateral Investment Treaty, India‘s ―Tejas‖. defenses and issues of jurisdiction. The Tejas is the second supersonic fighter What is Retrospective taxation? developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Retrospective means something concerned with or (HAL) after the HAL HF-24 Marut. As of 2016 the related to the past. Retrospective taxation means Tejas Mark 1 is in production for the Indian Air taxing old proceedings according to new laws. Force (IAF) and the naval version is undergoing Using this taxation law, the government can tax any flight tests for Indian Navy (IN). transaction which happened even before the law Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/te was passed. jas-clears-maiden-mid-air-re-fuelling- The government of India introduced the trial/article24918603.ece retrospective taxation system in 2012 by amending „Corruption‟ (GS3: Governance) the Income Tax Act 1961 and announcing that the Issue: The cost of corruption is at least $2.6 trillion, amendments would be in effect retrospectively from or 5% of the global GDP, U.N. Secretary-General 1st April 1962. Through this amendment, the Antonio Guterres has said and urged the Government acquired the ability to tax more than 50 international community to work effectively against years old overseas transactions involving Indian money laundering, tax evasion and illicit financial assets. flows. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industr Corruption has been linked to many forms of y/cairn-energy-attributes-500-million-loss-to-indias- instability and violence, such as the illicit retrospective-tax/article24925272.ece trafficking of weapons, drugs and people and „International Criminal Court‟ (GS2: Important connections between corruption, terrorism and international institutions) violent extremism have been repeatedly recognised Issue: The Trump administration on Monday by the Security Council and the General Assembly. threatened tough action against the International Corruption laws in India Criminal Court should it try to prosecute Americans Public servants in India can be penalized for for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and said corruption under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) office the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The in Washington would be closed for seeking to Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 punish Israel through the court. prohibits benami transactions. The Prevention of The United States did not ratify the Rome treaty Money Laundering Act, 2002 penalizes public that established the ICC in 2002, with Republican servants for the offence of money laundering. India President George W. Bush opposed to the court. is also a signatory (not ratified) to the UN About International Criminal Court Convention against Corruption since 2005. The The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an Convention covers a wide range of acts of intergovernmental organization and international corruption and also proposes certain preventive tribunal that sits in The Hague in the Netherlands. policies. The ICC claims the jurisdiction to prosecute Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation individuals for the international crimes of genocide, al/corruption-costs-26-trillion-or-5-of-global-gdp- crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The ICC says-un-chief/article24923492.ece is intended to complement existing national judicial „Retrospective taxation‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) systems and it may therefore only exercise its Issue: Cairn Energy, a British company, has jurisdiction when certain conditions are met, such as reported a net half-yearly loss of $500 million and when national courts are unwilling or unable to attributed it as a direct result of action of the Indian prosecute criminals or when the United Nations Income Tax (I-T) Department on the retrospective Security Council or individual states refer situations tax matter, which has now been ongoing for almost to the Court. The ICC began functioning on 1 July five years. 2002, the date that the Rome Statute entered into www.iasjnana.com 38

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs force. The Rome Statute is a multilateral treaty Actions proposed which serves as the ICC‘s foundational and The researchers found that carefully chosen farming governing document. The States which become techniques at individual farms reduced net party to the Rome Statute, for example by ratifying greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation by it, become member states of the ICC. Currently, as much as 90% by integrating shallow (mild- there are 123 states which are party to the Rome intermittent) flooding with co-management of Statute and therefore members of the ICC. The ICC nitrogen and organic matter. has four principal organs: the Presidency, the If all irrigated rice farmers only used the proposed Judicial Divisions, the Office of the Prosecutor, and shallow flooding instead of continuous or intense the Registry. forms of intermittent flooding, estimates in the 41 United Nations member states have neither accompanying analysis shows that the rice farms signed nor acceded to the Rome Statute. Some of with irrigation have the potential to reduce their them, including China and India, are critical of the global climate impact by 60% Court. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci- Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation tech/greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-indian-paddy- al/trump-administration-takes-aim-at-international- fields-very-high-study/article24925357.ece criminal-court-plo/article24923264.ece „Nomadic Elephant 2018‟ (Facts that could be „Greenhouse gas emission‟ (GS3: Environmental asked in Prelims) pollution) Issue: Indo-Mongolia joint exercise Nomadic Issue: Rice farming across the world could be Elephant-2018, commenced today at Mongolian responsible for up to twice the level of climate Armed Forces (MAF) Five Hills Training Area, impact relative to what was previously estimated, Ullanbaatar, Mongolia according to a study conducted in India. About the joint exercise Other observations made in the study The 12 days long joint exercise will be conducted 1. According to a global analysis by from 10 Sep to 21 Sep 2018. Exercise Nomadic Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in the US, Elephant is an annual, bilateral exercise since 2006 methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice which is designed to strengthen the partnership farms could have the same long-term warming between Indian Army and Mongolian Armed impact as about 600 coal plants Forces. The exercise will see them improve their 2. The researchers investigated greenhouse gas tactical and technical skills in joint counter emissions from rice farms across southern insurgency and counter terrorist operations in rural India. They found that nitrous oxide emissions and urban scenario under United Nations mandate. from rice can contribute up to 99 % of the total Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR climate impact of rice cultivation at a variety of ID=1545565 intermittently flooded farms. These emissions „MILEX-18‟ (Facts that could be asked in contributed substantially to global Prelims) warming pollution — far more than the Issue: The Inaugural Military Field Training estimate of 10% previously suggested by Exercise for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi multiple global rice research organizations. Sectoral Technological and Economic Cooperation 3. The researchers found an inverse correlation nations named MILEX-18 scheduled from 10 between methane and nitrous oxide emissions September started with a Grand Opening Ceremony from rice farming. Water and organic matter on 10 September management techniques that reduce methane About the exercise emissions can increase nitrous oxide emissions The aim of the forthcoming exercise is to practice Rice is a critical source of nutrition for the world‘s the BIMSTEC Nations in planning and conduct of rapidly growing population, providing more calories counter terrorist operations. The exercise schedule to humans than any other food. However, growing is focused upon learning of best practices, team rice is also resource-intensive: rice cultivation building & special tactical level operations in a covers 11 % of the Earth‘s arable land, consumes counter-terrorist environment in semi urban setting. one-third of irrigation water. www.iasjnana.com 39

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR As per the index Sri Lanka has a score of 175, ID=1545521 followed by South Africa (143), Argentina (140), „Hurricane Florence‟ (GS3: Science) Pakistan (136), Egypt (111), Turkey (104) and Issue: The southern East Coast of the United States Ukraine (100). is bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Florence as Meanwhile, India‘s Damocles score stood at 25. the storm — already packing winds of up to 140 On India, the report said CPI inflation had mph — nears Category 5 strength. moderated (to around 4.5% in 2018 from 9.7% in More than 1 million people face mandatory 2012), as has the current account deficit (around evacuation orders in coastal areas of Virginia, North 2.5% of GDP versus 5%). Moreover, the central Carolina and South Carolina. bank has a sufficient forex reserve buffer, as a What is a Hurricane? result, India‘s Damocles score has fallen to 25 in Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form July-September quarter of 2018. over warm ocean waters and move toward land. Risk factors highlighted in the report of Nomura for Potential threats from hurricanes include powerful India winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, coastal and The other risk factors for the Indian economy stem inland flooding, rip currents, tornadoes, and from the government turning more populist ahead landslides. of the 2019 general elections and a sharper-than- Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/11/us/hurri expected domestic growth slowdown, which in turn cane-florence-south-east-coast-wxc/index.html will trigger equity outflows „Indian Rupee‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/mark Issue: The rupee breached 72.5 a dollar on Monday ets/forex/rupee-hits-fresh-lifetime-low-govt-asks- and touched all-time low of 72.67 intraday as the rbi-to-intervene/videoshow/65756893.cms current account deficit widened to five- year high in „E-Auctions‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) the first quarter of the current financial year, to Issue: In a major step towards help improving $15.8 billion or 2.4%, of the GDP. recoveries by state-run banks, the government has Steps would be taken to arrest the fall in the taken steps to reduce pendency in debt recovery currency, including deposit schemes for non- tribunals and has proposed setting up of a common resident Indians along with central bank e-auction platform for auctioning of confiscated intervention, the rupee strengthened to 72.18 but properties. again lost steam during the end of the trading Significance of this move session. If successful, it will give banks an effective tool to Morgan Stanley expects inflation to accelerate speed up recoveries, thereby helping in shoring up prompting the central bank to hike interest rates by their balance sheets and hastening their move 50 basis points (bps), including 25 bps in the next towards profitability. policy review The e-DRT exercise will start from 1 October and Seven countries, including Sri Lanka, Pakistan and will be completed by the end of this financial year Turkey, are at risk of exchange rate crises as The government estimates that around 10,000 investors re-assess their risks following the applications by state-run banks involving at least Rs contagion in Argentina and Turkey, a new index by 40,000 crore of assets is stuck for want of approval Nomura says. by district . What Nomura says? Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/KKHSp According to the global financial services major, 1Qod1jNShhSLgmGGP/Eauctions-planned-to- emerging markets are under pressure as investors speed-up-sale-of-properties-confiscate.html re-assess the risks amid monetary policy „Trade war‟ (GS2: Effects of policies of normalization in developed markets, trade developed countries) protectionism and China‘s economic slowdown. Issue: The tariff battle with the US will probably A score above 100 suggests a country is vulnerable cost China 700,000 jobs, or more in the event of to an exchange rate crisis in the next 12 months, further escalation. while a reading above 150 signals a crisis could The job losses would come if the US imposes 25% erupt at any time. tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese exports and China www.iasjnana.com 40

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs retaliates by devaluing its currency by 5% and Issue: Built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. (HSL), the adding to levies on US goods. If China doesn‘t hi-tech vessel will enter elite global club and also a retaliate at all, 3 million people could lose their jobs force multiplier The study highlights the more profound impacts of About the ship the tariff battle on the world‘s second largest This will be the first of its kind ocean surveillance economy, which is grappling with a slowing pace of ship being built as part of the efforts under the NDA growth and a massive debt pile. Things may get government to strengthen the country‘s strategic even worse: if the US imposes 25% tariffs on all weapons programme. This would put India in the Chinese imports and China retaliates with the levies elite of club of a few countries that have such a already announced, the measures will mean 5.5 sophisticated ocean surveillance ship. It has the million lost jobs and 1.3 percentage points cut off capacity to carry 300-strong crew with hi-tech gross domestic product growth. gadgets and communication equipment, powered by Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/CGjs7Z two diesel engines, and a large deck capable of ppavK1S0im7XIuMO/US-China-trade-war-likely- helicopter landing. to-cost-Beijing-700000-jobs-JPM.html About HSL „World Hunger‟ (GS3: Climate change) HSL, set up in 1941, achieved a total income of Issue: The number of people suffering from hunger ₹651.67 crore and a value of production of climbed to an eight-year high in 2017 as extreme ₹644.78 crore during 2017-18, the highest since and erratic weather, conflicts and economic inception. It is poised to get orders for construction slowdowns limited food availability. of five fleet support ships costing ₹9,000 crore and What the report says? finalise request for proposal for design collaborator 1. Those categorized as hungry increased by for construction of two Special Operation Vessels 16.6 million to 821 million, the highest since called mini submarines. It is also banking on the 2009, according to the United Nations. It order for medium refit of Russia-made third warned of the alarming signs of rising food Sindhughosh class submarine INS Sindhuratna for insecurity and high levels of malnutrition as which it has submitted technical bids. more people go undernourished in Africa and Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci- Latin America. tech/science/indias-first-missile-tracking-ship-is- 2. Undernourishment and severe food readying-for-sea-trials/article24929012.ece insecurity have increased since 2014 in all „Revenue expenditure in Armed forces‟ (GS3: parts of the world except Europe and North Military reforms) America, the report showed. Hunger is Issue: The Army is considering a proposal to significantly worse in countries where increase the retirement and pensionable age of agriculture is highly sensitive to severe jawans in service from the current 15 years to 20 drought, as well as changes in rains and years in a phased manner temperature, and where a high share of the Need for such a move population depends on farming. The idea is to increase the pensionable service limit 3. Adult obesity is on the rise, with more than in phases to 20 years as the life expectancy has gone 672 million, or one in eight, obese, the latest up in general since independence and soldiers retire findings show. While the problem is most relatively young, a defence official said. This will significant in North America, it‘s also serve the dual benefit of giving longer tenure in increasing in Africa and Asia, where rates have service for soldiers while reducing the pension been the lowest. burden for the Army. Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/0ZS5n0 The Army is facing an increasing burden of revenue x0EsIWhhfwhwxuiM/World-hunger-rises-as- expenditure and pensions, leaving very little funds climate-change-conflict-curb-food-acc.html for new purchases and modernization. In this year‘s Defence Budget, the Army‘s share was Rs. 1,28,076 Missile tracking ship‟ (GS3: Indigenization of crore for revenue stream, while Rs. 26,688 crore Technology) was the capital allocation. www.iasjnana.com 41

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- The Aravalli Range is a range of mountains national/army-mulling-increasing-retirement-age- running approximately 692 km (430 mi) in a of-jawans/article24930512.ece southwest direction, starting in from „Illicit drug producing and Transit Delhi and passing through southern Haryana, countries‟ (GS3: Challenges to Internal security) through to across the states of Issue: U.S. President Donald Trump has identified Rajasthan and ending in Gujarat. India along with 21 other countries as among the The Aravalli Range, an eroded stub of ancient major illicit drug producing or transit nations. mountains, is the oldest range of fold mountains in The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa India. The natural history of the Aravalli Range Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, dates back to times when the Indian Plate was Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, separated from the Eurasian Plate by an ocean. Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela, Mining of copper and other metals in the Aravalli are other countries listed in the group range dates back to at least the 5th century BCE, Factors in identifying these countries as such based on carbon dating The reasons countries are placed on the list is the The Delhi Ridge is the northernmost end of the combination of geographic, commercial, and Aravalli range, which begins in Central Delhi at economic factor that allow drugs to transit or be Raisina hill. The ridge diagonally traverses to the produced, even if a government has engaged in South Delhi (hills of Asola Bhatti Wildlife robust and diligent narcotics control measures Sanctuary), where at the hills of Bandhwari, it About World drug problem meets the Haryana Aravalli range consisting of In 2015 about a quarter of a billion people used various isolated hills and rocky ridges passing along drugs. Of these, around 29.5 million people – or 0.6 the southern border of Haryana. per cent of the global adult population – were The Aravalli supergroup passes through Rajasthan engaged in problematic use and suffered from drug state, dividing it into two halves, with three-fifths of use disorders, including dependence. Opioids were Rajasthan on the western side towards the most harmful drug type and accounted for 70 and two third on the eastern side consisting of the per cent of the negative health impact associated catchment area of Banas and Chambal rivers with drug use disorders worldwide, according to the bordering the state of Madhya Pradesh. Guru latest World Drug Report, released today by UN. Shikhar, the highest peak in the Aravalli Range at The Report finds that hepatitis C is causing the 5650 feet (1722 meters) in Mount Abu of greatest harm among the estimated 12 million Rajasthan, lies near the south-western extremity of people who inject drugs worldwide. Out of this the Central Aravalli range, close to the border with number, one in eight (1.6 million) is living with Gujarat state. The southern Aravalli HIV and more than half (6.1 million) are living with Supergroup enters the northeast of Gujarat near hepatitis C, while around 1.3 million are suffering Modasa where it lends its name to the Aravalli from both hepatitis C and HIV. district, and ends at the center of the state at Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation Palanpur near Ahmedabad. al/trump-identifies-india-among-21-major-illicit- The Northern Aravalli range in Delhi and Haryana drug-producing-transit- has humid subtropical climate and hot semi-arid countries/article24932381.ece climate continental climate with very hot summers „Aravallis mountains‟ (GS3: Environmental and relatively cool winters pollution) Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/d Issue: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the amage-to-aravallis-scary/article24929009.ece demolition of structures built illegally by a „Special Courts‟ (GS2: Electoral reforms) prominent builder in the protected forests of the Issue: The Centre informed the Supreme Court that Aravallis, noting that ecological damage done by 12 special courts have been set up across 11 States colonisers to the ancient hills was irreversible and exclusively to try sitting MPs and MLAs. ―quite frightening.‖ The special court in each State would have Aravallis mountain range jurisdiction over the entire State while the two in www.iasjnana.com 42

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Delhi would cover cases within the precincts of Epicentre Delhi or ―partly Delhi‖. . Point on the earth‘s surface vertically above The affidavit comes in response to a Supreme Court the focus. order to the Centre to collect and file the data on the . Maximum damage is caused at the number of special courts set up across the country epicentre. to exclusively try MPs/MLAs, the cases transferred Causes of Earthquakes to these special courts, how many pending or . Most earthquakes are causally related to disposed of, etc. compressional or tensional stresses built up at Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/1 the margins of the huge moving lithospheric 2-special-courts-set-up-to-try-mps-mlas-centre- plates. tells-sc/article24929042.ece . The immediate cause of most shallow „Ethiopia-Eritrea ties‟ (GS2: International earthquakes is the sudden release of stress issues) along a fault, or fracture in the earth‘s crust. Issue: Two border crossings between Ethiopia and . Sudden slipping of rock formations along Eritrea reopened Tuesday, strengthening a promise faults and fractures in the earth‘s crust happen of reconciliation between the countries‘ leaders due to constant change in volume and density after a border war and 20 years of bitter relations. of rocks due to intense temperature and Some analysts have compared the events to fall of pressure in the earth‘s interior. the Berlin Wall. The path toward peace began . Volcanic activity also can cause an shortly after Abiy took office. In July, he stepped earthquake but the earthquakes of volcanic off a plane in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, and origin are generally less severe and more hugged its president. Together they rewrote the limited in extent than those caused by future of their countries by signing a peace deal. fracturing of the earth‘s crust. The reopening of the border is the latest sign that . Earthquakes occur most often along icy relations have thawed. The summer saw geologic faults, narrow zones where rock telephone connections restored, the first commercial masses move in relation to one another. The flight in 20 years from Ethiopia to Eritrea and major fault lines of the world are located at the embassies reopening in the capitals. fringes of the huge tectonic plates that make up Eritrea was once a province of Ethiopia. It gained Earth‘s crust. independence in 1993. Border clashes began in . Plate tectonics: Slipping of land along the 1998, and tens of thousands of people died in the fault line along, convergent, divergent and two-year war. transform boundaries cause earthquakes. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa- Example: San Andreas Fault is a transform 45475876 fault where Pacific plate and North American „Earthquake in Assam‟ (GS1: Geophysical plate move horizontally relative to each other phenomenon) causing earthquakes along the fault lines. Issue: An earthquake with magnitude 5.5 on the Seismic Waves or Earthquake Waves Richter Scale hit Kokrajar, Assam at 10.20 AM . The slipping of land generates seismic Wednesday. Strong tremors were felt across the waves and these waves travel in all directions. Northeast as well as in West Bengal and . Earthquake is any sudden shaking of the Bangladesh. Locals in Guwahati said the tremors ground caused by the passage of seismic waves lasted for about 10 seconds. Tremors were also felt through Earth‘s rocks. (Earthquake is caused in parts of Bangladesh and in Bihar. There were no by vibrations in rocks. And the vibrations in immediate reports of any damages rocks are produced by seismic waves) About Earthquake . Seismic waves are produced when some An earthquake is the shaking or trembling of the form of energy stored in Earth‘s crust is earth‘s surface, caused by the sudden movement of suddenly released, usually when masses of a part of the earth‘s crust. They result from the rock straining against one another suddenly sudden release of energy in the Earth‘s crust that fracture and ―slip.‖ creates seismic waves or earthquake waves. Types of Seismic Waves www.iasjnana.com 43

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . Earthquake waves are basically of two types . Travel at varying velocities (proportional to — body waves and surface waves. shear strength) through the solid part of the . Body waves are generated due to the release Earth‘s crust, mantle. of energy at the focus and move in all Surface Waves (L waves) directions travelling through the body of the . Also called as long period waves. earth. Hence, the name body waves. . They are low frequency, long wavelength, . The body waves interact with the surface and transverse vibration. rocks and generate new set of waves called . Generally affect the surface of the Earth surface waves. These waves move along the only and die out at smaller depth. surface. . Develop in the immediate neighborhood of . The velocity of waves changes as they travel the epicenter. through materials with different elasticity . They cause displacement of rocks, and (stiffness) (Generally density with few hence, the collapse of structures occurs. exceptions). The more elastic the material is, . These waves are the most destructive. the higher is the velocity. Their direction also . Recoded last on the seismograph. changes as they reflect or refract when coming Distribution of Earthquakes across materials with different densities. . Earth‘s major earthquakes occur mainly in . There are two types of body waves. They belts coinciding with the margins of tectonic are called P and S-waves. plates. 1. Primary waves or P waves . The most important earthquake belt is (longitudinal)(fastest) the Circum-Pacific Belt, which affects many 2. Secondary waves or S waves populated coastal regions around the Pacific (transverse)(least destructive) Ocean—for example, those of New Zealand, 3. Surface waves or L waves New Guinea, Japan, the Aleutian Islands, (transverse)(slowest)(most destructive) Alaska, and the western coasts of North and Primary Waves (P waves) South America. . Also called as the longitudinal or . The seismic activity is by no means uniform compressional waves. throughout the belt, and there are a number of . Analogous to sound waves. branches at various points. Because at many . Particles of the medium vibrate along the places the Circum-Pacific Belt is associated direction of propagation of the wave. with volcanic activity, it has been popularly . P-waves move faster and are the first to dubbed the ―Pacific Ring of Fire.‖ The Pacific arrive at the surface. Ring of Fire accounts for about 68 per cent of . These waves are of high frequency. all earthquakes. . They can travel in all mediums. The Earthquake Risk in India . Velocity of P waves in Solids > Liquids > India‘s increasing population and extensive Gases. unscientific constructions mushrooming all over, . Their velocity depends on shear strength or including multi-storied luxury apartments, huge elasticity of the material. factory buildings, gigantic malls, supermarkets as Secondary Waves (S waves) well as warehouses and masonry buildings keep – . Also called as transverse or distortional India at high risk. During the last 15 years, the waves. country has experienced 10 major earthquakes that . Analogous to water ripples or light waves. have resulted in over 20,000 deaths. As per the . S-waves arrive at the surface with some time current seismic zone map of the country (IS 1893: lag. 2002), over 59 per cent of India‘s land area is under . A secondary wave cannot pass through threat of moderate to severe seismic hazard-; that liquids or gases. means it is prone to shaking of MSK Intensity VII . These waves are of high frequency waves. and above (BMTPC, 2006). In fact, the entire Himalayan belt is considered prone to great earthquakes of magnitude exceeding 8.0-; and in a www.iasjnana.com 44

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs relatively short span of about 50 years, four such every village‖ in India, a target that translates into earthquakes have occurred: 1897 Shillong (M8.7); 250,000 ASHAs in 10 states 1905 Kangra (M8.0); 1934 Bihar-Nepal (M8.3); and What are Anganwadis? 1950 Assam-Tibet (M8.6). Scientific publications Anganwadi is a type of rural child care centre in have warned of the likelihood of the occurrence of India. They were started by the Indian government very severe earthquakes in the Himalayan region, in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development which could adversely affect the lives of several Services program to combat child hunger and million people in India. malnutrition. Anganwadi means ―courtyard shelter‖ The increase in earthquake risk is due to a spurt in in Indian languages. developmental activities driven by urbanization, A typical Anganwadi centre provides basic health economic development and the globalization of care in Indian villages. It is a part of the Indian India‘s economy. The increase in use of high- public health care system. Basic health care technology equipment and tools in manufacturing activities include contraceptive counseling and and service industries has also made them supply, nutrition education and supplementation, as susceptible to disruption due to relatively moderate well as pre-school activities. ground shaking. As a result, loss of human life is Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/india- not the only determinant of earthquake risk any news/diwali-comes-early-for-asha-anganwadi- more. Severe economic losses leading to the workers-pm-narendra-modi-announces-salary- collapse of the local or regional economy after an hike/1310332/ earthquake may have long-term adverse „Chicago speech anniversary‟ (Facts that could consequences for the entire country. This effect be asked in Prelims) would be further magnified if an earthquake affects Issue: Swami Vivekananda delivered his world a mega-city, such as Delhi or Mumbai. famous speech in Chicago 125 years ago. At the Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/earth closing ceremony of the Parliament of World‘s quake-northeast-india-west-bengal-assam-5351842/ Religions, Swami Vivekananda stressed upon world „Anganwadi workers‟ (GS2: Government harmony, and how religions, while co-existing with policies for development in various sectors) one another, must preserve his individuality and Issue: In a joy for accredited social health activists grow according to his own law of growth. (Ashas) and Anganwadi workers, the central About Swami Vivekananda government has hiked monthly honorarium of 24 Swami Vivekananda (born January 12, 1863, lakh such workers, according to reports Calcutta [now Kolkata]—died July 4, 1902, near Most of these workers are females and they Calcutta), Hindu spiritual leader and reformer in primarily attend health and nutrition needs of India who attempted to combine Indian spirituality mostly women and children. with Western material progress, maintaining that With this announcement of hike, minimum money the two supplemented and complemented one an ASHA worker makes every month from Rs another. His Absolute was a person‘s own higher 1,000 to Rs 2,000. Anganwadis so far drew an self; to labour for the benefit of humanity was the honorarium of Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,200. They will be noblest endeavor. getting Rs 4,500, and those who get Rs 2,200 will Born into an upper-middle-class family of the get Rs 3,500. The monthly honorarium of Kayastha (scribes) caste in Bengal, he was educated Anganwadi helpers will go up from Rs 1,500 to Rs at a Western-style university where he was exposed 2,500. to Western philosophy, Christianity, and science. About ASHA Social reform became a prominent element of Accredited social health activists (ASHAs) are Vivekananda‘s thought, and he joined the Brahmo community health workers instituted by the Samaj (Society of Brahma), dedicated to government of India‘s Ministry of Health and eliminating child marriage and illiteracy and Family Welfare (MoHFW) as a part of the National determined to spread education among women and Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The mission began the lower castes. He later became the most-notable in 2005; full implementation was targeted for 2012. disciple of Ramakrishna, who demonstrated the Once fully implemented, there is to be ―an ASHA in essential unity of all religions. www.iasjnana.com 45

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Always stressing the universal and humanistic side hymns and Hindu texts such as Ganapati of the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, as Upanishad, prayers and vrata (fasting). Offerings well as belief in service rather than dogma, and prasadam from the daily prayers that is Vivekananda attempted to infuse vigor into Hindu distributed from the pandal to the community thought, placing less emphasis on the prevailing include sweets such as modaka believed to be a pacifism and presenting Hindu spirituality to the favorite of the elephant-headed deity. The festival West. He was an activating force in the movement ends on the tenth day after start, wherein the idol is to promote Vedanta philosophy (one of the six carried in a public procession with music and group schools of Indian philosophy) in the United States chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water and England. In 1893 he appeared in Chicago as a such as a river or ocean spokesman for Hinduism at the World‘s Parliament The festival celebrates Lord Ganesha as the God of of Religions and so captivated the assembly that a New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles as newspaper account described him as ―an orator by well as the god of wisdom and intelligence and is divine right and undoubtedly the greatest figure at observed throughout India, especially in the states the Parliament.‖ Thereafter he lectured throughout such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, the United States and England, making converts to Gujarat and Chhattisgarh, and is usually celebrated the Vedanta movement. privately at home in states such as Tamil Nadu, On his return to India with a small group of Western Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Ganesh disciples in 1897, Vivekananda founded the Chaturthi is also observed in Nepal and by the Ramakrishna Mission at the monastery of Belur Hindu diaspora elsewhere such as in the Australia, Math on the Ganges (Ganga) River near Calcutta Trinidad, Suriname, Fiji, Mauritius, United States (now Kolkata). Self-perfection and service were his and in Europe ideals, and the order continued to stress them. He Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR adapted and made relevant to the 20th century the ID=1545780 very highest ideals of the Vedantic religion, and, „India-South Africa ties‟ (GS2: Bilateral although he lived only two years into that century, relations) he left the mark of his personality on East and West Issue: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime alike. Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been apprised of Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/education/ the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between article/celebrating-125th-anniversary-of-swami- India and South Africa on cooperation in the vivekananda-chicago-speech-how-the-speech-is- exploration and uses of outer space for peaceful relevant-even-today/88721 purposes. Features of the MoU 1. Remote sensing of the earth; „Ganesh Chaturthi‟ (GS1: Indian Culture) 2. Satellite communication and satellite-based Issue: The President of India, Shri Ram Nath navigation; Kovind extended his greeting to all citizens of India 3. Space science and planetary exploration; and also people celebrating the festival all over the 4. Use of spacecraft, launch vehicles, space world on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi systems and ground systems; About the festival 5. Practical applications of space technology Ganesha Chaturthi or Vinayaka including geospatial tools and techniques; and Chavithi (Vināyaka Chavithī) is a Hindu festival 6. Other areas of cooperation to be celebrating the birth of Ganesha. A ten-day festival, determined by the Parties. it starts on the fourth day of Hindu luni-solar Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR calendar month Bhadrapada, which typically falls in ID=1545785 the months of August or September of the „Hydrocarbons‟ (GS3: Infrastructure) Gregorian calendar. The festival is marked with the Issue: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime installation of Ganesha clay idols privately in Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the homes, or publicly on elaborate pandals (temporary Policy framework to promote and incentivize stages). Observations include chanting of Vedic Enhanced Recovery (ER)/ Improved Recovery (IR)/ www.iasjnana.com 46

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Unconventional Hydrocarbon (UHC) production covering 13,675 route kilometers (16,540 track Methods/techniques to improve recovery factor of kilometers) at a cost of Rs.12,134.50 crore. This existing hydrocarbons reserves for augmenting electrification is likely to be completed by 2021-22. domestic production of oil and gas. Significance of this move Objective of this policy The proposed electrification, which is mainly for This policy initiative is expected to spur new missing links and last mile connectivity will investment, provide impetus to economic activities increase the operational efficiency, enhance the line and generate additional employment opportunities. capacity and improve the average speed of trains. The Policy is expected to facilitate induction of The approved electrification will reduce the use of new, innovative and cutting-edge technology and imported fossil fuels thereby improve energy forging technological collaboration to improve security to the Nation. After the planned productivity of existing fields. electrification, there would be reduction in the Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR consumption of high speed diesel oil by about 2.83 ID=1545777 billion litres per annum and a reduction in GHG „PM-AASHA‟ (GS2: Government policies for emissions. This will also reduce environmental development in various sectors) impact of Railways. Issue: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved a new ID=1545763 Umbrella Scheme ―Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay „Fixed Dose drugs (FDC)‟ (GS2: Issues related to SanraksHan Abhiyan‘ (PM-AASHA). The Scheme Health) is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the Issue: The government prohibited the manufacture, farmers for their produce as announced in the Union sale or distribution of 328 fixed dose combination Budget for 2018. (FDC) drugs for human use with immediate effect About the programme Painkillers, antibiotics, antiseptics for treatment of The programme aims to protect the farmers‘ income mouth and throat conditions and anti-diabetic drugs which is expected to go a long way towards the got a relief but with caveats, welfare of farmers. Government has already Logic behind this move increased the MSP of kharif crops by following the The expert panel probing the efficacy of 349 banned principle of 1.5 times the cost of production. It is FDCs complied with the December 2017 apex court expected that the increase in MSP will be translated judgment and gave its report to India‘s top drug to farmer‘s income by way of robust procurement advisory body, the Drug Technical Advisory Board mechanism in coordination with the State (DTAB). The panel after considering these drugs Governments. ―irrational‖, citing safety issues and lack of Components of PM-AASHA: therapeutic justification, recommended continuing The new Umbrella Scheme includes the mechanism the ban. of ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers and What is DTAB? is comprised of DTAB is highest statutory decision-making . Price Support Scheme (PSS), body on technical matters related to drugs in the . Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) country. It is constituted as per the Drugs and . Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Cosmetics Act, 1940. It is part of Central Drugs Scheme (PPPS). Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in the Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. ID=1545775 Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/6aT2Tn „Electrification of all Broad gauge (BG)‟ (GS3: CIpzTEO7ZG7cYAkJ/Govt-prohibits-manufacture- Infrastructure) supply-sale-of-328-FDC-drugs.html Issue: The Cabinet Committee on Economic „Agricultural income‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Issue: Barely one in 10 rural households in India Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal for had any investible surplus in 2015-16, says the electrification of balance un-electrified BG routes of Nabard All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey Indian Railways (IR) comprising of 108 sections 2016-17 (NAFIS), published recently. Those who www.iasjnana.com 47

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs invested did so largely in physical assets, while less Currently the base year for India‘s CPI is 2012 than 3% invested in financial instruments. which means the prices for the certain commodities Other observations made in the data for the 2011-12 year are considered as the base 1. Just over half (51%) of the households price to calculate the price rise. reportedly saved some money during the year. Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin 2. Only 2.3% of households invested any ess/economy/retail-inflation-cools-to-10-month- money in the form of term deposits or long- low-of-3-69-in-august-2944901.html term bank deposits „Health report‟ (GS2: Issues related to Health) 3. Among investor agricultural households Issue: Indians have registered a 50% increase in the owning more than two hectares of land, a large prevalence of ischemic heart disease and stroke share of investments were made in livestock over the period from 1990 to 2016, with the number (34%), new houses (20%), and on farm of diabetes cases climbing from 26 million to 65 machine and irrigation equipment (16%). million. 4. For the smallest land-holding class among In the same period, the number of people ailing agricultural households who made investments, from chronic obstructive lung disease went up from almost half the amount was invested in bank 28 million to 55 million, according to the ‗India deposits or post office deposits. State-level Disease Burden Initiative‘ report 5. While nearly nine in 10 rural households Other observations made in the report reported having a bank account in 2015-16, 1. The State-wise disease burden showed that only a minuscule minority invests in bank Punjab has been ranked at the top for the deposits. Also, a significant portion of rural burden of ischemic heart disease, followed by households continues to rely on informal Tamil Nadu, and vice-versa for diabetes. West sources for loans. The survey shows that nearly Bengal topped with the largest number of one-third (32%) of rural households, who took stroke cases followed by Odisha, according to any loan, did so from non-institutional sources, the comprehensive analysis of several major while another 9% relied on both formal and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). informal sources. 2. Kerala was ranked at the top for the burden The survey results suggest that those owning more of cancer, followed by Assam. land have more access to formal credit at relatively 3. Being overweight was found to be a major lower interest rates, which perpetuates inequality in risk factor for diabetes doubled in every State the countryside. Large land-owners are able to of India from 1990 to 2016. invest much more in productive assets, such as farm 4. While it is known that NCDs have been equipment or livestock, further gaining in income increasing in India, a major finding of concern Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/kz3jNJQ is that the highest rate of increase in ischemic MMYHQXscKnzTbIM/Farmers-dont-have-enough- heart disease and diabetes is in the less cash-to-save-or-invest.html developed States of India. „Retail Inflation‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) The report is a joint initiative of the Indian Council Issue: India‘s retail inflation fell to 3.69 percent in of Medical Research (ICMR), the Public Health August, lowest in ten months, driven by cheaper Foundation of India (PHFI) and the Institute for food items, according to data released by statistics Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in ministry collaboration with the Ministry of Health and What is retail inflation? Family Welfare Retail inflation means the increase in prices of Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci- certain products or commodities compared to a base tech/health/indias-health-report-reads- price. worse/article24937845.ece In India, retail inflation is linked to Consumer Price „Suicide rate‟ (GS2: Issues related to Health) Index (CPI) which is managed by Ministry of Issue: Suicide is the leading cause of death in the Statistics. CPI numbers are widely used as a 15-39 years age group in India. Thirty-seven per macroeconomic indicator of inflation, as a tool by cent of such deaths among women globally occur in governments and central banks. www.iasjnana.com 48

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs India, and the suicide rate among the elderly has across many different kinds of manufacturing increased over the past quarter century. industries. Ethanol is also used as a clean-burning India‘s proportional contribution to global suicide fuel source. deaths is high and increasing. Suicide Death Rate Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industr (SDR) in India is higher than expected for its socio- y/centre-hikes-ethanol-prices/article24937345.ece demographic index level, especially for women, „NASA‟s ORION‟ (GS3: Science) with substantial variations in the magnitude and Issue: NASA has successfully completed the final men-to-women ratio between the states test to qualify Orion‘s space capsule‘s parachute Need of the hour system for flights with astronauts, ahead of its India must develop a suicide-prevention strategy mission to send humans to the Moon and beyond, that takes into account these variations in order to the US space agency reported address this major public health problem. Engineers evaluated the performance of Orion‘s Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and parachute system during normal landing sequences Telangana, which are in the higher-middle and high as well as several failure scenarios and a variety of epidemiological transition level groups, consistently potential aerodynamic conditions to ensure had a higher SDR for both men and women. astronauts can return safely from deep space Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci- missions tech/health/37-of-women-dying-of-suicide-are- About the spacecraft Orion indians/article24937802.ece Orion will first fly with astronauts aboard during „Ethanol prices‟ (GS3: Infrastructure) Exploration Mission-2, a mission that will venture Issue: The Centre has hiked ethanol prices, with a near the Moon and farther from Earth than ever special incentive for ethanol directly produced from before, launching atop NASA‘s Space Launch 100% sugarcane juice, in a dual bid to reduce both System rocket — which will be the world‘s most surplus sugar production and the fuel import bill. powerful rocket. The ethanol produced from sugar is blended with Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/technolog petrol. y/science/nasas-orion-aces-final-parachute-test- Logic behind the move ahead-of-moon-mission-5354552/ The price of ethanol derived from 100% sugarcane „Typhoon‟ (GS1: Geophysical phenomenon) juice is raised from ₹47.13 to ₹59.13. The rate for Issue: Philippine authorities were evacuating ethanol produced from B-heavy — or intermediary thousands of people from the path of the most — molasses has been raised to ₹52.43. The rate of powerful typhoon this year, closing schools, ethanol produced from C-heavy molasses (which readying bulldozers for landslides and placing has no sugar left), however, has been marginally rescuers and troops on full alert in the country‘s reduced to ₹43.46. north. By increasing the price difference between ethanol Typhoon Mangkhut is on course to hit northeastern with no sugar left and that of fully made up of sugar Cagayan province early Saturday. It was tracked on to almost 35%, the Centre has given sugar mills a Friday about 400 km away in the Pacific with clear incentive to increase ethanol production from sustained winds of 205 km per hour and gusts of up sugar. In fact, oil marketing companies have been to 255 kph (158 mph) told to prioritize ethanol from 100% sugarcane juice What is a Typhoon? followed by B-heavy molasses A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that About Ethanol develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Ethanol is naturally produced by the fermentation of Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the sugars by yeasts or via petrochemical processes, and Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active is most commonly consumed as a popular tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for recreational drug. It also has medical applications as almost one-third of the world‘s annual tropical an antiseptic and disinfectant. The compound is cyclones widely used as a chemical solvent, either for A typhoon differs from a cyclone or hurricane only scientific chemical testing or in synthesis of other on the basis of location. A hurricane is a storm that organic compounds, and is a vital substance used occurs in the Atlantic Ocean or northeastern Pacific www.iasjnana.com 49

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Ocean, a typhoon occurs in the northwestern Pacific „Rosehip neurons‟ (GS3: Science) Ocean, and a tropical cyclone occurs in the south Issue: A group of neuroscientists recently made a Pacific or Indian Ocean. breakthrough by discovering a new type of human Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation brain cell in the neocortex that has never been seen al/evacuations-underway-as-huge-typhoon-nears- in mice and other studied laboratory animals. philippines/article24942395.ece About the discovery „Justice Ranjan Gogoi‟ (GS2: Judiciary) The two main types of neurons in the cortex are Issue: The President of India has appointed Justice inhibitory and excitatory. Inhibitory neurons are an Ranjan Gogoi as the next Chief Justice of India. He important part of the circuit because they put the will assume the office of Chief Justice on 3rd brakes on the electrical activity in excitatory October, 2018 after the retirement of the current neurons. One reason that rosehip inter-neurons are Chief Justice, Justice Dipak Misra. interesting is because they can put targeted brakes Appointment process on the circuit as they connect to a specific part of The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the head of the excitatory neurons. judiciary of India and the Supreme Court of India. What are Neurons? The CJI also heads their administrative functions. A neuron (also called neurone or nerve cell) is a Article 124 of the Constitution of India provides for cell that carries electrical impulses. Neurons are the the manner of appointing judges to the Supreme basic units of the nervous system and its most Court. Though no specific provision exists in the important part is the brain. Constitution for appointing the Chief Justice, who, Every neuron is made of a cell body (also called a as a result, is appointed like the other judges soma), dendrites and an axon. Dendrites and axons conventionally, the outgoing CJI recommends the are nerve fibres. There are about 86 billion neurons name of the senior-most judge (i.e. by date of in the human brain, which comprises roughly 10% appointment to the Supreme Court) for appointment of all brain cells. The neurons are supported by glial by the President of India, as his successor cells and astrocytes. Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Neurons are connected to one another and tissues. ID=1546061 They do not touch and instead form tiny gaps called „First Tribal circuit‟ (GS2: Government policies synapses. These gaps can be chemical synapses or for development in various sectors) electrical synapses and pass the signal from one Issue: Shri. K.J Alphons, the Minister of State for neuron to the next. Tourism (IC), Government of India will be inaugurating the project ―Development of Tribal Circuit: Jashpur- Kunkuri- Mainpat- Kamleshpur- Maheshpur- Kurdar-Sarodadadar- Gangrel- Kondagaon- Nathiya Nawagaon- Jagdalpur- Chitrakoot- Tirthgarh in Chhattisgarh‖ implemented under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism About Swadesh Darshan scheme Swadesh Darshan scheme is one of the flagship schemes of the Ministry of tourism, for Source: https://www.livemint.com/Science/jJq0xlQ development of thematic circuits in the country in a NoC1uFVaVXykvdM/Rosehip-neurons-The- planned and prioritised manner. The scheme was newest-neuron-in-the-human-brain.html launched in 2014 -15 and as on date the „Inactive nations in the world‟ (GS2: Issues Ministry has sanctioned 74 projects worth Rs. related to Health) 5997.47 Crore to 31 States and UTs. 30 projects / Issue: One in four people don‘t get enough major components of these projects are expected to exercise, according to a new report from the World be completed this year. Health Organization (WHO). In the survey of 168 Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR nations, Kuwait ranked as the world‘s most ID=1545969 www.iasjnana.com 50

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs inactive, while Uganda came out as the most The meeting will provide an opportunity for a energetic. dialogue on current developments in international Among developed countries, the US ranked 143rd trade and its implications for the global economy. on the list, the UK 123rd while Australia came in at The Ministerial Meeting will discuss about building 97th, with the higher numbers indicating a more an inclusive trade system that contributes to inactive population. sustainable and shared growth. Trade and Other observations made in the report investment must benefit all and countries must 1. The WHO defines enough exercise as at jointly address both the opportunities and least 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 challenges of globalization, innovation and minutes of moderately intense activity per technological advancements. The Ministerial week, or any combination of the two. Meeting will examine the inter relationship between 2. In most countries, women tend to be less trade and development with a special emphasis on active than men. People in poorer nations are the need to promote further integration of small and more than twice as active as their counterparts medium sized companies into international trade, in high-income nations. and the opportunities posed by the digital economy 3. The report‘s authors point to sedentary and new technologies. occupations and a higher dependence on The key issues that will be discussed in the automobiles for the slide in activity. Ministerial Meeting include global value chains, the 4. Global exercise levels did not improve new industrial revolution and the international trade significantly between 2001 and 2016, and the outlook WHO is not on track to meet its 2025 target of About the G-20 reducing physical inactivity by 10%. The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international Source: https://www.livemint.com/Science/Jydc9K forum for the governments and central bank mR904V8w139oHyZK/Kuwait-tops-the-list-of- governors from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, worlds-most-inactive-nations-WHO.html Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Founded in 1999, the G20 aims to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization. The G20 heads of government or heads of state have periodically conferred at summits since their initial meeting in 2008, and the group also hosts separate meetings of finance ministers and foreign ministers due to the expansion of its agenda in recent years. Membership of the G20 consists of 19 individual countries plus the European Union (EU). The EU is represented by the European Commission and by the European Central Bank. Collectively, the G20 „G-20 Trade and Ministerial meeting‟ (GS3: economies account for around 85% of the gross Indian Economy) world product (GWP), 80% of world trade (or, if Issue: Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and excluding EU intra-trade, 75%), two-thirds of the Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, will participate in world population, and approximately half of the the G-20, Trade and Investment Ministerial world land area. Meeting, being held in Mar del Plata in Argentina The heads of the G20 nations met semi-annually at th th on 14 – 15 September 2018. G20 summits between 2009 and 2010. Since the Significance of the meeting www.iasjnana.com 51

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs November 2011 Cannes summit, all G20 summits how those achievements are distributed among have been held annually. country‘s population by ―discounting‖ each Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR dimension‘s average value according to its level of ID=1546139 inequality. Thus, the IHDI is distribution-sensitive „Human development index‟ (GS2: Issues related average level of HD. Two countries with different to Human resources) distributions of achievements can have the same Issue: India ranks a low 130 out of 189 countries in average HDI value. Under perfect equality the IHDI the latest human development Index (HDI) released is equal to the HDI, but falls below the HDI when by the United Nations Development Programme inequality rises. Friday, with the findings indicating a glaring The difference between the IHDI and HDI is the inequality in the country though ―millions have human development cost of inequality, also termed been lifted out of poverty‖. – the loss to human development due to inequality. What the report says? The IHDI allows a direct link to inequalities in 1. The UNDP report stated that with an HDI dimensions, it can inform policies towards value of 0.64 compared to last year‘s 0.636, inequality reduction, and leads to better India is categorized as a medium human understanding of inequalities across population and development and that its rank rose one spot their contribution to the overall human development compared to the 2017 HDI. cost. 2. According to the 2018 findings, between 1990 and 2017, India‘s HDI value increased from 0.427 to 0.640, an almost 50 per cent increase, which is ―an indicator that millions have been lifted out of poverty‖. At the same time, in what signals the glaring inequality in the country, the HDI Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/hum value declines by more than a fourth when an-development-index-undp-poverty-in-india- adjusted for inequality. The value of India‘s 5357374/ Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI) falls to 0.468, „Engineers day‟ (Facts that can be asked in a 26.8 per cent decrease, far worse than the Prelims) global average decrease in the global HDI Issue: Deemed the father of engineers by many, Sir value due to inequality at 20 per cent. Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya is remembered as a 3. Norway at 0.95 has been ranked the highest pre-eminent engineer of India. Today, his birth on the HDI scale while Niger is the bottom at anniversary is being celebrated as Engineer‘s Day 0.35. The greatest increase in HDI rank over in the country. the last five years is by Ireland followed by About Sir MV Turkey while the worst decline was seen in 1. M Visvesvaraya was born on 15 September, conflict-hit countries of Syria, Libya, and 1861 to a Kannada speaking Brahmin family in Yemen. Muddenahalli village, in the of About the index Mysore The HDI is the composite measure of every 2. Besides being a world-renowned civil country‘s attainment in three basic dimensions: engineer, M Visvesvaraya was the 19th Diwan standard of living measured by the gross national of Mysore, who served between 1912 and income (GNI) per capita, health measured by the 1918. life expectancy at birth, and education levels 3. He was instrumental in developing a system calculated by mean years of education among the to protect Visakhapatnam port from sea adult population and the expected years of erosion. schooling for children. 4. M Visvesvaraya received the Bharat Ratna, About IHDI India‘s highest honour, in 1955. The IHDI combines a country‘s average Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/l achievements in health, education and income with earning/10-facts-about-m-visvesvaraya-for-kids-on- engineers-day-5357662/ www.iasjnana.com 52

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „Indian rupee‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) „AIDS 2030‟ (GS2: Issues related to Health) Issue: Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Friday night Issue: India‘s long battle against AIDS is not likely announced a series of measures to boost market to end any time soon, if the latest figures released confidence, curb the widening current account by the National AIDS Control Organisation deficit and stabilize the rupee after a marathon (NACO) on Friday are any indication. The data meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revealed that, as of 2017, there were still around discuss the nation‘s economy. 21.40 lakh people living with HIV in India, with the Measures taken by the government include: prevalence among adults stood at 0.22 per cent. 1. Mandatory hedging conditions for What the data says? infrastructure loans through the external 1. There were around 87,000 new HIV commercial borrowing (ECB) route will be infections and over 69,000 AIDS-related deaths reviewed and a 20% exposure limit on (ARDs) in 2017. Around 22,675 mothers investments by foreign portfolio investors in needed Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) for debt to a single corporate group will be prevention of mother-to-child transmission of removed. HIV. 2. Government will permit the manufacturing 2. National prevalence and incidence remains sector to access ECBs up to $50 million with low, but the epidemic is high in some residual maturity of one year instead of three geographical regions and population groups. years 3. The 2017 estimation report also indicates 3. Masala bonds will be exempted from that there is no place for complacency as the withholding tax this financial year and Indian country aims to achieve the ambitious goal of banks will be allowed to become market ending AIDS in India by 2030. It adds, makers in masala bonds including by however, that the impact of the HIV/AIDS underwriting. control programme has been significant, with 4. government will take efforts to reduce non- more than an 80 per cent decline in estimated essential imports new infections from the epidemic‘s peak in Factors affecting Indian rupee 1995. External factors like policy decisions taken by the The objective of HIV estimations is to provide US that is seeing the dollar strengthen, global crude updated information on the status of the HIV prices and trade wars are impacting us despite India epidemic in India at the national and State/Union having strong macroeconomic fundamentals Territory level. Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/y8E1BI1 Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- HPun5jU0GbkkYEM/Govt-announce-five- national/wiping-out-aids-by-2030-will-not-be- measures-to-stabilize-rupee-curb-current.html easy/article24951090.ece „Swachhata Hi Seva campaign‟ (GS2: Issues „Carbon neutral‟ (GS3: Conservation of related to Health) Environment) Issue: Launching the ―Swachhata Hi Seva‖ Issue: Mahindra Group has pledged to go carbon campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on neutral by 2040. This was stated by chairman Saturday that all sections of society and every part Anand Mahindra at the Global Climate Action of the country have joined the cleanliness drive Summit that is currently underway at San Francisco. About the campaign M&M was the first company in the world to The ―cleanliness is service‖ campaign will continue commit to doubling energy productivity by signing till Mahatma Gandhi‘s birth anniversary on 2 on to The Climate Group‘s program EP100. Using October, with PM asking people to rededicate energy efficient lighting, efficient heating, themselves to fulfilling the father of the nation‘s ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), motors dream of a clean India during an interactive and heat recovery projects, M&M has doubled the programme. energy productivity of the automotive business Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/f7AnAZ almost 12 years ahead of schedule gvRotA6px7C3FSKI/PM-Narendra-Modi-launches- M&M is also a signatory of the Science Based Swachhata-Hi-Seva-campaign.html Targets initiative, which provides companies with a www.iasjnana.com 53

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs clear pathway for reducing emissions in line with carbon offsetting is often used alongside the Paris Agreement‘s goal for limiting global energy conservation measures to minimize warming to well below 2 degrees C above pre- energy use, the practice is criticized by some industrial levels. All these commitments are helping Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/indus the company on its path to go carbon neutral. try/auto/auto-news/mahindra-mahindra-to-go- What Carbon neutral means? carbon-neutral-by-2040/articleshow/65807562.cms Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon „Temperature and Monsoon‟ (GS3: footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon Environmental pollution) emissions by balancing a measured amount of Issue: Other than being an essential source of water carbon released with an equivalent amount for Indian agriculture, the monsoon plays a critical sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon role in flushing out pollutants over Asia. However, credits to make up the difference. It is used in the increased pollution — particularly from coal context of carbon dioxide releasing processes burning — could potentially weaken this ability of associated with transportation, energy production, the monsoon, says a study in this week‘s issue of and industrial processes such as production of the magazine Science. carbon neutral fuel. What the study says? The carbon neutrality concept may be extended to 1. In winter, when atmospheric moisture is include other greenhouse gases (GHG) measured in low, fumes from un-burnt particles disperse terms of their carbon dioxide equivalence (CO2e) — toward the Indian Ocean, creating a the impact a GHG has on the atmosphere expressed vast pollution in the equivalent amount of CO2. The term ―climate 2. The researchers measured the summer neutral‖ reflects the broader inclusiveness of other monsoon outflow in the upper troposphere greenhouse gases in climate change, even if CO2 is between the Mediterranean and the Indian the most abundant, encompassing other greenhouse Ocean. They found that the monsoon sustained gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol, namely: a ―remarkably efficient‖ cleansing mechanism methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), in which contaminants are rapidly oxidized and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons deposited on the Earth‘s surface. (PFC), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Both terms 3. However, some pollutants were lofted above are used interchangeably throughout this article. the monsoon clouds, and chemically processed The best practice for organizations and individuals in a reactive reservoir before being seeking carbon neutral status entails reducing and/or redistributed globally, including to the avoiding carbon emissions first so that only stratosphere. unavoidable emissions are offset. Carbon neutral 4. While pollution levels — especially in north status is commonly achieved in two ways: India‘s Gangetic plane — skyrocket in winter, . Balancing carbon dioxide released into the there have also been spikes in summer air atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, with pollution. Delhi, Gurugram and several parts of renewable energy that creates a similar amount Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are currently in of useful energy, so that the carbon emissions the grip of a ‗dust haze‘ that has pushed are compensated, or alternatively using only pollution levels to the ‗severe‘ category on the renewable energies that don‘t produce any air quality index. carbon dioxide (also called a post-carbon Indian rainfall, other scientists have pointed out, is economy). enhanced in spring due to increased loading of . Carbon offsetting by paying others to black carbon but the monsoon may subsequently remove or sequester 100% of the carbon weaken through increased cloudiness and surface dioxide emitted from the atmosphere – for cooling. example by planting trees – or by funding Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy- ‗carbon projects‘ that should lead to the and-environment/spike-in-pollution-could-stall- prevention of future greenhouse gas emissions, monsoons-flushing-action/article24175324.ece or by buying carbon credits to remove (or ‗retire‘) them through carbon trading. While www.iasjnana.com 54

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile S1-4 is a high resolution earth observation satellite (MPATGM)‟ (GS3: Indigenization of meant for surveying resources, environment Technology) monitoring, urban management and disaster Issue: Indigenously developed Man Portable Anti- monitoring. Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), was successfully About Sun synchronous orbit flight tested for the second time from the A Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO, also called Ahmednagar range. All the mission objectives were a helio-synchronous orbit) is a nearly polar orbit met. The two missions on 15 and 16 September around a planet, in which the satellite passes over 2018 have been successfully flight tested for any given point of the planet‘s surface at the same different ranges including the maximum range local mean solar time. More technically, it is an capability. orbit arranged so that it precesses through one About MPATGM complete revolution each year, so it always The MPATGM is a third-generation anti-tank maintains the same relationship with the Sun. guided missile (ATGM), which has been under A Sun-synchronous orbit can place a satellite in development by DRDO in partnership with Indian constant sunlight, which allows the solar panels to defense contractor VEM Technologies Ltd. since work continually. This orbit is also useful for 2015. Fitted with a high-explosive anti-tank imaging, spy, and weather satellites, because every (HEAT) warhead, the MPATGM reportedly boasts time that the satellite is overhead, the surface a top attack capability and has a maximum illumination angle on the planet underneath it will engagement range of about 2.5 kilometers. be nearly the same. This consistent lighting is a The Indian Army intends to equip all of its infantry useful characteristic for satellites that image the and mechanized units with a third-generation Earth‘s surface in visible or infrared wavelengths, ATGM by the early 2020s. DRDO has also been such as weather and spy satellites; and for other working on the third-generation ATGM Nag, fired remote-sensing satellites, such as those carrying from the Nag Missile Carrier (NAMICA), an Indian ocean and atmospheric remote-sensing instruments license-produced variant of the Soviet-era BMP-II that require sunlight. armored infantry fighting vehicle. Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR ID=1546299 ID=1546263 „Yudh Abhyas 2018‟ (GS2: India-USA bilateral „NovaSAR and S1-4‟ (GS3: Science) ties) Issue: The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV- Issue: Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2018 a joint military C42) of Indian Space Research Organisation exercise of Indian and US armies, commenced at (ISRO) successfully launched two satellites — Chaubattia, Uttarakhand NovaSAR and S1-4– from the Satish Dhawan About the exercise Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota Battalion strength army personnel from USA and an Both satellites were injected into the Sun equal number of Indian soldiers are taking part in Synchronous Orbit, about 17 minutes later, at an the two-week long event that will see them hone altitude of 583 km. their tactical and technical skills in countering About the mission insurgency and terrorism in a UN peace keeping The satellites belong to UK-based Surrey Satellite scenario involving a combined deployment at a Technology Limited (SSTL), which has a contract brigade level. State of the art equipment for with Antrix Corporation Ltd, the commercial arm of surveillance and tracking, specialist weapons for ISRO. NovaSAR carries S-band Synthetic Aperture close quarter battle with terrorists, explosive and Radar (SAR) and Automatic Identification Receiver improvised explosive device detectors, as well as payloads. The satellite applications include forestry the latest communication equipment are being mapping, land use and ice cover monitoring, flood fielded by both sides. Both sides will jointly train, and disaster monitoring and maritime missions. It plan and execute a series of well developed tactical will be operated from SSTL‘s Spacecraft drills for neutralization of likely threats that may be Operations Centre in Guildford, UK. encountered in UN peace keeping operations during division level command post exercise. The experts www.iasjnana.com 55

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs from both sides will also hold discussions to share 3. Aspirin is a double-edged sword; it is each others‘ experience in varied topics for mutual absolutely essential drug and a lifesaver in benefit. patients with established heart disease (or Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR arterial blockages) and many patients with ID=1546296 diabetes where risk is high. However in „Hubble space telescope‟ (GS3: Science) patients without these conditions, it should not Issue: The Hubble Space Telescope has started a be recommended, particularly in elderly where new mission to study six massive galaxy clusters risk of bleeding is high. In India, self treatment that may help shed light on how the earliest galaxies with aspirin is often seen, and it should be evolved in the universe, NASA reported strictly forbidden While the Hubble Space Telescope has already Source: https://www.livemint.com/Science/kJQ8Jk9 detected some of the most distant galaxies known, vAmBPqPkpB0yZmK/Daily-aspirin-does-more- their numbers are small, making it hard for harm-than-good-Study.html astronomers to determine if they represent the „River pollution‟ (GS3: Environmental universe at large. Initial observations from the pollution) Beyond Ultra-deep Frontier Fields And Legacy Issue: The number of polluted stretches of the Observations (BUFFALO) survey show the galaxy country‘s rivers has increased to 351 from 302 two cluster Abell 370 and a host of magnified, years ago, and the number of critically polluted gravitationally lensed galaxies around it. stretches — where water quality indicators are the About the mission poorest — has gone up to 45 from 34, according to BUFFALO‘s main mission is to investigate how an assessment by the Central Pollution Control and when the most massive and luminous galaxies Board (CPCB). in the universe formed and how early galaxy About the assessment made by the CPCB formation is linked to dark matter assembly. This 1. While the ₹20,000 crore clean-up of the will allow astronomers to determine how rapidly Ganga may be the most visible of the galaxies formed in the first 800 million years after government‘s efforts to tackle pollution, the the Big Bang – paving the way for observations CPCB says several of the river‘s stretches — in with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh — are actually far less BUFFALO will be able to detect the most distant polluted than many rivers in Maharashtra, galaxies approximately ten times more efficiently Assam and These three States account for 117 than its progenitor. It will also take advantage of of the 351 polluted river stretches. other space telescopes which have already observed 2. The most significant stretches of pollution the regions around the clusters. highlighted by the CPCB include the Mithi Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/technolog river — from Powai to Dharavi — with a BOD y/science/hubble-space-telescope-set-to-peer-in-to- (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) of 250 mg/l; earliest-galaxies-nasa-5359201/ the Godavari — from Someshwar to Rahed — „Aspirin‟ (GS2: Issues related to Health) with a BOD of 5.0-80 mg/l; the Sabarmati — Issue: A landmark US-Australian research has Kheroj to Vautha — with a BOD of 4.0-147 found that a low dose of aspirin will not help older mg/l; and the Hindon — Saharanpur to adults live longer or prevent their first heart attack, Ghaziabad — with a BOD of 48-120 mg/l. instead will increase the risk of bleeding in older The CPCB, since the 1990s, has a programme to people. monitor the quality of rivers primarily by measuring What the study says? BOD, which is a proxy for organic pollution — the 1. The researchers found an increase in the higher it is, the worse the river. The health of a river number of cases of serious internal bleeding and the efficacy of water treatment measures by the among the aspirin takers (3.8%) States and municipal bodies are classified 2. Doctors in India say the findings have come depending on BOD, with a BOD greater than or as an eye opener for Indian population where equal to 30 mg/l termed ‗priority 1,‘ while that self prescription is common between 3.1-6 mg/l is ‗priority 5.‘ What is BOD? www.iasjnana.com 56

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD, also called water resources. The in its Biological Oxygen Demand) is the amount of wisdom enacted the Water (Prevention and Control dissolved oxygen needed (i.e. demanded) by aerobic of Pollution) Act, 1974 with a view to maintaining biological organisms to break down organic and restoring wholesomeness of our water bodies. material present in a given water sample at certain One of the mandates of CPCB is to collect, collate temperature over a specific time period and disseminate technical and statistical data Currently, the CPCB has 1822 monitoring stations relating to water pollution. Hence, Water Quality on rivers and 473 on lakes/ponds/tanks. Monitoring (WQM) and Surveillance are of utmost About CPCB importance. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/m statutory organisation, was constituted in ore-river-stretches-critically-polluted- September, 1974 under the Water (Prevention and cpcb/article24962440.ece Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Further, CPCB was „Sewage treatment plants (STPs)‟ (GS3: entrusted with the powers and functions under the Conservation of Environment) Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, Issue: India‘s ‗Diamond City‘ offers a lesson for the 1981. country‘s ever-expanding cities on water It serves as a field formation and also provides management and the optimal use of water, which is technical services to the Ministry of Environment rapidly becoming a scarce resource. and Forests of the provisions of the Environment Surat‘s civic body is setting up state-of-the-art (Protection) Act, 1986. Principal Functions of the sewage treatment plants (STPs) to ensure every CPCB, as spelt out in the Water (Prevention and drop of waste water is treated and reused for Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air purposes other than drinking. (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, (i) About the mission to promote cleanliness of streams and wells in From March 2019, the Surat Municipal Corporation different areas of the States by prevention, control (SMC) will be supplying 115 MLD (million litres and abatement of water pollution, and (ii) to per day) treated water to industries located within improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or the city, in order to meet the entire industrial abate air pollution in the country. requirement of water through treated or recycled Air Quality Monitoring is an important part of the water. air quality management. The National Air The entire quantum of water will be treated from Monitoring Programme (NAMP) has been domestic sewerage water in tertiary treatment plants established with objectives to determine the present at the Bamroli and Dindoli areas for supplying to air quality status and trends and to control and mainly textile factories in the Pandesara and Sachin regulate pollution from industries and other source industrial clusters housing over 400 dying and to meet the air quality standards. It also provides printing units. background air quality data needed for industrial Surat‘s cost effective water management system is siting and towns planning. most advantageous for its contribution towards Besides this, CPCB has an automatic monitoring reducing the dependency on conventional resources station at ITO Intersection in New Delhi. At this of water, and thus optimal use of the resource. station Resirable Suspended Particulate Matter India is facing its worst water shortage in history, (RSPM), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), according to a new report prepared by the Niti Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Aayog. Nearly 600 million Indians faced high to and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) are being extreme water stress and about 2,00,000 people die monitored regularly. This information on Air every year in the country because of inadequate Quality at ITO is updated every week. access to safe water. Most of the rivers being fed by monsoon rains, Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ot which are limited to only three months of the year, her-states/in-managing-water-surat-takes- run dry throughout the rest of the year often lead/article24962211.ece carrying wastewater discharges from industries or „Chief Information Commission (CIC) and cities/towns endangering the quality of our scarce MPLADS‟ (GS2: Statutory bodies) www.iasjnana.com 57

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Issue: Noting that ₹12,000 crore of the Members of Gujarat. However, excluding these three States, Parliament Local Area Development Scheme total SDL issuance by the remaining States has (MPLADS) funds remains unspent, the Central grown 14.7% in the first five months of FY19. Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Lok 2. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India had Sabha Speaker and the Chairman to estimated that fiscal deficits of all the 29 States come out with a legal framework to ensure its might decline to 2.6% of their gross State transparency and hold parliamentarians and political domestic product (GSDP) citing their FY19 parties accountable for their obligations under the Budget estimates, from 3.1% in FY18. scheme. 3. The unforeseen expenditure on flood relief About MPLADS scheme in states like Kerala and Karnataka, which may The MPLADS allots ₹5 crore per year to each not be fully offset by higher grants or other Member of Parliament (MP) to be spent on projects revenue mobilization measures, can exert of their choice in their constituency. The scheme is pressure on their fiscal balances funded and administered through the Union Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Econo Ministry of Statistics and Programme my/states-may-miss-fy19-fiscal- Implementation (MoSPI). Projects are to be targets/article24962103.ece recommended to and implemented by the district- level administration. „Bank Mergers‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) About CIC Issue: The Centre on Monday proposed the The Central Information Commission has been amalgamation of state-owned Bank of Baroda, constituted with effect from 12-10-2005 under the Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank to create India‘s third- Right to Information Act, 2005. The jurisdiction of largest bank. the Commission extends over all Central Public Logic behind the merger Authorities. The combined entity will have a strong presence The Commission has certain powers and functions across the nation with more than 34% of low-cost mentioned in sections 18, 19, 20 and 25 of the RTI deposits, a capital buffer of nearly 12% and a Act, 2005.These broadly relate to adjudication in business book of Rs 14.82 lakh crore. Bank of second appeal for giving information; direction for Baroda is the biggest of the three with Rs 10.29 record keeping, suo-motu disclosures receiving and lakh crore of total business, followed by Vijaya enquiring into a complaint on inability to file RTI Bank at Rs 2.79 lakh crore and Dena Bank at Rs etc; imposition of penalties and Monitoring and 1.72 lakh crore. Reporting including preparation of an Annual The consolidation will help create a strong global Report. The decisions of the Commission are final competitive bank with economies of scale and and binding. enable realization of wide-ranging synergies Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ci Previously, the government had pushed through c-wants-break-up-of-how-mplads-funds-are- consolidation of the State Bank of India group, with utilised/article24963039.ece SBI absorbing five associate banks and Bharatiya „Fiscal Targets‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) Mahila Bank. That process was completed last year. Issue: Funding of farm loan waivers, poll-related Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/indu spending and other populist measures are likely to stry/banking/finance/banking/bank-of-baroda- ensure that States are set to miss their fiscal vijaya-bank-and-dena-bank-to-be- consolidation targets budgeted at the beginning of merged/articleshow/65844142.cms the year, says a report. „Peace process in Korean peninsula‟ (GS2: Other observations made in the report International News) 1. The States‘ fiscal deficit is primarily Issue: North Korean‘s Kim Jong Un greeted Moon financed by issuing State development loans Jae-in with hugs and smiles on Tuesday as the (SDLs). In April-August of FY19, gross South Korean president arrived in Pyongyang to issuance of SDL contracted by 3.4% to ₹1.32 discuss faltering talks on denuclearization and the trillion, primarily led by a sharp decline in prospect of officially ending the Korean War. issuance by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and www.iasjnana.com 58

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs The inter-Korean summit, the third between Mr. the initiative began to swing against the Chinese Moon and Mr. Kim, will be a litmus test for another Communists. meeting Mr. Kim has recently proposed to U.S. Not wanting the Soviets to grab too much territory, President Donald Trump. the US occupied the southern half of Korea, south Significance of this meeting of the 38th Parallel. Much as it had in Germany just Washington wants to see concrete action toward after World War Two, these two occupations set the denuclearization by North Korea before agreeing to status quo: North Korea, that area of the Korean a key goal of Pyongyang – declaring an end to the peninsula north of the 38th parallel became 1950-53 Korean War. Communist, while South Korea was the province of Korean War of 1950-53 a nationalist, anti-communist government. World War II divided Korea into a Communist, The conflict ended with an armistice, not a peace northern half and an American-occupied southern treaty, leaving U.S.-led U.N. forces including South half, divided at the 38th parallel. The Korean War Korea technically still at war with the North. (1950-1953) began when the North Korean Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation Communist army crossed the 38th Parallel and al/leaders-of-two-koreas-meet-in-pyongyang-for- invaded non-Communist South Korea. As Kim Il- talks-on-ending-war/article24974260.ece sung‘s North Korean army, armed with Soviet „Trade war‟ (GS2: Effect of policies of developed tanks, quickly overran South Korea, the United countries) States came to South Korea‘s aid. General Douglas Issue: U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his MacArthur, who had been overseeing the post- trade war with China on Monday, imposing 10 % WWII occupation of Japan, commanded the US tariffs on about $200 billion worth of Chinese forces which now began to hold off the North imports Koreans at Pusan, at the southernmost tip of Korea. China‘s yuan currency slipped 0.3 % against the Although Korea was not strategically essential to U.S. dollar in Asian trade on Tuesday. It has the United States, the political environment at this weakened by about 6.0 % since mid-June, offsetting stage of the Cold War was such that policymakers the 10 percent tariff rate by a considerable margin. did not want to appear ―soft on Communism.‖ How China-US Trade War affect India? Nominally, the US intervened as part of a ―police 1. India can become more competitive in action‖ run by a UN (United Nations) international segments such as textile, garments and gems peace- keeping force; in actuality, the UN was and jewellery since India already has an edge. simply being manipulated by US and NATO anti- 2. Economic growth and asset markets will be Communist interests. badly hurt by a full-blown trade war. The more With the US, UN, and South Korean (ROK) forces important issue is the current global economic pinned against the sea at Pusan, MacArthur order is in danger of being dismantled, brick by orchestrated a daring amphibious assault on Inchon, brick. The ramifications will go far beyond a port on the western coast of Korea. Having made trade—the impact on geopolitics, for instance, this landing, MacArthur crushed the North Korean could be far more serious. army in a pincer movement and recaptured Seoul, Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation the capital of South Korea. Instead of being al/trump-slaps-tariffs-on-200-bln-in-chinese-goods- satisfied with his rapid reconquest of South Korea, spares-some-consumer-tech/article24973776.ece MacArthur crossed the 38TH Parallel and pursued „Automation and Workplace‟ (GS3: Science) the North Korean army all the way to the Issue: The presence of automation in the workplace northernmost provinces of North Korea. Afraid that is making work environments ―more human,‖ the US was interested in taking North Korea as a according to a global study released on Monday. base for operations against Manchuria, the People‘s What the report says? Republic of China secretly sent an army across the 1. Firms that invest in robotic process Yalu River. This Chinese army attacked the automation or Artificial Intelligence (AI) are US/UN/ROK forces. Only after the appointment of witnessing higher performance returns, Lt. General Matthew Ridgway as commander of especially if they also invest in people ground forces did American morale improve and www.iasjnana.com 59

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 2. Of those surveyed, 71% of Indian India and people involved in such cultivation are respondents said their employees used robotic called Jhumia. The practice involves clearing process automation and AI-based vegetative/forest cover on land/slopes of hills, argumentation to its full potential — the drying and burning it before onset of monsoon and highest proportion for any of the four markets cropping on it thereafter. After harvest, this land is surveyed. The markets included the U.S., the left fallow and vegetative regeneration is allowed U.K., and Japan. on it till the plot becomes reusable for same purpose 3. The highest percentage of positive responses in a cycle. Meanwhile, the process is repeated in a was found in India. India also outscored other new plot designated for Jhum cultivation during markets on employee engagement (84%) and next year. Initially, when Jhum cycle was long and on employee listening. ranged from 20 to 30 years, the process worked 4. Investments in automation technology alone well. However, with increase in human population result in some improvements in business and increasing pressure on land, Jhum cycle performance. But investing simultaneously in reduced progressively (5-6 years) causing problem people, by creating a human workplace, of land degradation and threat to ecology of the ―supercharges the performance boost that region at large. companies can expect to gain from their Watershed Development Project in Shifting technology investment,‖ Cultivation Areas (WDPSCA) was taken up in Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industr seven States of North Eastern Region with 100% y/automation-making-offices-more- SCA as per directions of National Development human/article24969738.ece Council (NDC) in 1994-95. Recently, under „Jhum cultivation‟ (GS3: Indian Agriculture) National Afforestation Programme, problem of Issue: A recent NITI Aayog publication on shifting jhum cultivation was given special focus. Mid-term cultivation which is particularly practiced in the appraisal of Eleventh Five Year Plan mentions that northeastern States, has recommended that the as per report of Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture should take up a ―mission only 6.5 per cent of households have been on shifting cultivation‖ to ensure inter-ministerial reportedly engaged in shiting cultivation in the convergence. country. The percentage of area under jhum Central as well as State government departments of cultivation is 9.5 in North-Eastern region, while it is forests and environment, agriculture and allied 0.5 per cent for central tribal belt. departments often have divergent approaches Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/agri- towards shifting cultivation. This creates confusion business/niti-aayog-for-clear-policy-on-jhum- among grass-roots level workers and jhum farmers cultivation/article24970537.ece „Smart Fencing‟ (GS3: Science and Technology) Issue: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday reviewed the security situation in the region, while inaugurating a smart border fencing pilot along the international border (IB). Singh inaugurated the smart border fencing pilot projects under the comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS) programme. About CIBMS CIBMS uses a number of different devices for surveillance, communication and data storage. Sensors like Thermal Imager, UGS, Fiber Optical Sensors, Radar, Sonar have been mounted on different platforms like Aerostat, tower, poles etc. A comprehensive integration of such sensors and other What is Jhum cultivation? Jhum (Shifting) cultivation is a primitive practice of technical systems of communication and data cultivation in States of North Eastern Hill Region of processing have been achieved in the CIBMS www.iasjnana.com 60

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs project. The signals reach the Unified Command There are many types of fuel cells, but they all and Control Centre where the BSF can monitor the consist of an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte border on real-time basis. The CIBMS enables that allows positively charged hydrogen ions round-the-clock surveillance on border and under (protons) to move between the two sides of the fuel different weather conditions be it in dust storm, fog cell. At the anode a catalyst causes the fuel to or rain. undergo oxidation reactions that generate protons Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/8npqi5I (positively charged hydrogen ions) and electrons. TVPTJx5zR6oG12H/Rajnath-inaugurates-smart- The protons flow from the anode to the cathode border-fence-in-JK.html through the electrolyte after the reaction „Hydrogen train‟ (GS3: Conservation of Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/techn Environment) ology/in-pics-worlds-first-hydrogen-powered-train- Issue: Germany has rolled out the world‘s first that-only-emits-steam-and-water-rolled-out-in- hydrogen-powered train, signaling the start of a germany-2960411.html push to challenge the might of polluting diesel „ICESAT-2‟ (GS3: Science) trains with costlier but more eco-friendly Issue: NASA successfully launched its Ice, Cloud, technology. and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) from About this project California Hydrogen trains are equipped with fuel cells that About the mission produce electricity through a combination of The ICESat-2 will help scientists in reviewing the hydrogen and oxygen, a process that leaves steam rate of the planet‘s melting ice in a mission and water as the only emissions. Excess energy is described as ―exceptionally important for science‖. stored in ion lithium batteries on board the train. The device will be activated in approximately two Other countries are also looking into hydrogen weeks and is said to reveal unprecedented detail trains including Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, about the current thickness of ice in the polar areas Norway, Italy and Canada. In France, the as the climate warms. government has already said it wants the first The ICESat-2‘s high-resolution data will document hydrogen train to be on the rails by 2022. changes in the Earth‘s ice caps, improve forecasts How a fuel cell works? of sea level rise that is triggered by melting ice A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, and will help the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity scientists understand the mechanism behind the through an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen decreasing amount of floating ice. It will also assess fuel with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Fuel how loss of sea ice can affect the ocean and cells are different from batteries in requiring a atmosphere. continuous source of fuel and oxygen (usually from Significance of this mission air) to sustain the chemical reaction, whereas in a Several billions of tons of land ice melt or flow into battery the chemical energy comes from chemicals the oceans annually, thus contributing to a rise in already present in the battery. Fuel cells can sea levels across the world. In recent time, produce electricity continuously for as long as fuel contributions from these melting ice sheets in and oxygen are supplied. Greenland and Antarctica alone have raised global The first fuel cells were invented in 1838. The first sea levels by more than a millimeter a year, and the commercial use of fuel cells came more than a rate seems to be increasing at an alarming rate. century later in NASA space programs to generate Data from ICESat-2 will help researchers in power for satellites and space capsules. Since then, narrowing the range of uncertainty in forecasts of fuel cells have been used in many other sea level rise in the future. The satellite will also applications. Fuel cells are used for primary and help in making the most precise polar-wide backup power for commercial, industrial and measurements to date of sea ice freeboard, which is residential buildings and in remote or inaccessible the height of sea ice above the adjacent sea surface. areas. They are also used to power fuel cell Source: http://qrius.com/nasa-launches-satellite-to- vehicles, including forklifts, automobiles, buses, study-ice-on-the-earth-all-you-need-to-know/ boats, motorcycles and submarines. „Anemia‟ (GS2: Issues related to Health) www.iasjnana.com 61

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Issue: A ‗Test and Treat‘ camp for anemia has been Explorers program, designed to search for organized at Nirman Bhawan for ten days by the exoplanets using the transit method in an area 400 central government. The objective of this camp is to times larger than that covered by generate awareness in community regarding the Kepler mission. anemia. The primary mission objective for TESS is to About Anemia survey the brightest stars near the Earth for Anemia is a condition that develops when your transiting exoplanets over a two-year period. The blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or TESS satellite uses an array of wide-field cameras hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a main part of red to perform a survey of 85% of the sky. With TESS, blood cells and binds oxygen. If you have too few it is possible to study the mass, size, density and or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is orbit of a large cohort of small planets, including a abnormal or low, the cells in your body will not get sample of rocky planets in the habitable zones of enough oxygen. Symptoms of anemia — like their host stars. TESS will provide prime targets for fatigue — occur because organs aren‘t getting what further characterization by the James Webb Space they need to function properly. Telescope, as well as other large ground-based and There are many types of anemia. All are very space-based telescopes of the future different in their causes and treatments. Iron- Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/technolog deficiency anemia, the most common type, is very y/science/nasas-newest-planet-hunter-telescope- treatable with diet changes and iron supplements. shares-first-science-image-5362508/ Some forms of anemia — like the mild anemia that „India-Bangladesh ties‟ (GS2: Bilateral relations) develops during pregnancy — are even considered Issue: The construction of India-Bangladesh normal. However, some types of anemia may Friendship Product Pipeline Project and a railway present lifelong health problems. project connecting the two countries were on Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Tuesday flagged off jointly through video ID=1546340 conferencing by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and „Oil and Trade war‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina. Issue: Oil markets slipped on Tuesday as the latest About the project escalation in the Sino-US trade war clouded the At an estimated project cost of Rs 346 crore, outlook for crude demand from the two countries, expected to be completed in 30 months, the 129 km the world‘s top crude consumers. Brent crude long India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline will futures had dropped 29 cents, or 0.37 percent, to connect Siliguri in India with Parbatipur in $77.76 per barrel Bangladesh and will transport petroleum products Reason for the fall in oil price from Numaligarh Refinery (NRL) in Assam. While The growing trade dispute has hurt trading five km of the pipeline is in India the rest of the sentiment. The impact on economic growth is pipeline will be implemented by Bangladesh slowly dripping in, which again hurts oil prices. Petroleum Corporation. Source: https://www.livemint.com/Industry/xfmbV This pipeline is part of Modi government‘s efforts Fs9dnMfZH0i1sQwbM/Oil-prices-fall-as-USChina- to set up such pipelines connecting India with the trade-war-clouds-demand-outlook.html South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), which had decided in 2014, to build cross- border pipeline routes for ferrying natural gas and „Transiting Exoplanet survey satellite‟ (GS3: products. The idea behind such a network of Science) pipelines was to build a better hydrocarbon Issue: NASA‘s newest planet hunter telescope, the transportation network to meet increasing demand Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), has for energy. now shared the first science image that it captured Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/i as part of its initial round of data collection. ndia-bangladesh-ties-touch-a-new-high-in-10-days- About TESS five-projects-inaugurated/1318050/ The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a space telescope for NASA‘s www.iasjnana.com 62

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana‟ (GS2: . Earlier, there was a provision of capping the Government policies and programmes for premium rate which resulted in low claims development in various sectors) being paid to farmers. This capping was done Issue: The Government has decided to incorporate to limit Government outgo on the premium the provision of penalties for States and Insurance subsidy. This capping has now been removed Companies for the delay in settlement of insurance and farmers will get claim against full sum claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojana insured without any reduction. (PMFBY). This crucial provision is part of the new . The use of technology will be encouraged to operational guidelines issued by the Govt for the a great extent. Smart phones will be used to implementation of PMFBY. capture and upload data of crop cutting to The farmers will be paid 12% interest by insurance reduce the delays in claim payment to farmers. companies for the delay in settlement claims Remote sensing will be used to reduce the beyond two months of prescribed cut-off date. State number of crop cutting experiments. Governments will have to pay 12% interest for the . PMFBY is a replacement scheme of NAIS / delay in release of State share of subsidy beyond MNAIS, there will be exemption from Service three months of prescribed cut-off date submission Tax liability of all the services involved in the of requisition by insurance companies. implementation of the scheme. It is estimated About PMFBY that the new scheme will ensure about 75-80 It incorporates the best features of all previous per cent of subsidy for the farmers in insurance schemes and at the same time, all previous premium. shortcomings / weaknesses have been removed. The Farmers to be covered PMFBY will replace the existing two schemes All farmers growing notified crops in a notified area National Agricultural Insurance Scheme as well during the season who have insurable interest in the as the Modified NAIS. crop are eligible. Objectives Compulsory coverage: The enrolment under the 1. To provide insurance coverage and financial scheme, subject to possession of insurable interest support to the farmers in the event of failure of on the cultivation of the notified crop in the notified any of the notified crop as a result of natural area, shall be compulsory for following categories calamities, pests & diseases. of farmers: 2. To stabilize the income of farmers to ensure . Farmers in the notified area who possess a their continuance in farming. Crop Loan account/KCC account (called as 3. To encourage farmers to adopt innovative Loanee Farmers) to whom credit limit is and modern agricultural practices. sanctioned/renewed for the notified crop during 4. To ensure flow of credit to the agriculture the crop season. and sector. . Such other farmers whom the Government Highlights of the scheme may decide to include from time to time. . There will be a uniform premium of only Voluntary coverage: Voluntary coverage may be 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops obtained by all farmers not covered above, and 1.5% for all Rabi crops. In case of annual including Crop KCC/Crop Loan Account holders commercial and horticultural crops, the whose credit limit is not renewed. premium to be paid by farmers will be only Risks covered under the scheme 5%. The premium rates to be paid by farmers . Yield Losses (standing crops, on notified are very low and balance premium will be paid area basis). Comprehensive risk insurance is by the Government to provide full insured provided to cover yield losses due to non- amount to the farmers against crop loss on preventable risks, such as Natural Fire and account of natural calamities. Lightning, Storm, Hailstorm, Cyclone, . There is no upper limit on Government Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Tornado. Risks subsidy. Even if balance premium is 90%, it due to Flood, Inundation and Landslide, will be borne by the Government. Drought, Dry spells, Pests/ Diseases also will be covered. www.iasjnana.com 63

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . In cases where majority of the insured The initiative aspires to play its part in reducing farmers of a notified area, having intent to gender divide in access to development sow/plant and incurred expenditure for the opportunities for women and girls which sadly purpose, are prevented from sowing/planting affects access to education, health and workforce the insured crop due to adverse weather participation. conditions, shall be eligible for indemnity Under Stree Swabhiman initiative for women‘s claims upto a maximum of 25 per cent of the health and hygiene, women entrepreneurs have sum-insured. become symbols of empowerment for women and . In post-harvest losses, coverage will be girls in their communities. Till date, 278 Sanitary available up to a maximum period of 14 days Napkin Micro Manufacturing Units have been from harvesting for those crops which are kept successfully set up by these Women VLEs. The in ―cut & spread‖ condition to dry in the field. sanitary napkin produced by these units not only . For certain localized problems, Loss / suits the needs of low-income communities, but are damage resulting from occurrence of identified also bio-degradable and thus environment friendly. localized risks like hailstorm, landslide, and What are Common Service Centres? Inundation affecting isolated farms in the Common Service Centres are physical facilities notified area would also be covered. for delivering Government of India e-Services to rural and remote locations where availability of computers and Internet was negligible or mostly absent. They are multiple-services-single-point model for providing facilities for multiple transactions at a single geographical location. CSCs are the access points for delivery of essential public utility services, social welfare schemes, healthcare, financial, education and agriculture services, apart from host of B2C services to citizens in rural and remote areas of the country. It is a pan- India network catering to regional, geographic, linguistic and cultural diversity of the country, thus enabling the Government‘s mandate of a socially, financially and digitally inclusive society. The following types of services are expected to be provided at the CSCs: 1. G2C Communication – All G2C (Government to Consumer) Communication including Health, Education, Agriculture,

Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Human Resource Development, Employment, ID=1546557 Fundamental Rights, Disaster Warnings, RTI, „Stree Swabhiman‟ (GS2: Issues related to etc. Health) 2. Information dissemination – Interactive Issue: Common Services Centers, through its kiosks, voice & Local Language Interface, initiative for women‘s health and hygiene, named including web browsing ‗Stree Swabhiman‘ is striving to create a sustainable 3. Edutainment – Including multi-functional model for providing affordable and accessible space for group interaction, entertainment, sanitary products close to the homes of adolescent training and empowerment women and girls in rural areas 4. E-Governance & eServices – Transactions About the initiative like Market (eKrishi)Information, Banking, The initiative is driven by awareness and Insurance, Travel, Post, eForms to request personalized outreach by women entrepreneurs who government services, etc. produces and market sanitary napkins themselves. www.iasjnana.com 64

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 5. C2G Kiosk – Grievances, complaints, non-executive director of the British Olympic requests and suggestions. Association 6. Financial Inclusion – Payment for NREGA, Source: https://www.livemint.com/Sports/KgENTF etc. OcGNghr2ZqVhrPlI/Vinai-Venkatesham-new- 7. Healthcare – Telemedicine & remote health Arsenal-MD-after-CEO-Ivan-Gazidis-join.html camps have also been envisaged as part of the „Grain Output‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) CSC‘s extended functionalities Issue: Despite patchy rainfall in some parts, 8. Agriculture the Agriculture Ministry has set a food-grain 9. Rural BPO production target of 285.2 million tonnes for 2018- The CSC project, which forms a strategic 19, a marginal increase from the previous year‘s component of the National eGovernance Plan was harvest of 284.8 million tonnes. approved in September 2006. It is also one of the The 2018-19 targets for rice, at 113 million tonnes, approved projects under the Integrated Mission and wheat, at 100 million tonnes, are marginally Mode Projects of the National eGovernance Plan. higher than last year‘s harvest. However, the targets Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR for pulses, coarse cereals and maize are slightly ID=1546489 lower. „E-Sahaj portal‟ (GS3: E-governance) Over the last two years of normal monsoons and Issue: The Union Shri Rajiv Gauba record harvests, prices of several commodities have launched an online ‗e-Sahaj‘ portal here today for crashed, hurting many farmers. The government has grant of Security Clearance. ramped up procurement of pulses and oilseeds in an About the portal effort to ensure that more farmers receive the MHA is the nodal Ministry for security clearances minimum support price (MSP) for these crops even in certain sensitive sectors before issue of as the market rates fall, but that has led to a shortage license/permit, permission, contract etc, to of storage capacity. To overcome this some States companies/ bidders/individuals by the consider the new Central scheme to pay oilseed administrative Ministry. The objective of national farmers the cash differential between MSP and security clearance is to evaluate potential security market prices. threats, including economic threats, and provide risk Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/agri- assessment before clearing investment and project business/india-targets-slight-increase-in-2018-19- proposals in key sectors. The aim is to strike a foodgrain-output/article24980035.ece healthy balance between meeting the imperatives of „Space innovation‟ (GS3: Science) national security and facilitating ease of doing Issue: The Indian Space Research Organisation business and promoting investment in the country. (ISRO) launched a space technology incubation Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR centre in Tripura capital Agartala. It is the first of ID=1546586 six such centres planned nationally to build capacity „Vinai Venkatesham‟ (Facts that could be asked in new locations. in Prelims) The space agency‘s new Capacity Building Issue: Arsenal Holdings Plc‘s chief executive Programme directorate will invest ₹2 crore in officer Ivan Gazidis has stepped down after nine incubation facilities in Jalandhar, Bhubaneswar, years at the helm to join Italian club AC Milan, the Tiruchi, Nagpur and Indore. London soccer club said in a statement Significance of this programme Raul Sanllehi will now be the head of football and This programme will go to locations that have a Vinai Venkatesham is appointed as managing good presence of academia and industry but do not director have activities related to space. The centres will About V Venkatesham bring out prototypes and innovations for ISRO in Vinai Venkatesham is a British football electronics, propulsion and others. administrator. An employee of Arsenal F.C. since Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci- 2010 in a variety of roles, He worked on London tech/science/isro-to-tap-small-cities-for- 2012 prior to joining Arsenal, and is currently a innovations/article24979734.ece www.iasjnana.com 65

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „Short-range surface-to-air missile (SRSAM) an emergency or threat. For an ordinance to be system‟ (GS3: Indigenization of Technology) enforced effectively, it must not be in conflict with Issue: The Army, which is inducting the any higher law such as state or national law or indigenously developed Akash short-range surface- constitutional provisions. to-air missile (SRSAM) system, will get an Article 123 of the Constitution of India grants the upgraded variant. The Defence Acquisition Council President certain law-making powers to promulgate (DAC) gave its procedural approval to the variant ordinances when either of the two Houses of recently Parliament is not in session. Hence, it is not About the advanced system possible for the ordinances to be issued in the The upgraded version will include the seeker Parliament. The fundamental reason for bestowing technology and possess a 360-degree coverage, and the executive with the power to issue ordinance will be of compact configuration. It is operationally according to Pandit H N Kunzru (involved in critical equipment, which will provide protection to framing the Indian Constitution), was ―to deal with vital assets situations where an emergency in the country The DAC also gave approval for the development necessitated urgent action.‖ of an individual under-water breathing apparatus for An ordinance may be concerned with any subject the T-90 tank. The apparatus is used by the tank that the Parliament has the power to legislate on and crew for emergency escape. also has the same limitations as the Parliament to About Akash missile legislate according to the distribution of powers The Defence Research and Development between the Union, State and Concurrent Lists. Organisation (DRDO) developed Akash as part of There are three limitations with regard to the the Integrated Guided Missile Development ordinance making power of the executive. They are: Programme initiated in 1984. It is made by Bharat i. The President can only promulgate an ordinance Dynamics Limited (BDL). Akash has a range of 25 when either of the two Houses of Parliament is not km and can engage multiple targets at a time in all- in session. weather conditions. It has a large operational ii. The President cannot promulgate an ordinance envelope, from 30 metre to a maximum of 20 km. unless he is satisfied that there are circumstances Each regiment consists of six launchers, each that require taking ‗immediate action‘. having three missiles. iii. Ordinances must be approved by Parliament Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/n within six weeks of reassembling or they shall cease ew-akash-missiles-get-green- to operate. They will also cease to operate in case light/article24980475.ece resolutions disapproving the ordinance are passed „Triple Talaq ordinance‟ (GS2: Executive by both the Houses. powers) An ordinance has to be converted into legislation Issue: In a historic decision, PM Narendra Modi-led within 42 days of commencement of the Parliament central government on Wednesday cleared the session, or else it will lapse. An ordinance can be promulgation of the Triple Talaq ordinance which re-promulgated only thrice. The governor of a state criminalises the practice of verbal divorce among can also issue ordinances under Article 213 of the Muslim men. Constitution of India, when the state legislative The Ordinance will now be sent to President Ram assembly is not in session. There have been various Nath Kovind for his signature which will finally important discussions on the ordinance making result in the poromulgation of the ordinance into a power of the President and Governor. Significant law questions have been asked on the judicial review of What is Ordinance? the ordinance making powers of the executive; the The term ―ordinance‖ is defined by the Oxford necessity for ‗immediate action‘ while dictionary as an authoritative order. Ordinance is a promulgating an ordinance and the granting of decree or law promulgated by a state or national ordinance making powers to the executive, given government without the consent of the legislature. It the principle of separation of powers. The includes examples such as collecting revenue separation of power is very crucial in countries such through new taxes or harnessing resources during www.iasjnana.com 66

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs as US and Britain. The US or British governments Project (DRIP) at the revised cost of Rs 3466 crore do not have the power to issue ordinances. with the financial assistance of the World Bank to Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/india- improve safety and operational performance of 198 news/triple-talaq-no-more-legal-modi-government- Dams, along with institutional strengthening with approves-historic-ordinance/1318716/ system wide management approach. About the project The project will improve the safety and operational performance of selected existing dams and mitigate „Interest savings scheme‟ (GS3: Indian risks to ensure safety of downstream population and Economy) property. The primary beneficiaries are both urban Issue: In a respite to the common man, the Union and rural communities dependent on reservoir and Government on Thursday hiked the interest rates of downstream communities, who are prone to risk small savings schemes, including National Saving associated with dam failure or operational failure. Certificate and Public Provident Fund, for the Further, through institutional strengthening October-December quarter. component, effectiveness of Dam Safety Changes made in the interest rate include: Organisations will be increased to take the lead to . After the revision, the interest rate for the make dams safe from structural and operational five-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme will point of view through capacity building of staff and be 8.7% instead of the current rate of 8.3%. officials. . Public Provident Fund (PPF) and National DRIP envisages following objectives: – Savings Certificate (NSC) will fetch an annual 1. a) Component-I: – Rehabilitation of Dam interest rate of 8% in place of the existing 7.6% and its Appurtenant Structures, and Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) will yield 7.7% 2. b) Component-II: – Institutional but will now mature in 112 months instead of Strengthening and 111. 3. c) Component-Ill: – Project Management. . The girl child savings scheme Sukanya The Project implementation has been granted in- Samriddhi will offer 8.5% instead of 8.1%. principle approval for two years extension in the Impact of this on the Bonds year 2017 by Union Minister of Water Resources, The rates of small savings schemes are linked to River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and government bond yields. The move is expected to the World Bank with a revised closure date of the see banks hiking their deposit rates in line with the project by 30th June 2020. small savings rate offered by the government. Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx? Why did the government increase the interest PRID=1546616 rates? „Exercise Aviaindra 2018‟ (GS2: India-Russia The move has come after the latest data of the bilateral ties) Reserve Bank of India showed that fresh Issue: Exercise Aviaindra is an Air Force level investments in small savings schemes like post exercise between India and the Russian Federation. office saving schemes, senior citizen savings First Aviaindra was conducted in 2014 and has been schemes and PPF dropped to almost nil. planned as a bi-annual exercise. Source:https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEAnpj Objective of the exercise teuDOTectsEHrDPCjoqGQgEKhAIACoHCAow2p The aim of the exercise is focused towards anti- qGCzD954MDMKLWigY?hl=en- terrorist operations in a bi-lateral scenario. The IN&gl=IN&ceid=IN%3Aen exercise would further enhance the co-operation and „Dam rehabilitation and Improvement understanding each other‘s Concept of Operations. project‟ (GS2: Government policies for In addition to flying exercise, there would be formal development in various sectors) interactions, discussions, exchange of ideas and Issue: The Cabinet Committee on Economic friendly sports matches to enhance bonhomie Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri between the two Air Forces. Narendra Modi, has approved the Revised Cost Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR Estimate of Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement ID=1546744 www.iasjnana.com 67

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs „Tuberculosis‟ (GS2: Issues related to Health) blood. According to WHO more than 95 percent of Issue: India is one of the major contributors to all deaths related to TB cases occur in low- and under-reporting and under-diagnosis of tuberculosis middle-income countries (TB) cases in the world, according to the Global People who use tobacco or misuse drugs or alcohol Tuberculosis Report 2018 released by World Health long term are more likely to get active TB, as are Organization (WHO) people diagnosed with HIV and other immune What the report says? system issues. TB is the leading killer of people 1. India accounted for 32% of global TB who are HIV-positive, according to WHO. Other deaths among HIV-negative people, and for risk factors for getting active TB disease include: 27% of the combined total TB deaths in HIV- . diabetes negative and HIV-positive people in 2017 . end-stage kidney disease 2. TB affected all countries and all age groups, . malnourishment but overall estimates for 2017 showed that 90% . certain cancers of cases were adults (aged ≥15 years), 64% Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/maQIfJz were male, 9% were people living with HIV, of Hsg2LenYO5k3OxI/India-a-major-contributor-to- which 72% were in Africa. underdiagnosis-of-tuberculosis.html 3. Among these, two-thirds of TB cases were reported in eight countries — India (27%), „India-Pakistan trade‟ (GS3: Indian Economy) China (9%), Indonesia (8%), The Philippines Issue: Trade between India and Pakistan can (6%), Pakistan (5%), Nigeria (4%), Bangladesh increase from $2 billion at present to $37 billion if (4%) and South Africa (3%). both countries do away with artificial trade barriers, 4. The report also highlighted that drug- a World Bank report. resistant TB remained a global public health Other observations made in the report crisis. In 2017, 558,000 people were estimated 1. India‘s informal trade with Pakistan is 91% to had developed disease resistant to at least of formal trade rifampicin – the most effective first-line TB 2. Port restrictions offset the advantage of drug. geographical proximity, which should lead to 5. Among the five major risk factors for TB, low transit costs and times between the states including alcohol, smoking, diabetes, HIV and or provinces in northern India and Pakistan and undernourishment, a majority of TB patients in thus boost trade. Pakistan allows only 138 India, over 6 lakh, were attributable to items to be imported from India over the undernourishment. Attari–Wagah land route. About Tuberculosis 3. The complex relations between India and Tuberculosis (TB), once called consumption, is a Pakistan have adversely affected bilateral trade highly infectious disease that primarily affects the as well as trade within the region, said the lungs. World Bank. The two countries account for Active TB typically causes many symptoms that are 88% of South Asia‘s gross domestic product most commonly related to the respiratory system, and 86% of its population. including coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm). Current scenario of trade between the two Other symptoms include: countries . unexplained fatigue Under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), . fever both countries have reduced tariffs to a maximum of . night sweats 5%. India has reduced tariffs to zero on imports . appetite loss from the least developed countries. However, India . weight loss (614 items) and Pakistan (936 items) continue to While TB usually affects the lungs, it can also affect maintain long lists of sensitive items, numbering other organs, such as the kidneys, spine, bone 614 and 936, respectively, including items on which marrow, and brain. Symptoms will vary depending no tariff concessions are granted. on which organ is infected. For example, India accorded Pakistan most-favored-nation status tuberculosis of the kidneys can cause you to urinate or non-discriminatory market access in 1996, under www.iasjnana.com 68

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs the World Trade Organization. However, Pakistan countries in Central and South Asia. India has has not yet granted India the same status. already invested $10.8 billion in Afghanistan as of Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/eOQAC 2012. More such projects are likely to come up after XMPE8RjDD7cRQBMZJ/IndiaPakistan-trade-may- Nato‘s withdrawal. This includes setting up Iron ore rise-to-37-billion-if-barriers-are.html mines, a 6 MTPA steel plant (by SAIL—Steel „India-Afghanistan ties‟ (GS2: Bilateral Authority of India Limited), an 800 MW power relations) plant, Hydro-electric power projects, transmission Issue: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on lines, roads etc., India helped Afghans in the Wednesday discussed with Prime Minister reconstruction of Salma Dam in the Herat province. Narendra Modi the growing presence of the IS Besides producing 42 MW power, this Indo-Afghan (Da‘esh) in Afghanistan, and the continuing influx friendship dam provides irrigation for 75,000 of terrorists from Pakistan, during his day-long visit hectares of farmland in the Chisti Sharif district. to Delhi India and Iran are set to ink a transit agreement on Other topics on which discussion were carried transporting goods to landlocked Afghanistan. The out include Indian government is investing more than US$100 1. New Delhi would back the Afghan million in the expansion of the Chabahar port in government on its decision to engage the southeastern Iran which will serve as a hub for the Taliban in talks that are ―Afghan-owned, transportation of transit goods. Afghan-led.‖ Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/w 2. During his meeting with Mr. Modi, ith-modi-ghani-raises-issues-of-is-pak- President Ghani made a special mention of the terrorists/article24988427.ece siege of Ghazni city in August where a sizeable number of foreign fighters had fought alongside the Taliban Bilateral relations between the two countries Bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of India have traditionally been strong and friendly. While the Republic of India was the only South Asian country to recognize the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s, its relations were diminished during the 1990s Afghan civil war and the Taliban government. India aided the overthrow of the Taliban and became the largest „India-South Korea ties‟ (GS2: Bilateral regional provider of humanitarian and relations) reconstruction aid to Afghanistan. Indians are Issue: One of the major foreign policy initiatives of working in various construction projects, as part of President Moon Jae-in of South Korea is the India‘s rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan government‘s ‗New Southern Policy‘, with a goal of The relation between the people of Afghanistan and deepening ties with South East Asian nations as India traces to the Indus Valley Civilization. well as India and building an inclusive regional Following Alexander the Great‘s brief occupation, architecture in Asia the successor state of the Seleucid Empire India and South Korea have agreed to boost controlled the region known today as Afghanistan. bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030 from $20 In 305 BCE, they ceded much of it to the Indian billion now. Seoul wants to elevate ties with India as part of an alliance treaty. to the level of those with four other major powers India seeks to expand its economic presence in around the Korean Peninsula — the U.S., China, Afghanistan as the international coalition fighting Russia and Japan. the Taliban withdraws combat forces through 2014. Bilateral relations between India and South Especially, it wants to improve transport Korea connectivity and economic collaboration with www.iasjnana.com 69

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs India–South Korea relations have been relatively 3. The database will be maintained by the strong for 2,000 years, although more progress National Crime Records Bureau which will arose during the past three decades. Korea and India also track whether the State police were share a lot of similarities in every aspect. Since the updating the records on time. formal establishment of the diplomatic ties between 4. The database will include offenders the two countries in 1973, several trade agreements convicted under charges of rape, gang rape, have been reached: Agreement on Trade Promotion Protection of Children from Sexual Offenders and Economic and Technological Co-operation at Act (POCSO) and eve teasing. 1974; Agreement on Co-operation in Science & New portal for reporting cyber-crime Technology in 1976; Convention on Double 1. MHA launched another portal, Taxation Avoidance in 1985; and Bilateral cybercrime.gov.in that will receive complaints Investment Promotion/ Protection Agreement in from citizens on objectionable online content 1996. Trade between the two nations has increased related to child pornography. exponentially, exemplified by the $530 million 2. Objectionable online content will include during the fiscal year of 1992-1993, and the US$10 child sexual abuse material, and sexually billion during 2006-2007. It further increased to explicit material such as rape and gang rape. US$17.6 billion in the year 2013. 3. This will not only aid the During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, South victims/complainants but also help the civil Korean businesses sought to increase access to the society organisations and responsible citizens global markets, and began trade investments with to anonymously report such complaints. India. In July 2018, South Korean President Moon 4. The complaints registered through this Jae-in and Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi portal will be handled by police authorities of jointly inaugurated the world‘s largest smart-phone respective State/UTs. factory ―Samsung‖ in Noida, India 5. There are other features, such as a victim or Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/internation complainant can track his/her report by opting al/s-korea-wants-to-elevate-ties-with- for ‗report and track‘ option using his/her india/article24988305.ece mobile number. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/s Sex offender‟s registry launched with 4.4 lakh ex-offenders-registry-launched-with-44-lakh- entries (GS2: governance, prelims) entries/article24999478.ece First-of-its-kind database has records of convicts Successful Flight Test of Prahar (GS3: science& from 2005 tech, prelims) 1. The first-of-its-kind national sex offenders‘ . DRDO successfully flight tested the registry recently launched has names and indigenously developed surface-to-surface details of some 4.4 lakh people convicted for tactical missile ‗Prahar‘, from Launch various sexual offences across the country. Complex-III, ITR, Balasore. 2. The database is for those convicted for Prahar Missile sexual offences 2005 onwards. 1. Prahar (―Strike‖) is an Indian solid-fuel 3. It includes name, address, photograph and road-mobile tactical ballistic missile developed fingerprint details of the convict. by DRDO. National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) 2. Prahar is expected to replace the Prithvi-I 1. India became the ninth country in the world short-range ballistic missile in Indian service. to have a National Database on Sexual 3. The missile is equipped with state-of-the-art Offenders (NDSO), accessible only to law navigation, guidance and electromechanical enforcement agencies for the purpose of actuation systems with advanced on board ―investigation and monitoring‖. computer. 2. The proposal to set up a registry was mooted 4. It is a quick-reaction, all-weather, all-terrain, by the government after the 2012 Nirbhaya highly accurate battlefield support tactical gangrape case in New Delhi. weapon system. www.iasjnana.com 70

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 5. The missile fills the short-range tactical Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx? battlefield missile role as required by the relid=183579 Indian Army to take out strategic and tactical CFLOWS to forecast floods in city (GS3: targets. Environment) 6. ‗Prahar‘ is a contemporary weapon system . Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management capable of carrying multiple types of warheads Authority plans to use ‗CFLOWS,‘ a web- and neutralizing a wide variety of targets. based application, that will help in forecasting Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx? flooding in a particular location anywhere in relid=183602 the State during the forthcoming northeast Health Ministry launches sputum sample monsoon. transportation through Dept. of post (GS 2: . CFLOWS, which would forecast level of Issues relating to development & management of waterlogging and vulnerable locations five Social Sector) days ahead, was developed by IIT Madras, . A pilot project for utilising services of Institute of Remote Sensing, Anna University Department of Post for transport of sputum and National Coastal Research Centre along specimen for TB Diagnosis was launched by with TNSDMA. the Health Ministry. . The web-based GIS application would work TB Sputum Test as a hydrodynamic model and collate data such 1. The sputum test is often the first TB test to as water level in rivers and waterbodies and be used in countries with a high rate of TB rainfall to forecast floods. infection. . A MoU was signed by TNSDMA and 2. Sputum is a thick fluid that is produced in NCCR in the presence of Revenue Minister. the lungs and the airways leading to the lungs. . The forecast would be based on 3. A sample of sputum is usually collected by Meteorological Department‘s weather forecast. the person coughing. . This would help in reducing flood risk and 4. Sputum microscopy is inexpensive and plan relief activities. CFLOWS would be simple, and people can be trained to do it integrated with TNSMART, a web-based relatively quickly and easily. application that would also have a mobile 5. In addition the results are available within application. hours. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/che Why postal transportation of Sputum? nnai/cflows-to-forecast-floods-in- 1. Most of the patients are not diagnosed city/article24989752.ece because the specimen does not reach the India‟s ignored mental health challenge (GS2: laboratory due to non-availability of specimen social issues relating to health and education) transport mechanisms. Mental health situation in India 2. Transport of collected specimen also spares 1. India is facing a possible ―mental health the patient‘s from travelling to the reference epidemic‖ laboratory. 2. India‘s contribution to global suicide deaths 3. Prompt transport of specimen followed by increased from 25·3% in 1990 to 36·6% in efficacious testing will enable appropriate 2016 among women, and from 18·7% to management of the TB patients and reduced 24·3% among men disease transmission. 3. The jump far outstrips the approximately 1.4 Nikshay Version 2.0 percentage point increase in India‘s share of 1. The web-based application of Revised global population in that period National Tuberculosis Programme, Nikshay 4. Suicide is the largest killer of India‘s 15-29 Version 2.0 with better user interface and data and 15-39 age cohorts structures, was also launched. Demography of suicides 2. The web-application is also designed to be 1. Suicide makes up a higher percentage of mobile friendly, enabling data entry also from deaths in the more developed states of the the mobile browser. www.iasjnana.com 71

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs south and western and central states have mid- Source: https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/COVxf level SDRs V61DLbRD3QxCTr3pK/Opinion–Indias-ignored- 2. The northwest and less developed north mental-health-challenge.html have low SDRs, while the east and northeast have mixed rates 3. The variations across states are due to the different levels of urbanization, the proportion of the literate population, and the difference in literacy attainment The gender gap in suicides 1. Indian women‘s SDRs are almost three times higher than the rates expected globally for countries at similar levels of sociodemographic development 2. This is because women are struggling with disproportionate socio-economic burdens

3. Their high SDRs relative to men are rooted Cabinet approves enhancement of various in factors as varied as the difference in socially initiatives under ICDS scheme (GS3: Welfare acceptable methods of dealing with stress and scheme, prelims) conflict for women and men, domestic violence . The CCEA has approved enhancement of and the different ways in which poverty affects honorarium to Anganwadi the genders Workers/Anganwadi Helpers 4. A particularly important detail is that (AWWs/AWHs)and performance linked married women form the biggest victim group incentive to AWHs [Umbrella Integrated Child of suicide deaths among women in general Development Services (ICDS) Scheme]. 5. This group becomes more vulnerable due to . Nearly 27 lakh AWWs/AWHs will be arranged and early marriage, young benefitted by the approval. motherhood and economic dependence Details of the approval Migration also a factor 1. The proposals approved consist of the 1. The past few decades have witnessed following: economic, labour and social changes on a scale Revised rarely seen before Old Rates Name of Functionary Rates 2. Such rapid change with the economic p.m. dislocation and change in social and p.m. community links it brings can be destabilizing Anganwadi Worker Rs.3,000/- Rs.4,500/- 3. There is a cost to the loss of social links for Anganwadi Worker at the men who migrate, as well as for their Rs.2,250/- Rs.3,500/- families that stay behind Mini-AWC 4. The parlous state of agriculture doesn‘t help Anganwadi Helper Rs.1,500/- Rs.2,250/- Fewer facilities and doctors 1. In addition, monthly performance linked 1. The state capabilities for addressing mental incentive of Rs.250/- has also been approved health issues are close to non-existent for Anganwadi Helpers for facilitating proper 2. The expenditure on mental health accounts functioning of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). for a tiny fraction of total public health Impact spending 1. The programme through targeted 3. The country has about 5,000 psychiatrists interventions will strive to reduce the level of and less than 2,000 clinical psychologists malnutrition, anemia and low birth weight 4. This is minuscule, given population size babies. 2. It will ensure empowerment of adolescent girls, provide protection to the children who are www.iasjnana.com 72

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs in conflict with law, provide safe place for day- 1. ITU is a United Nations specialised agency care to children of working mothers, create for Information and Communication synergy. Technologies, with membership of 193 3. It will further ensure better monitoring, countries and nearly 800 private sector entities encourage States/UTs to perform, guide and and academic institutions. supervise line Ministries and States/UTs to 2. The body freezes international standards on achieve the targeted goals and bring more telecom technologies that are to be used transparency. globally. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) 3. ITU, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a 1. Launched in 1975, ICDS is an programme member of the United Nations Development which provides food, preschool education, and Group and has 12 regional and area offices in primary healthcare to children under 6 years of the world. age and their mothers. 4. The ITU coordinates the shared global use 2. These services are provided from of the radio spectrum, promotes international Anganwadi centres established mainly in rural cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, works areas and staffed with frontline workers. to improve telecommunication infrastructure in 3. In addition to fighting malnutrition and ill the developing world. health, the programme is also intended to 5. The ITU is active in areas including combat gender inequality by providing girls the broadband Internet, latest-generation wireless same resources as boys. technologies, aeronautical and maritime Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx? navigation, radio astronomy, satellite-based relid=183561 meteorology, convergence in fixed-mobile ITU South Asia area office and tech innovation phone, Internet access, data, voice, TV center to be set up in Delhi (GS2: IR, Prelims) broadcasting, and next-generation networks. . The global telecom body International 6. India has been member of ITU since 1869 Telecommunication Union will set up its local and has also been a regular member of the ITU area office for South Asia in the national Council since 1952. capital. Source: https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.c Implications for India om/news/itu-south-asia-area-office-and-tech- 1. The establishment of this ITU local area innovation-centre-to-be-set-up-in-delhi- office will be an important milestone for India. sinha/65862727 2. It signifies global recognition of the progress 100% railway electrification to double power India has made in the field of ICT. demand by 2022 (GS3: Economy, prelims) 3. It also places on the responsibility to work 1. The CCEA has approved the proposal for with our neighbouring countries to take the electrification of balance un-electrified broad benefits of the rapid developments in this gauge routes of Indian Railways (IR) covering technology-driven industry to our people in the 13,675 route kilometers (16,540 track South Asia region. kilometers) likely to be completed by 2021-22. 4. The ITU South Asia Office will serve nine 2. The proposed electrification, which is countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, mainly for missing links and last mile Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, connectivity will increase the operational in addition to the host country. efficiency, enhance the line capacity and 5. This local area office will play a key role improve the average speed of trains. ITU‘s development programs with focus on Benefits of Electrification Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Land- . Capacity & Speed Locked Developed Countries (LLDCs), Small 1. 100% electrification will provide seamless Island Developing States (SIDS) and other train operation by eliminating detention of similarly placed nations in the region. trains due to change in traction from diesel to International Telecommunication Union electric and vice versa. www.iasjnana.com 73

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 2. It will help Railways in enhancing line Development Initiative, there are 271 million capacity due to higher speed & higher haulage fewer poor people in India in this period capacity of electric locomotives 3. 364 million Indians continue to experience . Energy Security acute deprivations in health, nutrition, 1. In line with the new Auto Fuel Policy of the schooling and sanitation Government, total shift to electric traction 4. About 196 million MPI poor people in India, will reduce fossil fuel consumption of about accounting for more than half of all 2.83 billion liters per annum multidimensionally poor in India, live in the 2. Reduced dependence on imported four states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh petroleum based fuels will ensure energy and Madhya Pradesh security to the nation 5. Just over one in four multidimensionally . Energy bill savings poor people in India are under ten years of age 1. Overall savings in fuel bill to the extent of 6. Traditionally disadvantaged groups, in terms Rs. 13,510 cr per annum. Electrification of of castes, religions etc, continue to be the sections covered under this decision will result poorest though they have experienced the in net savings of Rs. 3,793 cr per annum biggest decadal reduction in MPI 2. Regeneration facility of electric locomotives About Multidimensional Poverty Index will save 15-20% energy 1. The MPI measures multiple deprivations in 3. Reduced overall requirement of electric loco the same households in education, health and due to higher horse power living standards and 10 indicators, namely . Sustainability nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, 1. Reduced carbon footprint as environmental school attendance, sanitation, cooking fuel, cost per Tonne Km for Electric Traction is 1.5 drinking water, electricity, housing and assets Paisa and for Diesel Traction 5.1 paisa 2. Those found to face deprivations in at least a 2. In line with commitment made by India in third of the MPI‘s components are COP21, total shift to electric traction will multidimensionally poor reduce CO2 emission of Railways by 24% till Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/undp 2027-28 -report-lauds-indias-strides-in-reducing-poverty-in- 3. Green house gas emission for electric past-decade/ traction will fall below diesel traction by 2019- ISRO setting up launch pad for Gaganyaan 20 making it environmentally friendly option. mission (GS3: Science&tech, prelims ISRO set to . Employment Generation have new launch pad) Direct employment during construction phase for 1. The ISRO is setting up a third launch pad at about 20.4 crore Man days. Sriharikota to undertake the Gaganyaan Source: https://www.livemint.com/Companies/Suni manned space flight programme, an ISRO viCcxYRcSkGON6v1TO/100-railway- official said on Friday. electrification-to-double-power-demand-by- 2. In addition, ISRO is scouting for a location 2022.html on the western sea coast near Gujarat to set up another launch pad for Small Satellite Launch UNDP report lauds India‟s strides in reducing Vehicles (SSLV). poverty in past decade (GS1: social issues, 3. ISRO will use its GSLV Mk-III launch prelims Multidimensional Poverty Index 2018) vehicle, which can carry the heavier payload of 1. In the decade between 2005-06 and 2015- the Gaganyaan, and this will take off from the 16, India has halved its Multidimensional new launch pad. Poverty Index (MPI) from 54.7 per cent to 27.5 4. In addition to the third launch pad at per cent Sriharikota, ISRO is also scouting for a new 2. According to MPI 2018 released by the location near Gujarat for the SSLV. United Nations Development Programme Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human 1. ISRO is developing the SSLV to offer affordable launch options for smaller satellites www.iasjnana.com 74

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs through Antrix, the space agency‘s commercial symbolise the sacrifice of Hasan and Hussain, arm. the grandsons of Prophet Mohammed. The 2. ISRO currently piggybacks smaller satellites dargahs are looked after under the guidance of on the PSLV and GSLV along with bigger a ‗mujawar‘ or custodian who is invariably a satellites. Muslim. 3. The SSLV is expected to reduce the launch . The sawaris have a central long wooden time as well as cost less to launch small piece with a rounded off distal end, sometimes satellites, which are much in demand. carrying a ‗panja‘ or palm or ‗naal‘ or a 4. ISRO have evaluated several locations of crescent moon shaped object, from where the which the first two SSLV launches will take plethora of cloth pieces offered by devotees are place from Sriharikota. After that they will suspended. move to the new location. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/te Gaganyaan langana/muharram-a-part-of-adivasi- 1. ISRO has begun work on the manned ethos/article24999561.ece mission in 2004. Protecting persons with HIV/ AIDS (GS2: 2. Many of the critical technologies required Governance, prelims) for human spaceflight have already been HIV Prevention Act 2017 validated through various tests. 1. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and 3. These include Space Capsule Recovery Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Experiment, Crew Module Atmospheric Re- (Prevention and Control) Act of 2017 Entry Experiment and Pad Abort Test. safeguards the human rights of people living Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/is with HIV and AIDS ro-setting-up-launch-pad-for-gaganyaan- 2. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare mission/article25010147.ece issued a notification to bring the Act into force In the tribal hearland of Adilabad, Muharram is from September 10 a part of Adivasi ethos (GS1: art& culture, History of the law prelims) 1. The Act was born out of an urgent need to News prevent and control the virus and syndrome. . The influence of the non-tribal culture has 2. It has highlighted the necessity for effective apparently come to the tribal heartland of care, support and treatment for HIV and AIDS Adilabad during the rule of the Nizam of 3. The Act spawns from the commitment to the Hyderabad. global community under the Declaration of . Muharram was a State festival then and it is Commitment on Human Immunodeficiency generally believed that it has evolved into a Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency tribal event over the years incorporating some Syndrome (2001) of the religious methods of the ethnic people. 4. The declaration calls for enhanced . The assimilation of culture of the aboriginal coordination and intensification of national, Raj Gond, Pardhan or Andh tribes is what regional and international efforts to combat the makes Adivasi Muharram different from the virus and syndrome in a comprehensive Shia event but makes it somewhat similar to manner the one which is observed by Hindus in North Provisions of the law Telangana. 1. The statute aims to provide equal rights to . Thousands of tribal devotees flock the persons with HIV and bring them into the makeshift or permanent ‗dargahs‘ scatterred all mainstream over the tribal belt making wishes which forms 2. The Act gains importance as it makes it a the core activity of the event. legal obligation to protect the privacy of . A good number of aboriginal habitations, persons with HIV and AIDS especially in Adilabad and Kumram Bheem 3. The law addresses discrimination meted out Asifabad districts, boast of ‗dargahs‘ which to persons with HIV and AIDS. It fortifies the happen to be the resting places of ‗sawaris‘ that health and medical health-care system for them www.iasjnana.com 75

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs and introduces legal accountability along with . The Parker Solar Probe‘s first close formal mechanisms to inquire into complaints approach to the Sun will be in November. and redress grievances Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/technolog 4. The Act lists various grounds on which y/science/nasas-parker-solar-probe-sends-back-first- discrimination against persons with HIV is images-5366742/ prohibited 5. The requirement for HIV testing as a pre- requisite for obtaining employment or accessing health care or education is also prohibited 6. The Act provides that every HIV infected or affected person below the age of 18 years has the right to reside in a shared household 7. Every person in the care and custody of the state shall have the right to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and counselling services Protecting privacy 1. The Act prohibits any individual from publishing information or advocating feelings of hatred against HIV positive persons and those living with them 2. Section 37 makes such propagation of hatred MHA signs MoU with ISRO to set up an punishable with a term of imprisonment which Integrated Control Room for Emergency shall not be less than three months but which Response may extend to two years, with fine which may News extend to 1 lakh rupees. . The MHA and ISRO signed a MoU for Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op- setting up of an state-of-the-art Integrated ed/protecting-persons-with-hiv- Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR- aids/article24998255.ece ER) in Ministry of Home Affairs. NASA‟s Parker Solar Probe sends back first Integrated Control Room for Emergency images (GS3: science & tech, prelims) Response (ICR-ER) News 1. ISRO will render its technical expertise for . Just over a month into its seven- setting up of proposed ICR-ER whereas the year mission to touch the Sun, NASA‘s Parker project will be executed under overall Solar Probe has beamed back the first-light supervision of MHA. data from each of its four instrument suites, the 2. The ICR-ER will cater to the requirement of U.S. space agency said. Disaster Management as well as Internal . Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe‘s Security. (WISPR) the only imager on the probe door 3. ICR-ER will address the requirement of was opened, allowing the instrument to take the receipt of information on near real-time basis, first images during its journey to the Sun. strategic level monitoring, situation awareness, . WISPR with both its inner and outer command and control. telescope snapped a blue-toned, two-panel 4. This will improve preparedness and image of space with stars visible throughout. response in the diverse internal security While the Sun is not visible in the image, it situation and disaster related emergencies. showed Jupiter. 5. Resultantly, it will increase the operational . The probe also sent data back from its three effectiveness and will be helpful in rendering other instruments on board: ISoIS, FIELDS timely response and assistance during various and SWEAP which are all dedicated to emergency situations. unravelling the mysteries of the Sun. www.iasjnana.com 76

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Source: least 4% of its gross domestic product (GDP) http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=1 on health 83608 3. India‘s health expenditure at 3.9% of GDP is PMJAY: The promises and challenges of a bold comparable to this norm experiment (GS2: Governance, prelims Launch 4. However, the health ministry‘s National of PMJAY) Health Accounts show that total government 1. The Ayushman Bharat—Pradhan Mantri Jan health expenditure is only an appalling 1.1% of Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), a health insurance GDP scheme announced in the last budget, will be 5. Well over 70% of health expenditure is launched on 23 September privately financed 2. It is arguably the most ambitious social 6. More than 62% is direct out of pocket health insurance (SHI) programme ever (OOP) spending by patients as against the launched anywhere in the world WHO-recommended OOP ceiling of 40% 3. PMJAY will provide insurance up to Challenges to PMJAY 500,000 rs per family per year for in-patient . Unknown financial cost of the programme secondary and tertiary treatment 1. No actuarial database is available to yield a 4. It will cover over 100 million vulnerable probability distribution of the expected number families, which is about 500 million people, the of different health episodes requiring different poorest 40% of India‘s population treatments at varying costs 5. Treatment would be provided by empanelled 2. Without such a database, insurance agencies public and private hospitals cannot estimate the required premium to About PMJAY adequately cover the pooled risk —the ultimate 1. PMJAY is actually the second tier of cost of the programme Ayushman Bharat, a two-tier scheme. It will . Coverage erosion ride on the first tier, a network of 150,000 1. A pattern observed in several countries is health and wellness centres (HWCs) that will that when costs escalate, the package covered provide free universal and comprehensive by SHI is shrunk and co-payments and primary health care coverage caps are introduced, thereby raising 2. The HWCs will serve as the awareness, the burden of OOP spending screening and referral link between patients 2. Some private providers might be pushing and PMJAY high-cost treatments not covered by SHI to 3. A cadre of frontline health service enhance their profit margins, thereby further professionals called Pradhan Mantri Aarogya raising the OOP burden on patients Mitras (PMAMs) are being trained to facilitate . Implementation failure the provision of treatment to beneficiaries at 1. PMJAY will ride on the first tier of hospitals Ayushman Bharat, a network of 150,000 Relevance of PMJAY HWCs spread throughout the country 1. The significance of PMJAY has to be seen 2. Fixing this weak primary care foundation of in the context of existing health conditions and India‘s public healthcare system is more health service delivery systems in India urgently needed than providing insurance for 2. With an average life expectancy of 68.3 secondary and tertiary care years, India trails all its Asian neighbours Source: https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/mq8YI barring Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar and WBypaEVUiSCLBRpNN/Opinion–PMJAY-The- Laos promises-and-challenges-of-a-bold-exper.html Healthcare expenditure not satisfactory India puts four more nuclear facilities under 1. Healthcare is one important factor among IAEA safeguards (GS3: International Relations, several that determine health outcomes along prelims(about IAEA) with income, nutrition, and hygiene More reactors under global watchdog) 2. The World Health Organization 1. India has decided to place four more recommends that a country should spend at reactors under the IAEA safeguards. www.iasjnana.com 77

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 2. Accordingly, two Russian-designed . International Day of Sign Languages was Pressurized Light Water Reactors and two proposed by World Federation of the Deaf Pressurized Heavy Reactors being built with (WFD), a federation of 135 national Indian technology will be covered. associations of deaf people, representing 3. With this, a total of 26 Indian nuclear around 70 million deaf people‘s human rights facilities will be under the international nuclear worldwide. Later, United Nations General energy watchdog. Assembly (UNGA) instituted this day by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopting resolution A/RES/72/161 in Safeguards December 2017 1. These are a system of inspection and . According to WFD, there are approximately verification of the peaceful uses of nuclear 72 million deaf people worldwide. More than materials as part of the Nuclear Non- 80% of them live in developing countries. Proliferation Treaty (NPT), supervised by the Collectively, they usemore than 300 different International Atomic Energy Agency. sign languages 2. It also contributes to nuclear arms control Source: http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PR and disarmament, by responding to requests for ID=1546990 verification and technical assistance associated India‟s first Coal-gasification fertilizer plant to with related agreements and arrangements. come up in Talcher, Odisha (GS3: Science & 3. The Divisions of Operations are organized Tech, prelims) as follows: . Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched . Operations A: conducting safeguards commencement of work for India‘s first Coal- inspections in East Asia and Australasia gasification based fertilizer plant with pet coke . Operations B: conducting safeguards blending will come up in Talcher, Odisha. The inspections in the Middle East (Southwest coal gasification based fertilizer plant is being Asia), South Asia, Africa and the Americas; developed by Talcher Fertilizers Limited (TFL) this geographic region also includes non-EU . The plant will be built at an estimated European states investment of Rs. 13,000 crore and is targeted . Operations C: conducting safeguards to be commissioned by 2022 with capacity of inspection in the European Union states, Russia producing 1.27 Million Metric Tonnes Per and Central Asia Annum (MMTPA) of Neem coated prilled urea . Operations for verification in Iranian using coal and petcoke as feedstock. Nuclear Deal. . Neem coated urea reduces leaching of Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/eco nitrogen into soil and checks diversion of urea nomy/india-puts-four-more-nuclear-facilities-under- from agriculture uses iaea-safeguards/article24988409.ece . It will use gas produced from coal, thus reducing dependence on urea and gas imports. „International Day of Sign Languages‟ It will promote alternative use of domestic coal . International Day of Sign Languages is in environment friendly manner, thereby celebrated annually across the world on 23 supporting India‘s commitments under CoP 21 September every year along with International Paris Agreement 2016 Week of the Deaf. . Pollutants like Carbon Dioxide (CO2) . The choice of 23 September is the same date produced by this plant will be recycled for that the WFD was established in 1951. production of Urea and other by – products. . The theme of International Day of Sign Further, ash produced by it will be converted to Languages is ―With Sign Language, inert slag which is non–hazardous. Everyone is Included !” With Sign Language, Source: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/DYsww Everyone is Included! IDSL held today, along ZVtJpaTRHPlfUhr1M/PM-Modi-in-Odisha-begins- with IWDeaf, which runs between Monday, work-on-Talcher-fertiliser-plant-r.html September 24 and Sunday, September 30, 2018. www.iasjnana.com 78

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs “Mushairas” to be organized by the Ministry of (A) Above Normal Rainfall Minority Affairs (GS2: GOVERNANCE, 1. The summer monsoon rainfall in Kerala prelims) from May to August this year was 2,290 mm, . Ministry of Minority Affairs is organizing which was 53% above normal. ―Mushairas‖, based on the themes of teachings 2. The average rainfall during the summer and principles of Mahatma Gandhi, across the monsoon period (June-September) is about country to commemorate 150th Birth 1,619 mm. Anniversary of the Father of the Nation. 3. As a result, six of the seven major reservoirs . First such ―Mushaira‖ will be held on 06th in the State had over 90% storage before October, 2018 in New Delhi. August 8, well before Kerala received the . Renowned Urdu poets will be performing unprecedented extreme rainfall events. various programmes based on the themes of 4. Finally, the catchment areas of major Mahatma Gandhi‘s message of harmony, reservoirs in the State received extreme rainfall national integrity, democratic values, non- never before witnessed in the State. violence and global peace. (B) Problem of Storage . Mushaira is a poetic symposium. 1. With over 90% storage, six of the seven . It is an event where poets gather to perform major reservoirs had more than the normal their works. storage before the extreme events could occur. . A mushaira is a beloved part of the culture 2. In August 2018, the catchments upstream of of Pakistan, North India, and the Deccan, the major reservoirs of upstream of the Idukki, particularly among the Hyderabadi Muslims, Kakki, and Periyar experienced unprecedented and it is greatly admired by participants as a extreme rainfall since 1901. forum for free self-expression. (C) Hungry Water Effect Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r 1. The capture of sediments below dams has elid=183631 profound impact on geomorphology of Israel, India to commemorate Centenary of the downstream river. This water released below Battle of Haifa(GS3: IR, prelims) dam level is called hungry water. . The Battle of Haifa is being commemorated 2. The potential energy of the hungry water in Israel, Delhi, and Jaipur. released from dams scour the river banks . The Indian Army commemorates September downstream, uprooting trees or riparian 23 every year as Haifa Day to pay its respects vegetation and damaging bridges and other to the two brave Indian Cavalry Regiments, engineering structures Mysore and Jodhpur Lancers, that helped 3. Overloaded with silt and clay from the liberate the city following a dashing cavalry eroding river banks, the highly turbid and action by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry viscous water clogs drainage channels. Brigade. 4. Subsequent discharge of water from the dam The Battle of Haifa will lead to inundation and waterlogging of . The Battle of Haifa was fought on 23 large areas. . (D) Sand Mining . During the Battle of Haifa, the Indian 15th 1. Years of uncontrolled sand mining have left (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade, 5th most of the rivers in Kerala depleted or Cavalry Division and part of the Desert exhausted of sand and gravel. Mounted Corps attacked rearguard forces of 2. When the river channel has adequate supply the that resulted in the capture of sand and gravel, the potential energy of the of the towns of Haifa and Acre. water is used to transport the mixture. Source: http://www.newsonair.com/Main-News- 3. The water does not scour the banks or turn Details.aspx?id=353175 muddy. What caused Kerala Floods? (GS3: 4. The submerged areas devoid of sand and Environment, prelims) gravel in turn triggers hungry water effect until Causes of Extreme Floods the clay in the water settles www.iasjnana.com 79

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- 1. Criminal justice has far-reaching national/what-caused-the-floods-in- consequences for the lives of people — it kerala/article25023787.ece brings difficulties when it does not act, it causes turbulence when it does The law of happiness(GS3: Economy, prelims) 2. Millions of accused, victims, suspects, World Happiness Report 2018 witnesses and others have poignant tales about 1. The World Happiness Report (WHR) 2018, the actions and inactions of the criminal justice which ranked 156 countries, placed India at the administration 133rd place on the index of global happiness 3. The satisfaction level of people is far too 2. There‘s no denying the fact that there is an low in India when it comes to the police and intrinsic relationship between law and people‘s courts happiness The relationship between crime and happiness Link between the state of happiness and rule of 1. Making people happy is the best crime law prevention 1. Experiences from several nations confirm 2. The connection between crime and that the countries with higher GDP and higher happiness is understandable from the per capita income are not necessarily the experience of Bhutan, which introduced Gross happiest countries and there exists a link National Happiness (GNH) as a measure of between the state of happiness and rule of law good governance 2. The WHRs, over the years, confirmed that 3. The data show that a great majority of the people tend to have poor mental health, a low Bhutanese population are happy (of whom 41 score of subjective well-being and poor per cent are extremely happy), and only 4 per perception about the governance and law and cent reported being victimised by crime over order, despite high-income levels the last 12 months Factors responsible for low happiness in India 4. Further, the crime rate in Bhutan is . 3.3 crore cases pending in various courts in extremely low the country Does rule of law make you happy? 1. Each case is not a mere number — it 1. The countries scoring high on the Rule of involves tension, anxiety and deprivation to all Law Index, a measure used by the World those associated with it Justice Project, are those who are higher on the 2. A group of people — family members, index of happiness as well relatives, friends and others of the parties 2. The fact that happiness ought to be part of involved — are necessarily affected because of the agenda to improve rule of law, and vice such cases versa, is a new thrust in the emerging policy 3. If we presume that there are about 20 discourse in many jurisdictions persons in each case belonging to one or the 3. The institutionalisation of a happiness other parties, we get a number of about 64 framework as a measure of achievement for crore policy goals is now being debated 4. None of them would be in a state of Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/co happiness on account of being linked to the lumns/indian-law-world-happiness-report-ease-of- case living-5370947/ 5. Moreover, not more than 30 per cent people Women can change the rural landscape(GS2: approach the courts in India. There is a visible role of NGO‟s & SHG decline in civil litigation, which suggests that a Analysis of women‟s SHGs) large number of people in the country are 1. As we approach M.K. Gandhi‘s 150th birth living with unresolved conflicts anniversary, it is perhaps fitting to revisit the 6. This too dents the state of happiness in Gandhian approach to rural development general 2. In this context, an analysis of the idea of . Criminal justice administration women self-help groups (SHGs) as a vehicle to transform the rural landscape would be timely www.iasjnana.com 80

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 3. These SHGs can act as powerful institutions 5. Also, as each and every member has joint of participation and can contribute to India‘s and individual liability to pay off the loan, the growth trajectory problem of moral hazard (inability of the bank About SHGs to observe the efforts of the debtor) is 1. SHGs are essentially diminutive and circumvented economically homogeneous groups of rural Reducing socioeconomic disadvantage of women poor 1. It is no secret that women suffer from a vast 2. Mostly they consist of 10-15 members range of socioeconomic disadvantages in India 3. The underlying philosophy guiding an SHG 2. This includes being denied basic rights that is that members periodically save a small range from the freedom to engage in economic amount of money, unanimously agreeing to activities to the right to choose their calling in make a contribution to a common pool life 4. United leadership coupled with an informal 3. The access to credit through the SHG horizontal network helps to create social capital channel helps women to break through these among the poor, especially among the women barriers 5. They act as safety nets to achieve twin 4. By bringing women into the financial net, goals—economic security and social well- SHGs act as potent agents of change that go a being long way in empowering them and, Solving banks problem of selection consequently, their families as well 1. The creation of women SHGs helps finesse 5. Financially empowered, they find the widespread problem of adverse selection themselves in a better position to assert that plagues the Indian banking system themselves in family matters such as family 2. Under normal circumstances, when a bank planning, child education, financial lends money to a potential borrower, investments creditworthiness is seen as an essential Source: https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/tX5ivF5 prerequisite 7pwwNM5J23X5RrJ/Opinion–Women-can-change- 3. More often than not, banks do not have the-rural-landscape.html access to relevant local information regarding the creditworthiness of the borrower, which can either lead to denial of credit or increasing Sikkim gets its first airport and the country its number of defaults and bad debts 100th at Pakyong (GS2: Governance, prelims) 4. However, in the case of women SHGs, . Sikkim is now part of India‘s aviation women entrepreneurs possess the required map as Prime Minister inaugurated the State‘s local information regarding potential members, first airport at Pakyong. This is also the 100th which banks do not airport in the country. 5. As SHGs are based on the sound principle of . The greenfield airport, located 30 km from joint liability, a woman entrepreneur would be capital Gangtok, will start its commercial pairing up with a creditworthy and low-risk operations from the first week of October, partner according to the State . NPA problem not created Spicejet‘s Bombardier Q-400 aircraft will ferry 1. The problem of a non-performing asset passengers to and from Sikkim, Guwahati, and (NPA) arises in two cases Kolkata. 2. One, when there is no asset creation, to . Under the Union government‘s UDAN (Ude begin with Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) regional connectivity 3. Two, when there is asset creation, but the scheme, the private carrier will operate daily asset fails to generate enough cash flow direct flights between Pakyong and Kolkata because of various reasons and between Pakyong and Guwahati from. 4. The SHGs are built on the concept of joint Pakyong is SpiceJet‘s ninth destination under liability, there is a common interest, which the scheme. ensures the creation of an asset www.iasjnana.com 81

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . The reinforcement wall of the project is 80- which support each other‘s bids for permanent metre-high, one of the tallest in the world. seats on the United Nations Security Council. . The Pakyong airport is located around 60 . Unlike the G7, where the common km from the India-China border. denominator is the economy and long-term Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/o political motives, the G4‘s primary aim is the ther-states/what-you-need-to-know-about-pakyong- permanent member seats on the Security airport-in-sikkim-indias-100th- Council. airport/article25026303.ece . Each of these four countries have figured India to focus on climate change, South-South among the elected non-permanent members of cooperation at U.N. (GS2: IR, prelims: G4, the council since the UN‘s establishment. UNGA) . Their economic and political influence has 73rd UNGA meet grown significantly in the last decades, . External Affairs Minister has kicked off her reaching a scope comparable to the permanent week-long diplomatic engagements at the members (P5). United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). . However, the G4‘s bids are often opposed . The 73rd UNGA is taking place against the by the Uniting for Consensus movement, and backdrop of increased American hostility particularly their economic competitors or towards the world body in particular and political rivals. multilateralism in general. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/su . US believe that multilateral global bodies shma-swaraj-to-focus-on-climate-change-south- and treaties function to the detriment and at its south-cooperation-at-un/article25030374.ece cost. Publishing poll candidate‟s propaganda is paid . The U.S has reduced its funding for the U.N. news: Election Commission (GS2: Governance) and either withdrawn or threatened to withdraw Paid News vs. Free Speech from several U.N. bodies under the Trump 1. Repeated publication of propaganda lauding presidency. the achievements of a candidate in an election . Trump is, however, seeking more support is nothing but ―paid news‖, the Election for his combative stance against Iran, from Commission of India has told the apex Court. member countries. 2. Politicians cannot say that it is part of their Addressing leadership vacuum at UN fundamental right to free speech to spew out 1. With America rolling back its interest in ―motivated propaganda‖. global security and development, under the 3. The EC has asked the court to declare Trump administration, the Security Council‘s whether it amounts to ―paid news‖ if widely prominence has diminished. circulated daily newspapers cover statements 2. While America is on retreat, no other issued by, and in the name of, a candidate. country is stepping up to fill the leadership 4. Such news are not only laudatory of his or vacuum in the U.N. her record and achievements but also are a India‟s focus direct appeal to voters by the candidate. 1. The EAM‘s meetings will focus on issues Unequal advantage such as climate change, digital infrastructure, 1. If such motivated propaganda is allowed in and sustainability and South- South the name of free speech during the election cooperation. period, candidates with a strong network of 2. These are areas that India has interests and connections will exploit their sphere of expertise in. influence in society. 3. India will discuss strengthening cooperation 2. This will have the unequal advantage of in areas of commerce, pharma, cybersecurity, encashing such silent services. defence and culture. 3. The commission has moved the court in G4 Nations appeal against a decision of the Delhi High . The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Court to set aside the disqualification of a MP Germany, India, and Japan are four countries in Madhya Pradesh. www.iasjnana.com 82

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs 4. ECI‘s National Level Committee on Paid . It recently landed on Asteroid Ryugu and News found that five newspapers, with a wide the world‘s first rover to land on the surface of circulation, had published 42 news items that an Asteroid. were biased and one-sided and aimed at . This is also the first time for autonomous furthering the prospects of the leader. movement and picture capture on an asteroid 5. Some of the reports were advertisements in surface. favour of him. The committee concluded that . It will collect a sample of the primitive the items fitted the definition of ―paid news‖. world during its stay at Ryugu, to bring to Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/p Earth for laboratory analysis. ublishing-poll-candidates-propaganda-is-paid-news- Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/education- election-commission/article25022289.ece today/gk-current-affairs/story/minerva-ii1-rovers- India conducts successful interceptor missile test from-japan-land-on-asteroid-surface-html-1346931- at night (GS3: Internal security, Prelims) 2018-09-23 . India‗s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Kodagu devastation aggravated by human system is concentrated on tracking and interference: Reports (GS3: Environment, destroying incoming hostile missiles both disaster management) inside (endo) and outside (exo) the earth‘s News atmosphere. . Two reports paint a clearer picture of . The BMD program includes a two-tiered the human interferences that aggravated the system consisting of two interceptor missiles, devastation in Kodagu district in August. namely Prithvi Air Defence (PAD)/ Pradyumna . While the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Advanced Air Defence (AAD)/Ashwin has tabulated 105 landslips in human-habited Ballistic Missile Interceptor. areas, a team from the World Resources . India successfully conducted an interceptor Institute (WRI) used satellite imagery to missile (Prithvi Defence Vehicle) test off the enumerate at least 254 various landslip Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha Coast. instances affecting 1,060 hectares (nearly 10.6 . The Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) is being sq km) of land. developed by DRDO which is set to replace the . Using imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel existing PAD. satellites (deployed by the European . PDV mission is for engaging the targets in Commission), a Senior Project Associate at the exo-atmosphere region at an altitude above WRI India, and Director (Hydrology), WRI, 50 km of the earth‘s atmosphere. counted the changes in landscapes and the . PDV is guided by high-accuracy Inertial crowns (the area from where soil has slipped) Navigation System (INS). to determine the number and pattern in . AAD mission is for engaging the targets in landslips. the endo-atmosphere at an lower altitude of 15- . Not surprising, nearly four in five landslips 30 km. are in areas with human habitation. Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news . These are concentrated around the twists and /defence/india-conducts-successful-interceptor- turns of the Harangi river as well as major missile-test-at-night/articleshow/65925514.cms roads that criss-cross the district (as seen in the Japan becomes world‟s first to land rovers on cluster of land slips close to Madikeri and asteroid surface (GS3: Science & Tech, prelims) particularly on the Mandalpatti road). . It is the world‘s first man-made object to . While heavy rainfall was the trigger, lack of explore movement on an asteroid surface. proper drainage, unscientific slope cutting for . It is developed by Japanese Space Agency agriculture or road works, construction of JAXA. houses close to slopes or natural streams, as . MIcro Nano Experimental Robot Vehicle well as geological causes, have been identified for Asteroid (MINERVA) is the second as having aggravated the situation. generation rover deployed by Hayabusa2 spacecraft. www.iasjnana.com 83

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . These landslips were also found to be . Among men in 2016, an estimated 2.3 entirely within areas that were marked in GSI‘s million deaths and 106.5 million DALYs were landslip susceptibility maps in 2014-15. attributable to the consumption of alcohol. . The maps and reports had a list of Among women 0.7 million died and they recommendations involving slope stabilisation experienced 26.1 million DALYs attributable along roads and construction measures to to alcohol consumption. ensure high slopes are protected. Most of these . The harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor had not been followed. in more than 200 diseases and injury . Their investigation has found that in many conditions, the report stated. Some 2.3 billion human-inhabited areas, the landslips had led to people are current drinkers. Globally more than a cascading effect. a quarter (26.5% ) of all 15-19 year-olds are . In the rains of August 14, smaller landslips current drinkers, amounting to 155 million had blocked streams creating a temporary dam. adolescents. As the rains continued and water accumulated, Source: https://www.business- the dam breached, letting out a torrent of water standard.com/article/opinion/letter-to-bs-india-s- that flooded houses downstream as well as per-capita-alcohol-consumption-doubles-in-11- triggered further landslips. years-118092401176_1.html Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/ban National Orientation workshop on National e- galore/kodagu-devastation-aggravated-by-human- Vidhan Application (NeVA) (GS3: Science & interference-reports/article25017979.ece Tech, prelims: NeVA) . Inaugural Session of the two-day National Alcohol intake in India doubles in 11 years (GS2: Orientation workshop on National e-Vidhan society) Application (NeVA) and new website and app . Per capita alcohol consumption in India has of NeVA was organized by Ministry of more than doubledfrom 2005 to 2016, Parliamentary Affairs. according to a report by the World Health . The focus of the workshop would be to Organisation (WHO). encourage all State Legislatures to move . The consumption of alcohol has increased towards e-Vidhan platform. from 2.4 litres in 2005 to 5.7 litres in 2016 with . This will help bringing in transparency, 4.2 litres being consumed by men and 1.5 litre accountability and responsiveness in their by women, the report said. conduct of business, through the use of . However, diverging trends were noticed in technology. different regions of the world. National e-Vidhan Application Harmful impact of alcohol . NeVA is a member-centric, decentralized . The harmful impact of alcohol is one of the digital application that makes information leading risk factors for populations worldwide available on digital platform about day to day and has a direct impact on many health-related functioning of Legislative Houses covering targets of the Sustainable Development Goals various businesses of the Houses. (SDGs), including those for maternal and child . The application would host a secure page for health, infectious diseases (HIV, viral hepatitis, each Member of the House for submitting tuberculosis), non-communicable diseases and Questions & other Notices. mental health, injuries and poisonings. . The mNeVA (NeVA-mobile app) is a device . In 2016, the harmful use of alcohol resulted neutral and user friendly app that has made in some three million deaths (5.3% of all information on conduct of business in deaths) worldwide and 132.6 million disability- Legislatures accessible anytime, anywhere to adjusted life years (DALYs). everyone. . Mortality resulting from alcohol . It is a work-flow based app deployed in consumption is higher than that caused by Cloud (Meghraj) which helps the Chair of the diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and House to conduct the proceedings of the House diabetes. www.iasjnana.com 84

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs smoothly and the members to carry out their . This year, a World Record attempt will be duties in the House efficiently. made to ―isolate DNA‖ by 500 students from . NeVA has made live for Rajya Sabha in class 8th to 10th standard. respect of Monsoon Session 2018 and Source: https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/pres information in respect of is being ident-kovind-to-inaugurate-india-international- updated. science-festival-on-6-october-5255681.html e-Vidhan Project PSSA 2018: A step towards separating banking, . e-Vidhan is a Mission Mode Project to payments (GS3: Economy, prelims: PSSA) digitize and make the functioning of State Amendments to PSSA Legislatures paperless. . The inter-ministerial committee set up to . This is part of Digital India programme and finalize the amendments to the Payment and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, being the Settlement Systems Act (PSSA), 2007, has Nodal Ministry for this project. submitted its report . It desires to roll out e-Vidhan as NeVA . When PSSA was passed by Parliament in covering all 40 Houses including two Houses December 2007, it initiated the first phase of of Parliament and thereby putting all them on a recognizing payments from banking or classic single platform and proving the theory of ‗One banking Nation One Application‘. Difference between classic banking and . It is to be used by the Legislatures as well as payments all the Government Departments. . Classic banking is ―accepting, for the . This journey began with a pilot project purpose of lending and investment, of deposit executed in Himachal Pradesh with the central of money from individuals or legal entities‖ assistance of Rs.8.12 crores which made the . Bank‘s earnings would directly depend on Shimla Legislative Assembly the first how they are able to reduce cost of deposit Assembly in India to go paperless in 2014. through current account savings account and . This project resulted into overall savings of are able to lend at higher rates with a decision about Rs.5.08 crores annually on account of on security/risk taken for such lending expenditure on papers, printing, manpower . Apart from the interest income, banks would costs and conservation of forests/ trees as impose different kinds of fees for providing ancillary benefits. loan products, as an additional revenue stream Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r . Payments, on the other hand, are the transfer elid=183646 of monetary value from a person/legal entity to another person/legal entity for either consideration towards goods and services rendered or just transfer of money India International Science Festival (GS3: Recommendation of PSSA 2018 draft Science & tech, prelims) amendment . The fourth edition of India International . It is a step towards separating banking and Science Festival (IISF) is going to be organised payments in Lucknow. . It recommends setting up a separate seven- . It will be organised with its focal theme member Payments Regulatory Board (PRB) ―Science for Transformation‖. . It will be chaired by a person appointed by . Ministry of Science and Technology, Earth the government in consultation with Reserve Sciences in association with Vijnana Bharati is Bank of India (RBI) organising this festival since 2015. . There will be one deputy chairman . The first and second edition of IISF were nominated by the central board of RBI, two held in New Delhi and the third in Chennai. members appointed by the central board of . World Record Attempts have been a key RBI, one officer nominated by the government part of India International Science Festival and two whole-time members since 2015. www.iasjnana.com 85

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . The proposed Bill recognizes RBI‘s role in . Instead, it urged Parliament to consider such the context of monetary policy in making a disquali₹cation, saying the nation eagerly regulations for existing or new payments awaits its decision. It systems/enhancements/amendments . noted that the Election Commission of India . It also provides for test systems or has its hands tied, watching on as regulatory sandbox for a period of six months criminalisation of politics at the entry level is for a legal entity to apply and launch the test on the rise. system/innovation Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ca Source: https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/2D0X3 nt-bar-politicians-with-criminal-charges-from- DIvyCi3EszZLjIv9N/PSSA-2018-A-step-towards- contesting-elections-parliament-should-frame-laws- separating-banking-payments.html sc/article25035435.ece Supreme Court asks Parliament to frame laws to India ranks 158th in „human capital‟ score, bar those accused of crimes from (GS2: Polity, behind Sudan (GS2) prelims) . India ranks 158th in the world for its . Political parties have to display the criminal investments in education and health care, record of candidates who contest on their ticket according to the first ever scientific study on their official websites, a five-judge ranking countries for their levels of human Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court capital. directed on September 25, 2018. . The nation is placed behind Sudan (ranked . Parties should also issue a declaration on the 157th) and ahead of Namibia (ranked 159th) in criminal antecedents of their candidates in a the list. The U.S. is ranked 27th, while China is widely circulated publication, said a Bench. at 44th and Pakistan at 164th. . To facilitate this transparency by parties, . The study, says that India is ranked at 158 candidates should ₹rst give complete out of 195 countries in 2016, an improvement information about theircriminal past or pending from its position of 162 in 1990. It showed that cases to the parties on whose ticket they intend India is falling behind in terms of health and to contest elections, stated the judgment. education of its workforce, which could . This is to ensure that the ordinary voter can potentially have long-term negative e₹ects on have an ―informed choice‖ about who he has to the Indian economy. vote for in a country ―tired of money and . The study is based on analysis of data from muscle power,‖ said the court. sources, including government agencies, . The direction to compel political parties to schools, and health care systems. go public about their ―criminal‖ candidates is a . The study, conducted by the Institute for step to ―foster andnurture an informed Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the citizenry‖ and to protect the ―culture and purity request of the World Bank, is the first of its in politics.‖ kind to measure and compare the strength of . The court said criminal politicians are countries‘ ―human capital‖. The study nothing but a liability to this country. Their underscores that when a country‘s human presence in power strikes at the roots of capital score increases, its economy grows. democracy. Criminalisation of politics and . The study places Finland at the top. Turkey corruption, especially at the entry level of showed the most dramatic increase in human elections, has become a national and economic capital between 1990 and 2016; Asian terror. It is a disease which is self-destructive countries with notable improvement include and becoming immune to antibiotics, opined China, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam. the court. Within Latin America, Brazil stands out for . Parties need to come clean about the improvement. All these countries have had criminal elements within their apparatus. faster economic growth over this period than . The candidate should fill up in block letters peer countries with lower levels of human the complete details of their criminal capital improvement. antecedents, if any. www.iasjnana.com 86

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . In addition, the greatest increase among sub- Warning International Status Report‘, that Saharan African countries was in Equatorial ranked 205countries worldwide. Guinea. . The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/in 2016-17 by the Union Ministry of Health and dia-ranks-158th-in-human-capital-score-behind- Family Welfare had put torest all sudan/article25040902.ece apprehensions about the effectiveness of Indo-Portuguese cultural fete set to begin in warnings, since 62% of cigarette smokers and Goa (GS1: culture, prelims) 54% of bidi smokers shared that they thought . The Semana da Cultura Indo Portuguesa, an of quitting because of the 85% pictorial annual event that features cultural exchanges warnings on the packets. And 46% of between smokeless tobacco users thought of quitting . Portugal and Goa, will complete a decade because of the warnings on smokeless tobacco with the 10th edition of the event set to begin products. in Panaji later this week. . The findings revealed a growing demand for . The event will celebrate and appreciate the cessation centres as 55% of smokers and 50% rich cultural flavours of the two nations India of smokeless tobacco users were planning or and Portugal. thinking of quitting tobacco use. . Like previous editions, this year‘s edition Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/h too will have a film festival, a concert by a elpline-for-tobacco-users/article25031156.ece Fadista, Fado singing competition, music Need for an employment policy to solve jobless workshops, a photography exhibition and Indo- growth (GS3: Economy) Portuguese cuisine workshops. Job growth not in sync with GDP growth . A Photography Exhibition will be hosted at . A new study released by Azim Premji the Institute Menezes Braganza. University‘s Centre for Sustainable Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- Employment named the ‗State of Working life/indo-portugal-cultural-fete-set-to-begin-in- India 2018‘ confirms the spectre of jobless goa/article25032797.ece growth India only SAARC country to have a quit-line . The study contends that the divergence number for tobacco users (Prelims) between growth and jobs had increased over . India has become the first and only SAARC time country to have a quit-line number on tobacco . In the 1970s and 80s, when GDP growth products. was around 3-4%, employment growth was . The Union Health Ministry has already about 2% made 85% pictorial health warning mandatory . Currently, the ratio of GDP growth to on both sides of packets containing cigarettes, employment growth is less than 0.1 i.e. a 10% bidis, and chewing tobacco. increase in GDP results in a less than 1% . The quit-line number will be printed on all increase in employment tobacco products manufactured after Findings of the study September 1, 2018. . The study uses government data to show . India is the fourth country in Asia after that total employment actually shrank by seven Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to have this million between 2013 and 2015 government helpline for those looking at . It cites private data to posit that an absolute quitting tobacco. At least 46 countries have decline has continued in the years since quit-line numbers as part of health warning . Unemployment has risen to more than 5% labels on tobacco product packaging. overall . India‘s current international ranking for . In geographic terms, north Indian States are package warnings is number three in the world, the most severely affected, while in as outlined in the October 2016 Canadian demographic terms, young people with higher Cancer Society‘s ‗Cigarette Package Health education levels suffer an unemployment rate as high as 16% www.iasjnana.com 87

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . Rural wage growth collapsed in 2014 and counselling sessions and imparting of nutrition has not risen since and health education. . In the organised manufacturing sector, . According to the recommendations, though the number of jobs has grown, there has anganwadi workers have to provide modified also been an increase in the share of contract morning snacks, hot cooked meals and take work, which offers lower wages and less job home ration for SAM children. security . Locally available cereals, pulses, green leafy Divergence in productivity and wages vegetables and tubers, vitamin C rich fruits, as . There is a divergence of productivity and well as fresh milk and 3-4 eggs every week‖ wages in the organised manufacturing sector have also been prescribed. . Labour productivity in the sector is six times . Importantly, the government has also higher than it was 30 years ago but managerial revised the method to be used to measure and supervisory salaries have only tripled in wasting and advised calculating weight based the same period on the height of children instead of the mid- . The production workers‘ wages have grown upper arm circumference. a measly 1.5 times Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- Caste gap in jobs national/nutrition-norms-issued-to-tackle- . With regard to earnings, the caste gap is sam/article25032868.ece actually larger . Dalits and Adivasis are over-represented in Shaping digital destiny (GS2: Polity, prelims: low-paying occupations and severely under- adhar act) represented in higher-paying ones SC verdict on the validity of Aadhar . They earn only 55-56% of upper caste . After six years of litigation, the Supreme workers‘ earnings Court‘s five-judge Constitution Bench has Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/n given a landmark judgment declaring Aadhaar eed-for-an-employment-policy-to-solve-jobless- as constitutional growth/article25041745.ece . SC has ruled that Aadhaar ensures the Panel approves nutrition norms (GS1: social dignity of individuals and empowers empowerment, prelims) marginalised section of the society . India‘s top nutrition panel has recommended . The Court has held that Aadhaar‘s that severely malnourished children must be architecture does not create a surveillance state fed freshly cooked food prepared from locally . It has gone on to say that ―the Aadhaar Act available cereals, pulses and vegetables, and meets the concept of limited government, good distributed by anganwadi centres, as part of the governance and constitutional trust‖ country‘s first-ever guidelines for nutritional Four important decisions management of children suffering from severe . First, it strikes down section 57 of the acute malnutrition (SAM). Aadhaar Act . The guidelines outline the role of anganwadi 1. Section 57 was used by the government to workers and auxillary nurse midwives (ANMs) compel private companies to demand Aadhaar in identifying severely wasted children, verification for services segregating those with oedema or medical 2. The Court accepted the argument that no complications and sending them to the nearest rationale exists for this power and declared it health facility or nutrition rehabilitation invalid centres. 3. Consequently, the Court has struck . The remaining children are enrolled into downlinking of Aadhaar with mobiles and bank ―community based management‖, which accounts includes provision of nutrition, continuous 4. It has further directed that the data collected monitoring of growth, administration of shall be deleted within six months antibiotics and micro-nutrients as well as www.iasjnana.com 88

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . Second, it transfers sovereignty and . Section 497 of the IPC, mandates that ownership of data back to the citizen to whom ―Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person it belongs who is and whom he knows or has reason to 1. The Aadhaar law did not give ownership believe to be the wife of another man, without rights to the individual but to the Unique the consent or connivance of that man, such Identification Authority of India sexual intercourse not amounting the offence of 2. In case of a breach or misuse of his or her rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery and data, the individual had no legal remedy shall be punished.‖ 3. This has been rectified with citizens now Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a having the right to file cases against the dultery-not-a-criminal-offence-as-sc-strikes-down- government in case of misuse or theft of their section-497-of-ipc/article25055245.ece data PM Narendra Modi awarded prestigious UN . Third, no citizen can be denied benefits if Champions of Earth Award (Prelims) there is a failure of Aadhaar authentication . UN Environment has announced that Mr. 1. Various citizens had been denied basic Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron services as they did not have an Aadhaar have been awarded in the Policy Leadership number category, for their efforts regarding their 2. This will help citizens who were unable to International Solar Alliance. get an Aadhar card, particularly the . The United Nations Environment marginalised and underprivileged sections of Programme (UN Environment) established the society Champions of the Earth in 2005. . Fourth and perhaps most important that the . It is an annual awards programme to decision of the on recognize outstanding environmental leaders whether a Bill can be classified as a Money from the public and private sectors, and from Bill can be subject to judicial review civil society. 1. Prior to this landmark decision, the Speaker . This awards programme is a successor to enjoyed almost complete immunity from UNEP‘s Global 500 Roll of Honour. judicial review Source: http://newsonair.nic.in/Main-News- 2. The judgment would instil a fear in minds of Details.aspx?id=353329 lawmakers that taking the money bill route will no longer save them from the court‘s scrutiny Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/c olumns/aadhaar-validity-verdict-supreme-court- dipak-misra-uidai-5376128/ Adultery no longer a criminal offence as SC strikes down Section 497 of IPC . A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court scrapped the pre-Independence provision of adultery in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which treats a married woman as a commodity owned by her husband. . The Apex court said that Adultery can be a civil wrong and a ground for divorce but it cannot be a criminal offence. Cabinet approves National Digital . SC said Section 497 offends sexual freedom Communication Policy (GS3: science & tech, of women. Marriage does not mean ceding prelims) autonomy of one to the other. Ability to make The new telecom policy has been formulated, in sexual choices is essential to human liberty. place of the existing National Telecom Policy-2012 Even within private zones, an individual should and aims to facilitate India‘s effective participation be allowed her choice. in the global digital economy. www.iasjnana.com 89

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs National Digital Communication Policy 2018 . Astra is designed to be capable of engaging . It aims to provide universal broadband targets at varying range and altitudes allowing connectivity at 50 megabits per second for engagement of both short-range targets at a (MBPS) to every citizen. distance of 20 km (12 mi) and long-range . It will also provide one Gbps connectivity to targets up to a distance of 80 km (50 mi). all Gram Panchayats by 2020 and 10 Gbps by Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r 2022. elid=183748 . This estimated speed is much faster than the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) (GS3: present speed being provided to Gram Disaster management, prelims) Panchayats and will enable fast Internet surfing . In the series of meetings of Indian Ocean and download of data. Naval Symposium (IONS) Working Group . The policy advocates establishment of (IWG) on Humanitarian Assistance and National Digital Grid by creating a National Disaster Relief (HADR), the 3rd meeting is Fibre Authority. being held at Headquarters Eastern Naval . It also aims at expanding IoT ecosystem to 5 Command, Vishakhapatnam. billion connected devices. . IONS, the 21st century‘s first significant Internet of Things (IoT) international maritime security initiative . The IoT is the network of physical devices, launched in February 2008, provides a forum vehicles, home appliances, and other items for discussion of regional maritime issues and embedded with electronics, software, sensors, promotes friendly relationships among member actuators, and connectivity. nations. It presently has 24 members and eight . This enables these things to connect, collect observer navies. and exchange data, creating opportunities for . It is a voluntary initiativethat seeks to more direct integration of the physical world increase maritime co-operation among navies into computer-based systems. of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r by providing an open and inclusive forum for elid=183711 discussion of regionally relevant maritime Successful Flight Test of Astra BVR Air-to-Air issues and, in the process, endeavors to Missile (GS3: Internal security, prelims) generate a flow of information between naval . Astra, the indigenously developed Beyond professionals that would lead to common Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), understanding and possibly agreements on the was successfully test fired by the Indian Air way ahead. Force from Su-30 aircraft, from Air Force . Under the charter of business adopted in Station, Kalaikunda. 2014, the grouping has working groups on . The missile successfully engaged a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief manoeuvring target with high precision (HADR), Information Security and meeting the mission objectives. Interoperability (IS&I) and anti-piracy now . In the series of trials held to date, Astra has renamed as maritime security been launched in the complete Su-30 flight Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r envelope. elid=183707 Astra Finance Ministry Launches Mobile Application “ . Astra is the best in the class weapon system. Jan Dhan Darshak” as A Part of Financial . Astra an all-weather beyond-visual-range Inclusion (Prelims) air-to-air missile. . As the name suggests, this app will act as a . Developed by the Defence Research and guide for the common people in locating a Development Organisation. financial service touch point at a given location . It is the first air-to-air missile developed by in the country. India. . The app will be in a unique position to . It features mid-course inertial guidance with provide a citizen centric platform for locating terminal active radar homing. financial service touch points across all www.iasjnana.com 90

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs providers such as banks, post office, CSC, etc. the margins toward the centre of scienti₹c and These services could be availed as per the policy discussion. needs and convenience of the common people. . Until recently, sea level rise was caused Salient features: mainly by ocean water expanding under the . Find nearby Financial touch points, based on in₹uence of global warming. Today, the current location (Branches/ATM/Post offices). biggest driver is run off from ice sheets sitting . Search by place name. atop the island of Greenland and the continent . Search by place name also available with of Antarctica. Voice Interface. . Taken together, Greenland and West . Phone number of bank branches available in Antarctica more vulnerable to global warming app, with the facility of call button for than East Antarctica contain enough frozen integrated dialing. water to lift the ocean watermark by about 12 . Users‘ feedback will go directly to the metres. concerned bank for carrying out the necessary . Wolovick and Moore ran computer models updation in data on financial touch points. to test their geoengineering schemes, taking Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r into account the known variables influencing elid=183691 glacier-ocean dynamics. propping up glaciers to avoid cataclysmic sea . The underwater towers which could be built level rise (GS3: ENVIRONMENT ) with material dredged from the continental . As global warming outpaces efforts to tame shelf or quarried from exposed rock stood a 30 it, scientists have proposed building massive percent change of significantly slowing the underwater structures to prevent an Antarctic glacier‘s disintegration. glacier the size of Britain from sliding into the . The researchers also emphasised that sea and lifting the world‘s oceans by several geoengineering solutions do not lessen the need meters. for reducing humanity‘s output of greenhouse . The more modest of two engineering gases, which hit record levels in 2017. schemes which is still on the scale of a Panama Source: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- or Suez Canal to shore up Thwaites Glacier in-school/propping-up-glaciers-to-avoid- would require the construction of Ei₹el cataclysmic-sea-level-rise/article25043062.ece Tower-sized columns resting on the seabed to support the glacier‘s ocean-facing edge, or ice shelf. Railways to roll out smart coaches (GS3: . Option Two is a 100-metre tall underwater infrastructure) wall, or berm, running 80-100 kilometers (55- . The Indian Railways are set to launch their 60 miles) beneath the ice shelf to block bottom- ‗‘ smart coaches with new flowing warm water that erodes the glacier‘s features like black box and artificial underbelly, rendering it unstable. intelligence (AI)-powered CCTVs, matching . The ambitious projects, detailed in the international standards. European Geophysical Union journal The . The maiden smart coach was unveiled at the Cryosphere, reflect a gathering awareness that Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli on slashing planet-warming greenhouse gas Tuesday as part of launching 100 such trains in emissions while essential may not happen a pilot project to improve the safety and quickly enough to avoid catastrophic climate security of commuters, and to boost efficiency. change impacts. . The black box, being introduced for the first . Geoengineering schemes once dismissed as time by Indian Railways, has a powerful multi- impractical, unnecessary or outright dangerous dimensional communication interface to injecting particles provide information on passengers and coach . into space to de₹ect the sun, storing CO2 in condition on real-time basis. the ground, planting millions of square . The black box will act as a coach control kilometres in biofuels have rapidly moved from unit with communication interfaces for www.iasjnana.com 91

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs passenger announcements, GPS-based of key development outcomes that are aligned announcement triggers, emergency intercom to the national priorities. for commuters, digital destination boards, train . The seven priority areas outlined in the reservation display modules, and CCTVs with UNSDF are, remote monitoring. 1. Poverty and Urbanization; . The modern infotainment system has been 2. Health, Water, and Sanitation; installed to locate the train in real time. 3. Education and Employability; . For wheel, coach and track monitoring, 4. Nutrition and Food Security; Railways have come up with Internet of things- 5. Climate Change, Clean Energy, and Disaster based system. The vibrating-energy-based Resilience; sensors will monitor the wheels, bearing and 6. Skilling, Entrepreneurship, and Job hard spots on the track, and will provide data Creation; and through GPS/GPRS to the remote server for 7. Gender Equality and Youth Development. diagnosis and remedial measures. Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r . The Passenger Information and Coach elid=183795 Computing Unit (PICCU), an industrial grade Freedom to pray: on Sabarimala verdict (GS2: computer, will monitor the coach maintenance polity, prelims) and passenger interface. Women‟s right to worship vs religious freedom . An emergency talk-back system will enable . The Constitution protects religious freedom communication between passengers and the in two ways guard during a crisis. A Wi-Fi hotspot . It protects an individual‘s right to profess, information system is another innovative practise and propagate a religion, and it also feature. assures similar protection to every religious . Smart coaches are also laden with water- denomination to manage its own affairs level indicator technology to know whether the . The legal challenge to the exclusion of water in the coach is sufficient and when it women in the 10-50 age group from the needs to be filled. An SMS will be sent to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala represented a next watering station when the water level falls conflict between the group rights of the temple below half the coach capacity. authorities in enforcing the presiding deity‘s . In the version 2.0 of these coaches, the strict celibate status and the individual rights of Railways are planning to introduce a host of women to offer worship there new features, such as video analytics with face . The Supreme Court‘s ruling, by a 4:1 detection feature; unusual occurrence feature; majority, that the exclusionary practice violates fire-and-smoke detection unit; and an energy- the rights of women devotees establishes the metering module to measure the energy legal principle that individual freedom prevails consumption of the coach. over purported group rights, even in matters of Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ra religion ilways-to-roll-out-smart- Breaking traditional notions of impurity coaches/article25061791.ece . The majority held that devotees of Lord India-United Nations Sustainable Development Ayyappa do not constitute a separate religious Framework (UNSDF)(GS3: IR, PRELIMS) denomination and that the prohibition on . India and United Nations will sign India- women is not an essential part of Hindu United Nations Sustainable Development religion Framework (UNSDF) for 2018-2022. . Beyond the legality of the practice, the court . The NITI Aayog is the national counterpart has also sought to grapple with the for the UN in India for the operationalization of stigmatisation of women devotees based on a the UNSDF. medieval view of menstruation as symbolising . SDF 2018-2022 outlines the work of UN impurity and pollution agencies in India, to support the achievement . Devotion cannot be subjected to the stereotypes of gender www.iasjnana.com 92

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs . SC said that stigma built around traditional disasters is the Ministry of Home Affairs notions of impurity has no place in the (MHA). constitutional order, and exclusion based on the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) notion of impurity is a form of untouchability . The SDRF has been constituted in each Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial State in which the Centre, so far, had been /freedom-to-pray/article25074443.ece contributing: . 75% for the general category states. . 90% for special category States of hilly regions every year. . The SDRF is a resource available to the States to meet the expenses of relief operations of immediate nature, for a range of specified disasters. . Based on the recommendations of successive , the central government approves the annual allocation to SDRF. . On the recommendations of 14th Finance Commission, the government has significantly enhanced the allocation to SDRF by 82.30% for 2015-16 to 2019-20. Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/c Centre increases share in State Disaster entre-increases-share-in-state-disaster-response- Response Fund (GS3: Environment, GS2: fund-to-90-per-cent-5377176/ statutory bodies ) . The Centre has enhanced its contribution in Locate Public Toilets on Google Maps MoHUA the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) from partners with Google to launch #LooReview 75% to 90% with effect from April 1. Campaign (GS2: issues relating to health) . Kerala, which has recently faced the worst . The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, floods, will be a major beneficiary of the under the aegis of Swachh Bharat Mission – Centre‘s decision. Henceforth all States will be Urban (SBM – U), has partnered with Google required to contribute 10% to the SDRF. to launch the Loo Review campaign. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) . One of the objectives of the Swachh Bharat . The National Disaster Response Mission – Urban (SBM – U) is to provide Force (NDRF) is a specialized force constituted sanitation coverage through public toilet ―for the purpose of specialist response to a facilities across cities in India for achieving threatening disaster situation or disaster‖ under Open Defecation Free (ODF) status. the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Loo Review campaign . Formed in 2006. . It is to encourage all local guides in India to . It is the ―Apex Body for Disaster rate and review public toilets on Google Maps. Management‖ in India is the National Disaster . This campaign is part of a feature which Management Authority(NDMA). allows all citizens to locate public toilets in . The Chairman of the NDMA is the Prime their cities on Google Maps, Search and the Minister. Assistant and also provide feedback on the . The responsibility for disaster management same. in India‘s federal system is that of the State . 500+ cities in India with more than 30,000 Government. toilets with the name of ―SBM Toilet‖ are . The ‗nodal Ministry‘ in the central currently live on Google Maps. government for management of natural Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.as px?relid=183814 www.iasjnana.com 93

SEPTEMBER-2018 IASJNANA Monthly Current Affairs NITI Aayog and Oracle sign a Statement of close to cultural heritage site Parshuram Kund, Intent to pilot drug supply-chain using the a major Hindu pilgrimage. blockchain (GS3: Awareness in the field of IT) . Lohit is one of three rivers that meet to form . NITI Aayog signed an agreement with cloud the Brahmaputra in Assam downstream. services provider Oracle, hospital chain Apollo . Environmentalists in adjoining Assam also Hospitals, and pharmaceutical manufacturer said the project would severely impact the Strides Pharma Sciences to curb the grasslands of Dibru Saikhowa National Park distribution of fake drugs using new home of the only population of feral horses in technologies. India and riverine islands of Lohit river, which . Oracle‘s blockchain software permanently Birdlife International identified as Important registers a drug‘s record in the manufacturer‘s Bird Area. drug supply chain (serial number, labeling, . The NGT had sought a peer review of the scanning), leaving no scope for record project, but the ministry commissioned a short tampering study by a WII-led team, which acknowledged . The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the downstream concerns while saying upstream third largest in the world in volume, accounting submergence would not be much of an for 10% of the world‘s production. ecological issue. The team admitted the site . A recent report by World Health needed to be studied over three seasons. Organisation estimates 20% of all drugs sold in . Based on the team‘s report, the project was India are fake. cleared at the 50th meeting of SC-NBWL . Also, as the largest producer of generic whose minutes weremade public. The minutes drugs in the world, India is reported to be the said that that the wildlife board has accepted source of 35% of all counterfeit drugs sold the Dehradun-based WII‘s report on the rapid worldwide. ecological assessment of impacts of Lower Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?r Demwe project on wildlife. elid=183804 Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ot her-states/arunachal-mega-dam-near-pilgrimage- cleared-environmentalists-see- red/article25066578.ece

Arunachal mega dam near pilgrimage cleared, environmentalists see red(GS3: Environment) . Conservationists asked the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (SC- NBWL) to reverse the clearance for the 1750MW Demwe Lower hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh. . The project‘s 124-metre high dam is proposed to be constructed on river Lohit jointly by Athena Energy Ventures and the Arunachal Pradesh government. The project site, greens and local activists say, is extremely www.iasjnana.com 94